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

[TopDog18]

I understand a lot of people here were frustrated with Shabazz inconsistent play through out the season, but you gotta respect what he's been saying since this APR Stop.

"Everyone understands that their back is to the wall," Napier said. "And when your back is to the wall, the best thing you can do is fight with the person beside you. Some people just turned and ran, but that's on them.

"I'm just happy with the group of guys I have."

People love praising the dudes who left our program during the rough time (Roscoe, AO). But me personally, I have the utmost respect to every player who sticks with our program the next year and believes in Jim Calhoun. That's loyalty my friends. And as a season ticket holder, I will be cheering for my Huskies as If it is any other year.

 

[Fishy]

We need some sort of team-building exercise to see which Boneyarders are all-in and which are not.

I say we kill a drifter.

Who's with me?

 

[TopDog18]

T

We need some sort of team-building exercise to see which Boneyarders are all-in and which are not.

I say we kill a drifter.

Who's with me?

h

We need some sort of team-building exercise to see which Boneyarders are all-in and which are not.

I say we kill a drifter.

Who's with me?

We need some sort of team-building exercise to see which Boneyarders are all-in and which are not.

I say we kill a drifter.


There's no question we got a lot of bandwagon fans on this board. The one good thing about this rough season upon us is it will flush many of these bandwagon fans and many of those posters asking for Calhoun to retire will disappear.

 

[dogpause]

I agree that the APR ban is worse, but it's not helping when the coach appears to be playing games like this.

 

[Hoophound]

If I had to guess, this is the JC trying to force the KO succession plan issue. The elephant in the room needs to be addressed at some point and this is as good a time as ever.

 

[Kitaman]

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.

 

[johnhuskies95]

Manuel needs to be quietly talking to other coaches out there to gauge their interest right now. You need to have options if Calhoun decides to retire in a month or so.

 

[huskyjawz]

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.

I don't think so, I think that George is speaking on Jim's behalf. Jim is posturing with the AD and President regarding his future, and succession plan, and other issues that we don't know about. He must want the questions of his future out there, and he's told George how to respond to these questions.

 

[Huskies04Life]

This quote just claifies the fact that I love Shabazz to death. While everybody else is fleeing like a house on fire, Shabazz has no intentions of going anywhere. He's going to stick around and fight, the true mark of a Calhoun player.

Also love the Bazz quotes and give him alot of credit for sticking around through the bad times. Is it too much a of a dream to hope he sticks through this tough year, we get a good recruiting class in 13-14, and then he goes out with his second national title his senior year. Along with JC going off into the sunset as his contract expires. I just thought of this and got goosebumps! Man I hope it happens!

 

[Uconn77Duke74]

Reagrdless of Calhoun;s immediate plans if he has any firm desire to hand over the program to Ollie then he really should have Blaney step aside.

 

[uchusky32]

First JC nas earned the right to retire when he wants. However, he should not hold hostage the
Uconn program. If he hasn't made up his mind then keep it in house. How can letting this out benifit Uconn. This yearly gamesmanship must stop. If he comes bsck this year, holds scholarships for next year but does the same thing how is that a benifit to Uconn.

 

[Waquoit]

George is doing to the off-season what he did to the regular season.

 

[freescooter]

First JC nas earned the right to retire when he wants. However, he should not hold hostage the
Uconn program. If he hasn't made up his mind then keep it in house. How can letting this out benifit Uconn. This yearly gamesmanship must stop. If he comes bsck this year, holds scholarships for next year but does the same thing how is that a benifit to Uconn.

I agree that Calhoun has the right to retire or return, but he dones not have the right to hold the University of ?Connecticut hostage in his silly games. If he hasn't made up his mind and so informed Manuel by say mid-May, then the AD should inform him that he is involking whatever clause is in the contract about removing Calhoun and go forward with finding a replacement. This annual will he or won't he stuff has become a distraction and becomes more and more of one each year as Calhoun nears retirement. If he wants to return he should just say he's returning. If not, pick up the clubs, get a tee time and let UCONN move on with its program.

 

[TheRogers]

My thoughts exactly - shut the duck* up, George.

Take it easy on George. This was the first day medical marijuana was legalized. Just sayin. George might have been feeling a little bit "loose" if you know what I mean.

 

[suzyq]

Take it easy on George. This was the first day medical marijuana was legalized. Just sayin. George might have been feeling a little bit "loose" if you know what I mean.

How could you tell?

 

[sparky]

I am tired of all the JC talk regarding retirement and mystery comments out of the blue. I don't care one way or the other. I say the AD needs to grow a set fire his ass and hire BAZZ as playa coach.

 

[TheRogers]

How could you tell?

A few minutes after the picture with the governor Miller was yelling,"George! We're heading out already! George! Get off the governor's desk!"

