I'm a Kevin Ollie supporter

[GemParty]

I'm hearing via twitter articles, Blaney will most likely coach the 3 JC-less games. It's been said, Ollie, who appears to be the next in line to coach UConn, would be in a No win situation during this period. Do you agree? Honestly, it's such a small sample, I guess if the team won 3- most would say Ollie had no impact, yet if they lost a few, Ollie would take ALL the Heat. It's been documented Ollie is a good family man, grounded, and an incredibly hard worker, as shown by his lengthy NBA career. Not sure how he missed out on an NBA ring, but he already has an NCAA one 2011. Kids respond to him and he's already out recruiting some Veteran coaches. He just lacks in game experience. Will Storrs be the job that gives it to him?

 

[Robertelamin]

Maybe if UConn was playing Sacred Heart or UNC-Ashville but these are Big East games. Big East games that UConn needs to win if they want to compete for a Big East regular season championship. You have to go with the guy who has the head coaching experience in my opinion.

 

[61cygni]

I hope Ollie gets a chance, at least for one game. I suggested this possibility soon after the suspension was announced, and I don't see it as a no-win situation.

Even if things begin to get out of hand, Blaney will be right there to advise him and steady the ship. I think Blaney is at a point in his career where he won't feel slighted or have an ego problem with Ollie getting to coach a single game. I wouldn't mind seeing him coach the SJU game. USF may be weaker, but it's on the road.

Honestly, I think our fan base would be pretty forgiving of a loss, unless it was completely and utterly bungled. The game would be more for experience than as a serious gauge of his coaching ability.

 

[Fishy]

This is big-boy basketball.

Ollie can be his second, but you have George Blaney coach the games.

There's no duck*ing around here.

 

[husky99]

This is big-boy basketball.

Ollie can be his second, but you have George Blaney coach the games.

There's no duck*ing around here.

fishy is correct. you can not let ollie 1st game be the start of the BE

 

[GemParty]

For those not excited about Ollie cutting his teeth in an upcoming Big East game, are you (In Favor or Against) the idea of him getting hired as head coach at UConn in a few yrs, with no coaching experience? Or, do you prefer the school casts a wide net and does a National search, when that time comes?

 

[Hoophound]

I am fine with Ollie unless Brad Stevens, Sean Miller or some other sure thing wants the job.

Honestly, I don't want to see KO coaching right now. If he was stepping in now, I think it would mean JC was in his last season.

 

[GemParty]

Keep in mind, I never said 3 games would do anything. I said " it's a small sample". I'm just trying to gauge the boards opinion on Ollie stepping in as Head coach @ UConn for Every game in the Near future.

 

[Danzz]

I'm hearing via twitter articles, Blaney will most likely coach the 3 JC-less games. It's been said, Ollie, who appears to be the next in line to coach UConn, would be in a No win situation during this period. Do you agree? Honestly, it's such a small sample, I guess if the team won 3- most would say Ollie had no impact, yet if they lost a few, Ollie would take ALL the Heat. It's been documented Ollie is a good family man, grounded, and an incredibly hard worker, as shown by his lengthy NBA career. Not sure how he missed out on an NBA ring, but he already has an NCAA one 2011. Kids respond to him and he's already out recruiting some Veteran coaches. He just lacks in game experience. Will Storrs be the job that gives it to him?

Let George do it. He would be easier to blame after a loss than Ollie.

 

[MattMang23]

This isn't football. One loss doesn't kill the season. We'll still make the tournament with a good seed. If Ollie is the heir apparent, he's going to need some head coaching experience.

 

[Ts5034]

I completly agree that if Ollie was head coach, he would have a lot more to lose than win. He would take a lot of heat if Uconn were to lose any of these games and the one sleeper in my mind is Seton Hall. I have no problem with Ollie becoming the head coach after Calhoun retires either. One young guy that i could see coming here that has had success is Sean Miller. I think he would jump at the chance to come back east to a top program.

 

[Silk City]

This shouldn't even be a conversation. A school at the level UConn is at has absolutely no business using 3 midseason games as an opportunity to "sample or test out" a potential future coach's ability. If Ollie does or doesn't ultimately get the head coaching job, it will be because of a range of other factors that have nothing to do with this.

Blaney's done it before, Ollie will get to do it when a school hands him the reins completely. That's the way it should be.

 

[arnie3]

Ollie will have a lot of input, but this is why we have George Blaney. He's been doing this for a long time. JC trusts him, and I'm sure Ollie understands.Ollie has plenty of time in the future to cut his teeth. For what it's worth, he's been out of state of late, looking at possible targets.

