Big East Coach Hot Seat

[Kathy]

I don’t know about waiting 14 years. UConn fans want more. We produced at such a high level over 20 years that only Final Fours will appease people before long. This isn’t a fan base happy with Sweet 16’s anymore. A lot of that is just the mentality of fans in the area. They aren’t happy unless we are crushing opponents and ranked in the top 10 all the time. Front runner fans are the norm in CT.

But that's so unrealistic. People need to know how fortunate we ate to have 4.

 

[KingAG]

I don’t know about waiting 14 years. UConn fans want more. We produced at such a high level over 20 years that only Final Fours will appease people before long. This isn’t a fan base happy with Sweet 16’s anymore. A lot of that is just the mentality of fans in the area. They aren’t happy unless we are crushing opponents and ranked in the top 10 all the time. Front runner fans are the norm in CT.

CT fans for the most part are spoiled. You have a bunch of yankee, Red Sox, Celtics, and patriot fans. Add that to the success they’re used to from JC and Geno. The demographics of this fan base have been spoiled with success. They’re not going to be excited by anything less than excellence.

 

[Hoophound]

But that's so unrealistic. People need to know how fortunate we ate to have 4.

Yeah, but they don’t. JC set the table for a sustained level of excellence. If Hurley can’t provide it, someone else probably can. At minimum, people are going to doubt Hurley until he makes a serious run at a title. He’s recruiting well and should be able to get us to an E8 or FF before too long if he is getting the right players and developing them.

 

[auror]

Yeah, but they don’t. JC set the table for a sustained level of excellence. If Hurley can’t provide it, someone else probably can.

No. There are like 5 coaches in the country who have a sustained level of excellence to the point they will compete for multiple championships in their career. Wright, Self, K (his last year), Izzo, Few, Calipari. Bennett until this year. None of those guys are coming here.

Even with the advantage of our history/prestige, it will be very difficult to find a new one of those guys.

 

[USNavyDog]

Seton Hall will not willingly lose Willard

I'd be terrified if Willard left Seton Hall and that school tried to woo Danny Hurley from Uconn to his alma mater. But I have a hunch if that Willard were to leave the Hall, Hurley would be loyal enough to stay in Storrs.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Yeah, but they don’t. JC set the table for a sustained level of excellence. If Hurley can’t provide it, someone else probably can. At minimum, people are going to doubt Hurley until he makes a serious run at a title. He’s recruiting well and should be able to get us to an E8 or FF before too long if he is getting the right players and developing them.

Hurley might even do it next year. He’s got Karaban already sitting on the bench, Clingan and that hot shot guard next Fall. We do lose Cole though.

 

[USNavyDog]

Spring of 90, yes. JC always said he thought his best team that didn’t make the FF was 93-94 with Ray and Donyell. IIRC UConn finished 4th in the final AP poll that year, pretty good for a team that lost to Florida in the Sweet 16.

If Uconn had beaten Florida (Donyell does miss those 2 critical free throws)...we would've had to play that Boston College team in the elite 8 featuring Bill Burley and his 3 guard lineup that nearly beat us twice. Remember that scary 2 OT game at the Conte Forum when Uconn was down 18 points and rallied barely win that game. We would've faced very hungry and vengeful BC team eager to advance to the final 4...that BC team beat the #1 seeding North Carolina.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Spring of 90, yes. JC always said he thought his best team that didn’t make the FF was 93-94 with Ray and Donyell. IIRC UConn finished 4th in the final AP poll that year, pretty good for a team that lost to Florida in the Sweet 16.

I thought JC thought the 1994-1995 team was better. It was a more mature team, with Donny, Ollie and Fair as seniors, and Travis as a junior, Ray, Doron and Kirk King were sophomores. That was a really good team.

 

[huskdogs]

I'd be terrified if Willard left Seton Hall and that school tried to woo Danny Hurley from Uconn to his alma mater. But I have a hunch if that Willard were to leave the Hall, Hurley would be loyal enough to stay in Storrs.

That’s enough boneyard for tonight…

 

[CONN78SEJ]

If Uconn had beaten Florida (Donyell does miss those 2 critical free throws)...we would've had to play that Boston College team in the elite 8 featuring Bill Burley and his 3 guard lineup that nearly beat us twice. Remember that scary 2 OT game at the Conte Forum when Uconn was down 18 points and rallied barely win that game. We would've faced very hungry and vengeful BC team eager to advance to the final 4...that BC team beat the #1 seeding North Carolina.

