Lots of thoughts.

[nomar]

I'm often wrong, but I wanted KO to be JC's successor, I was OK when JC trapped WM into handing the keys to KO, I was OK with WM giving KO the interim tag, and I was thrilled when that tag came off.

I had no idea how KO would do with the X's and O's. But I was willing to take a chance on someone universally respected, someone who I thought I could recruit, someone who saw this as a "Destination Job," and someone whose upside was sky high.

Can't say I saw this coming, obviously. But while I liked -- and like -- Shaka Smart, KO was my first choice. Glad to be right for once.

 

[Ohio UConn]

As a non-alum and recent move into CT (because my wife insisted we live in CT versus high tax NYS - remember the no income tax days?) in mid-1980s, I started watching UConn with Chris Smith. It was apparent right away (to me at least) that Calhoun was a different breed of cat for a coach. Love him or hate him, he digs deep into the psyche of his players, got them to evolve and play at levels one thought unimaginable. When younger he did seem rigid and almost insecure but his aging brought enough mellowing for him to listen better to his assistants it seemed, and he became a great coach. Ollie has the advantage of his NBA experience that Calhoun can never replicate. So Ollie is the best of both worlds.

But, no one can argue with Jim Boeheim's assessment of Calhoun: what Calhoun literally created out of his own mind and force of will at CT is almost impossible to conceive. I would argue it is easier to develop a football program, long-term given support, than to do what Calhoun did, in the old Big East against some of the greatest coaches that ever oversaw hoops programs. Love him or hate him, but for Calhoun (and on the other side Geno) no KO. The style UConn has and will always have, emanates from Calhoun's depths. Ollie is a true phenom. A product of his own rich but demanding life experiences (like Calhoun in some respects).

Wow....can't believe I'm even writing stuff like this after what we watched the last few weeks........surreal to me

last..........think of the vision Calhoun had to recruit "Bazz HARD (yeah, he had to....) to pair with Kemba, then also pair in RyanB. Then go back to Khalid and getting RickyM to become the defensive masterpiece. I could go on forever ...... Calhoun sees raw talent and quirky qualities others seem to not emphasize. As said above, 'diamonds in the rough' is correct (excepting the likes of Ray Allen and a few others) but he pairs them in combination strings that few coaches could really envision or effectively deploy. Just on that front alone Ollie had to learn a lot while being coached by Calhoun

 

[Dogdeacon]

I'm often wrong, but I wanted KO to be JC's successor, I was OK when JC trapped WM into handing the keys to KO, I was OK with WM giving KO the interim tag, and I was thrilled when that tag came off.

I had no idea how KO would do with the X's and O's. But I was willing to take a chance on someone universally respected, someone who I thought I could recruit, someone who saw this as a "Destination Job," and someone whose upside was sky high.

Can't say I saw this coming, obviously. But while I liked -- and like -- Shaka Smart, KO was my first choice. Glad to be right for once.

Right there with you. Even though Calhoun kind of stumbled to the finish line, I still trust him implicitly and if he wanted KO to coach it was absolutely worth a shot to me. I figured it would take a few years to get KO experience and this season's ups and downs seemed to support that. But KO always said the right thing and the more we got to know KO the more we all learned what Calhoun daringly prophesized in the same way he built the program. I hypothesize that Calhoun also knew that with someone like KO he could jump in for the tourney on game planning (sure there is some ego with that, but that is JC and that is UConn) and if so that's yet another reason why Ollie was the right hire. AND now with Ollie establishing the UConn tradition of winning intertwined with NBA so hard the combo is staggeringly vital for continued success in conference limbo.

 

[tzznandrew]

Championship caliber post, Fishy.

I thought we call that a Level 5 post now.

 

[Deepster]

Great post with one exception. While I admire Deepster's efforts, the last two titles have not been caused by Charlie Sheen and testicles. Too planned. The last two runs have been fueled by Makers Muppet (or whatever) and the idiotic Mr. Shea. Those are what brings UConn fans, UConn players and destiny together.

Still there are naysayers. FOUR duck*ING TITLES LATER, I have naysayers.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I was in favor of Ollie being the Head Coach, although my reasons were a little different than confidence in Calhoun or Ollie's resume. I thought that in the fall of 2012 we really didn't have any good options, and I thought slapping an "interim" tag on Ollie was stupid and petulant. I didn't want to test the waters unless Smart or Stevens were a lock, because I didn't want to be hiring some generic assistant or MAC coach. Ollie was as good as any of those level coaches, he was cheap, and I was confident that he would hold the team together better than a new coach would.

It is worth its own thread, but we got really, really lucky with Ollie. Most of these "designated successor" coaches fail. Look at Matt Painter at Purdue, who I thought was a pretty good coach. There is no excuse for that team to be as bad as it is. Craig Esherick was awful. Mahaney at St. Johns. Lappas was at least mediocre at Nova. Bruiser Flint is not a terrible coach, but he was terrible at UMass. It's really hard to succeed the legend while continuing the legend's legacy.

