KO - Victim of discrimination and denied due process?

[DMIL]

How about the fact that KO has no ability to look at what happened with the transfers the blowouts and the program turning to crap and even think that anything was amiss. I get that it’s a legal contract dispute but how long did he think that this could go on?

He thought he would get one more year to right the ship.

 

[CL82]

If I'm not mistaken, contract language may have been "beefed up" regarding violations by coaches by the time Ollie was hired.

Ollie's lawyer seemed to be making a major issue out of the fact Calhoun's violations weren't met with dismissal after the NCAA levied penalties yet his client was dismissed for cause before any penalties were levied, thus the FOIA request for info on previous violations.

If the contract language had been strengthened it would seem that would help mitigate any accusations of mistreatment of Ollie versus Calhoun regarding their violations and their retention/dismissal after those violations were discovered and penalties meted out by the NCAA.

Anyone have any insights into that issue?

I looked at Calhoun's last contract and it pretty similar. Don't know about his prior ones.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

He thought he would get one more year to right the ship.

Point blank question: do you personally think his performance, the team's performance, the NCAA investigation questions, and all else known & unknown warranted another year?
Separate question: do you think KO read things correctly to think he would, as you wrote it, "get one more year to right the ship?

 

[Yardigan]

Need to start another thread that talks about the threads set up to talk about Ollie.

 

[huskeynut]

Point blank question: do you personally think his performance, the team's performance, the NCAA investigation questions, and all else known & unknown warranted another year?
Separate question: do you think KO read things correctly to think he would, as you wrote it, "get one more year to right the ship?

Its not what any of us think. Its what KO thinks.

And yes, he thought he was entitled to another year. Look at it from his point of view. He was the alum coming back after 13 years in the NBA. He was working with his mentor, Jim Calhoun. Calhoun built the UConn brand and he was a part of that. He was touted as the "son who had come home" to coach.

He was the one who was wronged by only getting an interm head coaching job. He won a National Championship. The NBA was calling - Ollie was the hot commodity.

KO was in denial all last year and still is. Union disagreed and said you can't fire him so he was suspended. That act just fueled KO's belief that he had one more year coming to him. In KO's eyes, only he is capable of getting the program going in the right direction. He can't see any other option.

 

[HuskyHawk]

He thought he would get one more year to right the ship.

He got one more year than he should have. And demonstrated a level of incompetence that is barely fathomable.

I honestly doubt that any random high school coach could have been worse. Perhaps it was the pressure to fix things. He had no strategy. He played his worst player an amazing amount of time, started him most of the year. He had three guards, and insisted on playing a 3 guard lineup. That stressed all of them an none could play defense with any intensity.

He was mind bogglingly awful.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Its not what any of us think. Its what KO thinks.

And yes, he thought he was entitled to another year. Look at it from his point of view. He was the alum coming back after 13 years in the NBA. He was working with his mentor, Jim Calhoun. Calhoun built the UConn brand and he was a part of that. He was touted as the "son who had come home" to coach.

He was the one who was wronged by only getting an interm head coaching job. He won a National Championship. The NBA was calling - Ollie was the hot commodity.

KO was in denial all last year and still is. Union disagreed and said you can't fire him so he was suspended. That act just fueled KO's belief that he had one more year coming to him. In KO's eyes, only he is capable of getting the program going in the right direction. He can't see any other option.

I was genuinely inteterested in @DMIL's opinion. How else was I going to learn it except by asking the two questions I asked?

 

[BlueDogs]

KO negotiated a contract with expressly stated provisions that he was responsible for ensuring compliance with NCAA rules under his program. There were violations and that provided just cause for termination. The fact that the program just came out of NCAA sanctions is more than ample reason to assume the strictures of compliance were material. Yes, if KO was knocking it out of the park, the University might have treated him differently, but he wasn’t. The university has the power to waive enforcement as the aggrieved contractual party at is option. It chose not to, which is perfectly within its rights. Frankly, his lawyers screwed him by not demanding a materiality standard or at least some wiggle room on for cause termination. With 10 Million at stake, they should have been very wary of the contractual escape mechanisms the university could use.

As the saying goes, pigs get fat and hogs get slaughtered, and KO was a hog bellying up to the trough and didn’t see what was coming. Its what happens when you negotiate off one success and then fail to deliver miserably. Nobody wants to hand a failure a big payday for not delivering.

 

[UconnU]

Find a booster to pay a substantial settlement and be done with it. Please. For the sake of the program.

 

[Goat]

The university chose to attempt to save some or all of the remaining salary by claiming the firing was for cause. Disagreements on this board over whether KO was entitled to another year to right the ship or was worse than a poor high school coach are irrelevant now.

