A Train Wreck?

[UConnLen]

I've been through several iterations of "The Boneyard" but what is going on here? First of all, I've known Glen Miller since he started HS. I was a pall bearer in his Dads funeral during the " Dream Season" and remember him having to put his younger brother to rest after a terrible motorcycle accident. He spent decades at UConn as a player and coach yet people kick the guy to the curb? Same with the players who transfer-some because they didn't have the ability to play at this level? As for KO, I know the last few years have been difficult for us fans, but he's been through difficult times before. Was there at PC when the refs tried to steal a game from us with the famous Donny Clapping technical. Did KO quit- he'll no he drove the length of the floor and hit winning layup w 4 seconds after the T! He's gotten up many times after losing an NBA job too. Have faith guys. Its obvious that some here know more about Hip-hop than basketball, are lurkers who dislike UConn or simply like attacking coaches, players or fellow Boneyarders! Where is Makers Muppet when you need him?

 

[boog204]

I'm sure Glen is a very nice guy but it was time to shake some things up. Some of the issues here seem to be closely linked to him so that's just how it is. Sometimes good people get fired.

As for KO, he has been through adversity before as a coach. In 2015, we are pretty bad. We rebounded with a mediocre 2016 and followed that up with an absolutely awful 2017. He is our coach and I will support him but there is some stank coming out of the basketball program right now. It is unprecedented (for us) to have such a profound exodus especially from guys who would have seen lots of minutes. There is a reason beyond the lame homesick excuse. Now we see that the two who were the least productive are getting interest from major P5 schools and it makes you wonder what our staff has or hasn't done.

A rah-rah speech is meaningless right now as we do not even have a full roster to root on due to the defections. The program needs to rebound and figure out what it's identity will soon be. I do not think we can afford another sub .500 season.

 

[UCDaveD]

Why didn't you relay your Miller anecdotes earlier?!? Probably would have gotten him promoted to Super Associate Head Coach instead of canned!

 

[UCweCONN]

First, I can't stand Mike Francesa. However, he made a good point recently regarding the hiring of Patrick Ewing at Georgetown and I think why Don Mattingly wasn't hired to manage the Yankees: 90% of coaches get fired at some point. Do you really want to sour a relationship with a former player when you eventually have to fire him?

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

no one person is above this program. We cant sustain a winning team and environment because people are nice guys, that's not how it works.

 

[Ts5034]

First, I can't stand Mike Francesa. However, he made a good point recently regarding the hiring of Patrick Ewing at Georgetown and I think why Don Mattingly wasn't hired to manage the Yankees: 90% of coaches get fired at some point. Do you really want to sour a relationship with a former player when you eventually have to fire him?

Thats true, and for example, the Charlie Weiss situation at ND was very ugly at the end. Im not sure what his relationship is now with the school, but its never a good thing for both sides when you have to fire one of your own.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Why didn't you relay your Miller anecdotes earlier?!? Probably would have gotten him promoted to Super Associate Head Coach instead of canned!

(In other words, I'd rather be a jerk in response, but thanks for trying)

 

[RJScootin]

So KO will be fine because he made a layup with 4 seconds left and couldn't hold a NBA job...... I feel much better about the future of the program, thanks.

 

[RJScootin]

First, I can't stand Mike Francesa. However, he made a good point recently regarding the hiring of Patrick Ewing at Georgetown and I think why Don Mattingly wasn't hired to manage the Yankees: 90% of coaches get fired at some point. Do you really want to sour a relationship with a former player when you eventually have to fire him?

I agree with you although the Yankees still hired a former player instead of Donnie Baseball(obviously not on the level of Mattingly). What the Sports Pope said that makes sense is you don't want to be the guy after the guy, ex. KO coming after JC. You want to be the next guy. Which makes sense because the next guy gets to be compared to KO not JC.

 

[SECONN]

So KO will be fine because he made a layup with 4 seconds left and couldn't hold a NBA job. I feel much better about the future of the program, thanks.

fordham player commits......looking at St. Johns former player.....three transfers....decommit and our record in the AAC is horrible for a former Big East team......and if we went back to the Big East we would be ranked where?

