Mathis to Rutgers

[UConnNick]

In case you haven't noticed, there's been some serious issues closing since Miller left. I'll just say, he didn't leave the program in a graceful manner and I'll leave it at that. When a disgruntled former coach starts smearing the program with made up BS that other people hear whispers about and use to "close" a recruit instead of selling their own program that's a problem. Our staff has taken an approach that we're above that and not going to stoop to that level.

You call it whatever you want, but our staff considers what happened "dirty".

I had a funny feeling that this may have been what went down. Pikiell is obviously as well connected with present and former UConn staff as anybody in the country. If anybody knows where the bodies are buried, it's Steve.

It also doesn't surprise me that we may have chosen to take the high road in a head-to-head recruiting war against Steve, in deference to his UConn pedigree. That plus a dose of overconfidence, perhaps?

So much for that approach going forward. No more Mr. Nice Guy. Recruiting is a dog-eat-dog struggle to somebody's death. If half of this is true, it's time to take off the kid gloves and go bare knuckles on Pikiell and everybody else.

 

[The Funster]

What some people aren't getting and what some of us are saying is that the losses to Wagner and Northeastern aren't a reason that we are losing recruits but that those losses were the first warning sign that things in the program were seriously amiss. That is what the "the canary in the coal mine" is, it's the first warning.

 

[upstater]

You're missing as usual. Those loses put Uconn with the St. John's of the world. Viewed top tier teams don't lose those games. I believe loses like that along with underachieving AAC play has create a lot of doubt in recruits about Uconn still being a top tier program.

Northeastern vs. Michigan State - Game Summary - December 18, 2016 - ESPN

 

[Kmba2Rmemba]

From all I have heard from my sources the staff definitely believes there was some negative, dirty recruiting in the final days from the RU staff...Also hearing that our staff is not completely giving up on Mathis until he signs is LOI, because they think he may flip back to UConn. Don't shoot the messenger, just passing on what I've heard.

Always appreciated Hobbs and would be really dissapointed to find out he was smacktalking KO/the program

Honestly can't wait for the season. Want to pick up some big wins and put these clowns in their spot

 

[MadDogRevival]

If St. John's is losing worse games and beating us out for recruits, the losses aren't the problem.

I agree with you that losing a couple of head scratchers is not the problem (nor a part of it), but your statement assumes, without stating, that recruits would view bad (or "worse") losses at St. John's equivalent with the same (or "worse") losses at UConn. It ignores the possibility that a recruit might think . . . "well, sure Rutgers has some terrible losses, but they're Rutgers - UConn shouldn't be losing those games." Maybe UConn and St. John's and/or Rutgers are viewed by recruits as "closer" on the attractiveness scale because of the losses, and so the reasons for choosing them over us don't have to be as compelling.

 

[Stainmaster]

Obsessing.... its telling a story. Figuring how uconn got here. This is all reflection on getting dominated in recruits by much lesser programs.

I've read too many posts in the past 24 hours arguing verbatim that losing those games specifically is what is turning recruits off (and that losing those games is being used as recruiting ammo by coaches we could easily be saying the same about) to care about nuance.

 

[TRest]

In case you haven't noticed, there's been some serious issues closing since Miller left. I'll just say, he didn't leave the program in a graceful manner and I'll leave it at that. When a disgruntled former coach starts smearing the program with made up BS that other people hear whispers about and use to "close" a recruit instead of selling their own program that's a problem. Our staff has taken an approach that we're above that and not going to stoop to that level.

You call it whatever you want, but our staff considers what happened "dirty".

What do you call a good loser? Loser.

 

[HooperScooper]

No one's saying he's Allen Iverson nor maybe even an NBA prospect. But he's a good player and as a junior he'll be better than a freshman Mathis.

Just stop with this. Mathis didn't commit to Rutgers over UConn because Christian Vital is at UConn. This theory only exists in your head to rationalize why he didn't choose UConn.

