AO Article On CBS Sports

[Huskies4ever]

This kid is such a piece of , honestly.

The quotes just show how out of touch with reality he was, and continues to be.

-"He's a Hall of Fame coach and I'm not taking anything away from him, but what he did was wrong in my opinion," Oriakhi said. " In my three years, I never, ever talked back to him. I kept quiet and did exactly what he told me. I got good grades, played hard and never got in trouble."​

Never talked back to Calhoun? Just trash-talked him on twitter and behind his back?
Played hard? I remember him sulking after fumbling away a rebound or getting stripped. Or complaining to the refs after a call didn't go his way.

"I don't care about minutes," he said. "I just want to win. That's what made it so difficult last season. We weren't winning."​

"If you helped win a national title and then were on the bench, how would you feel?"​

Contradicting yourself much? Don't care about minutes, but complain that you were on the bench? YEAH that makes sense.

-"But at UConn, they never ran a play for me. The only way I was getting a shot was to get an offensive rebound."​

Again, we made countless efforts to get AO the ball last year; they were all wasted possessions. This really shows how clueless he is. And when was the last time he got an offensive rebound?

-"He (Pressey) always made everything easy for me," Oriakhi said. "It's easy, so easy. You can average eight points a game just off Phil's passes. He's the best point guard in the country."​

-"What (calhoun) did last year was ridiculous," he added. "Especially to a junior. I figured I'd get a little leeway.​

These two quotes show's Alex's true character. He wants everything handed to him. He wants EASY passes. He feels he was OWED the playing time.

-"Coach Calhoun tried to get me to stay, but my mind was made up. I was laughing at him in my head."​

Cool, bro. That's respectful. Showing your true colors.


Glad the kid is gone... we didn't need to beg him to stay for another year just so that he could infect this year's team, even despite the post-season ban. I'd rather have TO in there playing and get out-rebounded by a few dozen.

This kid is in for a rude awakening when he doesn't get drafted after this year and probably won't find a home playing professional ball anywhere. Yet... he'll still manage to blame Calhoun for that somehow.

Trashing a Hall of Fame coach raises red flags with NBA scouts. His quotes are more indicative of his character anyway. He doesn't understand that nothing is given to him in the league, that he has to EARN everything he gets. That's why he doesn't belong.

This kid is such a piece of , honestly.

The quotes just show how out of touch with reality he was, and continues to be.

-"He's a Hall of Fame coach and I'm not taking anything away from him, but what he did was wrong in my opinion," Oriakhi said. " In my three years, I never, ever talked back to him. I kept quiet and did exactly what he told me. I got good grades, played hard and never got in trouble."​

Never talked back to Calhoun? Just trash-talked him on twitter and behind his back?
Played hard? I remember him sulking after fumbling away a rebound or getting stripped. Or complaining to the refs after a call didn't go his way.

"I don't care about minutes," he said. "I just want to win. That's what made it so difficult last season. We weren't winning."​

"If you helped win a national title and then were on the bench, how would you feel?"​

Contradicting yourself much? Don't care about minutes, but complain that you were on the bench? YEAH that makes sense.

-"But at UConn, they never ran a play for me. The only way I was getting a shot was to get an offensive rebound."​

Again, we made countless efforts to get AO the ball last year; they were all wasted possessions. This really shows how clueless he is. And when was the last time he got an offensive rebound?

-"He (Pressey) always made everything easy for me," Oriakhi said. "It's easy, so easy. You can average eight points a game just off Phil's passes. He's the best point guard in the country."​

-"What (calhoun) did last year was ridiculous," he added. "Especially to a junior. I figured I'd get a little leeway.​

These two quotes show's Alex's true character. He wants everything handed to him. He wants EASY passes. He feels he was OWED the playing time.

-"Coach Calhoun tried to get me to stay, but my mind was made up. I was laughing at him in my head."​

Cool, bro. That's respectful. Showing your true colors.


Glad the kid is gone... we didn't need to beg him to stay for another year just so that he could infect this year's team, even despite the post-season ban. I'd rather have TO in there playing and get out-rebounded by a few dozen.

This kid is in for a rude awakening when he doesn't get drafted after this year and probably won't find a home playing professional ball anywhere. Yet... he'll still manage to blame Calhoun for that somehow.

