I guess I don't get the panic...

[whaler11]

Just some general observations:

1. College basketball has become a year by year sport. Since UConn has a good team in 14-15, I can't worry too much the future.

2. Many 17 and 18 year olds make sub-optimal decisions. How can you get emotional over that?

3. UConn didn't get to the top by dominating in recruiting. When did so many UConn fans decide to tie results so directly to recruiting hype.

4. The only other sport where coaching has as big an impact is college football. Kevin Ollie is at worst a top 15 coach in the sport. As long as he is here there is a very high floor for the program.

 

[Matrim55]

I think there are way more people telling everyone not to panic than there are people actually panicking.

We missed out on a couple of recruits we wanted. It's happened before, and it'll happen again. Disappointing, but no big deal.

 

[uconn34]

As it should be, only a few seem to be showing signs of panic. If no one else commit we are still fine. If Stone commits we will have excellent talent at all positions. Sometime the folks here need to just plain relax.

 

[UCHuskies08]

Never understood how people get so worked up about recruiting, I worry about the kids that actually get to campus. You'd think the 2011 season would have permanently squashed all that, but nope.

 

[Kitaman]

If you have ever raised teenagers you aren't panicking knowing (but not understanding) how they make decisions. Shhiitt happens

I think of it as changing the "practice" word in Allen Iverson's rant to "teenagers".

 

[B1GEast]

it's about the program, not the individual, uconn is in good shape

 

[boog204]

Panic is ridiculous, given our past successes, but it is disheartening. CBB is different now and while we all love KO, he's not (nor should he be expected to be) JC as a recruiter. So simply saying we always get diamonds in the rough is not accurate. JC and his staff did. But for every "diamond" there was a Robert Swain, Scottie Harralson, Chad Wise, Ben Eaves, Jamaal Trice, etc. I realize you can't get a top guy for every schollie (unless you're UK), but let's not make it seem like we always hit on our plan c, d recruits and it is a foregone conclusion that missing out on the three wings is not a big deal.

We hear over and over again how recruits love KO and we formed initial opinions that we would kill it on the trail based on that factor. We read about how early on KO charmed his way into a Jabari Parker in-home and got ecstatic. But most of the top guys who "loved KO" have not committed here. Stone's commitment rides on this. He seems to love us for KO and if he commits here that would be the main reason. Wisconsin has the location, family connections, conference, and obvious playing time on their side. For years, we surmised that the missing piece was the practice facility. But that's not the tipping point. The fatalists say that the conference is the culprit. However, we just lost two players to equally mediocre conferences. So coming off another championship, there's something we did (or didn't do) that had us whiff on three SF types.

We do have two outstanding players coming in and that cannot be forgotten. But I am more puzzled now than in the past as to why we went 0 for 3 on the wing guys that we have always gotten in the past especially considering KO, a national championship, and a new practice facility. Do we need a stud assistant/recruiter on the staff to do the legwork so KO can close?

 

[Marty Jackson]

Just some general observations:

1. College basketball has become a year by year sport. Since UConn has a good team in 14-15, I can't worry too much the future.

2. Many 17 and 18 year olds make sub-optimal decisions. How can you get emotional over that?

3. UConn didn't get to the top by dominating in recruiting. When did so many UConn fans decide to tie results so directly to recruiting hype.

4. The only other sport where coaching has as big an impact is college football. Kevin Ollie is at worst a top 15 coach in the sport. As long as he is here there is a very high floor for the program.

Wow... is that a hint of optimism in your post?
It's funny, my kids just said they saw something that looked like a pig flying over our house. Hmmm...

 

[itgoeslike]

I get the disappointment, but when I read stuff like VCU owns UConn, it certainly looks like panic, or at the very least an overreaction. There's no way I trade UConn's team and/or recruits for VCU's. In fairness, Shaka is a young, dynamic coach that connects with prospects (sound familiar) and has been recruiting players for years. HCKO has only been recruiting as a head coach for two years and has already gotten great results, and it will likely improve. Lastly, of the players that haven't committed, we routinely beat out 99% of other programs for consideration. I know that's not going to make many feel any better, but it's clearly not indicative of a program that needs to hit the panic button.

