Ollie 7-3

[RayIsTheGOAT]

I'm over Ollie. Not sure what the heck happened in the last few years, something obviously did. Seems like some of you guys have the inside scoop on things from within. I really cannot believe what has happened to him, he should be embarrassed. Think back that 1st year when he took over, team on probation, players left and we won 20 games in the big east. Now, I honestly cannot even watch these games, it's a struggle.

It truly was amazing. Not just the 2014 championship, but from the moment Calhoun stepped down, to the moment Boatright pulled down the final rebound against Kentucky.

How in the hell did we win 20 games in the real Big East with that team with nothing to play for other than dignity and improvement for next season?
Then we come out of nowhere and win as a 7 seed. I still cannot even believe it as I write this.

What happened with this program? What went wrong? I thought Ollie was a demigod at that point.

 

[AdamaNation]

If Ollie was let go, anybody think he gets a P5 gig elsewhere? Imagine how exciting this place will be if we find him showing that 2014 magic with Akinjo/Matthews lighting up a league we can't get invited too. You think it's bad now, imagine that while we start at ground zero.

Hmmmmmm.

 

[LIuconn]

Remember Ollie is 7-3 this yr. Ed Cooley is 7-3 and Dan Hurley is 5-3. Between these 2 jokers. They have 2 NCAA wins in 18 yrs as head coach. Ollie and an improving team is the answer for the next 2 yrs. Not some coach whose ceiling is the round of 32

we need a 200 boneyard post rule before making these statements

 

[Jaker]

It's a real possibity Ollie couLd land a gig with one of the bottom feeder ACC or SEC teams

 

[shizzle787]

It's a real possibity Ollie couLd land a gig with one of the bottom feeder ACC or SEC teams

I hope he Pastner's us so we don't have to pay the buyout.

 

[Pudge]

Drugs are really bad, man.

Come on over ... I'll insult you in person

 

[shizzle787]

Come on over ... I'll insult you in person

Okie dokie, internet tough guy.

 

[Mots010]

It truly was amazing. Not just the 2014 championship, but from the moment Calhoun stepped down, to the moment Boatright pulled down the final rebound against Kentucky.

How in the hell did we win 20 games in the real Big East with that team with nothing to play for other than dignity and improvement for next season?
Then we come out of nowhere and win as a 7 seed. I still cannot even believe it as I write this.

What happened with this program? What went wrong? I thought Ollie was a demigod at that point.

Ollie is our tubby smith. Our mike Davis. He was the right guy at the right time with the right players, but he is incapable of building and maintaining a high level program at this point.

 

[Stainmaster]

KO has zero clout with these guys. Calhoun used to get guys to come back for one more year because they knew that he would improve their stock and get them to improve as players.

KO hasn't shown any such ability. They're gone.

Okay, this is outlandish again.

Adams and Larrier having opinions of their own skill levels that aren't grounded in reality has nothing to do with the coach.

They'd be leaving even if Calhoun told them they needed to stay.

 

[Stainmaster]

@shizzle787 where's the rest of the money coming from? Printing press?

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Kinda where I'm at. I want to believe the NC wasn't a fluke, and that the new faces will mesch, and that we'll find an identity and improve our shooting. But right now it looks like the Coaches haven't settled on anything except Jalen playing 40. Guys must be getting confused.

No matter the opinion of job status, there are no fluke NC.

 

[Huskybass]

You've answered part of your own question.

We've had to import our senior leadership, partly due to the probation. Yes, part was also due to the departures and to Hamilton leaving early. But we've been in a multi-year situation where the seniors were transfers or grad transfer 1-year players (Gibbs, Miller, Purvis, Anderson, Onuorah, etc.).

In terms of home-grown players that know his system and have been in it for 3 or 4 years, the only one we have right now that fits that description is Adams.

That's what has happened. Does Ollie need to own the recruiting misses that also led to this? Sure he does. TSam, Cassell, the folks that left this year, etc. But you are looking at a team that is either brutally young or had only been with Ollie for a couple of months, or both...

And who created that situation?

 

[tennmike]

Is it stupid? Nah.

Personally, I’m really, really pissed that Ollie let this all happen - and he did - but I don’t see him getting fired this year for millions ($) of reasons, so I gotta hope for the best and hope that those kids coming in are better than we think.