UConn made this about more than won lost records by saying the termination was for cause. They made it about integrity rather than just results. Ollie is a son of the program with a deservedly good reputation. His offenses are minor and I note that many posters here urged him to do more to push the rules to win. The FOIA request was one of many as media outlets filed too.

Coaches get jobs despite poor records on the court. Coaches who commit transgressions as described by Herbst have more trouble. "Poor" UConn thought they would just take $10 million and the man's good reputation earned throughout his life. What would you do to protect your reputation?

This was a deadly serious provocation and created a problem not easily resolved. If he takes $5 million, how does that reflect on his character? Would people think the discount was a reasonable compromise or tacit acknowledgment of misconduct?

Ask Ray Allen if this doesn't impact the "family" or Coach Hurley if he wouldn't have preferred that Ollie just be fired. Do you suppose the NCAA in their adoration of our Huskies isn't intrigued by Miller's hearsay upon hearsay allegation, the one that actually is serious?

Sadly, I expect the strategy of Herbst and Benedict will cost our state university and its brand more than the $$$ they tried to save.

 

[Chief00]

Its not what any of us think. Its what KO thinks.

And yes, he thought he was entitled to another year. Look at it from his point of view. He was the alum coming back after 13 years in the NBA. He was working with his mentor, Jim Calhoun. Calhoun built the UConn brand and he was a part of that. He was touted as the "son who had come home" to coach.

He was the one who was wronged by only getting an interm head coaching job. He won a National Championship. The NBA was calling - Ollie was the hot commodity.

KO was in denial all last year and still is. Union disagreed and said you can't fire him so he was suspended. That act just fueled KO's belief that he had one more year coming to him. In KO's eyes, only he is capable of getting the program going in the right direction. He can't see any other option.

Yeah, I agree that’s his viewpoint.

 

[Stinger92860]

The university chose to attempt to save some or all of the remaining salary by claiming the firing was for cause. Disagreements on this board over whether KO was entitled to another year to right the ship or was worse than a poor high school coach are irrelevant now.

UConn made this about more than won lost records by saying the termination was for cause. They made it about integrity rather than just results. Ollie is a son of the program with a deservedly good reputation. His offenses are minor and I note that many posters here urged him to do more to push the rules to win. The FOIA request was one of many as media outlets filed too.

Coaches get jobs despite poor records on the court. Coaches who commit transgressions as described by Herbst have more trouble. "Poor" UConn thought they would just take $10 million and the man's good reputation earned throughout his life. What would you do to protect your reputation?

This was a deadly serious provocation and created a problem not easily resolved. If he takes $5 million, how does that reflect on his character? Would people think the discount was a reasonable compromise or tacit acknowledgment of misconduct?

Ask Ray Allen if this doesn't impact the "family" or Coach Hurley if he wouldn't have preferred that Ollie just be fired. Do you suppose the NCAA in their adoration of our Huskies isn't intrigued by Miller's hearsay upon hearsay allegation, the one that actually is serious?

Sadly, I expect the strategy of Herbst and Benedict will cost our state university and its brand more than the $$$ they tried to save.

What do you think the effective $$$$ delta will be?

 

[billybud]

Lawyers have an obligation to their client's interest...and their tactics in legal maneuvering are just that, tactics.

Each side is slamming down cards that they think gives some advantage.

 

[Paesano]

The university chose to attempt to save some or all of the remaining salary by claiming the firing was for cause. Disagreements on this board over whether KO was entitled to another year to right the ship or was worse than a poor high school coach are irrelevant now.

UConn made this about more than won lost records by saying the termination was for cause. They made it about integrity rather than just results. Ollie is a son of the program with a deservedly good reputation. His offenses are minor and I note that many posters here urged him to do more to push the rules to win. The FOIA request was one of many as media outlets filed too.

Coaches get jobs despite poor records on the court. Coaches who commit transgressions as described by Herbst have more trouble. "Poor" UConn thought they would just take $10 million and the man's good reputation earned throughout his life. What would you do to protect your reputation?

This was a deadly serious provocation and created a problem not easily resolved. If he takes $5 million, how does that reflect on his character? Would people think the discount was a reasonable compromise or tacit acknowledgment of misconduct?

Ask Ray Allen if this doesn't impact the "family" or Coach Hurley if he wouldn't have preferred that Ollie just be fired. Do you suppose the NCAA in their adoration of our Huskies isn't intrigued by Miller's hearsay upon hearsay allegation, the one that actually is serious?

