Let's speculate-

[GemParty]

A few years ago, CJ Leslie was said to have had an incredible weekend in Storrs. Soon after he committed to NCState. My feeling at the time was, he knew where he was going prior to visiting CT, but who wouldn't like a weekend chilling on a campus, where girls are partying with you & guys think your a rock star?

Now, AMA visits, spends time w/ Ollie who can inspire most to be a great young man. Sees the trophy cases, the new training center being built, and maybe even speaks to JC. I'm guessing Larrier did the same.

Question: Do you think AMA had his mind made up prior to the visit? And secondly, Why didn't he get a heavy dose of Rodney Purvis perspective on his NCState route & eventual transfer decision?

I don't want to use the conference as a scapegoat, although I know it sucks on many levels. Perkins just went with Mark Few, Muduay to SMU, where did we go wrong? Of the six targets left, unless we surprise ourselves, none are a UConn lean. Why?

 

[Dogbreath2U]

Having Rodney meet with him would have been as likely or more likely to have negatively affected him toward UConn, IMHO. Not that it would have mattered with the way it turned out, but I doubt that is the way KO wants to operate.

 

[ctchamps]

A few years ago, CJ Leslie was said to have had an incredible weekend in Storrs. Soon after he committed to NCState. My feeling at the time was, he knew where he was going prior to visiting CT, but who wouldn't like a weekend chilling on a campus, where girls are partying with you & guys think your a rock star?

Now, AMA visits, spends time w/ Ollie who can inspire most to be a great young man. Sees the trophy cases, the new training center being built, and maybe even speaks to JC. I'm guessing Larrier did the same.

Question: Do you think AMA had his mind made up prior to the visit? And secondly, Why didn't he get a heavy dose of Rodney Purvis perspective on his NCState route & eventual transfer decision?

I don't want to use the conference as a scapegoat, although I know it sucks on many levels. Perkins just went with Mark Few, Muduay to SMU, where did we go wrong? Of the six targets left, unless we surprise ourselves, none are a UConn lean. Why?

You're in real estate. How many times have sales gone the way you predicted? I'm sure there were times you would bet the client(s) wouldn't make a bid and then they did and vice versa. Nature of the game.

 

[7774]

We didn't go wrong anywhere. We signed Hamilton and Purvis. Abu's AAU coach wanted him at NCSU, so he went there. I think Robinson is still a UCONN lean.

 

[husky99]

Sad thing is the visit had limited impact on the final school he picked. There where many many other factors...

 

[aceboon]

Rodney wasn't on campus yet for his visit and either way you don't want him negatively recruiting for you, that would probably turn a recruit off. also, where has this sentiment popped up that we don't have a good chance with Robinson come from?

 

[boog204]

I feel like UConn has lost some of the sexy factor over the last few years, even w/ the championship in 2011. First, we are coming off an NCAA ban which definitely scarred us a bit and you know is used negatively against us.

Secondly, Ollie, while by all accounts an amazingly likable coach with NBA cred, still has only coached for one year and hasn't completely proven to the general public that he is a guy who will take you to the league (Not that Gottfried as either).

Third, Gampel is not an awe-inspiring place by any means. The ceiling is falling apart, it is small, games there more often than not have taken on a very boring atmosphere. A large amount of our fans jump on/off the bandwagon depending on the season. You cannot put a Gampel home game against an NC State (or most other ACC/Big Ten teams) in terms of atmosphere and excitement. I know the numbers may say otherwise, but it looks like the building is never full anymore.

Fourth, our conference situation plays against us in a big way. No one really knows how it is all going to play out. Will the AAC become the new CUSA? Will it be better? Or after LVille leaves does it become a fairly mediocre conference?

Lastly, while we had a great year last year in terms of what was against us, we have (in my opinion) become a fairly boring team to watch. We don't run like we used to, our offense is generally pretty stagnant, and we play lots of 65-60 games. A lot of that is b/c of personnel, obviously, and I think Ollie will continue to bring in players to counteract that. But even during 2011, it was more or less Kemba going 1 on 1 for 40 minutes and hoping he didn't shoot 8 for 27.

 

[superjohn]

Rodney wasn't on campus yet for his visit and either way you don't want him negatively recruiting for you, that would probably turn a recruit off. also, where has this sentiment popped up that we don't have a good chance with Robinson come from?

