Ollie fighting to keep his job..Link from ESPN

[HuskyBoi]

More to the point; if UConn was flush with money right now, we wouldn't be having this discussion anyways. We would have fired him on the basis of our basketball team underperforming, paid him his 10 million, and carried on with the business of finding the best coach we can.

But the AD is broke. This is what needs to happen from both sides to do it, and nobody with a cool head should be surprised...

I understand. But you gotta remember that the University not only has their reputation to defend - Ollie has his own to vindicate. Just let the money aside for a second.

I get that Benedict pulled the Just Cause firing on Ollie to save the money. But Ollie has every right to combat that, protect his selfhood for his own good.

 

[UConnDan97]

I understand. But you gotta remember that the University not only has a reputation to defend - Ollie has his own to vindicate.

That's exactly what I've been arguing this entire thread; something that anyone here would do. I think you're on the same page as me on this one anyways...

 

[gtcam]

He is going to get his money - no question about it
AD David Benedict and co. rolled the dice and they will lose
KO wasn't coming back, everyone half a brain knew that but trying to get it on the cheap is going to cost money
It's now a matter of principle - KO would not do this if he knew he did something wrong enough to get himself fired beyond performance
This allows me to think that this was all a surprise and the school's AD, Pres, McHugh and BoT did not seek some type of amicable parting solution - something that should have occurred
Time for a complete housecleaning - start with McHugh and Herbst and send DB packing to where he wants to go -the SEC
This has the looks of something ugly and if I'm KO I would stick my nose up at any attempting of appeasement by DB.

 

[huskymedic]

Time for a complete housecleaning - start with McHugh and Herbst and send DB packing to where he wants to go -the SEC

McHugh is easy... he’s been retired since December!

 

[UCDaveD]

He is going to get his money - no question about it
AD David Benedict and co. rolled the dice and they will lose
KO wasn't coming back, everyone half a brain knew that but trying to get it on the cheap is going to cost money
It's now a matter of principle - KO would not do this if he knew he did something wrong enough to get himself fired beyond performance
This allows me to think that this was all a surprise and the school's AD, Pres, McHugh and BoT did not seek some type of amicable parting solution - something that should have occurred
Time for a complete housecleaning - start with McHugh and Herbst and send DB packing to where he wants to go -the SEC
This has the looks of something ugly and if I'm KO I would stick my nose up at any attempting of appeasement by DB.

So much is wrong with this post, but I'll just point out that McHugh stepped down last year.

 

[strivefor5]

And it will all be public. Calhoun might be the only viable choice at this point due to $$ and the bad look of the athletic department with how they treat their coaches

is calhoun being our last resort really that bad of a situation to be in

 

[intlzncster]

Of course, we'll lose time, recruits, and future coaching prospects in the process. It would have been better to let him go with the 10 mil and move on... If we only had the money...

Can't we still hire a coach while this process continues?

More to the point; if UConn was flush with money right now, we wouldn't be having this discussion anyways. We would have fired him on the basis of our basketball team underperforming, paid him his 10 million, and carried on with the business of finding the best coach we can.

I don't agree with that. Programs flush with cash all over the country try to get out on technicalities. Florida football fired their coach for cause because he did not report a 'death threat' to the administration. Ended up costing the guy half his buyout.

Imagine that. Get a death threat. Ignore it. Costs you 7mil or so.

 

[Kathy]

He is going to get his money - no question about it
AD David Benedict and co. rolled the dice and they will lose
KO wasn't coming back, everyone half a brain knew that but trying to get it on the cheap is going to cost money
It's now a matter of principle - KO would not do this if he knew he did something wrong enough to get himself fired beyond performance
This allows me to think that this was all a surprise and the school's AD, Pres, McHugh and BoT did not seek some type of amicable parting solution - something that should have occurred
Time for a complete housecleaning - start with McHugh and Herbst and send DB packing to where he wants to go -the SEC
This has the looks of something ugly and if I'm KO I would stick my nose up at any attempting of appeasement by DB.

It makes you wonder if they even attempted a negotiated buyout.
Bad look for the University.

 

[UConnDan97]

Can't we still hire a coach while this process continues?



I don't agree with that. Programs flush with cash all over the country try to get out on technicalities. Florida football fired their coach for cause because he did not report a 'death threat' to the administration. Ended up costing the guy half his buyout.

I think we can still go after another coach, but we would do it with the uncertainty of how much money we can apply to the new coach due to a lack of clarity on how much we still have to pay the old one...

 

[JMick]

So much is wrong with this post, but I'll just point out that McHugh stepped down last year.

that has been pointed out to him multiple times today yet he continues to repeat it

 

[Jaker]

I am just glad the AD made the decision to move forward and to cut ties, probably knowing that the details of Ollies termination and the pending settlement would be ugly.