Sadly, I expect the strategy of Herbst and Benedict will cost our state university and its brand more than the $$$ they tried to save.

Jesus, you Ollie fans are long winded. Ollie should have settled. He was made an offer before being fired for cause and refused it. No one would have thought anything negative about him. Now they do. And he will lose on top of it. Bad decision. The man certainly knows how to lose. It is sad to see how far he has fallen.

 

[whaler11]

Jesus, you Ollie fans are long winded. Ollie should have settled. He was made an offer before being fired for cause and refused it. No one would have thought anything negative about him. Now they do. And he will lose on top of it. Bad decision. The man certainly knows how to lose. It is sad to see how far he has fallen.

You’ve invented this offer in your head.

 

[CL82]

Its what KO thinks. And yes, he thought he was entitled

Well there's your problem right there.

 

[CL82]

You’ve invented this offer in your head.

Actually I think some else invented it. That's problem with multiple mega threads on a topic. After the third time someone speculates about something, it morphs into fact.

 

[Chief00]

I always liked KO and still do. I think he is sincere but in total denial about certain things. I believe he thought the additional dollars in his contract were guaranteed, so he feels victimized by UConn.

I believe, he also thinks Benedict was onboard with firing Miller - then Miller trashes KO in a nasty way and doesn’t feel any support from the university.

 

[Paesano]

You’ve invented this offer in your head.

I know your hatred of Benedict and Herbst drive you to believe they are the dumbest people on the planet but they aren't. And neither are UConn's lawyers.

An offer to avoid all of this is only logical. And people claim to have been told it happened. Are you really going to stick with the incredibly low probability scenario? Are you that blinded by hate?

Listen, Ollie will lose and Benedict and Herbst will be viewed as heros for saving the school 10mill. How does that make you feel?

 

[whaler11]

I know your hatred of Benedict and Herbst drive you to believe they are the dumbest people on the planet but they aren't. And neither are UConn's lawyers.

An offer to avoid all of this is only logical. And people claim to have been told it happened. Are you really going to stick with the incredibly low probability scenario? Are you that blinded by hate?

Listen, Ollie will lose and Benedict and Herbst will be viewed as heros for saving the school 10mill. How does that make you feel?

Not one credible source has said it happened.

I’m actually ascribing some sense to Herbst and Benedict - if you have someone for cause why would you offer them anything?
That would just signal your case is weak.

 

[husky8273]

and Benedict and Herbst will be viewed as heros for saving the school 10mill.

even if this comes to be, their methods will preclude hero status

 

[JMick]

You’ve invented this offer in your head.

This is the part I don't get. We have some people asking why we didn't make him an offer and then others claiming that since he didn't accept the offer we should fight to not give him anything. Meanwhile we have no idea if an offer was made, yet half the posts in these threads rely on one or the other to be true in order to support their argument.

 

[whaler11]

This is the part I don't get. We have some people asking why we didn't make him an offer and then others claiming that since he didn't accept the offer we should fight to not give him anything. Meanwhile we have no idea if an offer was made, yet half the posts in these threads rely on one or the other to be true in order to support their argument.

Well we do have a bunch of clueless people handicapping what a bunch of inept people are doing... so confusion makes sense.

 

[DMIL]

Point blank question: do you personally think his performance, the team's performance, the NCAA investigation questions, and all else known & unknown warranted another year?
Separate question: do you think KO read things correctly to think he would, as you wrote it, "get one more year to right the ship?

Based on all of those factors in the aggregate probably not however 50% of the Season’s outcome was caked in prior to the start of the season. Once Gilbert went down the team’s eventual record was predictable and certainly UCONN nation was not prepared to remotely endure another season remotely close to the last 2 seasons. Despite that K.O. Still had a descent case for at least one more year based solely on injuries and the defections. The defections alone set the program back 3 years. Sure you can blame him for those however giving him a year to recover from that was mission impossible.

The politics of this did not allow for another year however on paper and principle it did. I believe he had 4 years left on his deal so on paper as an Alumni contributing to the building of the program, 13 years repping UCONN in the NBA, contributing to a National Title as an assistant, getting hand picked to lead our storied program by the beloved Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun and his performance the first 3 years including winning a National title would at least get him that one more year to right the ship.

Clearly he put a plan together to right the ship with the staff changes that the AD signed off on. The politics of this is why he didn’t get another year. AD needed to protect himself as well. It’s all self preservation now. The use of “Cause” is the issue. Sure with all of that including all of the backstabbing by his prior staff and the current Administration he is prepared to move forward for what he believed he is still owed on the contract.

