Juwan Durham news...

[Rocktheworld]

Yes that's exactly what I was arguing and you aren't jumping to conclusions to discredit what I'm saying. That the divorce will be the downfall of UConn basketball, exactly.

Awesome series of guided questions there by the way, you really cracked the case wide open.

Pull the stick out of your ass

 

[intlzncster]

I was afraid you'd say that.

So when we all look back, a divorce is what ultimately tanked the once elite UConn Men's Basketball program. Like I said, bizarre. We were all led to believe that KO had all this resolve, to stick it out at UConn being homesick when his mother hung up on him his freshman year, to sticking around on 10-day contracts on 11 different teams across 13 seasons, which is what developed the massive respect he garners throughout the league. It makes no sense.

I don't think it's any coincidence at all that the 'fall of UCONN' is occurring on the same timeline as the Fall of Tate George. Tate's shot launched UCONN on the front page of all MCBB publications. JC and Tate clearly made a pact with the Devil for a chance at greatness. And the bill has come due.

The only question remaining: Can UCONN overcome the Curse of Tate George? I just don't know.

 

[BUConn10]

Pull the stick out of your ass

Nice collected response there. Spoken like someone who doesn't really have anything to add.

 

[Banta55]

I was afraid you'd say that.

So when we all look back, a divorce is what ultimately tanked the once elite UConn Men's Basketball program. Like I said, bizarre. We were all led to believe that KO had all this resolve, to stick it out at UConn being homesick when his mother hung up on him his freshman year, to sticking around on 10-day contracts on 11 different teams across 13 seasons, which is what developed the massive respect he garners throughout the league. It makes no sense.

Why doesn't it make sense people can and does completely change a person, most times not for the good.. It's been 5 yrs for me and I'll never be the same...I was told by a former beat writer, that Kevin is not the same person i covered years ago, he's not happy , and angry.

 

[Banta55]

Why doesn't it make sense people can and does completely change a person, most times not for the good.. It's been 5 yrs for me and I'll never be the same...I was told by a former beat writer, that Kevin is not the same person i covered years ago, he's not happy , and angry.

Divorce does i should've said I'm tired

 

[polycom]

I see more people than just chief have sources....

 

[Whtdmd]

Kevin ollie did underperformed this year. But to attribute most of the problem to him and not the players is unfair. He had to rely on very soft and fragile players who already left the program. If we had a healthy larrier, gilbert and Diarra. Some of the BS with the it sucks here locker room clique would not be taking place. This is big time athletics, they r over 18 and need to find their own way. I play one yr of division 3 ball. All it took is for one malcontent to screw up the team chemistry. Most of the time by taking too many shots, playing no defense or not showing up to practice. VJ went to 4 high schools, I already mentioned JD n Enoch earlier. These guys did not play defense period. You can be a star in high school by not playing defense. In college, that screws up team chemistry. You don't think ollie wants to get JD or Enoch more playing time at the expense of Brimah or Facey. The issue was that every time those guys came in, the lead evaporates. Ollie already give a hint to Enoch that he needs to work on his defense with the bogus best offensive big man at uconn stuff. That did not work now he still transfer. I don't know what the panic with losing the three runs. They don't play D, they barely rebound, they dont set good picks for the fast guards. They are not good for the locker room. It's addition by subtraction in my book. Cobb will be much better then Enoch by the simple fact that he will get the defensive rebound and can set a pick without fouling.

 

[intlzncster]

Ollie already give a hint to Enoch that he needs to work on his defense with the bogus best offensive big man at UConn stuff. That did not work now he still transfer. I don't know what the panic with losing the three runs. They don't play D, they barely rebound, they dont set good picks for the fast guards. They are not good for the locker room. It's addition by subtraction in my book. Cobb will be much better then Enoch by the simple fact that he will get the defensive rebound and can set a pick without fouling.

I liked your post, but to respond: the panic is because there's literally no viable options in place right now to take those minutes. Leaves gaping holes in the lineup.

 

[UConniki]

Do you think there are people here who are saying there are no serious problems right now?

Do you think there are people here who are saying there are no serious problems right now?

YES ........ Mr Stairmaster, for starters

 

[Whtdmd]

I liked your post, but to respond: the panic is because there's literally no viable options in place right now to take those minutes. Leaves gaping holes in the lineup.

