Here's the problem

[noeynox]

I was incredibly frustrated with last year, but wasn't ready to move on. I was incredibly frustrated this offseason, when a bunch of players left, but wasn't ready to fire him.

I'm still not ready to do that today, but I need to see a lot from Ollie this season in order to not want to move on from him in April, and today is just another example of the same awful coaching we've seen for the last few years.

No NCAA tourney and he needs to go. No more excuses.

 

[superjohn]

I haven't given it any thought, because I haven't been seriously ready to move on before today. That doesn't mean what Ollie has done here is acceptable.

We still have a recognizable brand, and I guarantee you there are good coaches out there that would love to coach here. Our conference sucks, yes, but the UConn name still means something. That may not be the case in five years if Ollie is the coach that whole time. I don't say this lightly, but he's on the verge of running this program into the ground. We are well on our way to missing the NCAA Tournament for the third year out of last four. That is terrible.

That's the reason Benedict has Ollie on watch and he had a very serious talk with him after last season. We can still get a big time coach but the longer we suck the harder that becomes.

 

[Stainmaster]

I haven't given it any thought, because I haven't been seriously ready to move on before today. That doesn't mean what Ollie has done here is acceptable.

We still have a recognizable brand, and I guarantee you there are good coaches out there that would love to coach here. Our conference sucks, yes, but the UConn name still means something. That may not be the case in five years if Ollie is the coach that whole time. I don't say this lightly, but he's on the verge of running this program into the ground. We are well on our way to missing the NCAA Tournament for the third year out of last four. That is terrible.

The problem is, Ollie has been merged with the brand. He was JC's handpicked successor, he gained a lot of media attention as the face of the program after the title, and the AD gave him a significant contract extension.

The brand has already taken a hit under the Ollie era, it's not a "wait 5 more years and then it'll really kill us" type of deal. The damage is already done. The magic, sparkly UConn dust isn't there anymore. We are what Ollie has made us, and the quality of coach we will end up getting to replace him will reflect that.

I know that's a really upsetting reality for some, but it is what it is.

 

[Stainmaster]

I like Pikiell but we would get someone better than him.

I seriously think you're underestimating how undesirable this job has become.

 

[polycom]

The only thing ollie should say to the media today is sorry that he didn't prepare his team to play. We know the talent isn't there but this is an abomination. Secondly Jalen Adams taking the 3 down 40 staring it down when he missed it disgusts me. But, we have a long season to go. I forgot who I made the bet with but I'll be donating to the Uconn Musculoskeletal Institute this week.

 

[superjohn]

I seriously think you're underestimating how undesirable this job has become.

I know how you feel, you've been saying it since last season. We disagree.

 

[MadDogRevival]

The problem is, Ollie has been merged with the brand. He was JC's handpicked successor . . .

If Ollie is, in fact, sacked after this season, I wonder what the general thoughts on JC's involvement in his hire will be. JC was a great coach - apparantly not so much a great AD.

 

[MadDogRevival]

I want to see SuperJohn and StairMaster wrestle. I mean, for real, not the fake stuff.

 

[noeynox]

I seriously think you're underestimating how undesirable this job has become.

They're paying Ollie wjat 3 million?

 

[Stainmaster]

They're paying Ollie wjat 3 million?

I don't have the numbers at hand, but the university's AD is in far more dire financial straits now than it was at the time the contract was signed. With both decreased ticket revenue in BB and FB and the ever-increasing revenue gap between the P5 and others, Ollie will be the last UConn head coach who gets that kind of money.

 

[Jaker]

I will take the job for 500k

 

[Marty Jackson]

Who do we bring in??

Jim Calhoun!

 

[Matrim55]

I don't have the numbers at hand, but the university's AD is in far more dire financial straits now than it was at the time the contract was signed. With both decreased ticket revenue in BB and FB and the ever-increasing revenue gap between the P5 and others, Ollie will be the last UConn head coach who gets that kind of money.

Buying Ollie out for 600k and paying Konkol $1m would actually save the athletic department money. And if Konkol has 3 great years then leaves us... at least our brand will be restored at least a little bit.

 

[RayRay34]

But 2014?

