Ernest Jones resigns

[Jerry27]

His initial quote was about not spirituality.

Yeah they were, because for him spirituality is based on his faith in so what. If he replaced Jesus with spirituality he probably wouldn't have received so much grief for it, but I'm just speculating.

 

[huskysupporter]

Yeah they were, because for him spirituality is based on his faith in so what. If he replaced Jesus with spirituality he probably wouldn't have received so much grief for it, but I'm just speculating.

Why do you think there would be less flack if he referenced general spirituality over a specific religion?

 

[BlueMAB]

Its the politically correct thing to say, and we seem to have learned that the pc thing to say is the way to go at uconn. smh

"This is 100% coincidental" is politically correct?

That's not politically correct spin, that would be a lie.

 

[jdb50]

I think this is related to the statement from Dez's interview and the reaction to it. A family matter doesn't require reflection to make the decision. Reflection suggests that he had to figure out if he was comfortable doing his job here. Too bad, I was hoping he would ride that out and stay on.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

The man is a devout christian and the University and State asked him to keep that information to himself while he was at work.

Only in Connecticut. This man would have helped us tremendously in recruiting young christian men from the South. But we don't want to offend some soccer mom in Hartford. Unbelievable.

Wonder who they will hire to replace him.

Sorry, and head of a public institution who failed to check him on that statement would have been derelict in performing their job. It is a public institution and no one told him what he could or could believe. And that is the point. No told him what to believe and he couldn't the others. "Jess in the huddle" that was beyond stupid. However, it was one mistake and the world wasn't going to end because of it. This wasn't a Connecticut thing, it was a Constitution thing. I know that document can be annoying, but it is also the foundation of a nation.

 

[BlueMAB]

I'll trust Diaco until he gives me reason not to, so if he says it's coincidental I believe him. That said, many are forgetting Jones' full quote. He didn't just say "Jesus in the huddle" was who "HE" is. He said it's who "Diaco" is too.

If you're okay with Jones leaving because he can't separate his spirituality from his profession, you should be asking Diaco to submit his letter of resignation too.

 

[huskysupporter]

I'll trust Diaco until he gives me reason not to, so if he says it's coincidental I believe him. That said, many are forgetting Jones' full quote. He didn't just say "Jesus in the huddle" was who "HE" is. He said it's who "Diaco" is too.

If you're okay with Jones leaving because he can't separate his spirituality from his profession, you should be asking Diaco to submit his letter of resignation too.

I missed Coach Diaco's quote while he was employed at a public institution that comes anywhere close to what Coach Jone's said.

 

[Excalibur]

Is it? He was basically told that you can't discuss Jesus or being Christian in the media or in the locker room.

No he wasn't.

I love the implication that I don't know "men like Ernest", too. It's a nice touch.

 

[KOD594]

For whatever reason he left, Coach Jones seems like a good man as I am sure as are many of those who had opinions one way or another. While he seems like a good coach he does not have the resume that makes him irreplaceable. Appreciate his short service to UCONN football and wish him all the best. Big issue here is that we are weeks away from start of spring practice and we do not have a running backs coach. We are also two months away from spring visit period and are down a coach for recruiting so we need to fill the spot very quickly. Was there anyone else on the short list for the position originally or does anyone know of a coach with ties to Coach Diaco that would be a candidate.

 

[huskymedic]

"The Huskies have to find a running backs coach before spring practice starts next month. Diaco said they will but didn't offer a timetable as to when that hire would be executed. In regards to the player development/engagement role, Diaco said the entire coaching staff will have a role in attempting to better the players on and off the field in a multitude of ways. He said that would have been the case anyway."

 

[huskysupporter]

"The Huskies have to find a running backs coach before spring practice starts next month. Diaco said they will but didn't offer a timetable as to when that hire would be executed. In regards to the player development/engagement role, Diaco said the entire coaching staff will have a role in attempting to better the players on and off the field in a multitude of ways. He said that would have been the case anyway."

Any speculation on his replacement? Have to figure pickings are slim at this point.

 

[FDNY99]

Any speculation on his replacement? Have to figure pickings are slim at this point.

Wayne Lineburg has experience coaching RB's...so Diaco could find a guy to coach WR's and move Wayne to RB's coach.

 

[Excalibur]

Yeah they were, because for him spirituality is based on his faith in so what. If he replaced Jesus with spirituality he probably wouldn't have received so much grief for it, but I'm just speculating.

