Long Goodman article on the program

[Hans Sprungfeld]

anonymity has been an integral part of journalism since its conception. the fact that you can't accept that people close to the program need to keep that anonymity puts you in the delusional crowd.

Wait, I spoke too soon. A lot went out of bounds while I was writing. And still, it adds up to about the same.
Nevertheless, "conception"???
Maybe you also got it wrong with "delusional." I'm throwing you a rope.
It might not be too late to edit your comments, moderate their tone, find common ground, and stop with the unhelpful exaggerations that are well beyond necessary at this point.

 

[jorge34]

If you don't think everything in that article is true, just by mere observation of the way he coaches in-game, your head is in the sand.

 

[JMick]

Wait, I spoke too soon. A lot went out of bounds while I was writing. And still, it adds up to about the same.
Nevertheless, "conception"???
Maybe you also got it wrong with "delusional." I'm throwing you a rope.
It might not be too late to edit your comments, moderate their tone, find common ground, and stop with the unhelpful exaggerations that are well beyond necessary at this point.

yes it should have said inception. woops.

 

[Paesano]

Really. He could have gotten out of bed the morning of the day he wrote it and done nothing but read the BY as his only source of information.

Come on Nick! I know it would make it more credible to get names but this sounds pretty thorough:

"ESPN spoke to more than 30 former players, coaches and others close to the program about what's wrong with the program"

 

[TRest]

If JC doesn't come out and say KO can't coach his way out of a paper bag, the true believers will keep believing. I envy those with blind faith, makes life a lot easier.

 

[TRest]

Why would anyone want to go on the record describing himself as the coach best liked by players? It would sound more credible coming from anyone else, so he'd prefer to give the impression that it came from someone else.

I would hope Goodman would not quote someone puffing himself up like that. There are more than a few former assistants he can talk to.

 

[jorge34]

Come on Nick! I know it would make it more credible to get names but this sounds pretty thorough:

"ESPN spoke to more than 30 former players, coaches and others close to the program about what's wrong with the program"

Pretty simple to see those quoted obviously didn't want to go on record bashing ollie, who probably is a pretty good guy. He's just not a head coach and hurting the school.

 

[auror]

It was proven false by the mere fact that Tulsa made it as an at-large selection with a worse resume, and they play in the same conference.

From posts at the time:
"Syracuse's inclusion in the field wasn't close. He said the Orange had five top 50 wins, including at Duke and neutral-site wins over UConn and Texas A&M in the Bahamas that were the difference - Committee chair Joe Castiglione."
"Castiglione said Tulsa got in over its competition because of four top 50 wins. "
"Tulsa got in because they were 4-5 against RPI Top 50, UConn was 2-5 before the tournament, would have been 2-6 with Cincy loss."

I think UConn probably still gets in, but it definitely wasn't a lock just because Tulsa got in.

 

[HooperScooper]

Wow, this article is pretty brutal on Ollie. Who knows exactly how accurate this is, but if these things are all 100% true I don't know how you could stand up and say keep Ollie as the coach.

 

[Tuna]

The lack of effort with recruiting (Diallo, MAL) and coaching (Jackson) is stunning and the major takeaway from this article.

Jackson didn't like that there wasn't a plan for him to be the number 1 option. How could he be? He was slow, not a great ball handler, didn't have a great post game and played below the rim.

 

[selles]

I would hope Goodman would not quote someone puffing himself up like that. There are more than a few former assistants he can talk to.

Please. What former assistant other than Glen Miller is going to tell Jeff Goodman 'yeah when I was on staff Glen was the only guy who did anything'?

The Vance stuff is also clearly from Senior and has to be taken with a grain of salt.

Except for "there was no plan". That part's clearly true and will be the epitaph. There. Was. No. Plan. On court, off court, recruiting, you name it. No plan whatsoever.

 

[superjohn]

Wow, this article is pretty brutal on Ollie. Who knows exactly how accurate this is, but if these things are all 100% true I don't know how you could stand up and say keep Ollie as the coach.

You don't technically have to be standing when the ship sinks. 8893 already has his lounge chair picked out.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Jackson didn't like that there wasn't a plan for him to be the number 1 option. How could he be? He was slow, not a great ball handler, didn't have a great post game and played below the rim.

