Kevin Ollie news(non Uconn and non legal matter).

[Huskybass]

I see a future filled with insurance fraud claims filed by the DOJ/OIG... will make the NCAA look like a cake walk.

That's not fair to even speculate. Ollie was a disappointment as a Head Coach, but you shouldn't forecast shady and illegal behavior. That's just not right.

 

[Steelerone]

The Kevin Ollie saga is one of, if not the saddest, in the history of the school. From one of the most beloved players to ever put on a Uconn uniform to someone who people are taking sides over is depressing. It has evolved to "A pox on all their houses" situation.

 

[HooperScooper]

And yet, every single school in the country (but like 10 of them) would hire him instantly. It is exactly what makes my example. People mostly don't care what you have done if you are good.

Is that why Rick Pitino hasn't gotten another coaching job in college basketball yet?
(Edit: I saw your follow up post. And I agree. He will get another chance at some point. But you said Ollie would get hired "in an instant". If Pitino wasn't hired in an instant, I doubt Ollie would.)

I wonder why Clyde Vaughn never got a second chance? He was good at what he did.

 

[gampelcrazies]

The Kevin Ollie saga is one of, if not the saddest, in the history of the school. From one of the most beloved players to ever put on a Uconn uniform to someone who people are taking sides over is depressing. It has evolved to "A pox on all their houses" situation.

One of the most beloved players to ever put on a UConn uniform???????

 

[Kathy]

One of the most beloved players to ever put on a UConn uniform???????

Yes for those of us who watched him play. Why do you think guys like Ray think so highly of him. Grow up - his coaching deficiencies shouldn't affect how fans think of him as a player who represented this University very well over his NBA career.

 

[David 76]

So you see Ollie working on the medical billing part of this company?
Come on!

 

[Huskybass]

Yes for those of us who watched him play. Why do you think guys like Ray think so highly of him. Grow up - his coaching deficiencies shouldn't affect how fans think of him as a player who represented this University very well over his NBA career.

Please, just stop. There are SO many more beloved players based on their playing careers. Ollie was a decent player on some very good teams. Nothing more. He was not a star despite your attempt at revisionist history. He averaged 6.7 points, 5 assists and 2 rebounds during his time at UConn. I really don't see how that translates to "one of the most beloved players to ever put on a UConn uniform" .

 

[Kathy]

Please, just stop. There are SO many more beloved players based on their playing careers. Ollie was a decent player on some very good teams. Nothing more. He was not a star despite your attempt at revisionist history. He averaged 6.7 points, 5 assists and 2 rebounds during his time at UConn. I really don't see how that translates to "one of the most beloved players to ever put on a UConn uniform" .

Agree to disagree

 

[pj]

I wonder why Clyde Vaughn never got a second chance? He was good at what he did.

Clyde deserved a second chance more than Ollie does. I also wonder why he never got one.

 

[intlzncster]

Is that why Rick Pitino hasn't gotten another coaching job in college basketball yet?
(Edit: I saw your follow up post. And I agree. He will get another chance at some point. But you said Ollie would get hired "in an instant". If Pitino wasn't hired in an instant, I doubt Ollie would.)

I wonder why Clyde Vaughn never got a second chance? He was good at what he did.

Unless I made a mistype somewhere, I said Ollie would NOT get hired. The poster I quoted referenced my Tom Izzo example, and I said that Tom would get hired in an instant.

There's always extremes of course. If you murder somebody, you'll have a tough time getting a gig. Pitino simply had too many strikes, and his last blow up was a bridge too far to sell to the public. And people still kicked the tires on him. He still might get hired too.

RE Clyde: I think it's different for assistants. You don't have a win/loss record to fall back on to justify a hire. I do think he was done wrong there tho.

Pat Sellers is still digging himself out of the hole from being UConn's sacrificial lamb a while back.

 

[SubbaBub]

So we have our answer, he went batty.

 

[RichZ]

I wonder why Clyde Vaughn never got a second chance? He was good at what he did.

Did you check with the hookers for a performance review?

 

[GHSWolverines]

I wonder if one of the treatments is called "ten toes in"?

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I wonder if one of the treatments is called "ten toes in"?

An acupuncture-reflexology combo.

 

[Fishy]

Pro sports teams wouldn't have a problem with this side of it. They are fully aware of the business aspect of the sport. This is pure business and basically run by lawyers.