You understand that "we're going to make sure they understand that should be in the center of our huddle, that that's something that is important" isn't just a statement of his own spirituality, don't you?

 

[minidarren]

I'm looking forward to a new "Meet the Coaches" segment with Ms Noonan. Hopefully she wears something different than that blue shirt.

 

[BlueMAB]

I missed Coach Diaco's quote while he was employed at a public institution that comes anywhere close to what Coach Jone's said.

You also missed my point. Unless you're only upset at what Jones said, not the fact what he said was how he was going to go about doing his job.

I thought people were upset that his words would follow his actions. Are you saying that you don't care how he did his job, as long as he didn't make the aspects of it that you disagree with known publicly?

"We're going to make sure they understand that should be in the center of our huddle, that that's something that is important. If you want to be successful and you want to win, get championships then you better understand that this didn't happen because of you. This happened because of our Lord and Savior. That's going to be something said by Bob Diaco. That's something that's going to be said by Ernest Jones. That's who we are."

So you either missed my point, or you're fine with Diaco saying that privately to the team, but not publicly to the press?

 

[Stinger92860]

The man is a devout christian and the University and State asked him to keep that information to himself while he was at work.

Only in Connecticut. This man would have helped us tremendously in recruiting young christian men from the South. But we don't want to offend some soccer mom in Hartford. Unbelievable.

Wonder who they will hire to replace him.

Why don't you understand why he should keep religion out of the workplace?

 

[huskysupporter]

You also missed my point. Unless you're only upset at what Jones said, not the fact what he said was how he was going to go about doing his job.

I thought people were upset that his words would follow his actions. Are you saying that you don't care how he did his job, as long as he didn't make the aspects of it that you disagree with known publicly?

"We're going to make sure they understand that should be in the center of our huddle, that that's something that is important. If you want to be successful and you want to win, get championships then you better understand that this didn't happen because of you. This happened because of our Lord and Savior. That's going to be something said by Bob Diaco. That's something that's going to be said by Ernest Jones. That's who we are."

So you either missed my point, or you're fine with Diaco saying that privately to the team, but not publicly to the press?

No, I am saying Coach Diaco never said that was going to be something he would do.

 

[BlueMAB]

No, I am saying Coach Diaco never said that was going to be something he would do.

LMAO.
Okay, so Jones was lying when he said that. Or simply didn't know what he was talking about. Right. He doesn't know Diaco well enough to talk about that stuff. He was put in charge of helping develop players off the field as a mere coincidence. Sure.

Diaco is smart enough not to make it public. But if you think Jones, who obviously has deep rooted faith and knows Diaco better than anyone on this board, doesn't grasp Diaco's faith or how he plans to run his program, then you're willfully lying to yourself, or being incredibly naive.

 

[WestHartHusk]

Is it? He was basically told that you can't discuss Jesus or being Christian in the media or in the locker room. You can see him dancing around the topic everytime he's interviewed...trying to qualify his statements and keep from making the same mistake. Jesus is always on the tip of the tongue for men like Ernest.

I know men like Ernest, Christian devotion is different in the South and Midwest. Asking a man like him to keep his faith bottled up is the ultimate slap in the face and everytime he hides his true thoughts he feels that he is disrespecting God. Want to know what his personal and family issues were? His convictions to his God. Christians in the South do not keep their religion to themselves. For men like Ernest God is a part of EVERYTHING. For him, everything he has is thanks to his God so for someone to tell him that he can't openly speak about God at work is inconceivable to him.

Culturally CT was not a fit for him. This never would have happened in the South. He needs to be in South or Midwest or at a religious private institution.

Then explain why KO is our basketball coach.

If we assume it was not personal reasons that lead him to leave then there are two options. Either he can't overcome adversity, in which case bye-bye. Or he viewed his position as evangelical in which case he would have opened our school up to liability so bye-bye.

 

[hthusky74]

I would respect him greatly if that is the case (and I thought his Jesus in the huddle comments were a huge mistake). Would show he feels so strongly about his statement that he will go to a school that would allow him to state that.

I agree. He may have decided he doesn't want to work in a hot bed of heathens. God for him. I hope he finds a job where his faith and morals are appreciated and not denigrated.

 

[minidarren]

I agree. He may have decided he doesn't want to work in a hot bed of heathens. God for him. I hope he finds a job where his faith and morals are appreciated and not denigrated.

Ah, I like what you did there. God for him.

