Ollie Discrimination Lawsuit

[UConnRock]

I don't know how one can quantify the scope of NCAA charges. To call the charges "flimsy" is certainly a reach. In the full scope of conference realignment and TV contracts any NCAA violations against UConn could have costly long-term consequences. From the program perspective and as viewed by the AD and President, Ollie's violations are/were detrimental to the goals of the athletic department and college as a whole.

 

[CL82]

Wow, how did I miss that?

That's an unbelievable thing for a lawyer to say and shows they have absolutely nothing. What on earth is Ollie doing? He sure seems to be into self-sabotage

Not so unbelievable for him to say it, it's unbelievable for him to say it after smearing a beloved HOF coach and accusing the school of racism.

"Calhoun's a crook and you are the Klan... wait home come you don't like us?"

Parenteau has a good reputation but his handling of this matter has been one blunder after another. I bet he'd love a Mulligan on taking this case.

 

[CL82]

Both sides were greedy and stupid, here we are. UConn was cheap and KO was greedy. KO deserved to be fired and didn't deserve to get close to 10M. UConn fired him and didn't deserve to walk without paying him something somewhat respectable.

Depends how you define deserve. I think pretty much everyone agrees at that this point that under the contract, Ollie isn't entitled to a dime. So how you define deserve? Because he was a former player or because he coached the team to Natty the cash strapped state should pay him millions to which that he has no lawful claim?

 

[CL82]

UConn shudda took care of this a while ago and came to a buyout agreement. Maybe Ollie dug his heels in and refused who knows but they should’ve met halfway or something. Now it’s gonna drag. U don’t get to breach a contract cuz someone doesn’t win. U buy them out. U don’t bring up flimsy charges and hope they stick. Weak on uconns part. I’m happy we have Hurley and im happy he’s gone but the University could’ve been a little more smooth about this.

As noted above, Kevin Ollie is about to get a show cause penalty from the NCAA for providing illegal (in the NCAA sense) food, board and travel expenses for player to attend and illegal training session. Those are hardly "flimsy charges." Those actions "breached" contract and triggered an automatic termination of it. That is why KO is isn't entitled to dollar more under the multi-million dollar contract that his lawyers reviewed and he signed.

Have you been following this matter at all?

 

[8893]

FWIW I think @JohnFSilver ’s take on this in today’s UConn Daily was spot on. I continue to be surprised that the majority of casual observers with whom this issue arises in conversation do not like what they perceive in terms of the University’s treatment of Ollie in the firing.

As for this latest move, I get what his lawyers are trying to do—one of which is surely to avoid a malpractice claim that could result from missing a filing deadline to preserve potential claims. From the outside it looks like they got played along by the University, which was never going to agree to their various offers to try to preserve these claims. I think I would have advised the client either to file the CHRO claims or drop them. I don’t think they are going to get the relief they are seeking from the district court here. They are essentially asking to be forgiven for missing the filing deadline, and I don’t know if the district court can do that prospectively in the absence on an actual claim.

 

[UChusky916]

Source:

SomeGuy is such a joke... a sad excuse for a 'journalist'.

He tweets before the game saying it will be interesting to see how the team reacts to this news.

When the team comes out focused and locked-in and blows out Drexel as they should, he has the nerve to ask Jalen post-game an off-topic question about KO to try to provoke some reaction or get something out of him to satisfy his narrative.

Jalen handled it well, I'm glad he didn't give SomeGuy anything. Hurley has these guys focused and they're probably glad KO's gone.

 

[BFieldHusky]

SomeGuy is such a joke... a sad excuse for a 'journalist'.

He tweets before the game saying it will be interesting to see how the team reacts to this news.

When the team comes out focued and locked in and blows out Drexel as they should, he has the nerve to ask Jalen post-game an off-topic question about KO to try to provoke some reaction or get something out of him to satisfy his narrative.

Jalen handled it well, I'm glad he didn't give SomeGuy anything. Hurley has these guys focused and they're probably glad KO's gone.

He also mentioned in his article today that he thinks it may affect recruiting. I don't see it.

How much national media focus Ollie’s assertions of racial discrimination get certainly will have a role. Whether community and national black leaders chose to get involved will be a factor, too. It would be a mistake to pooh-pooh these charges out of hand. It could damage recruiting. It could damage the state university’s reputation.

