In Face of Adversity, Kevin Ollie is Having Perhaps Best Season on Sidelines

[huskymagic]

Now it has become comical to expect minimum levels of greatness from a 4 time champion. The preemptive lowering of expectations is alive and well on the boneyard. A team with Jalen, Rique, Makai, Vital, Terry, Vance, Enoch, Durham, Mamadou is not enough to be top 25 your saying. I wonder what Tim Jankovich or Mick Cronin could do with that lineup.

A top 25 ranking from wire to wire should be the least expectation for Ollie and next years roster. If he is fumbling and bumbling next year again we need to look in another direction. We don't want to become Georgetown or St Johns, but we will if we keep accepting mediocrity as the new norm

 

[ctchamps]

Now it has become comical to expect minimum levels of greatness from a 4 time champion. The preemptive lowering of expectations is alive and well on the boneyard. A team with Jalen, Rique, Makai, Vital, Terry, Vance, Enoch, Durham, Mamadou is not enough to be top 25 your saying. I wonder what Tim Jankovich or Mick Cronin could do with that lineup.

A top 25 ranking from wire to wire should be the least expectation for Ollie and next years roster. If he is fumbling and bumbling next year again we need to look in another direction. We don't want to become Georgetown or St Johns, but we will if we keep accepting mediocrity as the new norm

Do you understand the difference between wanting something and expecting something? Everyone wants to win the multimillion dollar lottery. Those that expect it are considered delusional. The reality doesn't support the expectation.

We all want the program to maintain it's elite status. Some of us believe that injuries delay development of players. That's the norm because even if they have complete physical recovery there is an impact due to the rust from not playing competitive basketball for a period of time. Do you believe that missing a year or two of play can be overcome in a month or two months? Didn't happen for Omar. Didn't happen for Rodney. Hasn't happened for Juwan. I'm sure people in this forum can present many other examples outside this program that support my contention and I'm sure that number would be greater than the number of players that can support your dismissal of the importance injuries have on future performance.

The predominate opinion in this forum is that Amida lacks enough skills to be an asset for this team. I'm more on the fence than most. But you certainly have taken the position that he is an asset, which by default implies that SE is currently a weaker player at the five. How do you account for the transition from Amida to Steve being seamless? Do you think life is like "Dungeons and Dragons" and like that game things happen in life because we fantasize their occurrence?

Next years roster has question marks because of the injuries and because we had to cut loose Zach Brown. Now it's possible Zach may have not turned out to be the player in college his profile demonstrated in high school, but he showed a lot more at that level than Steven ever did in his high school games. So the expectations by the coaching staff and fans regarding Zach were reasonable enough to be excited about his putting on a UConn uniform even as the most rational of us understand that high school performance does not always translate to the college level. Stating this caveat, I am of the opinion his loss could have a considerable negative impact next season.

I have no idea what Cronin or Jankovich can do with our line up. I can make some silly claim as well such as wondering what Geno could do with that line up. All you're doing is putting down KO based on their recent success relative to his. This put down is pedantic, immature and myopic. Not because you are wrong with concerns about KO, we all have concerns, but because your arguments are so flawed and exaggerated.

 

[Travelman6]

So people are "delusional" if they expect 12 or 13 wins in the aac next year, or even 14? They are "delusional" if they expect somewhere around 22 to 24 wins or so pre AAC-T and a decent seed in the tourney? No, with the talent uconn will have next year, that is a very fair expectation. I am not expecting world beaters, but a competent team that can compete with the majority of teams in the nation and are fringe top 25. To expect anything less is insane.

 

[Husky25]

I hope you at least have a hotkey saved on your computer that automatically generates "[team] plays 7 players" to save you some time. It must be exhausting.

Can you really not see the difference between Duke, KU and UK playing 7 vs. the 7 that UConn plays this season?

No. It's been explained. He thinks life is a video game set on JV.

 

[ctchamps]

So people are "delusional" if they expect 12 or 13 wins in the aac next year, or even 14? They are "delusional" if they expect somewhere around 22 to 24 wins or so pre AAC-T and a decent seed in the tourney? No, with the talent uconn will have next year, that is a very fair expectation. I am not expecting world beaters, but a competent team that can compete with the majority of teams in the nation and are fringe top 25. To expect anything less is insane.

Yep it's a delusion if we believe things are supposed to happen the way we have played it out in our heads.

I have high expectations for next season. That doesn't mean my predictions are set in stone. That's the difference between some of us. Failed expectations are just that - incorrect predictions. You of all people have lived through an experience which demonstrates this (of course in a positive way).

 

[RM99]

I have posted this before but I have to say it again. UCONN's strength is it's family. Coach Ollie is family. The AAC is a negative for recruiting, KO and the family are the positives. If Coach Ollie goes it will create a vacuum that could make UCONN a lower echelon division one team forever, not just for one struggling season. This team is struggling and so it seems is the fan base. Just my opinion because I love Connecticut basketball!

 

[ctchamps]

I have posted this before but I have to say it again. UCONN's strength is it's family. Coach Ollie is family. The AAC is a negative for recruiting, KO and the family are the positives. If Coach Ollie goes it will create a vacuum that could make UCONN a lower echelon division one team forever, not just for one struggling season. This team is struggling and so it seems is the fan base. Just my opinion because I love Connecticut basketball!

I love your opinion. We should have a love category as well as a like category. BTW just your opinion. I don't think you're my type!

 

[Paesano]

I have posted this before but I have to say it again. UCONN's strength is it's family. Coach Ollie is family. The AAC is a negative for recruiting, KO and the family are the positives. If Coach Ollie goes it will create a vacuum that could make UCONN a lower echelon division one team forever, not just for one struggling season. This team is struggling and so it seems is the fan base. Just my opinion because I love Connecticut basketball!

