Ollie Officially Fired

[JMick]

So I guess we all see where that relationship stands

it would be nice if all the people that called us liars about the calhoun-ollie relationship would put their tails between their legs but that will never happen

 

[jorge34]

Yes please

 

[UConnRock]

This is not the first shot in the battle. There had to have been behind the scene discussions/buyout negotiations between the school and the Ollie camp. Obviously these did not produce the desired results. I am sure negotiations are ongoing and if each start to face growing legal bills a $$ amount will be agreed to.

 

[Waquoit]

I disagree. If this were UConn 3 years ago then yes much bigger story. Now? They will mention it and move on to conference tourneys and brackets. This will not get the coverage on TV that you think

Agreed. If today is the wrong tine, when would the right time be?

 

[Danzz]

Wow very telling, ouch.

I don't really blame KO from separating himself somewhat from JC. Hard act to follow and in the end it was KO's team to coach.

 

[huskymedic]

"Insiders"...

. He’s back next year and I know that for a fact.

Decision has already been made.

I am a donor and I have spoken to people with knowledge of the situation. He is back.

 

[Excalibur]

Maybe it's a negotiation tactic to get a much lower buyout?

If that’s the case it should have been done less publicly

 

[HuskyBoi]

I disagree. If this were UConn 3 years ago then yes much bigger story. Now? They will mention it and move on to conference tourneys and brackets. This will not get the coverage on TV that you think

It’s literally all over ESPN

 

[UConn990411]

I don't really blame KO from separating himself somewhat from JC. Hard act to follow and in the end it was KO's team to coach.

I agree to a point. But as a young coach, if he had a HOF mentor at his disposal and refused to take advantage of it, then it’s hard not to criticize him for that.

 

[Kathy]

Is that wrong?

Yeah it is. If you did something wrong it shouldn't matter if winning or losing. Just how everyone here was upset about UNC. Who you are, how the team is doing shouldn't matter. It is wrong to have 2 sets of standards. If Benedict would have used this to fire him when he was winning as well as losing I'd have no problem. To have a sense of right or wrong change to suit your purpose is immoral and unethical. Just my values.

 

[gtcam]

What happens when people with big buyouts and dismal performance don't want to be reasonable and over play their hand ... simple rule of contracts... if you want to live by exacting terms be prepared to die by them as well

Please tell us - what was the atmosphere like in that negotiating room and how much input did you have in the decision?
People who make these know it all statements as if they know something intimate about specific situations leave me speechless
Please tell me how would you handle the situation if you were KO (forgive me KO)

 

[Danzz]

What do you guys think of Cooley? He’s been great at Providence

Hate his hair.

 

[auror]

Agree with the move. I just question the timing.

Why release this on championship Saturday? There is so much media positioned to talk about college basketball today and tomorrow and it will be so easy for every single talking head/commentator to fill their air time with complaints about uconns handling of this.

We should have waited until Sunday night or Monday morning to release this. Then everyone would have been focused on the tournament and brackets and Ollie/UConn would have been an afterthought and secondary news.

Again, I agree with the move. I just think they chose the absolute worst possible time to release it to minimize public perception damage.

Most national media members will see this as the right move, considering our fall from glory. In those circumstances, they'll say "I feel bad for Ollie but this is what UConn needed to do." With that narrative, there is no harm in injecting ourselves into the March conversation. Lukewarm press is good press.

 

[Vuce]

It’s literally all over ESPN

Didn’t say it would not get covered. It will but once the games start this afternoon it’ll lessen and tomorrow it’s all about the brackets.

 

[gtcam]

Next move Dave, get us out of this conference

He will be long gone before that happens

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

Agreed. If today is the wrong tine, when would the right time be?

Sunday night or Monday morning. Seems obvious to me.

 

[Ha Who]

It’s literally all over ESPN

What will ESPN do if the program fades to nothing?

 

[ecasadoSBU]

To treat one of your own like that... sucks. I hope he can eventually forgive the University of Connecticut

I guess money talks at the end of the day...

 

[Robertelamin]

Seth Greenberg really loves to talk about UConn joining the Big East.

 

[Tuna]

Thanks for the NC. Bow out gracefully. Show another school you can be hired again. You know this wasn't Uconn basketball being displayed the last 3 years. 10 years from now you will want to be able to come back and celebrate your time here.

Yeah I'm sure he's really worried about coming back and celebrating his time here.

 

[Dove]

What do you guys think of Cooley? He’s been great at Providence

Ed Cooley needs a hat.

 

[Chief00]

What happens when people with big buyouts and dismal performance don't want to be reasonable and over play their hand ... simple rule of contracts... if you want to live by exacting terms be prepared to die by them as well

So true - I was hoping this part of the negotiations could be done quickly and quietly in private. Like so much the last couple years with MBB on will be on display for all to see.

 

[swami7774]

What will ESPN do if the program fades to nothing?

What if ESPN fades to nothing? (We can only hope).

 

[Huskybass]

What do you guys think of Cooley? He’s been great at Providence

No. Nay. Never. He has won like 1 NCAA tourney game in his coaching career. UConn can do so much better.

 

[swami7774]

Seth Greenberg is right: we have to get the hell out of this crappy conference. Problem is, we don’t have a lot of cache (current cache) to get into a good one right now.

 

[Nostical]

Benedict isn’t stupid. In firing “for cause” he anticipated a lawsuit which will lead to a reduced buyout.
I’m happy today. Ollie needed to go. Dont cry for him. He’ll be fine as an NBA asst coach.The success of our BBall (and football) are too critical to whether UConn will become relevant again.
Forget Pikiel and Cooley. Cooley has a great recruiting class coming in. He's not leaving although every high profile program that needs a coach will be floating his name. He's already turned down attractive offers in the last few years.
While Edsall was a bargain, look for Benedict to pay a bigger number than expected to get a bigger name into the MBB job. It’s too important.

 

[uchusky32]

Yeah I'm sure he's really worried about coming back and celebrating his time here.

You'll be surprised how people feel about things over time. He spent a big part of his life at Uconn. When you get old perspectives change.

 

[SouthBayHusky]

I agree it had to happen. Now what follows is the mass exodus of players and recruits. It will be awhile before we are good again.

We haven’t been good the past four seasons, we can only improve from here. Being ranked #175 is a pretty low benchmark. There was going to be in exodus whether he was fired or not, it’ll be a breakeven at the end of the day on recruits, but a much better product next year and years to come..

 

[FartMan69]

Ed Cooley is a good coach for Providence. I hope he stays in Providence.

 

[gtcam]

Yeah it is. If you did something wrong it shouldn't matter if winning or losing. Just how everyone here was upset about UNC. Who you are, how the team is doing shouldn't matter. It is wrong to have 2 sets of standards. If Benedict would have used this to fire him when he was winning as well as losing I'd have no problem. To have a sense of right or wrong change to suit your purpose is immoral and unethical. Just my values.

GREAT post - couldn't agree with you more Kathy
I was/am now not caring if KO stays or KO goes but if this was done to avoid some type of payment then it is totally wrong if they cannot pin something specific on KO and make it stick without even a shred of doubt.
If the AD David Benedict is gambling that by doing this early and getting the best possible person with the knowledge that they then can negotiate with KO (while the replacement knows there is little in form of damage control) - that is wrong - not saying that it is not done in business as a tactic - but to do it to a loyal colleague - is just plain wrong - IF that is the case
I have no idea right now but I am close to some folks most likely to know specifics involved and it will be interesting to hear snippets as time goes on.