 

[djct1999]

I would be far more concerned if we lost the likes of Jalen Adams and Steven Enoch to schools like BC, St. Johns, Rutgers, or Seton Hall. The only must get this year was Adams............and KO locked him up early. Home grown talents like Enoch should always come to UConn. Stone would be icing on the cake......................As for a wing, my guess is that in the end UConn will still land a kid equally as talented as Jones or Mack. Assuming we need one, of course.

 

[Marty Jackson]

Panic is ridiculous, given our past successes, but it is disheartening. CBB is different now and while we all love KO, he's not (nor should he be expected to be) JC as a recruiter. So simply saying we always get diamonds in the rough is not accurate. JC and his staff did. But for every "diamond" there was a Robert Swain, Scottie Harralson, Chad Wise, Ben Eaves, Jamaal Trice, etc. I realize you can't get a top guy for every schollie (unless you're UK), but let's not make it seem like we always hit on our plan c, d recruits and it is a foregone conclusion that missing out on the three wings is not a big deal.

We hear over and over again how recruits love KO and we formed initial opinions that we would kill it on the trail based on that factor. We read about how early on KO charmed his way into a Jabari Parker in-home and got ecstatic. But most of the top guys who "loved KO" have not committed here. Stone's commitment rides on this. He seems to love us for KO and if he commits here that would be the main reason. Wisconsin has the location, family connections, conference, and obvious playing time on their side. For years, we surmised that the missing piece was the practice facility. But that's not the tipping point. The fatalists say that the conference is the culprit. However, we just lost two players to equally mediocre conferences. So coming off another championship, there's something we did (or didn't do) that had us whiff on three SF types.

We do have two outstanding players coming in and that cannot be forgotten. But I am more puzzled now than in the past as to why we went 0 for 3 on the wing guys that we have always gotten in the past especially considering KO, a national championship, and a new practice facility. Do we need a stud assistant/recruiter on the staff to do the legwork so KO can close?

I'm going to flip this on the other side...
The last 15-20 years not only suggests, but proves that Uconn recruiting works in getting the right pieces for the betterment of the team. Given the recruits that Ollie has gotten and the ones he kept from leaving (remember a lot of players could have left but didn't in the transition) I have no worries about his ability to recruit.
Ollie has been a coach for less than 5 years... Many of the players he's recruiting have been recruited by other coaches for a longer period. the fact that he could come in late and get very close to some top talent does suggest he can recruit.
Basketball is settled on the court. unlike football where a team benefits in its ranking from recruiting, basketball is all about winning on the court.
So where Kentucky, Duke, and even Kansas win the recruiting battles, Uconn continues to win on the court and in the tourney.

 

[tzznandrew]

Right. There are some of us disheartened, but not panicking. Everything Whaler said is ultimately true, and we do have Jalen Adams and Enoch--which is easy to forget given the string of recruiting losses we've had.

 

[whaler11]

Wow... is that a hint of optimism in your post?
It's funny, my kids just said they saw something that looked like a pig flying over our house. Hmmm...

Give me something to be optimistic about and I'm plenty optimistic.

 

[djct1999]

Give me something to be optimistic about and I'm plenty optimistic.

I doubt it.

 

[Inyatkin]

It's not that people are panicking, but there are a bunch of otherwise reasonable people making it out to be a really troubling sign. Or implying that the title and facility means we should have our pick of recruits, which really isn't how it works.

 

[Rico444]

We have a TON of guards in the fold the next two seasons. That's why it's tough to get guard/wing recruits. Lots of kids aren't OK with coming in and playing less than 10 minutes a game.

If Purvis and Hamilton leave for the NBA after this season, you'll see the interest level for guard recruits skyrocket.

 

[djct1999]

It's not that people are panicking, but there are a bunch of otherwise reasonable people making it out to be a really troubling sign. Or implying that the title and facility means we should have our pick of recruits, which really isn't how it works.

Again, we don't know the entire story about Jones. Were grades really an issue? I find it quite puzzling with what we know that he would commit to UNLV yesterday so I feel something is up. We got involved with Mack pretty late in the process and nearly plucked him away from the South. I guess, in our world, kids should always choose UConn over other schools. The fact that we were in his final two in what seemed to be a very difficult decision for him is a win. This has nothing to do with conference affiliation or worse, UConn's demise. If anything, Ollie and the staff spread itself too thin.

 

[Kembacity]

I think there are way more people telling everyone not to panic than there are people actually panicking.

We missed out on a couple of recruits we wanted. It's happened before, and it'll happen again. Disappointing, but no big deal.

