AJ Reeves to Providence

[FartMan69]

Well, first, I should probably throw the BE in the same category as the AAC as it stands. Better history--sans UConn, and maybe Cincy--but they have similar difficulties as it stands. Yet they don't have a whole state behind them, and the funds that go with that.

No one is UConn, but folks here have been upset for a long time about not being consistently in the Top 25. Gonzaga seems like the easy answer. Solid recruiting, great regular seasons, some recent good post-seasons. We have better name recognition, we have a better conference, and if we get our act together we'll be in better shape than them. And, if they showed up, they'd have won the title. A title we won from a non-P5 conference.

Wichita State is another one that--now in our conference--we beat by every measure and they've had great regular seasons and some strong post-season success.

If we--UConn--do what we're supposed to, our conference will be fine and on par with the NBE/weaker P5s almost every year. When we suck, though, we drag the conference down with us.

(This isn't getting into fan excitement. All these years in I still DGAF about SMU or any of those other schools...but that will come with time--or with rescue.)

Well don't do that.

 

[tzznandrew]

Well don't do that.

Well, fair enough.

BUT, if UConn shows up and WSU is as good as they have been, the difference won't be as stark. They'll largely be in the same boat, financially, and in many ways in terms of quality (of basketball, not university). The bottom of the AAC won't catch up to the BE, but they won't be as different it has been.

 

[mauconnfan]

Can somebody explain how this is an indictment on the staff? We weren't even recruiting reeves. Save your outrage for when they swing n miss on Carey or mucius.

Please james it's not reasonable to use logic like that. Even if KO and the staff stopped recruiting him he should want to be here in case you didn't know that?

 

[noeynox]

That's one of the knocks on him, seriously been getting outworked by other coaches Cooley being one of them.

Ugh. The last thing you want in any profession is the talented lazy guy. Lesser talented guys will just outwork him.

 

[Fishy]

Please james it's not reasonable to use logic like that. Even if KO and the staff stopped recruiting him he should want to be here in case you didn't know that?

When stupid meets stupid...

Kid was a UConn lean for a year. Unfortunately that was the year UConn's coach took off to pursue other hobbies so the kid cut them from his list.

 

[Huskymagic]

Just a year ago AJ Reeves was a lock to UCONN and you had Jalen Adams visit Brewster and now they are heading to Providence and St. John's, but all is well.

The main problem with Ollie is he is coming off as disingenuous and insincere with trying too hard to sound like a preacher and self help expert. I for one do not want to hear any more talk of 10 toes in and other Olliesms and neither do recruits. He needs to talk honestly about players and his team publicly not talk about level 5's and Ferrari's. Talk about Kemba and Napier and Drummond and Lamb and how his goal is to win and send guys to the NBA.

PS: If getting Polley, Carlton, and Cobb count as Killings claim to success at UCONN then the problem is much bigger than many of you Pollyanna's realize. Reality is Killings has done nothing so far considering he is recruiting for UCONN not UMass. Chillious so far is 0 for 3 (Harris, Mamadou 2.0, and Moretti). "Killings" guys along with Whaley are guys who would not play for UCONN teams of the last 20 years and are guys who we could have gotten with or without Killings. Compare this recruiting haul with what Miller brought in.

 

[FartMan69]

Please james it's not reasonable to use logic like that. Even if KO and the staff stopped recruiting him he should want to be here in case you didn't know that?

They also stopped recruiting our one top 100 commit this season. the staff is in charge and everything that happens with this program is 100% on them. We pay them more than our freakin' conference even gives us, time to step up.

 

[mauconnfan]

When stupid meets stupid...

Kid was a UConn lean for a year. Unfortunately that was the year UConn's coach took off to pursue other hobbies so the kid cut them from his list.

I get reprimanded for calling someone an idiot now "moron'" and "stupid meets stupid" is fine because people have a different view on something?

Listen he sucked and did stupid stuff the last couple years, needs to change but to deny that some of these losses also have other reasons is ridiculous. They're losing them all and it blows no doubt, they need to win both on the court and on the recruiting trail this coming year. Only way they/we get back to where everyone's happy. Until then no one should b thrilled but that horse is roadkill now.