JT III is family at Georgetown. It isn't looking good at GTown.

 

[Paesano]

Why yes, yes I do. I think it's silly for you to believe you are in the position to demand anything from the team. Want? Sure. But your position is comical.

How about this. I want the AD and university president to demand it. They are in a position to do so, no? The real world works like that. Employers demand some minimal level of performance or they fire you. Everyone has some threshold they must stay above to keep their job except, maybe, public school teachers in a union. I get that some people are ready to use injuries as an excuse again next year. That is generous of them. They are nicer than I am. How about the year after? Would it be crazy to demand Top 25 then too?

 

[ctchamps]

How about this. I want the AD and university president to demand it. They are in a position to do so, no? The real world works like that. Employers demand some minimal level of performance or they fire you. Everyone has some threshold they must stay above to keep their job except, maybe, public school teachers in a union. I get that some people are ready to use injuries as an excuse again next year. That is generous of them. They are nicer than I am. How about the year after? Would it be crazy to demand Top 25 then too?

If next year they don't perform up to my expectations and there are no new adversarial developments then I'd have a more critical assessment. If something bad happens next year to impact the following year than I reevaluate. I just can't get as upset as some of you given the circumstances.

 

[husky429]

If next year they don't perform up to my expectations and there are no new adversarial developments then I'd have a more critical assessment. If something bad happens next year to impact the following year than I reevaluate. I just can't get as upset as some of you given the circumstances.

What do you think next year will be like? There's only so much we'll be able to do without a serviceable (I wouldn't even call Enoch serviceable now--can't stay on the door) center. Facey will also be a HUGE void to fill.

I'm hoping for a grad transfer big of some kind.

 

[Matrim55]

What do you think next year will be like? There's only so much we'll be able to do without a serviceable (I wouldn't even call Enoch serviceable now--can't stay on the door) center. Facey will also be a HUGE void to fill.

I'm hoping for a grad transfer big of some kind.

I think the vast majority of us are hoping for a postgrad big, and whether we get one or not will go a long way toward determining the answer to your opening question.

I also think it's fair to expect significant, if not necessarily season-changing improvement from Enoch & Durham.

 

[ctchamps]

What do you think next year will be like? There's only so much we'll be able to do without a serviceable (I wouldn't even call Enoch serviceable now--can't stay on the door) center. Facey will also be a HUGE void to fill.

I'm hoping for a grad transfer big of some kind.

I downgraded next year considerably after Juwan suffered the second ACL and Zach was cut loose. A Juwan entering college playing his entire senior year at high school was going to be a lot better player than we saw this season. And Zach was going to be a big upgrade over AB and SE imo (conjecture of course).

Injuries to AG and TL only added to my concerns next season. Of course some of us were projecting Terry as leaving after this season. He showed proficiency on the offensive end even as the team was trying to feel itself out so I kept him off the table in considering what next year could be like. He's back next season but that's two years he won't have played competitive bb so it's hard to know what he can bring next season.

Gilbert is the player I really wish we had for this entire season. I still think he's better at running the team and playing Jalen as the off guard at least at the beginning of sets. The opportunity he could have had in getting college experience will have to occur next season which has to delay the way the team comes out the gate.

It's great to have MAL coming in. But contrary to others I'm not sure a freshman MAL is better than senior RP in spite of the frustrating start RP had this season on offense. I think people really overlook what he does on defense and how important his demeanor is in settling Jalen down. I have no clue about the other two recruits. If push comes to shove I'm not completely optimistic how much they can contribute. Hope I'm wrong.

A really good grad transfer at the five would help, but there are a lot of question marks next year that prevents me from proclaiming this is a top twenty five team or even a top tier AAC team.

 

[husky429]

I downgraded next year considerably after Juwan suffered the second ACL and Zach was cut loose. A Juwan entering college playing his entire senior year at high school was going to be a lot better player than we saw this season. And Zach was going to be a big upgrade over AB and SE imo (conjecture of course).

Injuries to AG and TL only added to my concerns next season. Of course some of us were projecting Terry as leaving after this season. He showed proficiency on the offensive end even as the team was trying to feel itself out so I kept him off the table in considering what next year could be like. He's back next season but that's two years he won't have played competitive bb so it's hard to know what he can bring next season.

Gilbert is the player I really wish we had for this entire season. I still think he's better at running the team and playing Jalen as the off guard at least at the beginning of sets. The opportunity he could have had in getting college experience will have to occur next season which has to delay the way the team comes out the gate.

It's great to have MAL coming in. But contrary to others I'm not sure a freshman MAL is better than senior RP in spite of the frustrating start RP had this season on offense. I think people really overlook what he does on defense and how important his demeanor is in settling Jalen down. I have no clue about the other two recruits. If push comes to shove I'm not completely optimistic how much they can contribute. Hope I'm wrong.

A really good grad transfer at the five would help, but there are a lot of question marks next year that prevents me from proclaiming this is a top twenty five team or even a top tier AAC team.

My guess is grad transfer or not, we play Vance at the 4 quite a bit with larrier. Maybe 20 minutes. Those sets where the 4-man helps swing the ball around the perimeter as the off guard cuts baseline (kind of a wheel offense) could be killer with a shooter at the 4. Might also help mitigate some of vances lack of foot speed as well.

 

[Mr. Hand]

My guess is grad transfer or not, we play Vance at the 4 quite a bit with larrier. Maybe 20 minutes. Those sets where the 4-man helps swing the ball around the perimeter as the off guard cuts baseline (kind of a wheel offense) could be killer with a shooter at the 4. Might also help mitigate some of vances lack of foot speed as well.

I've been saying this all year. Pair Vance with a long and mobile forward who can shoot it a bit himself and D up against small forwards (like Larrier), and now you're getting somewhere.