I'll play devil's advocate on Ollie

[Pudge]

2017 Duke. Hey, you asked.

WE ARE NOT Duke.

As many of you want to think ... in our exalted AAC spot ... we just aren't that Blue of a Blue Blood. NOT Kentucky, UNC, Duke. So when you replace Jarrett Durham, Vance Jackson, Stephen Enoch ... with Diarra, Cobb, Carlton, Polley, Whaley, there is going to be a far more arc to the learning curve.

I get that they look pathetic. But I still like these kids. And, yes, I am hopeful that Ollie turns this.

What OLLIE does bring - listen up freescoots - is the tie-in to our culture. If we have Kevin Stallings ... we have just thrown away the 30 years since JC arrived.

 

[HooperScooper]

WE ARE NOT Duke.

I didn't say we were. I just answered the question. And as my wink smily face indicates I am acknowledging that Duke has a bunch of 5 star freshmen, including a potential generational talent in Bagley, that UConn will in all probability never have in the future.

 

[kobe]

Kevin Ollie won a National Championship. He should have a lifetime contract at UConn. Seriously, he should.

Love,
kobe

 

[polycom]

I don't understand how everyone is going crazy right now. When has a college basketball team with almost all new players played well at the start of a season? Last year's team blew up and we are starting from almost scratch this season. I don't know about you, but this season so far has been as I expected, EXCEPT the way we lost to Arkansas as it seemed the team gave up.

That said, Arkansas was a very experienced team with their top 3 Gs being seniors and 5 out of their top 8 players being seniors. Their freshman was 6-11 and the 37th ranked recruiting the class. So, Arkansas had more experience playing together, had more experience at guard, and they had a better big man than UConn had. They will be a top 25 team this year.

Think about this. Arkansas 6-9 forward who played 19 minutes had as many assists in the game, 5, as Dave O, Polley, Larrier, Diarra, Cobb, Carlton, Whaley, and Williams have COMBINED this season. These players played a COMBINED 106 minutes for UConn last season. It is going to take time to come together as a team.

Due to the hard schedule this year and our lack of experience, I am only expecting 20 wins the year.

This is like saying because it's snowing there is no global warming...not trying to be political merely pointing out the logical fallacy. Teams with good coaching staffs prepare their team for the start of the season and the start of games...

 

[Goat]

Wow, if you truly believe that, I have this bridge I'm selling in Brooklyn.... great price, act now, a deal like this won't last for long

All joking aside, please tell me why there is no one better out there than Ollie? Are you satisfied with the current state of this program? Not trying to chastise, I'm really trying to understand your logic here, maybe you can change my mind.

I want to believe, I do, I just don't see it though.

1. As the many Chicken Littles sing: AAC = doom. It effects recruiting and it portends money problems for a state university in a state with profound budgetary issues and unfunded state employee retirement packages because it means there is no media contract to bail the athletic department out. It is a recruiting knock. There are opportunities for up and coming coaches in the P5. Assuming arguendo that he is a better coach than KO, is Pikiell coming from the Big 10? I think not. The UConn HC position is not a top job at this point in time.
2. Let's talk recruiting. The guy has had to learn to do that too. That means closing and it means selecting the right players. I see improvement here. I think he has had us in the race with many recruits despite conference affiliation and landed a celebrated class in 2017. But, extrapolate several years ahead. This guy has the integrity and resume to please every recruits' parents. Kemba and Shabazz make him look better every chance they can.
3. He has a NC. Only 10 active coaches have at least one. K (5), Williams ([sad to count them]3), and 1 @ for KO, Cal, Fisher, Izzo, Self, Smith, and Wright. Ahem, + Boeheim. A NC is a big deal. No other coach on the list is coming to Storrs. A number of these are old folks and won't be active long.
4. It takes a while to find yourself as a coach. Saint Jim Calhoun was 19-7, 12-11, 12-12, 12-13, 12-14 his first 5 years at NE. That's 67-57. KO is 20-10,32-8,20-15, 25-11, 16-17. 113 and 61. There is room for improvement. He deserves the chance to make it.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Kevin Ollie won a National Championship. He should have a lifetime contract at UConn. Seriously, he should.

Love,
kobe

Hopefully you are still spilling all that love after the BearCats get bounced in the Regional Semis...........

Love,
BDH

 

[Paesano]

Kevin Ollie won a National Championship. He should have a lifetime contract at UConn. Seriously, he should.

Love,
kobe

Yeah, this is what we want. Our rivals hope our current coach never leaves.

 

[The Funster]

Bottom line ? No quality UConn team that I can recall lost a game 102-67 to a team like Arkansas, especially on a neutral floor. There's no way around that debacle.

Coming soon to the Boneyard ? A wistful post from me about "Gosh, how great was Jim Calhoun after all ?"

Good to see you.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

1. As the many Chicken Littles sing: AAC = doom. It effects recruiting and it portends money problems for a state university in a state with profound budgetary issues and unfunded state employee retirement packages because it means there is no media contract to bail the athletic department out. It is a recruiting knock. There are opportunities for up and coming coaches in the P5. Assuming arguendo that he is a better coach than KO, is Pikiell coming from the Big 10? I think not. The UConn HC position is not a top job at this point in time.
2. Let's talk recruiting. The guy has had to learn to do that too. That means closing and it means selecting the right players. I see improvement here. I think he has had us in the race with many recruits despite conference affiliation and landed a celebrated class in 2017. But, extrapolate several years ahead. This guy has the integrity and resume to please every recruits' parents. Kemba and Shabazz make him look better every chance they can.
3. He has a NC. Only 10 active coaches have at least one. K (5), Williams ([sad to count them]3), and 1 @ for KO, Cal, Fisher, Izzo, Self, Smith, and Wright. Ahem, + Boeheim. A NC is a big deal. No other coach on the list is coming to Storrs. A number of these are old folks and won't be active long.
4. It takes a while to find yourself as a coach. Saint Jim Calhoun was 19-7, 12-11, 12-12, 12-13, 12-14 his first 5 years at NE. That's 67-57. KO is 20-10,32-8,20-15, 25-11, 16-17. 113 and 61. There is room for improvement. He deserves the chance to make it.

Keep making this much sense and you will be banned from the Yard.

 

[The Funster]

KO's on the job performance has declined perilously over the last 3 seasons. There is cause for concern.