FGCU's Enfield to USC. Am I nuts or are some D-1 AD's losing

[BigErnMcCracken]

You are pretty much right on with most of those issues. The club/aau coaches did not have a good relationship with Howland. I am not sure if the nike vs adidas sponsorship was a factor (it doesn't seem to be as important these days) or if it was style of play or Howland being less directly involved in recruiting.

Only 1 minor correction, UCLA lost to Cal Poly SLO, a D1 program in the Big West conference. Cal Poly Pomona is D2.

I was exaggerating for effect. I was going to say Pitzer.

 

[UConn990411]

And who knows, perhaps they wanted SU's Hopkins before reading that article about SU committing violations by the dart-load.

You really think that would make USC shy away?

I would think that's what attracted them to Hopkins in the first place.

 

[PomonaHusky]

I was exaggerating for effect. I was going to say Pitzer.

LOL. I bet Cal Poly Pomona (a very good D2 program) would beat Cal Poly SLO. Pitzer...I would love for my son to go there.
Off topic - Considering Cal Poly Pomona's recent success (D2 champs in 2010, championship game loss in '09, CCAA champs this season), I'm surprised their head coach (Greg Kamansky) hasn't jumped up to D1.

 

[alexd]

Exactly what the guys on FoxSports radio were saying today. It could just blow up in their face.

The one positive is the "showtime" perception that Enfield's style brings...perfect for LA.

 

[superjohn]

When a school like USC hires a guy like Enfield, it's because they struck out everywhere else.

Enfield could be a good hire and he sure entertained us over the past two weeks, but for USC to get to the point of hiring a guy they first heard of ten days ago shows you what happened to their search.
Exactly
I imagine they heard an awful lot of 'no' before getting to that 'yes'.

And who knows, perhaps they wanted SU's Hopkins before reading that article about SU committing violations by the dart-load.

 

[jleves]

I was exaggerating for effect. I was going to say Pitzer.

Wow - how do you even know about Pitzer? I went to Pomona College (not cal poly) and we were actually a team with Pitzer when I was in college (Pomona Pitzer Sagehens). My freshman year of college everyone was excited when we won our first football game in four years....

Funny when I see that reference on the Boneyard.

 

[HuskyHawk]

That's pretty much it............

I think most value 13 years as a backup pg in the NBA more than what Enfield has on his resume.

I disagree completely. Coaching experience is much more valuable than playing experience. If Ollie wasn't a UConn guy, we would never have considered him. Enfield has done more as a coach, and like Ollie, has great intangibles and upside.

 

[intlzncster]

I disagree completely. Coaching experience is much more valuable than playing experience. If Ollie wasn't a UConn guy, we would never have considered him. Enfield has done more as a coach, and like Ollie, has great intangibles and upside.

To actually steward a program, yes, I'd agree. But to recruit, I'd disagree. Playing in the NBA for 15 odd years carries a lot of weight. Being able to say you were brought in to mentor Lebron James does too. And recruiting is paramount without JC at the helm.

That said, I agree with your sentiment about KO (in reference to being UConn guy).

 

[Pudge]

USC has had some of the most bizarre hirings of hoop coaches ever. Enfield is just the next. Bibby and Raveling stand out; the rest are an unbelievable dumpster pile.

 

[Pudge]

Look ... Calhoun was right on Ollie. Jud Heathcote was right about Tom Izzo. The lack of HC experience would have, honestly, kept them from either of these Programs ... at the moment they were hired ... but you end up with a BIG WIN. Super hire and super loyal. (*or you go all-Keno)

 

[tzznandrew]

Look ... Calhoun was right on Ollie. Jud Heathcote was right about Tom Izzo. The lack of HC experience would have, honestly, kept them from either of these Programs ... at the moment they were hired ... but you end up with a BIG WIN. Super hire and super loyal. (*or you go all-Keno)

I'm a KO supporter. I like him and think he will be great.

But we can't yet say that Calhoun was right. I mean, Matt Doherty was a 2-seed and won 2001 AP Coach of the Year at UNC before things fell apart.

Perspective. We need years before we know for a fact. That doesn't mean we don't like him or continue to think he will be a success. But it's premature to pat ourselves and JC on the back. If, in 5-years we haven't been to a E8 or S16, and we're struggling, people are going to have a very different POV of what happened last fall.

 

[intlzncster]

But we can't yet say that Calhoun was right. I mean, Matt Doherty was a 2-seed and won 2001 AP Coach of the Year at UNC before things fell apart.

True, but Doherty might still be there if he wasn't such an obnoxious off the court. At least we know KO is cool as can be on AND off.

And comparing to Izzo is a bit much. 400+ wins, a Natty C and 6 Final Fours is a hell of a resume.

 

[upstater]

You're in trouble when freescootert agrees with you.

There are a lot of things that make Ollie unlike Doherty. Like experience.

 

[tzznandrew]

You're in trouble when freescootert agrees with you.

There are a lot of things that make Ollie unlike Doherty. Like experience.

I'm not following. Doherty was a long time assistant coach, was successful in his first (only) season at ND, and then successful at his first season at UNC. He had more experience on the bench than KO.

To reiterate my point: Season 1 was very good for Ollie. It seems to augur great things to come. Yet one season isn't enough to know what we got--good or bad.

 

[Inyatkin]

I'm not following. Doherty was a long time assistant coach, was successful in his first (only) season at ND, and then successful at his first season at UNC. He had more experience on the bench than KO.