 

[mauconnfan]

They also stopped recruiting our one top 100 commit this season. the staff is in charge and everything that happens with this program is 100% on them. We pay them more than our freakin' conference even gives
us, time to step up.

It is no doubt and it's going to need to start on the court looks like things are not on par with expectations.

 

[Fishy]

I get reprimanded for calling someone an idiot now "moron'" and "stupid meets stupid" is fine because people have a different view on something?

Yes.

But in fairness, James's original point was demonstrably moronic and any attempt to agree with it is stupid. Even he has tried to walk it back.

 

[The Funster]

I don't see how anyone could say that KO didn't have some issues over the last year to year and a half. I know it's not good form to discuss the divorce but its congruity with the fall off of performance is undeniable, imo. Our waning efforts with 2018 recruiting class and the pathetic early season performances are an indictment of the HC. Injuries or not the 2016/17 team had no offensive or defensive philosophy and had the look of a team that was on the floor with each other for the first time. The injuries helped cover up that fact. It wasn't until January that the HC and the staff woke up, smelled the coffee and actually began to have the team playing cohesively. I was soft on Kevin Ollie until recently. It has now become obvious that KO has taken advantage of the University and its fans. He's been mailing it in.

 

[UConniki]

Not sure I want a kid that needs that much attention.

Then you would probably be as bad of a recruiter as KO has become and not head basketball coach material.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

UConn has the pedigree but Cooley is tireless and relentless on the recruiting trail. He is starting to neutralize UConn's huge advantages.

Hopefully Cooley is as relentless once he's the UConn head coach as of next spring.

 

[chickenhead]

Hopefully Cooley is as relentless once he's the UConn head coach as of next spring.

You'll have no worries there. There's no quit in that guy.

 

[KingAG]

Just a year ago AJ Reeves was a lock to UConn and you had Jalen Adams visit Brewster and now they are heading to Providence and St. John's, but all is well.

The main problem with Ollie is he is coming off as disingenuous and insincere with trying too hard to sound like a preacher and self help expert. I for one do not want to hear any more talk of 10 toes in and other Olliesms and neither do recruits. He needs to talk honestly about players and his team publicly not talk about level 5's and Ferrari's. Talk about Kemba and Napier and Drummond and Lamb and how his goal is to win and send guys to the NBA.

PS: If getting Polley, Carlton, and Cobb count as Killings claim to success at UConn then the problem is much bigger than many of you Pollyanna's realize. Reality is Killings has done nothing so far considering he is recruiting for UConn not UMass. Chillious so far is 0 for 3 (Harris, Mamadou 2.0, and Moretti). "Killings" guys along with Whaley are guys who would not play for UConn teams of the last 20 years and are guys who we could have gotten with or without Killings. Compare this recruiting haul with what Miller brought in.

Miller had multiple years chillious has had 2 months.......Chillious is the one coach who is obsolved of criticism until he's had the chance to do anything. And if you believe our "insiders" chillious has been huge behind the scenes with keeping UConn in recruiting battles they otherwise would not be in(ie Wilson, moretti) Chillious has done his job so far IMO, its Ollie's job to close and he hasn't. Killings is doing exactly what we thought he'd do. He never got 5 star talent, his claim to fame is player development and identifying lower rated recruits that turn out to be better than their Rankings(see his success with this at temple). His success with that at UConn has yet to be determined but this is also his first recruiting cycle at UConn. Making irrational judgment before the results come in is a bad practice

 

[pj]

If our head coach is ten toes in, we'll be fine. I want him to keep the inspirational speak, and practice what he preaches.

Hopefully his competitive juices are flowing, because he's got to prove himself as much as the young Jim Calhoun at Dedham High.

 

[KingAG]

If our head coach is ten toes in, we'll be fine. I want him to keep the inspirational speak, and practice what he preaches.

Hopefully his competitive juices are flowing, because he's got to prove himself as much as the young Jim Calhoun at Dedham High.

Agreed Ollism's are wonderful when your winning, when your losing they grow tiresome. Which brings us back to what we all already know winning is the only solution. PERIOD

 

[tzznandrew]

Agreed Ollism's are wonderful when your winning, when your losing they grow tiresome. Which brings us back to what we all already know winning is the only solution. PERIOD

I always found them annoying; but now they sound rank.

