JC Distancing Himself

[nyhuskies13]

Am I the only person on the planet who thinks a Jim Calhoun return to Storrs would be the stuff of legend?

Where is the enthusiasm for bringing back the guy who made UConn as we know it??? Borges indicated Calhoun would have interest and might even do it for $1m/yr (doesn’t need to the money)

Why don’t we have billboards on I-91 asking coach to come back. He retired early, seems healthy, and cares about UConn more than anyone in the planet.

That would rock the entire landscape of college basketball. Should help recruiting and create a buzz around the program.

Jim Calhoun returns to the University of Connecticut excites me more than any possible candidate and it’s not close.

 

[willie99]

If he wants it, I want it

I just don't have confidence we're landing a great coach who will be committed to the program. I hope I'm proven wrong, I want to be wrong.

JC would be a good stop gap

 

[TRest]

No thank you. Anyone remember John Chaney's last years at Temple?

 

[pj]

Calhoun can be a backup plan -- if we fail to get a good coach this year he steps in for a year and we try again next year, when there's more clarity on the NCAA violations.

But it will be hard to recruit with an interim coach, that's a backup plan at best. Hurley would be the desired candidate.

 

[willie99]

Is John Chaney a Jim Calhoun now?

How many hiring flops can we cite to mitigate this type of argument? I assure you, we can disqualify every person alive going down this path.

PS: To answer your question , No. The only thing I know about Chaney is that his reputation was much greater than his post season accomplishments

 

[willie99]

Calhoun can be a backup plan -- if we fail to get a good coach this year he steps in for a year and we try again next year, when there's more clarity on the NCAA violations.

But it will be hard to recruit with an interim coach, that's a backup plan at best. Hurley would be the desired candidate.

There would have to be a CIW. But I don't expect this to happen

 

[TRest]

Is John Chaney a Jim Calhoun now?

How many hiring flops can we cite to mitigate this type of argument? I assure you, we can disqualify every person alive going down this path.

PS: To answer your question , No. The only thing I know about Chaney is that his reputation was much greater than his post season accomplishments

People may be assuming we would be getting the JC of 20 years ago. It's an age argument, not an accomplishment argument.

 

[willie99]

OK, fair enough, but I'm going to suggest an old Jim C would be better than an old John C

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

What’s next? Edsall takes over the football te...

 

[UConnSwag11]

No way. What does that say about the program and to other potential coaches? Terrible idea

 

[metsfan2323]

I love it as a back up plan. We appear to have a Hall of Fame safety net and we might very well need it.

I do think it would be cool if Hurley asked him to do a Gene Keady and be a defensive coach but that would be up to Hurley. I kinda feel bad for JC, the fire still burns, it sucks getting old.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

A bigger story would be Geno.

I’m all in.

 

[UConn990411]

Calhoun is my favorite coach ever, but the man is 75 years old.

Other teams (effectively) used his age against him in recruiting when he was in his 60s. I’d imagine it would be a more effective negative recruiting tactic now.

 

[boog204]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who does not want JC back. The man is 75 years old. Our recently terminated coach was killed here as info came out that he was not the most ardent recruiter. Do you think JC is going to be flying all over the country killing it on the recruiting trail? I'd find it hard to believe. His legacy is nearly perfect. I don't want him coming back here to go .500 for two years so he can give the gig to another former player.

 

[metsfan2323]

A bigger story would be Geno.

I’m all in.

It would be amazing. I think for the first time ever we would kind of be America's team as I am sure a lot of people would be pulling for him, and everyone would be paying attention.

Now imagine if Geno brought JC aboard to help him recruit, that could be a top rated TV show.

 

[conorg223]

At 76 this May, it's difficult to envision Calhoun wanting the rigors of being the HC again. Long days spent in hot summer gyms scouting, recruiting trips, media commitments; the job is exhausting. At the X's & O's level he's our man but these issues compounded with the uncertainty in recruiting (could an 18 year old be assured Calhoun will see him through to Senior year?) will leave a lot of us disappointed. Please read through the archives on the BY and rehash the calls for a new, younger voice circa 2010. Calhoun's gilded history at UConn is something to be celebrated however it's in everyone's best interested to consider the full complexity of being a head coach in 2018.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

It would be amazing. I think for the first time ever we would kind of be America's team as I am sure a lot of people would be pulling for him, and everyone would be paying attention.

Now imagine if Geno brought JC aboard to help him recruit, that could be a top rated TV show.

My wish list is:

1. Geno
2. Hurley
3. Everyone else

We would dominate the news cycle for months. If Geno won on the men’s side there’s low risk of him taking another job anywhere. Getting him to take it on is another story.

 

[Stainmaster]

If you care about Calhoun at all, you won’t demand that someone with his health subject his body to the wear and tear of being a DI head coach.

 

[Peacefrog]

Opposing coaches were already successfully negative-recruiting against Calhoun and his age/health half a decade ago. How's that going to go now? I just don't see recruits believing he's going to be around for any length of time. And I don't want to see the guy coach himself to death. Literally.

 

[borninansonia]

UConn needs a long term solution. Bringing JC back would only delay the inevitable decision on a new coach.

And I fear if JC came back, the legend of JC could be tarnished. It's not an easy job, especially for his age and in this conference, and I don't want to see JC fail.

 

[RoderickSpode]

Between the recruiting issues mentioned and the fact that he already missed so many games for health reasons six years ago, this is a non starter.

This isn’t about his status as a great basketball mind - he may be the #1 living person in that regard. You need someone with the energy to build the program back up. This is not 1986.

 

[cohenzone]

If anything would imply the program is a mess, hiring Calhoun would top the list. If he is ever a plan B or Plan C that we have to fall back on, then we are way, way less attractive than I think we are or the NCAA has more on us than even JC of the biblical variety can fix. The only worse hire would be Pitino.

 

[kemba]

Look I don't think Calhoun is the best option either, I'd turn to him if we struck out on some long term options we felt good about. But as far as negative recruiting...he won a championship in 2011 and with that class and the next one put together another championship team in 2014. I hope teams can continue to "successfully" negatively recruit against us like that in the future.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Going full Pontius Pilate with his comments.

Quoted as saying he and Kevin don't talk much basketball anymore and that there isn't much of any relationship at all.

Axing KO and moving on is fine with JC and it's a message to all former Huskies that this was on KO not on UConn. You can align with UConn on decision and path forward for "cause" and not feel like you are executing one of your own.