Haven't heard anything about us not having a good chance with Robinson, I think we are the leader for him.

 

[superjohn]

I feel like UConn has lost some of the s e xy factor over the last few years, even w/ the championship in 2011. First, we are coming off an NCAA ban which definitely scarred us a bit and you know is used negatively against us.

Secondly, Ollie, while by all accounts an amazingly likable coach with NBA cred, still has only coached for one year and hasn't completely proven to the general public that he is a guy who will take you to the league (Not that Gottfried as either).

Third, Gampel is not an awe-inspiring place by any means. The ceiling is falling apart, it is small, games there more often than not have taken on a very boring atmosphere. A large amount of our fans jump on/off the bandwagon depending on the season. You cannot put a Gampel home game against an NC State (or most other ACC/Big Ten teams) in terms of atmosphere and excitement. I know the numbers may say otherwise, but it looks like the building is never full anymore.

Fourth, our conference situation plays against us in a big way. No one really knows how it is all going to play out. Will the AAC become the new CUSA? Will it be better? Or after LVille leaves does it become a fairly mediocre conference?

Lastly, while we had a great year last year in terms of what was against us, we have (in my opinion) become a fairly boring team to watch. We don't run like we used to, our offense is generally pretty stagnant, and we play lots of 65-60 games. A lot of that is b/c of personnel, obviously, and I think Ollie will continue to bring in players to counteract that. But even during 2011, it was more or less Kemba going 1 on 1 for 40 minutes and hoping he didn't shoot 8 for 27.

Horrible post, against a good opponent Gampel is one of the loudest venues in all of College basketball. Boring??? There is nothing boring about the way we play, last years team played a very exciting brand of basketball and I expect this year to be even more exciting. We will be opening up arguably the best practice facility in the nation in less than a year. Negative fans like you are about the only thing wrong with UConn basketball.

 

[mauconnfan]

The key superjohn is "against a good opponent".......and they don't always visit while playing a good opponent and we have less of the students in impact noise areas than many other schools, they sold it to the devil a long time ago and while not completely correct boog has some solid points......

Actually who knows who is right or wrong.........we all just need a couple commits so we can move on and just get ready for UConn basketball!!

 

[Danzz]

"Lastly, while we had a great year last year in terms of what was against us, we have (in my opinion) become a fairly boring team to watch. We don't run like we used to, our offense is generally pretty stagnant, and we play lots of 65-60 games. A lot of that is b/c of personnel, obviously, and I think Ollie will continue to bring in players to counteract that. But even during 2011, it was more or less Kemba going 1 on 1 for 40 minutes and hoping he didn't shoot 8 for 27."
You made some valid points until this one which is complete BS.

 

[superjohn]

The key superjohn is "against a good opponent".......and they don't always visit while playing a good opponent and we have less of the students in impact noise areas than many other schools, they sold it to the devil a long time ago and while not completely correct boog has some solid points......

Actually who knows who is right or wrong.........we all just need a couple commits so we can move on and just get ready for UConn basketball!!

Not exactly seeing the valid points and his last statement that we aren't fun to watch anymore is just ridiculous, not enjoying watching us in 2011 says to me that he isn't a UConn fan.

 

[boog204]

Horrible post, against a good opponent Gampel is one of the loudest venues in all of College basketball. Boring??? There is nothing boring about the way we play, last years team played a very exciting brand of basketball and I expect this year to be even more exciting. We will be opening up arguably the best practice facility in the nation in less than a year. Negative fans like you are about the only thing wrong with UConn basketball.

Boring may be the wrong word. I just think that we haven't been the most aesthetically pleasing team to watch in at least a few years. The effort is through the roof obviously and I also expect us to be more exciting this year. As I stated, personnel was a detriment as Ollie didn't have a lot of options.

Gampel CAN be loud, but more often than not it isn't. You have hordes of people who refuse to stand up or cheer, you have the best seats in the house occupied by corporations and big money who could care less about the outcome of the game, and the students are segregated to the far ends of the court.

Have you seen an ACC or Big Ten game live? It's a night and day difference. NC State's place is newer, bigger, and goes nuts for EVERY home game. Not just the "big" ones of which most UConn "big" games have been moved to the morgue that is the XL Center. The practice facility will be a huge plus though.