Unless some great shift happens for him, I don't think he's ever coach college again. He's allergic to the recruiting trail.

Forget college - unless he wants to coach at a place like Cal State Northridge in a few years, that ship has sailed.

The NBA clearly hasn’t been calling either, unless you want to believe that his current ambition is putting his name on an acupuncture business.

 

[intlzncster]

The NBA clearly hasn’t been calling either, unless you want to believe that his current ambition is putting his name on an acupuncture business.

Was just a general comment on the transgressions and legal response. If he's a good coach, no NBA team would care and he'd get hired. Ollie's probably not that guy tho.

 

[mauconnfan]

Please, just stop. There are SO many more beloved players based on their playing careers. Ollie was a decent player on some very good teams. Nothing more. He was not a star despite your attempt at revisionist history. He averaged 6.7 points, 5 assists and 2 rebounds during his time at UConn. I really don't see how that translates to "one of the most beloved players to ever put on a UConn uniform" .

Sorry have to agree with the original poster. While it's easy for most to root for the superstars of whatever team they root for I tend to like the story, the grit and the underdog of any of my teams. And stretch that out to make even more sense of what Kathy thinks, think Hartford USBL to the 13 NBA teams he player for, Larry Brown etc etc if you didn't think of him as one of those guys who respectfully donned that uni for the Huskies right up until he lost his way, then you either love the superstar or just can't admit how much you hate the man now foe what he did.

He did what he did and deserved what he has received (and not received $) but for putting on the uni I have all the respect in the world for him and the 4 years he gave us. And then the story to make it to the NBA despite those numbers you flashed and admitted were not very flashy. The way he played, the way he led he was a true Husky.

Hope this next livelihood he is chasing works out for him no matter!

 

[Huskybass]

Sorry have to agree with the original poster. While it's easy for most to root for the superstars of whatever team they root for I tend to like the story, the grit and the underdog of any of my teams. And stretch that out to make even more sense of what Kathy thinks, think Hartford USBL to the 13 NBA teams he player for, Larry Brown etc etc if you didn't think of him as one of those guys who respectfully donned that uni for the Huskies right up until he lost his way, then you either love the superstar or just can't admit how much you hate the man now foe what he did.

He did what he did and deserved what he has received (and not received $) but for putting on the uni I have all the respect in the world for him and the 4 years he gave us. And then the story to make it to the NBA despite those numbers you flashed and admitted were not very flashy. The way he played, the way he led he was a true Husky.

Hope this next livelihood he is chasing works out for him no matter!

I get that you like the guy. That certainly doesn't make him "one of the most beloved players ever to put on a UConn uniform".

I am fairly certain that guys like Kemba, Shabazz, Rip, Ray, Giffey, Freeman, Jake, Emeka, Boat, Khalid, Caron and Rashad were/are more beloved than Ollie, even prior to his coaching debacle. Ollie was a good player at UConn, but not nearly the legend you make him out to be.

 

[CL82]

Clyde deserved a second chance more than Ollie does. I also wonder why he never got one.

If I recall correctly the incident that happened in Hartford happened elsewhere as well. So UConn already was “the second chance”.

 

[ctchamps]

I get that you like the guy. That certainly doesn't make him "one of the most beloved players ever to put on a UConn uniform".

I am fairly certain that guys like Kemba, Shabazz, Rip, Ray, Giffey, Freeman, Jake, Emeka, Boat, Khalid, Caron and Rashad were/are more beloved than Ollie, even prior to his coaching debacle. Ollie was a good player at UConn, but not nearly the legend you make him out to be.

You’d have to define what constitutes most. Top 10% of players? Top 1%?

It’s hard to disassociate our bias following what KO has done to the program as a coach but if I recall correctly the Boneyard was one voice in praising KO’s NBA career because he was an average player who worked hard to play as long as he did. Ollie defined work ethic and this forum considered him a hero and wonderful representative of UConn’s basketball program.

I get that when there is disappointment or anger over something there is a need to eliminate any value regarding that entity. Kathy, mau and I can’t do that with KO. We can welcome his firing without destroying the good he did.

 

[Waquoit]

We can welcome his firing without destroying the good he did.

He was well on his way to destroying the program when he got sacked. That doesn't go away just because we had a couple of nice wins. He made his bed.

 

[Madmannsucks]

If I recall correctly the incident that happened in Hartford happened to elsewhere as well. So UConn already was “the second chance”.

