obviously, this is not what we expect from a JC team, and for

[willie99]

obvious reasons, JC is not there.

his teams peak come Jan / Feb, but he's not there to bring this to fruition. His missed the entire month of Feb, and was now in obvious pain the end of Jan. This team, maybe more so than any other, needs his fire and leadership

This is a George Blaney team, and I love George as an Associate HC, but not HC. Jim Calhoun does not lose to Providence Tuesday night. The last 12 minutes of that game was as poor a coaching job as I've ever witnessed in my life. From using timeouts, to calling plays, to bringing fire to the table. He folded along with the players.

My hopes all rely on Jimmy's health. No Jimmy, no go. Plain and simple.

 

[willie99]

with JC, we are one of the nation's best programs over the last 23 seasons

with George playing HC in that time frame, we're 12-14

 

[Prezidint]

My hopes all rely on Jimmy's health. No Jimmy, no go. Plain and simple.

Yeah but, didn't you see Ollie jumping in there and firing everybody up and taking the reins?

Hm?

 

[djct1999]

Calhoun's absence has been so detrimental on many levels. Think about it....does Syracuse only lose 1 game with Mike Hopkins coaching for 10 games or Kentucky with Orlando Antigua? Lets be honest, Marquette loses a few more even if our beloved Buzz misses 10 games.

 

[Kitaman]

Its not like Blaney was driving a championship ready team into the ground when he took the wheel. The 'vehicle' was already showing signs of defectiveness early on, even with Calhoun. Yes he's a much better driver, but even Nascar champion drivers can't win with a damaged car. Whatever needs fixing will only be fixed off road or in this case 'off season'. Obviously it won't be fixed on road (during the season). Sorry for the auto metaphor, I try and see things more simple I guess.

Anyway I just can't, and won't, make Blaney the scapegoat for the season. Its collective all the way around.

 

[willie99]

Yeah but, didn't you see Ollie jumping in there and firing everybody up and taking the reins?

Hm?

it's simply not his job, he's not HC, and JC's assistant's just don't do that.

I do believe Ollie is being trained to be the next HC, I didn't argue he should be HC now. I even said Ollie should not take over for Blaney when a thread was recently started on the subject

don't know who you think you're "hm'm". My position on that subject hasn't changed one iota

 

[willie99]

Its not like Blaney was driving a championship ready team into the ground when he took the wheel. The 'vehicle' was already showing signs of defectiveness early on, even with Calhoun. Yes he's a much better driver, but even Nascar champion drivers can't win with a damaged car. Whatever needs fixing will only be fixed off road or in this case 'off season'. Obviously it won't be fixed on road (during the season). Sorry for the auto metaphor, I try and see things more simple I guess.

Anyway I just can't, and won't, make Blaney the scapegoat for the season. Its collective all the way around.

my argument is that JC's teams grow and peak, usually playing their best sometime between Jan 15 and Feb 15. His health and his absence made that task "undoable"

 

[mauconnfan]

I agree with Willie. When they weren't playing well for a trecth with JC there were signs always of putting 35 minutes, 40 minutes together. I think somewhere in the last few games with GB on the sideline, a nice JC a**kickin would have kept them in the game and not let them drift, he knows when to do these things and they feel the wrath much more. It's a key ingredient in coaching and it was obviously missing..........

 

[Prezidint]

it's simply not his job, he's not HC, and JC's assistant's just don't do that.

His job is to get the team to win. JC's assistants don't do that because his assistants all tend to have a personality that is diametrically opposed to his. Having a hot head assistant to a hot head head coach doesn't work.

But, to be clear, if Ollie had it in him to yell, get in a kid's face, and rally the troops, he SHOULD have done it last night, notwithstanding his job description.

If there was ever a time for the emergence of a new leader, last night was that time. What last night should have done is put to bed any doubt whatsoever that anybody currently on the bench is the man to take the job when JC is done.

 

[willie99]

^^^^^

I just don't reach that conclusion at all, just not there. You hate, you're reaching

 

[Kitaman]

my argument is that JC's teams grow and peak, usually playing their best sometime between Jan 15 and Feb 15. His health and his absence made that task "undoable"

Good point there, being leaderless at the top is a big problem. I'm not sure there are more than 2 or 3 assistant coaches in the country that can take over for a HOFer (in an emergency) managing this talented team. Its an impossible task, even for our assistants on the bench, who see hm daily.

 

[businesslawyer]

His job is to get the team to win. JC's assistants don't do that because his assistants all tend to have a personality that is diametrically opposed to his. Having a hot head assistant to a hot head head coach doesn't work.

But, to be clear, if Ollie had it in him to yell, get in a kid's face, and rally the troops, he SHOULD have done it last night, notwithstanding his job description.

If there was ever a time for the emergence of a new leader, last night was that time. What last night should have done is put to bed any doubt whatsoever that anybody currently on the bench is the man to take the job when JC is done.

I'm not sold on Ollie taking over, but no, you can not put doubt to bed by what happened last night. You can not judge assistant coaches by what head coaches do during games.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

obvious reasons, JC is not there.

his teams peak come Jan / Feb, but he's not there to bring this to fruition. His missed the entire month of Feb, and was now in obvious pain the end of Jan. This team, maybe more so than any other, needs his fire and leadership

This is a George Blaney team, and I love George as an Associate HC, but not HC. Jim Calhoun does not lose to Providence Tuesday night. The last 12 minutes of that game was as poor a coaching job as I've ever witnessed in my life. From using timeouts, to calling plays, to bringing fire to the table. He folded along with the players.

My hopes all rely on Jimmy's health. No Jimmy, no go. Plain and simple.

this team wasnt gonna get much better, even when calhoun was there this team wasnt playing great. Sure they played well the 2nd half again syracuse and almost won but for the majority of this season they have struggled to score and play defense. The talent is certainly there but for whatever reason, confidence, chemistry, moon cycles, this team cant get it together

 

[tzznandrew]

this team wasnt gonna get much better, even when calhoun was there this team wasnt playing great. Sure they played well the 2nd half again syracuse and almost won but for the majority of this season they have struggled to score and play defense. The talent is certainly there but for whatever reason, confidence, chemistry, moon cycles, this team cant get it together

Frequently, Calhoun teams look like garbage until early to mid-February, and then suddenly look really good. Hell, even the 2004 title team did that.

We can never know. Some UConn teams don't get better (although 2010 was one where JC also missed time). Most did.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

Frequently, Calhoun teams look like garbage until early to mid-February, and then suddenly look really good. Hell, even the 2004 title team did that.

We can never know. Some UConn teams don't get better (although 2010 was one where JC also missed time). Most did.

yeah i just dont know if i buy it for this team... the chemistry and compassion has been off the whole season. Kinda stinks since no one is really directing Boatright and Drummond. I did see boatright last night try to settle drummond down but... Theres obviously no lack of talent on this team but for whatever reason the puzzle pieces arent fitting together.