Back on the Kevin Ollie bandwagon

[HuskyHawk]

If KO couldn't coach, his team wouldn't outperform his seed in literally every single post-season tournament we've ever been in. Ever.

If all was sunshine and roses, we wouldn't need to.

Except he's underperformed ever regular season he ever coached. Ever. Often vastly and dramatically. In game he often looks overmatched.

I'm on on board with the guy. He's our only and best hope. But the people who think he's been fantastic are just as crazy as the people who think he's terrible and should be fired.

Don't drink the kool aid from either camp.

 

[tzznandrew]

Except he's underperformed ever regular season he ever coached. Ever. Often vastly and dramatically. In game he often looks overmatched.

I'm on on board with the guy. He's our only and best hope. But the people who think he's been fantastic are just as crazy as the people who think he's terrible and should be fired.

Don't drink the kool aid from either camp.

You are literally the only person who ever thought that the 2013 season was underperforming.

I also don't think he's "often vastly and dramatically" underperformed. The 2014 team underperformed in the regular season, we'd all agree. But they only had 7 regular season losses, which is only one more than the 2004 title team.

The others were varying degrees of underperforming. This year being a particularly strange one that Husky fans will never agree on. Some (like me) are going to contextualize it with all the injuries. Others find such contextualization lacking.

 

[intlzncster]

Enoch left because the current staff has literally zero track record developing bigs. Like zero.

Daniels. Only got good under Ollie.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I like that KO has out his foot down on the accelerator.

On the bus or off. 10 toes in from day 1.

Let's not pussyfoot around. Last year's team sucked. There was obviously chemistry issues and two players who had 25-30 mpg falling in to their lap left. I'm not worried about it.

 

[HuskyHawk]

You are literally the only person who ever thought that the 2013 season was underperforming.

I also don't think he's "often vastly and dramatically" underperformed. The 2014 team underperformed in the regular season, we'd all agree. But they only had 7 regular season losses, which is only one more than the 2004 title team.

The others were varying degrees of underperforming. This year being a particularly strange one that Husky fans will never agree on. Some (like me) are going to contextualize it with all the injuries. Others find such contextualization lacking.

I doubt I'm the only one. As for this year, the first two losses were inexcusable and 100% on the staff. Tulsa and Auburn were easy wins for even our wounded team. But the point is that a program that should win the conference regular season title 20 years in row in this league has never won it. That's underperforming.

 

[80shusky]

I'm still ten toes in!

 

[tzznandrew]

I doubt I'm the only one. As for this year, the first two losses were inexcusable and 100% on the staff. Tulsa and Auburn were easy wins for even our wounded team. But the point is that a program that should win the conference regular season title 20 years in row in this league has never won it. That's underperforming.

They got 20 wins through a slew of defections and injuries, without having the opportunity to play in the post-season. It was quite literally a huge success.

Easy wins? Not for a team with one healthy PG and no bench. Now, they probably should have still beaten Tulsa, but they lost Adams at the end of the Auburn game. Not entirely sure why or how they should have won a game without the most important position on the court.

 

[Jaker]

I am still in.

 

[UConnStats]

I still believe in Ollie, and I also believe there should be a litany of programs lining up to hire Glen Miller as an AHC or even HC.

UConn is shaking things up, but to count them out before they even start to rebuild is soft and immature. I'm sure that every sports fan has seen worse down periods than this from one of their favorite teams. Everything is cyclical. Even for programs like Kentucky or UCLA. Give it time.

 

[JLock819]

Next year is a big year, but this overhaul is a multi-year effort. Will be interesting to see if he makes it through, I certainly won't bet against him.

 

[HuskiesAllDay]

Daniels. Only got good under Ollie.

For the ten millionth time. Deandre Daniels is not a big. Also He had Jc teaching him for 3 years.

 

[Dove]

I'm still ten toes in!

When is that last time you heard him say that?

Most of the guys he brings in seem to be amputees.

 

[Stainmaster]

For the ten millionth time. Deandre Daniels is not a big. Also He had Jc teaching him for 3 years.

One year...

 

[Jerry1714]

I doubt I'm the only one. As for this year, the first two losses were inexcusable and 100% on the staff. Tulsa and Auburn were easy wins for even our wounded team. But the point is that a program that should win the conference regular season title 20 years in row in this league has never won it. That's underperforming.

No you are 100% the only one

 

[Jerry1714]

For the ten millionth time. Deandre Daniels is not a big. Also He had Jc teaching him for 3 years.

Or 1 year. You really hate facts huh?

 

[HuskyHawk]

They got 20 wins through a slew of defections and injuries, without having the opportunity to play in the post-season. It was quite literally a huge success.

Easy wins? Not for a team with one healthy PG and no bench. Now, they probably should have still beaten Tulsa, but they lost Adams at the end of the Auburn game. Not entirely sure why or how they should have won a game without the most important position on the court.

We agree on a lot. Not on this. Injuries or not, Ollie did not do a good job this year. I doubt he would disagree. I love his passion and dedication to the school. I want him to be great. I'm not going to pretend that he is.

 

[intlzncster]

For the ten millionth time. Deandre Daniels is not a big. Also He had Jc teaching him for 3 years.

Only centers are bigs? Not my definition but ok. Anyone who plays in the post, stretch 4 or not, is a big.

And DD only had JC teaching him for one year--2012. And JC misused him. He played for Ollie in 2013 and 2014. He then left for the pros after his 3rd/junior year.

