Long Goodman article on the program

[Palatine]

I don't think it's about disliking the kid...more like disliking having his daddy around. We didn't and don't need players with whack job parents, to coin a phrase our own James A. Calhoun uses to describe parents like Jackson's daddy.

According to the article, Ollie didn't have off season plans for his players. He basically said something like "get in the gym." That was very disappointing to read (if true). And it does justify a father acting a little whack jobish.

 

[8893]

I may be behind the times on the sexual market ... but if she were doing a doctor, wouldn't she be making more not less? In my day there was a quid pro quo, not a quid et quo.

One would think. I was just riffing on the db who suggested it a few posts upthread, precisely because it made no sense.

 

[Northbound]

Yeah, Glen Miller, directly or indirectly, may score some points on the Internet throwing out such nonsense to sports writers


Leaving the Miller revenge thing aside - I do think most kids like attention. If you don’t believe me look at social media and selfie’s etc.

This is true. You have kids announcing on social media that they are proud to announce that they are continuing their academic and athletic career a whatever Division III school they're paying tuition to go to - it's one of the dumbest things I've ever seen.

 

[jibsey]

You know it’s really funny how millions of words are posted on this board with people who supposedly have inside info and links to the program and no one knows what happened to the coach, players that left, the recruits or the current team situation. It would be more accurate to consult a ouija board. Which is where I’m headed right now. Wait, I’m going to try The Farmers Almanac.

 

[superjohn]

You know it’s really funny how millions of words are posted on this board with people who supposedly have inside info and links to the program and no one knows what happened to the coach, players that left, the recruits or the current team situation. It would be more accurate to consult a ouija board. Which is where I’m headed right now. Wait, I’m going to try The Farmers Almanac.

What? All of this stuff is known by many posters.

 

[Tenspro2002]

If, as I expect, Ollie is not our coach next season, it will be interesting to see what happens if we do that poorly.

One thing is sure: Stainmaster will be unleashing the biggest dose of “I told you so” this board has ever seen.

I don't think anyone expects an instantaneous turnaround from a new coach. But we do expect the trajectory of the program to be much better.

KO has driven the program into the ground and is starting to burrow through the bedrock. Staying the course just isn't tenable.

 

[FartMan69]

This is true. You have kids announcing on social media that they are proud to announce that they are continuing their academic and athletic career a whatever Division III school they're paying tuition to go to - it's one of the dumbest things I've ever seen.

Um that's actually something to be proud of.

 

[UConnNick]

According to the article, Ollie didn't have off season plans for his players. He basically said something like "get in the gym." That was very disappointing to read (if true). And it does justify a father acting a little whack jobish.

Yes, that's a possibility, if you choose to believe daddy's version of how that conversation went. I choose to believe that daddy doesn't qualify as a credible witness, unless he was sitting in on that conversation. Even if that was the case, he's likely gonna spin it in a light most favorable to his son, which is understandable.

That's the whole problem with the entire article...it's only one side of the story, driven by disaffected former UConn folks and Jackson's daddy. I would very much like to know the other side before forming any opinion about what really went down.

 

[The Viking]

Oh no. I just demanded that my wife tell me where she’s been stashing the $115K I’m not seeing of that.

LOL - I just did our taxes and I can tell anyone who wants to listen nurses don't make 150K. I mean I suppose there are a handful of truly special nurses throughout the country in certain markets who might make that.....but no, not the real world.
Anyway enough about nurses salaries.
I think it's telling Calhoun switched the word "love" for "rooting for" when it came to Ollie. Clearly there is still something going on there even if they have started to break the ice a bit recently.

 

[jibsey]

What? All of this stuff is known by many posters.

We know the infractions that we’re being investigated for? The AD and the coaching staff must know. We know why KO stopped going to visit or see recruits? We know exactly why Vance Jackson who was a guaranteed starter and scorer chose to sit on his ass this year rather than play for KO? Lots of speculation on this stuff which may very well be true but it doesn’t seem to be confirmed by an inside source. I had no idea until the report the other day that Calhoun and KO were at odds. Goodman is reporting all the while the announcers who are former head coaches are weekly reporting that there is no one better than KO to lead our team. I think they believe this so something is amiss here.

 

[TRest]

Which years was Miller the recruiting coordinator so we can rate those classes, thanks in advance. Before KO? For KO?

Still waiting chief , you can tell me when Miller was the recruiting coordinator off the top of your head I presume.