Yes there r. Their names r the Diarra twins, Cobb n Carlton. The front court will do no worse in the defensive or rebounding end compare with the 3 players that left. I think Ollie is going for 3 guard lineup up with Larrier at the 4 for at least 20 minutes. We need a 4th guard that can defend the 3. A big with a decent outside shot and a shot blocker. MAMADOU the first I heard is a big time defender n rebounder. He might surprise people. U don't really need any offense from the 5 in today's game. U need somebody to defend n rebound

 

[intlzncster]

Yes there r. Their names r the Diarra twins, Cobb n Carlton. The front court will do no worse in the defensive or rebounding end compare with the 3 players that left. I think Ollie is going for 3 guard lineup up with Larrier at the 4 for at least 20 minutes. We need a 4th guard that can defend the 3. A big with a decent outside shot and a shot blocker. MAMADOU the first I heard is a big time defender n rebounder. He might surprise people. U don't really need any offense from the 5 in today's game. U need somebody to defend n rebound

There are a couple of viable potential options.

1. Our Diarra. We have no idea if he'll be good to go this year or if his injury will rear it's ugly head again (as that type is want to do). He'll be raw (offensively) too.
2. Cobb. Potential to be a serviceable guy. But having to rely on him for 30 minutes scares the piss out of me. Adams is going to have to drag him by the collar just to get him up and down the court at the end of games.
4. Carlton. Who knows? He's a frosh. Certainly not someone you can count on relying upon. Maybe he surprises.
3. The other Diarra hasn't even committed. Heard he is raw as can be tho.

 

[upstater]

There are a couple of viable potential options.
1. Our Diarra. We have no idea if he'll be good to go this year or if his injury will rear it's ugly head again (as that type is want to do). He'll be raw (offensively) too.
2. Cobb. Potential to be a serviceable guy. But having to rely on him for 30 minutes scares the piss out of me. Adams is going to have to drag him by the collar just to get him up and down the court at the end of games.
4. Carlton. Who knows? He's a frosh. Certainly not someone you can count on relying upon. Maybe he surprises.
3. The other Diarra hasn't even committed. Heard he is raw as can be tho.

Obviously Polley, Diarra, Cobb and Carlton are going to be playing a lot of minutes.

It's a shame MAL decommitted, because if he had stayed, you could have had Larrier playing the 4 primarily.

 

[intlzncster]

Obviously Polley, Diarra, Cobb and Carlton are going to be playing a lot of minutes.

It's a shame MAL decommitted, because if he had stayed, you could have had Larrier playing the 4 primarily.

PFW.

pray for waters

 

[joober jones]

I'm expecting Cobb to be like a bigger version of Mike Hayes.

 

[ctchamps]

True, guys left during Calhoun tenure too, but the difference was Calhoun always had a functioning rotation and planned for future seasons properly. Transfers with nothing left to replace them is the exact type of turnover that drains a program's talent pool and creates compounding bad season after season.

That's why he was smart to get out of Dodge before the apr sanctions hit.

 

[ctchamps]

I get that. But I just want to call attention to those who defend Ollie to the grave that we have some serious problems right now because many still refuse to believe it.

Just curious. What does your source say are Rodney's and Jalen's opinions of KO? Might as well let us know about Gilbert and Larrier. Does your source have an axe to grind? Was he around JC during 2010?

 

[lange10]

Just curious. What does your source say are Rodney's and Jalen's opinions of KO? Might as well let us know about Gilbert and Larrier. Does your source have an axe to grind? Was he around JC during 2010?

No comment. No and no. If you'd like the specifics as to what I've heard pm me.

Regardless, I'm hoping that the problem was the last crop of guys were not Uconn guys and KO will adjust moving forward to get those that fit the needs of his system.

 

[Huskybass]

KO did a great job his first two years as head coach, he honestly did. But since 2014 (for whatever reason) he simply is not the same guy. I know there is a core group of guys here who will defend KO no matter what, but even those guys should consider the possibility that KO in 2017 isn't as effective as he was in 2013 and 2014.

The flip side is talent and makeup of the players, but in the end the coaching staff has to own that too to some degree.

