KO: Season In Review

[GuttyWolf]

Let me start by saying I hadn't ripped Kevin once in the 3 years prior to this one. Needless to say, this season left a lot to be desired and he had a terrible year.


Biggest Gripes:


1. Your best player wears #32, can get his own shot on the low block vs anyone and three other guys get more shots per game than him. That's inexcusable.


2. The Rotations. Use of Adams this year was brutal at times. The allocation of Nolan/Facey/Enoch minutes has no rhyme or reason game to game. Fat Sam getting random minutes. (Self-Explanatory)


3. Lack of accountability. Blaming of players in postgame. Not owning the T against Maryland.


Now wake up Kevin and get this group ready for Friday. Let’s beat Cincy so I can edit this vile year in review with some positives.

 

[Deleted]

Let me start by saying I hadn't ripped Kevin once in the 3 years prior to this one. Needless to say, this season left a lot to be desired and he had a terrible year.


Biggest Gripes:


1. Your best player wears #32, can get his own shot on the low block vs anyone and three other guys get more shots per game than him. That's inexcusable.


2. The Rotations. Use of Adams this year was brutal at times. The allocation of Nolan/Facey/Enoch minutes has no rhyme or reason game to game. Fat Sam getting random minutes. (Self-Explanatory)


3. Lack of accountability. Blaming of players in postgame. Not owning the T against Maryland.


Now wake up Kevin and get this group ready for Friday. Let’s beat Cincy so I can edit this vile year in review with some positives.

Wolf? Is that you?...

 

[gtcam]

Let me start by saying I hadn't ripped Kevin once in the 3 years prior to this one. Needless to say, this season left a lot to be desired and he had a terrible year.


Biggest Gripes:


1. Your best player wears #32, can get his own shot on the low block vs anyone and three other guys get more shots per game than him. That's inexcusable.


2. The Rotations. Use of Adams this year was brutal at times. The allocation of Nolan/Facey/Enoch minutes has no rhyme or reason game to game. Fat Sam getting random minutes. (Self-Explanatory)


3. Lack of accountability. Blaming of players in postgame. Not owning the T against Maryland.


Now wake up Kevin and get this group ready for Friday. Let’s beat Cincy so I can edit this vile year in review with some positives.

1. #32 is a very good player BUT he also needs to work for the ball and provide some rebounding
2. Rotations were questionable but you are working with what you have. Why resort to childish name calling?
3. KO has said many many times that he is accountable - maybe you had better clean your reading glasses and/or take yourself off selective reading. Not owning up to the T- Really?

After reading this contribution - don't bother the edit - win or lose
Maybe start drinking when the sun goes down?

 

[Kitaman]

Sometimes teams just have a WTF season. It happens, but I see no trend. So jump off a cliff if one must, there is a lot of water down there.

 

[GuttyWolf]

1. #32 is a very good player BUT he also needs to work for the ball and provide some rebounding
2. Rotations were questionable but you are working with what you have. Why resort to childish name calling?
3. KO has said many many times that he is accountable - maybe you had better clean your reading glasses and/or take yourself off selective reading. Not owning up to the T- Really?

After reading this contribution - don't bother the edit - win or lose
Maybe start drinking when the sun goes down?

I'll take these in Order.

1. #32 has been the best player on the team plain and simple. If you are going to nitpick his rebounding, I can only imagine what you have lined up for everyone else on the team.

2. I'm aware he is working with what he has. Not having a set rotation by at least the middle of conference play is a tad alarming. That is not having a grasp of your personnel. And as far as Fat Sam, goes I find the nickname very apropos. Before I even get to his play on the court, the guy looks outta shape every time he's out there. Get me his Husky Run Time.

3. And maybe you need to read the quotes after the Maryland game and get back to me. Here they are for you. From the game recap from my man Borges.

http://www.nhregister.com/sports/20151209/uconn-men-continue-to-struggle-early



Afterwards, Ollie was unapologetic about the “T.”




“I just hit the stand where the stats are, there were some stats there, my hand hit the stats,” he said. “That’s why they probably called the tech. Only thing I did was (gently raps podium) slap like that. I didn’t see the papers, and the papers fell on the ground. That was the only thing.”

Forget drinking when the sun goes down, I'm gonna need a Vodka after responding to you.

 

[GuttyWolf]

Wolf? Is that you?...

