Calhoun regrets?

[Mokum]

In retrospect, who else thinks Calhoun regrets what he did to get Ollie the HC job? When you think about it, it was a pretty dumb thing. To put a guy in charge of a program like Uconn, with no HC experience and what, 3 years as an assistant? A nice career at Uconn, an overachiever in the NBA, a nice person, none of that qualifies you as a head coach. I feel bad for Ollie, he was in way over his head. JC should have known better. But of course he will never say it or admit he should not have done what he did.

 

[Matrim55]

Four years of disappointment are worth a title, and there's no guarantee another coach would've gotten us there in 2014.

No regrets. Hopefully KO lands on his feet.

 

[CL82]

 

[J187Money]

Four years of disappointment are worth a title, and there's no guarantee another coach would've gotten us there in 2014.

No regrets. Hopefully KO lands on his feet.

Exactly this. Glad we made the change, but I wouldn't go back and give up the title for a try with a different coach.

 

[CTBasketball]

KO and Miller knew the guys best - it was the right choice.

The regret was offering him an extension. He should have gone to the NBA right after for a big pay day. Hindsight is 20/20 tho.

 

[bigknight3]

In retrospect, who else thinks Calhoun regrets what he did to get Ollie the HC job? When you think about it, it was a pretty dumb thing. To put a guy in charge of a program like Uconn, with no HC experience and what, 3 years as an assistant? A nice career at Uconn, an overachiever in the NBA, a nice person, none of that qualifies you as a head coach. I feel bad for Ollie, he was in way over his head. JC should have known better. But of course he will never say it or admit he should not have done what he did.

Kept team together during a tourney banned season. Won Chip in Season 2. No regrets!

JC wasn't the reason Ollie got a second extension with a high buyout after 2014 season either.

 

[bigknight3]

A picture says a thousand words!

 

[8893]

No.

 

[Mokum]

Yes all true. His first 2 years he looked like he was the right man. Then it was crash and burn. I don't know what happened. I live now in Europe so I am not privy to the local gossip and scuttlebut back in CT. You guys who live in CT undoubtably know more than I do about the situation. It's a shame , really. I do feel for the guy. But he will get an NBA job, and he definitely does not have to worry about where his next meal is going to come from.

 

[UC313]

 

[TheChamps990411]

In retrospect, who else thinks Calhoun regrets what he did to get Ollie the HC job? When you think about it, it was a pretty dumb thing. To put a guy in charge of a program like Uconn, with no HC experience and what, 3 years as an assistant? A nice career at Uconn, an overachiever in the NBA, a nice person, none of that qualifies you as a head coach. I feel bad for Ollie, he was in way over his head. JC should have known better. But of course he will never say it or admit he should not have done what he did.

I actually think Ollie would be a good NBA coach.

 

[manbyrd]

I think JC wanted to keep his legacy intact and Ollie was probably the only choice that made sense (other than maybe Miller). An outside hire wouldn't have the same relationship with the returning students and there would likely be additional decommits or transfers. With the title in 2014, Ollie did JC's legacy justice and to change anything in hindsight would reduce the odds of that happening.

He may regret handing off when he did though, he obviously wasn't ready to step away from the game completely.

 

[Hogoff]

View attachment 30158

Not even one letter!

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Can't imagine he has much regret. Ollie's missteps occurred years after JC left and from the tea leaves it appears were entirely of KO's own doing in shooting himself in the foot. Could JC have foreseen that? I doubt it.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

It's funny because for all of the reasons you stated he isn't fit to be a head coach, we said those same reasons 6 years ago for why he IS fit to be head coach.

 

[Sphinx]

Four years of disappointment are worth a title, and there's no guarantee another coach would've gotten us there in 2014.

No regrets. Hopefully KO lands on his feet.

I'd ask, respectfully, that you examine the logic of your response. Are you saying that the same KO deficiencies that left our men's basketball program in disarray also gave us the NC? Are you saying that a coach lacking those deficiencies would have been less likely to pull it off?

Or are you saying that a NC is pot luck and having one in hand is worth the destruction of a basketball program? Aren't JC's three championships proof that winning titles is not pot luck -- that winning titles is what strong programs do? And a strong program is what JC left to KO.

