Mathis to Rutgers

[80shusky]

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.

This is sort of a moronic statement. Rollie coached Division 1 for 16 years after his title. Ollie has coached for 3. Use a better example.

 

[huskyrob1]

What does what's done afterward have to do with the task of actually winning the title? Are you a vegetable?

Can you add 2+2? Maybe both were just along for the ride. Mediocre or average coaches can get lucky. Jerk

 

[huskyrob1]

This is sort of a moronic statement. Rollie coached Division 1 for 16 years after his title. Ollie has coached for 3. Use a better example.

The parallels are there, you're just too stupid too see them. Rollie never had any success in coaching after the 85 NC. UNLV was a disaster, as was Cleveland State. Ollie's quickly on his way to matching those 16 years.

 

[Hoophound]

If JC came back it would be fascinating and Dave Benedict would bring in the perfect coach in waiting. I want KO to succeed but AD DB would figure that one out. He's brilliant at solving problems and painting pictures.

 

[Stainmaster]

If JC came back it would be fascinating and Dave Benedict would bring in the perfect coach in waiting. I want KO to succeed but AD DB would figure that one out. He's brilliant at solving problems and painting pictures.

The "perfect coach in waiting" you speak of would most likely rather take a job at a middle of the pack P5 school.

 

[huskyrob1]

I want KO to succeed

I do too, I hope he breaks the course record tomorrow.

 

[huskyrob1]

The "perfect coach in waiting" you speak of would most likely rather take a job at a middle of the pack P5 school.

The perfect coach in waiting is no longer available, Rutgers hired him first.

 

[Hoophound]

A couple things:

1. Mathis may still end up in Storrs. He jumped the gun yesterday.

2. JC is paying close attention and is not disconnected from the AD.

 

[80shusky]

The parallels are there, you're just too stupid too see them. Rollie never had any success in coaching after the 85 NC. UNLV was a disaster, as was Cleveland State. Ollie's quickly on his way to matching those 16 years.

Quickly except for the 13 more years it would take him to do so. You mentioned Rollie's inept recruiting in your original statement. Can you please identify and compare Rollie's recruiting failures to our current coaching staff's and explain how they are parallel? Thank you in advance for whatever wisdom is forthcoming.

 

[upstater]

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.

You can't have it both ways.

You can't bag on him for NOT having good players and at the same time saying the players deserve all the credit.

 

[mauconnfan]

The perfect coach in waiting is no longer available, Rutgers hired him first.

Do you do stand up? You're hilarious.

 

[Paesano]

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

Hobbs may be talking to Calhoun who appears to be unhappy with KO right now.

 

[RMoore1999]

Calhoun days are most likely never coming back. You and a bunch of other people are going to be very unhappy for the rest of your lives if that's what you're waiting for.

 

[upstater]

Hobbs may be talking to Calhoun who appears to be unhappy with KO right now.

That was an old story.

We read several weeks ago that Ollie and Calhoun were working together in Storrs. The latter story was in the media. The first story was a rumor.

 

[TyroneShoo]

This is sort of a moronic statement. Rollie coached Division 1 for 16 years after his title. Ollie has coached for 3. Use a better example.

I was a freshman at Nova in 1989 when Rollie was coming off of a recent final 8 run after the 85 season. He also got a top 3 recruiting class with 2 mcD guys that class (if my crappy memory serves. Bain and Byrd). That class was ended up a huge disappointment but Rollie in 1989 could still pull it in. Ollie cant ne expected to do that at present day Uconn.

That said -the comparisson isnt totally awful. Rollie never did take advantage of a miracle run. Ollie hasnt either. BUT- Ollie is in a tougher position. He is a comparatively unproven coach in a second tier conference. Rollie had a lot of success before 85 and still got a LOT of scrutiny and was essentially run out. Rollie's swagger at he time didnt help matters.

How is Ollie sopposed to win recruiting battles for top talent? The program sits in purgatory waiting for someone to find a home for a football program. He hasnt done well and it is fair to fire him if I didnt see improvement (He does seem to react to tough game situations with looks of disgust rather than a productive timeout). But, man, he is in a tough spot.

Getting all your French guys healthy will certainly help.

 

[EBonz30]

It's hard to read a lot of these comments about Uconn Coach Kevin Ollie.

Kevin Ollie accepted a coaching position that at the time was one of the toughest predicaments in college sports. Taking over a program in which never won anything until his mentor coach arrived to Storrs, Connecticut, Jim Calhoun. Jim wins 3 national championships at a place that no one ever thought it was possible.

Okay, so to say that the program is a Kentucky, Kansas, UNC, UCLA, or Duke is silly, those programs no matter who the coach is, is bringing 5 star recruits year in & year out, just because the name on the jersey and the location and history of the program.

