Kevin Ollie congratulates his alma mater

[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

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

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?

 

[Madmannsucks]

Why do they have fangs? Maybe he can hand back the money he took for not doing his job.....

Or they could have honored the buyout in the 1st place.

 

[ElGreco]

Awkward

Awkward for sure. Find a way.

 

[CTPride]

He should be in the ring of honor.

 

[UConntLose]

I know this is going to be an unpopular opinion, but I have all the respect in the world for KO. Yes, I'm glad we moved on to Hurley, but what gets lost in the KO drama is that he was at the helm during arguably the worst time in program history - when we were in the AAC. No doubt that impacted his recruiting abilities, which I think negatively impacted his drive for success (and ability to coach altogether). On top of that, he went through a divorce, which only made things worse.

All that said, KO needs to be welcomed back into the UConn family. He's got one of the best stories as a UConn alum - a scrappy guy who had no business playing in the NBA for as long as he did yet forged a nice career for himself. UConn Nation is one big family. Yes we fight and disagree, but we need to be able to forgive (and there needs to be forgiveness from both sides here; although it's going to take a lot for UConn to do so given the lawsuit).

 

[Zerosumgame]

I still think 2014 is the best coaching job in UCONN history. Took over after one of the greatest coaches, ever, had to deal with the ban, genuinely was working with a talent disadvantage not present for the other titles. I love Bazz, but he's a level below Kemba in terms of Kemba. To win a title with that team is genuinely incredible.

 

[JSB60]

I appreciate KO’s contributions. Great coaching in 2014, and he set it up with the job he did during the postseason ban the year before. We would have one fewer title without him. Also loved him as a player, and he was the best recruiting advertisement we ever had…this guy had a decade in the league as a PG without averaging double figures at UConn.

 

[UConnSwag11]

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!

He also inherited a mess when he came in and still won.

Agreed. It's over. Time to move on

 

[SubbaBub]

KO will always be UConn family and there will be chances for reconciliation, but I'm assuming that KO needs to want that at some point. He clearly spiraled downward after 2014 and I'm sure people tried to help him, including JC but sometimes things don't work out how we want them to when we want them to. There is no need to rehash the past. It is what it is. These relationships are damaged, but I doubt they are permanently lost.

It's also pretty weird that such a sad period also includes a national championship.

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

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

The transfers that happened either 2016 or 2017. Durham, Enoch, Jackson, etc... (cant remember others)

And those guys were starters, and had to sit a year. Something has to be rotten for that many transfers with those circumstances.

 

[CL82]

KO will always be UConn family and there will be chances for reconciliation, but I'm assuming that KO needs to want that at some point. He clearly spiraled downward after 2014 and I'm sure people tried to help him, including JC but sometimes things don't work out how we want them to when we want them to. There is no need to rehash the past. It is what it is. These relationships are damaged, but I doubt they are permanently lost.

It's also pretty weird that such a sad period also includes a national championship.

I that’s because the sad period began after the national championship. By all reports KO was fine in the 2012-2013 and 2013–2014.

He could go along way toward redeem himself by recanting the allegations of racism and his smears of Jim Calhoun. I won’t hold my breath though. He traded his relationship with the school for $11 million. I won’t say it was a bad decision. That’s a choice said a lot of people might make. But, again, choices have consequences.