After the blow delivered by the NCAA, the claims smack of desperation. If Ollie has more than “Calhoun didn’t get fired and I did,” those racial claims should be delivered with careful specifics and be examined with great dignity in the full light of day. If the claims prove to be frivolous, however, Ollie will be seen as a man willing to do anything to get his money. His reputation will take a hit much bigger than losing one coaching job.

Jeff Jacobs: There is no turning back after Ollie’s accusations of racial discrimination

 

[superjohn]

SomeGuy is such a joke... a sad excuse for a 'journalist'.

He tweets before the game saying it will be interesting to see how the team reacts to this news.

When the team comes out focued and locked in and blows out Drexel as they should, he has the nerve to ask Jalen post-game an off-topic question about KO to try to provoke some reaction or get something out of him to satisfy his narrative.

Jalen handled it well, I'm glad he didn't give SomeGuy anything. Hurley has these guys focused and they're probably glad KO's gone.

The guy is a total idiot, always has been.

 

[Towney007]

I don't think people will even remember this much in a year.

 

[UofCT]

I can't see any Athletic Director handing Ollie the keys to their program after this. He's finished in college basketball.

 

[intlzncster]

This is now where his legacy lies? It's like he's a completely different person entirely.

Its crazy. Even outside the scope of basketball the changes are mind blowing.

Two things.

1. The one we don't know, which I don't like to speculate about, being life changes like the impact of his divorce, and maybe kids leaving the nest (and less need for responsibility there on Ollie's part.

2. Success. The 2014 National Championship was the most success Ollie has had in his basketball career. And it came relatively easy. Perhaps it went to his head. Perhaps it confirmed to him internally that he knew exactly what he was doing. Perhaps it fed his ego in an unhealthy manner.

We'll never know exactly what happened. But he's been a different dude these last few years. Hard to argue otherwise.

 

[CL82]

I can't see any Athletic Director handing Ollie the keys to their program after this. He's finished in college basketball.

Definitely didn't help him and that includes for NBA jobs. As I pointed out previously, Ollie's best play in this was to, publicly at least, leave graciously. UConn and he could have crafted joint verbiage acknowledging the good during his tenure and playing down the bad. It also would have been his chance to get severance though that number was never going to be $11M.

 

[intlzncster]

Hilarious to think they believe his "sanctions" laughable as they are, come close to the ones not handed out as we see guys coaching out there who called and offered players and their families 100K in cash. I mean please just fire him because he lost his way as a coach and he lost a historically successful programs direction for the future. Don't try to make it something else to save face and money.

The problem with this is that the AD is broke. If they were awash with football money......then maaaaaaybe.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

If you guys do think the racial component is worth looking at in a more nuanced fashion, then what about this:

1. If he was winning, and we were competing successfully on a national scale, do you think he would be fired?​

2. If it were a white coach who had put forth the results Ollie did in the last few years, would he have been fired? And for cause as well?​

My answers are unequivocal:

1. No.​

2. 'Yes' to the first. And 'No' to the second.​

This is why I think calling for 'racial discrimination' is a silly move in a general sense, and nothing but a lawyer's tactic in reality.

Tuesday's filing was toward the nonforfeiture of an available legal avenue.

If the Collective Bargaining Agreement precludes Ollie's pursuit of two paths, then his lawyers will not prevail on their 12/17 filing. If it is determined that he can pursue legal remedy through lawsuit based in racial discrimination, then he may either win or lose that. This week's filing sought only to maintain the possibility.

A request for the University to include this previously mentioned matter within the Arbitration was rejected. A request for a voluntary time extension was rejected as well. Just as the University's counsel would be remiss or negligent not to mount a defense or seek best ways to limit its financial liability in KO's termination, KO's counsel would be remiss or negligent in not seeking to retain a vital option.

In both instances, here and elsewhere, it has been argued that the pursuit of a legal option may be a bad look. I don't disagree, but that does not negate what each party's counsel will do as zealous advocates for their clients' interests. For both parties, such maneuvers can and usually do strengthen & leverage positions that may be employed toward acceptable settlement that virtually everyone agrees would be best for everybody.

Your questions - both asked and answered - can be left completely undisturbed in this discussion. The fact remains that KO is a member of a protected class under current laws that were legally enacted and have been upheld under legal challenge. And the fact remains that a number of KO's behaviors violated terms within his contract and could be used to pursue a "for cause" termination.

I'm neither inclined nor equipped to judge the legal matters, and I don't trust the authority of my personal opinion to label what's going on as "silly," though I concede you your right to do so...and maybe you're right.

