Kevin Ollie’s lawyers ask for depositions from NCAA president Mark Emmert and national search firm as contract dispute with UConn

[Captbluefin]

Doesn’t anyone find it extremely interesting that a troll NOVA fan knows so much about the Ollie case/situation?
Seems really odd to me. I wonder what his connection is to KO? Or the law firm representing him.

Why is this guy obsessed and investing so much time on the subject on another teams forum? And so “ knowledgeable “ on the subject

 

[Peacefrog]

The basis of the case is being treated differently for similar actions. Which is NOT equivalent to being fired because of his race.

Understood. My post was in response to a previous one which I should have quoted to make it clear.

 

[Zissou]

Hmmm, I'm not seeing any bravado. I do see some people talking about the facts of the case. They are very clearly in UConn's favor.

If UConn loses the arbitration it will just have pay the remainder of Kevin's contract something that you've advocated for, well at least paying 80% of of the amount left on the contract when he was terminated.

What are the other costly blunders which you feel UConn has committed?

Well, extending contracts in the first place for long terms when coaches are not proven. Both Diaco and Ollie.
The football coaching hires leave much to be desired. Football spending continued at a high level without revenue to support it.
Hurley is a good hire, I think, and the move to the Big East is positive. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[Zissou]

Doesn’t anyone find it extremely interesting that a troll NOVA fan knows so much about the Ollie case/situation?
Seems really odd to me. I wonder what his connection is to KO? Or the law firm representing him.

Why is this guy obsessed and investing so much time on the subject on another teams forum? And so “ knowledgeable “ on the subject

If I was trolling I’d have a fake allegiance to UConn first and not be honest about my Nova love. I’m just interested. I far from hate on UConn. I was a vocal supporter for UConn rejoining the Big East. JC is an all time coach and UConn is a top program over the last 25 years. I want UConn to succeed.

 

[CL82]

If I was trolling I’d have a fake allegiance to UConn first .... I far from hate on UConn. I was a vocal supporter for UConn rejoining the Big East.

#unintentionallyironicposts

 

[auggie22]

Your logic is sound, but the scenario used as example is more applicable to the typical professional level employee "at will" (not covered by a collective bargaining agreement, or any other type of contact). In the case at hand, employee X has a contract that doesn't stipulate anything about performance on the court.

In college sports, coaches in demand have leverage to get contracts that pay them for a pre-determined period, regardless of the outcome on the court/field etc. Further, its a common practice, that when results aren't what was expected, coaches are either paid the remainder of their contract or something is negotiated.

So lets see what we have here: A coach, not in a protected class, who's team was found to have violated NCAA rules resulting in them being banned from post season play. Resultant discipline to the coach, or anyone else associated with the program - nothing; and a coach in a protected class, who violated NCAA rules. Resultant discipline to the coach - termination with no buyout.

Not a lawyer (or HR person), so not sure if this can go to a jury; but assuming it can, imagine presenting your "ironclad" case to a jury with some members used to finding that all the "small print" and rules always seem to stack the deck against them.

Still feeling 10 out of 10 ?

Calhoun was in a protected class when his team was sanctioned. Also he was never subject to a show cause...

 

[Madmannsucks]

Understood. My post was in response to a previous one which I should have quoted to make it clear.

Actually I got that-many here posting he wasn't fired because he's black, or he was hired by a white person. None of that actually matters. I am not saying he is right or wrong. But if someone is going to make a point, at least have a modest understanding of the issue.

 

[David 76]

I love how the troll has us as co-conspirators with arch-enemy Emmert.
Just ignore him. He has 1 goal here. To aggravate.

He should be worried that we are back and ready to take our perch at the top back.

 

[Madmannsucks]

#unintentionallyironicposts

Yeah..."Some of my best friends ar UConn fans"....Made myself chuckle at that one.

 

[Chief00]

The procedure for discharge was followed to the letter. That issue isn't in dispute.

Kevin's union representation made the claim that no new coach could be hired until KO had exhausted his review. They dropped it shortly after. That was 2.5 basketball seasons ago.

It’s really sad Kevin is wasting the key years of what could be his career on this non sense. He could have reinvented his career in the meantime, if he got out of this quicksand.

 

[Huskybass]

It’s really sad Kevin is wasting the key years of what could be his career on this non sense. He could have reinvented his career in the meantime, if he got out of this quicksand.

Who is going to hire him? Honestly. I really don't see any good coaching jobs coming his way. Do you?

 

[Chief00]

Who is going to hire him? Honestly. I really don't see any good coaching jobs coming his way. Do you?

I think if he had moved fast, he could have landed as an assistant coach in the NBA. Then who knows what might evolve? The problem now is most employers won’t want to hire a guy who has dedicated 3 years of his life to suing a former employer. Perhaps you do that in your early sixties but not in your forties. Life is too short.

 

[Kenny11]

I think Ray and Caron are supporting a friend. I don’t think they’ve done legal analysis. Keep in mind that this matter is in arbitration. There is no jury. The arbiter we decide that Kevin is entitled to the full $11 million, or nothing at all.

true, they are supporting a friend but they were also highly touted recruits who know what real violations are and BS ones. Imagine what these guys were offered by other schools or even some of the extra benefits they had at uconn that were technically against the rules. UConn has never been known for paying players, but guys have received extra benefits just like at every other school. For example, I know of a (great great great) former uconn player who was offered all kinds of money to attend other schools but went to uconn where he didn’t get paid...but he was ensured that his parents, who lived a few hours away, could attend any and every game they wanted and free transportation would be provided. Now this player actually showed a lot of integrity by going to uconn with this being his only extra benefit, but technically it was against the rules. Ray and Caron know the deal and they see the violations that Ollie was fired for, and to them it’s outrageous. Of course, they are wrong by the letter of the law and probably haven’t even looked into it, but they know the reality.

