Ollie Officially Fired

[The Viking]

To all those celebrating the firing with cause:

If it sticks there are some serious sanctions coming our way.

If Ollie wins a legal battle, Benedict and possibly Herbst will be gone.

Either way is messy. Pick your poison.

Important to keep in mind that Benedict and Herbst know a LOT more than any of us. I like to give people who have more information than me the benefit of the doubt. Benedict did what he had to getting rid of Diaco - I give him a lot of weight in taking that action alone when a lot of us thought he wouldn't axe a coach with that kind of buyout.

 

[Sonova]

To all those celebrating the firing with cause:

If it sticks there are some serious sanctions coming our way.

If Ollie wins a legal battle, Benedict and possibly Herbst will be gone.

Either way is messy. Pick your poison.

Maybe. But maybe not. Perhaps there are other (non NCAA) justifications for cause that we are not aware of but that would “satisfactorily” allow for his dismissal. Let me be clear - I don’t know about anything of this nature, so I mention these as examples only - but if there were a harassment issue or a character issue that would be an unacceptable respresentation of the University, etc. The “dare” here by Benedict would be whether Ollie would want these to be public in a lawsuit. There are many more options than the overly simple Door 1 or Door 2. That you or I don’t know them doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

 

[Edward Sargent]

I'm so sick of the excuse about the conference. If the conference stinks so bad then win all the friggin' games in the conference. Cincinnati is projected as a 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament with recruits that mostly weren't very highly ranked. Houston is a lock for the NCAA Tournament with talent that isn't great. Would Ollie have won a lot with Houston's players?

I admit being in the AAC has drawbacks compared to when they were in the BE but you can win in this conference and be much better than UConn has been the last 4 years. The program just hasn't been run well. I don't know why people keep making excuses for Ollie when the problem is as clear as a bright sunny day.

The recruiting aspect is not the biggest problem in my mind it is the travel. Cincinnati is a lot closer to Tulsa and Wichita than Storrs, but you are right we have never really done well in the AAC, even when we won the tournament

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Unless there's enough fire with that NCAA smoke

So, inadequate recruiting, suggestions of not following through with verbally committed recruits, dubious game preparation, dodgy in-game coaching, etc. don't add up to just cause alone ... ?

 

[MexicoHusky]

our athletic department used the term cause. it's how anyone gets fired that doesn't get their buyout money.

I assumed ESPN was quoting UCONN. This looks bad to me. I don't care to be in the same company as Al Davis.

 

[willie99]

They have to open the firing for just cause, but still expect a negotiated buyout rather than UConn trying to get out of the whole thing.

Which would mean the "just cause" is not as black and white as it appears, DB wants out

DB is obviously a serious man, doing it his way, just as every man should do

 

[UConnWingman]

Agree completely. This is a bad look for the school, and could scare some coaches off.

Ollie doesn't really have anything to lose reputation wise by taking this all the way.

You can’t assume the extent of Ollie’s culpability though.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

There going for no buyout.

What is unsubstantiated speculation for $500? Alex

 

[JMick]

I assumed ESPN was quoting UCONN. This looks bad to me. I don't care to be in the same company as Al Davis.

how does it look bad? literally every coach that gets fired and doesn't receive their buyout is fired for cause. it's not just Al Davis lmao

 

[UConnWingman]

Did you mean to post this in the ludicrous thread?

Nope. We have no idea the severity of any penalties to be handed down.

 

[JMick]

What is unsubstantiated speculation for $500? Alex

the fact that he was fired lol. how is that speculation?

 

[navery12]

I assumed ESPN was quoting UCONN. This looks bad to me. I don't care to be in the same company as Al Davis.

Kevin Stallings was fired with cause from Pitt a few days ago. This is par for the course

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

the fact that he was fired lol. how is that speculation?