Let's add on that Kevin Ollie's first year at the program was facing postseason ban and probation as well almost a handful of top players transferring.

Oh wait, let's not forget that the program is no longer in the Big East, but in the American.

So what does Kevin Ollie do, he goes on to have a 20 win first year, followed up with a National Championship.

Has the last few years been rocky yes, most definitely, but I in no way believe Kevin Ollie is solely to blame (3-4 injuries, really crushed recruiting/transfers last 6 months).

At the end of the day I believe in Kevin Ollie, I believe he can coach, recruit, & more importantly is a great person to lead this program into the next phase & decade.

Just to be honest with all of you, when Jim Calhoun announced his retirement I didn't believe that Uconn Men's Basketball would win another championship anytime soon, for all the reasons stated above.

 

[David 76]

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.

Disagree. It may be common but it is not alright.

 

[UConn990411]

I was a freshman at Nova in 1989 when Rollie was coming off of a recent final 8 run after the 85 season. He also got a top 3 recruiting class with 2 mcD guys that class (if my crappy memory serves. Bain and Byrd). That class was ended up a huge disappointment but Rollie in 1989 could still pull it in. Ollie cant ne expected to do that at present day Uconn.

That said -the comparisson isnt totally awful. Rollie never did take advantage of a miracle run. Ollie hasnt either. BUT- Ollie is in a tougher position. He is a comparatively unproven coach in a second tier conference. Rollie had a lot of success before 85 and still got a LOT of scrutiny and was essentially run out. Rollie's swagger at he time didnt help matters.

How is Ollie sopposed to win recruiting battles for top talent? The program sits in purgatory waiting for someone to find a home for a football program. He hasnt done well and it is fair to fire him if I didnt see improvement (He does seem to react to tough game situations with looks of disgust rather than a productive timeout). But, man, he is in a tough spot.

Getting all your French guys healthy will certainly help.

All of this is fair - he's been put in a tough spot from the very beginning, which should be factored into any analysis of his performance.

But that doesn't explain this staff's tendency to shoot itself in the foot over and over.

 

[UConnNick]

Disagree. It may be common but it is not alright.

If you're looking at it morally and ethically I agree with you, but the reality is that insane amounts of money have corrupted collegiate athletics. Anytime your entire livelihood depends upon getting kids to come play for your program, coaches are going to do what they think they have to do to get and keep their jobs. I'm not going to condemn any of them for playing that game the way they have to. It's the entire system that's corrupt and broken.

And we have no idea what, if anything negative was used or not used by the Rutger's staff regarding Mathis recruitment, so it's nothing more than idle speculation. Apparently his mother was in favor of Rutgers and that could very well be all there was to it.

 

[huskyrob1]

You can't have it both ways.

You can't bag on him for NOT having good players and at the same time saying the players deserve all the credit.

Show me where I said the team that won the 2014 NC were not good players. I know some other posters said that but I was not one of them. The players did deserve all the credit, KO was just along for the ride.

 

[huskyrob1]

How is Ollie supposed to win recruiting battles for top talent?

He should tell the foursome behind him to play through so he can make some calls.

 

[mauconnfan]

He should tell the foursome behind him to play through so he can make some calls.

You must be in the know or a really Seinfeld kind of guy? Annoying as hell but entertaining.

 

[Mr. French]

Show me where I said the team that won the 2014 NC were not good players. I know some other posters said that but I was not one of them. The players did deserve all the credit, KO was just along for the ride.

You know nothing about basketball if you think that's even possible.

 

[huskyrob1]

Do you do stand up? You're hilarious.

I don't stand up as a KO apologist like you do, no matter what happens.

 

[mauconnfan]

I don't stand up as a KO apologist like you do, no matter what happens.

You don't add anything but attempts at jokes in behalf of KO. But they are unimpressive attempts so you know. You're in a good crowd of fans though who all feel the same so be proud.

 

[Mr. French]

Since you have no substantive rebuttal just a personal attack, I take that as a compliment. Thanks Mr. French Kiss.

No substance is needed to refute the idea that a head coach during a season where the high level D-1 basketball program won a national championship had absolutely nothing to do with the winning except letting his players play.

That idea is so completely insane the only substance needed in my reply is "you clearly know very little about basketball if you think that."

Btw, that's nowhere near a personal attack. You're on a basketball message board discussing basketball in an illogical way. That indicates you don't have much knowledge in the topic, it's not in any way a personal attack.

So even that response was nonsensical.

Give me something to respond to with some substance, and I bet I do.