 

[CL82]

true, they are supporting a friend but they were also highly touted recruits who know what real violations are and BS ones. Imagine what these guys were offered by other schools or even some of the extra benefits they had at uconn that were technically against the rules. UConn has never been known for paying players, but guys have received extra benefits just like at every other school. For example, I know of a (great great great) former uconn player who was offered all kinds of money to attend other schools but went to uconn where he didn’t get paid...but he was ensured that his parents, who lived a few hours away, could attend any and every game they wanted and free transportation would be provided. Now this player actually showed a lot of integrity by going to uconn with this being his only extra benefit, but technically it was against the rules. Ray and Caron know the deal and they see the violations that Ollie was fired for, and to them it’s outrageous. Of course, they are wrong by the letter of the law and probably haven’t even looked into it, but they know the reality.

Aren’t players allowed to have friends and family tickets?

Do you actually know Ray and Caron? No? So you were just imagining what you think their motivation is, right? Um, I guess that was interesting, from a creative writing perspective.

 

[Husky68]

Aren’t players allowed to have friends and family tickets?

Do you actually know Ray and Caron? No? So you were just imagining what you think their motivation is, right? Um, I guess that was interesting, from a creative writing perspective.

"and free transportation was provided".

 

[CL82]

"and free transportation was provided".

And that gives him knowledge of Ray and Caron’s motivations how exactly?

 

[Chief00]

During my too long legal career in CT I had a couple of dealings with the lawyer representing KO and found him competent and smart. In this dispute, however, I think a settlement should have been achieved soon after KO was terminated. There was sufficient monetary room ($10 mil to $0.00) that a number should have been quickly agreed upon and KO continued on with his career. There is zero chance that anyone will hire KO until this is over therefore he has lost a ton of money in potential earnings.

As a lawyer I constantly reminded clients that in the lawsuit business principles are very, very expensive, close you eyes, hold your nose, find a number and settle, you know what you are getting and what you are giving up, leaving the result to a stranger (Judge, jury, arbitrator) is the worse avenue available. I don't think KO has been represented wisely.

Good points.

 

[Chief00]

It looks as if they're making a couple arguments:
1. The hiring of Hurley was in the works prior to Ollie's termination; and
2. Calhoun made the same type transgressions and he wasn't fired because he was white.

We don't know when Hurley's hiring process began and if it was started before Ollie was fired.

As to Calhoun skating for the same type violations, that could be true, but he may not have been in violation of the terms of his contract. As I recall, coaching contracts were strengthened as a result of some of the violations that occurred under Calhoun and the new contracts (including Ollie's) include tougher standards of conduct and harsher penalties for violations.

If the Hurley hire was in the bag before the termination, why was there a bidding war for Hurley’s services that went on for a couple weeks after KO was fired?

 

[Chief00]

The thing that kills me is that is that arbitration is intended to be an expedited procedure for a more rapid resolution of the matter. The arbitrator's decision to allow a very broad discovery has dragged this matter to crawl and has allowed KO's representation to leverage the process to be as disruptive as possible. The requested documents look to be thousands of pages which will need to reviewed by both counsel. It seems like a needlessly expensive fishing expedition largely designed to look to ways for impeach Glenn Miller.

Is that the next card that gets played if KO loses the UConn case, some kind of lawsuit against Glen Miller? But no deep pockets there.

 

[Chief00]

Keep plugg'n Kevin. Be worth it to hear what UConn and Emmert discussed and what the search firm was told. UConn wanted to play hardball, hardball is what they're getting.

Well. Chief knows there was a meeting in Houston, the night before the game, and that was the start of KO’s stubborn, ego centric, no compromise approach.

 

[Chief00]

We've been over this. The guy made ~$11M the next 3 years from UConn and was proly worth at least $20M pre divorce.

I'm talking about almost 6 years ago. He was a young, black, "cool", former NBA player, friends with Lebron and Durant, coming off a National Championship in his 2nd year, college basketball coach. Only a person with absolutely no self confidence would want any doubt that their future was their own doing.

Then how do you explain KO no longer wanting Calhoun at daily practices? You obviously don’t understand how analytically honest Calhoun and Blaney could be. These dudes are absolutely brutally honest and brilliant breaking down basketball. It’s pure basketball, no BS. They are going to identify everything you are doing wrong and how it needs to be fixed. KO got to the point where he did not want to hear it anymore and he had someone else to occupy his time by then.

 

[CL82]

Is that the next card that gets played if KO loses the UConn case, some kind of lawsuit against Glen Miller? But no deep pockets there.

I suspect they will ask for permission to file a discrimination lawsuit against UConn even though statute of limitations has passed. That should not be granted.

I would expect that they will continue the lawsuit against Glen regardless. Kevin is bitter, has time, resources, and nothing better to do.

 

[Madmannsucks]

Is that the next card that gets played if KO loses the UConn case, some kind of lawsuit against Glen Miller? But no deep pockets there.

The point is to discredit Miller, which would be used in his case against the school and the NCAA.

 

[Adios]

I suspect they will ask for permission to file a discrimination lawsuit against UConn even though statute of limitations has passed. That should not be granted.

I would expect that they will continue the lawsuit against Glen regardless. Kevin is bitter, has time, resources, and nothing better to do.

Very bitter*. The man, with his lawyers' advice and hopes to profit, is taking a scorched earth approach.

If the man followed what he preached, he would have forgiven and moved on.

 

[UCDaveD]

Billable. Hours.