Trashing a Hall of Fame coach raises red flags with NBA scouts. His quotes are more indicative of his character anyway. He doesn't understand that nothing is given to him in the league, that he has to EARN everything he gets. That's why he doesn't belong.

Great points all around. A great poster posted 2 weeks ago that "we need to move on". I don't agree with that. AO apparently hasn't moved on and has become part of the media smear campaign (of which his father tries to be a member). They both need to STFU. Unfortunately, these articles and interviews will occur throughout the season, continuing to flame JC and the program.

I didn't read the full article, just a few quotes. And you did a great job of showing how entitled, irresponsible, and unwilling to work hard enough AO is. And I like how you point out that he is looking bad to NBA scouts. Just a headcase; a primadonna. A cancer. I'm happy he doesn't realize that taking the higher road will serve him well and his constant yapping will make him look bad in the longrun.

 

[Hoophound]

This kid is asking for a Santini Presents highlight video highlighting is awfulness all over the Internet.

 

[kelde1wd]

That was the biggest load of garbage I have read in a while. That was a punk move to text Mizzou right after the game about availability for next year. I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt regarding wanting to play in the tourney his senior year, but this is getting ridiculous. He comes off as a spoiled baby that is mad he had to earn playing time on a pre-season top ten team.

I have historically routed for Mizzou because I thought they were fun to watch. No more and good riddance to that cancer in the locker room. No doubt in my mind that he was part of the chemistry problem last year.

 

[Scoe]

Keep talking AO and AO Sr, keep it up, I love it.

 

[Ts5034]

I knew it. It was all about the NBA for Oriakhi. He had his eyes set on the 2012 NBA draft going into the season and he holds a personal grudge against Calhoun for his low minutes so he couldnt showcase his "talents". If AO was playing at a high level, he would have gotten his share of minutes. One of the main reasons JC came back last year was he thought that team had a shot at defending the title. He would not have benched Oriakhi if he was playing at a high level just to keep him around one more year. Most stupid thing i ever heard

 

[msgordon]

'you can average 8 pts a game just off phils passes"

shouldnt you be getting more than 12 a game at 46% then?

 

[mauconnfan]

Wow if you have a place in your UConn heart for this SOB then your as delusional as he.............

“It was hard … to help a team win a national championship and then you’re on the bench. Everyone talks about loyalty, but it’s one-sided. Coach [Jim] Calhoun tried to get me to stay, but my mind was made up. I was laughing at him in my head. … What he did last year was ridiculous, especially to a junior. I figured I’d get a little leeway. I didn’t get treated like that as a freshman.”​

You want Leeway?? ​

AO to JC:​

"Coach I know I just dropped 3 passes, didn't box out once, couldn't make that left handed throw of a jump hook and got beat back down court by my guy 3times BUT I have a NC ring don't you remember....."​

JC to AO:​

"......You did do all of those things but clearly, having said that, you need to get right back in and do it all over again because I was mad but forgot you had a ring.....go ahead get in there despite calling me a mumu because I still love you and your dad..........don't play too hard alex and don't get hurt, you need to go in the draft next year so be careful ...."​

​

The only thing ridiculous is the fact you think you're any good at hoops you whiny pc of crap........Now he seriously can't play bad enough and neither can Mizzou and Haith!!!​

 

[Waquoit]

Wow if you have a place in your UConn heart for this SOB then your as delusional as he.............

My thinking is that this is not 100% - 0% issue, maybe 60%-40%. AO is not all wrong and JC was not 100% right. Can't blame AO for taking it badly after winning a ring and having JC kick him to the curb for the shiny new toy. They should have been able find some common ground. It's wrong to put all the responsibility for the result on the kid, the adult shoud get some blame as well.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

My thinking is that this is not 100% - 0% issue, maybe 60%-40%. AO is not all wrong and JC was not 100% right. Can't blame AO for taking it badly after winning a ring and having JC kick him to the curb for the shiny new toy. They should have been able find some common ground. It's wrong to put all the responsibility for the result on the kid, the adult shoud get some blame as well.

There was plenty of common ground though. First off, that shiny new toy had a better year than Oriakhi and, if you recall, came off the bench to start the season. Oriakhi earned himself a place in Calhoun's doghouse early on because he was outplayed by Tyler Olander of all people.

