In a nutshell...

[Stinger92860]

Maybe an adjustment to the coaching staff as well. Something is seriously missing there. They just seem to be soft and maybe that is because of the confidence issue with the team. They have to think basics too much and aren’t able to go out and play relaxed, fun basketball. And the schedule has been an absolute killer of confidence. I mean it’s a catch 22. Having a brutal schedule is great for recruiting given the conference when you have a stable program, team but as we know this has not been the case and what ever has been going on the last few years is not being exposed for the world to see. The Administration, couching staff have all been caught with there pants down. You know it’s not all on Ollie but enough of it is. When it rains it pours. Fundamentally we do not have the right mix of players to be successful in this league period. The transfers from last year was a devastating blow to our program and Ollie. I don’t know the real reason why these guys left but it has left a devasting hole that will take years (at least 3) to recover from. Ollie took a chance on injured recruits with great promise. Gilbert stayed and Durham bounced. Yes, Ollie got played by these guys at the end of the day with no contingency plan. His divorce had to be a big factor for him over the last few years as well. He is such an energy person and I’m sure that was off a bit. For a successful season with the current squad you needed a couple of things to happen. (1) Adams and Larrier to dominate at there positions. This is the constant, the glue that is crital to this particular team. (2) Gilbert to stay healthy and flourish. Gilbert with his pure talent provides scoring, assists, defense and developing leadership. Imagine a true 5 Star point guard setting Larrier up off of a pick and roll or screen for open jumps shots. None of this has come to pass and when the first didn’t come to pass it exposed the rest of the team which was young, not as talented and had not played together. This is who we are right now. Ollie has to find a way this season to give us any semblance of hope going into next season. The best we can hope for is a winning season / .500 the rest of the way out. Pressure brings out the best and worst with teams. These guys aren’t what he hoped and that is o.k. I don’t know if Ollie survives after this season. If he does then Kudos to him but man this is a painful time and it is getting so toxic. It ‘s just unbelievable the way we are getting exposed. Let’s continue to focus on the positives as much as we can. That is about all we can do.

Ever hear of this new thing called paragraphs? It's life changing.

 

[Jaker]

No matter what happens with Ollie, the program should try and keep Chilli here.

 

[whaler11]

No matter what happens with Ollie, the program should try and keep Chilli here.

Yeah winning follows that guy around.

 

[DMIL]

Ever hear of this new thing called paragraphs? It's life changing.

Sure I have Mr. Professor. Didn’t realize you were grading today. My life is quite fine.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

No, not a fluke, but only attributable to Ollie in the sense that he didn't screw it up. Shabazz was the coach of that team. If we didn't know it then, we know it now.

.com

So the real coach of that team sat with two fouls and while he was sitting we turned the game from a sizable Villanova lead (and Nova having momentum) to a small UConn lead at half. Great coaching on Bazz's part.

 

[Chief00]

No matter what happens with Ollie, the program should try and keep Chilli here.

Agreed.

 

[Waquoit]

So the real coach of that team sat with two fouls and while he was sitting we turned the game from a sizable Villanova lead (and Nova having momentum) to a small UConn lead at half. Great coaching on Bazz's part.

I take it you didn't hear what Bazz said in the huddle after his 2nd foul. Truly inspirational.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Maybe an adjustment to the coaching staff as well. Something is seriously missing there. They just seem to be soft and maybe that is because of the confidence issue with the team. They have to think basics too much and aren’t able to go out and play relaxed, fun basketball. And the schedule has been an absolute killer of confidence. I mean it’s a catch 22. Having a brutal schedule is great for recruiting given the conference when you have a stable program, team but as we know this has not been the case and what ever has been going on the last few years is not being exposed for the world to see. The Administration, couching staff have all been caught with there pants down. You know it’s not all on Ollie but enough of it is. When it rains it pours. Fundamentally we do not have the right mix of players to be successful in this league period. The transfers from last year was a devastating blow to our program and Ollie. I don’t know the real reason why these guys left but it has left a devasting hole that will take years (at least 3) to recover from. Ollie took a chance on injured recruits with great promise. Gilbert stayed and Durham bounced. Yes, Ollie got played by these guys at the end of the day with no contingency plan. His divorce had to be a big factor for him over the last few years as well. He is such an energy person and I’m sure that was off a bit. For a successful season with the current squad you needed a couple of things to happen. (1) Adams and Larrier to dominate at there positions. This is the constant, the glue that is crital to this particular team. (2) Gilbert to stay healthy and flourish. Gilbert with his pure talent provides scoring, assists, defense and developing leadership. Imagine a true 5 Star point guard setting Larrier up off of a pick and roll or screen for open jumps shots. None of this has come to pass and when the first didn’t come to pass it exposed the rest of the team which was young, not as talented and had not played together. This is who we are right now. Ollie has to find a way this season to give us any semblance of hope going into next season. The best we can hope for is a winning season / .500 the rest of the way out. Pressure brings out the best and worst with teams. These guys aren’t what he hoped and that is o.k. I don’t know if Ollie survives after this season. If he does then Kudos to him but man this is a painful time and it is getting so toxic. It ‘s just unbelievable the way we are getting exposed. Let’s continue to focus on the positives as much as we can. That is about all we can do.