 

[JMick]

We know the infractions that we’re being investigated for? The AD and the coaching staff must know. We know why KO stopped going to visit or see recruits? We know exactly why Vance Jackson who was a guaranteed starter and scorer chose to sit on his ass this year rather than play for KO? Lots of speculation on this stuff which may very well be true but it doesn’t seem to be confirmed by an inside source. I had no idea until the report the other day that Calhoun and KO were at odds. Goodman is reporting all the while the announcers who are former head coaches are weekly reporting that there is no one better than KO to lead our team. I think they believe this so something is amiss here.

The KO/Calhoun riff was talked about ad nauseam here. We had tons of posters talking about the transfers before they happened. Other things have been mentioned too

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

In the past month, Goodman has covered for ESPN the Ball's in Lithuania and the demise of the UConn program. He also enjoys poking fun at Georgetown, for good reason I must add. In other words, Goodman is a troll. He is to sports media what TMZ is to sports media. He offers no value. The best thing we could do is to simply ignore him. He is trying to exploit our diehard, emotional fan base and smells blood. Don't click. Don't bite the bait. We are playing right into his hands. If we ignore him, like all trolls, he will go away.

With his droopy jowls, he kind of looks like a troll.

 

[Huskymagic]

Anyone still thinks that Glenn Miller was responsible for our recruiting failures and coaching problems is in trouble with reality. Karl Hobbs was the smart one who saw the reality ahead of time.

Being at UCONN, whoever the new coach hired is, the expectation is to fight for the NCAA tournament in his first year. Ohio State did it, Washington is doing it with Mike Hopkins, etc.

Whoever the new coach is, they need to have some good players to bring in the fold to couple with some returning players like Vital, Polley, Wilson, Carlton, Gilbert, Kisunas, etc that is enough to work with and compete well in the AAC.

PS: This whole UCONN needs to wait 3 years before they are even competitive for the NCAA tournament is BS. People here need to have some pride that this is UCONN basketball not football. All you need is 1 or 2 really good players to be very competitive in basketball.

 

[JMick]

Anyone still thinks that Glenn Miller was responsible for our recruiting failures and coaching problems is in trouble with reality. Karl Hobbs was the smart one who saw the reality ahead of time.

Being at UCONN, whoever the new coach hired is, the expectation is to fight for the NCAA tournament in his first year. Ohio State did it, Washington is doing it with Mike Hopkins, etc.

Whoever the new coach is, they need to have some good players to bring in the fold to couple with some returning players like Vital, Polley, Wilson, Carlton, Gilbert, Kisunas, etc that is enough to work with and compete well in the AAC.

PS: This whole UCONN needs to wait 3 years before they are even competitive for the NCAA tournament is BS. People here need to have some pride that this is UCONN basketball not football. All you need is 1 or 2 really good players to be very competitive in basketball.

I'd give a new coach a pass on next year. Year 2 is a different story

 

[whaler11]

Maybe because he wanted his kid to be the focal point of the UCONN team on offense? That and he fed Goodman his side of the story regarding their acrimonious parting with UCONN? Or perhaps the possibility that daddy was the guy who ratted UCONN out to the NCAA?

Read Calhoun's book. He discusses at some length having to deal with parents like Jackson's daddy on the recruiting trail.

Everything about this program stinks.

Jackson played pretty well last year.

Guess what it’s 2018 - the players and their parents are a pain in the rear.

It’s all still Ollie’s fault for signing him in the first place.

 

[UConnNick]

Everything about this program stinks.

Jackson played pretty well last year.

Guess what it’s 2018 - the players and their parents are a pain in the rear.

It’s all still Ollie’s fault for signing him in the first place.

You acknowledge he was a good player, and that you have to deal with "pain in the rear" players and parents nowadays, and then you directly contradict all of that by saying Ollie never should have recruited him? If all the players and parents are a pain in the rear anyway, what was wrong about recruiting this particular one, if he's a good player?

 

[Storrs South]

Anyone still thinks that Glenn Miller was responsible for our recruiting failures and coaching problems is in trouble with reality. Karl Hobbs was the smart one who saw the reality ahead of time.

Being at UCONN, whoever the new coach hired is, the expectation is to fight for the NCAA tournament in his first year. Ohio State did it, Washington is doing it with Mike Hopkins, etc.

Whoever the new coach is, they need to have some good players to bring in the fold to couple with some returning players like Vital, Polley, Wilson, Carlton, Gilbert, Kisunas, etc that is enough to work with and compete well in the AAC.

