KO blast team.

[SouthBayHusky]

Watch the last 6 minutes of yesterday's game. Some players were gassed, and could not get back on defense. They were not fresh down the stretch. We only trust 6 players with most of the minutes, so we have little depth and it shows up in the end of games. Everyone else is calling it lack of effort, not trying, but I disagree. These kids want to win badly.

Houston not deeper nor gassed.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Watch the last 6 minutes of yesterday's game. Some players were gassed, and could not get back on defense. They were not fresh down the stretch. We only trust 6 players with most of the minutes, so we have little depth and it shows up in the end of games. Everyone else is calling it lack of effort, not trying, but I disagree. These kids want to win badly.

What scares me is UConn often appears to be the lesser conditioned team when playing top level competition. It's not just physical size, it's quickness, speed and overall body language during the course of tough games.

I fear typing this next paragraph because some have a difficult time crossing sports comparisons. This team's conditioning is starting to resemble the football team during the coach who won't be mentioned regime. UConn teams in the past wear were known for breaking opponents will to compete.
No longer. UConn is too often the first one to flinch.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I've been critical of Ollie's coaching this season but he's absolutely right here. The team didn't even try today and that's on them. He's pissed like we're all pissed, you always expect effort especially in a home game to stamp your ticket.

That's fine. I was pissed too. But could he perhaps do a bit more? Pull a Bobby Knight and throw a chair or something. He seems to just sit there and watch it happen.

I know people love to hate Roy Williams on the BY, but I once watched him bench the starting 5 for Kansas for something close to a full ten minutes. The subs played with energy and were losing. When the starters returned they played full out and destroyed the other team. I've been thinking all year that this team needs something like that.

 

[uconngb]

That's fine. I was pissed too. But could he perhaps do a bit more? Pull a Bobby Knight and throw a chair or something. He seems to just sit there and watch it happen.

I know people love to hate Roy Williams on the BY, but I once watched him bench the starting 5 for Kansas for something close to a full ten minutes. The subs played with energy and were losing. When the starters returned they played full out and destroyed the other team. I've been thinking all year that this team needs something like that.

Amen. Sick of watching him stuck to the bench with that quizzical look on his face. The team takes its lead from the coach.

 

[tykurez]

That's fine. I was pissed too. But could he perhaps do a bit more? Pull a Bobby Knight and throw a chair or something. He seems to just sit there and watch it happen.

I know people love to hate Roy Williams on the BY, but I once watched him bench the starting 5 for Kansas for something close to a full ten minutes. The subs played with energy and were losing. When the starters returned they played full out and destroyed the other team. I've been thinking all year that this team needs something like that.

This is a cute thought, but can you imagine the vitriol if he threw a chair? Hell, we still can't get over the paper toss.

 

[krinklecut]

I love that KO cant do anything right around here. If he doesn't chew out his players he's too soft and a bad head coach. If he calls them out (as he should) he gets called out for not manning up and taking blame. I really get so confused as to what will make some of you happy.

 

[intlzncster]

Anyone ever question where we'd be if Brimah doesn't get that and 1 against St Joe's? Our record without Napier is sheer mediocrity.

Just makes you wonder. That's all.

Remove Kemba, Emeka, and Rip and see how many Championships/Wins JC would have gotten those seasons.

Never understood that argument at all. So and so only won because he had X great player. No sh t. Great players get wins.

 

[intlzncster]

Whether KO is preparing them the right way or not, he should be the bigger man and take the full heat. After the fact, take ACTION instead of using your words to berate your players to the media. Words are wind, bench players quicker when they aren't performing.

He's challenging the players. Good players respond positively to challenges.

We ripped Calipari for trying to let his players off the hook with "they're just freshman". KO's not letting his guys off the hook.

 

[intlzncster]

"You can't play like that," Ollie said. "You shouldn't put on the UConn jersey if you're going to play like that. … There's pressure all the time, but when you have pressure like this, this is a great privilege, to play in front of a crowd like this and have a chance to cement yourself in the NCAA Tournament. … and you just let it slip through your fingers. That's very, very hard to swallow as a coaching staff, you try to prepare your team to play the right way, and we didn't play the right way at all. It's unacceptable."

Wow.

Personally, I love that.

 

[intlzncster]

HALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH. Some one else said what I was thinking so I didn't have to take the storm of ridicule that always follows an honest truthful accurate observation about KO's coaching or lack thereof. Does Uconn really have all the time in the world to get this stuff fixed. There is more at stake than a couple of lousy seasons IMHO.

A young Jim Calhoun ain't walking through that door. A reasonable facsimile doesn't exist country-wide right now.