I get the buyout issue, but what happens if we do nothing? We are watching a once proud brand spiral into oblivion; our options for future players, conference affiliations, attendance, marketing, etc., diminish. What is the cost of recovery - if even possible - then? Get creative and find the guy a mid-major job somewhere to mitigate the buyout exposure. He needs a change of scenery and we need to salvage what was UCONN basketball.

We are going to get creamed in conference play due to a large part to ineffective, ill-prepared, rudderless, curiously bad leadership.

 

[HuskyNan]

Monmouth and Stony Brook are both good enough to win their conferences; that means 20 wins. Their record through 5 weeks is not indicative of how good they are. So ... throwing that murderers row list is fairly meaningless to where their KenPom will be in March.

There's no significant UConn boosters to pay Ollie to leave. He can get 14 suits at Mitchell's or a car. He has a ready seat at a bunch of NBA towns if he wants. I don't think we buy him out. So ... he needs to get great improvements from this bunch and hope for next year.

Only KO can make the call - at this point - to exit Storrs. And he might recognize that the Program has diminished.

Sorry to interrupt your pity party. Some kids look better - actually.

I can't speak for other fans, but for myself, I was hoping for more than eking out wins over the potential champs of the Mid-Atlantic and America East Conferences, no matter what their final records might be.

I've resorted to replaying the UConn-Michigan State Elite 8 game from 2014 that's still on our DVR. Now that was a close win worth cheering for.

 

[huskyrob1]

Who will be the last disciple standing, you or stainmaster?

My money is on August_West, mauconnfan, or fleuds.

 

[auggie22]

Hurley had 8 Wagner and Northeastern type losses last yr in a team with 4 top 75 high school players. (They also had 2 other losses) He would never won 25 names in the AAC last yr. What this tells you is that even at the lowest point of Ollie's coaching career, Hurley's peak is no better

Yet from what little of URI I have seen, Hurley’s teams play like they have been coached and a game plan is in place. Can you say that about UCONN?

The problem with calling this Ollie’s low point is that it spans more than 50% of his head coaching career. If Ollie is 14-6 a month or so from now, this board would be back to glass-half-full. But anyone who has watched this team play knows we are much more likely to see 8-12 than 14-6.

 

[Hi-Low]

We beat Coppin State by 13. The difference between 16 and 13 is really your gripe against UConn?

That was just the common opponent example....my point was G'Town hasn't been taken to OT by cupcakes like UConn....look at their scores. G'Town has played a lousy schedule because they know they suck but at least they haven't had much trouble beating bottom feeders. UConn has had trouble with lousy teams and "good" teams (except Oregon) have embarrassed us.

It's an issue wouldn't you say?

 

[auggie22]

It truly was amazing. Not just the 2014 championship, but from the moment Calhoun stepped down, to the moment Boatright pulled down the final rebound against Kentucky.

How in the hell did we win 20 games in the real Big East with that team with nothing to play for other than dignity and improvement for next season?
Then we come out of nowhere and win as a 7 seed. I still cannot even believe it as I write this.

What happened with this program? What went wrong? I thought Ollie was a demigod at that point.

No Shabazz, no Boat, no Neils, no Miller. I think we can conclude Miller was carrying more than his own weight from a coaching standpoint. A tough, salty team with a grudge that required little motivation to perform.

 

[UConn76]

Is it stupid and naive to want Ollie here next year just so we keep our 2018 class, esp. Akinjo?

I hate the "wait 'til next year" narrative every season, but assuming no one significant transfers....

Akinjo, Gilbert, Vital backcourt
Sid Wilson, Emmitt Matthews, Polley
Cobb, Diarra, Carlton, Whaley, Kisunas

And maybe we will get VERY lucky and 1 of Adams/Larrier come back.
I was on the Ollie train, then it started to teeter after Arkansas blowout+back to back OT games. But now I'm thinking it's more the players than Ollie (which, yes, Ollie is accountable for). Maybe he just needs the right guys to fit his system, and part of me still wants to give him the benefit of the doubt.

On the other hand, if we have another bad season and a mass exodus, then it will be very hard to defend his survival another year.

Larrier not showing anything that would make an NBA team remotely interested. Looking at a G league or overseas existence...but obviously up to him.

 

[Fishy]

Okie dokie, internet tough guy.

No, no - he’d definitely be up for insulting you in person. Don’t even give that a second thought.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

I can't speak for other fans, but for myself, I was hoping for more than eking out wins over the potential champs of the Mid-Atlantic and America East Conferences, no matter what their final records might be.

