Jeff Jacobs Conveying our sentiments...

[Chelo]

Jeff Jacobs: Empty Seats, Full Anger From UConn Fans

"While it is impossible to canvas every UConn fan, social media certainly does send some loud messages. And Twitter and message boards have been very, very loud and nasty in recent days with dissatisfaction about Kevin Ollie and the UConn basketball program. You know what sends an even louder message? Hundreds and hundreds of empty seats. "

"Well, Jim Calhoun isn't walking through that door. In fact, the former coach left during the second half. One fewer seat filled."

 

[DaveHuskiesFan]

This is what you took from that article?

 

[8893]

Actually, true to form, Jacobs goes to great lengths to rail against what he perceives to be "our" sentiments in that article.

 

[HooperScooper]

We live in a time when filled arenas are a challenge for all sports teams, but 3,808 sends a message louder than griping about the coach. And I don't think it's a fair one at this point. The kids deserve to tell their story on the court in front of lots of fans that don't quit on them in November.

He has a point. Let's stay with the team and assess things at the end of the season. I think the players deserve that.

 

[CL82]

Jeff Jacobs: Empty Seats, Full Anger From UConn Fans

"While it is impossible to canvas every UConn fan, social media certainly does send some loud messages. And Twitter and message boards have been very, very loud and nasty in recent days with dissatisfaction about Kevin Ollie and the UConn basketball program. You know what sends an even louder message? Hundreds and hundreds of empty seats. "

"Well, Jim Calhoun isn't walking through that door. In fact, the former coach left during the second half. One fewer seat filled."

Yet to start napalming him after a 5-2 start, man, that's harsh. To start napalming the entire team after seven games, man, that's unfair. There are lots and lots of chances for something good to happen to this team. And maybe it will. If it doesn't, well, March can bring a different story.

Jeff can be a contrarian, but I think that's a good thing in a columnist. He's voiced what some have said here, including me, that there is plenty of time to throw up your hands in frustration in February. But I will fully admit, after the first half, I wasn't feeling so comfortable with that position. Hopefully, this will be a lesson learned kind of game and the team will play with more intensity. That would be a big plus. I wish KO would have the kids work on more set pieces to change things up that involve something other than ISO and attack.

 

[Tuna]

Reading comprehension FTW

 

[Travelman6]

This is what you took from that article?

What did you take?

 

[Hi-Low]

The only thing I take away from that article is Jacobs giving the finger to the Boneyard for trashing him, he doesn't give a hoot about UConn basketball and doesn't speak for the fans.

Jacobs is an idiot.....I don't want him talking negatively or positively about UConn or covering UConn in any way....ban the dude from buildings, he can watch us at MSG and on the road.

 

[Padutch5]

We live in a time when filled arenas are a challenge for all sports teams, but 3,808 sends a message louder than griping about the coach. And I don't think it's a fair one at this point. The kids deserve to tell their story on the court in front of lots of fans that don't quit on them in November.

He has a point. Let's stay with the team and assess things at the end of the season. I think the players deserve that.

I agree with that sentiment. As a season ticket holder I plan to go to all of the home games. However, with an attendance last night of 3800, many fans are speaking with their feet. If the tv ratings follow as well, Benedict has to be concerned as well.

 

[UConnSwag11]

After the Huskies beat Oregon at the Phil Knight tribute tournament, expectations seemed to soar. Suddenly, UConn fans were jacked. It didn't matter that the Ducks had lost nearly all their key components from their Final Four team and that their top-rated recruiting class doesn't arrive until next season.

It was a good win and it was going to be trumpeted as a great win.

The balloon only expanded more in the first half against Michigan State. And then pop! Sparty has a terrific team this season and a one-point halftime deficit turned into a 20-point loss in the second half.

There was no excuse for the Arkansas stink bomb. The Huskies had nothing. They showed even less. The 102-67 final score flatters them. No offensive rhythm. No defensive effort. Blah. Blah. Blah. Puke.

Yet it seemed like Connecticut tilted Sunday with everybody jumping off the basketball wagon — only three days after Thanksgiving. One horrible loss seemed to turn into a referendum on UConn basketball. And c'mon, from the conference to a hundred other factors we all know it's much more nuanced than that.


...Yet to start napalming him after a 5-2 start, man, that's harsh. To start napalming the entire team after seven games, man, that's unfair. There are lots and lots of chances for something good to happen to this team. And maybe it will. If it doesn't, well, March can bring a different story.

 

[Balker]

Jeff Jacobs Conveying our sentiments...

That's gotta be the first time those words were ever spoken on the BY with a straight face.

 

[UCDaveD]

Jeff Jacobs is a blithering buffoon whose arrogance is only outweighed by his stupidity.

 

[Husky25]

I agree with that sentiment. As a season ticket holder I plan to go to all of the home games. However, with an attendance last night of 3800, many fans are speaking with their feet. If the tv ratings follow as well, Benedict has to be concerned as well.

Actually, the in-arena experience may have a leg up on SNY. I DVRed the game and started watching just after 8:00 (Bedtime for kids). I am positive I recorded channel 1253, but it looked as standard definition as it could possibly have been. The recording was cut off before the end of regulation too, but that is another matter altogether.

