Ollie Officially Fired

[Tenspro2002]

@Tenspro2002 I've been banging the fire KO drum for the past couple of years right there with you and while KO showed he wasn't ready to lead a program, I do think he was the perfect guy through 2012-2014.

Not sure where to give credit or place blame on Calhoun for that. He forced the schools hand and in retrospect it didn't necessarily work out, he did get us a title. Not sure there were a lot of other coaches out there that would have done the same. Lightning in a bottle for sure, but it did work once.

The question is, essentially, should JC have foreseen that KO had no idea how to run a major college basketball program when he twisted the AD's arm into hiring KO?

I agree he was the right guy to inherit JC's recruits and mold them into a winning team. But surely JC knew that the job was much more than that.

 

[The Funster]

I just heard Bill Rafftery say he was shocked Ollie was fired. Time to retire Bill.

HEY, easy there. I'm a professional. I can't trash him on national TV can I?

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Edsall is much younger. I love coach C but no

HCRE 59 with spousal agreement versus JC 72 with spouse apparently in favor of husband hanging around a golf course and just putting up with some part-time Div III consulting.

 

[HuskyDogArt]

View attachment 29254

It is hard to replace a legend. Ray Reid replacing Joe Morrone, ? replacing Bear Bryant, and Ollie replacing Jim Calhoun. I wouldn't want to be the coach UConn hires to replace Gino, it is hard...

 

[mauconnfan]

I get what you’re saying but it isn’t a one way street happening here.

KO got his big $$$ contract because he was supposed to deliver. He didn’t. He failed badly. That’s on KO.

Any coach in consideration for this job who is bothered that UConn didn’t want to pay a coach who failed badly isn’t someone we want coaching here.

I get that but he did get a big contract because he won a National Championship. There’s a good chance we don’t get a guy who has one of those so let’s not pretend we didn’t think we had the right guy.

But as you say the way his teams played the last 2 years the next guy shouldn’t worry.

 

[HooperScooper]

And Blaze Pizza.

What, you don't think chief is imparting his recruiting wisdom on the next coach?

 

[Bomber36]

HEY, easy there. I'm a professional. I can't trash him on national TV can I?

Lol.

 

[Stinger92860]

JC thought KO was qualified to run a major college basketball program. He was wrong.

Not entirely wrong. The old Kevin did a great job.

 

[Stinger92860]

Much more worried about the latter than the former. The contract is clear that "violation of any NCAA rule" constitutes cause. I have no confidence that Benedict had his ducks in a row before moving. Two days isn't enough time to try to negotiate the buyout, so I'm thinking he erred in firing the first shot.

Or your time line could be wrong.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

The question is, essentially, should JC have foreseen that KO had no idea how to run a major college basketball program when he twisted the AD's arm into hiring KO?

I agree he was the right guy to inherit JC's recruits and mold them into a winning team. But surely JC knew that the job was much more than that.

No real way to know when giving a first time guy the gig I suppose. I don't really hold it against Calhoun for having faith in KO, because he pretty much looked like a genius after the first two seasons.

What happened after that then exposed KO a bit and it's tough to say whether he changed or just never had it, but after 2014 it sure looked like we had our guy for the next 25 years.

 

[Sonova]

The question is, essentially, should JC have foreseen that KO had no idea how to run a major college basketball program when he twisted the AD's arm into hiring KO?

I agree he was the right guy to inherit JC's recruits and mold them into a winning team. But surely JC knew that the job was much more than that.

Should anyone have seen that KO would try to distance himself from JC? That he would get rid of the staff , all of whom had Div 1 head coaching experience and were in place to groom him? That he would abandon the “system” and “culture” entirely? Ollie’s ego derailed what might have been and instead of continuing with what made him successful in his first two years, he suddenly had all of the answers. No, I don’t think anyone could have seen that coming.

 

[jorge34]

I get that but he did get a big contract because he won a National Championship. There’s a good chance we don’t get a guy who has one of those so let’s not pretend we didn’t think we had the right guy.

