Hurley on Next Year

[HuskyHawk]

So people are 100% certain that Memphis is paying players? Or is it just a strong assumption? Or are we all just mad?

We're just mad. Penny has connections and increasingly these kids like to band together. Penny used his AAU team and Memphis area connections to land two kids, and those kids plus his celebrity status helped lure the others.

 

[HHusky]

It's a certainty. Not with checks from the school but there's hundreds of ways to get the job done. Memphis hoop culture is a tight and proud entity.

 

[UconnU]

Sorry to be the pessimist but I don’t understand the optimism. The vast majority of teams in our conference will be improved. We went 1-7 w/o Jalen last year. I really think we’re another year away from being good.

 

[superjohn]

I remember a thread on the old board pre 2010-11 season where people predicted how we'd do that year. I said Sweet 16 knowing full well it was a complete homer response and not actually thinking we'd make it there. Maybe 1 other person said sweet 16 with the majority of people saying we would make the tournament and get bounced in the 1st or 2nd round.

I don't think anyone said we'd make it past the Sweet 16

Preseason for 2010-11 Sports Illustrated had us ranked outside the top 68 teams. Preseason 2013-2014 we were #18.

 

[superjohn]

We're just mad. Penny has connections and increasingly these kids like to band together. Penny used his AAU team and Memphis area connections to land two kids, and those kids plus his celebrity status helped lure the others.

Incredibly naive.

 

[BFieldHusky]

Sorry to be the pessimist but I don’t understand the optimism. The vast majority of teams in our conference will be improved. We went 1-7 w/o Jalen last year. I really think we’re another year away from being good.

Not saying we won't miss Jalen, but a majority of those games were without Jalen AND Gilbert. People seem to forget that when using that stat.

Also think of some of the games that could have gone either way late in the year without Jalen: Cincinnati and Witchia come to mind. Temple too if Gilbert doesn't get hurt.

 

[UofCT]

Not saying we won't miss Jalen, but a majority of those games were without Jalen AND Gilbert. People seem to forget that when using that stat.

Also think of some of the games that could have gone either way late in the year without Jalen: Cincinnati and Witchia come to mind. Temple too if Gilbert doesn't get hurt.

Or If Christian remembered how to play basketball....

 

[Hurleyman216]

The TV deal doesn't hurt or help Memphis, Memphis got the #1 recruiting class because they play the game. Not playing the game is killing our recruiting + the TV deal we aren't similar types of schools.

If Memphis is paying players we don't want to be "playing that game" especially right now on the tails of the FBI probe and whatever internal investigations the NCAA eventually comes up with. Emmert has a big red bulls eye on UConn, so if there's even a hint that we do something shady they'll be all over it.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Incredibly naive.

Memphis has had the same money to spend for many years and didn't recruit like this. Spending $ isn't what changed for them. Penny is.

 

[Jbirdp5]

Incredibly naive.

Will you share what you know?

 

[superjohn]

Memphis has had the same money to spend for many years and didn't recruit like this. Spending $ isn't what changed for them. Penny is.

So you agree they are cheating?

 

[HuskyHawk]

So you agree they are cheating?

I have no idea. Anybody who says they know for sure is full of it. I do not think cheating is the reason they got this class. Wiseman started it and it snowballed. It may be a one time thing for Penny. Three of the kids are from Memphis.

 

[UConnNick]

Memphis has had the same money to spend for many years and didn't recruit like this. Spending $ isn't what changed for them. Penny is.

Maybe, but that doesn't explain why their AD just quit in the middle of this recruiting bonanza they've got going on.

 

[superjohn]

Will you share what you know?

I know college basketball is incrediby dirty, I know Memphis is an incredibly dirty program. I know what makes college basketball incredibly dirty is AAU and sneaker companies, I know Penny is incredibly tied into that world. I know Penny has been a college basketball coach for less than a year and he has the #1 class, I know he swooped in pretty late in the game on some of these recruits and they popped to Memphis.

You don't need to see the pay stubs to know what's going on.