 

[UConn3432]

Love this quote also from Shabazz:

"Everyone understands that their back is to the wall," Napier said. "And when your back is to the wall, the best thing you can do is fight with the person beside you. Some people just turned and ran, but that's on them.
"I'm just happy with the group of guys I have."

Did they turn and run into the wall? Seriously looking into freezing myself for a year. http://www.alcor.org/

 

[HuskyHawk]

My thoughts exactly - shut the duck* up, George.

And can someone convince Blaney to not come back regardless? Please...even if JC is back, we know he'll probably miss some games with something, and I'd rather have Hobbs or Ollie calling the shots.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Yeah, but Blaney himself know if he is going to return?

 

[HuskyDogArt]

Calhoun is what JoePa did during his last few years at PSU. Coaches used JoePa's non-decisions against him, and I think coaches are using JC's non-decision to get the top recruits. What JC needs to do is say... I'm sticking around until 20xx. It would help us with top recruits and also it would help recruits looking at UConn.

 

[upstater]

Calhoun is what JoePa did during his last few years at PSU. Coaches used JoePa's non-decisions against him, and I think coaches are using JC's non-decision to get the top recruits. What JC needs to do is say... I'm sticking around until 20xx. It would help us with top recruits and also it would help recruits looking at UConn.

Transitions are hard. That being said, Paterno never recruited so well as he did in his last few years. Look up his last 4 years especially. The last one was subpar but the 3 before were some of the best classes PSU has ever had. He recruited two top 5 QBs. He was 85 when he left. This has little to do with Calhoun but realize that while Paterno's staff was still recruiting well, they weren't coaching them up very well. This is a very major difference between Paterno and Calhoun.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Has anyone considered the possibility that JC told Blaney to answer that way if he was asked?

Blaney has stated in the past that he and JC speak at least once a day over the phone, even during the season (when they see each other face to face). Everyone knew that the question (is JC returning) would likely come up. JC for whatever reasons likes adding a bit of drama to this. Whether any of us view it as a big deal or minor quirk, it is part of the package and if we are willing to take the good (tough as they get, iron will), we need to realize that this comes with the package.

The only thing that will prevent JC from coming back (and completing his contract) is if a doctor tells him that its time to hang it up. Personally, I'll avoid the speculation (and ridiculous boneyard rants), and believe that he is coming back until the day arrives when someone else is our permanent head coach. Similar to how I felt the many times over the years when PC fans claimed that they were close to passing us as a program, I'll believe that JC is gone when I see it. Until then I will view any claims of his retirement as little more than internet bluster.

 

[Hoophound]

Maybe I misjudge him, but I don't see JC as one to be dramatic. I think he is angling for something every single time he drags his feet announcing his intentions. This time it may be about Ollie.

Now, the above assumes that you think he hasn't announced his intentions. I believe he actually said that he was coming back last week when he said he has two years left on his contract and he is "doing what he does". If that has changed for some reason, nobody has said so. The Blaney remarks indicate to me that JC is suddenly applying pressure for a succession plan because in the last 7 days or so, he talked with the AD and or President and met resistance. At the time he mentioned his contract he also said he and Manuel had a lot to talk about. My guess is he then started waffling on returning to gain leverage when he didn't get his way. Blaney's comment was likely planted in that scenario.

If this is what's going on, and Ollie isn't getting the nod, I am in the time to move on camp. We can't lose ground over internal squabbles right now.

 

[upstater]

Maybe I misjudge him, but I don't see JC as one to be dramatic. I think he is angling for something every single time he drags his feet announcing his intentions. This time it may be about Ollie.

Now, the above assumes that you think he hasn't announced his intentions. I believe he actually said that he was coming back last week when he said he has two years left on his contract and he is "doing what he does". If that has changed for some reason, nobody has said so. The Blaney remarks indicate to me that JC is suddenly applying pressure for a succession plan because in the last 7 days or so, he talked with the AD and or President and met resistance. At the time he mentioned his contract he also said he and Manuel had a lot to talk about. My guess is he then started waffling on returning to gain leverage when he didn't get his way. Blaney's comment was likely planted in that scenario.

If this is what's going on, and Ollie isn't getting the nod, I am in the time to move on camp. We can't lose ground over internal squabbles right now.

I find that incredibly hard to believe. The admin. is not going to make a $2 million a year hire based on the potential of losing out on some second tier recruits. That would be mindboggling. The admin. will consider that there's very little difference between an interim coach like Ollie coaching a team under a postseason ban and a lame duck coach like calhoun coaching such a team.

It's simply not going to phase them at all.

It would hurt recruiting for 2013, but when compared to the importance of hiring a coach, the loss of recruits in one class is not going to dissuade anyone from making a decision.