Ollie fighting to keep his job..Link from ESPN

[Blue Huskie]

The average person would fight their Mother for $10 Mil (In fact many have fought their Mother for much less)

 

[bazzketball13]

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.

The meeting was about coming back. He was caught by surprise when he recived a phone call. DB said for months that the program would be evaluated when the season was over. That didn’t happen. This is going to get nasty. In the end I think it scares candidates away knowing the administration dosent have coaches backs and we end up with Calhoun and there’s is nothing wrong with that. He will bring back miller,Moore, keep freeman and prob bring in Burrell.

 

[80shusky]

This is on Ollie 100%. You know for damn sure the school tried to work something out because the last thing it needs is more controversy and disruption. True colors shining through and it's not national flag blue... it's green.

Yo, haven't you been paying attention to the board that last three years? Everything is on Ollie.

 

[Javjudah]

How do you know they are assumptions?

How do you know they aren't assumptions? If Benedict is and or were aware of any infractions he should have announceed it and or report it to the NCAA. None of this has happened at this time.

 

[bblanco15]

With Ollie being fired for “Just Cause “

I don’t think the AD would fire him if he didn’t have an idea that Ollie did something wrong but out of curiosity what happens if the NCAA investigation last for another 6 months and they don’t find Ollie guilty of anything?

Can Uconn hire another Coach if the legal battle is still dragging on since he is part of the union?

 

[CL82]

How do you know they aren't assumptions? If Benedict is and or were aware of any infractions he should have announceed it and or report it to the NCAA. None of this has happened at this time.

1) The NCAA is aware and looking in to it.

2) The university isn't allowed to comment on a pending NCAA investigation.

 

[Towney007]

I think the challenge is a ploy to buy time. Best case scenario would be the infraction is an infraction but minor. Which gets them out of Ollie but viable without any meaningful sanctions. If they have to pay, then oh well - they pay and move on. But it's worth the fishing trip, ultimately.

It does make me wonder if Hurley or the next coach is further down the line than we think and they know they've got something ready to go and in place and have more leverage than Ollie realizes.

It's awfully realpolitik, but yeah.

 

[temery]

Whoever is hired better have a flawless record as far as the ncaa is concerned, or Ollie will easily win his claim.

 

[UCfor3]

Let the people with all the info and who are getting paid handsomely hash this out. Hes gone and what happens with that is above all our pay grades. The arguments dont matter any more. Uconn basketball matters. No one person is bigger than that. Its about what happens next that matters. I took an Olliewood sign off my gameroom wall tonight. A few years ago I thought it would hang there forever. I wish the man well but a new start was needed. I look forward to watching the team I love perform under better guidance in the future. We may never get back to the glory days but I look forward to being excited about a big game on a Saturday afternoon again. It's been a while...

 

[UConnDad]

An important aspect of this will involve past practice. An employee has the right to not be treated less fairly than other employees. Some negotiated settlement will be made.

 

[JSB60]

This contract was written stupidly on both sides. The buyout was too high, the clause about any NCAA rule set this mess up. I actually think unless it's a significant violation, KO deserves the money, or at least a significant part of it. I'm not a lawyer, but I'd also think that the fact of an investigation isn't the same thing as having committed a violation, which is another factor in R probable outcome of a negotiated settlement.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

UConn has either admitted to an NCAA infraction serious enough to release them from Ollie's contract, or this is a bush league ploy by UConn to attempt to weasel out of Ollie's contract.

The part I really don't understand is how some posters speak with such confidence that Ollie violated his contract when they don't even know what he did.

 

[willie99]

1) he's not walking away from 10 million dollars, he's fighting to get paid

2) it probably means all those concerns some have about recruiting violations should be silenced by this

3) they will negotiate a settlement, hopefully that happens quickly for the sake of both parties, the players, the fans and the program

 

[Bonehead]

The part I really don't understand is how some posters speak with such confidence that Ollie violated his contract when they don't even know what he did.