 

[superjohn]

I have no idea. Anybody who says they know for sure is full of it. I do not think cheating is the reason they got this class. Wiseman started it and it snowballed. It may be a one time thing for Penny. Three of the kids are from Memphis.

You said Memphis has had the same money all along and never recruited like this. Memphis has been cheating all along.

 

[polycom]

So people are 100% certain that Memphis is paying players? Or is it just a strong assumption? Or are we all just mad?

Yes 100%, think of it this way. We know that schools that were competing for these players were paying so you mean to tell me these players went to memphis for free? Yeah, no.

 

[polycom]

I have no idea. Anybody who says they know for sure is full of it. I do not think cheating is the reason they got this class. Wiseman started it and it snowballed. It may be a one time thing for Penny. Three of the kids are from Memphis.

This is false. Memphis is cheating. Sure players aren't showing up with cars or bags of money but suddenly when parents can afford to live in these neighborhoods close to campus or get a new car it isn't by mistake...

 

[uconnell]

So people are 100% certain that Memphis is paying players? Or is it just a strong assumption? Or are we all just mad?

All of the above.

 

[Dabutlerdidit]

Nope, still have games on the ESPN family but T3 games will now go to ESPN+. UConn will responsible for talent and production cost for any + games.

Is ESPN+ the WatchESPN App?

 

[CL82]

Is ESPN+ the WatchESPN App?

No it is a separate for pay online site for @$5.00 per month.

 

[Husk04ies]

Not saying we won't miss Jalen, but a majority of those games were without Jalen AND Gilbert. People seem to forget that when using that stat.

Also think of some of the games that could have gone either way late in the year without Jalen: Cincinnati and Witchia come to mind. Temple too if Gilbert doesn't get hurt.

The Houston game was close too. I dont remember who was out for that game.....

 

[BFieldHusky]

The Houston game was close too. I dont remember who was out for that game.....

Gilbert and Adams.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

It really depends on health, because we don’t have tremendous depth.

A starting 5 of
Gilbert
Vital
Polley
Akok
Carlton

can be a very good team if there is the expected improvement from the returning players. And I think we will see significant improvement from Polley, Wilson and Carlton come November. Hopefully CVs ball handling improves, since Hurley likes to have multiple ballhandlers out there.

I’d really like to see Polley at the 3 more. He’s not suited to be a power forward.

I’m guessing Hurley eventually wants to work Gaffney and Bouknight into the starting lineup, but that probably won’t happen for a couple months at least.

Or he just throws all the freshmen out there day 1, and has his eyes on the 2020-21 season. But ultimately I think he slowly works the new guys in.

 

[superjohn]

It really depends on health, because we don’t have tremendous depth.

A starting 5 of
Gilbert
Vital
Polley
Akok
Carlton

can be a very good team if there is the expected improvement from the returning players. And I think we will see significant improvement from Polley, Wilson and Carlton come November. Hopefully CVs ball handling improves, since Hurley likes to have multiple ballhandlers out there.

I’d really like to see Polley at the 3 more. He’s not suited to be a power forward.

I’m guessing Hurley eventually wants to work Gaffney and Bouknight into the starting lineup, but that probably won’t happen for a couple months at least.

Or he just throws all the freshmen out there day 1, and has his eyes on the 2020-21 season. I like either approach.

Doubt that is the starting lineup. That lineup has only one guy who can take you off the dribble, that doesn't cut it.

 

[ChocRaisins]

Doubt that is the starting lineup. That lineup has only one guy who can take you off the dribble, that doesn't cut it.

I 100% agree with this. You can run all the sets you want but you need the "high ball screen, clear out and attack the rim" with 10 second on the shot clock guy. And in that lineup, the only one you can run that is Gilbert, and until he proves durable enough or consistent enough finishing over length, I don't want him in that spot. That the main reason why I think Bouknight finds his way into the starting lineup at some point. If Polley or Sid come back knowing how to dribble and slash, then maybe there will be other options.