Curley came close to committing to us instead of BC. One of Calhoun’s biggest recruiting disappointments.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

I thought JC thought the 1994-1995 team was better. It was a more mature team, with Donny, Ollie and Fair as seniors, and Travis as a junior, Ray, Doron and Kirk King were sophomores. That was a really good team.

I remember him saying it during an interview, he loved that 93-94 team.

 

[Ewekon]

This is a better way to look at it. My main criticism of the OP list is McDermott being far too low. He's one of the best coaches in the country. His mistake was overblown due to tensions at the time. I think it's forgotten at this point. It would surface if he tried to leave, so he's not going anywhere.

Hurley and Cooley have a chance to move to never with some post season success. As noted elsewhere, Cooley could be hired away. Hurley's biggest challenge is his temper.

I'd still say his biggest challenge is managing minutes 35-40 of games. But he followed, once removed, the master.

 

[UCTitleTown]

Georgetown has now lost 15 straight games with a Top 20 recruiting class. I don't see how Ewing keeps his job. It seems being a #1 assistant in the NBA wasn't a bad gig after all. He's 26-57 in the Big East in his 5 years. It's actually sad to see what Georgetown basketball has become under John Thompson III and Ewing.

 

[Hoophound]

No. There are like 5 coaches in the country who have a sustained level of excellence to the point they will compete for multiple championships in their career. Wright, Self, K (his last year), Izzo, Few, Calipari. Bennett until this year. None of those guys are coming here.

Even with the advantage of our history/prestige, it will be very difficult to find a new one of those guys.

If Hurley isn’t challenging for Final Fours? That means being regular, serious threats for the FF. If we don’t have that, he will not be happy here and the fans won’t be happy either. It can’t become acceptable to be mediocre at a school like UConn.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

But that's so unrealistic. People need to know how fortunate we ate to have 4.

If Donyell makes his free throws, we might have had our first NC in 94.

 

[Kathy]

If Donyell makes his free throws, we might have had our first NC in 94.

Very true

 

[gtcam]

How long did it take Calhoun or Geno to mold a tournament tough team? Hurley is doing fine and he’s definitely learning from his mistakes. It took Geno ten years to win his first NC, and Calhoun fourteen years.

JC and GA - They both came into UConn when it was in a different place - no where
When Geno took over UConn Womens Basketball had only one winning season in it's history - In his 4th year he won the OBE title and in his 6th he was in the final four
Calhoun won the NIT in his 2nd year (when the NIT actually meant something) and in his 4th year they won the OBE title and were in the Elite Eight.
Dan Hurley walked into an established program (4 years removed from the 4th NC) and the knowledge that the NBE was immediately down the road - no way does he come here if the AAC was still in the picture.
For the money Dan Hurley is being paid it is hoped/expected that he comes close to what Geno and JC produced in the same time span.
I am not talking NCs - winning the NBE and getting beyond weekend one of the NCAAs by year 5.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

JC and GA - They both came into UConn when it was in a different place - no where
When Geno took over UConn Womens Basketball had only one winning season in it's history - In his 4th year he won the OBE title and in his 6th he was in the final four
Calhoun won the NIT in his 2nd year (when the NIT actually meant something) and in his 4th year they won the OBE title and were in the Elite Eight.
Dan Hurley walked into an established program (4 years removed from the 4th NC) and the knowledge that the NBE was immediately down the road - no way does he come here if the AAC was still in the picture.
For the money Dan Hurley is being paid it is hoped/expected that he comes close to what Geno and JC produced in the same time span.
I am not talking NCs - winning the NBE and getting beyond weekend one of the NCAAs by year 5.

It was a different time, Geno was hired by Toner in Dunkin Donuts. Geno paid the check too! Lol
Imagine Hurley meeting Benedict at a Dunkin Donuts, and running into Ollie getting a coffee.

 

[NJHusky]

CT fans for the most part are spoiled. You have a bunch of yankee, Red Sox, Celtics, and patriot fans. Add that to the success they’re used to from JC and Geno. The demographics of this fan base have been spoiled with success. They’re not going to be excited by anything less than excellence.

Not if you are Jets/Knicks/Mets/Rangers....and last 10 years Giants...