Thanks for the chance to comment on the reaction here without wading through the multitude of posts on the Mathis pages.
The negativity is so frustrating. We won a championship in 2014! We are so spoiled. Please calm down and have some patience and give Ollie the chance to grow a little. To me that would be a showing of UConn character and resilience.
In addition to the P5 issues and the chance to scapegoat somebody and anybody for a series of cataclysmic injuries to top players less than a year ago, (when we incidentally featured a recruiting class ranked in the top 10), I suppose opposing coaches are forwarding Boneyard posts to recruits to promote the idea that the program is taking on water like a sinking ship. Their coach is soon to be sacked, their big men cannot improve and their physical training has been substandard for years, (although Travis looked to have had us more fit than Kentucky in the 2014 Championship game). There probably is someone here who thought Chillious should have told Mathis that if it didn't work out he would be coached by Pikiell without transferring. "Don't go to UConn, see even their most diehard fans see they are doomed! "
Life humbles people. Great people overcome adversity and their subsequent achievements are sweeter. KO is learning and I think he has the character to overcome this adversity. I would give him lots of rope because he is young, is the recipe for success, has a national championship in his pocket and with a spotlessly clean program. Plus, who else is there?
Those of you who are down on him and want immediate gratification, please tell me, who are you so hot to bring in? Are you sure you can steal Pikiell from UNJ of the ACC? The typical negative narrative reads that our conference is a dumpster fire from where recruiting is impossible. Then, there is the likely TV money reduction compounded by us being in a state with much governmental debt. What proven coach is leaving his gig to take on that challenge? Did David Benedict bringing back a former UConn football coach cause anyone to think Jim Calhoun would come back? Do you think Geno wants to try men's basketball?
With a little optimism, we could appreciate what a coveted prize each of our 4 championships are and hope the school (Herbst) can somehow find a, albeit late. route to successfully navigate conference reorganization.
Meanwhile, KO will improve with doing. Currently, I doubt UConn can attract a new coach with the upside that Ollie has. He bleeds UConn blue, is a former player, made it out of LA, hung in the NBA, was coached by legends, and mentored stars. Fire him and we set the stage to long be known for impatience and poor situational awareness. Kind of like selling Babe Ruth for $125,000.
I've bought my tickets.