 

[boog204]

Not exactly seeing the valid points and his last statement that we aren't fun to watch anymore is just ridiculous, not enjoying watching us in 2011 says to me that he isn't a UConn fan.

Watched every second of every game since 1985 so saying I'm not a UConn fan is ridiculous. What I meant by boring is that we don't really run anymore, we don't press, we aren't very fluid offensively. If you're a big man why would you want to come here? We don't post up all that often. You'd be coming here to be a screener and rebounder.

I enjoyed every second of 2011; but do you think recruits watching those games were thinking that that style was one that they would want to play?

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

My sources.... (I can count them on 2 sometimes 3 toes and on occasion 1) have informed me that the parents of Devin Robinson are absolutely IN LOVE LOVE LOVE (emphasis added) with Kevin Ollie. Although fluid I believe the in home visit 9/17 is going to reap the type of fruit analogous to a Yubari Cantaloup, Densuke watermelon or a sekai-ichi apple (in other words we will set in concrete a very very solid lead for DR before 10/19) . Robinson is just so quintessential Husky. I definitely think Ollie closes the deal on DR creating a Hamilton/Robinson twosome second to none is the 2014 recruiting class. With a senior Boat at the PG we will contend for a Final4 in 2014-15 (Boats return is respectfully open for debate). I think Daniels will be gone (hopefully because we need him to have that type of year for us to flourish this year).

The tide has turned very strong in favor of VCU for Larrier although a few tricks could still sway the VCU momentum (I have an idea! but might not be worth it). What I think happens is Larrier goes to VCU and then we take Robinson right off the Richmond Squires under the nose of VCU. A nice little quid pro quo type of action.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

The key superjohn is "against a good opponent".......and they don't always visit while playing a good opponent and we have less of the students in impact noise areas than many other schools, they sold it to the devil a long time ago and while not completely correct boog has some solid points......

Actually who knows who is right or wrong.........we all just need a couple commits so we can move on and just get ready for UConn basketball!!

Selling to the devil is not good...

 

[superjohn]

Watched every second of every game since 1985 so saying I'm not a UConn fan is ridiculous. What I meant by boring is that we don't really run anymore, we don't press, we aren't very fluid offensively. If you're a big man why would you want to come here? We don't post up all that often. You'd be coming here to be a screener and rebounder.

I enjoyed every second of 2011; but do you think recruits watching those games were thinking that that style was one that they would want to play?

Big men would want to come here I don't know maybe because we have sent a bunch of them to the NBA. We do run and yes I think recruits watching in 2011 loved watching our run and thought to themselves that's a style of play I want to play. We've already heard it from several recruits that they loved watching us in 2011 and they love Kemba. Name me all the top teams that press all the time, Louisville is the only team that presses a good amount because they are the fastest team in the country. The press has disappeared to a large extent in College hoops, you normally press when you have inferior talent.

 

[Kitaman]

Ollie just needs more time. In a couple of years the top recruits will come. Its only his 2nd year, hit and misses to be expected. Let his coaching resume continue and with it recruiting success. He/We did nothing wrong, its just tough recruiting as a 'new' coach.

Our future is already brighter with Purvis and DHam, and they will be the Chris Smith's of Ollie's branded program.

 

[RMoore1999]

Sad thing is the visit had limited impact on the final school he picked. There where many many other factors...

What were some of those factors?

 

[aceboon]

Watched every second of every game since 1985 so saying I'm not a UConn fan is ridiculous. What I meant by boring is that we don't really run anymore, we don't press, we aren't very fluid offensively. If you're a big man why would you want to come here? We don't post up all that often. You'd be coming here to be a screener and rebounder.

I enjoyed every second of 2011; but do you think recruits watching those games were thinking that that style was one that they would want to play?

We haven't exactly had a good cast of bigs to catch in the post, you actually have to have options down there in order to make them a priority. Last year was a non entity of viable post options, AO & AD weren't great at catching in the post and doing work from their either(AD couldn't even convert from the post in the summer league games this year, his damage was done off of the glass and being active around the rim), and the year prior to that we had AO and Chuck, neither great post players as well. When we had Jeff and Hasheem they got the ball, and they even made it a point to work the ball into Hasheem his 2nd year when he was still developing as a post threat. If we actually had a good post threat I'm sure the staff would emphasize repeatedly getting them the ball, look at the offensive gameplan in the 2nd half against ND when Tyler actually was able to get something going.