Pretty sure there was "at least" one other, and it was covered up.

 

[ctchamps]

He was well on his way to destroying the program when he got sacked. That doesn't go away just because we had a couple of nice wins. He made his bed.

Out of context. Read the posts I was referencing. My post was about KO prior time to his being a coach. Avoided the coaching debate completely.

 

[Madmannsucks]

We can revisit and all say how much we knew what was going to happen. That is just BS. Beloved....oh yeah. Outside of Conn when you mentioned UConn, KO's name came up. Yup he was beloved, by all of us and by JC.

 

[mauconnfan]

I get that you like the guy. That certainly doesn't make him "one of the most beloved players ever to put on a UConn uniform".

I am fairly certain that guys like Kemba, Shabazz, Rip, Ray, Giffey, Freeman, Jake, Emeka, Boat, Khalid, Caron and Rashad were/are more beloved than Ollie, even prior to his coaching debacle. Ollie was a good player at UConn, but not nearly the legend you make him out to be.

Beloved to who you? The other are more famous and favorite player types but that’s not necessarily beloved. He’s not a legend but does it take legendary status to be a beloved figure? I promise you the I get you like the guy has nothing to do with what I’m saying here. I’ve lost respect for the guy I had a ton for I’m just not allowing what he’s done to his Husky status to take away from what he did in the uni. Not sure if you watched or paid attention when he played but he was always the toughest guy on the floor. He was always shutting down other guards and running a team of scorers. His stats were fine considering who he played with and what he was asked to do.

To me as a player he’s that same guy that Calhoun thought of Taliek, that would be beloved. Not saying your opinion is wrong but Kathy has a solid one too as far as I’m concerned.

 

[CTBasketball]

He burned all his bridges. Threw Calhoun’s name in the fire as well as the university’s, after all it’s done for him.

I would be totally fine if I never heard of him again. Don’t care.

 

[Huskybass]

You’d have to define what constitutes most. Top 10% of players? Top 1%?

It’s hard to disassociate our bias following what KO has done to the program as a coach but if I recall correctly the Boneyard was one voice in praising KO’s NBA career because he was an average player who worked hard to play as long as he did. Ollie defined work ethic and this forum considered him a hero and wonderful representative of UConn’s basketball program.

I get that when there is disappointment or anger over something there is a need to eliminate any value regarding that entity. Kathy, mau and I can’t do that with KO. We can welcome his firing without destroying the good he did.

He wasn't that special of a player, it has nothing to do with what transpired while he was Head Coach. There are literally dozens of more beloved UConn players based on playing careers alone. If you put a list of your most beloved UConn players, would he even make your top 10?

 

[mauconnfan]

You’d have to define what constitutes most. Top 10% of players? Top 1%?

It’s hard to disassociate our bias following what KO has done to the program as a coach but if I recall correctly the Boneyard was one voice in praising KO’s NBA career because he was an average player who worked hard to play as long as he did. Ollie defined work ethic and this forum considered him a hero and wonderful representative of UConn’s basketball program.

I get that when there is disappointment or anger over something there is a need to eliminate any value regarding that entity. Kathy, mau and I can’t do that with KO. We can welcome his firing without destroying the good he did.

Bingo fleudy!

 

[ctchamps]

He wasn't that special of a player, it has nothing to do with what transpired while he was Head Coach. There are literally dozens of more beloved UConn players based on playing careers alone. If you put a list of your most beloved UConn players, would he even make your top 10?

The list behind him would be very much larger.
If Kathy said he was the most beloved your argument would have merit. She didn’t.

KO did things that helped the program directly and indirectly. UConn got a lot of press when his history was mentioned during his NBA career. Everything positive contributes. Everything negative hurts.

I have no problem if people hate Ollie or hate the negative things he’s done. But it’s wrong to state he did nothing that was good. That’s a lie. I won’t be part of that lie.

 

[superjohn]

The list behind him would be very much larger.
If Kathy said he was the most beloved your argument would have merit. She didn’t.

KO did things that helped the program directly and indirectly. UConn got a lot of press when his history was mentioned during his NBA career. Everything positive contributes. Everything negative hurts.

I have no problem if people hate Ollie or hate the negative things he’s done. But it’s wrong to state he did nothing that was good. That’s a lie. I won’t be part of that lie.

He won a National Championship, pretty sure that's a good thing.