Big East video about Ollie

[UChusky916]

http://shar.es/hOPOq

Good watch.

Extend the guy already!

 

[freescooter]

yeah, they made a video about him for heaven sakes. I've actually given up caring. Since it seems that UConn is doomed to mid-majordom (mid-majorhood?) for the foreseeable future, Ollie is a perfectly acceptable mid-major experiment. He works relatively cheaply. If he is really good he brings some excitement come tournament time for a year or 2 then he will leave for real money in a power conference. If he's bad we get rid of him in a couple of years and replace him with some other mid-major experiment. If he is just so so he hangs around for 10-15 years or until UConn either gets a better conference gig or decides it is sick of being a mid-major and decides to spend real money and hire a big time coach like Memphis did or Louisville did when they got tired of being forgettable. Since the current UConn administration doesn't seem to have much of a plan for the athletic department other than waving goodbye as our former peers move forward, he'll probably be here for the term of his contract in any case. In the meantime, as they say in politics, Ollie keeps the base happy, and since he doesn't cost a whole lot, why not sign him for a couple of years.

 

[Hoophound]

yeah, they made a video about him for heaven sakes. I've actually given up caring. Since it seems that UConn is doomed to mid-majordom (mid-majorhood?) for the foreseeable future, Ollie is a perfectly acceptable mid-major experiment. He works relatively cheaply. If he is really good he brings some excitement come tournament time for a year or 2 then he will leave for real money in a power conference. If he's bad we get rid of him in a couple of years and replace him with some other mid-major experiment. If he is just so so he hangs around for 10-15 years or until UConn either gets a better conference gig or decides it is sick of being a mid-major and decides to spend real money and hire a big time coach like Memphis did or Louisville did when they got tired of being forgettable. Since the current UConn administration doesn't seem to have much of a plan for the athletic department other than waving goodbye as our former peers move forward, he'll probably be here for the term of his contract in any case. In the meantime, as they say in politics, Ollie keeps the base happy, and since he doesn't cost a whole lot, why not sign him for a couple of years.

UConn basketball is not going mid major. Relax.

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

good watch

 

[mauconnfan]

yeah, they made a video about him for heaven sakes. I've actually given up caring. Since it seems that UConn is doomed to mid-majordom (mid-majorhood?) for the foreseeable future, Ollie is a perfectly acceptable mid-major experiment. He works relatively cheaply. If he is really good he brings some excitement come tournament time for a year or 2 then he will leave for real money in a power conference. If he's bad we get rid of him in a couple of years and replace him with some other mid-major experiment. If he is just so so he hangs around for 10-15 years or until UConn either gets a better conference gig or decides it is sick of being a mid-major and decides to spend real money and hire a big time coach like Memphis did or Louisville did when they got tired of being forgettable. Since the current UConn administration doesn't seem to have much of a plan for the athletic department other than waving goodbye as our former peers move forward, he'll probably be here for the term of his contract in any case. In the meantime, as they say in politics, Ollie keeps the base happy, and since he doesn't cost a whole lot, why not sign him for a couple of years.

For a seemingly somewhat intelligent person you sure are a dope!

 

[freescooter]

UConn basketball is not going mid major. Relax.

Unfortunately I think you are wrong. It is simply the reality of the situation. We will be way behind all the other conferences in terms of money, and in terms of quality...I mean Tulane was among the worst teams in the country last year. The new Big East or whatever it will be called is maybe on a par with the A-10. You're are a big time AAU star and you can go to UConn and play Tulane, South Florida, East Carolina and Temple or to NC State and face Duke, Syracuse, Pitt, UNC, or Rutgers and play Michigan State and Michigan and Indiana...UConn's best hope, other than a conference expansion that takes us along, is to be Xavier or Temple type program. A nice program, top 20ish, occasional Sweet 16 run. Not really anyone's fault exactly, but it is very difficult to be a major power from a mid-major conference, and look at the make up of the new Big East and convince me it isn't a mid-major league. I dare you to try to do it with a straight face.

 

[UChusky916]

Don't feed the trolls.

