More Amazing Ollie Quotes

[Hume]

Every time I read a quote by Ollie, I am amazed. There may be other coaches that sound like Ollie out there and it is just that we don't follow them, but I doubt it. His comments about the team and the upcoming Maine game just add to it for me. Talking about Calhoun and Boatright's shooting slumps "I have to do a better job of putting them in better position to score, that's why I'm up late, in here early." Discussing the lack of playing time for some of the players like Facey and Samuel "I just can't play everybody right now, but they're using practices as their games. When we need them, they'll be right there. Guys who aren't playing a lot are still buying in, and I'll be loyal to them. They'll get their chance, trust me." How can a player not want to play for this guy?

 

[Tenspro2002]

The thing is, you hear a lot of the same sorts of comments from long-time veteran coaches, but in that case you know it's just coach-speak.

With Ollie, he's so fresh to this whole thing, and so genuine, and you know what he says is how he really thinks about the situation.

 

[SteelCT]

I didn't want to start a new thread praising KO for being a fantastic coach so I figured I would put it here with the amazing Ollie quotes. So here is my praise: He is true blue; I think they made those shirts in the co-op about him and guys like him. I have complete faith in him and feel a little disappointed whenever people start getting on him about recruiting or not making the tournament this year. How many coaches have done what he has? So many accomplishments at such a young age. An NBA journeyman who we have all heard many times by many NBA stars has one of the greatest work ethics in basketball. Came back home to coach under Calhoun, a Hall of Famer, and then was hand selected by him as his predecessor and goes on to win a National Championship 2 years later. He's a boss. That is loyalty, to the school and to the game. He's always done things the right way and worked hard, nothing handed to him. I am proud to have him as our coach and the new face of the program. We can't/won't get every top recruit and I don't want them all. If we are a good match for them because they want to come in and work hard on and off the court to become better ballers and better people, that is the type of players I want on my team. Maybe I've said too much, maybe someone will agree. Proud to be UConn Student, 10 toes in. We should all have his back...all I'm saying...
Sidenote: When can we get rid of Herbst? Best thing she ever did right here

 

[tykurez]

Sidenote: When can we get rid of Herbst? Best thing she ever did right here

I know you're young but trust me, we don't want to get rid of her.

 

[tcf15]

I know you're young but trust me, we won't want to get rid of her.

Anytime somebody on this board says get rid of Herbst, there's a 99% chance that person is a current UConn student. She's the best president we've had in a while.

 

[SteelCT]

I know you're young but trust me, we won't want to get rid of her.

I am "young" not a young as the undergrads, or many of the grad students, but young. I have been at UConn for a while (since '07) and I would prefer a University President that was either a. from the State of Connecticut or b. attended UConn or both would also be nice. I am a believer on bringing people up from inside the company; part of the reason I like KO so much. What is your reasoning behind saying we won't "want" to get rid of her? Maybe I need to look into it more.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Sidenote: When can we get rid of Herbst? Best thing she ever did right here

I, nor nay student, liked what she did to Spring Weekend. However, she is responsible for a lot more at UConn and, in the scope of the bigger picture for the athletic department and university as a whole, she has done several great things. Overseeing a massive campus expansion in both structure and student population, overseeing a comparably massive expansion to the medical school and general academics, granted a 1.5 billion investment from the state, are just a few that come straight to mind. UConn's continued climb up rankings in several measures, as well as continued records in applicants and attendants, cannot be dissociated from her tenure.

Either way, you're going to need more/better justification for "when can we get rid of [her]?" than the following criteria:

I would prefer a University President that was either a. from the State of Connecticut or b. attended UConn or both would also be nice. I am a believer on bringing people up from inside the company

Yeah, you need to look in to it more. A lot more.

 

[Stainmaster]

I am "young" not a young as the undergrads, or many of the grad students, but young. I have been at UConn for a while (since '07) and I would prefer a University President that was either a. from the State of Connecticut or b. attended UConn or both would also be nice. I am a believer on bringing people up from inside the company; part of the reason I like KO so much. What is your reasoning behind saying we won't "want" to get rid of her? Maybe I need to look into it more.

I don't think you understand what she's done for the university.

Also, "bringing people up from inside the company" isn't a good MO. You hire the best person for the job regardless of where they come from. If you have two equally strong candidates, maybe you go to that as a tiebreaker. But if you use that as a rule, you're missing out on tons of good administrators.

 

[SteelCT]

I don't think you understand what she's done for the university.

