Another Dan Hurley thread

[boog204]

How many games have you watched URI play that you can be pretty confident?

I would keep in mind that this is probably the worst the A10 has been in over a decade. And without going back and looking at results, I bet last year was the next worst.

All of this may be true. But Hurley has the name, budding success, and the buzz that would make players want to come here. We heard from numerous sources (real ones, not Chief) that KOs (and as a result, UConn's) name are a bit tarnished on the recruiting trail. We are easy to recruit against with the defections, the negative pub, our own coaches admission that we are a "sinking ship." Bringing in new blood; a guy who has a building rep would do wonders to restore some normalcy to the problem. What that new normalcy is, we do not know. But I'm not much of a fan of the "norm" that KO has established here. The title is what is keeping KO here, but that title was fortuitous in many ways. We had Amida for four years. I feel like I could count on my hand the number of times he made a tough catch off an offensive board and finished. On the converse, I lost track of the number of times he was caught completely flat-footed and was a non-factor on the boards. We were very lucky to win that St. Joe's game. After that, Bazz, Boat, and DD were able to do their thing with KO motivating the hell out of them. But we were outplayed in that St. Joe's game and we should have lost.

I really thought, even with a depleted roster of sorts, that KO would bring them together this year. I was not expecting a final four team, but I was expecting something significantly better than the tire fire that rolls out there every game. That's it for me. I have seen little to no improvement in the players (not all KOs fault, obviously), we are a recruiting and attracting a lesser stratum of players (Blaze?), and worst yet, the x and o aspect of our game is at an all-time low. When opposing scouts cite us as "the easiest scout" they've ever done and the pundits are stating that "UConn would not win the America East" then it is time to clean the house before those rats KO so idiotically used as positive, devour the whole freaking thing.

 

[jibsey]

All of this may be true. But Hurley has the name, budding success, and the buzz that would make players want to come here. We heard from numerous sources (real ones, not Chief) that KOs (and as a result, UConn's) name are a bit tarnished on the recruiting trail. We are easy to recruit against with the defections, the negative pub, our own coaches admission that we are a "sinking ship." Bringing in new blood; a guy who has a building rep would do wonders to restore some normalcy to the problem. What that new normalcy is, we do not know. But I'm not much of a fan of the "norm" that KO has established here. The title is what is keeping KO here, but that title was fortuitous in many ways. We had Amida for four years. I feel like I could count on my hand the number of times he made a tough catch off an offensive board and finished. On the converse, I lost track of the number of times he was caught completely flat-footed and was a non-factor on the boards. We were very lucky to win that St. Joe's game. After that, Bazz, Boat, and DD were able to do their thing with KO motivating the hell out of them. But we were outplayed in that St. Joe's game and we should have lost.

I really thought, even with a depleted roster of sorts, that KO would bring them together this year. I was not expecting a final four team, but I was expecting something significantly better than the tire fire that rolls out there every game. That's it for me. I have seen little to no improvement in the players (not all KOs fault, obviously), we are a recruiting and attracting a lesser stratum of players (Blaze?), and worst yet, the x and o aspect of our game is at an all-time low. When opposing scouts cite us as "the easiest scout" they've ever done and the pundits are stating that "UConn would not win the America East" then it is time to clean the house before those rats KO so idiotically used as positive, devour the whole freaking thing.

Glenn Miller game planned the 2014 run. As far as Amida goes, he didn’t have the hands, but Carlton already looks like he can get it done.

 

[HuskyHawk]

A job in this conference vs the P5 is the difference between working at Blackberry vs Apple.

Nonsense. This conference has two of the top ten highest paid head coaches in the country. UConn is a better job than Pitt, BC, Penn State or any other moribund program. Stop making so much out of the "P5", that's a football thing. It isn't relevant here except to the extent that it impacts our ability to pay. This is easily the 7th best basketball conference, and some years it may be better than that.

 

[polycom]

In my defense, I would have figured it out once I sobered up.

What’s a BAC?

This was a great joke setup.

 

[boog204]

I disagree. I'm not saying you let Ollie stay in the position and run us into the ground, but I don't think we are close to being to the point of unrecoverable. We are still one of the most successful basketball programs of the past 20 years! The dust can be wiped off of our logo and we can easily be revived imo. If Ollie is moved and the right coach comes in, the college basketball world will pay attention. I'm sure the new coach would do some marketing to make sure people understood who Uconn is.

I disagree with this... It is not unrecoverable, but we are pretty damn close to irrelevant. Attendance is way down, we are struggling mightily in a mediocre conference, and the only publicity we get is for the negative situations surrounding our program (transfers, big losses, the demise of our legacy,etc.) KOs recent failures have made the general public more and more attach that title to JC. That era is gone and to many people, so is UConn. The fact of the matter is we are now a story of what once was, not what could be. That either fairly or unfairly is directly attributed to KO. If KO stays here, he has to be able to bring in players to turn this around immediately, as in, we have to be a 20-25 win team next year. Look at the roster. That's not happening.

