Ollie knows what he's doing

[superjohn]

We struggled last year for several different reasons but the biggest reasons were youth, lack of rebounding, not having a second ball handler/point guard and shooting. Ollie went out and got the best rebounder available with the Shonn Miller signing and Enoch should also help on the boards. Ollie got his top target with the signing of Adams, who is a great ballhandler and a solid shooter and then to cap it all off he shores up the point guard position with an elite shooter and ballhandler in Sterling Gibbs. He had to get a bit creative but he covered all of our biggest needs, we will be a year older and with the additions of two 5th year seniors we have an old veteran type of team. In Ollie I trust! PS- Final 4 is in Texas again, just saying

 

[Yankees32123]

2 months ago we were complaining endlessly and Ollie eradicated every doubt we had with 2 HUGE signings. In KO I trust. Next year's team has everything. I can not wait.

 

[jibsey]

Tools, talent, but it will take time for all of these new players to mesh and I don't want to set expectations too high too early. Hope the writers and casters don't rank us crazy high to begin. We replaced Boat on a team that didn't make the tourney. Top 25 is fine. We're underdogs, let the other teams get the press. KO did all of this in a very difficult environment and a very tough personal situation for him. Kudos.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Maddddd schollies to hand out for next year too. Let's keep it going!

 

[FartMan69]

I hope Ollie catches an explosive case of Diarra this spring.

 

[HuskyFich]

I hope Ollie catches an explosive case of Diarra this spring.

You would know all about that wouldn't you @FartMan69

 

[3rdbass]

I hope Ollie catches an explosive case of Diarra this spring.

I'm hoping we get this kid also. He seems like a potential monster on the boards.

 

[FartMan69]

You would know all about that wouldn't you @FartMan69

more than you know

 

[tzznandrew]

If possible, I'd like one more recruit. Make sure we aren't too dependent on 2016 recruits, and hedge against losing more than just Gibbs, Miller, Calhoun, Nolan.

We will have:

• Juniors: Brimah, Facey, Purvis, Cassel --> two of these, perhaps, might go pro. That's optimistic about both of them, but it is possible.
• Sophomores: Hamilton --> he could also leave
• Freshmen: Adams, Enoch

Getting someone like Larrier, who could play Hamilton's position if DHam blows up, would really be something I'd key into were I KO. You have to hedge against the armageddon scenario of losing 7 players or so.

 

[3rdbass]

If possible, I'd like one more recruit. Make sure we aren't too dependent on 2016 recruits, and hedge against losing more than just Gibbs, Miller, Calhoun, Nolan.

We will have:

• Juniors: Brimah, Facey, Purvis, Cassel --> two of these, perhaps, might go pro. That's optimistic about both of them, but it is possible.
• Sophomores: Hamilton --> he could also leave
• Freshmen: Adams, Enoch

Getting someone like Larrier, who could play Hamilton's position if DHam blows up, would really be something I'd key into were I KO. You have to hedge against the armageddon scenario of losing 7 players or so.

Yeah get him or Bruce brown. I don't think we will lose AB but definitely dham and RP could happen. Lets worry about next year for now. Lol!

 

[tzznandrew]

Yeah get him or Bruce brown. I don't think we will lose AB but definitely dham and RP could happen. Lets worry about next year for now. Lol!

I agree, but you always have to hedge against those sorts of things, rather than trust. If Brimah has a good enough year to go pro, that means we've had a really really good season. While we can live in this coming year--and I'm super excited--a coach can't, and I'm sure KO knows that.

 

[3rdbass]

I agree, but you always have to hedge against those sorts of things, rather than trust. If Brimah has a good enough year to go pro, that means we've had a really really good season. While we can live in this coming year--and I'm super excited--a coach can't, and I'm sure KO knows that.

Yep Ollie knows that 16 is very important to uconn basketball as far as recruiting. I hope he pulls it off as we are going to need a lot of help. Just don't want to worry about it on a great day like today!

 

[gtcam]

OK - where's all the talk about the divorce, distraction , not a good recruiter, etc, etc, etc
Some of the dolts on this board were killing KO - "it's his team now and look whats happening" and other crazy things were said
These same hypocrites are on the Gibbs postings praising him now

Ollie is a pro, Ollie is a teacher, Ollie is a down to earth God fearing man who can get into the hearts of 18 yos and mothers. He had a dysfunctional group last year who JC himself would have struggled.

I may have blasted some players for attitude, desire and plain stupidity but KO was not the problem.

He has now provided the UConn nation with a legit title contender and with luck in the injury area - this team is scary.

 

[caw]

OK - where's all the talk about the divorce, distraction , not a good recruiter, etc, etc, etc
Some of the dolts on this board were killing KO - "it's his team now and look whats happening" and other crazy things were said
These same hypocrites are on the Gibbs postings praising him now

Ollie is a pro, Ollie is a teacher, Ollie is a down to earth God fearing man who can get into the hearts of 18 yos and mothers. He had a dysfunctional group last year who JC himself would have struggled.

I may have blasted some players for attitude, desire and plain stupidity but KO was not the problem.

He has now provided the UConn nation with a legit title contender and with luck in the injury area - this team is scary.

BS, he has brought in exactly zero players that count for next year.

Adams grew up a UConn fan, was from Napiers hometown. He would have only counted if he didn't come to UConn.

