Ollie and staff have done the impossible

[JMick]

@JMick

And in the process, have never won fewer than 20 games while also winning a Championship. Find me another program that transitioned from an all time great that well.

Like I said earlier, winning 20 games in the AAC is nothing special. If we were in the old Big East the last two years or a P5 conference we wouldn't have 4 years of 20 wins.

 

[Leebo]

Once again, completely taking what I said out of context.

Rock expressed the idea that this thread is "over his threshold" for what we should have on the board. You disagreed with "this" (presumably, the idea of having a threshold at all?)

If you would simply draw the line in a different place rather than having no line, maybe you just didn't explain your position well.

 

[JMick]

Rock expressed the idea that this thread is "over his threshold" for what we should have on the board. You disagreed with "this" (presumably, the idea of having a threshold at all?)

If you would simply draw the line in a different place rather than having no line, maybe you just didn't explain your position well.

Did I make a post saying that this exact thread was ok? I was making a point that banning discourse is foolish.

 

[tzznandrew]

Like I said earlier, winning 20 games in the AAC is nothing special. If we were in the old Big East the last two years or a P5 conference we wouldn't have 4 years of 20 wins.

I'm not sure that's true. Look at that 2013 team again and tell me how it is more impressive than the last two UConn teams. And that was in the Big East in a year when the Big East won the NC.

 

[tzznandrew]

I was making a point that banning discourse is foolish.

And that's what @Leebo and I are disagreeing with, and I think have clearly disagreed with from the beginning, and what those even higher up than me agree with.

You're not a mod, you don't see the graveyard of posts that I do. It's not as big as it might be, but after a win it's there.

 

[JMick]

I'm not sure that's true. Look at that 2013 team again and tell me how it is more impressive than the last two UConn teams. And that was in the Big East in a year when the Big East won the NC.

The 2013 team would win the AAC this year.

 

[tzznandrew]

The 2013 team would win the AAC this year.

Wait, a team that gave 15 minutes per game to RJ Evans and 14 minutes per game to Enosch Wolf would win this league? Junior Bazz was pretty good, but

You are sadly mistaken, sir. You're upset that this team got swept by Temple and Cincy, but that team got swept by 12-19 USF.

 

[JMick]

Wait, a team that gave 15 minutes per game to RJ Evans and 14 minutes per game to Enosch Wolf would win this league?

You are sadly mistaken, sir.

Respectfully disagree. I think that team wins the AAC this year, even if by a small margin.

 

[tzznandrew]

Respectfully disagree. I think that team wins the AAC this year, even if by a small margin.

Fair enough.

I think you are overestimating a team that went to 2OT with Quinipiac and underestimating the talent of SMU, Cincy, and a couple of other teams.

I wonder if other people agree? I'd certainly suggest the 2013 team was more fun to watch in the abstract--we had no expectations for them and so every win was joyous. But I think the 2016 team is better than them, even though I would never ever bet on this team if it were a close game near the end.

 

[JMick]

Fair enough.

I think you are overestimating a team that went to 2OT with Quinipiac and underestimating the talent of SMU, Cincy, and a couple of other teams.

I wonder if other people agree? I'd certainly suggest the 2013 team was more fun to watch in the abstract--we had no expectations for them and so every win was joyous. But I think the 2016 team is better than them, even though I would never ever bet on this team if it were a close game near the end.

I personally don't think Cincy, SMU, Temple, Houston, or Tulsa are anything special - at this point the committee and people putting brackets together don't, either. Go look at SMU's wins - the fact they're a top 25 team is kind of laughable. Their best win is Colorado. It's good for us with the win against them, but I personally don't think the 2013 team would have an issue beating them.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Not sure why, once again, I'm being personally attacked on "values" or "morals" for a personal opinion. I might be a D#$K sometimes in the chat but never on the boards

Not an attack at all, and I am not touching morals at all. I'm simply coming to rational, logical conclusions based on what you have said. I argue for the curtailing of redundant and cringe-worthy gibberish on this website by applying some standard of quality to the due criticism of this year's team. I value an application of standards regarding the dialogue that takes place here.

