I've reached my breaking point with Ollie

[champs99and04]

You are missing the point the Durham is still getting his feet under him and isn't ready to play major minutes. Unfortunately we just don't have any other options with both Larrier and AG hurt.

I wasn't under the impression that he was under any minutes restrictions. I'm not suggesting we play him 30 minutes per game, but he should be seeing more time than he's getting.

At some point, Facey and another big have to be on the floor together.

As I understand it, you're advocating playing Vital, Purvis, and Adams together for... 38 minutes?

When any of these 3 sit, and especially when they are in foul trouble, you're going to have 2 bigs in there.

No, I'm advocating that the four spot be filled by a committee of Jackson and Durham. If Facey has to play some pinch minutes there, fine, but he should not be starting games there.

 

[jibsey]

Brimah tries hard and does block but he was put down just by a player boxing him out. Thought an ambulance would be called. After a horrendous start we had grit but with those 2 players out we do not have enough this year.KO won't do it but Inwould go to the frosh plus Enoch and Jalen and just see them get experience.

 

[mauconnfan]

We going with unbuttoning just the top, or the top two? I vote for top two but I'm flexible.

I like mocks, screw the buttons.

 

[superjohn]

Conveys a message of "I took the short bus" to me.

It's a big look with Eastern European men, they aren't exactly known for their fashion.

 

[RichZ]

Lots of coaches play seven man rotations in college ball. We've got seven guys who can play.

Unfortunately, too many of them are bigs of limited skills, and not enough are outside shooting ball handlers. From a flexibility standpoint, the loss of Gilbert it far more damaging than the loss of Larrier.

 

[nychuskyfan]

At some point, Facey and another big have to be on the floor together.

As I understand it, you're advocating playing Vital, Purvis, and Adams together for... 38 minutes?

When any of these 3 sit, and especially when they are in foul trouble, you're going to have 2 bigs in there.

Yes. With Adams and Purvis playing 36+ mins, Vital, Jackson and Durham should average 25 mins each to ensure Facey almost never shares the floor with Brimah. I think we got outscored about 35-10 to start the games vs OK St and Oregon with our 2 big man lineup. At the very least, Kelis Fisher shouldn't be in our starting lineup. I'm sure he is a nice kid and a good ambassador for the program, but his lack of versatility is killing us.

 

[upstater]

Yes. With Adams and Purvis playing 36+ mins, Vital, Jackson and Durham should average 25 mins each to ensure Facey almost never shares the floor with Brimah. I think we got outscored about 35-10 to start the games vs OK St and Oregon with our 2 big man lineup. At the very least, Kelis Fisher shouldn't be in our starting lineup. I'm sure he is a nice kid and a good ambassador for the program, but his lack of versatility is killing us.

Even if you're totally right, I can't be the only one who noticed that the poor starts happened on the perimeter, with horrendous ball handling, lack of closeouts, guards blowing by our guards, and just a general stupor.

Couple that with a bad foul and then 2 possessions to Oregon today on a 3 pointer that bounced off a generous ri, and a phantom foul, and you have a 15 point run.

Still, given the limitations of this lineup, you are going to see 2 of Facey and Brimah and Enoch out there for 5-10 minutes a game, at least. And I certainly hope Vance finds his shot so that we can have the luxury of putting him at the 4 for extended minutes.

 

[superjohn]

Facey should never be on the court with Brimah, we have three years of evidence as to why.

 

[UConnStats]

UConn is not good this year, but this * is unbearable and needs to end.

Ollie hasn't coached many good offenses, true. He's also been coach to phenomenal defenses. He's also at minimum a "good" recruiter. We can't do any better. He's a young coach. He needs time and patience too.

If UConn is to really suck this year, the worst ting we can do as fans is mope and complain. It's embarrassing. Look towards the future. Adams is a stud, Jackson will be a big time scorer, and Vital will be one of the best three star recruits we've ever had. UConn'a world isn't ending, but people acting like it is are only hurting the reputation of the program. There's going to be lumps, suck it up and be supportive.

 

[superjohn]

UConn is not good this year, but this * is unbearable and needs to end.

Ollie hasn't coached many good offenses, true. He's also been coach to phenomenal defenses. He's also at minimum a "good" recruiter. We can't do any better. He's a young coach. He needs time and patience too.

If UConn is to really suck this year, the worst ting we can do as fans is mope and complain. It's embarrassing. Look towards the future. Adams is a stud, Jackson will be a big time scorer, and Vital will be one of the best three star recruits we've ever had. UConn'a world isn't ending, but people acting like it is are only hurting the reputation of the program. There's going to be lumps, suck it up and be supportive.