Enoch is a major project who is over-ranked, grew up in CT as a UConn fan and had barely any high major offers.

Miller is from an Ivy, didn't even visit another high major and is only a 5th year grad transfer.

Gibbs didn't deliver his brother (who also wouldn't have counted if he did do so), and is only a 5th year transfer.

Did I cover everyone? This post is not serious at all.

 

[8893]

Here's wh0 Ollie is:

• A guy who crossed the country to attend college, leaving his home and single mother to play for a crazy Irishman who only promised him that he would be tough on him.
  
  
• A guy who won his starting job every year in college, taking on all comers, and iirc the first one JC ever dubbed his field general--an extension of himself on the floor.
  
  
• A guy who turned ten-day contracts into a 12-year NBA career, earning his keep with 12 different teams.
  
  
• A guy on whom the NBA's most elite players and storied coaches--his colleagues--consistently heap the highest of praise as to his ability, integrity and work ethic.
  
  
• A guy who followed one of the greatest college basketball coaching legends of all time, inherited a post-season ban, weathered the transfer and early departures of some of his best players, and responded by coaching our team to a National Championship the following season.

We've had our recruiting bruises, but I trust this man immensely to keep trying harder than anyone on the planet to learn that, too. I believe he's earned that. And I'd even say he did about the best late-season recruiting correction job anyone could have possibly hoped for.

The best way to put it is the way he often does: Stand in the middle of the ring and keep punching.

We are truly blessed to have him.

 

[UConn990411]

Tools, talent, but it will take time for all of these new players to mesh and I don't want to set expectations too high too early. Hope the writers and casters don't rank us crazy high to begin. We replaced Boat on a team that didn't make the tourney. Top 25 is fine. We're underdogs, let the other teams get the press. KO did all of this in a very difficult environment and a very tough personal situation for him. Kudos.

They're no longer underdogs - it's a top 15ish team that should once again be preseason #1 in the AAC.

And honestly, I'm a little tired of the underdog thing. It's been 6 years since UConn's had a truly dominant team. I'm ready to watch one of those again.

 

[Dogbreath2U]

Here's wh0 Ollie is:

• A guy who crossed the country to attend college, leaving his home and single mother to play for a crazy Irishman who only promised him that he would be tough on him.
  
  
• A guy who won his starting job every year in college, taking on all comers, and iirc the first one JC ever dubbed his field general--an extension of himself on the floor.
  
  
• A guy who turned ten-day contracts into a 12-year NBA career, earning his keep with 12 different teams.
  
  
• A guy on whom the NBA's most elite players and storied coaches--his colleagues--consistently heap the highest of praise as to his ability, integrity and work ethic.
  
  
• A guy who followed one of the greatest college basketball coaching legends of all time, inherited a post-season ban, weathered the transfer and early departures of some of his best players, and responded by coaching our team to a National Championship the following season.

We've had our recruiting bruises, but I trust this man immensely to keep trying harder than anyone on the planet to learn that, too. I believe he's earned that. And I'd even say he did about the best late-season recruiting correction job anyone could have possibly hoped for.

The best way to put it is the way he often does: Stand in the middle of the ring and keep punching.

We are truly blessed to have him.

Great post! We have no right to have expected things to go well after JC retired and we have experienced 2 shockingly good/great seasons, then had a tough one with little experience except for Boat. Let's hope this creates some positive momentum (and maybe get us an Alterique and Diarra to start).

I hope the posters who have been questioning the recruiting know that there are no guarantees and spouting off about having to learn how to "close" is just another way to say "I want it now" with little appreciation of the uncertainty involved in going after top recruits (yes, quite frankky, shut up with the tough talk by chief00).

 

[UconnFanDC]

I will wait patiently to see what happens when the season starts and we have a few games under our belt. Show me that these players have chemistry and I will leave the pepto in the cabinet.

 

[David 76]

I'm waiting until the Final Four before I invest any emotion because I'm a sad little man.

caw, I'm assuming you are being sarcastic, too?

 

[UC990411]

OK - where's all the talk about the divorce, distraction , not a good recruiter, etc, etc, etc
Some of the dolts on this board were killing KO - "it's his team now and look whats happening" and other crazy things were said
These same hypocrites are on the Gibbs postings praising him now

Ollie is a pro, Ollie is a teacher, Ollie is a down to earth God fearing man who can get into the hearts of 18 yos and mothers. He had a dysfunctional group last year who JC himself would have struggled.

I may have blasted some players for attitude, desire and plain stupidity but KO was not the problem.

He has now provided the UConn nation with a legit title contender and with luck in the injury area - this team is scary.

Well then you're just the best aren't you?

 

[Stainmaster]

Well then you're just the best aren't you?

Still salty that your "Who's our next coach?" poll got deleted?

 

[Kitaman]

Wow at least expectations are in check going into the new season, or should I say they're normal.

 

[BluffCityHsky]

Ha ha ha. I think expectations are on the level. First Regular season AAC and tournament title will be nice so we can finally justify calling the other programs scrubs. Only the first of the t shirts I'm looking forward to buying next year....

 

[Matrim55]

Still salty that your "Who's our next coach?" poll got deleted?

This monument to his capriciousness still exists: http://www.the-boneyard.com/threads...t-year-does-ollie-deserve-to-get-fired.75783/