 

[freescooter]

For a seemingly somewhat intelligent person you sure are a dope!

mau, wishing it weren't true doesn't make it not true. UConn is stuck in an awful conference situation. A huge step down, so big a step it is almost inconceivable. the options are what I laid out. Since the UConn leadership seems to have accepted its fate, Ollie is a perfectly reasonable alternative. Under a different scenario, the old Big East say, or if they decided to fight to remain a national program, he isn't. we're paying our basketball coach mid-major money. He's getting about 25% of the Big East average. We hired a guy would wouldn't have been considered by any of our athletic peers. We are what we are. Now we can go out and win the new conference title, earn a 6 seed for doing it and Susan Herbst can send out emails about how we're winning winners who win winningly. And we'll watch teams we used ot battle go to Elite 8s and final fours and we'll be absolutely thrilled to get to a Sweet 16 every now and then. I don't mean to suggest things are bleak, I am saying outright thing are bleak. We are what we are.

 

[UConn990411]

mau, wishing it weren't true doesn't make it not true. UConn is stuck in an awful conference situation. A huge step down, so big a step it is almost inconceivable. the options are what I laid out. Since the UConn leadership seems to have accepted its fate, Ollie is a perfectly reasonable alternative. Under a different scenario, the old Big East say, or if they decided to fight to remain a national program, he isn't. we're paying our basketball coach mid-major money. He's getting about 25% of the Big East average. We hired a guy would wouldn't have been considered by any of our athletic peers. We are what we are. Now we can go out and win the new conference title, earn a 6 seed for doing it and Susan Herbst can send out emails about how we're winning winners who win winningly. And we'll watch teams we used ot battle go to Elite 8s and final fours and we'll be absolutely thrilled to get to a Sweet 16 every now and then. I don't mean to suggest things are bleak, I am saying outright thing are bleak. We are what we are.

You're right. If only UConn could lock up a stud coach like Jay Wright...

 

[caw]

Unfortunately I think you are wrong. It is simply the reality of the situation. We will be way behind all the other conferences in terms of money, and in terms of quality...I mean Tulane was among the worst teams in the country last year. The new Big East or whatever it will be called is maybe on a par with the A-10. You're are a big time AAU star and you can go to UConn and play Tulane, South Florida, East Carolina and Temple or to NC State and face Duke, Syracuse, Pitt, UNC, or Rutgers and play Michigan State and Michigan and Indiana...UConn's best hope, other than a conference expansion that takes us along, is to be Xavier or Temple type program. A nice program, top 20ish, occasional Sweet 16 run. Not really anyone's fault exactly, but it is very difficult to be a major power from a mid-major conference, and look at the make up of the new Big East and convince me it isn't a mid-major league. I dare you to try to do it with a straight face.

UConn's future conference is truly up in the air right now and doesn't look promising but there is a long way to go.

Brad Stevens has shown that teams can make NCAAT finals from a lesser than A-10 conference. UNLV is recruiting like a champ right now. Gonzaga has been solid, if unlucky not to have made a few final fours.

I don't know where you get the idea Ollie would leave if he is a good to great coach. He is a UConn guy. What about that doesn't make sense to you? Please note I'm not saying he will be a HOF coach, but if he builds a rep similar to the ones Steven and Smart have right now, he won't be looking to leave. It would be one thing if it were any other coach than Ollie, but he is committed to UConn as long as UConn is committed to him.

mau, wishing it weren't true doesn't make it not true. UConn is stuck in an awful conference situation. A huge step down, so big a step it is almost inconceivable. the options are what I laid out. Since the UConn leadership seems to have accepted its fate, Ollie is a perfectly reasonable alternative. Under a different scenario, the old Big East say, or if they decided to fight to remain a national program, he isn't. we're paying our basketball coach mid-major money. He's getting about 25% of the Big East average. We hired a guy would wouldn't have been considered by any of our athletic peers. We are what we are. Now we can go out and win the new conference title, earn a 6 seed for doing it and Susan Herbst can send out emails about how we're winning winners who win winningly. And we'll watch teams we used ot battle go to Elite 8s and final fours and we'll be absolutely thrilled to get to a Sweet 16 every now and then. I don't mean to suggest things are bleak, I am saying outright thing are bleak. We are what we are.

I agree that UConn is in an awful conference situation relative to the other BCS schools whenever the C7 actually leave. The question becomes where UConn finally ends up. If the New-New conference is the landing spot, then it's a bad situation.

Considering UConn is 1/3 or so through Ollie's first year of a one year contract, I think you are overstating whether he is a good coach or not. He was an unknown and is less of one now, but still a relative unknown.