 

[Hoophound]

Top salary? The same people who say Hurley is a lock also claim we can't even afford the buyout. Keep in mind, a big part of why Edsall is back is because he accepted a 1 mil salary. Hurley ain't accepting that. And while I do agree with your best case scenario, we are an entire coaching cycle away from that. Hurley knows he will have better opportunities and get a richer contract somewhere else. That ship sailed. All in, it would most likely cost UConn(buyout inlcuded) 22-25 million for Dan Hurley. Yeah, right. Sounds like a lock.

Basketball at UConn isn’t football. It is the franchise. They have to pay a basketball coach and I think they will. They’ll pay and they’ll get their money back by doing it. Again, basketball is the the golden goose. The whole athletic department was built on the shoulders of Jim Calhoun and men’s basketball. The powers that be are well aware that you have to pay to get someone who can carry even a decent fraction of that load. That’s why KO got paid big. He recruited well and won the title. They looked at that and said, “this guy can do it, better lock him up”. I’m pretty sure they will look at saving men’s basketball as a mandatory expense.

Of course, I still think they may look at getting a serious basketball mind to join KO on the bench as they evaluate all of this. KO has a lot to offer and between KO and Chill recruiting hard (assuming KO is recruiting hard again) and a solid basketball tactician in the mix, they might be able to figure this out. They really need someone that has done more with less at the college level to get them through times where they lack NBA talent or when they simply have one hole in a lineup and need to compensate for it. That’s when traditional, old fashioned basketball chops count the most.

 

[the Q]

The point being, this man has now "built up" two north east programs from nothing.

If you think URI was nothing - you know nothing about URI basketball
They had some great teams and really good coaches
Love how people who salivate at replacing KO will build up anyone's resume to push forward their agenda
Is Hurley a good coach? so far yes but we will see

Didn't they go to the elite 8 in like 98?

My childhood best friend's dad still hasn't gotten over that meltdown against Stanford.

 

[Kemba'sYogurt]

Sometimes I wish we had a feature where we could see a poster’s BAC.

Not to prevent them from posting, but just because I think it would be fascinating.

Why would you wanna see someone's back? Weird...

 

[boog204]

Didn't they go to the elite 8 in like 98?

My childhood best friend's dad still hasn't gotten over that meltdown against Stanford.

URI had some really cool teams. In the 80s, they had two awesome guards (Carlton Owens and Tom something) an undersized big and they went to the sweet 16. Tyson Wheeler, Cuttino Mobley, and a couple of undersized dunking bigs should have gone to the final four, and then the year Odom was there they were pretty cool too. I really liked those URI teams. Fun to watch.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

The point being, this man has now "built up" two north east programs from nothing.

If you think URI was nothing - you know nothing about URI basketball
They had some great teams and really good coaches
Love how people who salivate at replacing KO will build up anyone's resume to push forward their agenda
Is Hurley a good coach? so far yes but we will see

Tell us more. 6 NCAA appearances in 30+ years and haven't won their league's regular season since 1981?

 

[nomar]

Didn't they go to the elite 8 in like 98?

My childhood best friend's dad still hasn't gotten over that meltdown against Stanford.

Me neither. I hated those Stanford teams! Cuttino Mobley and Tyson Wheeler were on that team.

 

[the Q]

Me neither. I hated those Stanford teams! Cuttino Mobley and Tyson Wheeler were on that team.

Yeah that was quite the dynamic backcourt.

and Stanford has the worlds best dancer mark Madson on that team right?

 

[Fairfield_1st]

In the 80s, they had two awesome guards (Carlton Owens and Tom something)

Was the Tom something Tom Garrick (sp?). I remember a guy as well that had a good tourney.

 

[Samoo]

What’s a BAC?

Was the Tom something Tom Garrick (sp?). I remember a guy as well that had a good tourney.

Coached by Tom Penders, former UCONN guard.

 

[August_West]

Tom Penders,.

Could be a viable KO replacement

 

[Penfield]

Could be a viable KO replacement

 

[Tuna]

If KO stays here, he has to be able to bring in players to turn this around immediately, as in, we have to be a 20-25 win team next year. Look at the roster. That's not happening.

Are you basing your comment on what you think the roster will be or what the roster will be if all eligible players return? If it's the latter, I would literally put my house on over 20 wins. If it's the former, why not just wait and see if anyone leaves early/transfers/decommits before making any decisions?

 

[CL82]

Oh. Good to hear. Glad we don’t have to worry about that anymore.

He's probably gotten wind of the Big 10's interest in us. It's a big selling point.