I trust in him still. You don't win a title, and some of the recruiting battles he's won, without talent. He needs to focus now, though, or he's in real trouble. We can't afford to suck again.

 

[ucp990411]

Hopefully Cooley is as relentless once he's the UConn head coach as of next spring.

Why would Cooley take our job? It would be a lateral move at best. And I bleed blue. Those 4 national championship banners are great but they don't really matter to today's recruits I would think. Do you think UCLA's mean much?

 

[80shusky]

Oh cool, another one of these threads. Can't we at least let Chillious unpack his things before we start judging his recruiting prowess?

 

[Chief00]

That is 98% of the top 100... game has changed

Confirmed: Indeed

 

[ucp990411]

I always found them annoying; but now they sound rank.

I trust in him still. You don't win a title, and some of the recruiting battles he's won, without talent. He needs to focus now, though, or he's in real trouble. We can't afford to suck again.

I am sick of this divorce crap getting in the way of his job. The guy makes 3 million. Suck it up. And I went through a divorce.

 

[upstater]

Yikes. Not one of those guys 5 years ago would come close to the minutes they will get this year

Maybe not Polley and Cobb, but Carlton...

um, Okawandu? Olander? Nolan? Brimah?

Did these 3 not come through UConn and play significant minutes?

 

[upstater]

It's been really bad, this kid was/should have been a lock well over a year ago. I knew we lost him a long time ago so I'm not upset anymore but it's unacceptable the way Ollie is running this program. He doesn't kill it in recruiting for 2018 and we cut the cord.

Keep talking about cutting the cord. Maybe everyone should. Kids can see the writing on the wall. why should a kid commit to a school about to axe its head coach.

That makes absolutely no sense.

 

[mauconnfan]

Yes.

But in fairness, James's original point was demonstrably moronic and any attempt to agree with it is stupid. Even he has tried to walk it back.

Ok I thought he knew something so I will walk it back with him a little..... but still!

 

[upstater]

There's no denying that at this moment, Providence is the preeminent basketball program in New England.

I see the disease is catching all over this country.

 

[navery12]

I'm really curious how this next year goes. Can't see kids committing here with all the uncertainty around KO and can't see KO getting any job security without the recruits coming. I love KO and hope for the best, but gonna be a tough obstscle for him to overcome

 

[upstater]

Potentially be solid players. Like Kentan Facey who would not have sniffed the court during our glory years?

2011 and 2014 were glory years too.

The talent level in college ball isnt what it used to be.

I'm not saying these 3 are enough for our front court. They are nt. But it's equally clear that Nolan, Olander and Okwandu were not world beaters either. Nor Brimah.

 

[ucp990411]

Well, first, I should probably throw the BE in the same category as the AAC as it stands. Better history--sans UConn, and maybe Cincy--but they have similar difficulties as it stands. Yet they don't have a whole state behind them, and the funds that go with that.

No one is UConn, but folks here have been upset for a long time about not being consistently in the Top 25. Gonzaga seems like the easy answer. Solid recruiting, great regular seasons, some recent good post-seasons. We have better name recognition, we have a better conference, and if we get our act together we'll be in better shape than them. And, if they showed up, they'd have won the title. A title we won from a non-P5 conference.

Wichita State is another one that--now in our conference--we beat by every measure and they've had great regular seasons and some strong post-season success.

If we--UConn--do what we're supposed to, our conference will be fine and on par with the NBE/weaker P5s almost every year. When we suck, though, we drag the conference down with us.

(This isn't getting into fan excitement. All these years in I still DGAF about SMU or any of those other schools...but that will come with time--or with rescue.)

Oh my goodness how we have fallen. We used to be compared to North Carolina, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky etc. Now it's Wichita St. It's all about the conference. Heads should roll at Storrs because of this and not one freakin reporter wants to tackle this. Are they afraid of Herbst? she needs to be held accountable for losing millions per year.

 

[80shusky]

Oh my goodness how we have fallen. We used to be compared to North Carolina, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky etc. Now it's Wichita St. It's all about the conference. Heads should roll at Storrs because of this and not one freakin reporter wants to tackle this. Are they afraid of Herbst? she needs to be held accountable for losing millions per year.

Wichita State is likely to be a top 10 team this year. Clearly they aren't NC, Duke, Kentucky or Kansas but how many programs are? None.