Ollie getting some ESPN love

[Kitaman]

Ollie is a very damn good coach! End of debate.

 

[mikeinmanila]

Coach Ollie will be a HOF coach before this is all over....and he will lead UConn to several NCs

 

[TopDog18]

"This is my dream job. I was made for this job," Ollie said on the day he was hired. "UConn is a special, special place and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else but right here."

"It's a five-year contract, but I'm looking at it like I can be the coach here for 20-25 years,'' said Ollie, who consistently has called coaching his alma mater his dream job.

Not sure why people think if he's successful here that he may jump to the NBA someday. As he said over and over, this is his dream job, and we are lucky to have him.

 

[ZenConn]

If he's successful, he's not going anywhere. Calhoun talks louder than cash.

Yup. NOT A dime BACK!

 

[DOZE860]

FANTASTIC statement about a second year head coach. While I consider UCONN to be a top 10 job I hate to think that another high profile school with deeper pockets may lure him away in a few years after success. Not saying that KO is not a loyalist but cash does talk............................

Didn't he just donate 100k to the university for the b-ball facility? i think he is in it for the long haul..

 

[WhereistheDove?]

He does seem like the kind of guy who truly enjoys the relationships and mentoring of college coaching. I hesitate to say he absolutely won't leave if he's offered and NBA gig because everyone has their price, but I don't see it happening.

 

[Chris]

Whoa!

 

[CL82]

If he's successful, he's not going anywhere. Calhoun talks louder than cash.

Of course no one can understand what he's saying...

 

[jibsey]

KO is set up to be here for a long time but there are some things factoring in. Number one, do we go to a stable big time conference? It seems he is going to be able to recruit and build a great noncon. schedule that will keep them coming. If he can win a national championship he becomes a target for big NBA money, but big college money can match it these days. He's never impressed me as being about money though because before the extension it was no big deal to him. We don't have a lot of patience here in CT so if in 10 years he's sitting in an AAC that is lackluster and without a title with fans and the press on him, he would jump, why not. His intent I'm sure though is to ride this job into the sunset.

 

[upstater]

KO is set up to be here for a long time but there are some things factoring in. Number one, do we go to a stable big time conference? It seems he is going to be able to recruit and build a great noncon. schedule that will keep them coming. If he can win a national championship he becomes a target for big NBA money, but big college money can match it these days. He's never impressed me as being about money though because before the extension it was no big deal to him. We don't have a lot of patience here in CT so if in 10 years he's sitting in an AAC that is lackluster and without a title with fans and the press on him, he would jump, why not. His intent I'm sure though is to ride this job into the sunset.

A few factors:

1. Except for Phil Jackson and Rudy T., those NBA jobs are shortlived.
2. I doubt UConn fans are going to be upset with Ollie not winning a title in the next 10 years.
3. The stuff that Ollie brings to the table will be tough for any other coach to reproduce especially in a conference like the AAC. And that is his NBA story, hard work, his support group with the program (Miller, Hobbs, ex-Uconn guys, etc.), his affability and credibility, and especially the UConn lineage.

 

[jibsey]

Upstate, oh do i disagree about the no title in 10 years. We UCONN fans have proven to be a short tempered, impatient bunch after 2 game losing streaks. If we had a couple of final 4's in 10 it would be a different story.

 

[Tenspro2002]

It depends on what kind of run. Winning championships is hard. Kansas went 20 years between championships and they were one of the most dominant programs in college basketball during that period. They weren't exactly running their coach out of town.

 

[upstater]

Upstate, oh do i disagree about the no title in 10 years. We UCONN fans have proven to be a short tempered, impatient bunch after 2 game losing streaks. If we had a couple of final 4's in 10 it would be a different story.

Final 4s are what we can expect. UNC and Kentucky went 10 years or more between titles. Lousville went 30 years. Syracuse went a millennium.

 

[champs99and04]

, look how long it took Calhoun to even make a final four. Different situations, I know, but the tournament can be a bit of a crap shoot. As long as we're making noise year in and year out, 99% of UConn fans will stand behind him.

 

[intlzncster]

One of the things that I think gets a little overlooked is that Ollie is quite similar to JC in one important respect.

Both are closers once they get inside the home for a visit. They do it in different ways, but I can definitely see how parents would be more than exited to send their son to UConn to be mentored/coached by Kevin Ollie. Just a great persona.

 

[intlzncster]

A few factors:

1. Except for Phil Jackson and Rudy T., those NBA jobs are shortlived.

Gotta add Greg Popovich to that group as well. Larry Brown usually lasts, until he quits. Doc Rivers seems like he's got carte blanche to stay as long as he wants.

 

[Huskybass]

KO's family has lived in Glastonbury for a very long time now, even when he was playing for teams all over the country. He loves it here. I think he is here for a very long time.

 

[DogMania]

true, but what if OKC offers him the head job next year?

I'd say Kevin Ollie is in the business of moulding college athletes into young man. I don't see him jumping to the NBA and having to deal with those professionals prima donnas. I think he's here to stay for the long haul.