Are we gonna keep pretending...

[Towney007]

So if someone doesn't get hysterical then they are settling?

No one is being hysterical. It's just difficult for some folks to understand why other folks - both of whom share a passion for a basketball team that has been among the top 5 in the country for the better part of 20 years - now loses to teams like Wagner, Northeastern, East Carolina, etc. Teams that they would lose to once every... well nope. Didn't lose to many of those ever.

And then pretend everything's going to be fine. People are worrying about the conference and this team can't beat a team with an RPI of 227. Good lord.

 

[buddy]

You can make every excuse in the book for why this season is a wash. Still with a full roster back, if Uconn doesnt show considerable improvement next season, something has gotta give.

Beyond coaching, this is the first time since 1990 that we wont sell out a game (i'm guessing we wont on Sunday), continuing to be in this conference and not winning games will slowly erode the fan base and limit whatever exposure we even get on nationally televised games.

UConn is actually the school dragging the conference down now.

 

[superjohn]

This program is getting generous everything because of it's past successes.

And it's got a fan base that's happy to live back there, too.

That's what I probably find the most troubling. We act like it's absurd we could ever bring in a good coach again. We all love Ollie but he's not the end all be all. If he isn't the guy, other top coaches would be lining up to come here. I can understand if people think Ollie is a top coach and therefore don't ever want to look elsewhere but this idea that we can never attract a great coach again is bunk.

 

[Towney007]

That's what I probably find the most troubling. We act like it's absurd we could ever bring in a good coach again. We all love Ollie but he's not the end all be all. If he isn't the guy, other top coaches would be lining up to come here. I can understand if people think Ollie is a top coach and therefore don't ever want to look elsewhere but this idea that we can never attract a great coach again is bunk.

When great programs get too incestuous is when programs fail and flag. I'd at least like to see some shakeup on the coaching staff to bring in some outside blood. What they're doing now isn't working on any level. I'm not in burn the house down mode yet but the justification for this team's failures has gotta be out the window.

 

[Ewekon]

Hey Magic. Give us a call.

 

[champs99and04]

I have been baffled by the way this team has been coached for some time now, but at this point, I'm reserving judgement until I see what we look like in the postseason. The last couple games have been bizarre to the point that I question the actual desire to win them.

 

[ctchamps]

No one is being hysterical. It's just difficult for some folks to understand why other folks - both of whom share a passion for a basketball team that has been among the top 5 in the country for the better part of 20 years - now loses to teams like Wagner, Northeastern, East Carolina, etc. Teams that they would lose to once every... well nope. Didn't lose to many of those ever.

And then pretend everything's going to be fine. People are worrying about the conference and this team can't beat a team with an RPI of 227. Good lord.

I don't think one person believes there is a guarantee about anything. That's life. Things can turn around next year or never. Those are the extremes. KO can be a bad coach who the APR disguised or a good coach hurt by the APR. I'm one of those who argue the latter. I can't be 100% sure I'm right and you're wrong or vice versa. I hear the complaints of people after games. I understand their concerns. I just put in my computer parameters that are different than yours. Or maybe similar parameters but come to different conclusions. None of us can see the future so it really comes down to educated guessing.

That's what I probably find the most troubling. We act like it's absurd we could ever bring in a good coach again. We all love Ollie but he's not the end all be all. If he isn't the guy, other top coaches would be lining up to come here. I can understand if people think Ollie is a top coach and therefore don't ever want to look elsewhere but this idea that we can never attract a great coach again is bunk.

Of course it's possible that if KO doesn't work out UConn can attract a great coach. And it's possible that a coach replacing KO, should UConn need to make that choice, can make the program worse. How can anyone know things with certainty? If that were the case why hasn't Texas, a university that is far ahead of all other universities when it comes to athletic resources, struggle as much as it does?

 

[Athlete94]

but they all tried really really hard

They should get a participation trophy and sing a song while toasting marshmallows over a fire

 

[superjohn]

I have been baffled by the way this team has been coached for some time now, but at this point, I'm reserving judgement until I see what we look like in the postseason. The last couple games have been bizarre to the point that I question the actual desire to win them.