Calhoun took him out of the starting lineup for a stretch and, when that didn't work, put him back in the starting lineup even though Oriakhi had done nothing to deserve it. Yes, he ended up playing fewer minutes than in years past, but it still turned out that Drummond was the only big guy who got more minutes than AO. If AO was significantly better than Roscoe, Drummond, and the November version of Tyler Olander, then I'd be more sympathetic. But I don't know how anyone could argue that this was the case last year.

 

[ctchamps]

There was plenty of common ground though. First off, that shiny new toy had a better year than Oriakhi and, if you recall, came off the bench to start the season. Oriakhi earned himself a place in Calhoun's doghouse early on because he was outplayed by Tyler Olander of all people.

Calhoun took him out of the starting lineup for a stretch and, when that didn't work, put him back in the starting lineup even though Oriakhi had done nothing to deserve it. Yes, he ended up playing fewer minutes than in years past, but it still turned out that Drummond was the only big guy who got more minutes than AO. If AO was significantly better than Roscoe, Drummond, and the November version of Tyler Olander, then I'd be more sympathetic. But I don't know how anyone could argue that this was the case last year.

Exactly. mauconnfan and I talked about AO's strengths and weaknesses constantly during the 2010 championship season. None of our discussions at that time were about his attitude. We constantly discussed his many inabilities and liabilities skill wise. He was easily exploitable if opposing coaches did a good job scouting his weaknesses. He didn't disappear from lots of games because he didn't exert himself. He disappeared because lots of opposing coaches knew how to neutralize him both on the offensive and defensive ends of the game.

BTW, I have a little axe to grind about a player who took a lot of hits three years ago. He certainly wasn't a saint. Because of his game face scowl, and probably playing with a chip on his shoulder, it opened him up to a lot of criticism on this board. Chief00 was the ringleader for painting this kid as a cancer to the team even as he pointed to Jamal Coombs-McDaniel as being a special player and person. I think a lot of chemistry problems with that team three years ago started with the arrival of Jamal Coombs-McDaniel and AO and were attributed excessively and unfairly to JD. JD was a JC type of player. He left everything on the court. He never bad mouthed the coach even as the coach didn't reciprocate. I'm a big JC fan but he did have a habit of saying and doing things publicly that would have been better off if he didn't say or do them. Even after saying some negative things about JD at the end of that season, JD never bad mouthed his mentor. That's a noble attitude that neither JC, AO or AO's dad can claim.

IMO, Jamal Coombs-McDaniel and AO were the whiners and moaners right from the get go. That causes lots of problems with the chemistry of the team. Very few people can overcome those type of attitudes. KW was uniquely qualified to do so. I would put Caron as another guy with that skill. It's rare.

Who knows how things will play out at Mizzou this season. But if that team goes through a bad stretch, AO is not going to make things any easier for the team to over come its adversity. The way I see things I would absolutely prefer being in a foxhole with JD. I would absolutely want to avoid a foxhole with AO.

 

[Huskies4ever]

My thinking is that this is not 100% - 0% issue, maybe 60%-40%. AO is not all wrong and JC was not 100% right. Can't blame AO for taking it badly after winning a ring and having JC kick him to the curb for the shiny new toy. They should have been able find some common ground. It's wrong to put all the responsibility for the result on the kid, the adult shoud get some blame as well.

Okay. 99% AO - 1% JC.

 

[Huskies4ever]

Exactly. mauconnfan and I talked about AO's strengths and weaknesses constantly during the 2010 championship season. None of our discussions at that time were about his attitude. We constantly discussed his many inabilities and liabilities skill wise. He was easily exploitable if opposing coaches did a good job scouting his weaknesses. He didn't disappear from lots of games because he didn't exert himself. He disappeared because lots of opposing coaches knew how to neutralize him both on the offensive and defensive ends of the game.