In regards to the bolded, we have no clue how much he will be paid on a real contract. This really shouldn't be part of your argument.

In regards to the underlined, which peers are you talking about? I want to know which teams you mean before I even get into that point. Being vague makes it impossible to discuss.

I don't know why you are trying to convince everyone Ollie is a bad/mid-major coach when the only proof we have shows the exact opposite to be true. Wait to see if he bombs in the BE at least. BTW that horrible New Mexico team just beat a top ten team on their floor.

 

[freescooter]

Ollie ain't getting a million dollar raise. When the big East average is something like $1.02 million even if he gets doubled, which I doubt he will be way below average, though probably not for the New league. As far as who are our "peers," I'm talking about our athletic peers, mostly the schools that have left/are leaving the Big East. Louisville, Syracuse, Pitt, West Virginia, schools like that. Not talking academics, not talking basketball only, though none of them would have hired Ollie either for what its worth. And I'm not saying Ollie is a bad mid-major coach. Just the opposite actually. He is in many respects a perfect mid-major coach. some experience under a big name head coach at a (formerly) major program. worth the risk. If it doesn't work out, he goes away without breaking the bank. Maybe he is good. maybe he is ok (my guess) maybe he is lousy. But how in heaven's name is he going to recruit at a high level? You can give him a lifetime contract and he isn't getting top players to come to play in a league with Tulane and East Carolina (if the rumor mill is correct) and some of those schools. A Calhoun, a Calipari, a Pitino, a Boeheim, those guys have the ability to recruit based on who they are. Pu thtem in a mid-major they'll get guys to come anyway just to play for them. Ollie simply doesn't have that ability. and if you doubt that, you are in dreamland. So he has to recruit lesser players and maybe he coaches them up, though based on what we've seen to date it is an open question whether he can do that.

 

[RMoore1999]

UConn basketball is not going mid major. Relax.

Dont be so sure. If we dont get a B1G invite, we will in fact be mid-major. But then we'll just have to become the Gonzaga or Memphis of the East.

 

[mauconnfan]

Ollie ain't getting a million dollar raise. When the big East average is something like $1.02 million even if he gets doubled, which I doubt he will be way below average, though probably not for the New league. As far as who are our "peers," I'm talking about our athletic peers, mostly the schools that have left/are leaving the Big East. Louisville, Syracuse, Pitt, West Virginia, schools like that. Not talking academics, not talking basketball only, though none of them would have hired Ollie either for what its worth. And I'm not saying Ollie is a bad mid-major coach. Just the opposite actually. He is in many respects a perfect mid-major coach. some experience under a big name head coach at a (formerly) major program. worth the risk. If it doesn't work out, he goes away without breaking the bank. Maybe he is good. maybe he is ok (my guess) maybe he is lousy. But how in heaven's name is he going to recruit at a high level? You can give him a lifetime contract and he isn't getting top players to come to play in a league with Tulane and East Carolina (if the rumor mill is correct) and some of those schools. A Calhoun, a Calipari, a Pitino, a Boeheim, those guys have the ability to recruit based on who they are. Pu thtem in a mid-major they'll get guys to come anyway just to play for them. Ollie simply doesn't have that ability. and if you doubt that, you are in dreamland. So he has to recruit lesser players and maybe he coaches them up, though based on what we've seen to date it is an open question whether he can do that.

Calhoun, Pitino, Calipari or even Wooden can't get them without a contract!!! Again for whatever reason your dislike of the Ollie move is now beyond annoying so get off..........Stevens, Smart or anyone else ain't coming with a conference anyway.........how about independent until someone comes our way? Play everyone and anyone, the schedule itself will sell and with a contract KO will get the kids to Storrs........you have this one wrong!

 

[CTBasketball]

Scooter I am with you. I think WM and SH are waiting until Big East play to offer him. Once he goes like 2-4 in Big East play they'll cut his salary on the new contract.