Pointing out glaring weaknesses our coach needs to improve upon is called being a good fan. Saying everything is sunshine and rainbows when it's not is being a poor fan IMO.

 

[RipCity]

UConn is not good this year, but this * is unbearable and needs to end.

Ollie hasn't coached many good offenses, true. He's also been coach to phenomenal defenses. He's also at minimum a "good" recruiter. We can't do any better. He's a young coach. He needs time and patience too.

If UConn is to really suck this year, the worst ting we can do as fans is mope and complain. It's embarrassing. Look towards the future. Adams is a stud, Jackson will be a big time scorer, and Vital will be one of the best three star recruits we've ever had. UConn'a world isn't ending, but people acting like it is are only hurting the reputation of the program. There's going to be lumps, suck it up and be supportive.

Preach. When you don't have Coach K or Cal this happens once in a while. If you're bailing now, then act embarrassed when they're nasty next year and have fun bashing our coach to the rest of the world.

 

[UConnStats]

Pointing out glaring weaknesses our coach needs to improve upon is called being a good fan. Saying everything is sunshine and rainbows when it's not is being a poor fan IMO.

Never said everything is, but some people (not directing this at you) are taking it to a level that doesn't need to exist. The whole board needs to man up a bit.

 

[jrazz12]

UConn is not good this year, but this * is unbearable and needs to end.

Ollie hasn't coached many good offenses, true. He's also been coach to phenomenal defenses. He's also at minimum a "good" recruiter. We can't do any better. He's a young coach. He needs time and patience too.

If UConn is to really suck this year, the worst ting we can do as fans is mope and complain. It's embarrassing. Look towards the future. Adams is a stud, Jackson will be a big time scorer, and Vital will be one of the best three star recruits we've ever had. UConn'a world isn't ending, but people acting like it is are only hurting the reputation of the program. There's going to be lumps, suck it up and be supportive.

Amen. This place is getting overrun by pathetic losers

 

[RichZ]

Pointing out glaring weaknesses...

If they are glaring, they do not need to be pointed out.

 

[uconnever]

UConn is not good this year, but this * is unbearable and needs to end.

Ollie hasn't coached many good offenses, true. He's also been coach to phenomenal defenses. He's also at minimum a "good" recruiter. We can't do any better. He's a young coach. He needs time and patience too.

If UConn is to really suck this year, the worst ting we can do as fans is mope and complain. It's embarrassing. Look towards the future. Adams is a stud, Jackson will be a big time scorer, and Vital will be one of the best three star recruits we've ever had. UConn'a world isn't ending, but people acting like it is are only hurting the reputation of the program. There's going to be lumps, suck it up and be supportive.

Well said. Wish those fans would go support some other team. What a bunch of babies. I can't imagine the laugh others are getting at the melt down of some of our fans. Everythings gonna be fine as early as next year and they should feel real stupid. What guys aren't aloud time to grow? Let coach and the players figure each other out.

 

[champs99and04]

UConn is not good this year, but this * is unbearable and needs to end.

Ollie hasn't coached many good offenses, true. He's also been coach to phenomenal defenses. He's also at minimum a "good" recruiter. We can't do any better. He's a young coach. He needs time and patience too.

If UConn is to really suck this year, the worst ting we can do as fans is mope and complain. It's embarrassing. Look towards the future. Adams is a stud, Jackson will be a big time scorer, and Vital will be one of the best three star recruits we've ever had. UConn'a world isn't ending, but people acting like it is are only hurting the reputation of the program. There's going to be lumps, suck it up and be supportive.

It's not like anybody is calling for him to be fired. At least I'm not. It's possible to express frustration while still maintaining perspective, and while Ollie is still a young coach who deserves time to grow, it's obvious that he's well behind some of his peers at this point (which, again, is to be expected, but when your team doesn't look particularly well coached, it's obvious).

Incidentally, I'm not terribly concerned about the defense. It'll be tightened up. Perhaps not to the level I would have hoped for at the beginning of the season, but it'll be a solid unit by January.

My main concern with Ollie isn't actually the x's and o's but rather the fact that he hasn't demonstrated a great feel for managing his personnel. Playing Facey at the four isn't putting him in a position to succeed. Leaving Brimah out there to chase three point shooters isn't putting him in a position to succeed. Starting two bigs and allowing opposing defenses to tee off on Adams and Purvis isn't putting them in a position to succeed. Playing a zone at any time is not putting anybody in a position to succeed.