Wait until next year, hopefully.

 

[Athlete94]

I don't think one person believes there is a guarantee about anything. That's life. Things can turn around next year or never. Those are the extremes. KO can be a bad coach who the APR disguised or a good coach hurt by the APR. I'm one of those who argue the latter. I can't be 100% sure I'm right and you're wrong or vice versa. I hear the complaints of people after games. I understand their concerns. I just put in my computer parameters that are different than yours. Or maybe similar parameters but come to different conclusions. None of us can see the future so it really comes down to educated guessing.


Of course it's possible that if KO doesn't work out UConn can attract a great coach. And it's possible that a coach replacing KO, should UConn need to make that choice, can make the program worse. How can anyone know things with certainty? If that were the case why hasn't Texas, a university that is far ahead of all other universities when it comes to athletic resources, struggle as much as it does?

Um because Shaka is not the right fit..

 

[yukonyc212]

Ollie makes 3.1 million. He's a top 10 paid coach. We should be seeing top 10 results at least once in his tenure no?

 

[superjohn]

I don't think one person believes there is a guarantee about anything. That's life. Things can turn around next year or never. Those are the extremes. KO can be a bad coach who the APR disguised or a good coach hurt by the APR. I'm one of those who argue the latter. I can't be 100% sure I'm right and you're wrong or vice versa. I hear the complaints of people after games. I understand their concerns. I just put in my computer parameters that are different than yours. Or maybe similar parameters but come to different conclusions. None of us can see the future so it really comes down to educated guessing.


Of course it's possible that if KO doesn't work out UConn can attract a great coach. And it's possible that a coach replacing KO, should UConn need to make that choice, can make the program worse. How can anyone know things with certainty? If that were the case why hasn't Texas, a university that is far ahead of all other universities when it comes to athletic resources, struggle as much as it does?

That's what I was getting at, many posters here have said we can't possibly get anyone better than Ollie. You have to have seen this, you post here a lot.

 

[Towney007]

I don't think one person believes there is a guarantee about anything. That's life. Things can turn around next year or never. Those are the extremes. KO can be a bad coach who the APR disguised or a good coach hurt by the APR. I'm one of those who argue the latter. I can't be 100% sure I'm right and you're wrong or vice versa. I hear the complaints of people after games. I understand their concerns. I just put in my computer parameters that are different than yours. Or maybe similar parameters but come to different conclusions. None of us can see the future so it really comes down to educated guessing.

And that's completely fair.

My concerns are - again - the overall trajectory of this program hasn't been good and it's been worse. We lose to teams in games that - 10 years ago I didn't even *watch* on TV because they were such walk-overs there wasn't much of a point. And that was every year - even years like 96-97 when we had another young and dumb team. But that young and dumb teams wasn't getting beaten by Northeastern or anyone close to that realm, for that matter. Even in more recent down years, that stuff doesn't happen. And now it's happening frequently. And I think it's all of it.

I mean there's a ton of talented players out there. But are they coachable? Are they dinks? What's their ceiling? I always felt like Callhoun was really got at not so much finding the best players, but most certainly the right players. I mean you could genuinely make an argument that Ollie is maybe a better recruiter than Callhoun even - and we don't have an eighth of those results. And sure- the sanctions were a huge deal. But they're only a huge deal to a point - look at these kids now compared to where they were at the beginning of the season. Look at the kids who've been here for years. I mean you can count the number of guys on one hand in the last three years who've taken a significant step forward year to year. They come in talented and they just stay..... kind of talented.

I mean i'm concerned about all of it tbh. It's a little of everything. It's injuries. It's probation. It's coaching. It's players. It's colloquialism (this team could use some outside perspective sitting on the bench - *badly*)... but I mean if we get to next year and this team's anywhere close to this bad you just have to make a change because this wave of players, this staff - it's a failure given the talent.

 

[ctchamps]

That's what I was getting at, many posters here have said we can't possibly get anyone better than Ollie. You have to have seen this, you post here a lot.