BTW, I have a little axe to grind about a player who took a lot of hits three years ago. He certainly wasn't a saint. Because of his game face scowl, and probably playing with a chip on his shoulder, it opened him up to a lot of criticism on this board. Chief00 was the ringleader for painting this kid as a cancer to the team even as he pointed to Jamal Coombs-McDaniel as being a special player and person. I think a lot of chemistry problems with that team three years ago started with the arrival of Jamal Coombs-McDaniel and AO and were attributed excessively and unfairly to JD. JD was a JC type of player. He left everything on the court. He never bad mouthed the coach even as the coach didn't reciprocate. I'm a big JC fan but he did have a habit of saying and doing things publicly that would have been better off if he didn't say or do them. Even after saying some negative things about JD at the end of that season, JD never bad mouthed his mentor. That's a noble attitude that neither JC, AO or AO's dad can claim.

IMO, Jamal Coombs-McDaniel and AO were the whiners and moaners right from the get go. That causes lots of problems with the chemistry of the team. Very few people can overcome those type of attitudes. KW was uniquely qualified to do so. I would put Caron as another guy with that skill. It's rare.

Who knows how things will play out at Mizzou this season. But if that team goes through a bad stretch, AO is not going to make things any easier for the team to over come its adversity. The way I see things I would absolutely prefer being in a foxhole with JD. I would absolutely want to avoid a foxhole with AO.

One thing I noticed with AO during the 2010-11 season, was his inconsistency and tendency to get rattled after a quick foul or a play not going his way. This caused him to not play as hard and sulk. It seemed like he let things get into his head. Not mentally tough enough for someone like JC.

Now it seems clear that AO is a spoiled baby, and when things don't go his way he sulks and wines. Gives new meaning to the term man-child. Can you see someone like that making it in the NBA?

 

[Tenspro2002]

I think a lot of chemistry problems with that team three years ago started with the arrival of Jamal Coombs-McDaniel and AO and were attributed excessively and unfairly to JD. JD was a JC type of player. He left everything on the court. He never bad mouthed the coach even as the coach didn't reciprocate. I'm a big JC fan but he did have a habit of saying and doing things publicly that would have been better off if he didn't say or do them. Even after saying some negative things about JD at the end of that season, JD never bad mouthed his mentor. That's a noble attitude that neither JC, AO or AO's dad can claim.

The issues we had with JD were mostly confined to basketball: maddeningly low BB IQ, boneheaded plays (charges), lack of development, selfish play, poor leadership.

But AO, on top of most of those same basketball issues, had a terrible attitude of entitlement and openly disrespected Calhoun and the team. There is a special place in sports hell for a guy like that.

 

[Catsailor]

I am just sick of AO and his whining. The kid should just shut the duck* up, play ball and let others draw their own conclusions.
He had a few tremendous games at UConn. More often than not he sucked.

Will he ever realize his problems are NOT EXTERNAL?

He should grow up, shut up and stop being a duck* up!

 

[ctchamps]

The issues we had with JD were mostly confined to basketball: maddeningly low BB IQ, boneheaded plays (charges), lack of development, selfish play, poor leadership.

But AO, on top of most of those same basketball issues, had a terrible attitude of entitlement and openly disrespected Calhoun and the team. There is a special place in sports hell for a guy like that.

There were two groups that discussed JD. One group confined their criticism of JD to his bb skils and weaknesses. The other, larger group, extended it to JD's character. Chief00 was the ringleader of that second group. He was also the biggest advocate of Jamal Coombs-McDaniel. Now he says nada about either Jamal Coombs-McDaniel's or AO's character.

But very few people in both groups gave JD the credit I believe he deserved for his contributions in 2008.

 

[James]

Good point fleud if he hadnt injured himself I'm convinced he would have a ring from 09. I give Jamal Coombs-McDaniel credit he never really bad mouthed jc , even went out of his way give out a laudable tweet when jc retired. although I couldn't really tell the tone or if it was tongue in cheek. As far as ao, he really isn't good enough to warrant this kind of coverage .

 

[ctchamps]

Good point fleud if he hadnt injured himself I'm convinced he would have a ring from 09. I give Jamal Coombs-McDaniel credit he never really bad mouthed jc , even went out of his way give out a laudable tweet when jc retired. although I couldn't really tell the tone or if it was tongue in cheek. As far as ao, he really isn't good enough to warrant this kind of coverage .

Jamal Coombs-McDaniel bad mouthed JC publicly while he was a player. Nothing to the degree of AO or AO's dad. That didn't bother me. For that matter AO could live in his own fantasy world as far as I'm concerned. He either will learn from his immaturity and grow or it will bite him in the butt.