 

[Husky68]

yeah, they made a video about him for heaven sakes. I've actually given up caring. Since it seems that UConn is doomed to mid-majordom (mid-majorhood?) for the foreseeable future, Ollie is a perfectly acceptable mid-major experiment. He works relatively cheaply. If he is really good he brings some excitement come tournament time for a year or 2 then he will leave for real money in a power conference. If he's bad we get rid of him in a couple of years and replace him with some other mid-major experiment. If he is just so so he hangs around for 10-15 years or until UConn either gets a better conference gig or decides it is sick of being a mid-major and decides to spend real money and hire a big time coach like Memphis did or Louisville did when they got tired of being forgettable. Since the current UConn administration doesn't seem to have much of a plan for the athletic department other than waving goodbye as our former peers move forward, he'll probably be here for the term of his contract in any case. In the meantime, as they say in politics, Ollie keeps the base happy, and since he doesn't cost a whole lot, why not sign him for a couple of years.

Seems like if someone has given up caring, the next logical step is they give up posting. If you don't care why post the same mid-majordom/hood goof over and over. Blaney sees him as good fit for job, I'll take his and JC's opinion. This is a 40 year old guy who has been playing/coaching at an elite level for 21 years; someone who has seen him up close has plenty of history to view to predict how well he will do as head coach.
Seems like there is something about Ollie you don't like personally, come on man up and spit it out and cut the mid-majordom/hood hokiness.

 

[CTBasketball]

Seems like if someone has given up caring, the next logical step is they give up posting. If you don't care why post the same mid-majordom/hood goof over and over. Blaney sees him as good fit for job, I'll take his and JC's opinion. This is a 40 year old guy who has been playing/coaching at an elite level for 21 years; someone who has seen him up close has plenty of history to view to predict how well he will do as head coach.
Seems like there is something about Ollie you don't like personally, come on man up and spit it out and cut the mid-majordom/hood hokiness.

I'm in the same boat as freescooter, so I'll answer too.

It's not that I like Ollie, I do. I think WM and SH have different plans for the program, and those plans do not include Ollie in the future. Simple as that.

 

[RMoore1999]

I'm in the same boat as freescooter, so I'll answer too.

It's not that I like Ollie, I do. I think WM and SH have different plans for the program, and those plans do not include Ollie in the future. Simple as that.

What different plans? Why do you think that?

 

[aceboon]

I'm in the same boat as freescooter, so I'll answer too.

It's not that I like Ollie, I do. I think WM and SH have different plans for the program, and those plans do not include Ollie in the future. Simple as that.

You're not in the same boat as freescooter, nobody is. Let him float out to sea by himself.

 

[uconNYC]

Unless you can get Sean Miller, not sure who would be better than Ollie. He is young, hungry, has NBA cred, part of the UConn family, very likable, respected...

Given our conference predicament he is probably an even better choice now than he was a few months back.

 

[Hoophound]

Our relevance is all about scheduling. UConn simply needs to step it up some OOC. We will have no issue getting games. Play an extra big name or two each year or an early season tourney and beef up the junk games to top 100 RPI competition. I'd be thrilled to see us play St Bonaventure instead of Maryland Eastern Shore for instance.

 

[ctchamps]

Too bad thread got hijacked by free. Great video. UConn will land on its feet and KO will be a force for UConn!

 

[Dove]

http://shar.es/hOPOq

Good watch.

Extend the guy already!

Holy crap, Blaney speaks!!!!

Nice video, too.

 

[freescooter]

Not liking the situation we're in doesn't change it. Ollie is a fine choice. He might be good. He doesn't have to be that good to win the new Big Crap conference. And if you don't think that new league will be a mid-major one, you aren't paying attention. Just to give you some perspective, if we were in it right now the "new" improved conference would have exactly 1 ranked team, Cincinnati. It would have 3 teams in the top 100 RPI. The current Big East has 9 just to give some perspective. The current Big East 5 in the top 50 based on RPI. The new line up would have 3, but 0 between 35-100. Currently the worst team in the Big East has is 182 in the RPI. The new conference has 3 teams worse than that inlcuding one at 226. Sorry fellas, the new conference is mid-major through and through. You can pretend nothing is changing, but the facts on the ground are that the new league is going to stink. It is going to be maybe comparable to the current Horizon. Not as good as the A-10(11 top 100). So it makes sense to take a chance on a coach who has no record. If he can coach we can probably be a pretty good team, Top 25ish and get tourney bids. But remember that we're going into a 2-3 bid league. Maybe 4 in a very good year. The days of finishing 7th and being assured of dancing are over. So in osme respects Kevin Ollie is pretty lucky. He has a pretty low bar. He is coaching in an awful league so the idea that UConn is a national championship contender is by the boards. He has 2 teams on the schedule who are legitimate, and at least 3 that are worse than DePaul. If UConn schedules a handful of non-league top teams, most will be early season when teams tend to be more vulnerable. And given our new "status" there will likely be little expectation that we win anyway. We are joining an AWFUL basketball league. It has maybe 4 legitimate teams. The rest are not just weak, they are horrible. Give this a thought...Tulane is not the worst team. And based on RPI, South Florida is #5. They would rank #12 in the current Big East. So as I say, if you don't think UConn has been banished to the world of mid-majors, you probably still believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Great Pumpkin.