And, you know beyond a shadow of a doubt it's not a strategic buyout ploy by UConn? As in, beyond any shadow of a doubt you absolutely know Ollie's attorney won't fight for some or all of his buyout? OK! And, perhaps UConn's playing hardball with expectations of a subsequent partial buyout, i.e., not no buyout.

 

[Uconn77Duke74]

At a minimum the next coach needs to have some head coaching experience before being hired. if Ollie had done what Hurley did at least we would have known he could run a program, etc..

 

[Ts5034]

When Benedict fired Diaco, he obviously knew Edsall was going to be the next HC. Maybe Benedict has done some behind the scenes work and already has an idea that whoever he is going to offer the job to will accept?

This is a very important hire obviously. Everybody involved knows this from the administration down to the alumni and fans. We dont want to become what Indiana has after Bob Knight. Thats why I really believe the school is ready to throw a lot of money on the table for the next head coach.

 

[Coach J]

It would be great for Benedict to let Calhoun get the gang back together for a few years and stabilize things before handing it off again. Let Glenn Miller coach St. Joseph's. He has plenty of other competent former assistants out there to build his staff with. Instantaneously the team will be better strictly from the coaching they would get, it's doubtful anyone of consequence would leave or back out of their commitments, and maybe most importantly they will sell tickets again probably immediately after it was announced. He went that way for football and I see no reason why not to do it with basketball - none, if Calhoun is willing, which because he is planning on coaching again anyway why wouldn't he be? Calhoun, Calhoun, Calhoun, Calhoun, Calhoun, Calhoun!!!!!!!!!!

 

[UConnWingman]

It would be great for Benedict to let Calhoun get the gang back together for a few years and stabilize things before handing it off again. Let Glenn Miller coach St. Joseph's. He has plenty of other competent former assistants out there to build his staff with. Instantaneously the team will be better strictly from the coaching they would get, it's doubtful anyone of consequence would leave or back out of their commitments, and maybe most importantly they will sell tickets again probably immediately after it was announced. He went that way for football and I see no reason why not to do it with basketball - none, if Calhoun is willing, which because he is planning on coaching again anyway why wouldn't he be? Calhoun, Calhoun, Calhoun, Calhoun, Calhoun, Calhoun!!!!!!!!!!

It’d make sense particularly if there’s sanctions on the horizon.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Sad day

 

[GotNets?]

We’ll see about just cause... Let’s see what kind of coach wants to succeed a national championship winner that was screwed.

Per someone’s earlier point on exacting terms; $10m is a number and just cause is a qualitative idea - different.

 

[Ha Who]

It would be great for Benedict to let Calhoun get the gang back together for a few years and stabilize things before handing it off again. Let Glenn Miller coach St. Joseph's. He has plenty of other competent former assistants out there to build his staff with. Instantaneously the team will be better strictly from the coaching they would get, it's doubtful anyone of consequence would leave or back out of their commitments, and maybe most importantly they will sell tickets again probably immediately after it was announced. He went that way for football and I see no reason why not to do it with basketball - none, if Calhoun is willing, which because he is planning on coaching again anyway why wouldn't he be? Calhoun, Calhoun, Calhoun, Calhoun, Calhoun, Calhoun!!!!!!!!!!

I think you meant to post this in the ludicrous thread?

 

[Scrutineer]

Hate his hair.[/QUOTE

What's he won? He made a great hire with LaFleur though, as he's seemingly the key guy on bringing in a lot of their best players.

 

[CL82]

Yes Seth, if UConn were still winning Ollie wouldn't be getting fired. Smart man.

Media was all over KO, but now will rally behind him.

 

[JMick]

We’ll see about just cause... Let’s see what kind of coach wants to succeed a national championship winner that was screwed.

Per someone’s earlier point on exacting terms; $10m is a number and just cause is a qualitative idea - different.

ollie wasn't screwed by anyone but himself.

 

[JMick]

Media was all over KO, but now will rally behind him.

it's actually the opposite. the media loved him but today they've been pretty rational

 

[jayteeman]

Anyone gloating over this can go straight to that hot place