To reiterate my point: Season 1 was very good for Ollie. It seems to augur great things to come. Yet one season isn't enough to know what we got--good or bad.

This is true, and it shouldn't really be controversial. The biggest Ollie boosters in the world can't say for sure it will all pan out; there's too many variables.
By the way, I love the guy and am very glad we have him.

 

[upstater]

I'm not following. Doherty was a long time assistant coach, was successful in his first (only) season at ND, and then successful at his first season at UNC. He had more experience on the bench than KO.

To reiterate my point: Season 1 was very good for Ollie. It seems to augur great things to come. Yet one season isn't enough to know what we got--good or bad.

Experience as a PG in the NBA. And that translates. It translated this year. It translated to the drill's he was doing and the strategies he was using. The amount of work he puts in: basically, his credibility.

We have something incredibly special in Ollie.

I've been saying this for a long time now, obviously.

 

[tzznandrew]

Experience as a PG in the NBA. And that translates. It translated this year. It translated to the drill's he was doing and the strategies he was using. The amount of work he puts in: basically, his credibility.

We have something incredibly special in Ollie.

I've been saying this for a long time now, obviously.

I think will help his learning curve, if that's your point.

Otherwise, I'm not sure playing experience translates predicatively into success coaching.

Think of the best college coaches.

Most of them have no NBA playing experience.

Calhoun had none.

The best active coaches also have ABL experience at best:

Izzo: Division II
K: Army
Pitino: UMass
Pitino: ABL

 

[upstater]

I think will help his learning curve, if that's your point.

Otherwise, I'm not sure playing experience translates predicatively into success coaching.

Think of the best college coaches.

Most of them have no NBA playing experience.

Calhoun had none.

The best active coaches also have ABL experience at best:

Izzo: Division II
K: Army
Pitino: UMass
Pitino: ABL

Billy Donovan? I think Ollie's experience playing PG in the NBA is invaluable compared to what he would have gained sitting on the bench as an assistant.

 

[tzznandrew]

Billy Donovan? I think Ollie's experience playing PG in the NBA is invaluable compared to what he would have gained sitting on the bench as an assistant.

Billy Donovan played 44 games for New York. Hardly something that gives him a leg up.

Look. I don't think we're very far apart here about Ollie's abilities. But as for using NBA extrapolating NBA experience into coaching success, facts suggest you don't need to play at the highest level to be a good coach. It doesn't even suggest, at least on the college level, that it gives you a leg up.

There may be logical reasons to think a pro career helps. But there are logical reasons to believe all sorts of things are true, but in the real world they aren't.

 

[upstater]

Billy Donovan played 44 games for New York. Hardly something that gives him a leg up.

Look. I don't think we're very far apart here about Ollie's abilities. But as for using NBA extrapolating NBA experience into coaching success, facts suggest you don't need to play at the highest level to be a good coach. It doesn't even suggest, at least on the college level, that it gives you a leg up.

There may be logical reasons to think a pro career helps. But there are logical reasons to believe all sorts of things are true, but in the real world they aren't.

Played pro ball for 5 years.

I never said you have to be a PG to have coaching success. I think in Ollie's case it gives him a leg up. He knows what it takes at that position. He drills them to that end. We saw it this year with the team using new ways to improve. Now, if you'd said that it remains to be seen how Ollie can teach the bigs, I would have agreed with you. But guards and swingmen are going to continue the UConn tradition precisely because of Ollie.

 

[Husky25]

Were you incensed that they threw a boat load of $ at JC and stole him away from Northeastern before he accomplished anything (Calhoun never made the sweet 16 did he?) ?

He won 250 games and developed Reggie Lewis.

 

[tzznandrew]

He won 250 games and developed Reggie Lewis.

And went to the NCAAs 5 out of 6 years. And won a couple of tournament games too.

He was quite impressive. He didn't have the resume of Shaka Smart or Brad Stevens, but if college basketball was as diluted then as it is now, he quite probably could have pulled off something similar. By which I mean: if mid-majors did what they do now, he'd be the near-equivalent in desirability.

 

[tzznandrew]

Played pro ball for 5 years.

I never said you have to be a PG to have coaching success. I think in Ollie's case it gives him a leg up. He knows what it takes at that position. He drills them to that end. We saw it this year with the team using new ways to improve. Now, if you'd said that it remains to be seen how Ollie can teach the bigs, I would have agreed with you. But guards and swingmen are going to continue the UConn tradition precisely because of Ollie.

Hmm. His wikipedia page (I know, a bastion of accuracy) said that after that season in New York, he worked at an investment firm for a year, and then became an assistant with Pitino at Kentucky in 1989.

 

[upstater]

Hmm. His wikipedia page (I know, a bastion of accuracy) said that after that season in New York, he worked at an investment firm for a year, and then became an assistant with Pitino at Kentucky in 1989.

No, you're right. I thought he had a longer career.

 

[Huskies4ever]

I disagree completely. Coaching experience is much more valuable than playing experience. If Ollie wasn't a UConn guy, we would never have considered him. Enfield has done more as a coach, and like Ollie, has great intangibles and upside.

Good points. I just think in Ollie's case, as a backup, learning from HOF coaches, has helped him in the absence of coaching experience. But to Ollie's credit, you have to want to learn and be a leader, which he is.