PS: This whole UCONN needs to wait 3 years before they are even competitive for the NCAA tournament is BS. People here need to have some pride that this is UCONN basketball not football. All you need is 1 or 2 really good players to be very competitive in basketball.

Add NC State to that list, too, hiring the guy from UNCW this year. It won't be my expectation, but certainly a good hire can turn around a program quickly and would give me reason for hope.

 

[whaler11]

You acknowledge he was a good player, and that you have to deal with "pain in the rear" players and parents nowadays, and then you directly contradict all of that by saying Ollie never should have recruited him? If all the players and parents are a pain in the rear anyway, what was wrong about recruiting this particular one, if he's a good player?

No - I’m saying you can’t blame Jackson’s father because if he was the problem it’s Ollie’s fault he was ever involved with the program.

Yeah part of making $3MM is managing parents - how horrible.

There is a case to be made for Ollie to get another season but none of the pro-Ollie people ever make it. They just try to pretend what has happened it’s his fault.

Everything that has happened is his fault. Ev-ree-thing.

 

[Northbound]

Um that's actually something to be proud of.

Something to be proud of, sure, but it’s not a big deal. If you want to make a team at the D3 level you can do it.

High school coaches and Ad’s are appalled by it as well as the signing ceremonies for kids committing to D3 schools - it’s done because of parents. I’m with Hs coaches and ad’s every day and just came from a large HS football coaching convention and universally the feeling was that it’s way overkill.

I could go on a lengthy discussion about “recruiting” at the D3 level, but will spare everyone. .

It’s not a big deal amd the need to announce and be applauded for everything you do is unfortunate.

We can agree to disagree.

 

[intlzncster]

There is a case to be made for Ollie to get another season but none of the pro-Ollie people ever make it.

Not pro Ollie, but it's easy. There's a really big buyout.

What's this case you speak of? I can think of some marginal things that everybody is aware of that could certainly improve the product on the floor...but what is this mystery case you speak of?

 

[olehead]

Thanks for the investigative reporting Jeff.

I'd love to know how many games the average coach goes to of a recruit that is already signed? Maybe Jeff could ask Jim Calhoun. Why the hell would a signee even want his future coach wasting time watching numerous games of his while his coach could be out recruiting other top players to play with? Why would we even want prima donnas like this in the first place?

Recruits ego.

 

[noeynox]

Not pro Ollie, but it's easy. There's a really big buyout.

What's this case you speak of? I can think of some marginal things that everybody is aware of that could certainly improve the product on the floor...but what is this mystery case you speak of?

I think the case is this is a really bad mix of players as far as styles go. One of Jalen or Terry has to go preferably Terry. Perhaps with a true point Jalen could thrive and carry this team. The rest of the team just isn't talented enough. With another year under their belts, a couple of true points and Jalen this team could maybe compete in the league. The flipside is is there even an offensive system in place for the players to improve under?

 

[intlzncster]

I think the case is this is a really bad mix of players as far as styles go. One of Jalen or Terry has to go preferably Terry. Perhaps with a true point Jalen could thrive and carry this team. The rest of the team just isn't talented enough. With another year under their belts, a couple of true points and Jalen this team could maybe compete in the league. The flipside is is there even an offensive system in place for the players to improve under?

That's similar to what I was going to say. I typed up:

You could also say that he's getting 2 junk yard dog type players next year at PG (in Gilbert/Akinjo) which should help the team's slack mentality and lack of leadership. Perhaps having some PGs in the fold and moving Adams off the ball will free things up.

He's also getting some shooters that he's failed to recruit prior to this. He seems to have identified that at least. Should open things up for other guys. He's somewhat addressed the recruiting issues with Chillious, but he needs time to work. Chill's recruiting efforts and talent evaluation are probably rubbing off on him as well.

It's admittedly not the strongest case in the world. And I question he has what it takes to turn this around.

What I didn't address was rebounding issues. This has to be addressed. And defense, god the defense.

 

[Tenspro2002]

I think the case is this is a really bad mix of players as far as styles go. One of Jalen or Terry has to go preferably Terry. Perhaps with a true point Jalen could thrive and carry this team. The rest of the team just isn't talented enough. With another year under their belts, a couple of true points and Jalen this team could maybe compete in the league. The flipside is is there even an offensive system in place for the players to improve under?

The problem with Larrier is that his game is predicated on his being the #1 option. And no team is going to win with him being the #1 option.