 

[CL82]

While I have no problems plagiarizing others work ( I have a night job doing just that) I must disclose that the simple genius of "littlejohn" belongs to the great mind of @8893

I prefer when @8893 refers to him Welch's or makes a grape jelly reference. That's pretty much lol time for me.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

While I have no problems plagiarizing others work ( I have a night job doing just that) I must disclose that the simple genius of "littlejohn" belongs to the great mind of @8893

8893 my sincerest of apologies. I promise to now like 10 of your posts randomly for this mistake. Just give me a 48 hr window to accomplish this. I am a man of my word. You shall soon see!

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

This is what I'm dealing with. Whaler again attributes something to me I obviously didn't say. I ask him a bunch of times to show where I said this and he doesn't provide anything. I have to go back and look up the old posts he's referring to which again show he isn't being honest. I get called vile.

Thank you for the analysis. If Blair Berk were hiring I would certainly recommend you.

BDH

 

[Greathusky]

Sometimes I wish we had a feature where we could see a poster’s BAC.

Not to prevent them from posting, but just because I think it would be fascinating.

I googled BAC and got the Bank of America.

 

[pj]

I googled BAC and got the Bank of America.

Like Fishy, I think it would be cool to see posters' bank accounts. Preferably with their passwords.

 

[UConnNick]

Could be a viable KO replacement

I wouldn't be opposed, although Penders is gettin' up there in age. He once tried to convince me that he averaged 16 assists per game when he played PG at UCONN. It was tough to tell if he was serious or putting me on. It can't be fact checked because they didn't keep track of assists during the era when he played, so he can get away with saying anything if someone is willing to go along. Funny guy. I guarantee you will see some of the old fashioned weave offense with him.

 

[boog204]

Are you basing your comment on what you think the roster will be or what the roster will be if all eligible players return? If it's the latter, I would literally put my house on over 20 wins. If it's the former, why not just wait and see if anyone leaves early/transfers/decommits before making any decisions?

A little bit of both. If everyone returns, and that's an enormous if, we should be a 20 win team. But I thought we should have been last year as well. The general belief is that Larrier is gone. Adams, we do not know. Our recruiting class is good; but I'm not sure there's a true impact player right away. Ajinko and Wilson are solid gets, no doubt. But are they guys who are going to come in and be big contributors? I'm not so sure.

 

[djct1999]

A little bit of both. If everyone returns, and that's an enormous if, we should be a 20 win team. But I thought we should have been last year as well. The general belief is that Larrier is gone. Adams, we do not know. Our recruiting class is good; but I'm not sure there's a true impact player right away. Ajinko and Wilson are solid gets, no doubt. But are they guys who are going to come in and be big contributors? I'm not so sure.

2o wins..... Are you taking bets? If so, I will take the under.

 

[boog204]

2o wins..... Are you taking bets? If so, I will take the under.

I don't know... I have little faith in KO.

But this lineup, again this is hypothetical and perfect world in regards to people coming back and injury recovery...

PG: Gilbert, Ajinko
2g: Adams, Vital
SF: Larrier (he could petition for an extra year, I believe?), Wilson, Polley
PF: Whaley, Diarra
C: Carlton, Whaley, Kiskunas

In the AAC, on paper, that is a 20 win team. Real life, I think Jalen and Larrier will be gone and I have no faith that Gilbert will ever be the same. So, it's a much different picture then.

 

[crazyUCfan23]

I don't know... I have little faith in KO.

But this lineup, again this is hypothetical and perfect world in regards to people coming back and injury recovery...

PG: Gilbert, Ajinko
2g: Adams, Vital
SF: Larrier (he could petition for an extra year, I believe?), Wilson, Polley
PF: Whaley, Diarra
C: Carlton, Whaley, Kiskunas

In the AAC, on paper, that is a 20 win team. Real life, I think Jalen and Larrier will be gone and I have no faith that Gilbert will ever be the same. So, it's a much different picture then.

Larrier still has one more year of eligibility as he played at VCU as a freshman, sat out as a transfer, injured last year, playing this year, so next year would be his fifth year. Doubtful he comes back those he is 23 years old and most likely looking to move on to G league

 

[boog204]

Larrier still has one more year of eligibility as he played at VCU as a freshman, sat out as a transfer, injured last year, playing this year, so next year would be his fifth year. Doubtful he comes back those he is 23 years old and most likely looking to move on to G league

Yep, I'd be shocked if he came back. Just responding to the person saying that it wouldn't be a potential 20 win team if everyone came back.

 

[crazyUCfan23]

Yep, I'd be shocked if he came back. Just responding to the person saying that it wouldn't be a potential 20 win team if everyone came back.

I agree that it would be a 20 win team if everybody came back. I was just pointing out that in theory Larrier wouldn't need to petition in order to play next year.