 

[babysheep]

I don't understand why some people think that it's a totally fine idea to have an assistant with ONE season of ASSISTANT coaching coach our first BE game (doesn't matter who it is) when we have George Blaney. Seriously, what is the reason? There is no rush; nor should there be. Apprenticeships are important. I understand that JC has been here a long time and we're excited to see who his replacement will be and what his capabilities are, but to have the conversation now is just plain silly. Sure, Ollie will need some experience eventually; but save it for an exhibition or at least an early non-conference game after he's been around longer.

 

[selles]

I don't understand why some people think that it's a totally fine idea to have an assistant with ONE season of ASSISTANT coaching coach our first BE game (doesn't matter who it is) when we have George Blaney. Seriously, what is the reason?

I don't think this is a particularly big deal and I'm fine with Blaney. But I don't think it's anything to get all caps about either way. The argument for going with Ollie is (1) we've seen Blaney as HC and it's nothing special (the freeing of Marcus White excepted) and (2) most of us have come to accept the idea that KO may well be the heir apparent and it would be kind of interesting to see his demeanor and tactical moves as the lead guy.

 

[Nostical]

You guys are a bit premature in annointing Kevin Ollie as the next head coach at UConn. This is too big a program for that kind of wishful thinking. Susan Herbst will insist on a national search, and there will be plenty of tier one candidates to choose from. Herbst is looking to raise the profile of UConn, and increase the endowment to unprecedented levels. She can't afford a downturn in the Husky brand. I'm afraid Ollie will have to cut his head-coaching teeth at a smaller program.

 

[Mike Honcho]

Blaney hasn't had the best track record when taking over in JC's absences. IIRC, he's made a lot of head-scratching moves in the closing minutes of games. Does anyone know our record under Blaney?

 

[Kitaman]

No time to experiment (BE) got to go with what you know. Come on 'y'all' Ollie has only been here for a year and still unproven. Him coaching would be a sideshow right now, for Ollie lovers only. The game is much bigger. He will be interviewed when the time comes and that's fine enough for me.

 

[Prezidint]

Blaney hasn't had the best track record when taking over in JC's absences.

Here're some stats:
Coached UConn versus #1 Texas and won.
Three Final Fours in 10 seasons.
Two National Championships in 10 seasons.

People on this board are like a 15 year old boy who's with a girl for the 1st time - too damn impatient.

Seeding is important.

Fact is, we're spoiled rotten. We think that you can routinely pull a 3 seed and cruise into the finals.

Fact is, losing a couple games to weak sisters in December could very well make the difference between a 2 seed and a 1 seed.

And that could make the difference between having to beat UK and UNC, or just one of them.

So, it's plain that you do what's more likely to get you the win.

And by "you" I mean JC the coaching demi-god, not "you," guy who seems very likable and relatively reasonable but whose main claim to basketball fame is posting on message boards, like me. And JC says Blaney, and so, we assume, without further needed proofs, that Blaney gives us a better chance of winning than Ollie.

And, BTW - we're ALL Kevin Ollie supporters. All of us.

 

[Prezidint]

Him coaching would be a sideshow right now, for Ollie lovers only.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

The Uconn assistant coaches have something like 40 plus years of Division 1 head coaching experience, zero of which belong to Kevin Ollie.

Take a look at the last third of the schedule, it's brutal. It's imperative that we win as many of the next 10 as we can so that we're set up nicely going into that stretch. It's not the time to be holding auditions.

Not to mention the fact that Blaney's job title is Associate Head Coach. I'm willing to bet that his contract/job description literally says something like "will assume all head coaching responsibilities if the head coach is not available to coach the team."

 

[UconnDon]

Blaney is the next in command to JC, by title, and all others on the staff are lower ranked. It would make no sense to hand the reins to the lowest guy on the totem pole and ignore JC's chief lieutenant just for an experiment. These are BE games, and let's give them the seniority anointed by JC and importance they bear. Kevin Ollie is a great addition to the staff, but lets leave the wine in the cask a while longer before tasting.

 

[61cygni]

Nice to see everyone else chiming in AFTER JC announces his decision.

 

[Waquoit]

Nice to see everyone else chiming in AFTER JC announces his decision.

It was a no brainer. Anyone paying attention knew it would be Blaney. The guy was a head coach for decades.

 

[Kitaman]

Nice to see everyone else chiming in AFTER JC announces his decision.

Actually the decision was made years ago, the announcement is what was recent. Its the Ollie lovers that wanted it changed.