 

[wheezer]

For the last time, it's not Ollie, or RC, it's the terrible conference we are stuck in. Ollie and Uconn's history are the only reason we are getting decent looks from top 100 recruits. Of course most kids would rather play in the Big 10/P5 for a terrible program than play for a program with a storied history but whose present currently involves playing Tulane, East Carolina, and Directional Florida regularly.

---
I have to agree the conference hurts Uconn a bit.... RU has no advantage over Uconn, except trying to sell the big 10 versus the aac

Don't blame the coach.... he almost got it done here, and still might later on....a long time till signing.

 

[MSGSeven]

Just stop with this. Mathis didn't commit to Rutgers over UConn because Christian Vital is at UConn. This theory only exists in your head to rationalize why he didn't choose UConn.

The kid knew who he had in front of him at shooting guard. Was it the only factor? No. Do I believe it was a big factor? Yes. And for the record I could care less about Mathis I'm not rationalizing anything. The way I look at it is it opens the door for another and in some cases a better recruit. The funny thing is if Mathis committed to UConn the whole narrative here would've been completely different as in KO is starting to turn things around. I guess we'll have to wait for the next commit to start that one.

 

[David 76]

What some people aren't getting and what some of us are saying is that the losses to Wagner and Northeastern aren't a reason that we are losing recruits but that those losses were the first warning sign that things in the program were seriously amiss. That is what the "the canary in the coal mine" is, it's the first warning.

\
I'll agree to that. Don't buy for a second that a kid who was about to come here changed their mind when reminded of those losses.

 

[Bonehead]

For the last time, it's not Ollie, or RC, it's the terrible conference we are stuck in. Ollie and Uconn's history are the only reason we are getting decent looks from top 100 recruits. Of course most kids would rather play in the Big 10/P5 for a terrible program than play for a program with a storied history but whose present currently involves playing Tulane, East Carolina, and Directional Florida regularly.

How does Gozaga recruit and play so well - their conference affiliation?

If you want out of this conference I hope you purchased 8 Footballl season tickets this year - even if you hate football and don't go.

 

[AntG168]

How does Gozaga recruit so well - their conference affiliation?

They don't rankings wise

 

[Bonehead]

They don't rankings wise

So they are better coached - got it!

 

[AntG168]

So they are better coached - got it!

Correct, Few is a terrific coach

 

[UConnNick]

\
I'll agree to that. Don't buy for a second that a kid who was about to come here changed their mind when reminded of those losses.

I distinctly remember the complete meltdown of UConnNation after we lost to St. Bonaventure at home in 2001, I believe it was. If one or even two horrifically bad recent losses can totally derail your recruiting, then how did we manage to recruit the nucleus of the 2006 team in the wake of a mind numbingly horrific blowout loss to the Bonnies?

These recruits couldn't care less about individual wins and losses. Nobody would even be willing to talk with Steve Pikiell if that were the case.

 

[UConnNick]

Always appreciated Hobbs and would be really dissapointed to find out he was smacktalking KO/the program

Honestly can't wait for the season. Want to pick up some big wins and put these clowns in their spot

Unfortunately, negative recruiting is how the game is played. It's not unlike most any political campaign. When's the last time two candidates didn't go negative against each other? It's rare when they don't.

When Hobbs or any other coach leaves one program and ends up having to recruit player(s) looking at both their old and new programs, to me it's all fair game to go negative, especially when you have insider info. That makes it even more persuasive. I don't judge Pikiell, Hobbs or any other former Husky assistant for doing it. That's the reality of recruiting. You would certainly hope that Killings and Chillious will use any and every means available to help us get a recruit anytime, particularly if we're up against a former employer of theirs that they know inside stuff about.

 

[Tenspro2002]

I distinctly remember the complete meltdown of UConnNation after we lost to St. Bonaventure at home in 2001, I believe it was. If one or even two horrifically bad recent losses can totally derail your recruiting, then how did we manage to recruit the nucleus of the 2006 team in the wake of a mind numbingly horrific blowout loss to the Bonnies?