But as you say the way his teams played the last 2 years the next guy shouldn’t worry.

It's more than just the play on the court, which was horrid. The transfers, the decommits, the rumors of losing out on players because of lazy and absentee recruiting....
Yea, this is all on him. He was awarded the contract as a result of the NC but proceeded to not earn a penny of it.

 

[Tenspro2002]

No real way to know when giving a first time guy the gig I suppose. I don't really hold it against Calhoun for having faith in KO, because he pretty much looked like a genius after the first two seasons.

What happened after that then exposed KO a bit and it's tough to say whether he changed or just never had it, but after 2014 it sure looked like we had our guy for the next 25 years.

That's the essence of it. There are two points of view:

1) KO was a great coach the first two years who became a fundamentally different person and coach after that. No way JC could have seen that coming.
2) KO is the same guy he's always been, but the nature of the job changed in a way that exposed his inadequacies. JC should have known KO was unprepared for the full rigors of the job.

I'm more inclined to believe #2, but it's a reasonable discussion to have.

 

[UConnNick]

Obviously I don't know the answer because we don't know enough about the investigation. But the AD does know. This is the course of action he took.
So either the violations split the difference between being severe enough to void the contract but not severe enough to fire him immediately and self-ban OR they're minor but he feels they're a reasonable enough justification to use as leverage to negotiate. I assume these are the 2 scenarios you claim are playing a "dangerous game", but as I said earlier, i think you grossly overestimate the amount of negative PR and hiring backlash that comes from stuff like this. We're a top 20 program, from which a coach has a chance to win a title. Those jobs don't grow on trees. Coaches will take the chance as long as the administration has acted somewhat reasonably and predictably, even if it's not a paragon of fairness or going to win an employer of the year award. In addition, PR relevance is relevance. The day they stop covering our drama is the day I really worry about the future of the program.



What was the last court mudslinging buyout dispute in sports you remember? Pitino hasn't actually gotten to court and I can't remember any others. They either don't actually happen because almost everyone negotiates and settles or they're a lot quieter nationally than you'd think.

You contradict yourself. On the one hand, you indicate we are still a nationally relevant program. I agree. CBS is calling it the highest profile job opening nationally. You also indicate we'll get media coverage because of this.

OTOH, you argue nobody will pay much attention if the contract dispute becomes a contested court case.

You can't have it both ways. Either we're relevant enough for extensive coverage and it will get noticed, or we're not and almost nobody will notice.

Also, keep in mind that potential coaching hires are looking at our situation in real time, not with the benefit of hindsight to know whether our administration acted reasonably or not. It's all happening right now.

 

[uconnfan68]

That's the essence of it. There are two points of view:

1) KO was a great coach the first two years who became a fundamentally different person and coach after that. No way JC could have seen that coming.
2) KO is the same guy he's always been, but the nature of the job changed in a way that exposed his inadequacies. JC should have known KO was unprepared for the full rigors of the job.

I'm more inclined to believe #2, but it's a reasonable discussion to have.

I lean toward #1. I think his divorce devastated him.

 

[intlzncster]

The question is, essentially, should JC have foreseen that KO had no idea how to run a major college basketball program when he twisted the AD's arm into hiring KO?

I agree he was the right guy to inherit JC's recruits and mold them into a winning team. But surely JC knew that the job was much more than that.

I suspect he'd expect Ollie to pick up the particulars and grow on the job. As I did. That was one of my biggest sticking points with KO. Very reluctant to change, stuck in his ways. Only made one big adjustment after it was too late.

Calhoun likely thought KO would be far more dogged than he was in his last few years. I did too.

 

[Coach J]

My call on the possible staff if Calhoun happens. Tom Moore, Howie Dickerman, Blaney's kid, and Donyell Marshall as his latest coach in training as his future replacement. I would add Miller to that list, but my guess is he stays at St. Joe's. BTW, momentum is picking up. Courant said AD to meet with Calhoun this weekend... where there is smoke my friends.......

