Blaney doesn't think that Calhiun knows if he is going to return

[upstater]

What makes anyone think that a top coaching candidate would jump at the Uconn job? We will be coming off a down year or 2 of recruiting. The top candidates aren't going to want to rebuild a program in Storrs and play in a diluted BE. We are not getting Smart, Miller, Few, or Donavan. The reason for our success is a stubborn thick headed Irishman who established a reputation, recruited successfully and won 3 NCC's. It was a monumnental task and basicly the new coach would almost have to start over. It isn't impossible but it sure isn't one of the top job opportunities in the country.
We would be better off handing the job to Ollie because we aren't going to get one of the top guys.At least Ollie would bring continuity and an NBA background. Can Ollie coach? I have no idea but we stand a better chance with him rather than rolling the dice than some second tier guy.

Huh? Were you replying to what I wrote?

 

[superjohn]

I'm 100% sold on Shaka Smart and I think we can get him. I'll never understand the UConn fans who don't think we can get any big name coach, we are a national power. My guess is Calhoun is trying to get his way in who our successor will be. Whatever is going on behind the scenes it needs to be decided soon what will happen, the uncertainty is clearly hurting the program.

 

[Kitaman]

I'm 100% sold on Shaka Smart and I think we can get him. I'll never understand the UConn fans who don't think we can get any big name coach, we are a national power. My guess is Calhoun is trying to get his way in who our successor will be. Whatever is going on behind the scenes it needs to be decided soon what will happen, the uncertainty is clearly hurting the program.

Guys like Smart 'appear' to gain the respect of their players. I really am not sure if UConn needs a proven coach versus one who the players would die on the court for. Smart seems to be one of those coaches. Like Calhoun as the victories increase so do the chances of a NC. I personally would like to see a leader of men come to Storrs moreso than a coach with a lot of notches on his belt (i.e. victories). By the way this could include Ollie as well.

With the changes to the BE team roster and of course our current/future situation I don't think UConn is as attractive as it was say 5 years ago. It would take a relatively young stud of a coach to weather this storm and create a new path. Therefore my vote would be for a Ollie/Smart type, and roll the dice.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

What makes anyone think that a top coaching candidate would jump at the Uconn job? We will be coming off a down year or 2 of recruiting. The top candidates aren't going to want to rebuild a program in Storrs and play in a diluted BE. We are not getting Smart, Miller, Few, or Donavan. The reason for our success is a stubborn thick headed Irishman who established a reputation, recruited successfully and won 3 NCC's. It was a monumnental task and basicly the new coach would almost have to start over. It isn't impossible but it sure isn't one of the top job opportunities in the country.

Shaka's in a different category than those other guys, who are either firmly established where they are (Few and Donovan) or already have a big time job (Miller).

If you don't think Shaka would take the Uconn job, then you either think 1) he's waiting for a much better job (i.e. better than NC State, Illinois, and Uconn since he already turned those other schools down; or 2) he's perfectly happy at VCU and doesn't plan on going anywhere anytime soon.

I don't think for a second that #2 is true, so if #1 is true, what job is he waiting for that realistically could open up soon? Duke? Unc? Kansas? I suppose Calipari could bolt at any time. Tom Izzo's passed on the NBA multiple times now. Howland was probably in danger territory but now he's got an absurd recruiting class. Same for Tom Crean, but Brad Stevens would be the first choice even if Crean gets canned. Syracuse has Hopkins lined up. Where else is Shaka going?

 

[johnhuskies95]

UConn is absolutely an elite job.

Coaches want support from the fan base and support from the administration. With the clown Hathaway in charge the latter was an issue, but with Herbst and Manuel that shouldn't be a problem. UConn is in between two cities that produce a number of very good players every single year. They have the national prestige and tradition, a soon to be opened brand new practice facility and they're in a very good conference that has a lot of prestige and competitiveness, yet is also very winnable every year, which is huge.

All of that is very appealing to coaches.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I want to know why so many are convinced that JC is strong arming the administration. Please provide some insight as to why you believe this. The way I see it, he is being coy merely with a few in the press and thise morons are falling for it hook, line and sinker.

My belief on JC's remaining tenure here is that shy of some development to his health situation (that we do not know about at the moment and that JC may not even know about), JC will complete his current ontract and may even coach a year beyond this deal.