Miller was the problem? Could not coach big men or recruit.....Ollie was busy with??????

 

[jibsey]

I agree with you although the Yankees still hired a former player instead of Donnie Baseball(obviously not on the level of Mattingly). What the Sports Pope said that makes sense is you don't want to be the guy after the guy, ex. KO coming after JC. You want to be the next guy. Which makes sense because the next guy gets to be compared to KO not JC.

The Sports Joke is wrong. Being the guy after the guy is meaningless when the real problem was your power conference was pulled out from under your feet. KO is trying to get big recruits to come to the AAC where your in conference games are crap, your OOC big games are done by December, and you are not a promoted and highlighted TV matchup. That's an easy task, right? That said I still worry about KO's approach so we'll see on that, but there is definite reason for concern.

 

[RJScootin]

fordham player commits.looking at St. Johns former player.....three transfers....decommit and our record in the AAC is horrible for a former Big East team.and if we went back to the Big East we would be ranked where?

Miller was the problem? Could not coach big men or recruit.....Ollie was busy with??????

I was being sarcastic in my post but I'll still answer your questions. 1.)Ranked in BE, UConn would be DePaul. 2.)Was Miller the problem. I have no idea, wasn't part of the solution so see ya. 3.) Ollie was busy cashing his 3 million a year salary and under performing dramatically.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I'm sorry but I believe in the Bill Belichick approach to running a program. Nostalgia doesn't win games. Nor do warm feelings and fond memories. Miller is and was a great Husky as player and coach. Nothing changes that. KO was a terrific player and coached us to a title. Nothing changes that.

Now...how do you win more games, right now? It isn't by looking backward. It's by engaging in a frank, honest and possibly unpleasant analysis of your staff, your approach, your game plans and your players. I have been saying for two years that KO needs guys who are not UConn guys on his staff. That bench of coaches can't be an echo chamber. When KO again lets an opposing run go on for 4 minutes without calling a time out, I want an assistant to say "what are you doing!?"

 

[UConnLen]

Just to clarify no where did I say Glen shouldn't have been replaced. I think KO needed to make a change.

 

[UConnLen]

So KO will be fine because he made a layup with 4 seconds left and couldn't hold a NBA job. I feel much better about the future of the program, thanks.

Not what I said at all, but he made changes so let's see how they work. If not more changes will be made.

 

[TRest]

I'm sorry but I believe in the Bill Belichick approach to running a program. Nostalgia doesn't win games. Nor do warm feelings and fond memories. Miller is and was a great Husky as player and coach. Nothing changes that. KO was a terrific player and coached us to a title. Nothing changes that.

Now...how do you win more games, right now? It isn't by looking backward. It's by engaging in a frank, honest and possibly unpleasant analysis of your staff, your approach, your game plans and your players. I have been saying for two years that KO needs guys who are not UConn guys on his staff. That bench of coaches can't be an echo chamber. When KO again lets an opposing run go on for 4 minutes without calling a time out, I want an assistant to say "what are you doing!?"

I may be wrong, but I thought Miller transferred out of UConn after a year or two and ended up at Northeastern playing for JC. He's had some success as a head coach at much lower levels, but was never a great player in college.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I may be wrong, but I thought Miller transferred out of UConn after a year or two and ended up at Northeastern playing for JC. He's had some success as a head coach at much lower levels, but was never a great player in college.

I don't know honestly. I didn't mean "great" in that way. I was more trying to make the point that he's been associated with UConn as a player and coach for many years, and while we appreciate that, if we need to make a change, we make a change. Same with Ricky. Many of us have pretty strong ties to him and that team, but if he isn't cutting it (I don't know one way or the other) then you cut him lose

 

[gtcam]

I may be wrong, but I thought Miller transferred out of UConn after a year or two and ended up at Northeastern playing for JC. He's had some success as a head coach at much lower levels, but was never a great player in college.

you are correct

 

[Huskybass]

I really hope that Chillious is the recruiter that people claim that he is. The program he left lost their last 13 games, not winning a game after January 18th. Time will tell whether he is the boost that many fans seem to expect.