 

[intlzncster]

It just so happens that are most talented player is from Cornell. Don't let the name of the school fool you in the talent level of the player. I mean would we better with a problem child from Duke or a little used North Carolina player. I don't think so. The problem is we didn't have a point guard with this team until JA started developing as one. KO overestimated the impact that SG would have running the point for our team this year and it has caused him lots of headaches this year. That is why DHAM is asked to handle the ball so much on offense at times.

What did you expect him to do? The cupboard was bare. He got the best available option on the market and went with it. Didn't work out. C'est la vie.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Remove Kemba, Emeka, and Rip and see how many Championships/Wins JC would have gotten those seasons.

Never understood that argument at all. So and so only won because he had X great player. No sh t. Great players get wins.

Lmao, goosefraba rocket man, take it easy.

I think that those are two valid points to look at.

We pulled out a win in the opening round of the NCAAT on a pretty remarkable play by Brimah. Had we not, who knows where we'd stand as a program right now. Just a hypothetical.

In regards to Napier, I think it's a valid point as well. Napier to me, was the best Husky I ever saw his senior season. Is it crazy to question how a first time head coach maybe had to ride the credentials of a once in a lifetime player on a miracle run, followed by two seasons of mediocrity?

I still think KO is the man for the job right now, but you can't say he's above being questioned. That's all.

 

[intlzncster]

Expectations were way to high. Those who played last year didn't prove the could win big games. Some would play hard when the game or season was out of reach. I guess no pressure.

Our transfers were brought in to play big minutes. Not optimal.

All the Adams is all world AAU lovers, overhyped what happens when you play D1 ball. He will be good. But big step up in size, talent, coaching and maturity.

This team is leaderless and the signs where there last year when they wouldn't follow Boat.

I'm actually right where my expectations were: hoping we'd make the NCAAs. Thought maybe we'd have 2 or 3 more conference wins (vs Cinci, Temple, and Houston).

But we are in the hunt. So I'm not off the ship yet.

 

[intlzncster]

Lmao, goosefraba rocket man, take it easy.

I think that those are two valid points to look at.

We pulled out a win in the opening round of the NCAAT on a pretty remarkable play by Brimah. Had we not, who knows where we'd stand as a program right now. Just a hypothetical.

In regards to Napier, I think it's a valid point as well. Napier to me, was the best Husky I ever saw his senior season. Is it crazy to question how a first time head coach maybe had to ride the credentials of a once in a lifetime player on a miracle run, followed by two seasons of mediocrity?

I still think KO is the man for the job right now, but you can't say he's above being questioned. That's all.

I wasn't saying KO shouldn't be questioned. Not at all. Just saying, in general, because I see it all the time with coaches, that that type of argument is confounding. KO deserves a lot more leeway, given his relative inexperience, and all the other oft repeated headwinds coming his way when he took over.

Remember we escaped in a couple of those other NCAAs too. To this day, I have a pit in my stomach from the Arizona game losing 3. I still think it's going in. Or being 18 down against Duke in the FF.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I wasn't saying KO shouldn't be questioned. Not at all. Just saying, in general, because I see it all the time with coaches, that that type of argument is confounding. KO deserves a lot more leeway, given his relative inexperience, and all the other oft repeated headwinds coming his way when he took over.

Remember we escaped in a couple of those other NCAAs too. To this day, I have a pit in my stomach from the Arizona game losing 3. I still think it's going in.

I totally agree with you. There is inherently a lot of luck in sports. I don't think Ollie is as great as we thought he was after that run, but he's certainly no where near as bad as some are making him out to be now.

Recall, this whole thing got started over what I thought was a fairly innocuous comment by me saying I didn't like him throwing the team under the bus.

 

[80shusky]

If you haven't in-bred into your players that in game 29 they better come out w energy, then you have failed as a coach. That is just simply unacceptable. Players shouldn't get a free pass and I'm not advocating for that. But the coach is responsible for EVERYTHING....that is why players never get fired, only coaches.

When did our players become in-bred? Yuck.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I totally agree with you. There is inherently a lot of luck in sports. I don't think Ollie is as great as we thought he was after that run, but he's certainly no where near as bad as some are making him out to be now.

Recall, this whole thing got started over what I thought was a fairly innocuous comment by me saying I didn't like him throwing the team under the bus.

My honest assessment is that Kevin is a guy who has never coached before at any level, aside from his short stint as an assistant to JC. It shows. I think he has the ability to be superb, and he's killing it on the recruiting side, but he's feeling his way for what he wants to be. He's not a JC clone for sure, and I think he is trying different approaches to see what will work for him. He doesn't know yet. After yesterday, he realized he needs to be a little tougher on this team.

