Lets lay off KO, can we please.

[freescooter]

Kevin Ollie is already a fine coach. You don't walk into a situation like UConn's and win 72% of your games if you are not a fine coach. Since he got us to March in fine shape I would say December definitely matters. Free, answer honestly are you hoping for KO to succeed in March or would you prefer he fail so you can continue your criticism of him?

LIUCHusky,
I've been a UConn fan since Dee Rowe was the coach, so I've seen ups and downs, really bad teams and really good teams. I have also seen UConn fans expectations change from 1) just making the post season, any post season, to 2)making the NCAA Tournament, to 3)making the Final Four being the goal, to 4) winning championships. I get a sense that among many fans we're back at step 2 and that Ollie is being given a pass on the rest. That isn't the way it works at elite programs. Ask Kentucky fans if they'll be happy with Cal if they just make the Tournament. After all, they failed to do so last year. Ask Duke fans if they'll be happy just making the tournament? Even if they have an off year, they want to go all the way. But half this Board is willing to give Ollie a parade for getting to the Dance. With the talent we had, and it is somewhat limited, but not that limited, and the schedule we had winning mid-20 regular season games would have been a given. Failure to do that would have been grounds for dismissal. I mean, we had 16 games against teams with RPI over 150 so we should have been 16-0 (we went 15-1 with the Houston loss) out of the gate. March matters in Elite college basketball. That is how you evaluate coaches. Ollie has not yet had a March. And Unlike Calhoun, who took over a complete and utter disaster his first year, Ollie had more than a few elite level players, so we need to see what he does in March. beating teams in December is like hitting home runs in May. And as we know, there's a big difference between Mr. October and Mr. May.

 

[tzznandrew]

LIUCHusky,
I've been a UConn fan since Dee Rowe was the coach, so I've seen ups and downs, really bad teams and really good teams. I have also seen UConn fans expectations change from 1) just making the post season, any post season, to 2)making the NCAA Tournament, to 3)making the Final Four being the goal, to 4) winning championships. I get a sense that among many fans we're back at step 2 and that Ollie is being given a pass on the rest. That isn't the way it works at elite programs. Ask Kentucky fans if they'll be happy with Cal if they just make the Tournament. After all, they failed to do so last year. Ask Duke fans if they'll be happy just making the tournament? Even if they have an off year, they want to go all the way. But half this Board is willing to give Ollie a parade for getting to the Dance. With the talent we had, and it is somewhat limited, but not that limited, and the schedule we had winning mid-20 regular season games would have been a given. Failure to do that would have been grounds for dismissal. I mean, we had 16 games against teams with RPI over 150 so we should have been 16-0 (we went 15-1 with the Houston loss) out of the gate. March matters in Elite college basketball. That is how you evaluate coaches. Ollie has not yet had a March. And Unlike Calhoun, who took over a complete and utter disaster his first year, Ollie had more than a few elite level players, so we need to see what he does in March. beating teams in December is like hitting home runs in May. And as we know, there's a big difference between Mr. October and Mr. May.

Nobody's okay with just making the tournament. If, in the mid-term, KO isn't able to compete for Final Fours and Championships, he'd have to go.

But everything has to have its proper context. He took over a sanctioned program, a program that could not recruit like others and could not compete in the NCAAs. That means, provided his teams are winning games (and thus far, they are), I'm willing to give him a decent grace period to get his own guys in, and let them compete.

 

[mauconnfan]

Tonights game will go a long way as to telling us what frame of mind the team is in after their debacle in Louisville…….it won't tell me much about where I think KO is as a coach nor will the 1st round game quite honestly…..

The team needs to put those pants on, win or lose, and show some sack…….

 

[prankster]

Who has done a better job this year?

KO with the Huskies?

or

Brad Stevens with the Celtics?

Please feel free to discuss this among yourselves.

 

[David 76]

Again, no problem with high expectations for Ollie. Personally, I'd bet on him to succeed but time will tell.
It is the opinions judging him negatively now that are frustrating and, frankly don't make sense.
I wonder how many times Calhoun's head would have been called for by these fans? 1989 was a let down? Can't get it done for making a FF? He turned out alright.