Seriously considering walking up on Saturday, merely so I don't have to deal with that again.

 

[BlueandOG]

What did you take?

This is the main idea of the article:

"Yet to start napalming him [Ollie] after a 5-2 start, man, that's harsh. To start napalming the entire team after seven games, man, that's unfair. There are lots and lots of chances for something good to happen to this team. And maybe it will. If it doesn't, well, March can bring a different story.

We live in a time when filled arenas are a challenge for all sports teams, but 3,808 sends a message louder than griping about the coach. And I don't think it's a fair one at this point. The kids deserve to tell their story on the court in front of lots of fans that don't quit on them in November."

They have a 5-2 record. They beat Oregon and played well for the first half against MSU. The season is young and so are our players. Relax, we're going to be OK.

 

[2Husky]

There were 4 consecutive halves basketball when the players and the coaches didn't care at all. I don't blame the fans for not wanting to watch a terrible product.

I don't think KO gets it yet, sports are supposed to be entertaining. If he did he would teach the team off sense and make the team run it. But for the past 3 years more often than not the team has no plan and looks terrible. For a guy who says no excuses he seems to have a lot of excuses.

 

[Mr. French]

I know he's a polarizing guy, but being a non-CT resident who knows him only for the UConn stuff, I think a lot of his articles hit home.

In this scenario, I think it was fairly well written and I agreed with most of it.

 

[methodology]

Not sure if anyone has noticed but AD Dave has moved the media from their seats around the court to the upper levels in gampel and the bleachers behind the hoop at XL. He did this to get more court side seats for the high paying donors

I know Jacobs and Dom can't be happy about that move

 

[nyhuskies13]

Usually enjoy JJ, but he got this one wrong

He implies the entire fan base walked away after the Arkansas loss and Husky Nation is being unfair

But he doesn’t acknowledge the accumulation of issues that developed over the last 3-4yrs. He himself, wrote a very critical piece on Ollie after the departures last year. To claim this is a reaction to one game is false.

 

[CL82]

The only thing I take away from that article is Jacobs giving the finger to the Boneyard for trashing him, he doesn't give a hoot about UConn basketball and doesn't speak for the fans.

Jacobs is an idiot.....I don't want him talking negatively or positively about UConn or covering UConn in any way....ban the dude from buildings, he can watch us at MSG and on the road.

Lol, holy crap that's a lot of hate. I respect your passion.

 

[auror]

Usually enjoy JJ, but he got this one wrong

He implies the entire fan base walked away after the Arkansas loss and Husky Nation is being unfair

But he doesn’t acknowledge the accumulation of issues that developed over the last 3-4yrs. He himself, wrote a very critical piece on Ollie after the departures last year. To claim this is a reaction to one game is false.

Exactly. Last season was a lost season... but we lost to Wagner and Northeastern with the entire healthy squad before the injuries. Columbia (and Stony Brook) are the continuation of that longer sample.

 

[CL82]

Exactly. Last season was a lost season... but we lost to Wagner and Northeastern with the entire healthy squad before the injuries. Columbia (and Stony Brook) are the continuation of that longer sample.

Except of course that we've beaten the teams that we're supposed to beat this year. A significant difference, imo.

 

[nyhuskies13]

Not sure how much Jeff Jacobs wants to hear about UConn barely beating a 1-4 Columbia team at home, in a game that went to overtime against a squad ranked #190 in the latest Sagarin rankings.

Not sure how much Jeff Jacobs wants to hear about Kevin Ollie sitting idle last week, watching a once proud program take the biggest beating in 40 years in an apathetic effort in a national tournament.

What? Are we being too negative for you, Jeff Jacobs? Yeah, listen to the Boneyard sing, "It's the end of the world, as we know it, Its the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine."

Sure, UConn never struggled or lost games against basketball programs with a fraction of their resources, budget, and reputation for developing talent. Jim Calhoun instilled a toughness and attitude that willed his teams to victory.

Well, Jim Calhoun isn't walking through that door. And no one should expect any coach to achieve on the same level of the one of the greatest basketball coaches that ever lived. But it also doesn't mean we should accept this.

To give Ollie another pass after a 5-2 start that included struggles against mediocre (at best) basketball teams and an embarrassing no show - man, that's generous. Especially from a writer who was outspoken about Ollie's commitment and approach after the departures last season.

Sure, the kids deserve to tell their story. But they don't "deserve" to do so in front of lots of fans. Before you critique Husky Nation for quitting on the program in November, you should hold the Head Coach and players to that same standard - especially when they quit during the middle of a nationally televised blowout. You want unconditional support and praise, take the stairs and earn it - unless that no longer applies either.

 

[jibsey]

Let’s see what he writes after Cuse, Nova, and WS.

 

[jibsey]

Head coaching is a high wire act and KO makes $3.5 million per year. That means he has to get high quality players for all positions and coach them well. So far he hasn’t done that. How do I know? His record and the empty seats say it all.

 

[Blueballer]

Schedule better teams than Columbia and more people show up. It's always been that way.