I still view (my opinion, nothing else) KO as the top candidate but within this opinion, if he isn't viewing this as his last job (basically, if Doris was correct in her statement that he wants to coach in the NCAA), I no longer want him taking over.

I also happen to believe that Shaka Smart is a legitimate candidate, that we can land him if we want to, that he may well be the best possible choice and that if there was any truth to what was published earlier (that he is holding out for the UConn job), it is because of a conversation or two that JC had with him, basically recruiting him to lead us for the next thirty years.

Too many are getting agitated over nothing. JC will do the right thing for the program, as will Manual and Herbst.

 

[superjohn]

FfldCntyFan, Being coy with a few in the media and these morons are falling for it hook line and sinker? What? Why the hell would Calhoun do this, he's trying to fake out the media for what reason? If you haven't noticed we are in a really crappy position and it's getting worse the longer Calhoun remains in silence. He told the media he would make a decision final 4 weekend regarding his future and now we hear from Blaney that he doesn't know if Calhoun is returning. Some of us think there must be something going on behind the scenes because it makes absolutely zero sense for him to drag this out. We have no frontcourt for next year as it stands now and we desperately need to change this, with recruits not knowing whether coach will come back they will not come here. I don't understand how anyone can't see that this is hurting our program.

 

[johnhuskies95]

FfldCntyFan, Being coy with a few in the media and these morons are falling for it hook line and sinker? What? Why the hell would Calhoun do this, he's trying to fake out the media for what reason? If you haven't noticed we are in a really crappy position and it's getting worse the longer Calhoun remains in silence. He told the media he would make a decision final 4 weekend regarding his future and now we hear from Blaney that he doesn't know if Calhoun is returning. Some of us think there must be something going on behind the scenes because it makes absolutely zero sense for him to drag this out. We have no frontcourt for next year as it stands now and we desperately need to change this, with recruits not knowing whether coach will come back they will not come here. I don't understand how anyone can't see that this is hurting our program.

If Calhoun announces right now that he's retiring, Boatright, Napier, and probably Daniels all leave.

Calhoun probably figures that if they change the apr dates, UConn has a good enough team with those guys to make the tournament and maybe even win a game or two. Without them, they're screwed.

But if Calhoun announces in late June or early July that he is retiring, those guys pretty much have to stay at UConn. It's kind of selfish, but Calhoun wants what's best for the program.

At least that's the only reason I could possibly see Calhoun holding out for.

 

[upstater]

FfldCntyFan, Being coy with a few in the media and these morons are falling for it hook line and sinker? What? Why the hell would Calhoun do this, he's trying to fake out the media for what reason? If you haven't noticed we are in a really crappy position and it's getting worse the longer Calhoun remains in silence. He told the media he would make a decision final 4 weekend regarding his future and now we hear from Blaney that he doesn't know if Calhoun is returning. Some of us think there must be something going on behind the scenes because it makes absolutely zero sense for him to drag this out. We have no frontcourt for next year as it stands now and we desperately need to change this, with recruits not knowing whether coach will come back they will not come here. I don't understand how anyone can't see that this is hurting our program.

Whatever his reason. I find the idea that he's trying to shoehorn Ollie into the position totally preposterous. Slam him all you want but the idea that he's playing a devilish game like that is hard to believe. To what purpose? It's not like they aren't going to go out and hire another coach regardless.

 

[superjohn]

It's certainly more preposterous to think Calhoun would wait until late June early July to announce he's retiring so that Napier, Boatright and Daniels can't transfer, that's something I'm positive Calhoun would never do.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

FfldCntyFan, Being coy with a few in the media and these morons are falling for it hook line and sinker? What? Why the hell would Calhoun do this, he's trying to fake out the media for what reason? If you haven't noticed we are in a really crappy position and it's getting worse the longer Calhoun remains in silence. He told the media he would make a decision final 4 weekend regarding his future and now we hear from Blaney that he doesn't know if Calhoun is returning. Some of us think there must be something going on behind the scenes because it makes absolutely zero sense for him to drag this out. We have no frontcourt for next year as it stands now and we desperately need to change this, with recruits not knowing whether coach will come back they will not come here. I don't understand how anyone can't see that this is hurting our program.