 

[prankster]

Who has done a better job this year?

KO with the Huskies?

or

Brad Stevens with the Celtics?

Please feel free to discuss this among yourselves.

And....BTW...Please don't start threads by talking about layoffs that might include Kevin Ollie.

 

[pj]

Yes, it's ludicrous to start complaining about a coach who's gone 44-17 in two years despite a limited roster, and has commitments from a number of elite recruits.

I admit I was more optimistic at the start of the year than proved to be warranted, but that's because I expected more from Daniels and Omar Calhoun, and in general expected the big men to be a bit more muscular than they are. Kromah has been a pleasant surprise and makes up for Calhoun's down year, but nothing has compensated for the loss of Enosch Wolf and for Daniel's failure to get stronger. Brimah is still more potential than realization. Kromah is also a versatile all-around player, not a lights out scorer, and it is a Jeremy Lamb like scorer that the offense desperately needs. Overall, there is no position at which we are stronger than the typical NCAA team except Shabazz's.

 

[metsfan2323]

Ask Kentucky fans if they'll be happy with Cal if they just make the Tournament. After all, they failed to do so last year.

You make a good point, Ollie outcoached Calipari last year which is interesting because you wanted Warde to go after the slime ball Calipari. Many Kentucky fans would probably be willing to trade coaches with us.

BTW Kentucky has one championship in the last 15 years, since you keep holding them up as something we should aspire to I have to assume you will be satisfied if Ollie can win one in the next 15 years.

 

[scrappy2.0]

KO hasnt even had a chance to coach 1 post season game--not 1. I think the adjustments he can make are using more of a zone with Brimah in there to keep him on the floor and out of FT and use that three PG set at times to put pressure on the other team with our press and trap. But Ollie cant be the nutsck for Deandre Daniels. He can only hope that Ryan Boatright and Napier take good shots and get others involved and he cant help if Kromah and Giffey will show up and get 10-12 pts or hide out. Guys need to step up and coach just started his career here. Ill evaluate after a a MINIMUM of 5 years.

 

[Marat]

Kromah has been a pleasant surprise and makes up for Calhoun's down year, but nothing has compensated for the loss of Enosch Wolf and for Daniel's failure to get stronger.

Speaking of Enosch Wolf, he seems to be in contact with the team and sent this message:

Enosch Wolf ‏@E_Wolf_1 Mar 11
Screaming good luck to all my @UConnMBB bros for the first AAC tournement!!! @Ryanboatright11 @D_Daniels2 @phillipnolan0 @TorWatts ...

 

[babysheep]

LIUCHusky,
I've been a UConn fan since Dee Rowe was the coach, so I've seen ups and downs, really bad teams and really good teams. I have also seen UConn fans expectations change from 1) just making the post season, any post season, to 2)making the NCAA Tournament, to 3)making the Final Four being the goal, to 4) winning championships. I get a sense that among many fans we're back at step 2 and that Ollie is being given a pass on the rest. That isn't the way it works at elite programs. Ask Kentucky fans if they'll be happy with Cal if they just make the Tournament. After all, they failed to do so last year. Ask Duke fans if they'll be happy just making the tournament?

Had to stop here.

Duke/UK/UConn recruiting classes since 2009, when squid took over (couldn't find 247 team rankings prior to 2013):
ESPN 2009: 9/1
ESPN 2010: 6/1
ESPN 2011: 2/1
ESPN 2012: 12/2
247 2013: 3/1/43
247 2014: 1/2/32

How can you compare KO in his second year to a coach of K's coaching ability AND recruiting, as well as the insane talent UK has gotten the last SIX years? Are you telling us that if KO got 4/6 number one recruiting classes and 2/6 number two, we wouldn't be expecting championships? Or if we had a coach with 4 championships and consistently stellar talent? A lot of us were looking at deep tournament runs this year, and many think we still have a shot with the right matchups.