Also, "bringing people up from inside the company" isn't a good MO. You hire the best person for the job regardless of where they come from. If you have two equally strong candidates, maybe you go to that as a tiebreaker. But if you use that as a rule, you're missing out on tons of good administrators.

You are right. And sometimes a different perspective is an excellent thing. The way I see it I guess is that she was handed the keys to something that was expanding anyways and given a lot of money to play with. Playing with a stacked deck? I may be very off base in my accusations, obviously she was selected for a reason.

 

[methodology]

Herbst is possibly the best thing to happen to uconn in 10 years. Couldn't ask for a better president for uconn currently

 

[Samoo]

Any student at UCONN currently should be extremely grateful to her. Your degree has gone up in value with almost every decision and move she has made thus far.

 

[superjohn]

We are extremely lucky to have Kevin Ollie and Susan Herbst.

 

[LIuconn]

Handed the keys? Look at her pedigree. She earned her post. C'mon man

 

[SteelCT]

I understand how you can appreciate what has happened while she has been at the helm. She has faced some adversity and handled it relatively well. My degrees are worth a lot. But I paid a lot for them, time and money. I believe they were worth just as much predating her. I don't fail to recognize what has happened (massive campus expansion, student body increase) but am not in a hurry to give her all the credit, or jump on her bandwagon. Things like that tend to happen after 2 National Championships in major sports and being ranked as a top party school. Money makes money.

 

[BUConn10]

As someone who graduated from Storrs last year and still follows campus politics and issues through word of mouth and social networking ("UConn Buy or Sell Tickets" page on facebook has become the main platform for discussion of issues online for some reason) I think the students are simply badgering for Herbst to be gone simply for the sake of having something to complain about. Herbst is the CEO of this ship, and so far she has done a good job. The students want her gone because they feel like she hasnt listened to their issues and hasnt "acted enough" or whatever that means. The whole campus sexual assault and racism issues have been hot lately, yet what is Herbst supposed to do? Students expect her to have a commencement speech following every issue, thats just not good politics. As the head of a public university, Herbst cant comment on ongoing investigations regarding racism and sexual assault, the two hottest button topics there are, as that would immediately implicate the university as having done something wrong, and thats not the case at all. These issues are still being settled in their respective courts and involve no one but the students being implicated, not the university, what is there for Herbst to say/do that would realistically fix anything?

 

[Rocktheworld]

I understand how you can appreciate what has happened while she has been at the helm. She has faced some adversity and handled it relatively well. My degrees are worth a lot. But I paid a lot for them, time and money. I believe they were worth just as much predating her. I don't fail to recognize what has happened (massive campus expansion, student body increase) but am not in a hurry to give her all the credit, or jump on her bandwagon. Things like that tend to happen after 2 National Championships in major sports and being ranked as a top party school. Money makes money.

So hopefully in your time earning such allegedly valuable degrees you developed the understanding of the difference between "When can we get rid of [person]?" and "I'm not ready to jump on [their] bandwagon."

Or maybe you didn't

 

[Husky1964]

Very few big time colleges, like us, have an alum steering the ship. Students booed her at 2 BB games I attended. Students told me they were upset she did NOT cancel class after a storm this Winter. Get a life!!!! I spent 5 semesters in Eagleville and class was NEVER cancelled.

 

[tykurez]

Very few big time colleges, like us, have an alum steering the ship. Students booed her at 2 BB games I attended. Students told me they were upset she did NOT cancel class after a storm this Winter. Get a life!!!! I spent 5 semesters in Eagleville and class was NEVER cancelled.

I could never tell if people were booing her or Malloy. To me it seems the students are most upset about Spring Weekend and a perceived "crack down" on partying.

 

[Rocktheworld]

I could never tell if people were booing her or Malloy. To me it seems the students are most upset about Spring Weekend and a perceived "crack down" on partying.

That's exactly what it is/was.

But nobody now at UConn has ever experienced a real Spring Weekend (last decent one was Spring '09) so I dunno why they care at all. Unless UConn has stepped its up in the dorms.

 

[Danzz]

That is

I am "young" not a young as the undergrads, or many of the grad students, but young. I have been at UConn for a while (since '07) and I would prefer a University President that was either a. from the State of Connecticut or b. attended UConn or both would also be nice. I am a believer on bringing people up from inside the company; part of the reason I like KO so much. What is your reasoning behind saying we won't "want" to get rid of her? Maybe I need to look into it more.

That a real crap way of getting the best people. If you have someone as qualified from the State fine but the job is much more important than any coaching position.