As to guarantees, where is the guarantee that Shabazz might not have led us to the title in 2014 with a competent coach? Where is the guarantee that a strong program, developed by a competent coach, might not by now have won a 5th NC, or a 6th? And be positioned to win more.

To answer the OP's question, I'm sure that JC does question his choice. Not that it was "dumb." It was questionable judgment, influenced more by friendship and good will than by objectivity. Perhaps KO deserved his chance and hence you are right in saying "No regrets." But definitely "second thoughts."

 

[KembaStepback]

Im not sure I'd say 4 disappointing seasons. More like 2. Needed to go, but he got us Title #4. No way anyone can regret that.

 

[Scoe]

JC put Ollie in a good situation, having a roster to work with in a tourney ban season a season of no pressure for KO, and he took advantage of it he did have some help with Miller and Hobbs on his staff, and he had Blaney in his first year as HC. Now when Ollie had to recruit his own guys is where he sucked and he couldn't develop any players thats 100 percent on KO not on JC. The OP would have an argument if KO sucked his first couple of years KO is responsible for KO.

 

[nadav]

I’ll sign up for another of those past 6 years. Even if half of them blew.

 

[Edward Sargent]

In retrospect, who else thinks Calhoun regrets what he did to get Ollie the HC job? When you think about it, it was a pretty dumb thing. To put a guy in charge of a program like Uconn, with no HC experience and what, 3 years as an assistant? A nice career at Uconn, an overachiever in the NBA, a nice person, none of that qualifies you as a head coach. I feel bad for Ollie, he was in way over his head. JC should have known better. But of course he will never say it or admit he should not have done what he did.

I think JC figured he would be around to mentor along with some experience assistants.

 

[Matrim55]

Are you saying that the same KO deficiencies that left our men's basketball program in disarray also gave us the NC?

No, and they're not necessarily related. KO did prove to be deficient for a lot of reasons over the last four years (roster management, talent development & retention, game management, etc), but he wasn't in 2014.

Are you saying that a coach lacking those deficiencies would have been less likely to pull it off?

No, I'm saying that "there's no guarantee another coach would've gotten us there in 2014." Whether by luck or design, our teams under KO pounded the hell out of the basketball for the entire shot-clock, which left basically everything in the hands of Shabazz and Boat – who were both good enough to get buckets themselves, or to create for others.

That also had the effect of shortening games, which we needed. If we play the 2014 tourney a year later, when the shot clock was 30 seconds instead of 35, I don't think we win.

Or are you saying that a NC is pot luck and having one in hand is worth the destruction of a basketball program?

It takes a lot of good luck to win a championship. Our 1994, 95 and 96 teams all would've smoked our 2014 team, but they had bad luck. Our 2014 was limited, but had great luck (Amida's and-1, TSam getting hot vs. 'Nova, Niang getting hurt for Iowa State).

I also don't believe our program has been destroyed, just disappointing. This is going to be a quick turnaround job.

Aren't JC's three championships proof that winning titles is not pot luck -- that winning titles is what strong programs do?

Kentucky and Kansas are two of the four strongest programs of the last 20 years. They've combined for half as many titles as UConn.

I think you're really underestimating how hard it is to win a national title.

 

[intlzncster]

KO and Miller knew the guys best - it was the right choice.

Highly underrated point. The guys inhouse knew these players back to front. And the players knew and were comfortable with them.

 

[intlzncster]

View attachment 30158

Cuncel.

 

[Sphinx]

Matrim55, appreciate your considered response.

 

[intlzncster]

It takes a lot of good luck to win a championship. Our 1994, 95 and 96 teams all would've smoked our 2014 team, but they had bad luck. Our 2014 was limited, but had great luck (Amida's and-1, TSam getting hot vs. 'Nova, Niang getting hurt for Iowa State).

With a different coach, they get a different seed and maybe run into Louisville, who we weren't beating even with Pop and Stevens on the bench.

I also don't believe our program has been destroyed, just disappointing. This is going to be a quick turnaround job.

Pitt's program is destroyed. Ours isn't even on life support.