This team has limitations and they will be exposed. But good coaches tend to disguise those limitations a lot more efficiently than what we've seen from Ollie this season. Sending Facey and Brimah out there to take on an ultra-athletic Oregon team is leading the lambs to their slaughter.

 

[huskyharry]

Brimah tries hard and does block but he was put down just by a player boxing him out. Thought an ambulance would be called. After a horrendous start we had grit but with those 2 players out we do not have enough this year.KO won't do it but Inwould go to the frosh plus Enoch and Jalen and just see them get experience.

Actually, he took a shot to the face...and a lot of elbows to the body

 

[mauconnfan]

It's not like anybody is calling for him to be fired. At least I'm not. It's possible to express frustration while still maintaining perspective, and while Ollie is still a young coach who deserves time to grow, it's obvious that he's well behind some of his peers at this point (which, again, is to be expected, but when your team doesn't look particularly well coached, it's obvious).

Incidentally, I'm not terribly concerned about the defense. It'll be tightened up. Perhaps not to the level I would have hoped for at the beginning of the season, but it'll be a solid unit by January.

My main concern with Ollie isn't actually the x's and o's but rather the fact that he hasn't demonstrated a great feel for managing his personnel. Playing Facey at the four isn't putting him in a position to succeed. Leaving Brimah out there to chase three point shooters isn't putting him in a position to succeed. Starting two bigs and allowing opposing defenses to tee off on Adams and Purvis isn't putting them in a position to succeed. Playing a zone at any time is not putting anybody in a position to succeed.

This team has limitations and they will be exposed. But good coaches tend to disguise those limitations a lot more efficiently than what we've seen from Ollie this season. Sending Facey and Brimah out there to take on an ultra-athletic Oregon team is leading the lambs to their slaughter.

I agree with most good post and I agree he can't have Brimah out there casing 3 pt shooters but the fact is teams will have bigs who can do that (Boucher) and he either needs to do that or sit. He's playing well so how in his right mind could he have taken him out vs Boucher last night? I mean he's athletic enough to get out there, force him to put it on the floor or get your hand his face right?

But totally agree with you, Facey and Brimah (also known as Kelis Fisher and AB to Deepster) just can't be on the floor at the sam time for much if any time, it hurts on both ends of the floor.

 

[BUConn10]

We are also ignoring the fact that every single one of our games by default will be 8 vs 5.

 

[ConnZag3]

So the UConn team was on my flight late last night from Maui to LAX and I have to say that I found it interesting that while the team was sitting together in the airport having a reasonably decent time before boarding, Ollie was sitting on the complete opposite end of the gate area with no one from the team or staff anywhere near him. Also thought it was interesting that the entire team and staff was in coach on the flight except for Ollie sitting row 1 in first class.

I'm sure this is making something out of nothing but...

Or maybe this explains the slow starts in Maui in that our players were so stiff from being crammed in coach for 11 hours of flights. Can't believe UConn doesn't charter for something like Maui. Pretty sure Wisconsin and UNC at least chartered for the trip. Maybe this is part of the AAC purgatory effect...

 

[Chief00]

UConn is not good this year, but this * is unbearable and needs to end.

Ollie hasn't coached many good offenses, true. He's also been coach to phenomenal defenses. He's also at minimum a "good" recruiter. We can't do any better. He's a young coach. He needs time and patience too.

If UConn is to really suck this year, the worst ting we can do as fans is mope and complain. It's embarrassing. Look towards the future. Adams is a stud, Jackson will be a big time scorer, and Vital will be one of the best three star recruits we've ever had. UConn'a world isn't ending, but people acting like it is are only hurting the reputation of the program. There's going to be lumps, suck it up and be supportive.

I don't see Adams here next year.

 

[dennismenace]

Pointing out glaring weaknesses our coach needs to improve upon is called being a good fan. Saying everything is sunshine and rainbows when it's not is being a poor fan IMO.

I understand the frustration and many good minds on this board have pointed out things that I never saw. That's fine and I am grateful for the insight.
But there comes a time when we have to accept reality. All the belaboring of the perceived weaknesses over and over again is not going to change anything.
I don't think the AD and president are looking for insight from the BY at this point. There are potentially a lot of recruits who may be looking at this board
and we don't necessarily make a good advertisement for the program when we keep despairing and complaining. Have to stay positive and look to the future. Wonder if KO (and AD and president) have taken up the matters with JC for his insight). JC loyal to the program to the end. Let's hope that KO and the rest of the leadership get united and straighten things out both inside this season and eyeing the future with lessons learned.