 

[champs99and04]

Ok who oversaw the recruitment of Shabazz, Giffey, Boatright and Daniels? Who oversaw their development once they came to Storrs? Who sat right behind the bench the whole time during the 2014 NCAA tournament? Duh

Fast forward to 2017, who fired his best assistant coach, who had three promising big men leave the program almost all at once, plus a decommit? Who of late cannot recruit for sh. .t?

This is some amazing revisionist history. If you had asked the board how much Shabazz, Boat, Giffey, and Daniels had "developed" the year before Ollie took over, they'd have been Luke-warm at best.

 

[champs99and04]

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.

I buy this. I think there's a 1000% chance he flips back to UConn if we have a good season and Rutgers continues to be Rutgers.

Vital is legit, but he's not the reason Mathis backed out. They would play together.

 

[Tenspro2002]

No substance is needed to refute the idea that a head coach during a season where the high level D-1 basketball program won a national championship had absolutely nothing to do with the winning except letting his players play.

That idea is so completely insane the only substance needed in my reply is "you clearly know very little about basketball if you think that."

Btw, that's nowhere near a personal attack. You're on a basketball message board discussing basketball in an illogical way. That indicates you don't have much knowledge in the topic, it's not in any way a personal attack.

So even that response was nonsensical.

Give me something to respond to with some substance, and I bet I do.

KO deserves credit for developing those players and their cohesion as a team. But coaching college basketball is more than that. It's a multi-step process of:

1) Identifying and luring players with the right mix of skills, work ethic, toughness, etc.
2) Developing those players as individuals and as a team
3) Correctly implementing those players in game situations

In parts of 2013 and 2014, KO succeeded at #2 and #3 spectacularly, most notably in the 2014 NCAA Tournament. But JC was responsible for step #1 for that cycle.

Since then, KO has a mediocre-to-bad track record with #1 (albeit with some restrictions that were JC's fault):
- He's usually gotten his #1 guard target (e.g. Adams) and hit on a few grad transfers and lower-rated guys (e.g. Vital), but...
- Several high-profile recruiting misses
- Daniel Hamilton, arguably his signature recruit, was lacking in intangibles and desire to be here
- Numerous transfers out of the program and a few high-profile de-commits

He's had mixed success at #2:
- Guards have generally developed (e.g. Boat as a senior was very impressive, Adams is coming along, but Purvis never improved outside of FTs), but...
- Bigs development has been awful (Facey too little too late, Brimah only minor improvement, Enoch)

And inconsistent results at #3:
- Team defense has generally been strong, e.g. 2016
- But offense has generally been awful
- Over-utilizing Brimah on offense (exacerbated by failures at #2)
- Using Gibbs instead of Adams as primary ballhandler

Basically, KO has never demonstrated an ability to succeed at an entire team-building cycle. He may learn and improve as he goes along, but it needs to happen faster than the rate at which he's driving the program into the ground.

 

[Mr. French]

KO deserves credit for developing those players and their cohesion as a team. But coaching college basketball is more than that. It's a multi-step process of:

1) Identifying and luring players with the right mix of skills, work ethic, toughness, etc.
2) Developing those players as individuals and as a team
3) Correctly implementing those players in game situations

In parts of 2013 and 2014, KO succeeded at #2 and #3 spectacularly, most notably in the 2014 NCAA Tournament. But JC was responsible for step #1 for that cycle.

Since then, KO has a mediocre-to-bad track record with #1 (albeit with some restrictions that were JC's fault):
- He's usually gotten his #1 guard target (e.g. Adams) and hit on a few grad transfers and lower-rated guys (e.g. Vital), but...
- Several high-profile recruiting misses
- Daniel Hamilton, arguably his signature recruit, was lacking in intangibles and desire to be here
- Numerous transfers out of the program and a few high-profile de-commits

He's had mixed success at #2:
- Guards have generally developed (e.g. Boat as a senior was very impressive, Adams is coming along, but Purvis never improved outside of FTs), but...
- Bigs development has been awful (Facey too little too late, Brimah only minor improvement, Enoch)

And inconsistent results at #3:
- Team defense has generally been strong, e.g. 2016
- But offense has generally been awful
- Over-utilizing Brimah on offense (exacerbated by failures at #2)
- Using Gibbs instead of Adams as primary ballhandler

Basically, KO has never demonstrated an ability to succeed at an entire team-building cycle. He may learn and improve as he goes along, but it needs to happen faster than the rate at which he's driving the program into the ground.

That's all fine.

I may even agree with a lot of it.

It has very little in the way of proving his statement correct, which is that Ollie had nothing to do with helping us win a title as the coach.

If you think it is EVEN POSSIBLE for a team at this level to win a national championship without the coach having some positive aspect on the team, you know very little about playing and coaching the sport.

That was my only point. He made a vastly over simplistic generalization that is not only those things, it's also wrong.