This board is hard to take when I read these posts from supposed know it all's claiming Ollie is clueless, Jump should be playing a lot more, Ollie should have rewarded whiners last year for poor effort by playing them more and maybe they would have stayed. I truly believe many do not realize how stupid these posts sound and how much like thinking is affecting your ability to recognize reality. I for one do not believe David Benedict is sold at all that Ollie needs to be replaced. This years team doesn't have the talent to compete at a high level of college basketball. If Gilbert were healthy and Larrier didn't get injured they would be much better but certainly not elite. The recruiting class two years ago was a problem not with the talent but with the attitude. Calhoun went thru that several times as well. Last years recruiting class was poor but may result over time with some decent role players, Carlton, Whalley. With Williams the experience he has received this year will set him up to either make a great advance in his game next year or the realization that he will never be a good D-1 player. I believe his major problems are his reflex. The game is much faster than he has ever experienced and he is thinking about what he is doing instead of just responding. After the season is over with a little rest and back to training I think he can bring his game to another level. If he makes that leap this team has great potential for next year. The recruiting class coming in along with Sidney Wilson is a big step forward in offensive capability. I expect big off season improvement in Carlton and Whalley. Diarra has to put on weight at his height to be effective and Polley has to develop some toughness and purpose to his game which I am not so sure is going to happen. If I am looking at things from Dave Benedict's position my take would be that Jim Calhoun would not be able to win with the kids on the court right now. At the end of last season it was clear the team had a recruiting problem and Ollie took steps to fix it by bringing in Chillious. The recruiting took an upswing this year even with Chillious starting late. The team that would be on the floor next year looks pretty good and has the potential to be very good depending on the status of Adams, Gilbert and Larrier. If Chillious is effective with this years class things are quickly looking up for the program and Benedict is in a position to know where recruiting stands. Ollie has a track record of winning a national championship with maybe the least talented team since Villanova and a record of overcoming adversity. If Benedict believes the recruiting issues are solved there is no way that Ollie doesn't return. For those who think Ollie is clueless think about how ridiculous you sound to most rational people who know basketball. Stubborn perhaps but not clueless.