We have a lot of posters in the know; close to the B.B. program, KO, donors, BOT, AD and Susan.

They should be able to easily describe to us the violations for sure.

Go.

 

[EROCK CONN]

Unions have been the bane of this entire country

The private sector ones are ok; public sectors unions should be abolished - especially here in CT. The state is bankrupt after two historically high tax increases and they still don’t want to give an inch.

 

[Edward Sargent]

He doesn't? Why not?

I don't know enough about the other departments within the university to say anything definitive, but it wouldn't surprise me if they did an audit and found the AD to be the most mismanaged crapfest across the board, at least since 2010 and maybe even before that. I'd have no problem with burning it all down and starting over again.

I think most university administrations are mismanaged crapfests.

 

[Sonova]

FWIW. UConn took the lowest road possible in this instance. KO took a program in a complete shambles. They were banned from the tourney. JC was despised by the media and the university. He was forced to step down. Seems to be conveniently forgotten. Based I performance over the last 2 years, I can easily see the desire to fire him. Seeing all the comments about him being lazy and having no character personally offend me. But you are entitled to your opinion. Whatever the reason, he has fallen off. When the investigation news came out, my opinion was the school played a hand in "reporting". When this was leaked to the press, I believe the school played a hand in this. The smear campaign appears to be an effort to not have to pay what they contractually agreed to. I go back to Dee Rowe, have attended hundreds of games all around the country. I have never personally been more disgusted with the university than with this situation.

What convenient is that you’ve made some stuff up, old timer. JC was not hated by the university (Jim Calhoun Way anyone?) and he wasn’t remotely forced to step down. Stop talking out of you .

 

[Marty Jackson]

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

Not sure of that conclusion. The real penalty Ollie is facing is the $10M forfeiture.
If anyone on here says they would walk away for the sake of the program or that they wouldn't do exactly what Ollie is doing to protect $10M is a flat out liar.

 

[Madmannsucks]

What convenient is that you’ve made some stuff up, old timer. JC was not hated by the university (Jim Calhoun Way anyone?) and he wasn’t remotely forced to step down. Stop talking out of you .

Clarification...when he left, he had an icy relationship at best with the school administration. Hated was too strong a word. He had recently been suspended, the school was banned from post season play.

 

[dennismenace]

An important aspect of this will involve past practice. An employee has the right to not be treated less fairly than other employees. Some negotiated settlement will be made.

Contract law is specific. Offer/Acceptance.

 

[temery]

UConn has either admitted to an NCAA infraction serious enough to release them from Ollie's contract, or this is a bush league ploy by UConn to attempt to weasel out of Ollie's contract.

The part I really don't understand is how some posters speak with such confidence that Ollie violated his contract when they don't even know what he did.

To maximize the damage to their favorite target, wait and see the NCAA exonerate Ollie of any wrong doing.

 

[Marty Jackson]

I believe that the way this goes down is what most on the BY think; that this process will lead to a financial settlement where Ollie's name is maintained and UConn pays less than 10 million.

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...

Both sides are playing this as close to the playbook as you can be. If the school has evidence of Ollie's wrong-doing, something other than being an effective men's basketball coach, then you have to seek options to expedite his departure while minimizing the payout.
For Ollie's part, he has to fight this. For his $10M and for his reputation.

I've said earlier, Ollie and Uconn know exactly what was done. I just hope Uconn isn't bluffing, or making some minor infraction that suggest the school has overlooked in the past. And, I really hope for Ollie's sake, he didn't do anything that would suggest his character isn't quite what we're led to believe.

Best case, both sides realize a public mud-slinging isn't ideal and settle somewhere around $3-5M.

 

[Bonehead]

 

[temery]

Ollie is technically a state worker.....as a union representative for the state and a state it's hard as hell to prove "just cause". I am guessing they will lose and pay him a large portion of the especially if you display the academic state of the program when he took over and Calhoun was still a paid consultant. The program lost scholarships and had a post season ban.