 

[Hugo]

And that's fine. Still doesn't change the fact that we have a lot of parents interfering, a lot of kids who would have been laughed off the 2014 team. And then we hear reports that the seniors did not really see eye-to-eye with the younger guys.

Gee, I wonder why.

The whole thing we heard about Ollie in the NBA is that he set the tone for locker rooms, set the winning culture.

Being a member of a team of professionals where you are there because you can work and succeed in a team environment and being responsible for coaching and developing a group of 18 and 19 year old kids these days is hardly the same. Different role, different audience, different expectations and different times.

 

[Vancat]

Interesting thread. I've bled blue for over 30 years. I really, really hope KO rights the ship this coming year. Having said that, I just don't have a good feeling about it.

 

[upstater]

Being a member of a team of professionals where you are there because you can work and succeed in a team environment and being responsible for coaching and developing a group of 18 and 19 year old kids these days is hardly the same. Different role, different audience, different expectations and different times.

It is different. And it is the same. Ollie was brought on to bring along the 18 and 19 and 20 year olds on NBA teams. He wasn't there to work hard and lead by example. If you listen to the people that hired him and also his teammates, he was kind of a player coach who was supposed to mentor the young guys. What's different is the professional locker room. And the fact that anyone in the NBA would have more ability. But in terms of the mentality of very young men, it is very similar. They are after all, 18-22 year old boys.

 

[upstater]

KO did a great job his first two years as head coach, he honestly did. But since 2014 (for whatever reason) he simply is not the same guy. I know there is a core group of guys here who will defend KO no matter what, but even those guys should consider the possibility that KO in 2017 isn't as effective as he was in 2013 and 2014.

The flip side is talent and makeup of the players, but in the end the coaching staff has to own that too to some degree.

Yes, of course. But every coach has down years. If Villanova had given up on Jay Wright, they likely wouldn't be experiencing this revival. Also, I think last year is the disaster. While I was a tad disappointed in the prior year, you can't say a second round loss to Kansas was below the talent level of that team. They thoroughly handled Colorado in the first round, and they also won the AAC tourney. This year was different... it was a disaster.

But, even the best coaches have these rough spots.

 

[RUSS56]

KO did a great job his first two years as head coach,

Ever think he was coaching Calhoun's kids, and since that time,he is coaching his own? Sorry Ollie apologists.

 

[Stainmaster]

KO did a great job his first two years as head coach,

Ever think he was coaching Calhoun's kids, and since that time,he is coaching his own? Sorry Ollie apologists.

No, I don't think that.

As has been mentioned dozens of times here, Giffey (aside from the Kentucky game in Maui his freshman year) and Daniels showed absolutely nothing under Calhoun. We don't win a title unless they develop like they did in their two years under KO. The people who bash KO say that the credit for Daniels' improvement goes to JC for giving him a really good pep talk, not the actual members of the staff who ran practices, drills, and one-on-one sessions with him...not only does that not make any sort of sense, it reveals much of the implicit bias of the anti-KO crowd. They reach and stretch as far as they can to avoid giving him any credit for anything.

Let's also not forget that in Calhoun's last year, Shabazz was blasted here and elsewhere as the worst PG in UConn history. Funny how that's who he was under Calhoun, but under Ollie, he was able to become the leader of one of the best March runs in the history of the game.

Ollie won with Ollie's players.

 

[polycom]

No, I don't think that.

As has been mentioned dozens of times here, Giffey (aside from the Kentucky game in Maui his freshman year) and Daniels showed absolutely nothing under Calhoun. We don't win a title unless they develop like they did in their two years under KO. The people who bash KO say that the credit for Daniels' improvement goes to JC for giving him a really good pep talk, not the actual members of the staff who ran practices, drills, and one-on-one sessions with him...not only does that not make any sort of sense, it reveals much of the implicit bias of the anti-KO crowd. They reach and stretch as far as they can to avoid giving him any credit for anything.

Let's also not forget that in Calhoun's last year, Shabazz was blasted here and elsewhere as the worst PG in UConn history. Funny how that's who he was under Calhoun, but under Ollie, he was able to become the leader of one of the best March runs in the history of the game.

Ollie won with Ollie's players.

Perhaps Ollie believed in those players more than others... I really think the issue isn't so much what Ollie didn't do but what he choose to do instead...