If K.O gets one more year he either rights the ship or he moves on with a quiet settlement. From a contract value maybe that cost the University $5M to $6M. I think that is something he could live with and would have shown good faith from the Administration.

Of course he didn’t get that and we have what we have now. The Administration made a decision to not give him another year, secure another coach with his mentor’s blessing and usuing “Cause” to save $10M while further damaging K.O’s reputation that he spent his life building including damaging meaningful job prospects. All of this occurring while he was still the coach and before the end of the season.

The politics of this drove the decision by the Administration however the cost to do so should have been $10M per the contract or the lesser of the remaining contract with any subsequent contract with another employer. Take a look at how the University of Texas handled the firing of Charlie Strong. The vile thrown at Charlie Strong was similar but not coming from quote “Family Members”. There was language in his buyout clause that allowed for an offset from any new subsequent contract with a new employer. Charlie quickly moves on as head coach of South Florida right here in the AAC. He moves on puts together a competitive team that is ranked and competes for the com fence title year 1.

This is how it should’ve been handled. In K.O.’s mind I’m sure he is saying to himself that it isn’t his problem if the University can’t find the $10M per his contract. I’m sure he is saying that is “not on me”.

Using “Cause” is the issue and it is causing significant consequential damages. The Administration needs to find the money. If not then the risks are what they are. Like I said before if this contract and use of Cause was so bullet clad why have a process in the first place. Why entertain any settlement if his actions were so aggregiois and beyond the pale? Why dismiss the snake GM comments as hearsay? Why let it even get to this point? Why extend his contract? Why not fire him after the defections? We all know why. The contract wording and money the lack thereof.

Again look at how the University of Texas handled Charlie Strong which was very sensitive. That was the playbook.

 

[JMick]

Based on all of those factors in the aggregate probably not however 50% of the Season’s outcome was caked in prior to the start of the season. Once Gilbert went down the team’s eventual record was predictable and certainly UCONN nation was not prepared to remotely endure another season remotely close to the last 2 seasons. Despite that K.O. Still had a descent case for at least one more year based solely on injuries and the defections. The defections alone set the program back 3 years. Sure you can blame him for those however giving him a year to recover from that was mission impossible.

The politics of this did not allow for another year however on paper and principle it did. I believe he had 4 years left on his deal so on paper as an Alumni contributing to the building of the program, 13 years repping UCONN in the NBA, contributing to a National Title as an assistant, getting hand picked to lead our storied program by the beloved Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun and his performance the first 3 years including winning a National title would at least get him that one more year to right the ship.

Clearly he put a plan together to right the ship with the staff changes that the AD signed off on. The politics of this is why he didn’t get another year. AD needed to protect himself as well. It’s all self preservation now. The use of “Cause” is the issue. Sure with all of that including all of the backstabbing by his prior staff and the current Administration he is prepared to move forward for what he believed he is still owed on the contract.

If K.O gets one more year he either rights the ship or he moves on with a quiet settlement. From a contract value maybe that cost the University $5M to $6M. I think that is something he could live with and would have shown good faith from the Administration.

Of course he didn’t get that and we have what we have now. The Administration made a decision to not give him another year, secure another coach with his mentor’s blessing and usuing “Cause” to save $10M while further damaging K.O’s reputation that he spent his life building including damaging meaningful job prospects. All of this occurring while he was still the coach and before the end of the season.

The politics of this drove the decision by the Administration however the cost to do so should have been $10M per the contract or the lesser of the remaining contract with any subsequent contract with another employer. Take a look at how the University of Texas handled the firing of Charlie Strong. The vile thrown at Charlie Strong was similar but not coming from quote “Family Members”. There was language in his buyout clause that allowed for an offset from any new subsequent contract with a new employer. Charlie quickly moves on as head coach of South Florida right here in the AAC. He moves on puts together a competitive team that is ranked and competes for the com fence title year 1.

This is how it should’ve been handled. In K.O.’s mind I’m sure he is saying to himself that it isn’t his problem if the University can’t find the $10M per his contract. I’m sure he is saying that is “not on me”.

Using “Cause” is the issue and it is causing significant consequential damages. The Administration needs to find the money. If not then the risks are what they are. Like I said before if this contract and use of Cause was so bullet clad why have a process in the first place. Why entertain any settlement if his actions were so aggregiois and beyond the pale? Why dismiss the snake GM comments as hearsay? Why let it even get to this point? Why extend his contract? Why not fire him after the defections? We all know why. The contract wording and money the lack thereof.

Again look at how the University of Texas handled Charlie Strong which was very sensitive. That was the playbook.

that's an awful lot of excuses.