 

[intlzncster]

I don't know how one can quantify the scope of NCAA charges. To call the charges "flimsy" is certainly a reach. In the full scope of conference realignment and TV contracts any NCAA violations against UConn could have costly long-term consequences. From the program perspective and as viewed by the AD and President, Ollie's violations are/were detrimental to the goals of the athletic department and college as a whole.

If he hadn't lied to both the NCAA and UCONN about particular violations, then I would have been fully on board with 'flimsy'. Or 'accidental'. Or what have you.

But once you actively try to evade responsibility....that indicates you know exactly what you did was wrong, that you are trying to cover it up, that you are dishonest, and that you will put yourself before the university in these matters.

 

[intlzncster]

Tuesday's filing was toward the nonforfeiture of an available legal avenue.

If the Collective Bargaining Agreement precludes Ollie's pursuit of two paths, then his lawyers will not prevail on their 12/17 filing. If it is determined that he can pursue legal remedy through lawsuit based in racial discrimination, then he may either win or lose that. This week's filing sought only to maintain the possibility.

A request for the University to include this previously mentioned matter within the Arbitration was rejected. A request for a voluntary time extension was rejected as well. Just as the University's counsel would be remiss or negligent not to mount a defense or seek best ways to limit its financial liability in KO's termination, KO's counsel would be remiss or negligent in not seeking to retain a vital option.

In both instances, here and elsewhere, it has been argued that the pursuit of a legal option may be a bad look. I don't disagree, but that does not negate what each party's counsel will do as zealous advocates for their clients' interests. For both parties, such maneuvers can and usually do strengthen & leverage positions that may be employed toward acceptable settlement that virtually everyone agrees would be best for everybody.

Your questions - both asked and answered - can be left completely undisturbed in this discussion. The fact remains that KO is a member of a protected class under current laws that were legally enacted and have been upheld under legal challenge. And the fact remains that a number of KO's behaviors violated terms within his contract and could be used to pursue a "for cause" termination.

I'm neither inclined nor equipped to judge the legal matters, and I don't trust the authority of my personal opinion to label what's going on as "silly," though I concede you your right to do so...and maybe you're right.

I understand what was happening. They are filing to extend the deadline to file the racial discrimination suit with regards to the CBA. But I'm of the understanding that he will be able to file a civil suit no matter what. And make no mistake, they will file this suit when all other options are exhausted.

The questions asked and answered will be applicable at the time he files the suit, which is what many of us are discussing.

No harm in that discussion whatsoever.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I understand what was happening. They are filing to extend the deadline to file the racial discrimination suit. But make no mistake, they will file this suit when all other options are exhausted.

The questions asked and answered will be applicable at the time he files the suit, which is what many of us are discussing.

No harm in that discussion whatsoever.

And no harm in noting that America has a non-dismissable history of racial attitudes, behaviors, and laws that warrant consideration in the present, plus the means to evaluate claims and decide in favor of or against moving parties.

 

[Madmannsucks]

And no harm in noting that America has a non-dismissable history of racial attitudes, behaviors, and laws that warrant consideration in the present, plus the means to evaluate claims and decide in favor of or against moving parties.

And that is my whole problem with the "he's playing the race card" comments. A bunch of white guys automatically dismissing the possibility, because they have not experienced or ignored it when they witnessed it in real life. I am not saying KO is correct, but his allegations warrants review.

 

[intlzncster]

And no harm in noting that America has a non-dismissable history of racial attitudes, behaviors, and laws that warrant consideration in the present, plus the means to evaluate claims and decide in favor of or against moving parties.

Of course, in cases where it actually makes sense. But that doesn't mean you end up filing racial discrimination suits in all cases. It makes less than no sense in this case, and quite frankly, will be impossible to prove.

 

[CL82]

And that is my whole problem with the "he's playing the race card" comments. A bunch of white guys automatically dismissing the possibility, because they have not experienced or ignored it when they witnessed it in real life. I am not saying LO is correct, but his allegations warrants review.

Or are they dismissing it because they are a poor fit to the known facts?

Agree, though, that his allegations deserve to be heard, if timely filed.

 

[intlzncster]

And that is my whole problem with the "he's playing the race card" comments. A bunch of white guys automatically dismissing the possibility, because they have not experienced or ignored it when they witnessed it in real life. I am not saying LO is correct, but his allegations warrants review.

No, it's because they are looking at the clear cut facts of the case, and determining facilely that it's not warranted in this particular case.

There are a couple black guys on here doing the same thing fwiw.

