Ollie fighting to keep his job..Link from ESPN

[KingAG]

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.

 

[Robertelamin]

Would the hearing and the potential arbitration be confidential?

 

[Edward Sargent]

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.

The state of Connecticut has not been very good negotiating contracts for a long time hence some reason for the financial problems they have

 

[methodology]

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

Stop putting words in peoples mouth.

Do you have any idea what KO rights are here and why wouldn't anyone right or wrong use those options to leave with more than $0 when you feel you are owed $10 mil

Answer that sensibly without your garbage conjecture

 

[UConnDan97]

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.

While that's cute and will probably get likes, it's silly. He got paid that money because UConn bet on him to bring more national championships and didn't want him to leave at the time of the contract. Nobody screwed anybody out of anything.

Our national championship just happened to be expensive. But we at least can say we got one out of it...

 

[methodology]

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



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

Seems to be common for state employees/coaches. Other states don't operate the same

 

[jorge34]

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

Denying what exactly. Denying that rules were broken, or that he is responsible.

 

[Jaker]

While that's cute and will probably get likes, it's silly. He got paid that money because UConn bet on him to bring more national championships and didn't want him to leave at the time of the contract. Nobody screwed anybody out of anything.

Our national championship just happened to be expensive. But we at least can say we got one out of it...

it was worth every penny!!

 

[KingAG]

I personally think KO is a great guy and appreciate the good he did for the program. But some of you guys treat him like he’s . It’s insane. He pooped the bed in the couple of areas, doesn’t make him evil but it’s reality.

 

[TRest]

Wow, real indepth.... I have been employed nonstop since I recovered from my illness in 2011.

Why would you even say such a (snarky) thing?? I really do not get what you have to gain from being like that.

I also said I am not outraged, I get that he will fight for it. I also get that people will be mad at him.

Yes, yes I am employed.

It’s the internet. Anyone can come on here and claim to be employed.

 

[weyuo]

Let him have his hearing then the university should sue him for revenue lost since he's been head coach plus whatever this NCAA investigation is going to cost the university. He was hired to continue a level of profitability, integrity and tradition that UConn has grown accustomed to and expects as the norm. He obviously has failed to maintain ticket sales, post season revenue and has presided over the program during a period of NCAA scrutiny. Ollie should just go away and thank his lucky stars he got paid for the 2017-18 season instead of getting the boot last year. Kevin Ollie was a good player for UConn. He bounced around the NBA for a number of seasons and then landed as a assistant coach during Jim Calhoun's final seasons. He may have been a good assistant, and good position coach but has not shown that he can manage a program.

 

[UConnDan97]

I personally think KO is a great guy and appreciate the good he did for the program. But some of you guys treat him like he’s . It’s insane. He pooped the bed in the couple of areas, doesn’t make him evil but it’s reality.

Nobody in this thread to the best of my knowledge is arguing against the firing. You and a couple of others are creating a strawman. Some of us are simply stating that if we were fired due to accusations that we didn't believe were true, as Ollie's statements clearly indicate, that we would fight tooth and nail for contractual obligations to be met. No more, no less.

Anything else being argued here about love fests with Ollie is just white noise...

 

[Connrack]

Exactly. Dude is owed TEN MILLION DOLLARS. He was offered ZERO DOLLARS. He is pursuing action so that he leaves with X MILLION more dollars than zero.

Anyone in this thread who wouldn't do the same is either of the cloth or delusional.

You don't know what they offered him; you don't know how this transpired. They could have likely offered him a deal somewhat less than 10 million (with the threat of firing him for cause hanging over him), he refused, they came at loggerheads, and they then fired him---perhaps as a negotiating ploy to get him to accept a more palatable sum from the university.

 

[Guapo]

The school is paying attorneys.

They had to know this was going to happen and they must be pretty confident in the legal strategy.

Sometimes I think people think that things like this just happen, like Bennidct and Herbts met for coffee on Friday morning and decided to just do this.

Not how things work.

 

[jorge34]

Let him have his hearing then the university should sue him for revenue lost since he's been head coach plus whatever this NCAA investigation is going to cost the university. He was hired to continue a level of profitability, integrity and tradition that UConn has grown accustomed to and expects as the norm. He obviously has failed to maintain ticket sales, post season revenue and has presided over the program during a period of NCAA scrutiny. Ollie should just go away and thank his lucky stars he got paid for the 2017-18 season instead of getting the boot last year. Kevin Ollie was a good player for UConn. He bounced around the NBA for a number of seasons and then landed as a assistant coach during Jim Calhoun's final seasons. He may have been a good assistant, and good position coach but has not shown that he can manage a program.

That would be the perfect solution if you wanted to end the program completely, as the lawsuit would be frivolous.
And the chances of a decent coach ever considering the university of ct would be zero.

 

[Kathy]

Let him have his hearing then the university should sue him for revenue lost since he's been head coach plus whatever this NCAA investigation is going to cost the university. He was hired to continue a level of profitability, integrity and tradition that UConn has grown accustomed to and expects as the norm. He obviously has failed to maintain ticket sales, post season revenue and has presided over the program during a period of NCAA scrutiny. Ollie should just go away and thank his lucky stars he got paid for the 2017-18 season instead of getting the boot last year. Kevin Ollie was a good player for UConn. He bounced around the NBA for a number of seasons and then landed as a assistant coach during Jim Calhoun's final seasons. He may have been a good assistant, and good position coach but has not shown that he can manage a program.

Interesting point about presiding over a program under NCAA scrutiny considering he inherited a program under sanctions.

 

[CL82]

So when he fails in the initial hearing, fails in his appeal to Herbst, he can still go to arbitration...

"If that fails, his case could go to arbitration, and an arbitrator could decide to reduce the termination to a lesser penalty."

Good Lord

He's gonna remain head coach

No, he won't. This is about money, nothing more.

 

[ASweet3781]

The school is paying attorneys.

They had to know this was going to happen and they must be pretty confident in the legal strategy.

Sometimes I think people think that things like these just happen, like Bennidct and Herbts met for coffee on Friday morning and decided to just do this.

Not how things work.

I've been pretty wait and see on Benedict. I don't think the guy left twitter and went underground for no reason. I bet he's been busy because he certainly looked like a guy in some of these final games I saw him at that knew this day would have to come.

 

[UconnU]

What happens if he's awarded his 10M but Connecticut doesnt have the money? lol

 

[uconngb]

The school is paying attorneys.

They had to know this was going to happen and they must be pretty confident in the legal strategy.

Sometimes I think people think that things

The school is paying attorneys.

They had to know this was going to happen and they must be pretty confident in the legal strategy.

Sometimes I think people think that things like these just happen, like Bennidct and Herbts met for coffee on Friday morning and decided to just do this.

Not how things work.

like these just happen, like Bennidct and Herbts met for coffee on Friday morning and decided to just do this.

Not how things work.

This. It is amazing how naive some people on this board are. Every single potential outcome was contemplated by the administration. This response surely comes as no surprise to them. They are not making this up as they go. People need to get a grip on reality here. This is how business works. None of this is a surprise to anyone with half a brain, and this will get settled.

 

[JMick]

The school is paying attorneys.

They had to know this was going to happen and they must be pretty confident in the legal strategy.

Sometimes I think people think that things like this just happen, like Bennidct and Herbts met for coffee on Friday morning and decided to just do this.

Not how things work.

Well, unless you're POTUS