 

[businesslawyer]

Still there are naysayers. FOUR F* *ING TITLES LATER, I have naysayers.

In fairness, at least I'm an appreciative naysayer!

 

[Pudge]

I was in favor of Ollie being the Head Coach, although my reasons were a little different than confidence in Calhoun or Ollie's resume. I thought that in the fall of 2012 we really didn't have any good options, and I thought slapping an "interim" tag on Ollie was stupid and petulant. I didn't want to test the waters unless Smart or Stevens were a lock, because I didn't want to be hiring some generic assistant or MAC coach. Ollie was as good as any of those level coaches, he was cheap, and I was confident that he would hold the team together better than a new coach would.

It is worth its own thread, but we got really, really lucky with Ollie. Most of these "designated successor" coaches fail. Look at Matt Painter at Purdue, who I thought was a pretty good coach. There is no excuse for that team to be as bad as it is. Craig Esherick was awful. Mahaney at St. Johns. Lappas was at least mediocre at Nova. Bruiser Flint is not a terrible coach, but he was terrible at UMass. It's really hard to succeed the legend while continuing the legend's legacy.

But ...

I think Calhoun is as great a talent evaluator as we have seen in the last few decades at this level. He knew Kevin. I think many many people (as I read much now) knew that Kevin Ollie was an incredible student of the game. It's unbelievable what has come out in the last month. He lasted all those years, and you can read about it, by grinding through scouting reports, watching video and thinking like a coach. Thus, he is a Star. I think he loves Glastonbury and this life. I think he knows that College HC gets stability and longterm glory. I wonder what he thinks when he sees a Larry Brown or even a non-descript NBA guy who lasted 7 weeks. It's just simply a world that is forever in flux. Few Pat Rileys get to build & go the long run.

 

[RioDog]

Fishy- re: #5, may I recommend national flag blue carharts and some bear mace.

Re: KO, the perfect balance of pride and humility.

 

[Uconn93]

Fishy-I suspect you did The Muppet proud with this post. Store this post away. Somewhere down the road when the yard denizens are in an uproar, The Mojo will demand that this be reposted.

 

[UConnDan97]

"In trying times, you can't stop trying." - Kevin Ollie

And last night is what happens when you don't stop trying...

 

[Husky1972]

I thought that KO got a little carried away and wondered what the hell he was thinking with his statement that "We're going to come back home another banner"

They should take him down to Mirror Lake and see if he can walk across it without getting his feet wet.

Unbelievable!

 

[zls44]

ODDS AND ENDS
ODDS AND ENDS
ODDS AND ENDS
ODDS AND ENDS

 

[Dogdeacon]

I thought that KO got a little carried away and wondered what the hell he was thinking with his statement that "We're going to come back home another banner"

They should take him down to Mirror Lake and see if he can walk across it without getting his feet wet.

Unbelievable!

He might make it without getting his feet wet, but even JC couldn't make it across that abomination without getting smeared in goose poop

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Remember when many people...myself included...thought this team would never be able to rebound well enough with the big-boys to have a strong year.....Neither do I!

 

[hungry husky]

How good does Brimah get to feel that he made that epic 3 point play. What a huge confidence booster going forward. I expect him to be a 10/10 guy next year.

 

[junglehusky]

It is worth its own thread, but we got really, really lucky with Ollie. Most of these "designated successor" coaches fail. Look at Matt Painter at Purdue, who I thought was a pretty good coach. There is no excuse for that team to be as bad as it is. Craig Esherick was awful. Mahaney at St. Johns. Lappas was at least mediocre at Nova. Bruiser Flint is not a terrible coach, but he was terrible at UMass. It's really hard to succeed the legend while continuing the legend's legacy.

This. How about Bill Guthridge / Matt Doherty. Look at the string of coaches at UCLA or Indiana after Wooden and Knight. I know nothing is guaranteed, it may be a couple years or several years before UConn wins another title, Lady Luck can be fickle. But I do like our chances with Ollie to compete for championships. We have a blueprint that WORKS and we have a coach who can recruit, train, build up the team, prepare them for March.

 

[sportsart]

There is a movie to be made here. I said it first. Whether it's after KO wins his 3rd NC or it's in the next 12 months...there will be at the very least a documentary about how the 4th NC came about.

From the JC health issues and retirement to forcing WM's hand on hiring KO to the APR to the "I will bring back a banner" to the visit to Jerry's world during the SMU and UH losses to Emmert on the stand to Bazz's "This is what happens when you ban us" It is a book or movie waiting to happen.

You can't write this script.

 

[intlzncster]

The standing in your yard anecdote was choice.

And Deep deserves to be as unbearable as he wants to be after that bold call. So do the rest of us who spent the better part of the past four weeks editing and posting pictures of testicles.