I've resorted to replaying the UConn-Michigan State Elite 8 game from 2014 that's still on our DVR. Now that was a close win worth cheering for.

I have a library of "stuff" also. Basically living in the past works for me since I am no longer a spring chicken . Convinced I may have seen my last UConn hoops championship. That makes me spoiled since many never experience one as a fan. I remember talking to Emeka is San Antonio before they lost to Texas (if memory isnt failing me Texas). He became my fav husky after that. Everyone remembers where they were for the Tate George "shot". SO many memories.

Thanks UConn basketball.

 

[UConnDan97]

And who created that situation?

Do you have reading comprehension issues? Or did you just selectively gloss over the part where I said, "Does Ollie need to own the recruiting misses that also led to this? Sure he does. TSam, Cassell, the folks that left this year, etc."?

Don't bother answering this one either. Some of you are just so amped up with hate for Ollie or for anyone that doesn't post a 100% scathing indictment of him that you just have to chime in...

 

[Pudge]

I can't speak for other fans, but for myself, I was hoping for more than eking out wins over the potential champs of the Mid-Atlantic and America East Conferences, no matter what their final records might be.

I've resorted to replaying the UConn-Michigan State Elite 8 game from 2014 that's still on our DVR. Now that was a close win worth cheering for.

It ain't the UConn WBB

When ... I know I've been on Men's hoop teams ... you gather 8 new characters with last year's 2 guys who played more than 10 minutes per game, YOU knew that it would be tough and rough first 5 weeks. No you can't just roll the balls out and wear UConn NC shorts. This is true of CYO as well as top 100 Men's programs. If WE recruited 8 great all star guys in CYO ball and then played a inferior team who played together as a unit the year before, you would lose or nearly lose.

It will get better.

I can't offer any more. If you have jumped ... I can't help you. These 9 games were predictable. The crap offense and Moyer killing us with offensive boards piss me off ... but the UConn stumbling start is frankly par for this level.

And ...

You cannot be a Villanova or a Creighton or a Butler or a Xavier or a Cincinnati ... without steady development of your bigs over a bunch of years AND solid guards.

Fishy pinpointed. We just collapsed over the last 18 months. This Fanbase expects instant return ... my view is the core 4 bigs arrival is hopeful. For our conference schedule.

 

[Afroabe224]

Honest question: Is it fair to call out the heart of the players this season? The ceiling HAS to be higher than this!!!

I understand that we essentially returned 2 rotation players from a bad team last year. But watching the games this season it looks like a poor man's 2009-10 UConn team.

The offense is frustrating to watch but it has been that way consistently under Ollie...

I just do not see the will to win from our "leaders" like previous Ollie teams with Boat, Shabazz, Purvis, Gibbs and even D-Ham to some extent.

I get that this may not be a top-75 team talent wise but we should still run the likes of Coppin and Columbia just by showing up to the gym.

 

[Paesano]

There is a way out of this. If the AD can't figure it out, he can PM me.

I found this thread interesting. For the record, the AD never had to contact me. He figured the way out on his own.

 

[Milo65]

Some of the quotes in here are pure gold.

 

[raf46]

We were national champions less then 4 yrs ago. Won the AAC less then 2. Good class coming in 18 and expect a very better class in 2019. Ollie got the winning pedigree

He deserved another year.

 

[HuskyHawk]

He deserved another year.

He didn’t deserve the year he just finished.

 

[Dove]

He deserved another year.

He brought in Chillz. Had Killz. Had a decent recruiting class lined up.

Yeah, it looked promising.

There must be something bigger than unapproved workouts behind the curtain to get Ollie bounced. I am hoping Athletic Director...Dave is pointing at empty seats, poor work ethic and depleted coffers for "just cause".

 

[HuskyHawk]

He brought in Chillz. Had Killz. Had a decent recruiting class lined up.

Yeah, it looked promising.

There must be something bigger than unapproved workouts behind the curtain to get Ollie bounced. I am hoping Athletic Director...Dave is pointing at empty seats, poor work ethic and depleted coffers for "just cause".

Did you watch the games? This was the worst prepared, worst coached team in all of Division 1. Chill and Kills were brought in to be yes men for a HC who doesn’t know what he is doing. They are a couple of zeros on the bench. It did not look promising.