These recruits couldn't care less about individual wins and losses. Nobody would even be willing to talk with Steve Pikiell if that were the case.

In 2001 it was an aberration. In 2017 it's part of a trend.

Not that I think any particular loss is in the mind of recruits, but those losses and the lack of buzz and horrific season that followed are part of a narrative that this program is crashing and burning under KO. The fact that he hasn't put anyone of note into a good position in the NBA is a problem as well.

 

[huskyrob1]

This is embarrassing. We just lost a recruit to a team that hasn't had an NCAA Tourney appearance in 26 years. Enjoy the NIT. Time to focus on Akinjo, Nolley, Mucius, and Carrigan. Sounds like Carey may be a long shot at this point too.

Not so embarrassing, Rutgers is not a great program historically but they do play in the Big Ten. That's a huge point in their favor. Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Indiana, Illinois, have all had solid national basketball programs over the years. Couple that with Ollie getting ready for his big golf tournament, and there's the result.

 

[upstater]

How does Gozaga recruit and play so well - their conference affiliation?

If you want out of this conference I hope you purchased 8 Footballl season tickets this year - even if you hate football and don't go.

They have had one good stretch of recruiting. Prior to the last few years, they barely ever grabbed top 100s. Memphis after Calipari has 10x more top 100s than Gonzaga.

 

[upstater]

So they are better coached - got it!

They are, but he is a coach without a national championship.

 

[upstater]

The fact that he hasn't put anyone of note into a good position in the NBA is a problem as well.

So you're saying it is even more impressive that he coached them to a national championship without a single player of note?

I agree.

 

[Stainmaster]

They are, but he is a coach without a national championship.

Take a look at the ESPN 100 for this past year. How many of those kids committed to schools that have ever sniffed national championships?

Figuring it out over the past few years has sucked, but the rest of the college basketball world (read: the players we're trying to recruit) doesn't value championships the way this fanbase does -- and most likely never will.

 

[upstater]

Take a look at the ESPN 100 for this past year. How many of those kids committed to schools that have ever sniffed national championships?

Figuring it out over the past few years has sucked, but the rest of the college basketball world (read: the players we're trying to recruit) doesn't value championships the way this fanbase does -- and most likely never will.

Ollie's 2014 team is an aberration.

There are many reasons why the people who don't credit Ollie for that are full of it
First, the Boneyard has already been through the discussion of Napier, Boatright, Daniels, Giffey, etc., all players who developed AFTER Ollie became coach.
Second, even if you think these players didn't develop under Ollie, this is the only NC in eons with only ONE NBA player.
In terms of basketball talent, this team did not have anywhere near as much as previous champions.

If you give Few a break because he simply doesn't have the firepower that Kentucky does (and he doesn't) you must credit Ollie for winning in 2014 without much firepower. I've actually read posts the last couple of days, maybe in this thread, giving almost all of the credit for 2014 to the players. But you have to look very far for a team that won it with only one NBA player, a player who, by the way, is a 3rd stringer.

 

[huskyrob1]

Ollie's 2014 team is an aberration.

There are many reasons why the people who don't credit Ollie for that are full of it
First, the Boneyard has already been through the discussion of Napier, Boatright, Daniels, Giffey, etc., all players who developed AFTER Ollie became coach.
Second, even if you think these players didn't develop under Ollie, this is the only NC in eons with only ONE NBA player.
In terms of basketball talent, this team did not have anywhere near as much as previous champions.

If you give Few a break because he simply doesn't have the firepower that Kentucky does (and he doesn't) you must credit Ollie for winning in 2014 without much firepower. I've actually read posts the last couple of days, maybe in this thread, giving almost all of the credit for 2014 to the players. But you have to look very far for a team that won it with only one NBA player, a player who, by the way, is a 3rd stringer.

Ollie is as much responsible for the 2014 win as Rollie Massimino was when Villanova won it all by upsetting Georgetown. Both coaches did didly squat afterward in wins and in recruiting.