Jackson's take gains a little more credibility if you compare it to similar comments made by Durham after Durham transfered. Durham was upset that Ollie envisioned him simply as an "energy guy" with no defined role. His final comment in the same tweet was, "what am I doing here?"

Pretty damning.

 

[Waquoit]

I think UConn probably still gets in, but it definitely wasn't a lock just because Tulsa got in.

If that shot doesn't go in, the resume has 3 fewer wins.

 

[the Q]

Jackson didn't like that there wasn't a plan for him to be the number 1 option. How could he be? He was slow, not a great ball handler, didn't have a great post game and played below the rim.

With his mass, and lack of speed, he was a stretch 4 in the best sets.

 

[EricLA]

Personally I enjoyed the article a lot - not because I liked what I read (which I did not), but because it seemed for the most part honest, and he took the time (according to him) to interview 30 former UCONN players, coaches, and "people close to the program". We all know the program is in the $h!++er at this point, so why sugar coat it? The one line that stood out to me as a huge red flag were the pair of top 100 kids that...

Ollie was in the mix for current Kentucky freshman Hamidou Diallo and also had a verbal commitment from freshman guard Makai Ashton-Langford, who ended up choosing Providence. Sources with direct knowledge of both recruitments said Ollie's lack of effort cost him in both cases

I mean come on. That's a huge red flag. Not putting in the effort? On one hand I find that hard to believe as it seems no one worked harder at his craft in the NBA with the limited talent he had, so to think he's just not putting in the effort as the UCONN head coach is mystifying at best.

Ollie's comment that "scavengers and rats are the first to jump off a sinking ship" was almost amusing, but more sad than anything else given that by all accounts, he's the guy that punched the holes in the boat.

"KO's a great guy," one former UConn assistant said. "But he's not getting paid $3 million to be a great guy."

It's possible that the NCAA investigation gives the university and the state an out -- if Ollie is implicated in NCAA violations, he could be fired for cause, which would negate the buyout. One source told ESPN there is a chance that the two sides also could come to an agreement after the season, with Ollie walking away with a portion of the money.

Frankly that's what I hope happens. I fear that with the cloud over his head, even if he put in 100% effort and then some, top kids still wouldn't come here due to uncertainty, and I'm not sure he can fix what's wrong, or that he's even the right guy to do it.

 

[auror]

The most concerning thing I read, regarding Vance:

"Jackson, who averaged 8.1 points and 26 minutes per game as a freshman, met with Ollie after last season and wanted to know what the plan was for him to be able to develop into more than just a spot-up shooter."

"[Jackson] wanted a clear plan going forward," the source said. "He didn't want to transfer, but there was no plan."

Huh? No plan for a player that we could've really used this season and beyond? No plan for a player who actually wanted to stay? If this is true then this is finally does it for me. He needs to be gone and we need a change.

Good article. The only thing I’m not buying is the Vance Jackson story. He was gone regardless of how his meeting with Ollie went at the end of the season.

Jackson didn't like that there wasn't a plan for him to be the number 1 option. How could he be? He was slow, not a great ball handler, didn't have a great post game and played below the rim.

The truth, as always, probably lies in the middle. Vance wanted to be #1 option or at least on the path to becoming it. Ollie probably also didn't offer specifics on how he could achieve that. We don't know if Jackson would have left even if Ollie had a better improvement plan. Maybe. But is it damning either way? I'd say yes. Your job as Head Coach is to assemble, retain, and improve your talent. Any legal means necessary. We've seen the results of doubling down on "the guys that want to be here", and that strategy has not borne fruit.

 

[Waquoit]

You're absolutely right. He didn't quote the BY. Instead, he uses the same tactic the "Fire Ollie" crowd here uses.

What makes more sense? That the article was written in good faith or that Goodman made it up?

 

[pj]

Jackson didn't like that there wasn't a plan for him to be the number 1 option. How could he be? He was slow, not a great ball handler, didn't have a great post game and played below the rim.

Getting in the gym and working on his handle and his strength and speed may have been the plan. He didn't like the plan. Maybe he didn't find a better plan elsewhere and that's why he ended up at New Mexico.