You're right superjohn. JC making an announcement will solve everything. The moment he does, Emmert will issue a public apology and reinstate our eligibilty for next year's tournament. Anthony Davis will announce that instead of entering the draft, he instead will transfer to UConn (at which point Emmert will state that as we were unduly punished, the one year transfer rule will be waived in his case.

Yes, JC's status is a problem at the moment.

 

[Ts5034]

I believe that Calhoun really wants to come back, but at the same time he knows exactly whats going on and how it could be hard landing recruits since he cannot guarantee he will be there for X number of years. Maybe deep down he knows this maybe the right time to walk away but thats obviously a tough decision after 25 years. He probably does not want to leave the program in the condition its in either. I kind of wish he left on top after 2011 because last season was nothing but BS from start to finish.

 

[superjohn]

FfldCntyFan, was that an attempt at humor? You lost me, I didn't say anything about how the NCAA is unjustly punishing us isn't a problem and unibrow isn't transferring here. Obviously the NCAA's BS position is a problem but if you don't think Calhoun's silence on whether he's coming back or not is also a problem than you're clueless.

 

[selles]

What makes anyone think that a top coaching candidate would jump at the Uconn job?

Eh, I think you underrate us in this post. The conference issue is a real one, but...you're taking over a program with 3 recent national titles, alums like Ray Allen/Rip Hamilton/Rudy Gay/Caron Butler/Kemba Walker, you're the most important sports team in the state, and you have the media and fan base to prove it. I think that's a pretty good job. If a coach has confidence in his ability to recruit, then I think this looks like a pretty darn good position. Coming off (or into) an expected down year is a plus, since it gives a chance to establish one's own identity and success.

 

[johnhuskies95]

It's certainly more preposterous to think Calhoun would wait until late June early July to announce he's retiring so that Napier, Boatright and Daniels can't transfer, that's something I'm positive Calhoun would never do.

Then why do you think he is waiting this long? So Ollie can get the job? Even if that was the case, I can almost guarantee you that Manuel would put Ollie in the same position that Luke Fickell was in this year at Ohio State, basically giving him a year to prove himself, but not giving him anything past that.

This isn't some ego trip for Calhoun. It's not like ESPN is going to be outside his house waiting for his decision. If he wanted attention he'd start talking more to the media.

 

[superjohn]

I think it's an extremely hard decision for him and I think a couple of things must be at play, he still might think with gov't and public pressure/possible lawsuit we will be in the tournament next year and I think he's angling for Ollie to be his successor. Calhoun wants to leave this program in the best possible position for continued success for a very long time. We are about to break ground on a beautiful new practice facility but the NCAA is doing everything they can to hurt us at the moment. Calhoun has certainly hinted at him wanting Ollie to take over I'm an Ollie fan but I can't say I'm for this idea, I am of the belief that we are an extremely attractive job for a bigtime coach.

 

[freescooter]

I think it's an extremely hard decision for him and I think a couple of things must be at play, he still might think with gov't and public pressure/possible lawsuit we will be in the tournament next year and I think he's angling for Ollie to be his successor. Calhoun wants to leave this program in the best possible position for continued success for a very long time. We are about to break ground on a beautiful new practice facility but the NCAA is doing everything they can to hurt us at the moment. Calhoun has certainly hinted at him wanting Ollie to take over I'm an Ollie fan but I can't say I'm for this idea, I am of the belief that we are an extremely attractive job for a bigtime coach.

Superjohn,

I am in complete agreement with you on this. people who expect us to collapse completely when Calhoun goes have absolutely no clue about big time basketball. Given all the crap flying around the program at the moment a couple of down years wouldn't be shocking, but we'll still be attractive to a big time coach or a real up and comer (Shaka, who if you watch him is so reminicent of a young Jim Calhoun it isn't funny) who will be here for a while and will construct a highly successful program.

 

[Huskygamble19]

George maybe is just incorrectly putting the pressure on JC to officially announce, one way or the other. It could be strategic and just might work. It certainly isn't the smartest tactic but I have no problem with this if it produces the right result, more quickly.

I also just think that the coaching staff could be very frustrated and stressed out, with the APR fiasco and the resulting fallout. I give George a pass this time.

Yeah as strategic as his game plan against Louisville.. that was real strategic.