Kevin Ollie congratulates his alma mater

[nelsonmuntz]

Ollie did keep UConn relevant. I agree that the AAC hurt UConn, but I think the biggest AAC problem was once Ollie blew up the program, the AAC would have hurt UConn's ability to turn around the program after Ollie was fired. Look at Ollie's recruiting classes in 2015 and 2016. Here were the top recruits and their recruiting rankings:

Jalen Adams #24
Steven Enoch #84
Alterique Gilbert #35
Juwan Durham. #50
Vance Jackson #77
Mamadou Diarra. #125
Christian Vital. #166

On paper, the recruiting looked good, yet his records were:

2016/2017: 16-17
2017/2018: 14-18

The problems Ollie had were poor scouting of recruits, injuries (some were previously known), poor development, and he didn't seem to recruit players to have an effective basketball strategy. I'm sure his cutting off Calhoun and his divorce didn't help either.

The players got here and realized the AAC schedule was a fan interest wasteland. Ollie might have been better served to dial down the recruiting a bit to find players that couldn't easily jump somewhere else.

It is worth noting that both Football and Basketball went into a nosedive in the AAC, and Geno HATED the league. It is also worth noting that some of us predicted that the AAC would lay waste to our athletic program back in 2012. And then we leave the AAC, and football and basketball pick right back up.

As someone else said in the thread, there is NO WAY Hurley would have turned down Pitt to come here unless he knew we were returning to the Big East. 0% chance.

 

[wingsfan055]

We need Ollie and Shabaz back in the fold. They will help with recruitment.

 

[NJHoops]

We need Ollie and Shabaz back in the fold. They will help with recruitment.

He seems pretty in to me-

 

[Horatio]

Ollie did keep UConn relevant. I agree that the AAC hurt UConn, but I think the biggest AAC problem was once Ollie blew up the program, the AAC would have hurt UConn's ability to turn around the program after Ollie was fired. Look at Ollie's recruiting classes in 2015 and 2016. Here were the top recruits and their recruiting rankings:

Jalen Adams #24
Steven Enoch #84
Alterique Gilbert #35
Juwan Durham. #50
Vance Jackson #77
Mamadou Diarra. #125
Christian Vital. #166

On paper, the recruiting looked good, yet his records were:

2016/2017: 16-17
2017/2018: 14-18

The problems Ollie had were poor scouting of recruits, injuries (some were previously known), poor development, and he didn't seem to recruit players to have an effective basketball strategy. I'm sure his cutting off Calhoun and his divorce didn't help either.

People forget how bad Alterique’s injury issues were on the program at the time. Devastating.

 

[Mr. March]

As someone who was once merciless with Ollie, I'm now ready to let bygones be bygones and welcome him again as part of our family.

Grudges are stupid anyway.

but would you be as forgiving if the program was still in shambles?

 

[HuskyBaggins]

I mean it was literally talked about on national radio and television this morning. But sure fishy. The same way Tristan Newton isn’t a pg.

Lol.

The national media is full of incompetent bozos. I can see why they'd be talking about it

 

[HuskyBaggins]

I think it’s important to note that only 2 of these guys played for 2 full seasons under Ollie. Everyone else either transferred or was hurt. Injuries and transfers over a very bad 2 year stretch pretty much sunk Ollie.

After that mass transfer exodus, combined with mass injuries, and then recruiting taking a nosedive while being in the AAC, there was nothing Ollie could do to get out of that hole.

The transfers didn't just happen like an act of god, they happened for a reason

 

[August_West]

People forget how bad Alterique’s injury issues were on the program at the time. Devastating.

Adams and Gilbert were going to be Boat/Bazz 2.0

 

[WrenchFan69]

Jalen Adams was probably the biggest "What If" guy in terms of coaching quality. Coming out of highschool he was more highly-ranked than (his teammate at Brewster) Donovan Mitchell. Incredible natural ability, maybe the most talented guy I've seen play at UConn to never get a sniff in the NBA. You start him under Hurley and I think he gets there.

 

[Sole]

Uconn should have just paid him…even if we won the case it was a bad look…that 2014 championship run was one of the best coaching jobs i have ever seen… then it looked like he stop putting in the effort… he deserved to get fired

 

[Mike Honcho]

Jalen Adams was probably the biggest "What If" guy in terms of coaching quality. Coming out of highschool he was more highly-ranked than (his teammate at Brewster) Donovan Mitchell. Incredible natural ability, maybe the most talented guy I've seen play at UConn to never get a sniff in the NBA. You start him under Hurley and I think he gets there.

Yea agreed. Love Jalen but he never developed his left hand, which is why he always had to contort his body for wild finishes from the left side of the hoop. Gotta imagine a more tuned in coach would have addressed that.

 

[temery]

You won't find a post from me criticizing Ollie. I'll always appreciate the 2014 title.

Kevin, if you read this ... (please put "Boneyard" in the note section)

Post Championship NIL Fundraiser

Let's do our best to take care of our players, and help a good cause. I was supposed to set this up the week before the tournament, but I forgot. Ben Renshaw (@Huuuusky) sent me the info on how to donate so they can keep track of how we (the boneyard) are doing. Not needed, but it'll help if...

the-boneyard.com

 

[Madmannsucks]

should say “thank you for cleaning up the mess I made”

STFU

 

[Sole]

You won't find a post from me criticizing Ollie. I'll always appreciate the 2014 title.