 

[UConnDad]

Watched every second of every game since 1985 so saying I'm not a UConn fan is ridiculous. What I meant by boring is that we don't really run anymore, we don't press, we aren't very fluid offensively. If you're a big man why would you want to come here? We don't post up all that often. You'd be coming here to be a screener and rebounder.

I enjoyed every second of 2011; but do you think recruits watching those games were thinking that that style was one that they would want to play?

Here is the thing about 2011. Five minutes into every post season game our opponent saw in person that there was one player on the court that was virtually unstoppable. I attended every BE tourney with a really good friend of mine who is a die hard Cuse fan. By the quarter final game I had him saying "Kemba time". If you think its boring to have an electric player like that take over games I don't know what you want. If I was a recruit I would want to be that guy. Also I think we run and we will be running this season. As for the bigs we want them to be able to score but we will always work for a good shot. If they can score down low we will certainly use it to our advantage.

 

[boog204]

Big men would want to come here I don't know maybe because we have sent a bunch of them to the NBA. We do run and yes I think recruits watching in 2011 loved watching our run and thought to themselves that's a style of play I want to play. We've already heard it from several recruits that they loved watching us in 2011 and they love Kemba. Name me all the top teams that press all the time, Louisville is the only team that presses a good amount because they are the fastest team in the country. The press has disappeared to a large extent in College hoops, you normally press when you have inferior talent.

You are right, the press is more or less "out" nowadays. VCU though is battling us for a player and I'd think part of their pitch is that we have the "havoc" style of play. What's our pitch on style of play?

But in all honesty, UConn fandom aside, if you watched us would you really think, "wow, this is a fun team to watch?" We play hard. Nobody would ever discount that. But I remember last year there was a game thread on an Indiana game and basically everyone who posted stated that they wished we played like them. That it was exciting and fun to watch; a departure from our typical grind it out type of games. I'd think that recruits are attracted to that "exciting" sort of play as opposed to how we've played the last few years.

On the big men point, despite all of the NBA guys we've had, we have never had much success attracting the big name top 50 big men. Why do you think that is? We've always had good success with wing guys. But our great big men have all been fringe top 100 or lower guys who have been made into pros. We never know what could have happened with Bynum. Drummond was a pro regardless and Charlie V was a 3 man who we played inside.

Just my $0.02...

 

[Henry]

Watched every second of every game since 1985 so saying I'm not a UConn fan is ridiculous. What I meant by boring is that we don't really run anymore, we don't press, we aren't very fluid offensively. If you're a big man why would you want to come here? We don't post up all that often. You'd be coming here to be a screener and rebounder.

I enjoyed every second of 2011; but do you think recruits watching those games were thinking that that style was one that they would want to play?

I enjoyed every second of the last 11 games in 2011 but before that they were inconsistent and they were boring. Last year was the first time in a few years where I truly enjoyed watching them. Better flow to tthe offense and better team play. Ollie needs to prove that he can win when it counts and if he makes some movement in the tourny he will convince some recruits that the program is still legit.

 

[aceboon]

last year the team was 5th in the conf in ppg and 6 in FG%, not bad by any means and I wonder what those numbers were like before all the injuries piled up for the last 4 games.

 

[ctchamps]

I enjoyed every second of the last 11 games in 2011 but before that they were inconsistent and they were boring. Last year was the first time in a few years where I truly enjoyed watching them. Better flow to tthe offense and better team play. Ollie needs to prove that he can win when it counts and if he makes some movement in the tourny he will convince some recruits that the program is still legit.

I found both 2011 and last season exciting. What made last season exciting was that UConn was often playing four agains five up until the end of the season and sometimes 3 against 5 (Ville and Gtown) and still were successful. At the end of the season UConn was playing with the water boy.

Maybe I was mixing my excitement for how the kids were responding to KO as much as to what took place on the floor. You would have to excuse me because I, like most of us fans, had a lot of trepidation post JC, and there was more than enough observed last season to get me excited. This season has some unknowns - Facey, Giffey and OC. But if they are available and healthy I'm really excited. If not I'll make adjustments.