Awesome Ollie article

[UCHuskies08]

Damn, I feel inspired to go home from work and work out really hard after reading that article. I won't, but I feel inspired to.

 

[UConnDan97]

I have been so torn on this but it's impossible not to like and respect KO. Seems like the game coaching is the only thing that we are unsure about. So if he gets the shot and fails, what is the worst case scenario? We go out and get a big name 2 seasons later. He will give us 150%, of that there is no doubt. Give him his shot.

Not just that, but if I'm a relatively big named coach, do I want to be the guy that follows Calhoun? Or do I want to be the guy that follows the assistant if the assistant didn't work out?

There are a lot of things in Ollie's favor right now, and I'm feeling really good about his recruiting, his demeanor, his work ethic, and his program continuity. Like you said, if it doesn't work, the next guy comes in 2 years later and 1.5million dollars richer...

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

You're either confident in Kevin Ollie as the head coach at UConn or you're not. There's no science to it. I'm pretty confident that, as head coach, he'd: (1) recruit like an animal; (2) make kids work and hold them accountable; and (3) bring in good kids. That works for me. All the "in-game" coaching nonsense is overrated. There's a reason he's as respected as he is - he knows the game. Don't we all clown Calipari and Cryin' Roy for not being good "in-game" coaches? How's that working for them?

 

[jfuchs91]

Kevin Ollie is the man and I'd be perfectly content if he were to follow Calhoun. However, as had been mentioned before, I feel like it would be tough to pass up someone like Shaka Smart if the opportunity presented itself. If Ollie was willing to stay on as an assistant in that situation, that would be best case scenario in my opinion.

Or we could name Kevin Ollie and bring in Ray Allen as an assistant!

 

[jleves]

I think this is a really great discussion and unusual for the boneyard, nobody has been called a cocksucker yet. Well done.

My 2 cents on the topic: I'm with jibsey on this as I'm kind of torn about the best solution. On the one hand, he can recruit and understands the game more than most so he could be an awesome young coach It could be like getting a young Calhoun (well, 4 years younger than we got JC). But on the other hand, JC had years of coaching by the time he arrived at UConn and experience really does matter. Many have suggested you can take him and after two years if it isn't working out, you move on. However, I think with the lack of experience, you really have to give him more like 4 or 5 years and see if things are trending up.

I'm sure many of you here are pretty successful in your careers and have developed to a point where you are pretty specialized. Think about being dropped into your current job without all that experience you gained getting there. Would you be any good at what you do now if you were handed that responsibility as your first job? Probably not in many cases. Essentially, JC is a manager and learning how to manage effectively is different for everyone. We all have different styles that we have to learn as we go. Most of you who are managers probably manage very differently than the best managers you ever worked for. Or better yet, the most effective managers you ever worked for cause you probably hated them even though they got results.

I lean toward finding the best established coach with experience as the new coach, but there's something in the back of my head that thinks maybe giving Ollie the job with the realization that it's going to take a half decade for him to learn how to coach might be the best approach in the long run. I just don't think you can take him on as a 2 year and get the job done or move on proposition. It's unlikely he is going to be effective out of the gate. If you have that approach, there's a really high probability you are throwing away two years. If you can't commit to seeing through a longer term, it's better to go outside.

 

[jleves]

When did the filter get updated to change c**ksucker to Linda Lovelace?

 

[CL82]

Tom Izzo.


One of the finest college coaches in the last 15 years is the shining example to refute this idea that Assistants can't. More & more, I think Kevin Ollie can replace Calhoun. That he is special ... and NOT certaintly Esherick or Mahoney. But, frankly, there is no way of knowing a priori. You have to make the leap. And that would go the same if we brought in a Kevin Willard or someone. As the merry-go-round circles, the UConn Program may have a solid candidate with a solid D1a record; more than likely, we take one with some risk.

" a priori" - seriously counselor? - but agree that he seems like he'd be successful.

 

[scrappy2.0]

You're either confident in Kevin Ollie as the head coach at UConn or you're not. There's no science to it. I'm pretty confident that, as head coach, he'd: (1) recruit like an animal; (2) make kids work and hold them accountable; and (3) bring in good kids. That works for me. All the "in-game" coaching nonsense is overrated. There's a reason he's as respected as he is - he knows the game. Don't we all clown Calipari and Cryin' Roy for not being good "in-game" coaches? How's that working for them?