 

[BlueDogs]

The great thing about fandom is we willfully suspend reality in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary...2017 is the last stand for KO. If he lays another egg, he has to go because we can't sink the program because he's a favorite son.

 

[mauconnfan]

For the ten millionth time. Deandre Daniels is not a big. Also He had Jc teaching him for 3 years.

Yeah he taught him how to make a mistake and then sit for the remainder of the game. One year

 

[junglehusky]

Next year is a big year, but this overhaul is a multi-year effort. Will be interesting to see if he makes it through, I certainly won't bet against him.

I guess my concern is that evaluating the last 2 years holistically, there don't appear to be signs of a "multi-year effort". Next year will be (at least) the third straight season where the staff will be trying to plug newcomers into key roles. (I know to some degree that's the new normal for college basketball. I also know that expectations for the 2016/17 squad were a bit too optimistic even if we hadn't had those injuries).

I wouldn't bet against Ollie either but the program sure could use a couple years of solid stability where players are motivated to stick around and develop as individuals and a team over time.

 

[EBonz30]

Take all the layers back and ask yourself are you comfortable and happy with Kevin Ollie being the Uconn Men's Basketball Head Coach?

For me it's pretty simple, I am ecstatic that Kevin Ollie is the head coach.

I believe in him which in turns I believe in this difficult process to continue to improve the culture and program.

There is a saying I tell my managers I managed, there always has to be a balance on how you manage, day to day operational & big picture, what I don't tell them, if you manage more on the side of big picture you will have more success as a manager or owner.

Confident in Ollie and trust his process.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Something to remember is consensus now almost all positive narrative on Ollie's NBA career is he turned marginal talent into a long career with many different teams. Facts are there were lots of ups and downs, cuts, teams that gave up and KO persisted. He ain't gonna quit and arguably thrives coming thru adversity.

 

[SouthBayHusky]

Take all the layers back and ask yourself are you comfortable and happy with Kevin Ollie being the Uconn Men's Basketball Head Coach?

For me it's pretty simple, I am ecstatic that Kevin Ollie is the head coach.

I believe in him which in turns I believe in this difficult process to continue to improve the culture and program.

There is a saying I tell my managers I managed, there always has to be a balance on how you manage, day to day operational & big picture, what I don't tell them, if you manage more on the side of big picture you will have more success as a manager or owner.

Confident in Ollie and trust his process.

You can believe in him, I can want to believe in him too. My concern is that it appears his own players are beginning not to believe in him, Enoch, Vance, Mal, and now maybe Durham? Let's face it, the results over the last three seasons have been underwhelming to say the least, and the fourth season to come is not looking very promising at this moment either. We haven't finished better than 6th place (I believe), in a crappy conference. But, when that many players defect (players that the coach recruited and who were eager to come), man it becomes lot harder to individually justify the reasons for defection, rather than looking at the obvious. The program is declining, and we all have to recognize that. Less and less people are attending games, and I am comparing attendance since we began in the AAC. Like everyone, I'm sick to my stomach at the recent news, losing two coaches, and losing that many quality players. And now, with The cupboards bare again after an underwhelming three years, it looks like the 4th season may that much harder to succeed. I am hopelessly searching for a silver lining, and a reason to believe, but it becomes harder each day. No, I will never give up hope entirely, nor will I stop watching my favorite team, but we're going to need a miracle to bring this program back to national prominence (or at lest relevance) next year. Let's hope something wonderful is in the works that we're not privy too.

 

[EBonz30]

You can believe in him, I can want to believe in him too. My concern is that it appears his own players are beginning not to believe in him, Enoch, Vance, Mal, and now maybe Durham? Let's face it, the results over the last three seasons have been underwhelming to say the least, and the fourth season to come is not looking very promising at this moment either. We haven't finished better than 6th place (I believe), in a crappy conference. But, when that many players defect (players that the coach recruited and who were eager to come), man it becomes lot harder to individually justify the reasons for defection, rather than looking at the obvious. The program is declining, and we all have to recognize that. Less and less people are attending games, and I am comparing attendance since we began in the AAC. Like everyone, I'm sick to my stomach at the recent news, losing two coaches, and losing that many quality players. And now, with The cupboards bare again after an underwhelming three years, it looks like the 4th season may that much harder to succeed. I am hopelessly searching for a silver lining, and a reason to believe, but it becomes harder each day. No, I will never give up hope entirely, nor will I stop watching my favorite team, but we're going to need a miracle to bring this program back to national prominence (or at lest relevance) next year. Let's hope something wonderful is in the works that we're not privy too.

The only player that makes me sick to my stomach is MAL, the other two, that happens often to high college programs, the MAL thing doesn't.

I think we all have to have realistic expectations of this program moving forward, should we be an NCAA team yes, but the days of us being a top 5 or 10 program year in, year out are over for a number of reasons.

Uconn was nothing before Calhoun came and now he's gone, this is not UNC, Kansas, Kentucky, or UCLA in where no matter who the coach is your getting top players, not reality.

Also, we've moved to the American conference in which has 2 or 3 real basketball teams in it.

Those 2 factors are huge, moving forward if we could be a top 25-30 program I will be happy and make some deep runs in the tournament once a in while.

 

[ucp990411]

Happy with being a top 30 team? My how expectations have changed! We have gone from being perennially a title contender to a team that might make a run? Not ok with me. Us fans need to be more demanding.