 

[JMick]

It makes you wonder if they even attempted a negotiated buyout.
Bad look for the University.

why would we pay him money if he broke the rules? why do you care more about kevin getting money than UConn coming out ahead?

 

[HuskyBoi]

Benedict probably knew he wouldn't get away with the 'just cause' in the first place. So he just decided to do it anyway and probably force Ollie to meet him in the middle with a good enough number of $ for him to walk away

 

[Austin316]

 

[Jaker]

Benedict probably knew he wouldn't get away with the 'just cause' in the first place. So he just decided to do it anyway and probably force Ollie to meet him in the middle with a good enough number of $ for him to walk away

yup, probably spot on

 

[AntG168]

It makes you wonder if they even attempted a negotiated buyout.
Bad look for the University.

Why is KO always the victim with you guys? Y’all jump at every chance to give him the benefit of doubt. He’s not clean here. They have multiple things to hang him on. You think he’s innocent of all?

 

[JMick]

Why is KO always the victim with you guys? Y’all jump at every chance to give him the benefit of doubt. He’s not clean here. They have multiple things to hang him on. You think he’s innocent of all?

they not only think it, they want him to be vindicated. it's unreal.

 

[UConnWingman]

Coaches are part of the facuty union. Been that way for years. Coaches have faculty status. Very common at other places in which the American Association of University Professors is in place.

The way it was described though is that it’s actually rather uncommon for basketball coaches to be part of a faculty union.

. Per those close to the situation, few college basketball coaches possess union protection.

How prolific / large is the AAUP? Their Wiki page isn’t exactly clear on that.

 

[gtcam]

How is that better? If he broke the rules, he broke the rules. You don't get $10mm and a pat on the back for violating a clause in your contract. You get fired without anything. Maybe if he didn't milk the University dry by hanging the NBA over our heads I could feel a little more sympathy for his plight

Hold the NBA over your head? Who the hell are you?
You absolute hypocrite - as you would say, it's business, get over yourself as you bashed Kathy with that mature statement
KO was a hot NBA commodity at that time and who in their right mind wouldn't use that to their advantage
The guy is gone and you just can't stop bashing him on everything
You wouldn't feel sympathy for him if he was on life support right now
If he broke the rules - that's a huge if- something you have no idea about

 

[HuskyHawk]

Not just that.

Let me screw you out of 10 million by claiming you caused violations severe enough to merit termination (good luck on your next job search) and tell us you wouldn't fight tooth and nail to get it back...

The only party getting screwed is UConn. Ollie screwed UConn out of the six million itbpaid him the last two years to be an an utter incompetent. He ought to pay that back let along be paid anymore.

 

[jorge34]

He is going to get his money - no question about it
AD David Benedict and co. rolled the dice and they will lose
KO wasn't coming back, everyone half a brain knew that but trying to get it on the cheap is going to cost money
It's now a matter of principle - KO would not do this if he knew he did something wrong enough to get himself fired beyond performance
This allows me to think that this was all a surprise and the school's AD, Pres, McHugh and BoT did not seek some type of amicable parting solution - something that should have occurred
Time for a complete housecleaning - start with McHugh and Herbst and send DB packing to where he wants to go -the SEC
This has the looks of something ugly and if I'm KO I would stick my nose up at any attempting of appeasement by DB.

I agree. The has seemingly turned silly. I can't believe the university thought the best course of action would be a "just cause" termination without first trying to negotiate a reduced buy out. Did ollie reject outright? If he was blindsided by this, I certainly understand his actions. If he's trying to fight for every penny, with ncaa infractions over his head, not smart.

It's turned into a circus

 

[Edward Sargent]

Arbitration. Lol. Screw that. Put him in front of a jury. There’s a reason he wants arbitration. UConn should not let that happen.

You don't just go to a jury because you want to. Great play by KO. Prove there was cause. It will come down to how much do you want to go away.

 

[Chief00]

The employers may have rushed to judgement as the ncaa hasn't said anything or made a decision. Ollie seem pretty adamant he did everything legit

As head coach he is responsible for everything that goes on in the program. He is in big time denial.

 

[JellyBean]

I hope coach KO does the right thing with this whole situation. Wasn't there a meeting recently with coach and the AD? In that meeting, things should have been mentioned about the direction of the program and being let go. Coach should have seen this coming. Do the right thing coach and just embrace the firing and move on. Now if the school is trying to slander you and blame you for these minor NCAA violations, then you have some beef. But if they are firing you because the team is not playing up to the UConn Standards, coach you gotta just deal with the firing and move on.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The people who are outraged by this ... do you have adult jobs in the real world?

I do. It’s outrageous that someone in a management position, who makes $3 million a year is in a Union. That is a disgrace.