...happened with Calhoun’s guys and initial guidance.

 

[AntG168]

Maybe Geno wants a new challenge......Seriously

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

Again, Ollie deserves this season to prove us wrong. Then we'll see.
But UConn would need to shoot for the stars with a head coach. Ed Cooley is the best/most realistic suggestion I've heard. I would totally be down with that if this season is a fail.
Avery Johnson? Mark Jackson? Maybe I'm too optimistic...

 

[Stainmaster]

Buying Ollie out for 600k and paying Konkol $1m would actually save the athletic department money. And if Konkol has 3 great years then leaves us... at least our brand will be restored at least a little bit.

The question is, does Konkol get more than that somewhere else? Or does he garner interest from schools with much easier situations?

I will piss a bunch of people off by saying this, but this is a high-risk/low-reward job here. A mid-level P5 school gives a guy like Konkol many more locational recruiting advantages, as well as a lower margin for in-season error due to better in-conference competition/P5 media boost.

There is a reason JC is the best basketball coach of all time. Building UConn into a blue-blood program was nothing short of a herculean effort. Conference realignment and the struggles of the past few years have made this a far more difficult rebuilding job than most are comfortable admitting.

 

[gwhuskyfan]

I'm not gonna lie - I like the idea of keeping things in the UConn family -- but I'm done with it. I'd like to go outside the program for a future hire.

 

[superjohn]

The question is, does Konkol get more than that somewhere else? Or does he garner interest from schools with much easier situations?

I will piss a bunch of people off by saying this, but this is a high-risk/low-reward job here. A mid-level P5 school gives a guy like Konkol many more locational recruiting advantages, as well as a lower margin for in-season error due to better in-conference competition/P5 media boost.

There is a reason JC is the best basketball coach of all time. Building UConn into a blue-blood program was nothing short of a herculean effort. Conference realignment and the struggles of the past few years have made this a far more difficult rebuilding job than most are comfortable admitting.

Please stop with this idiocy.

 

[Kitaman]

Geno won't help the poor shooting. No one can

Recruiting great shooters would help. Ollie has recruited for 3-4 years now and we have not had one on the roster. That's telling, especially since everyone in CT knew its was one of our weaknesses. Shooters don't have to be 4-5 star recruits, just the ability to make uncontested jumpers.

Like a punter on a football team, worth giving up a schollie or two, for a specialist(s). Right now we have no one and Larrier refuses to assume that role with his obsession for dribbling and then trying to create shots. Even the bench is empty of a shooter.

So if we get down double digits, we have no one to turn to, to cut the lead.

Calhoun always kept one or two on his rosters.

 

[Stainmaster]

Please stop with this idiocy.

It's not idiocy. You're blind to the truth. Take off your blue-colored glasses.

How is it that I'm the one who has to tell you how far this program has fallen/how screwed it is when you don't see it?

 

[king conn]

I don't have the numbers at hand, but the university's AD is in far more dire financial straits now than it was at the time the contract was signed. With both decreased ticket revenue in BB and FB and the ever-increasing revenue gap between the P5 and others, Ollie will be the last UConn head coach who gets that kind of money.

They just extended it last year.
The fact is, they have already budgeted 3 mill per for the BB coach.
If the buyout is only 600,000 that is barely a dent. They would be able to attract a boatload of good candidates with that kind of money

 

[August_West]

It's not idiocy. You're blind to the truth. Take off your blue-colored glasses.

How is it that I'm the one who has to tell you how far this program has fallen/how screwed it is when you don't see it?

I almost want Ollie fired just so SJ ( and others) see what we end up with. I’m spiteful like that

 

[superjohn]

It's not idiocy. You're blind to the truth. Take off your blue-colored glasses.

How is it that I'm the one who has to tell you how far this program has fallen/how screwed it is when you don't see it?

If we want Eric Konkol we would get Eric Konkol. I'm not going to get into it any further, this is stupid.

 

[Stainmaster]

I almost want Ollie fired just so SJ ( and others) see what we end up with.

They're living in a fantasy land. If thinking that people would knock down the door to coach here if the opportunity opened up makes them cope with their frustration, then bless their hearts.