Good post. The bottom line in college basketball:

A. Recruit
B. Recruit
C. Recruit


After that-can you make the kids work hard on and off the court?


An NBA PG for 13 years has more in game experience than almost anyone I can name. A PG is like a coach on the floor. Kevin Ollie is made to coach--in fact it isnt close. There is no argument about Kevin Ollie--he is a gift for Uconn --a guy who likely will be able to recruit on par with any top 5 team---deeply connected to the NBA--tough disciplined smart and a 4 year Uconn player and grad---what else can we want??????????????????????????????????????? Pitino's son over Ollie? Larry brown ???? Give me a break!!!!!!!!!!!! KO baby no other choice!!!!

 

[progrocks]

I would like to point out that if he becomes coach and is highly successful, there would be a 100% likelihood that the NBA would come after him, and we would lose him pretty quickly.

 

[imno1]

I would like to point out that if he becomes coach and is highly successful, there would be a 100% likelihood that the NBA would come after him, and we would lose him pretty quickly.

I don't get your point. There may be may arguments for not hiring KO but that ain't one

 

[Danzz]

You're either confident in Kevin Ollie as the head coach at UConn or you're not. There's no science to it. I'm pretty confident that, as head coach, he'd: (1) recruit like an animal; (2) make kids work and hold them accountable; and (3) bring in good kids. That works for me. All the "in-game" coaching nonsense is overrated. There's a reason he's as respected as he is - he knows the game. Don't we all clown Calipari and Cryin' Roy for not being good "in-game" coaches? How's that working for them?

Ollie has a much more impressive resume than JC had before he got the HC job at Northeastern.X's and O's are overated. There are only so many strategies and it is more about execution, effort and talent.

 

[Sportsman5]

I would like to point out that if he becomes coach and is highly successful, there would be a 100% likelihood that the NBA would come after him, and we would lose him pretty quickly.

Ok. Ollie takes over and after 8 years proves himself to be a great coach and UConn makes a couple final fours and maybe wins a national championship thereby cementing UConn as a true blueblood and then he moves on to the NBA.... I don't get why this would be a problem. At that point we will have pick of any replacement coach in the country with no problem.

 

[babysheep]

You guys should watch him actually coach. You can tell that his relatively younger, higher-energy (i.e. actually running around with players, something JC can't do) style and how he jokes around with the players is refreshing from JC's domineering style. I think players can identify with him more and think of him as that cool uncle.

 

[freescooter]

I don't know...some of the comments here are reaching pretty far...I mean Dannz, are you really saying that the qualifications for head coach at a D2 school, which is what Northeastern was when they hired Calhoun, are the same as those of a 3 time national champion? Seriously? And the Izzo comparison is interesting, but don't forget that Tom Izzo had been an assistant for 15 years, including the last 5 as Associate Head Coach the position George Blaney holds, not the lowest assistant on the staff for 2 years. And as far as recruiting goes, UCONN has rarely out recruited the other big name programs, the Dukes and UNCs and Kentuckys of the college basketball world. Under Calhoun UCONN has taken good players who have not yet reached their maximum potential and developed them. it is why we have had only 1 one-and-done. And who do you thing decides who we offer? While Ollie might make the contact, the decision is made by Calhoun. Whole lot different when you have to decide to pull the trigger on the 24th best power forward who you think has potential to be an elite player than when you have to convince him to come to UCONN...Finally on the NBA experience...it is a nice thing, but how many top college coaches come out of the NBA? For that matter, even among NBA coaches, at any given time roughly 50% of the head coaches are former players, but even there most have more coaching experience either as assistants or internationally before taking over. Being a head coach at a major college program is a whole different world from being an assistant. And even if Ollie was a "coach on the floor" during his NBA career, none of his duties involved recruiting, dealing with alumni and boosters and fans (who aren't going to be all that happy if he goes 13-15 some year...just ask Calhoun) making sure kids stay eligible, lots of things. This is not New Hampshire we're talking about here. And it isn't 1986. UCONN is the flagship of the Big East, 3 time national champion. While it might be going too far to say UCONN can have anyone they want, I suspect that the list is pretty long of guys who would lick the yellow line down the middle of Route 44 from Manchester to Storrs if it meant they'd get the UCONN head coaching job.