My impression from the majority of posters concerned about replacing KO is that getting someone with no loyalties to the program will result in them leaving after the first hint of success they have at UConn. There were rumors of KO leaving after his first and second years. He still may leave if the program turns around but it's even more likely with an outside coach. Then what happens to recruits and momentum?

That's a valid concern. Just as valid as your concern about keeping KO too long.

Never have I seen someone think UConn can't get a good coach without expressing this concern.

 

[ctchamps]

And that's completely fair.

My concerns are - again - the overall trajectory of this program hasn't been good and it's been worse. We lose to teams in games that - 10 years ago I didn't even *watch* on TV because they were such walk-overs there wasn't much of a point. And that was every year - even years like 96-97 when we had another young and dumb team. But that young and dumb teams wasn't getting beaten by Northeastern or anyone close to that realm, for that matter. Even in more recent down years, that stuff doesn't happen. And now it's happening frequently. And I think it's all of it.

I mean there's a ton of talented players out there. But are they coachable? Are they dinks? What's their ceiling? I always felt like Callhoun was really got at not so much finding the best players, but most certainly the right players. I mean you could genuinely make an argument that Ollie is maybe a better recruiter than Callhoun even - and we don't have an eighth of those results. And sure- the sanctions were a huge deal. But they're only a huge deal to a point - look at these kids now compared to where they were at the beginning of the season. Look at the kids who've been here for years. I mean you can count the number of guys on one hand in the last three years who've taken a significant step forward year to year. They come in talented and they just stay..... kind of talented.

I mean i'm concerned about all of it tbh. It's a little of everything. It's injuries. It's probation. It's coaching. It's players. It's colloquialism (this team could use some outside perspective sitting on the bench - *badly*)... but I mean if we get to next year and this team's anywhere close to this bad you just have to make a change because this wave of players, this staff - it's a failure given the talent.

And your concerns are valid and fair. My hope going into this season was that KO would finally start to show us what he could do as he starts to get a full complement of players who were no longer part of the APR sanctions. I was excited about next years class because it was going to finally give KO a team with decent players at every position. Between the injuries and cutting Zach Brown the next two seasons, the ones that I thought would show me if KO was or was not a one hit wonder have to start on a footnote for me. It's not that I'm against moving on with a different coach if the situation arises. It's just difficult for me to determine everything about KO based on all the circumstance he inherited when he was made head coach plus these new circumstances. None of you have to agree with me. You can say I'm making excuses. I don't believe I am. It's just the way I chose to process things and that way happens to be different than the way you and others process things.

 

[tentoes4rings]

That's what I was getting at, many posters here have said we can't possibly get anyone better than Ollie. You have to have seen this, you post here a lot.

I think we should all be able to agree that KO deserves next year with a full roster to show what he can do. But, people on here seem to really have low expectations of this program and it's maddening.

P5 or not, we should be expecting to be at least a perennial top 25 program again, not accept losing to ECU, Nortgeastern etc.. All this we're damn lucky to have him stuff is preposterous. Even out of the AAC, paying $3 million per year we should still be able to attract an excellent coach who can put us back on the road to excellence. I hope KO is the guy, and we don't have to talk about replacing him for years to come but we should at least be justified in expecting well executed, intelligent, hard fought basketball night in and night out, and we're just not seeing that the past 3 seasons.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

It's like people forget we're supposed to be an elite program. Our bench should be able to run ECU out of the gym.

Bench?

 

[superjohn]

And your concerns are valid and fair. My hope going into this season was that KO would finally start to show us what he could do as he starts to get a full complement of players who were no longer part of the APR sanctions. I was excited about next years class because it was going to finally give KO a team with decent players at every position. Between the injuries and cutting Zach Brown the next two seasons, the ones that I thought would show me if KO was or was not a one hit wonder have to start on a footnote for me. It's not that I'm against moving on with a different coach if the situation arises. It's just difficult for me to determine everything about KO based on all the circumstance he inherited when he was made head coach plus these new circumstances. None of you have to agree with me. You can say I'm making excuses. I don't believe I am. It's just the way I chose to process things and that way happens to be different than the way you and others process things.