I agree, to expect people to not at all react to us not being picked when we were the other option or third option in three top recruits decisions is simply silly. I havent noticed anyone at the edge of a building on suicide watch... but I think its perfectly natural for fans to say "ahhh damnit!" about us not getting oodles of top flight recruits.

We'll be okay, if we get Stone we will be loaded next year, if DHam stays and we get Stone, it would be one of the more talented teams we've had in a while and likely in the country

 

[HuskyBballFan]

The best part is that many of the people who always complain about recruiting also talk about how worrysome it is that some of our current underclassman are potentially so good that they could declare for the NBA draft at any moment. That's what you call talking out of both sides of your mouth.

 

[warbler13]

Panic is ridiculous, given our past successes, but it is disheartening. CBB is different now and while we all love KO, he's not (nor should he be expected to be) JC as a recruiter. So simply saying we always get diamonds in the rough is not accurate. JC and his staff did. But for every "diamond" there was a Robert Swain, Scottie Harralson, Chad Wise, Ben Eaves, Jamaal Trice, etc. I realize you can't get a top guy for every schollie (unless you're UK), but let's not make it seem like we always hit on our plan c, d recruits and it is a foregone conclusion that missing out on the three wings is not a big deal.

We hear over and over again how recruits love KO and we formed initial opinions that we would kill it on the trail based on that factor. We read about how early on KO charmed his way into a Jabari Parker in-home and got ecstatic. But most of the top guys who "loved KO" have not committed here. Stone's commitment rides on this. He seems to love us for KO and if he commits here that would be the main reason. Wisconsin has the location, family connections, conference, and obvious playing time on their side. For years, we surmised that the missing piece was the practice facility. But that's not the tipping point. The fatalists say that the conference is the culprit. However, we just lost two players to equally mediocre conferences. So coming off another championship, there's something we did (or didn't do) that had us whiff on three SF types.

We do have two outstanding players coming in and that cannot be forgotten. But I am more puzzled now than in the past as to why we went 0 for 3 on the wing guys that we have always gotten in the past especially considering KO, a national championship, and a new practice facility. Do we need a stud assistant/recruiter on the staff to do the legwork so KO can close?

The fault is not with UConn, KO, NC and or the AAC. There is nothing wrong with us, young recruits decision making and family and friends influence have a lot to do with this. If they do not want to come here then we are not for them and vice versa. This is a family oriented organization and a brotherhood team based on hard work. It's not for everybody.

 

[Waquoit]

You don't get the panic? I assumed following trends and constructing a future scenario was in your toolbox.

 

[husky91]

I think Jones, Mack and Clarke don't want to be behind Hamilton and Briscoe is going UK's pre-NBA program. We are loaded next year anyway, getting Stone to play the front court with Brimah, Enoch, Nolan, Facey would be great, but we are top 10 regardless unless some combo of Purvis, Hamilton and Brimah leave.

Right now I'd be pressing 100% to get a package of Stone & Newman.

 

[UConnSwag11]

I get the feeling that a lot of the posters here have no sense of reality.... or just say stupid to get people to respond to them... like taking selfies all the time and posting them to FB

 

[whaler11]

You don't get the panic? I assumed following trends and constructing a future scenario was in your toolbox.

Yeah I know it's crazy to have more confidence in Kevin Ollie than Bob Diaco based on the evidence we have in hand.

It's not like I've given up on Bobby - he just does and says a lot of stupid ****. I guess the right way to do it is ignore it and just pretend it doesn't happen.

 

[DCUconnfan]

I think Jones, Mack and Clarke don't want to be behind Hamilton and Briscoe is going UK's pre-NBA program. We are loaded next year anyway, getting Stone to play the front court with Brimah, Enoch, Nolan, Facey would be great, but we are top 10 regardless unless some combo of Purvis, Hamilton and Brimah leave.

Right now I'd be pressing 100% to get a package of Stone & Newman.

Landing Newman & Stone would be a massive double middle finger to most of college basketball and every recruiting hater on this board. With that being said, I don't expect it in the least, and I also am completely unconcerned, because I think Adams and Enoch are both 3 year style, excellent, UConn driven players that people seem to be forgetting we got. Yeah, we could use a wing and a big man in this class, but it's not like football where we Need (with capital N) offensive linemen like nobody's business, and there are more wings and big men in future classes we're already recruiting.