 

[Huskymaniac]

I have to agree. We know Ollie will work hard on and off the court. That is all we know for sure. Experience is great but it doesn't mean he will be a basketball genius. We don't know if he will create brilliant game strategies or if he will be a great game coach or even if he will be great at breaking down a player's development needs. On recruiting, where's the beef? We aren't just not recruiting like Kentucky, UNC or even OSU but we aren't even close. We are one of the premier programs in the country and we don't need to hire an assistant. There are a few mid-major coaches who have proven themselves as a head coach we could hire. They aren't locks to be a great coach for a program at our level but they are a lower risk than Ollie who is still very unproven. I want to see evidence of genius in our next coach. Tough and hard working is great but I have no proof that Ollie is a genius.

 

[Walker11]

If Ollie wanted to coach in the NBA, I don't think he would be in Storrs, CT. He had plenty of options at the next level if my memory serves me correct.

 

[babysheep]

I want to see evidence of genius in our next coach. Tough and hard working is great but I have no proof that Ollie is a genius.

Was JC heralded as a basketball genius when he came to Storrs?

 

[freescooter]

Was JC heralded as a basketball genius when he came to Storrs?

Well yeah, he kinda was...maybe not yet a genius, but he was one of the "hot young coaches." Lots of talk at the time that he would get a big job after his team, which became D1 in 1978, got to the NCAA tournament in 1981 and won its first round game as an 11 seed. the following season they did it again upsetting 6 seed St Joes the losing to Villanova in an absolutly scintillating game in 3 ots. Won the ECAC North regular season 6 times in 7 years, got 5 NCAA bids in a 1 bid league. So yes, babysheep, Calhoun was recognized as a real up and coming coach...he and Jim O'Brien were both under consideration for the BC job in 1986 and the job, which at the time was somewhat higher profile than UCONN due to the Eagles success. BC alumnus O'Brien got it. Calhoun came to Storrs. I suspect that you either didn't follow college basketball at that time, or you have forgotten. Now you want to compare Calhoun's record pre-UCONN with Ollie's and tell me which was better prepared?

 

[aceboon]

If Ollie wanted to coach in the NBA, I don't think he would be in Storrs, CT. He had plenty of options at the next level if my memory serves me correct.

Not sure about other teams but the Thunder offered him a front office position. Given what we have heard from former and current pros about KO and the fact that in his last few years he was pretty much serving as an extension of the coaching staff to mentor younger players, he definitely would've been offered a position on a staff with some team like with other respected journeymen like Monty Williams and Michael Curry, who both started right into coaching once their playing days were over.

 

[7774]

Not sure about other teams but the Thunder offered him a front office position. Given what we have heard from former and current pros about KO and the fact that in his last few years he was pretty much serving as an extension of the coaching staff to mentor younger players, he definitely would've been offered a position on a staff with some team like with other respected journeymen like Monty Williams and Michael Curry, who both started right into coaching once their playing days were over.

Great point. KO's NBA career was probably twice as long as it should have been just because he was brought onto so many teams as almost a player/coach. He played less than 20 min per game for the T-wolves but was still team captain.

 

[babysheep]

Well yeah, he kinda was...maybe not yet a genius, but he was one of the "hot young coaches." Lots of talk at the time that he would get a big job after his team, which became D1 in 1978, got to the NCAA tournament in 1981 and won its first round game as an 11 seed. the following season they did it again upsetting 6 seed St Joes the losing to Villanova in an absolutly scintillating game in 3 ots. Won the ECAC North regular season 6 times in 7 years, got 5 NCAA bids in a 1 bid league. So yes, babysheep, Calhoun was recognized as a real up and coming coach...he and Jim O'Brien were both under consideration for the BC job in 1986 and the job, which at the time was somewhat higher profile than UCONN due to the Eagles success. BC alumnus O'Brien got it. Calhoun came to Storrs. I suspect that you either didn't follow college basketball at that time, or you have forgotten. Now you want to compare Calhoun's record pre-UCONN with Ollie's and tell me which was better prepared?

I was actually just asking, since I wasn't alive in the 70s or 80s, so chill out.