You do not, and to you, who stands in opposition to me, all legal utterances are fair game, and family members and team members can just close their eyes and plug their ears if they don't like it "it's not my fault or your fault that someone connected to the program reads a post here". I don't know how one could conclude in any way other than determining that you do not value the idea of placing a standard on our conduct here (beyond sheer legality).

Simply a difference in values. I'd appreciate you not trying to further turn this in to some victimhood claiming. You're putting a slippery slope in where there is none; nobody is, as you construct a strawman to create a two-pronged fallacious argument, labeling all criticism as gibberish. Any rational person (I believe our mods are as such) can see the difference between civil, non-redundant, constructive criticism, and the gibberish from idiots with a few dozen posts who come out of the woodwork after every loss. And they have also demonstrated that they can see when, as unfortunately has happened with 100+ page recruiting threads, once civil conversations can quickly turn in to burning train wrecks by a few of our less-desirable members and ought to be shut down.

 

[80shusky]

You want to hang your hat on three 20 win seasons? I went back and counted actually 20 cupcake games they scheduled (as teams usually do) over the past three seasons. They won 19 of them (loss to Yale).

And I've seen NOTHING out of Ollie to suggest he's got what it takes to coach a team he's built and compete at an elite level.

Remember: no Napier, no National Championship. That was Calhoun's team, and frankly, JC's fingerprints were all over it.

"Idiot".

#HotTake, brah!

I apologize for calling you an idiot. That is not my usual character and I shouldn't have done that. That said, I disagree with your premise. It takes players to win and win consistently. It takes recruiting to get the players to win and win consistently. How many major programs can you name that retired a long time hall of fame coach and continued with the same level of success? There aren't many. I think maybe people have forgotten that KO was not a head coach at any level prior to taking this job. Think hard on this, who would you (meaning anyone not you in particular) advocate replacing him with?
In 2012 he coached a team who had no possibility of making the postseason to 20 wins. The only legitimate pro prospect on that team was Daniels and I believe he is still languishing in the D league. In 2013 he won the national championship with almost the same team and did so by beating Jay Wright, Billy Donovan, Tom Izzo and Calipari to name a few. His legitimate pro was still Daniels and Napier who is barely hanging on to a NBA job. It takes players to win, and we just don't have enough players this year. His signing of Gibbs and Miller are the only reason we are even remotely relevant this year. Otherwise this post wouldn't exist because we would be in a rebuilding mode and probably pretty bad.
KO is only starting his head coaching career and only starting to build his own program. Next year will really be his first I think with his own troops. Do you think Golden State won the NBA championship last year because of Steve Kerr? Or the Miami Heat because of Spoelstra? Or Boston because of Doc Rivers? No, they won because they had really good or the best players.
We are incredibly spoiled fans because of how good our teams have been in the last 25 years. When I first went to UConn Cliff Robinson was probably our best player and we weren't ever sniffing the level we are at now. By the time I graduated we had won the Big East Championship, Tate made "The Shot" and our fortunes had changed. In under four years. It remains to be seen whether KO can build and coach a team to consistent trips to the NCAA tournament but I think we are very lucky to have him and can't think of another coach I would rather have. He has warts, but they all do. But, he can only win with great players. So, don't run off the dock.

 

[mauconnfan]

Well, there can be. I won't get into the debate about this thread, but players, parents, coaches, recruits, etc. read this site. So this isn't going into the ether. Hell, @mauconnfan got called out by Calhoun (not by name) for the criticism he gave Taliek. So while the mods here let a lot go, rock is right in that it can't just be an anonymous venting board.

C'mon tzz I don't believe it was solely me JC was looking at ... there were a few who also were open about their thoughts on Taliek.

 

[tzznandrew]

C'mon tzz I don't believe it was solely me JC was looking at ... there were a few who also were open about their thoughts on Taliek.

Just giving you a hard time.

 

[mauconnfan]

You want to hang your hat on three 20 win seasons? I went back and counted actually 20 cupcake games they scheduled (as teams usually do) over the past three seasons. They won 19 of them (loss to Yale).