 

[kemba]

That's the essence of it. There are two points of view:

1) KO was a great coach the first two years who became a fundamentally different person and coach after that. No way JC could have seen that coming.
2) KO is the same guy he's always been, but the nature of the job changed in a way that exposed his inadequacies. JC should have known KO was unprepared for the full rigors of the job.

I'm more inclined to believe #2, but it's a reasonable discussion to have.

I think the falling out between Ollie and Calhoun is pretty good evidence that #1 at least played a role

 

[SouthBayHusky]

The question is, essentially, should JC have foreseen that KO had no idea how to run a major college basketball program when he twisted the AD's arm into hiring KO?

I agree he was the right guy to inherit JC's recruits and mold them into a winning team. But surely JC knew that the job was much more than that.

Yep. But, JC also had an expectation that Kevin would not shut him out, and allow JC to stay connected and involved like he was for years 1&2. Water under the bridge now. I’m just feeling, for the first time in years, sense of relief that we’ll at least have a dog in the fight going forward, rather than a dead end street.

 

[husky429]

My call on the possible staff if Calhoun happens. Tom Moore, Howie Dickerman, Blaney's kid, and Donyell Marshall as his latest coach in training as his future replacement. I would add Miller to that list, but my guess is he stays at St. Joe's. BTW, momentum is picking up. Courant said AD to meet with Calhoun this weekend... where there is smoke my friends..

This has to be a a plab 4.0z.

 

[intlzncster]

You contradict yourself. On the one hand, you indicate we are still a nationally relevant program. I agree. CBS is calling it the highest profile job opening nationally. You also indicate we'll get media coverage because of this.

OTOH, you argue nobody will pay much attention if the contract dispute becomes a contested court case.

You can't have it both ways. Either we're relevant enough for extensive coverage and it will get noticed, or we're not and almost nobody will notice.

Also, keep in mind that potential coaching hires are looking at our situation in real time, not with the benefit of hindsight to know whether our administration acted reasonably or not. It's all happening right now.

If it's a good enough job, which I think it is, potential coaches won't care a lick about this situation (outside of needing to be aware of potential sanctions). Big jobs don't become available every day. And the pool of hungry candidates is large.

This sort of thing happens all the time. Just look at CFB every year. There's always a negotiation after and the coach receives some of the money.

 

[Storrsbred]

I think the falling out between Ollie and Calhoun is pretty good evidence that #1 at least played a role

And the falling out might have something to do with Ollie firing all the other head coaches on the bench. Calhoun figured they would impart their experience wisdom eventually and Ollie would benefit in the long run.

 

[intlzncster]

That's the essence of it. There are two points of view:

1) KO was a great coach the first two years who became a fundamentally different person and coach after that. No way JC could have seen that coming.
2) KO is the same guy he's always been, but the nature of the job changed in a way that exposed his inadequacies. JC should have known KO was unprepared for the full rigors of the job.

I'm more inclined to believe #2, but it's a reasonable discussion to have.

Probably a bit of both. And as another poster mentioned, to combat #2, JC had a bunch of former HC's lined up on the bench to guide and groom KO. I bet Hobbs left because he saw KO wasn't willing to listen/learn.

 

[intlzncster]

My call on the possible staff if Calhoun happens. Tom Moore, Howie Dickerman, Blaney's kid, and Donyell Marshall as his latest coach in training as his future replacement. I would add Miller to that list, but my guess is he stays at St. Joe's. BTW, momentum is picking up. Courant said AD to meet with Calhoun this weekend... where there is smoke my friends..

JC's paid by UCONN as a consultant. That's why there's a meeting. Given Calhoun's family situation related to his health...there's a zero percent chance of his return.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

My call on the possible staff if Calhoun happens. Tom Moore, Howie Dickerman, Blaney's kid, and Donyell Marshall as his latest coach in training as his future replacement. I would add Miller to that list, but my guess is he stays at St. Joe's. BTW, momentum is picking up. Courant said AD to meet with Calhoun this weekend... where there is smoke my friends..

This place is great.