It's me, Wolf

 

[Deleted]

1. #32 is a very good player BUT he also needs to work for the ball and provide some rebounding
2. Rotations were questionable but you are working with what you have. Why resort to childish name calling?
3. KO has said many many times that he is accountable - maybe you had better clean your reading glasses and/or take yourself off selective reading. Not owning up to the T- Really?

After reading this contribution - don't bother the edit - win or lose
Maybe start drinking when the sun goes down?

I don't think name calling is childish if it's true. SCJ hasn't don't anything for us. Not even close to what we expected. He's at best a mid major d1 player. Can't handle the ball, can't play D, and is a huge liability when he's out there. But I digress.

Luckily, KO is one hell of a tournament coach. He's gotten us to the finals in the AAC tournament last two years and won a NC. I have faith that he'll guide us past Cincy and Temple and get us back to the tournament.

 

[Storrssouth]

I think it has become obvious that KO needs 2 true point guards or ball handlers in his "system." The team doesn't have that personnel right now and it has been painful to watch at times. Next year we have the personnel so if it doesn't start to click then, the staff might need to take a serious look at how the team is built. We've also been waiting all season for someone to step up and get us a bucket when we need it.

That said, this is March. Its now or never for these guys. Nothing up to this point really matters - the poor offensive sets, questionable rotations, etc. Just find a way to win. We'll see what these guys are made of soon enough, including KO

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

I don't think name calling is childish if it's true. SCJ hasn't don't anything for us. Not even close to what we expected. He's at best a mid major d1 player. Can't handle the ball, can't play D, and is a huge liability when he's out there. But I digress.

Luckily, KO is one hell of a tournament coach. He's gotten us to the finals in the AAC tournament last two years and won a NC. I have faith that he'll guide us past Cincy and Temple and get us back to the tournament.

We don't have a large enough sample size to call Ollie a "hell of a tournament coach". Not trying to diminish KO's coaching ability, because I don't think we really can put labels on his coaching ability yet. But going 2-1 in the AAC tournament in consecutive years is nothing to get excited over.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

We are talking about "Teflon Kev" here. Whether it is Jacobs or Susan H. (or any administrator) you won't see much of a critique from this group. Ollie has a great gig. The most heat you will see on him will probably originate here from a few connected posters who have been around the program for many years. If things continue to progress in a downward spiral our best shot is to pick off a staff member or hope for a departure. Miller and Hobbs deserve some good will for a title run. Unfortunately a reasonably prudent person could come to the conclusion that change may be in the best interest of the program.

If you listened to the coaches show last night it is hard not to come to the conclusion that KO just feels pretty comfortable. The same theme "players make the plays..." "We have great fans and I want to make the tournament for them...ect ect..." One soft ball question after the other by Joe D. After listening to the interview it does make you appreciate a few posters here on the boneyard. It wouldn't surprise me if we won an NCAA Tournament game despite my bearish outlook for this team and staff.

Sometimes the unthinkable can happen with this program at a time when hope seems forgotten. The thing that bothers me the most is this group is just hard to like as a team. Not because of the record. It revolves more around a lack of commitment to being the best you can be from a few different perspectives.

 

[uconngb]

1. #32 is a very good player BUT he also needs to work for the ball and provide some rebounding
2. Rotations were questionable but you are working with what you have. Why resort to childish name calling?
3. KO has said many many times that he is accountable - maybe you had better clean your reading glasses and/or take yourself off selective reading. Not owning up to the T- Really?

After reading this contribution - don't bother the edit - win or lose
Maybe start drinking when the sun goes down?

Is there a dislike button? If so, I would reserve it for you. You've become insufferable on this board. Go read KO's quotes after the Houston game. NO ONE on the floor or on the bench came ready for that game. After the game, KO ripped the players and went so far as to say the coaches had the team prepared.....and took ZERO blame himself. That's horrible leadership and he has been lost all year.

 

[Pudge]

Miller was a key. And I think the freaking season could have had a few more positive outcomes IF ... he didn't regularly draw whistles for really insignificant contact. I am tempted to blame refs; but actually blaming 20 is silly. Miller regularly made ill-timed mindless reach.

One game - Houston @ home - Mike Patrick parroted the Glen Miller key coming out of half saying Shonn would be the focus. Whereupon Shonn got his third within 30 seconds. Miller was the piece we could have used more; unfortunately he often put himself out of play.