It's odd he was allowed to join the union. He's managment based on most definitions I am aware of. He has a say in hiring, firing, evaluating, scheduling, and salary. I'm sure there is more to it, but that sounds like management to me.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

I’m at the point where there are a lot of issues that should be separate but are too often conflated.

I think Ollie is a good man with good intentions, but I didn’t see a product n the court that looked well enough coached, both in terms of schemes and player motivation and discipline.

As for the NCAA, the NCAA is gonna NCAA, with certain ... ahem ... notable exceptions. Using the investigation as cause has to be a ploy to reduce the buyout. Betting there will be a settlement.

Regardless, I’m quite sure Ollie gave his all to the program, deserves our praise for what he accomplished his first two years, and we should all wish him well. But he won’t be coaching UConn again regardless of how the gears grind.

 

[temery]

View attachment 29272

The school should be as culpable if they knew about infractions and didn't act "within ten days."

 

[whaler11]

Let the people with all the info and who are getting paid handsomely hash this out. Hes gone and what happens with that is above all our pay grades. The arguments dont matter any more. Uconn basketball matters. No one person is bigger than that. Its about what happens next that matters. I took an Olliewood sign off my gameroom wall tonight. A few years ago I thought it would hang there forever. I wish the man well but a new start was needed. I look forward to watching the team I love perform under better guidance in the future. We may never get back to the glory days but I look forward to being excited about a big game on a Saturday afternoon again. It's been a while...

Every last bit of it matters. These people work those of us who are taxpayers in this state and the students that are currently proping this wildfire up financially.

It’s not above our paygrade - it’s the exact opposite.

 

[Chief00]

How does the act of filing this lawsuit help UConn in any way? It only helps Ollie and he’s put himself over the entirety of the program.

I think this happening during the conf finals, NCAA selection and tourney keeps it off the ‘major story’ radar screen. Basketball fans would rather watch and care about basketball games.

Hopefully Ollie’s lawyer knows what he did or didn’t do and advises his client to take a settlement. As much as people argue it COULD be a bad look for UConn we overfocus on that aspect b/c UConn is what we all care about. But it’s a very bad look for Ollie and if he lost the Just cause fight he is 100% never coaching college again. My fear is Ollie knows that’s the case regardless, somehow is simultaneously in denial about his transgressions & how he’s hurting UConn & himself; thus he’s got nothing to lose by fighting to bitter end.

So much may be posturing but I really fear KO’s legal team may not know all the facts, be it KO’s denial, lack of understanding or just plain not being told the whole truth.

It is true, CT’s arbitration system is stacked with union friendly types who have a long history of shading gray facts in favor of the employee.

 

[Sonova]

Clarification...when he left, he had an icy relationship at best with the school administration. Hated was too strong a word. He had recently been suspended, the school was banned from post season play.

That’s not a remotely accurate depiction of reality and I don’t know where you’re getting your information. But it’s wrong. He had then and now a great relationship with Susan Herbst, Rachel Rubin, Warde Manuel, etc. They begged him to stay, crafted a lengthy, “special assistant to the president, athletic director, university, etc” contract. The suspension wasn’t from the school and he was found to be cleared of any personal wrongdoing but suspended for violations that occurred on his watch. The absurdity and retroactive penalty of the APR thing has been discussed here ad nauseum. Look, if Jim Calhoun is not your cup of tea, fine. But stop throwing crap out there. Get some facts and come back and see us.

 

[whaler11]

So much may be posturing but I really fear KO’s legal team may not know all the facts, be it KO’s denial, lack of understanding or just plain not being told the whole truth.

It is true, CT’s arbitration system is stacked with union friendly types who have a long history of shading gray facts in favor of the employee.

Why don’t you post for us the whole truth and then we can point his legal team to the thread and they will stand down.

You’d be doing the school and Ollie a service.

So please let’s hear the ‘whole truth’.