Best Things About Ollie as Head Coach

[dapriest]

1. Guy does a natural killer impression of Denzel Washington (watch a video again thinking that - it's uncanny).
2. We go from great coach initials - JC - to great coach initials - KO.
3. If he makes this happen, the program is likely set for the next 30 or more years.
4. We have a coach who can likely, at least for a couple of years, school most of the kids on the court.
5. The guy loves the program. We don't have worry about hiring somebody who will be looking to jump in 4 or 5 years.

 

[tzznandrew]

#5 is a problem with someone like Shaka Smart. If the best jobs come calling (Kansas, UCLA, Indiana, Duke, UNC, Kentucky), he'd almost be a fool not to leave if he were successful here. We don't have to worry about that with KO.

 

[huskiesnyc]

High character guy, commands respect yet players can relate to him on a personal level. He will be loved by the media, and he also gives us a fresh start and puts the Nate Miles and APR bull**T in the rear view. I also agree with dapriest that we will be set for at least 15-25 years with KO. How many 39 year olds have their dream job already in college hoops?

 

[upstater]

#5 is a problem with someone like Shaka Smart. If the best jobs come calling (Kansas, UCLA, Indiana, Duke, UNC, Kentucky), he'd almost be a fool not to leave if he were successful here. We don't have to worry about that with KO.

$$$$$-wise, some of these programs pay more than they ever paid Jim Calhoun.

 

[progrocks]

You all realize that if he is very successful, he will be guaranteed to receive several NBA head gig offers. That is always tough to turn down, even at your dream job.

 

[tzznandrew]

You all realize that if he is very successful, he will be guaranteed to receive several NBA head gig offers. That is always tough to turn down, even at your dream job.

While this is true, he could have easily already been an assistant in the NBA, entering his third year, with the OKC Thunder. That he chose to turn down that position to take a similar one at UConn says a lot.

 

[Husk-E]

I think this also gives us great recruiting. I would definitely want to play for the coach at UConn who is probably better than me over the old guy coaching somewhere else that has probably never played pro. That's just me though.

 

[8893]

6. The ladies love him.

My wife has loved him since he played for us, which was still some years before she became my wife. Since our daughters shared her similar and more recent crush on Roscoe, I'm guessing they'll share this one, too. End result for me is that it will be even easier to get the whole family interested in going to and watching games.

 

[James]

Saw him play at st joes this summer still in incredible shape. Better than any of our guards id venture to say

 

[johnhuskies95]

While this is true, he could have easily already been an assistant in the NBA, entering his third year, with the OKC Thunder. That he chose to turn down that position to take a similar one at UConn says a lot.

Also, his family has lived in CT for the last 5 years or so, so I don't think he wants to move them anytime soon.

 

[Huskies4ever]

Also, his family has lived in CT for the last 5 years or so, so I don't think he wants to move them anytime soon.

Yeah, he lives here in G'burry, but it goes back more like ten years. He loved living here, and believe it or not, that played a part in choosing to come back to UConn vs. coaching in the NBA.

 

[Huskies4ever]

6. The ladies love him.

My wife has loved him since he played for us, which was still some years before she became my wife. Since our daughters shared her similar and more recent crush on Roscoe, I'm guessing they'll share this one, too. End result for me is that it will be even easier to get the whole family interested in going to and watching games.

Just make sure you get seats as far away from KO as possible

 

[kyle]

his wife is hot so maybe we can get some shot of her on tv at games

 

[HuskyHawk]

his wife is hot so maybe we can get some shot of her on tv at games

You mean we have some competition for Julie B?

 

[bobbygt]

his wife is hot so maybe we can get some shot of her on tv at games

Mo' ritmo!

Boeheim's wife is within limits. Coach Ollie's wife is not~!

 

[RichZ]

I just love the idea of going from one 25 year coach to another potential 25 year coach.

 

[DogMania]

#5 is a problem with someone like Shaka Smart. If the best jobs come calling (Kansas, UCLA, Indiana, Duke, UNC, Kentucky), he'd almost be a fool not to leave if he were successful here. We don't have to worry about that with KO.