 

[rip7774]

Strong post, I love KO but really been a tough year for him. I still don't know how they assessed SG as a point. He practiced w team. All those 3 star PGs we were in on late May have fit although we (fans) didn't really want them due to apr hit if they left. Rotations kinda crazy too, I would like more Kentan and Steve and a ton less SG if he's not hitting as he contributed nothing else at all. I would've had much shorter leash w DHam when he's moping and not playing hard.

 

[UChusky916]

First, it's too early to 'review' the season while we're still alive. Although, I think the OP could have been more graceful in his wording of his gripes (no need for 'Fat Sam'), I agree with the general premise of most of his points.

1) I think its obvious we want Miller to get the ball, and we should have done a better job of that early on, but KO has realized that he's our highest percentage option on offense. I'll put some blame here on the guards for not getting it to him... I see Miller attempting to post up a lot and the ball just isn't delivered. Also, Shonn needs to stay on the floor a bit more and stop committing bad fouls on defense.

2) I've been saying for WEEKS that KO has made a train wreck of the line-ups. Not only can he not pick a starting line-up, (Adams should be starting, but don't shuffle him in and out), but his substitution patterns have done nothing but KILL any momentum our team generates in-game. Then there were stretches of games where we saw Phil, Omar, Facey, and Enoch.... only for them to be a no-show a few games later. Made no sense to me whatsoever and this is KO's biggest fault this year. This team had a lot of new pieces and NEEDED to find chemistry early for it to reach its ceiling but KO seemingly prevented that with his head-scratching line-ups and rotations.

3) Can't blame him for not owning up to the T. It was a bit disappointing, but that didn't lose us the game. I think the bigger issue here is learning HOW and WHEN to work the officials, and KO was abysmal in this regard as well.

For point 4, I would add poor handling of late-game situations. Temple was an abomination... one poor decision after another (not fouling with a foul to give, not going 2-for-1, etc.).

I don't think anyone (including KO himself) will look back and say he did a good job with this team. But it is what it is, and he's still young enough to learn. Those calling for him to be fired are morons (looking at you, @freescooter ).

 

[Silk31]

I have to say that I found myself echoing the same exact issues that you mentioned @GuttyWolf . Love KO to death but to put this all on the players isn't fair just like it wouldn't be fair to blame the coaches only.

KO basically blaming his players wasn't a good look and I hope he learned from that. There is no reason why our tournament hopes should hinge on winning the 1st round game of the AAC tourney.

The players haven't executed and the coaching staff haven't put the players in the best position to execute. Heading into the conference tourney and our rotations are still up in the air.

There are a lot of issues with this team and this season but for those fans who think KO should be absolved of any and all blame, you need to take your homer glasses off.

 

[UConnDad]

If we lose Friday I'm giving up the Boneyard for Lent

 

[TasteofUConn]

We've written this to death. We should all wait until about 1 month after our last game to assess the season.

 

[donyell34]

No reason to slam Sam Wolf.

 

[CL82]

I think it has become obvious that KO needs 2 true point guards or ball handlers in his "system." The team doesn't have that personnel right now and it has been painful to watch at times. Next year we have the personnel so if it doesn't start to click then, the staff might need to take a serious look at how the team is built.

Agree, next year is a proof of concept year, although tough to rely too much on freshmen, even very talented ones.

 

[dtrumpet]

this thread is too early. How many weeks too soon remains to be seen, but too soon nevertheless.

 

[GuttyWolf]

No reason to slam Sam Wolf.

Sam is out of shape aka fat. (Fat Sam) I wasn't slamming him, I was stating a fact.

this thread is too early. How many weeks too soon remains to be seen, but too soon nevertheless.

Was meant to be a regular season review. My apologies

Get me a W Friday.

 

[joober jones]

It's not easy to run and stay in shape with shin splints.

 

[Phorcys]

If only we could hire, Gutter Wolf, and his alter egos, Lloyd and Storrssouth, to sit on the bench.

 

[GuttyWolf]

If only we could hire, Gutter Wolf, and his alter egos, Lloyd and Storrssouth, to sit on the bench.

*GuttyWolf* and we finish 24-7 minimum with that staff

 

[Storrssouth]

If only we could hire, Gutter Wolf, and his alter egos, Lloyd and Storrssouth, to sit on the bench.

I like to think that on some things, I agree with "gutter wolf" while on others I disagree. Like his Francesa avatar, for example. Wouldn't be my first choice ok