 

[freescooter]

Again, no problem with high expectations for Ollie. Personally, I'd bet on him to succeed but time will tell.
It is the opinions judging him negatively now that are frustrating and, frankly don't make sense.
I wonder how many times Calhoun's head would have been called for by these fans? 1989 was a let down? Can't get it done for making a FF? He turned out alright.

David 76, that is certainly not your year of graduating from UConn. Because if it was, you'd know that the team Calhoun took over was in absolute shambles. The very idea that UConn would win the NIT, never mind the NCAA, honestly never crossed people's minds. That is how far we've come. Was 1989 a letdown? A little but only because the previous 3-4 NIT Champs went to the NCAA the following year, but again, the NCAA was seen as the holy grail for UConn. Not winning it, just getting there. And considering where we had come from, a return trip to the NIT Final Four didn't seem like that much of a letdown. But to even compare the situation at UConn when Calhoun arrived on the scene with what Ollie inherited just demonstrates how little many people know about where this program came from. By the time Calhoun came to UConn, every existing Big East team had made the tourney as a Big East member but UConn. Two had won National Championships and 5 had gone to the Final Four. Every Big East team but UConn had played in an Elite 8 game. UConn had never been to the Dance as a Big East member. That is what Calhoun inherited. So despite Ollie taking a team that had a few problems, mainly the NCAA ban, it wasn't even in the same universe with Calhoun's situation. I think Ollie has done a good job. But he has also made some mistakes and he continues to make some. And he hasn't faced the real test yet. That begins tonight.

 

[caw]

LIUCHusky,
I've been a UConn fan since Dee Rowe was the coach, so I've seen ups and downs, really bad teams and really good teams. I have also seen UConn fans expectations change from 1) just making the post season, any post season, to 2)making the NCAA Tournament, to 3)making the Final Four being the goal, to 4) winning championships. I get a sense that among many fans we're back at step 2 and that Ollie is being given a pass on the rest. That isn't the way it works at elite programs. Ask Kentucky fans if they'll be happy with Cal if they just make the Tournament. After all, they failed to do so last year. Ask Duke fans if they'll be happy just making the tournament? Even if they have an off year, they want to go all the way. But half this Board is willing to give Ollie a parade for getting to the Dance. With the talent we had, and it is somewhat limited, but not that limited, and the schedule we had winning mid-20 regular season games would have been a given. Failure to do that would have been grounds for dismissal. I mean, we had 16 games against teams with RPI over 150 so we should have been 16-0 (we went 15-1 with the Houston loss) out of the gate. March matters in Elite college basketball. That is how you evaluate coaches. Ollie has not yet had a March. And Unlike Calhoun, who took over a complete and utter disaster his first year, Ollie had more than a few elite level players, so we need to see what he does in March. beating teams in December is like hitting home runs in May. And as we know, there's a big difference between Mr. October and Mr. May.

I think you are partially right. Realistic fans have this team as having a good year if it makes the round of 32, a great year at 16 and an amazing year if anything past that.

My expectations are usually based on actually analyzing the team in context of the whole of college basketball.

It's not that a championships/final four isn't still a goal, but one must reasonably realize that it takes teams time to build toward that goal (most years/teams).

I mean did anyone look at the 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011 teams and think a final four was realistic? Not that it wasn't a goal, just not a realistic one. 2012 probably didn't have those expectations either until Drummond came and they dropped quickly after realizing chemistry was just bad, and with Boat in flux that year.

I expect Ollie to get to final fours and have shots at Championships but I don't have that as the marker of a successful year this year.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Maybe another way of evaluating Ollie's tenure so far is the following question:

If you removed Ollie and put someone else there in his place, in order to accomplish what we have over the last two years, do you think it would it have taken:
A) A Hall of Fame coach (e.g. JC, K, Pitino, Izzo)
B) A pretty good high-major coach (e.g. Fred Hoiberg, Thad Matta, Buzz Williams, Leonard Hamilton)
C) An average, run-of-the-mill D-I coach (e.g. Rick Barnes, Mark Gottfried, Frank Martin, Paul Hewitt)
D) Any old schmuck

Which class of coach would be necessary to have the same level of success we've had under KO? Alternatively, replace KO with your coach of choice. How could they reasonably have done?