That's a very good point. Major College Head Coaching has now become a "business" if you know what I mean. It's a lot more common for coaches to move around, sometimes the decision to do so isn't their own, than it is for a coach to stick at a program till retirement. Getting a coach that does not have ties to the program and communitiy will likely get bigger offers if they are successful here. We'll have a much better chance of keeping KO for the long hall. Maybe not until retirement. He's seems like the type of person who is motivated more to impact the lives of young men, than it would be to coach at the highest level. JC was that type of person, who knew his place was to impact young men on and off the court. I think KO is cut from the same mold.

With that said, if UConn doesn't wrap him up, I could see him take a lucrative NBA assistant's job and eventually work his way back to the college game down the road. But it wouldn't be at UConn as long as this adminstration is in place. Now that all changes if they offer him a long term deal.

 

[DogMania]

You all realize that if he is very successful, he will be guaranteed to receive several NBA head gig offers. That is always tough to turn down, even at your dream job.

While this is true, he could have easily already been an assistant in the NBA, entering his third year, with the OKC Thunder. That he chose to turn down that position to take a similar one at UConn says a lot.

I wasn't aware of that. That being true, it supports the idea that a successful KO is a much better strategy than getting a successful Shaka Smart (just using him as an example) who doesn't have ties to the program or community. I hope Manuel has his sights set on getting UConn's man as the long term HC than finding his man. How many times have we seen a program either reach the pinacle or come close to only lose their head coach to a higher bidder or to "their dream" school. The more I think about this, the more I hope KO succeeds and gets that long term deal. I don't want to have to go through this again and again. I'm sure most of you feel as I do and want to get back to the top quickly and stay there for the balance of our lifetimes or at least close to that. I don't have a crystal ball and am not saying KO is the answer, but I hope they give him a chance to prove he is.

 

[freescooter]

I wasn't aware of that. That being true, it supports the idea that a successful KO is a much better strategy than getting a successful Shaka Smart (just using him as an example) who doesn't have ties to the program or community. I hope Manuel has his sights set on getting UConn's man as the long term HC than finding his man. How many times have we seen a program either reach the pinacle or come close to only lose their head coach to a higher bidder or to "their dream" school. The more I think about this, the more I hope KO succeeds and gets that long term deal. I don't want to have to go through this again and again. I'm sure most of you feel as I do and want to get back to the top quickly and stay there for the balance of our lifetimes or at least close to that. I don't have a crystal ball and am not saying KO is the answer, but I hope they give him a chance to prove he is.

That is true only in the scenarios where Smart and Ollie are equally successful going forward. If 3 years down the road, UConn is mired in .500 season after .500 season and Smart (or another coach, just using him as an example) is going to final fours with Maryland or somewhere, it will have been an incredibly foolish move. By the way, I think it will be incredibly foolish, but my biggest fear is that Ollie is Herb Sendak...not good enough to really get us very far but too good to fire very easily. I can see a Sendak type being completely and totally acceptable to many if not most UConn fans...couple of NITs then a couple of Syracuse type NCAA performances...

 

[huskiesnyc]

1. Guy does a natural killer impression of Denzel Washington (watch a video again thinking that - it's uncanny).
2. We go from great coach initials - JC - to great coach initials - KO.
3. If he makes this happen, the program is likely set for the next 30 or more years.
4. We have a coach who can likely, at least for a couple of years, school most of the kids on the court.
5. The guy loves the program. We don't have worry about hiring somebody who will be looking to jump in 4 or 5 years.

Nice, I love the avatar man!

 

[AtlHusky]

his wife is hot so maybe we can get some shot of her on tv at games

Are you talking about 8893's wife?

 

[HuskyFan32]

KO's wife is a total babe. Sat behind them in Church last Christmas. Her younger sister was with them too. And she is really hot too. KO is the man

 

[Dann]

KO's wife is a total babe. Sat behind them in Church last Christmas. Her younger sister was with them too. And she is really hot too. KO is the man

great, guess i'm going to have to wear jeans to all games now.

 

[johnhuskies95]

Based on her previous 14 or so months at the school, I highly doubt Susan Herbst will accept having a Herb Sendek as her head basketball coach.

 

[HuskyFan32]

great, guess i'm going to have to wear jeans to all games now.

Quick question. What is my guess? I didn't guess anything. I simply stated that KO's wife is a babe, as is her younger sister.