I watched about 15 minutes of the game yesterday

[jimva]

I don't post here often, but read a lot of the threads to keep up on UCONN sports. I did my undergrad in the late 80's and my grad in the mid 90's. I was born and spent the first 30 years of my life in CT but have not lived there since 2001. Anyway.....

I am struggling watching these games. I don't think its a lack of talent or plays, or even coaching. I think it is a lack of will not to be beat - to the ball, to a spot on the floor or in a game. Unfortunately, my experience (my son plays hockey at an elite level) has taught me this cant be coached into a kid. You can guide, advise, try to teach lessons, but in the end the player has to own this. I think a couple kids on the team have this, but for the most part it is missing.

 

[8893]

I agree, this is the least-inspired UConn team I can recall.

I think Vital has the will but probably not the skill to deliver consistently on that score; and maybe a couple others like Diarra have some fire, too. But it's totally lacking at the top from Jalen and Terry. The one guy I had hoped could fill that role is Gilbert, but he remains hampered and may not see the court again this season.

 

[Sphinx]

I agree, this is the least-inspired UConn team I can recall.

I think Vital has the will but probably not the skill to deliver consistently on that score; and maybe a couple others like Diarra have some fire, too. But it's totally lacking at the top from Jalen and Terry. The one guy I had hoped could fill that role is Gilbert, but he remains hampered and may not see the court again this season.

You can certainly add Whaley to the exception list. In fact, I think the rap can be pinned almost totally on Jalen and Terry -- and Terry has the excuse of favoring an uncertain knee. Jalen seems to think that a cool, "what, me worry?" nonchalance is leadership, and it's very hard to maintain such an air while you're diving for a ball. Ten games into his junior year, this is not likely to change.

 

[pj]

I am struggling watching these games. I don't think its a lack of talent or plays, or even coaching. I think it is a lack of will not to be beat - to the ball, to a spot on the floor or in a game. Unfortunately, my experience (my son plays hockey at an elite level) has taught me this cant be coached into a kid. You can guide, advise, try to teach lessons, but in the end the player has to own this. I think a couple kids on the team have this, but for the most part it is missing.

If any coach was ever able to instill this in a kid, it was Jim Calhoun. KO seems particularly bad at it. Whether the solution is recruiting self-motivated players or learning how to motivate, KO needs to figure it out. He needs at a minimum to use playing time as an incentive for effort.

 

[InKembaITrust]

We just have to remember who we are and keep our identity.

I say Ollie brings this guy in for a pep talk

 

[auggie22]

I don't post here often, but read a lot of the threads to keep up on UCONN sports. I did my undergrad in the late 80's and my grad in the mid 90's. I was born and spent the first 30 years of my life in CT but have not lived there since 2001. Anyway.....

I am struggling watching these games. I don't think its a lack of talent or plays, or even coaching. I think it is a lack of will not to be beat - to the ball, to a spot on the floor or in a game. Unfortunately, my experience (my son plays hockey at an elite level) has taught me this cant be coached into a kid. You can guide, advise, try to teach lessons, but in the end the player has to own this. I think a couple kids on the team have this, but for the most part it is missing.

It is amazing how unlucky Ollie is when it comes to recruiting the right kind of player.

 

[rich1122]

There

It is amazing how unlucky Ollie is when it comes to recruiting the right kind of player.

There is no unlucky. It's up to the coach to get the kid to be better. It' like the teacher who says that he/she is unlucky that he/she got kids that could't learn.

 

[donyell34]

We are now probably the 4th best team in NE. R.I., Mass and PC. That's reality folks sad to say.

 

[TheChamps990411]

There

There is no unlucky. It's up to the coach to get the kid to be better. It' like the teacher who says that he/she is unlucky that he/she got kids that could't learn.

If the teacher is not respected and the student not cared for you will fail no matter how able both are.

 

[Waquoit]

We are now probably the 4th best team in NE. R.I., Mass and PC. That's reality folks sad to say.

Ah, BCU just beat Duke. That's really sad.

 

[8893]

Ah, BCU just beat Duke. That's really sad.

The only thing sad about that is that one of them had to win.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

The fact that the biggest upset in college hoops so far was a conference game tells you all you need to know about BCU

 

[UConnNick]

We just have to remember who we are and keep our identity.

I say Ollie brings this guy in for a pep talk

Thanks for posting that. The quote about halftime of the NC game vs. Butler is quite telling. He said Calhoun was throwing stuff around in the locker room, complaining about the pace of the game and how we allowed them to dictate it during the first half. They came out in the second half and "played mad", just like their coach was at halftime. They adopted the mentality of their coach. Ollie was in that locker room. He needs to take that page from Calhoun's coaching book and start using it.

 

[Travelman6]

Thanks for posting that. The quote about halftime of the NC game vs. Butler is quite telling. He said Calhoun was throwing stuff around in the locker room, complaining about the pace of the game and how we allowed them to dictate it during the first half. They came out in the second half and "played mad", just like their coach was at halftime. They adopted the mentality of their coach. Ollie was in that locker room. He needs to take that page from Calhoun's coaching book and start using it.

I dare anyone, anywhere, to find a better, more amazing and improable 11 game run than the one the Huskies made. You will be hard pressed to find anything more incredible regardless of how much you hate the Huskies. I had Cuse fans walking up to me, shaking their head with amazement. "Wow" is all they good say once the run hit 10 games.

Kemba had the heart of a giant.

 

[pj]

If the teacher is not respected and the student not cared for you will fail no matter how able both are.

I've said this myself. The foundation of a good coach is love. He has to love his players and every player has to know that the coach's demands are "tough love" for his own long-term good. Then the coach needs a level of competence, he has to be able to deliver on his promises. ... I hope Ollie's Christianity is real and that he genuinely loves his players and will sacrifice and work for their success. If so, he should be given time to learn his craft and to find the assistant coaches who have the competences he lacks. Competence can be developed, but love has to be there throughout.