That's a fair post.

 

[HuskyHawk]

When the only player on your team that can create his own shot with any level of regularity is playing at 60% health-wise, you are susceptible to an upset.

Please. The defense cost them this game.

 

[InKembaITrust]

Hate to be that guy, but gotta bring things back down to earth.

When has Uconn (or any college team for that matter) faced the level of injuries and adversity we have his year. Counting Jalen tonight, or TOP THREE OFFENSIVE WEAPONS were out with injuries. I understand this is extrapolating a bit, but this is like if you took Kentucky, asked Malik Monk and Bam to sit the rest of the season, and then have either Fox or Briscoe play with a bum ankle...no so hot a team anymore huh?

This entire team tonight, minus an injured Jalen, is filled with role players. Granted Vance should expand his game and take on a bigger role in the years to come, but at this point in all of their careers, it was all role players + an injured Jalen....what do you expect???

 

[Doctor Hoop]

Look, I get as upset with incomprehensible losses as the next guy. But I also understand that this team is limited in so many ways it's scary.

We've got exactly one guy on the team who can beat his man off the dribble, and he was half strength today . We've got a senior center with bad hands and no offensive moves, we've got a power forward who seems finally to be closer to the guy we thought he'd be as a sophomore, as a senior. We've got a 5th year transfer senior who is a great athlete and plays hard, but has small hands, is an erratic shooter, and can't seem to reliably finish around the basket. We've got a freshman small forward who is hesitant to shoot, and takes a long time to get it off, though he's allegedly a shooter. We've got a lanky power forward freshman coming off two ACL repairs. We've got a very young sophomore center with slow feet and reflexes, who does at least have a nice shooting touch. We've got an over-achieving freshman guard who was out today, leaving us with only two guards, the injured guy and the erratic 5th year, also injured.

And we've got three injured guys out for the season, two of whom were supposed to be major contributors. I can't think of any coaches that could win a road game, on senior night, particularly when one of the seniors starts imitating Steph Curry, given those handicaps.

That said, recruiting isn't all about rankings and physical stats. It's about having athletes with potential, speed, shooting, and hoop smarts. i want to see creativity, speed and guys who can read the floor and find the gaps, and the open man.

 

[Towney007]

When has Uconn (or any college team for that matter) faced the level of injuries and adversity we have his year. Counting Jalen tonight, or TOP THREE OFFENSIVE WEAPONS were out with injuries. I understand this is extrapolating a bit, but this is like if you took Kentucky, asked Malik Monk and Bam to sit the rest of the season, and then have either Fox or Briscoe play with a bum ankle...no so hot a team anymore huh?

They lost to Wagner and Northeastern... and barely beat BU... with a full, healthy roster.

 

[SouthBayHusky]

This team has lost to Northeastern, Wagner and East Carolina in the same year. They barely beat BU. I get it, injuries and other stuff.


But if we're not up against the line right now, then what's that look like, exactly?

LMU was a fun one too

 

[yukonyc212]

Hate to be that guy, but gotta bring things back down to earth.

When has Uconn (or any college team for that matter) faced the level of injuries and adversity we have his year. Counting Jalen tonight, or TOP THREE OFFENSIVE WEAPONS were out with injuries. I understand this is extrapolating a bit, but this is like if you took Kentucky, asked Malik Monk and Bam to sit the rest of the season, and then have either Fox or Briscoe play with a bum ankle...no so hot a team anymore huh?

This entire team tonight, minus an injured Jalen, is filled with role players. Granted Vance should expand his game and take on a bigger role in the years to come, but at this point in all of their careers, it was all role players + an injured Jalen....what do you expect???

What was the excuse against Wagner or North Eastern? We had a full complement of players in those distasters.

 

[zls44]

Its amazing to me how the guy can be really good at identifying defensive schemes for opponents but is always the last guy in the building to realize that a game is getting away from his team and he needs to call a timeout.

Its really amazing.