 

[huskysupporter]

LMAO.
Okay, so Jones was lying when he said that. Or simply didn't know what he was talking about. Right. He doesn't know Diaco well enough to talk about that stuff. He was put in charge of helping develop players off the field as a mere coincidence. Sure.

Diaco is smart enough not to make it public. But if you think Jones, who obviously has deep rooted faith and knows Diaco better than anyone on this board, doesn't grasp Diaco's faith or how he plans to run his program, then you're willfully lying to yourself, or being incredibly naive.

Could it be Diaco did the rah rah religion bit at Notre Dame, a catholic institution, where making comments like Jesus in the Huddle is completely acceptable? (and I believe there is video footage of Coach Diaco talking about Jesus when accepting an award when he was at Notre Dame). I, and you, have no idea.

I certainly would hope Coach Diaco wouldn't be pushing Jesus (or Mohammed, or Buddha, or The Flying Spaghetti Monster) on players. I have zero problem if a player comes up to Coach Diaco and begins asking him about and in response Coach D. gives him some information based on his beliefs.

 

[Excalibur]

You also missed my point. Unless you're only upset at what Jones said, not the fact what he said was how he was going to go about doing his job.

I thought people were upset that his words would follow his actions. Are you saying that you don't care how he did his job, as long as he didn't make the aspects of it that you disagree with known publicly?

"We're going to make sure they understand that should be in the center of our huddle, that that's something that is important. If you want to be successful and you want to win, get championships then you better understand that this didn't happen because of you. This happened because of our Lord and Savior. That's going to be something said by Bob Diaco. That's something that's going to be said by Ernest Jones. That's who we are."

So you either missed my point, or you're fine with Diaco saying that privately to the team, but not publicly to the press?

Herbst put words in Diaco's mouth in her response as well. Who is correct?

 

[huskysupporter]

I agree. He may have decided he doesn't want to work in a hot bed of heathens. God for him. I hope he finds a job where his faith and morals are appreciated and not denigrated.

I fail to see where his faith was denigrated? Coach Ollie is a very religious man, and he remains as a head coach.

If Coach Jones feels that Jesus just absolutely needs to be in a huddle, then he should go to a Christian school. Which I have a sneaky suspicion, he will.

 

[cohenzone]

Guys like me? Thank you for being so tolerant. Someone may have a different view point than how you interpret the situation and that makes me a "guy like you".

Lets bring Allah to the huddle and then see who is tolerant and PC.

 

[BlueMAB]

Herbst put words in Diaco's mouth in her response as well. Who is correct?

Who has known him longer, who shares the same religious beliefs, and who was hired by whom?

You guys are really being naive here.

 

[UConnDan97]

You jumped into the defensive stance not me, I presented an option to yours, plain and simple, you took it as a personal attack and jumped so work it out however you want, based on your position here I know you will.

If you call a comment saying that I was making up the narrative as "an option", then sure. Thanks for the option! Of course, another option, Jerry, might be that you could just take me at MY word that I wish the guy well....but perhaps you like to set "options" too...

 

[Dooley]

This is too bad because I like Coach Jones from what I've seen/read. Best of luck to him - I'm sure he will land at a Catholic school within the next few weeks. I'm interested to see if Diaco reshuffles the current coaching staff or will find a replacement.

 

[UConnDan97]

Wayne Lineburg has experience coaching RB's...so Diaco could find a guy to coach WR's and move Wayne to RB's coach.

How many people just had the name "Weist" flash in their heads after reading your comment? I know it won't happen, but...

 

[BlueMAB]

Could it be Diaco did the rah rah religion bit at Notre Dame, a catholic institution, where making comments like Jesus in the Huddle is completely acceptable? (and I believe there is video footage of Coach Diaco talking about Jesus when accepting an award when he was at Notre Dame). I, and you, have no idea.

I certainly would hope Coach Diaco wouldn't be pushing Jesus (or Mohammed, or Buddha, or The Flying Spaghetti Monster) on players. I have zero problem if a player comes up to Coach Diaco and begins asking him about and in response Coach D. gives him some information based on his beliefs.

"rah rah religion bit"?

Like it's a routine and not something genuine? That's a bit disrespectful don't you think? No, of course you don't, you don't respect people of faith so it's okay to say that.

Jones told you what Diaco is going to do. You can either believe him or not, but he had no reason to lie. A man that grounded in his faith doesn't lie about that, and doesn't get confused about the intentions of those who share his beliefs and gave him a specific assignment that is in some way related to faith.