I don't like calling it 'playing the race card', as I look at this as a legal tactic and nothing more. I accept that it's a move they can explore to try and win the case. If it works, more power to them. If not, then it can be seen for what it is.

 

[Huskybass]

Not so unbelievable for him to say it, it's unbelievable for him to say it after smearing a beloved HOF coach and accusing the school of racism.

"Calhoun's a crook and you are the Klan... wait home come you don't like us?"

Parenteau has a good reputation but his handling of this matter has been one blunder after another. I bet he'd love a Mulligan on taking this case.

Ollie's law firm was dealt a weak hand from day 1 in this case. Ollie's case is so weak on the facts and contractual language, that muddying the waters with a discrimination claim (although seemingly without merit) may actually be the strongest card they hold in terms of forcing a settlement of some sort.

 

[Madmannsucks]

Or are they dismissing it because they are a poor fit to the known facts?

Agree, though, that his allegations deserve to be heard, if timely filed.

Would be OK with the facts. The editorials and speculation about his personal life troubles me. Using SOME facts( Sale of house, divorce) and a lot of innuendo.

 

[CL82]

Ollie's law firm was dealt a weak hand from day 1 in this case. Ollie's case is so weak on the facts and contractual language, that muddying the waters with a discrimination claim (although seemingly without merit) may actually be the strongest card they hold in terms of forcing a settlement of some sort.

The threat of the discrimination case may have had more value that making public claims regarding it. As I've noted previously, you can only play trump cards once, thus you need to be thoughtful about the timing.

 

[JB75]

CL82- in my mind its ticky tack and they were trying to find a reason to say goodbye. I mean , if I look hard enuff u can find dirt in anybody. Things aren’t black and white. Always room for gray. I’m sure you understand that if Ollie was winning and things were going fine this would never have come about - let’s just be honest with ourselves and say he got fired because of his performance and yes I do believe what he did was ticky tack - we can agree to disagree. Just like when Kurt king accepted a plane ticket to go home to see his family over holiday break and got suspended for the rest of The season. Sometimes commonsense needs to be applied- u sound like you’re defending those crooks at the NCAA - comical

 

[jibsey]

Two things.

1. The one we don't know, which I don't like to speculate about, being life changes like the impact of his divorce, and maybe kids leaving the nest (and less need for responsibility there on Ollie's part.

2. Success. The 2014 National Championship was the most success Ollie has had in his basketball career. And it came relatively easy. Perhaps it went to his head. Perhaps it confirmed to him internally that he knew exactly what he was doing. Perhaps it fed his ego in an unhealthy manner.

We'll never know exactly what happened. But he's been a different dude these last few years. Hard to argue otherwise.

I dispute that his success came easily in 14. That was a tough lineup to get there. The part that’s hard to comprehend is that KO had to be the hardest worker in the NBA because he hung onto his career by his fingernails as a fringe player. Do we know that he stopped putting in the effort or it was just a matter of failing?

 

[JB75]

Let’s just focus on nova and end this thread. This topic/conversation is played out

 

[CL82]

CL82- in my mind its ticky tack and they were trying to find a reason to say goodbye. I mean , if I look hard enuff u can find dirt in anybody. Things aren’t black and white. Always room for gray. I’m sure you understand that if Ollie was winning and things were going fine this would never have come about - let’s just be honest with ourselves and say he got fired because of his performance and yes I do believe what he did was ticky tack - we can agree to disagree. Just like when Kurt king accepted a plane ticket to go home to see his family over holiday break and got suspended for the rest of The season. Sometimes commonsense needs to be applied- u sound like you’re defending those crooks at the NCAA - comical

Yeah he's about to get a show cause penalty from the NCAA so apparently they don't think "it's ticky tack."

As posted before, sucking at your job and breaching your contract and then lying to employers about it gets you fired. That's on Kevin.

 

[Madmannsucks]

Of course, in cases where it actually makes sense. But that doesn't mean you end up filing racial discrimination suits in all cases. It makes less than no sense in this case, and quite frankly, will be impossible to prove.

I would not think they have to prove discrimination per se, only that someone else was treated differently than he was.

 

[Deepster]

And that is my whole problem with the "he's playing the race card" comments. A bunch of white guys automatically dismissing the possibility, because they have not experienced or ignored it when they witnessed it in real life. I am not saying KO is correct, but his allegations warrants review.

Hey, I'm a Jets fan. Todd Bowles has a worse record than Rex Ryan did. He hasn't been fired yet. Can Rex file a discrimination suit against the Jets?