 

[OkaForPrez]

Not liking the situation we're in doesn't change it. Ollie is a fine choice. He might be good. He doesn't have to be that good to win the new Big Crap conference. And if you don't think that new league will be a mid-major one, you aren't paying attention. Just to give you some perspective, if we were in it right now the "new" improved conference would have exactly 1 ranked team, Cincinnati. It would have 3 teams in the top 100 RPI. The current Big East has 9 just to give some perspective. The current Big East 5 in the top 50 based on RPI. The new line up would have 3, but 0 between 35-100. Currently the worst team in the Big East has is 182 in the RPI. The new conference has 3 teams worse than that inlcuding one at 226. Sorry fellas, the new conference is mid-major through and through. You can pretend nothing is changing, but the facts on the ground are that the new league is going to stink. It is going to be maybe comparable to the current Horizon. Not as good as the A-10(11 top 100). So it makes sense to take a chance on a coach who has no record. If he can coach we can probably be a pretty good team, Top 25ish and get tourney bids. But remember that we're going into a 2-3 bid league. Maybe 4 in a very good year. The days of finishing 7th and being assured of dancing are over. So in osme respects Kevin Ollie is pretty lucky. He has a pretty low bar. He is coaching in an awful league so the idea that UConn is a national championship contender is by the boards. He has 2 teams on the schedule who are legitimate, and at least 3 that are worse than DePaul. If UConn schedules a handful of non-league top teams, most will be early season when teams tend to be more vulnerable. And given our new "status" there will likely be little expectation that we win anyway. We are joining an AWFUL basketball league. It has maybe 4 legitimate teams. The rest are not just weak, they are horrible. Give this a thought...Tulane is not the worst team. And based on RPI, South Florida is #5. They would rank #12 in the current Big East. So as I say, if you don't think UConn has been banished to the world of mid-majors, you probably still believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Great Pumpkin.

Scoot, fine, but gun to your head, is realignment over? All of your doomsday assumes no other domino's fall. The C7 are still in play for 3 more years. If the B1G takes two from the ACC in the near future and UConn and Cinci get the nod, than they are both out the door for next year when we toss the keys over to providence.

 

[freescooter]

Okafor,

Problem is I don't know that other changes occur that quickly. And unless and until they do and we go somewhere else, UConn is not going to be just fine. We are going to be in a terrible league. And there is a huge risk that unless Ollie is exceptional, we'll be dragged down to the level of the league, not the other way around. I doubt Ollie is exceptional. When I see Kevin Ollie take the floor I have images of Bill Stewart leading West Virginia in football. This was an emotional as opposed to a rational selection,mostly because Calhoun has this fear that a new coach will replace him in the pantheon of UConn coaches or something, and heading where we're likely heading, this has 2 huge problems. 1. Ollie can look good without being good given that we have lots of games against really bad teams. Really bad. Basically, barring someone saving us, UConn's conference schedule will look a lot like this years' November-December one. And I don't care what people want to believe, it is unlikely that the non-conference schedule gets upgraded that much. Some, but we aren't playing 8-10 top 50 teams, and they aren't coming to UConn because they don't have to. We have to play a lower level of teams just to have a reasonable number of home games.

2. The second problem is that by the time we do get scooped up by say the ACC, we could be in a situation where we are miles behind where UConn has been the past 25 years, Ollie will be recruiting A-10ish level players if we're lucky(and really that is what he has been recruiting this year), and we won't any longer have the big time contacts. I really felt this was an opportunity to land a big time coach and maintain the level of the program. We went small time, largely because of Calhoun, but I can't argue with that way of thinking given where we are headed.