Kevin, if you read this ... (please put "Boneyard" in the note section)

Post Championship NIL Fundraiser

Let's do our best to take care of our players, and help a good cause. I was supposed to set this up the week before the tournament, but I forgot. Ben Renshaw (@Huuuusky) sent me the info on how to donate so they can keep track of how we (the boneyard) are doing. Not needed, but it'll help if...

the-boneyard.com

That is perfect… thats how you mend things..I donated to that after we won the championship…and I think a lot of people did… its go to help Mr Hurley win another one

 

[Mazhude]

I‘m pro-healing, but also realize that the kind of damage that was done is not something you instantly cure with a Natty. Last night we reached a big milestone in the healing process. The damage was proved not to be irreparable and KO’s expression shows the kinship is still there. There is still a long road ahead and actions warranted on both sides to complete the healing but I‘m a lot more hopeful about it today than I was before.

Anyone ask Calhoun what he thinks of all this? People seem to forget that it wasn't Calhoun who walked away from KO, it was KO turning his back on Calhoun (and ultimately, the whole team).

 

[LoyalFanCT]

I like Kevin

 

[temery]

Anyone ask Calhoun what he thinks of all this? People seem to forget that it wasn't Calhoun who walked away from KO, it was KO turning his back on Calhoun (and ultimately, the whole team).

Zero chance he ever answers that question. If there was ever a man who doesn't give a rats ass what others think, it's Calhoun.

I'm certain members of the basketball staff read the boneyard. I'm equally as certain Calhoun doesn't. No curiosity whatsoever as to what others have to say.

With that said ... Jim, if you read this ... (please put "Boneyard" in the note section)

Post Championship NIL Fundraiser

Let's do our best to take care of our players, and help a good cause. I was supposed to set this up the week before the tournament, but I forgot. Ben Renshaw (@Huuuusky) sent me the info on how to donate so they can keep track of how we (the boneyard) are doing. Not needed, but it'll help if...

the-boneyard.com

 

[noeynox]

You won't find a post from me criticizing Ollie. I'll always appreciate the 2014 title.

Kevin, if you read this ... (please put "Boneyard" in the note section)

Post Championship NIL Fundraiser

Let's do our best to take care of our players, and help a good cause. I was supposed to set this up the week before the tournament, but I forgot. Ben Renshaw (@Huuuusky) sent me the info on how to donate so they can keep track of how we (the boneyard) are doing. Not needed, but it'll help if...

the-boneyard.com

Damn I didn't add boneyard in the section.

 

[GoDAWGS]

We need Ollie and Shabaz back in the fold. They will help with recruitment.

I'm pretty sure shabazz worked out with the team this summer, I think he's just over seas so it's hard for him to be present

 

[Deleted at users request]

The transfers didn't just happen like an act of god, they happened for a reason

Yeah, guys didn’t want to go stretches of playing in empty gyms against Houston, Tulane, and UCF.

Kind of insane the travel schedule alone we would have to play in that conference.

 

[UconnFanDC]

should say “thank you for cleaning up the mess I made”

Smdh. He did give us #4, he was a vital part of the programs success as a player, but most of all, he's a Uconn guy! He put pride aside and congratulated the guys. No need for us to be petty!

 

[mrl2016]

Ollie got ~15M (4M more than his buy out) from the university. The absolute bare minimum he can do is congratulate the team

 

[Hoophound]

Kevin has $11,000,000 reasons to no longer feel petty.

 

[mussels]

The transfers didn't just happen like an act of god, they happened for a reason

We were banned from post season play. Unless I’m misremembering, that’s the reason everyone jumped ship.

Except Shabazz, who if I remember correctly, didn’t have many good options. So the the already-large chip on his shoulder grew.

And it grew. And it grew. And it exploded into something glorious on April 7, 2014in Arlington Texas.

And Ollie steered the ship, and kept everyone motivated in the prior year when a legitimate tournament team had to sit home and watch. And then when he got back in, he brought home the prize. And without that we can’t walk around crowing about 5 ships under 3 coaches.

Whatever happened after, doesn’t erase what he did.

 

[CL82]

That was a classy move by Ollie.

 

[CL82]

Damn I didn't add boneyard in the section.

Wait noeynox is Jim Calhoun?

 

[temery]

The year is 2073. Luke Murray, Jr. is the head coach of the UConn men’s basketball team. Somewhere, a voice calls out, “He quit coaching!” ”Shut up! They should have paid him,” comes the reply. There will be no rest.

I'll be 112, yelling at my tv set.

 

[noeynox]

Wait noeynox is Jim Calhoun?

Not quite

 

[formerlurker]

Man, after the past few weeks we can't put this s^t behind us? We've got 5 and Kevin sacked up and supported that.

Mistakes are made by all of us. It's time we remember what Kevin Ollie's legacy at UConn really deserves to be.

 

[CL82]

Not quite

Kevin Ollie?