 

[David 76]

Scooter, I did graduate then (Dee Rowe must go!) and I'm well aware of the miracle Calhoun pulled off.
All I'm saying is there are always nay sayers and I'm sure you heard them too under the Calhoun era. I think that too a large degree, the type of fan that complained about Calhoun (or Taliek or Kemba), is the type to complain about Ollie this early.
Certainly UCONN's recent mess is not as tough to overcome as what Calhoun faced. You couldn't interest anyone in UCONN back then.
But you could interest people in the BE. A coaching and conference transition is also significant. As were sanctions and a tourney ban. Calhoun had it tougher because now UCONN has a reputation. But on the other hand, so are the expectations. No one would be delighted with an NIT championship in Ollie's second year

 

[TheChamps990411]

If coach K,Izzo,Self,Squid,Williams or even Calhoun were coaching this team would they be much better than they are now? Could any of those coaches get DD to be more consistant or stronger? Could any of them fix Omars issues? I think its crazy for a team in what turned out to be a pretty good conference sitting at 24 wins and a lock for the tournament is questioning whether the head coach is up to the task. KO led a team that no one expected much from to 20 victories and a win over the the #2 team in the country last season. His first. I have no doubt Uconn will be among the ELITE and will CHALLENGE FOR NATIONAL TITLES for years to come.
I think next years team is going to be better than this years team and is going to make a lot of noise nationally and all this questioning KO being the right man for the job will disappear. how about a little loyalty here people. Id like to see the about face on this board if we were to win 2,3 or even 4 games in the tournament this year. If this team defends the way it has shown its capable of anything can happen in march.

 

[UConn990411]

You have a voice to share your criticisms of KO, which you, the 2,670 other variations of your screenname with 990411 also do, in addition to freescooter, Palatine, CTBasketball, ASweet and many others. Nobody is censoring you, deleting your posts, banning you, we hear ya'll loud and clear every time you point out KO got outcoached by a HOF or didn't play this person enough minutes. Not sure how this board has some blind devotion to KO when there's a strong collective who want to put KO through the ringer after every loss.

Please don't lump me in with someone like freescooter, who hated that signing from the beginning. I loved the hire at the time ... and still do.

The only issue I have with Ollie so far is the lack of offensive progression this team has shown. Think back to the beginning of the season: this team was moving the ball, running effective fast breaks and putting points on the board. Obviously any guard-oriented team will struggle to score when the shots aren't falling, but the complete lack of ball movement at times has been disconcerting.

With that said, it's impossible not to be impressed with Ollie's complete body of work so far, and I'm a firm believer that a young coach - like a young player - can improve significantly. I suspect Ollie's offense will, especially as more of his own recruits start to populate the roster.

 

[aceboon]

Please don't lump me in with someone like freescooter, who hated that signing from the beginning. I loved the hire at the time ... and still do.

The only issue I have with Ollie so far is the lack of offensive progression this team has shown. Think back to the beginning of the season: this team was moving the ball, running effective fast breaks and putting points on the board. Obviously any guard-oriented team will struggle to score when the shots aren't falling, but the complete lack of ball movement at times has been disconcerting.

With that said, it's impossible not to be impressed with Ollie's complete body of work so far, and I'm a firm believer that a young coach - like a young player - can improve significantly. I suspect Ollie's offense will, especially as more of his own recruits start to populate the roster.

I honestly might be getting you confused with someone else since there are about a million variations of your screenname, point still stands about the blind loyalty/devotion tho, that's not the case when you got a strong collective ready to send KO out on the first thing smoking after a loss.

 

[UConn990411]

I honestly might be getting you confused with someone else since there are about a million variations of your screenname, point still stands about the blind loyalty/devotion tho, that's not the case when you got a strong collective ready to send KO out on the first thing smoking after a loss.

Fair point. I've been critical of him (annoying so, I'm sure), but I've never advocated that.

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

Who has done a better job this year?

KO with the Huskies?

or

Brad Stevens with the Celtics?