My issue was the degree of vitriol directed towards JD during the 2009 season. It was unwarranted. What concerns me is that I consider most people in this this forum to be very intelligent. If intelligent people can be so easily manipulated by the likes of Chief00 who knows what type of thing can happen in the world. OK my tongue is removed from my cheek!

We all know how someone like chief00 get things going. There is a reason a corporal can excite a populous to exterminate million of people, a colonel can get on the radio and with one speech get people to hack hundreds of thousands of people with machetes or some guy can scream against the sins of society and get people to toss millions his way even after it is revealed and proven he committed those very sins.

We see others duped by rhetoric that appeals to human emotions. We just don't believe we are that susceptible. Well we all are and imo have to constantly resist succumbing to mob mentality.

 

[uconnell]

"In my three years, I [AO] never, ever talked back to him [JC]"
.

He was caught on camera telling JC to "get out of my duckin face"
What a no class liar.
Honest to God I am so sick of AO. I can't help myself but comment and hate myself for doing so. There are just some things I just can't let pass without posting on it.

 

[businesslawyer]

Jeff Goodman once again takes the opportunity to massage AO's balls. I'm gonna laugh when Mizzou's season comes to an end with a disappointing AO performance to cap it off.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebas...akhi-regains-swagger-game-returns-with-mizzou

Donny Marshall was doing the color on the tourney Mizzou played in Thanksgiving week. Donny said that "Oriakhi was not put in a position to succeed last year in UConn." Someone remind me why Donny Marshall is out to get Calhoun again? (Or accept the possibility that there are a lot of people who think AO reacted poorly to being treated poorly.)

 

[Catsailor]

Donny Marshall was doing the color on the tourney Mizzou played in Thanksgiving week. Donny said that "Oriakhi was not put in a position to succeed last year in UConn." Someone remind me why Donny Marshall is out to get Calhoun again? (Or accept the possibility that there are a lot of people who think AO reacted poorly to being treated poorly.)

Well you (and Donny) can spin this anyway you like. It's really a very simple game. Compete you play if not someone else has opportunity to take your spot. AO was given ample opportunity and failed. He had the stuff but couldn't perform consistently. His problem was between his ears which affected his heart and sack. Now he's getting massaged and feeling better whoopty friggin do.

He rode the pine because he deserved to be there, his effort and attitude sucked. He was thrown the ball and fumbled or dropped it, couldn't buy a basket from 2" away, was out of position frequently. Which came first the chick or the egg? You tell me. The kid is a baby. He needs to grow up and take responsibility. Just cause Donny Marshall says something it doesn't make it right. It's his opinion. I watched the games. My opinion is just as valid. Maybe more so since I'm not a broadcaster. Maybe Donny's statement is more self serving to prove is no homer than accurate. I've seen 8 year old girls that show more grit , maturity and respect than AO showed.
Genuggapisht!

The jury's still out on this one. Let's see how it plays out. I don't wish ill on AO. I hope he grows up and becomes successful however I have my doubts based on the UConn sample and his continued need to whine and blame everyone but himself.

I'm sad to say the good games he had are forever tarnished by his volume of crappy play, poor attitude and emotional baggage. I for one don't miss him one little bit.

 

[mauconnfan]

My thinking is that this is not 100% - 0% issue, maybe 60%-40%. AO is not all wrong and JC was not 100% right. Can't blame AO for taking it badly after winning a ring and having JC kick him to the curb for the shiny new toy. They should have been able find some common ground. It's wrong to put all the responsibility for the result on the kid, the adult shoud get some blame as well.

BS that "tiny new toy" could have played on the side of AO if AO was any player at all......that's crap.......!!

 

[UChusky916]

BS that "tiny new toy" could have played on the side of AO if AO was any player at all......that's crap.......!!

Agree Mau... pretty sure AO won't be GIFTED or ENTITLED to playing time in the league... he's gotta learn to play with anyone. Calhoun prepares players to be men and professionals so they can make it in the league. AO failed, hence why he won't make it in the league.