Belichick failed in Cleveland. Francona failed with Cleveland (I sense a theme). Pete Carroll failed in New England. There are many examples, but Ollie is still developing as a coach.

 

[tykurez]

... but Ollie is still developing as a coach.

But "we" don't have time for that. When he was pulling in the Div I average of about $1.5mil maybe, but not when we're paying the guy $3mil a year.

 

[HuskyHawk]

But "we" don't have time for that. When he was pulling in the Div I average of about $1.5mil maybe, but not when we're paying the guy $3mil a year.

I confess, my concerns with Diaco have often been predicated on the belief that UConn needs to win now in football and basketball to prove its worth and get a P5 invite. That is key to my frustration and anger yesterday. It was an inexcusable loss, probably the 4th such loss this year. This team needed a top 25 ranking and solid 2-3 games in the NCAA tournament. Now we will be lucky to avoid the NIT. The timing is atrocious.

 

[krinklecut]

But "we" don't have time for that. When he was pulling in the Div I average of about $1.5mil maybe, but not when we're paying the guy $3mil a year.

Yes we do have time for that.

 

[Palatine]

He's clearly frustrated. And he has every right to be frustrated. But he is also in a position to affect what is going on. He is in a position to make his players and his team better. That starts in the mirror. The fact he is doing this in public shows that whatever he is trying to do isn't working. This is the kind of thing that is fine December but not March.

Don't let your team turn the ball over on four consecutive possessions. Call time after two or three. Use a more consistence rotation so players have a better idea when and how they will be used. Play to the players strength. Run a play to get Gibbs an open three. Open a side of the floor for Adams. Have the players throw that first pass immediately instead of pounding the ball for ten seconds. I would also like to see him stick up for the players in a demonstrative fashion after bad calls. This is all simple stuff.

But what Ollie really needs is to win a close game. Have someone make a buzzer beater. That would up the confidence on the floor and on the bench. Ollie has to get them in position and somebody just has to do it. Until somebody does, the doubt will be there.

 

[UConniki]

Mens basketball is the flagship sport @ CT and is about to miss NCAAT for the second year in a row COMMING OFF OF AN NC while the football team just went bowling in year two led by a first time coach COMMING OFF OF A 2WIN SEASON!!!! ENOUGH WITH THE "HE'S STILL LEARNING"crap. Basketball with 5 starters 13 players is much easier to turn around then football with 24 starters and 80players(?) yet a first time coach just did it. While football looks like it's trending up basketball looks to be doing just the opposite.This team is not well coached.

 

[August_West]

When did our players become in-bred? Yuck.

That happens a lot to keep the bloodlines pure.

 

[Towney007]

It just so happens that are most talented player is from Cornell. Don't let the name of the school fool you in the talent level of the player. I mean would we better with a problem child from Duke or a little used North Carolina player. I don't think so. The problem is we didn't have a point guard with this team until JA started developing as one. KO overestimated the impact that SG would have running the point for our team this year and it has caused him lots of headaches this year. That is why DHAM is asked to handle the ball so much on offense at times.

To me the issue is really more with the PG than the presence down low, even though I think that'll figure itself out. There are entire stretches of minutes where it doesn't even look like we're *running* an offense. Literally. We have three guys in Hamilton, Gibbs and Purvis that can all score - and while there are some important distinctions between the three - they all serve the same function. It's hard to balance having all three involved. Jalen runs the point better than Gibbs, but that's not really saying much. Both are absolutely better in the 2-guard hole and I think for the sake of his development that Ollie has been really hesitant to allow Jalen too much time at the point.

The bench pieces are... just mostly bad. Everyone's had moments this season, but it's really hard to find *that guy* off the bench that's gonna drill 8 for you, give you the tough D, the big board, etc. My knock is that i'd like to see more Enoch, if for nothing more than establishing his physical presence down low, but it's hard to knock Ollie on rotations because well... there isn't much to rotate into the game.

So I dunno. This was a patch work year where if things broke well we'd be a contender. If not, we'd probably be a post season team anyway - but salvagable with a good recruiting class. And you know - that's actually exactly what we are still. Like I said - we could beat anyone in the tournament. We could also not be there at all. It's the epitome of a bridge year.

 

[tjc1888]

Mens basketball is the flagship sport @ CT and is about to miss NCAAT for the second year in a row COMMING OFF OF AN NC while the football team just went bowling in year two led by a first time coach COMMING OFF OF A 2WIN SEASON!!!! ENOUGH WITH THE "HE'S STILL LEARNING"crap. Basketball with 5 starters 13 players is much easier to turn around then football with 24 starters and 80players(?) yet a first time coach just did it. While football looks like it's trending up basketball looks to be doing just the opposite.This team is not well coached.

Bob Diaco has been coaching football since 1999.