And I've seen NOTHING out of Ollie to suggest he's got what it takes to coach a team he's built and compete at an elite level.

Remember: no Napier, no National Championship. That was Calhoun's team, and frankly, JC's fingerprints were all over it.

"Idiot".

#HotTake, brah!

Since you're mentioning people lets try these names: Deandre Daniels, Niels Giffey, Ryan Boatright.

What did Deandre do under JC? How much better did Niels and Boat play that year under KO's tutelage than JC's? And throw in Lasaan Kromah and how he fit the winning puzzle? Listen I love JC, he is the man, but that wasn't "his team" it was KO's. JC had a hand in it but KO waved the wand.

 

[mauconnfan]

Just giving you a hard time.

That was right back at ya

 

[Rocktheworld]

Since you're mentioning people lets try these names: Deandre Daniels, Niels Giffey, Ryan Boatright.

What did Deandre do under JC? How much better did Niels and Boat play that year under KO's tutelage than JC's? And throw in Lasaan Kromah and how he fit the winning puzzle? Listen I love JC, he is the man, but that wasn't "his team" it was KO's. JC had a hand in it but KO waved the wand.

Like you trade me a Charmander. I bust my ass leveling that guy up, stumbling through that cave, beating up that mafia guy, fighting ghosts, going through a safari, that Charmander becomes a Charizard, I beat everyone in the championships including my rival, and you come back and DURR THAT WAS MY CHARMANDER THOUGH

 

[UConniki]

This has been apparent since last year. KO doesn't change his scheme to fit his players, which would be fine, if we had full recruiting classes. We haven't, so instead of changing the scheme for the time being, to fit what we do have, he just wants to force square pegs into round holes.

Which makes him A BAD COACH, imho.

 

[UConniki]

The play Houston ran to get an open shot was high school at best. I teach it to my JV girls team. It was embarrassing how easy it was to break.

Are you looking for an assistant head coaching job, because I know a team in dire straights that could use some competent coaching? LOL

 

[UConniki]

Idiot, he has three 20 win seasons and a National Championship in that span. Don't run off the dock.

He is just sharing his opinion which I happen to agree with wholeheartedly, and some of you guys can't win the discussion so the name calling starts as if that proves that your opinion is right. Which makes you the IDIOT. lolol

 

[UConniki]

Not sure, but he'll be in the NCAA tournament while we're mailing it in and going out in the first round of the NIT. Speaking of the NIT, we shouldn't accept invites to the NIT anymore. Our players have no interest in being there. The NIT is great for programs on their way up.

We're on our way down, does that count for anything?

 

[Marty Jackson]

You want to hang your hat on three 20 win seasons? I went back and counted actually 20 cupcake games they scheduled (as teams usually do) over the past three seasons. They won 19 of them (loss to Yale).

And I've seen NOTHING out of Ollie to suggest he's got what it takes to coach a team he's built and compete at an elite level.

Remember: no Napier, no National Championship. That was Calhoun's team, and frankly, JC's fingerprints were all over it.

"Idiot".

#HotTake, brah!

So Shabazz wins and Ollie loses?

No matter who is coaching this team, they would all be challenged without a leader on the court.

 

[imno1]

I agree with your post for the most part. My only criticism of Ollie today would be that he should have tried to play some zone. Their guards we beating our guys off the dribble all day

Our team wasn't playing defense yesterday no matter what scheme they were in.

 

[Bonehead]

How is any of this on the coaching staff? The team had no heart today. Adams and Miller had off games but that happens. The defense was non existent. This is NOT on Ollie today.

Everything on team is Ollie responsibility.
Teach heart and if someone cant learn it stay in your dorm or go to that quiet place on campus.

 

[7774]

He is just sharing his opinion which I happen to agree with wholeheartedly, and some of you guys can't win the discussion so the name calling starts as if that proves that your opinion is right. Which makes you the IDIOT. lolol

I guess the disconnect is probably that when people call you an idiot, you think of it as name calling, instead of an accurate assessment of your level of intelligence based upon the 200 data points you have provided on this message board.