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You play darts I play corn hole.
That was JARTS dammit iMac blows
You play darts I play corn hole.
I bet you do!You play darts I play corn hole.
This my theory Northbound, give me yours.That's why your theories are, well let's just say provocative - we're talking about basketball here not board games.
It's really helping our recruiting.In a recent article about Anderson, he was quoted as saying he was offered a starting position at Georgia Tech, NC State, Seton Hall... UCONN told him he has to work and earn his playing time. I bet this has happened many times where kids were offered starting position at other programs and we offered them to work hard and earn there playing time but they choose to take the easy way out.
This my theory Northbound, give me yours.
The recruits from the championship team of 2014 was Mostly made up of UConn's 4 th or 5 th option in the recruiting world.
I believe we had Napier reclassified after striking out on Selby, Knight...
Boatwright decommited from West Virginia
Giffey wasn't a top 100
Kromah came from George Washington as a 5th year senior
Brimah
Nolan
Daniels
Olander
Omar Calhoun who considered decommiting after Calhoun retired
Terrence Samuel
Tolksdorf...
who are we kidding, none of these guys will make a roster at Kentucky or Duke or any of the top programs. Maybe Napier.
What this team had was heart not talent and was well coached.
Coach Calhoun health hurt us in the recruiting front his last few years.
Many forgot Kevin Ollie was giving a 6 months contract for the 2012-2013 season. This was the biggest blunder as it hurt us even more as no kid will commit to a program without knowing who the coach will be. This killed us with recruiting in 2013 and 2014. Without talent you don't win games and that will not attract top recruits Especially after we were put in the All American conference to play Tulsa, tulane, USF, UCF... Recruits are promised to start or guarantee playing time at other programs. At UCONN you have to work hard and earn your playing time.
Kevin Ollie did a great job with the roster he had the first 2 years. I don't think anyone could have done better with that roster. Additionally, Kevin Ollie's divorce and his mom health didn't help. Many of us may know dealing with such issues can be detrimental to ones health.
Too Long/ Won't Read - Ollie's inexperience, 2014 wasn't a bunch of hacks, promises of playing time from other programs have always been there, conference affiliation - a challenge not insurmountable, personal issues are unfortunate - but paid to be scrutinized regardless
Few care about my theory besides you and I really don't have a theory.
As much as I want Ollie to succeed he's not done a good job with the program since the title year. I attribute that to his overall lack of program management experience - the guy played in the league for a long time, mainly due to his determination and commitment to his craft. Then he was an assistant for a couple of years and then was handed the keys to one of the top programs in the country - by any objective evaluation his resume didn't warrant him getting the gig (I'm not one to say UCONN should have hired X or Y - we've got the guy we've got and I hope he knocks it out of the proverbial park).
This job is more than just coaching - it about how you run a multimillion dollar business - how you staff it, how it's sold, to what investments you make and divest from (players), etc. Right now the optics are not good - between the transfers (not a big deal in a vacuum), the decomit from MAL (again not a big deal in a vacuum), the lackluster on-court performance (anomaly or a trend - TBD) and the seeming inability to woo and close on the recruiting trail. For example, whether folks think MAL will be good or not, KO needed to find a way to keep him in the fold in the face of the transfers and the poor on-court performance - he's a highly rated kid and to have him honor his commitment serves as a counter point to the transfers and helps manage the external perception of the program.
Nobody on this board forgot that Ollie had a short contract to start - Warde got crushed on this board forever for that move and for being on vacation when Louisville got into the ACC.
We all know the history of the recruits in 2014 - you aren't on a comment section of the Courant, it's the Boneyard - here's a refresher off the top of my head for guys I can remember (other folks will chime in and point out where I'm wrong).
Daniels was a very unexpected late pick-up as his recruitment was as wacky as any - rumored to be between KU and UT and he'd never set foot on the UCONN campus before he committed. He was a top 10 or so guy after a post year at IMG Academy.
Calhoun was a top 50 guy out of Christ the King
TSam (South Shore, NY) and Phil Nolan (Riverside in Milwaukee) were in the 100-125 or so range
Amida was a top 15 guy at his position, but could be wrong I'm a bit fuzzy on him.
Giffey was never ranked by the services because he played overseas.
Bazz was top 100 and we did miss on the guys you mention
Boat top 50 and decommitted from WVU after Hinds who was NY Mr. Basketball from Mt. Vernon (BG's Alma Mater) who we struck out on committed there. Boat who thought he was going to be the guy essentially said to Huggins WTF man, I'm out.
We recruited nationally and internationally and pulled in some pretty good guys for that team - it wasn't a bunch of hacks and guys in the 150+ club. I'd think that it's not unrealistic to expect one or two highly ranked guys (top 50) in each class who are supported by guys in the 50-150 range. Leading with guys who are 50-100 might not be the formula for success, but a lot can happen if a kid stays 4 years and develops (another question mark lately - talent development) versus a kid that's in and out in a year.
You're saying that recruits are promised playing time at other programs like that's something new, it's not.
Do I think conference affiliation is challenging, yup, but if you think that's the reason that we can't attract talent to win games then we just disagree, because there are too many teams in other conferences that aren't P5 that attract talent, make the tourney and win games and they are teams with SIGNIFICANTLY less pedigree than UCONN.
While his personal situation is unfortunate, to suggest that Ollie not be placed under a critical eye is unrealistic and naive - one of the things he signed up for when he took the gig and the salary is scrutiny by the university executives, board of directors, students, alumni and fans - regardless of personal circumstances, that's part of the gig - it's a piss poor part of the gig, but it's part of it, it's part of the reason you make that type of coin.