 

[jorge34]

Personally I enjoyed the article a lot - not because I liked what I read (which I did not), but because it seemed for the most part honest, and he took the time (according to him) to interview 30 former UCONN players, coaches, and "people close to the program". We all know the program is in the $h!++er at this point, so why sugar coat it? The one line that stood out to me as a huge red flag were the pair of top 100 kids that...

Ollie was in the mix for current Kentucky freshman Hamidou Diallo and also had a verbal commitment from freshman guard Makai Ashton-Langford, who ended up choosing Providence. Sources with direct knowledge of both recruitments said Ollie's lack of effort cost him in both cases

I mean come on. That's a huge red flag. Not putting in the effort? On one hand I find that hard to believe as it seems no one worked harder at his craft in the NBA with the limited talent he had, so to think he's just not putting in the effort as the UCONN head coach is mystifying at best.

Ollie's comment that "scavengers and rats are the first to jump off a sinking ship" was almost amusing, but more sad than anything else given that by all accounts, he's the guy that punched the holes in the boat.

"KO's a great guy," one former UConn assistant said. "But he's not getting paid $3 million to be a great guy."

It's possible that the NCAA investigation gives the university and the state an out -- if Ollie is implicated in NCAA violations, he could be fired for cause, which would negate the buyout. One source told ESPN there is a chance that the two sides also could come to an agreement after the season, with Ollie walking away with a portion of the money.

Frankly that's what I hope happens. I fear that with the cloud over his head, even if he put in 100% effort and then some, top kids still wouldn't come here due to uncertainty, and I'm not sure he can fix what's wrong, or that he's even the right guy to do it.

He's not. It's over.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Being outworked on Diallo who was a 5 star burger boy in our backyard who had sincere interest interest in coming here is cause for firing alone. We knew about MAL and many of us didn’t use that as a major indictment on him and considered there were other factors. But to find out Diallo didn’t come here because Ollie was simply outworked is infuriating

Infuriating is the right word, especially with you consider the ripple effect that Diallo could have had on the program had he come here.

Getting Diallo, even if he stayed for 1 year, or even 0.5 year, would have signaled to years of recruits that UConn is (still) a destination for top talent.

Now we're in a position that we're fretting about retaining the #97 ranked recruit.

That KO failed to grasp the importance of that situation is firable in itself.

 

[upstater]

Good article. The only thing I’m not buying is the Vance Jackson story. He was gone regardless of how his meeting with Ollie went at the end of the season.

The Diallo thing is difficult to understand too. He was on campus a lot, surely Ollie was recruiting him hard, and we had posters here constantly noting Ollie was at his games. The final tel was that we had word he was going to commit to UConn for the spring, then a day before he was going to enroll, Calipari ends up in Connecticut and convinces him not to. Hard to conclude from that that little effort was made.

Mind you, I don't believe that Ollie had a sudden switch and started recruiting less after his divorce. Ollie had these problems recruiting in his first year as well. Remember when Abu's people in Boston said that Ollie and staff weren't hardly recruiting (a kid who used to go around in UConn gear)? So I do buy the idea that Ollie doesn't recruit hard. I question it though in Diallo's case.

 

[8893]

live look at 8893 on the ship

But where's my orchestra? They said there would be music, dammit!

You don't technically have to be standing when the ship sinks. 8893 already has his lounge chair picked out.

Except I'm not saying to keep Ollie as our coach; to the contrary, I've said that ship has sailed with me, too.

I'm simply suggesting that people have some class and discretion if they understand what is best for the school. But yeah, I realize that's blood from a stone with respect to you.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Chosen in the sense that JC chose him. We should have had a national search.

Picking a woefully inexperienced assistant screamed "small time", and the results and perception over the last few years have been exactly that.

 

[Travelman6]

"It's not fair to compare anyone to a top-five coach," one of UConn's most prominent boosters said. "I stand 100 percent behind Kevin until something happens."

-----------------------------------

What about this? I just want to shake/slap repeatedly this person/these people out of their doldrum(s) until they freakin' get it. This allegiance is obnoxious, it is stupid and it is not helping.


Who wants to line up with me?