Coach K on UConn

[HuskyHoosier]

The missed Tournaments hurts but, if we win tonight, winning titles in 3 consecutive decades with 3 different coaches establishes (to the naysayers) UConn as a dominant program.

And in 3 different conferences (technically AAC=OBE) but you know what I mean.

 

[UConnDad]

At Jim’s retirement dinner K was surprisingly super complimentary on his video message. Kept on calling Jim buddy. It was so strange to see at the time.

 

[August_West]

At Jim’s retirement dinner K was surprisingly super complimentary on his video message. Kept on calling Jim buddy. It was so strange to see at the time.

Because they like and respect each other. Always have.

 

[tzznandrew]

If we win tonight we’re the third team with three coaches to win championships. Kentucky has like seven. Unc has 3 coaches to win championships. I think duke only has one coach to win championships. Duke didn’t emerge that long before us. Why are they in a different color blue blood than us?? We’re going to have as many championships as them if we win. Just with 3 diff coaches in a more limited time span. Just keep winning huskies eventually they can’t deny us!!

They had Final Fours and National Title Game appearances before K showed up. They're third all time in Final Fours. They're fourth all time in total wins.

They're more than just K, though he's the only coach to get the a title. Without him they are a better version of St. John's, or like a discount Arizona. Very very good. You add in K, and it's obvious.

 

[nomar]

Because they like and respect each other. Always have.

Give him credit. He obviously doesn't have a lot of insecurity. A lot of people would be carrying around a lot of resentment for someone who snatched 2 titles from them.

OTOH

 

[August_West]

Give him credit. He obviously doesn't have a lot of insecurity. A lot of people would be carrying around a lot of resentment for someone who snatched 2 titles from them.

OTOH

I mean K isn’t infallible though. He thinks Boeheim could coach.

 

[nomar]

Duke fans know their program won't be the same without Coach K. I always disliked him, but man did I respect him.

Was talking to a Duke fan the other night and I asked what he thought of Scheyer. He said it was a good move to hire from within rather than bring in an outsider. I said, good luck with that!

 

[tzznandrew]

The missed Tournaments hurts but, if we win tonight, winning titles in 3 consecutive decades with 3 different coaches establishes (to the naysayers) UConn as a dominant program.

Four decades.

1990s (check)
2000s (check)
2010s (double check)
2020s (if we win tonight)

Duke is in the same boat (1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, 2015) but would need to win one of the next six to extend.

UNC's streak currently goes to the 1980s but they'd need to win to extend.

And...that's it. Kansas went from 1988 to 2008 to 2022, so no active streak.
Kentucky didn't win in the 2000s.
UCLA and Indiana are in multiple decade droughts.

All in all, it's pretty damn impressive...

 

[tzznandrew]

The missed Tournaments hurts but, if we win tonight, winning titles in 3 consecutive decades with 3 different coaches establishes (to the naysayers) UConn as a dominant program.

It's really important to be regularly in the tournament. No real reason this program shouldn't be able to rip off a bunch of appearances in a row paired with some deep runs. UConn has only gone to the NCAA 5 times in a row twice (once in the 1960s, once in the 2000s). We should have a double digit streak going.

 

[gsmooth]

It's really important to be regularly in the tournament. No real reason this program shouldn't be able to rip off a bunch of appearances in a row paired with some deep runs. UConn has only gone to the NCAA 5 times in a row twice (once in the 1960s, once in the 2000s). We should have a double digit streak going.

Agreed. I think that's why us UConn fans always feel anxious/eager for UConn to advance far in the NCAAT when they have a high seed and it's because UConn isn't in the NCAAT nearly every year. The last 9 years 2015 (inclusive) - 2023 really didn't see much winning in the NCAAT and they only appeared 3 times within that span.

 

[nomar]

Four decades.

1990s (check)
2000s (check)
2010s (double check)
2020s (if we win tonight)

Duke is in the same boat (1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, 2015) but would need to win one of the next six to extend.

UNC's streak currently goes to the 1980s but they'd need to win to extend.

And...that's it. Kansas went from 1988 to 2008 to 2022, so no active streak.
Kentucky didn't win in the 2000s.
UCLA and Indiana are in multiple decade droughts.

All in all, it's pretty damn impressive...