 

[Husky68]

2 for 3 and 5 points and 5 rebounds against 1-6 App State. Maybe he is what he showed last year. Not sure how you don't put a player in position to succeed if you play him 21 minutes a game, have a lottery pick at center to play with who plays 28 minutes and play a lot of 3 guard offense where AO was the (or one of two) inside threat(s). Lamb, Bazz and Boat all averaged more than 30 minutes and substitute Calhoun for Lamb and last year and this year team both needed inside threats. So that AO couldn't get it done was on him, it isn't easy for TO and DD this year but AO had his chances last year and didn't make it happen. No one could possibly suggest that TO and DD don't have a chance to shine this year if they are capable, how would you as a coach keep AO with his 21 minutes per game from shining, you get the minutes you can shine unless you are just not capable. Even Nolan and Wolf in their limited minutes have been given a chance to shine, and have actually a couple of time, yet AO wasn't given a chance. I call crapolla.

By the way he had more turnovers than baskets.

 

[huskyharry]

AO was team captain, TEAM CAPTAIN!...then threw the team and his coach under the bus and displayed ultimate disloyalty by transferring.
Very immature and displays very poor character!

 

[mauconnfan]

Donny Marshall was doing the color on the tourney Mizzou played in Thanksgiving week. Donny said that "Oriakhi was not put in a position to succeed last year in UConn." Someone remind me why Donny Marshall is out to get Calhoun again? (Or accept the possibility that there are a lot of people who think AO reacted poorly to being treated poorly.)

Pretty simple BL, Donny wants to do more games as a color analyst. Can't show loyalties or personal differences..........guessing he doesn't like the kid!!! I actually know what he thinks of him........

 

[upstater]

Donny Marshall was doing the color on the tourney Mizzou played in Thanksgiving week. Donny said that "Oriakhi was not put in a position to succeed last year in UConn." Someone remind me why Donny Marshall is out to get Calhoun again? (Or accept the possibility that there are a lot of people who think AO reacted poorly to being treated poorly.)

But Donny's comment was strictly about Pressey feeding him the ball. It wasn't about being treated poorly. It was based on gameplay and strategy.

So, then, the question begs, did we see Oriakhi being fed the ball at all last year? And when he was fed the ball, what did Alex do with it?

 

[ctchamps]

But Donny's comment was strictly about Pressey feeding him the ball. It wasn't about being treated poorly. It was based on gameplay and strategy.

So, then, the question begs, did we see Oriakhi being fed the ball at all last year? And when he was fed the ball, what did Alex do with it?

He was fed the ball and many times it either slipped out of his hands, it was stripped, or it was blocked. He did get into streaks where he got his baby hook going, but he was woefully inconsistent for a big.

And on the defensive he was great at getting rebounds but if the opposing big set screens on the perimeter AO was horrible and handling this situation.

 

[Huskies4ever]

2 for 3 and 5 points and 5 rebounds against 1-6 App State.

I thought Pressey was getting him 8 ppg?

 

[CTBasketball]

If Dyson didn't go down in 08-09' JC would have 4 rings. We were killing teams early/mid in that season. The only teams that gave us a game was Gonzaga and surprisingly, Buffalo.

You can't compare JD to AO ever. JD got into some trouble, had some dumb plays, but he kept his mouth shut. AO was terrible at basketball and opened his mouth whenever he saw the opportunity. I have no respect for AO. I have respect for JD.

 

[DrewDog85]

Jamal Coombs-McDaniel bad mouthed JC publicly while he was a player. Nothing to the degree of AO or AO's dad. That didn't bother me. For that matter AO could live in his own fantasy world as far as I'm concerned. He either will learn from his immaturity and grow or it will bite him in the butt.

My issue was the degree of vitriol directed towards JD during the 2009 season. It was unwarranted. What concerns me is that I consider most people in this this forum to be very intelligent. If intelligent people can be so easily manipulated by the likes of Chief00 who knows what type of thing can happen in the world. OK my tongue is removed from my cheek!

We all know how someone like chief00 get things going. There is a reason a corporal can excite a populous to exterminate million of people, a colonel can get on the radio and with one speech get people to hack hundreds of thousands of people with machetes or some guy can scream against the sins of society and get people to toss millions his way even after it is revealed and proven he committed those very sins.

We see others duped by rhetoric that appeals to human emotions. We just don't believe we are that susceptible. Well we all are and imo have to constantly resist succumbing to mob mentality.

I TOTALLY AGREE,,,, I THINK......