Thank you for your sincere efforts. You put some real heart and soul into this thought process. It seems like while some rats are jumping ship and scavenging for scraps on land you have decided to stay aboard this vessel.

Trust me if KO knew jumping ship would land him on an island with Maryanne, Ginger or Kathy he would jump ship and swim through shark infested waters to get to land! Trust me. I know!

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

W

But these are his guys August. He’s the one who thought Larrier would be special, that Anderson had NBA potential, that Polley was a good recruit, that Durham could be the same guy after two torn acls, that Alterique would be healthy enough to run the team, that Vance, Durham, Enoch etc were UConn tough players, that Cobb was worth the risk etc... If he wasn’t so stubborn and would be willing to bring in an assistant to run the offense, I might be willing to give him that final chance as coach. The problem is he’s also the GM, responsible for stocking the cupboard for the coach, a role he’s proven to be poor at. He’s just not up to the task and not equipped to handle all the responsibilities of a head coach of a major D1 basketball program.

Well-argued, and a welcome example of "say what you mean, mean what you say, but don't say it mean."
Thanks for adding to the discussion in ways that many of the emotional outbursts don't. You may be right, though the additional (highly conditional) opportunity that AW advocates could be part of a larger context (and thus locked in) and work out in ways that surprise. I don't you, and you don't either.
It's clear that you've drawn your conclusion, but I appreciate the breathing room you've left with your approach and delivery.

 

[Towney007]

It’s just as exhausting as hearing Ollie compared to Calhoun, and realizing the same will be true of every coach to follow him.

Hey we don't agree on much, but I'm 100% with you on this.

JC is just awful to compare anyone with. Coach K, Wooden, Smith.. I'd put Izzo in that class for sure... Roy Williams probably deserves to be there. But all those guys are generational talent. All of them sans MAYBE Williams came out of nowhere. Built something where there wasn't much. In places where *prior to being there* it was hard to put teams together. Now all of them are considered places that are afterthoughts that great talent wouldn't want to go there. Because of what they built. And hey - I still think UConn can be that kind of place.

And for the record, it's not like I enjoy Ollie's failures. I mean the potential... man. I just remember thinking so highly of him after 2014 and thinking to myself 'what are the freaking odds, man... that you get a generational head coach. He leaves and his hand picked guy comes in. Alum. NBA journeyman and in a way - just a representation in every way of what the program is and should be about. And he has the chance and it looks like he'll be just as good or close to it. And not that it matters, but it does that he's black. I mean a successful, potentially great, home-grown african american coach in a place like freaking Connecticut and the world is his oyster. That's stupidly lucky."

But based on the results and the accumulation of it all - and the overall mood of the culture around him... from the players to the fans, to all of it - it's clear there needs to be a change. I think everyone's mostly on board with that at this point.

And comparisons are inevitable, but I don't think they're fair. And in a way - that's why i'm willing and hoping they go off the proverbial reservation when they track down the next guy.Because I'm hoping we find the first 'next guy' and people don't get lost in finding another JC. That's not happening, that's not fair to expect that to happen, etc. I think you get my point.

 

[Huskybass]

W

But these are his guys August. He’s the one who thought Larrier would be special, that Anderson had NBA potential, that Polley was a good recruit, that Durham could be the same guy after two torn acls, that Alterique would be healthy enough to run the team, that Vance, Durham, Enoch etc were UConn tough players, that Cobb was worth the risk etc... If he wasn’t so stubborn and would be willing to bring in an assistant to run the offense, I might be willing to give him that final chance as coach. The problem is he’s also the GM, responsible for stocking the cupboard for the coach, a role he’s proven to be poor at. He’s just not up to the task and not equipped to handle all the responsibilities of a head coach of a major D1 basketball program.

All true and perfectly stated. Anyone who is being objective sees all this.