Hey, in my defense, counting to 4 is hard

 

[Mr. March]

I'm not listening to the clip but I do know last week I was driving to work and heard Coach K on one of the sports talk shows. He was very complimentary towards UConn as a program and what it's accomplished and complimentary towards Hurley as a coach. You could tell he had a working knowledge of UConn beyond prepping 5 minutes before the interview.

By the end I actually wished he was the kind of rat they only used for humane studies in a lab and not for really nasty rat studies.

Why are people so surprised by Ks respect and complimentary comments toward our program? Ive never heard him say anything other than complimentary things and has shown the utmost respect for Jim Calhoun and what he built here. Im no fan of K and Duke but i respect them.

 

[gsmooth]

Agreed. I think that's why us UConn fans always feel anxious/eager for UConn to advance far in the NCAAT when they have a high seed and it's because UConn isn't in the NCAAT nearly every year. The last 9 years 2015 (inclusive) - 2023 really didn't see much winning in the NCAAT and they only appeared 3 times within that span.

Another thing I would add is, look at 1999 when UConn beat Duke in the finals. The next year, UConn lost in the 2nd rd of watered down year (a lot of talent left in 1999) and granted they could have made the Final Four if El-Amin doesn't turn his ankle in the first round. Duke went to the Sweet 16 as a #1 seed and lost. But in 2001, Duke wins it all with a loaded team as a #1 seed while UConn was being eliminated in the first round of the NIT in obscurity.

We as UConn fans have had it great for the most part, but even under Calhoun, UConn didn't just have down years, they bottomed out completely (1993, 1997, 2001, 2007, 2010).

Hopefully UConn can make the NCAAT every year, even if they are not a championship threat in certain years.

 

[nomar]

Another thing I would add is, look at 1999 when UConn beat Duke in the finals. The next year, UConn lost in the 2nd rd of watered down year (a lot of talent left in 1999) and granted they could have made the Final Four if El-Amin doesn't turn his ankle in the first round. Duke went to the Sweet 16 as a #1 seed and lost. But in 2001, Duke wins it all with a loaded team as a #1 seed while UConn was being eliminated in the first round of the NIT in obscurity.

We as UConn fans have had it great for the most part, but even under Calhoun, UConn didn't just have down years, they bottomed out completely (1993, 1997, 2001, 2007, 2010).

Hopefully UConn can make the NCAAT every year, even if they are not a championship threat in certain years.

It really pisses people off.

Sox have been similar. Championship, chicken & beer, championship.

 

[tuvent08]

The cognitive dissonance that I felt while watching that was almost too much for one human being to bear.

 

[WeAreUCONN]

I believe Coach K wanted to see us in the ACC back when we were in contention. Perhaps in his retirement years he can once again be an advocate for us to join the ACC.

No thanks to the ACC.

 

[hayman522]

Imagine if someone had told you 33 years ago that UConn would be on verge of potentially winning a 5th Championship in 25 years, that Bobby Hurley would be behind the UConn bench at the Final Four cheering on UConn, and that Coach K would be leading the media campaign for UConn as one of the elite programs in College Basketball history.

The only thing left on this crazy train would be if a CTE and Concussion research foundation was founded by a partnership between Rod Sellers and Christian Laettner.

....although I bet if you got Bobby Hurley drunk and talking at the bar, we could get him to admit that he was slightly jealous of Rod Sellers getting to Laettner before him.

As a man who used to watch UConn as a kid in the old Yankee conference you arexso right. When UConn beat Duke in 1999 I said to myself if they do not ever win again I will be thankful I mean beating Duke down south for the national championship. I thoughtvI died and this was heaven!

 

[RedStickHusky]

Hey, in my defense, counting to 4 is hard

Ever since that lawn mower incident?

 

[RedStickHusky]

Coach K is starting to remind of a certain former POTUS who I greatly admire as an ex-President but didn't think highly of in office.

 

[Dean Wormer]

Fans always take this shituf more seriously than coaches. K, boeheim, Pitino, Big John Thompson, all had great respect for JC
We win tonight, and we will, they'll be no doubt we're a bonafide blue blood.
Coaches know. We have nothing to prove to anyone. #OneForTheFrickenThumb!

 

[Fan1978]

In the ellipses, he said Calhoun was the great builder of all time.

Calhoun played 5 on 5. Coach k played 5 on 5 with 3 caddies. 8 on 5