Do not think for a minute that kids don't have short memories and attention spans - 2014 is a long time ago for these kids.
Good postToo Long/ Won't Read - Ollie's inexperience, 2014 wasn't a bunch of hacks, promises of playing time from other programs have always been there, conference affiliation - a challenge not insurmountable, personal issues are unfortunate - but paid to be scrutinized regardless
Few care about my theory besides you and I really don't have a theory.
As much as I want Ollie to succeed he's not done a good job with the program since the title year. I attribute that to his overall lack of program management experience - the guy played in the league for a long time, mainly due to his determination and commitment to his craft. Then he was an assistant for a couple of years and then was handed the keys to one of the top programs in the country - by any objective evaluation his resume didn't warrant him getting the gig (I'm not one to say UCONN should have hired X or Y - we've got the guy we've got and I hope he knocks it out of the proverbial park).
This job is more than just coaching - it about how you run a multimillion dollar business - how you staff it, how it's sold, to what investments you make and divest from (players), etc. Right now the optics are not good - between the transfers (not a big deal in a vacuum), the decomit from MAL (again not a big deal in a vacuum), the lackluster on-court performance (anomaly or a trend - TBD) and the seeming inability to woo and close on the recruiting trail. For example, whether folks think MAL will be good or not, KO needed to find a way to keep him in the fold in the face of the transfers and the poor on-court performance - he's a highly rated kid and to have him honor his commitment serves as a counter point to the transfers and helps manage the external perception of the program.
Nobody on this board forgot that Ollie had a short contract to start - Warde got crushed on this board forever for that move and for being on vacation when Louisville got into the ACC.
We all know the history of the recruits in 2014 - you aren't on a comment section of the Courant, it's the Boneyard - here's a refresher off the top of my head for guys I can remember (other folks will chime in and point out where I'm wrong).
Daniels was a very unexpected late pick-up as his recruitment was as wacky as any - rumored to be between KU and UT and he'd never set foot on the UCONN campus before he committed. He was a top 10 or so guy after a post year at IMG Academy.
Calhoun was a top 50 guy out of Christ the King
TSam (South Shore, NY) and Phil Nolan (Riverside in Milwaukee) were in the 100-125 or so range
Amida was a top 15 guy at his position, but could be wrong I'm a bit fuzzy on him.
Giffey was never ranked by the services because he played overseas.
Bazz was top 100 and we did miss on the guys you mention
Boat top 50 and decommitted from WVU after Hinds who was NY Mr. Basketball from Mt. Vernon (BG's Alma Mater) who we struck out on committed there. Boat who thought he was going to be the guy essentially said to Huggins WTF man, I'm out.
We recruited nationally and internationally and pulled in some pretty good guys for that team - it wasn't a bunch of hacks and guys in the 150+ club. I'd think that it's not unrealistic to expect one or two highly ranked guys (top 50) in each class who are supported by guys in the 50-150 range. Leading with guys who are 50-100 might not be the formula for success, but a lot can happen if a kid stays 4 years and develops (another question mark lately - talent development) versus a kid that's in and out in a year.
You're saying that recruits are promised playing time at other programs like that's something new, it's not.
Do I think conference affiliation is challenging, yup, but if you think that's the reason that we can't attract talent to win games then we just disagree, because there are too many teams in other conferences that aren't P5 that attract talent, make the tourney and win games and they are teams with SIGNIFICANTLY less pedigree than UCONN.
While his personal situation is unfortunate, to suggest that Ollie not be placed under a critical eye is unrealistic and naive - one of the things he signed up for when he took the gig and the salary is scrutiny by the university executives, board of directors, students, alumni and fans - regardless of personal circumstances, that's part of the gig - it's a piss poor part of the gig, but it's part of it, it's part of the reason you make that type of coin.
Do not think for a minute that kids don't have short memories and attention spans - 2014 is a long time ago for these kids.
Probably taken off for safety reasons.
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Good post
Amidah Brimah was ranked 269
Phil Nolan was ranked 221
Terrence Samuels was ranked 126
Rakim lubin 409
Micheal Bradley 210
Donell Beverly 244
Omar Calhoun 44
Kemba Walker 14
Deandre Daniels 16
Jeremy lamb 85
Ryan Boatright 55
Shabazz Napier 98
Giffey, tolksdorf, Enosch Wolf...
Tyler olander...
"We recruited nationally and internationally and pulled in some pretty good guys for that team - it wasn't a bunch of hacks and guys in the 150+ club. I'd think that it's not unrealistic to expect one or two highly ranked guys (top 50) in each class who are supported by guys in the 50-150 range. Leading with guys who are 50-100 might not be the formula for success, but a lot can happen if a kid stays 4 years and develops (another question mark lately - talent development) versus a kid that's in and out in a year."
That would mean 4-8 top 50 kids on every team. We'd be perennial over dogs.
You're wrong on some the rankings here's what I get after a cursory google search (player name and recruiting ranking), but whatever, who cares - that team and that success is in the rear view mirror.
Nolan
Rivals - thttps://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2012/phillip-nolan-59788
Brimah - read down he was 16th at his position Kevin Ollie gets his first commit
Daniels - Rivals.com
Boatright - Rivals.com
One of issues is that guys that the program used to routinely get even if they were a back-up plan are now saying "thanks, but no" and chosing traditionally inferior programs and that data point taken with some of the other data points give folks every right to be concerned.
He's got to get the deal fixed - it's on his shoulders - no excuses because when it's all said and done nobody cares about those and that's true for anyone at any job.
Can we put this whole thread to bed now - Ollies human, but he's like any other human in any other job - he's got to get it done or he'll be s**tcanned.