Out of curiosity, if we hired Stevens and the Celtics wanted him, what do you think the chances are he would've stayed are? Vs. Ollie?

 

[CTFIRERETIRED]

Well well well. I guess we can all jump off the bashing Kevin Ollie bus now, can't we. Whatever they do from now on, I think it's safe to say that Ollie has done a pretty damn good job so far in the BIG DANCE.

 

[CTFIRERETIRED]

Kevin is taking his club to the FINAL 4. Second year on the job, first NCAA tournament. Hell hath frozen over. Whatever...........WHATEVER happens next Saturday, Kevin Ollie has made his place as head coach. No one...................NO ONE can doubt his ability to coach now.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

LIUCHusky,
I've been a UConn fan since Dee Rowe was the coach, so I've seen ups and downs, really bad teams and really good teams. I have also seen UConn fans expectations change from 1) just making the post season, any post season, to 2)making the NCAA Tournament, to 3)making the Final Four being the goal, to 4) winning championships. I get a sense that among many fans we're back at step 2 and that Ollie is being given a pass on the rest. That isn't the way it works at elite programs. Ask Kentucky fans if they'll be happy with Cal if they just make the Tournament. After all, they failed to do so last year. Ask Duke fans if they'll be happy just making the tournament? Even if they have an off year, they want to go all the way. But half this Board is willing to give Ollie a parade for getting to the Dance. With the talent we had, and it is somewhat limited, but not that limited, and the schedule we had winning mid-20 regular season games would have been a given. Failure to do that would have been grounds for dismissal. I mean, we had 16 games against teams with RPI over 150 so we should have been 16-0 (we went 15-1 with the Houston loss) out of the gate. March matters in Elite college basketball. That is how you evaluate coaches. Ollie has not yet had a March. And Unlike Calhoun, who took over a complete and utter disaster his first year, Ollie had more than a few elite level players, so we need to see what he does in March. beating teams in December is like hitting home runs in May. And as we know, there's a big difference between Mr. October and Mr. May.

How about being Mr March?

 

[DogMania]

After having read a number of posts re: Kevin Ollie, and his being outcoached, and how bad he is doing, I really have to ask those who posted this tripe.......What have you been smoking?

KO, is just completing his 2nd full season at the helm. We can all recall his first year. Being named head coach late in the year, taking over a club rent with transfers, dealing with probation, no post season tourney eligibility, the demise of the Big East, and players not his own, shall I continue? What does he do, they go and win 20 games, knocking off powers such as Mich St., and The Cuse. This year they have won over 20 games again, beating powerhouse Florida, and some others, playing in a league that, lets be generous, is not in anyway shape or form the quality of the Big East. OK, right, they were beaten by The Ville, twice, SMU twice, and a lot of you talk about him being outcoached. Well YEAH, duh, being outcoached by Larry Brown and Pitino, both with over 30+ years of coaching experience, better talent, is not a sin. At least not in my way of thinking. With the Ville leaving for the ACC, Rutgers for the Big 10, this league will take on the look of the A-10, or maybe the old Conference USA, hardly the old Big East. SMU, Houston, UCF, Memphis, Cincinnati, is not St. Johns, the Cuse, Nova, Georgetown. KO has to recruit his players, and get his situation down pat. Lets face it, unless the SEC comes on another raiding party, and goes after Miami, and Florida St. the chances of Uconn getting into the ACC are slim and none, and realistically, that is the ONLY place they will be welcome. The Big-10? really, with the abysmal football program, not likely, the SEC? Are you kidding me? Reason? The same, a football program that would have no chance of succeeding there. Face it, we are pretty much relegated to the American Conference for the foreseeable future. I am for giving KO more time then some of you headhunters seem to be doing. Lets hope that Warde Manuel will be doing the same thing. Whatever the outcome of this season, I for one think KO has done a pretty damn good job with what he has.

Yeah, but how many NCs does he have?

 

[sportsart]

Whatever......WHATEVER happens When he wins next Saturday, Kevin Ollie has made his place as head coach. No one....NO ONE can doubt his ability to coach now.

Fixed it.