 

[djct1999]

UConn is not good this year, but this * is unbearable and needs to end.

Ollie hasn't coached many good offenses, true. He's also been coach to phenomenal defenses. He's also at minimum a "good" recruiter. We can't do any better. He's a young coach. He needs time and patience too.

If UConn is to really suck this year, the worst ting we can do as fans is mope and complain. It's embarrassing. Look towards the future. Adams is a stud, Jackson will be a big time scorer, and Vital will be one of the best three star recruits we've ever had. UConn'a world isn't ending, but people acting like it is are only hurting the reputation of the program. There's going to be lumps, suck it up and be supportive.

This is absolute nonsense. Let me remind you that Ollie is the highest paid person by the state of ct in a results orientated business. If he isn't getting the results that his 3million plus comp package warrants, he deserves all the criticism in the world. To me, the embarrassment is the performance to date by this team. Not the criticism that has coincided.

 

[upstater]

This is absolute nonsense. Let me remind you that Ollie is the highest paid person by the state of ct in a results orientated business. If he isn't getting the results that his 3million plus comp package warrants, he deserves all the criticism in the world. To me, the embarrassment is the performance to date by this team. Not the criticism that has coincided.

You guys are wound too tight.

We're criticizing you, not your right to criticize.

Ollie was heavily criticized here right up until he won a championship. Calhoun used to be heavily criticized here even after winning championships.

Jeez, Louise, you guys have absolutely no patience.

 

[mauconnfan]

You guys are wound too tight.

We're criticizing you, not your right to criticize.

Ollie was heavily criticized here right up until he won a championship. Calhoun used to be heavily criticized here even after winning championships.

Jeez, Louise, you guys have absolutely no patience.

Calhoun's offense was crappy too during off years. It comes and it goes, they come and they go. next......

 

[upstater]

Calhoun's offense was crappy too during off years. It comes and it goes, they come and they go. next.

In 2010, Calhoun was done. Over. We needed to make a transition.

In 2012, it was so ugly, it was time to retire definitely.

Personally, I wouldn't have minded if he came back for a few more years.

I also think many of the fans posting here will be gone when UConn doesn't win 4 championships in the next 16 years.

If UConn becomes Indiana, they will fly the coup.

 

[David 76]

[QUOTE I also think many of the fans posting here will be gone when UConn doesn't win 4 championships in the next 16 years.
.[/QUOTE]


That would be the silver lining!

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Preach. When you don't have Coach K or Cal this happens once in a while. If you're bailing now, then act embarrassed when they're nasty next year and have fun bashing our coach to the rest of the world.

The problem isn't that "this happens once in a while". The problem is conference realignment and what it will eventually do to all sports at UConn. Not being in a P5 conference kills them in two areas: $$$ and and being able to recruit at the highest levels. This is very similar to the dire warning made by Lew Perkins in the 90's when is was pleading/pushing for UConn to commit to joining the BE in football. At the time he warned that if UConn did not take advantage of the small window of opportunity it had, failure to do so would eventually effect all sports. I believe that to be true today.

 

[djct1999]

You guys are wound too tight.

We're criticizing you, not your right to criticize.

Ollie was heavily criticized here right up until he won a championship. Calhoun used to be heavily criticized here even after winning championships.

Jeez, Louise, you guys have absolutely no patience.

Patience? We were just told for the past few years to support athletics unconditionally to enhance its P5 profile. Yeah, so much for that. Now, the football and more specifically men's basketball are a shell of themselves and we are supposed to be patient. Why don't you be consistent! Pick a side, you can't have it both ways. UConn can't afford to be patient. Especially with coaches 3-5 years in.
I am sorry but if you don't think Ollie deserves criticism then you don't quite understand where UConn resides in the business of college athletics. The start to this season has done more harm than a 2-4(1-4 to the committee) record would indicate.

Patience......Haha, that's a good one.

 

[tentoes4rings]

You guys are wound too tight.

We're criticizing you, not your right to criticize.

Ollie was heavily criticized here right up until he won a championship. Calhoun used to be heavily criticized here even after winning championships.

Jeez, Louise, you guys have absolutely no patience.

How was Ollie heavily criticized prior to the 2014 championship? He got guys who had nothing to play for to play their butts off in 12-13 and produce better results than any of us could have imagined. He then won a ring in his second year. It's only the past year or so that he's taken heat by the fan base and rightly so, given the results.