Ollie Suing Glen Miller for Slander

[CL82]

There is no disagreement about K.O. having other or better strategies that could have been explored that would have mitigated the hit to his brand however once you get to a point where you feel you have nothing more to lose he is the type of guy that will go against the obvious path out of faith. We forget K.O. remains a man in faith so when you have someone that operates like that this worse case scenario was foreseeable. I still put the burden on the Administration to have found a way to avoid this worst case scenario we find ourselves in now. It was foreseeable so maybe the UCONN Administrations hands were tied or they exhausted their tool kit. Either way I believe the burden was on the Administration to make sure this scenario was avoided at all costs.

I look at this now as simply the cost of the decision. The character assassination of K.O. doesn't get us anywhere and distracts from the UCONN Administration's role in all of this; there responsibility in this and I'm simply not letting them off the hook. The burden is still on them to get this behind the University so we can move on.

There has been no character assassination of KO by the university. The notion that Kevin's current attempts to smear the university (which, ironically enough, have only served to destroy Kevin professional reputation and burn through the considerable goodwill he once had among much of the fanbase) somehow mean that it is incumbent upon the university to pay him millions of dollars to which he has no lawful claim so that he will go away (and that is, apparently, the only way to "avoid this scenario") is ludicrous.

Regarding your notion that Kevin's faith's has led him to publicly smear the university that was his home for so many years and the man he once called "a second father" and whose support "meant the world to (Kevin)", I disagree. Kevin seems locked into a path of self- destruction. His rumored lack of fidelity to his wife alleged cost him his marriage. His alienation of Jim Calhoun lost him an incredible wellspring of knowledge and support. His decision to cheat, led him to lie about his cheating, both of which cost him his job. His refusal to accept responsibility for that caused him to further alienate his contacts and fans. All of that seems less like an act of faith and more like a crisis of faith. Whatever it is, I am hopeful that he works his way through it and gets back on less self-destructive path.

 

[DMIL]

Lol what did KO tell you Glenn was doing?

I don't personally know K.O. but certainly if you reflect on those seasons you could see that something was off with the team's chemistry and no one could put there finger on what it was. Dis-function like this bleeds into recruiting, the team, the staff; it bleeds into everything. I guarantee you that this wasn't done for an invalid reason. I'm sure this undermining was also indirectly tied to the fractured relationship he had with Jim Calhoun prior to the GM firing. It's all related and it would have been great of Jim Calhoun was able to fix this. However typically what happens is when things don't play out the way you hoped you start to look deeper at potential causes and I'm sure K.O. found out that he had a cancer on his staff as it related to where he was trying to take the program. It's clear that GM did not buy into what K.O. was doing and had an issue with it. I'm sure this even went back to when K.O. was selected over him by Jim Calhoun. The bottom line is when the trust is gone you have to go in a different direction. It's clear that is what happened here.

 

[UConnNick]

This was a hurt wounded man fighting for his personal and professional life. He was navigating the backstabbing of the snake Glenn Miller among others, fighting for his marriage and trying to manage his damaged relationship with Calhoun. K.O. has lost a lot on all fronts. He's fighting now; that is the K.O. we know. I can care less if he wins or not but he is fighting and that what he is supposed to do.

His marriage ended before he got his contract extension from UCONN. Throwing "fighting for his marriage" into any argument about his firing from UCONN is nonsense. As for his "damaged relationship with Calhoun", most accounts have it that Ollie broke off that relationship of his own volition. The twisted, tortured reasoning that goes into some of these arguments that Ollie is some kind of victim and tragic hero in the Shakespearian sense is laughable. This is a man who was getting paid (I deliberately refrain from the use of the word "earning") 3 million dollars per year. It's difficult to feel sorry for somebody who pissed that all away by getting fired, largely due to his own personal behavior.

 

[navery12]

I don't personally know K.O. but certainly if you reflect on those seasons you could see that something was off with the team's chemistry and no one could put there finger on what it was. Dis-function like this bleeds into recruiting, the team, the staff; it bleeds into everything. I guarantee you that this wasn't done for an invalid reason. I'm sure this undermining was also indirectly tied to the fractured relationship he had with Jim Calhoun prior to the GM firing. It's all related and it would have been great of Jim Calhoun was able to fix this. However typically what happens is when things don't play out the way you hoped you start to look deeper at potential causes and I'm sure K.O. found out that he had a cancer on his staff as it related to where he was trying to take the program. It's clear that GM did not buy into what K.O. was doing and had an issue with it. I'm sure this even went back to when K.O. was selected over him by Jim Calhoun. The bottom line is when the trust is gone you have to go in a different direction. It's clear that is what happened here.

Clear to most of us, yes.

 

[DMIL]

I was just making a joke about who KO might sue next given he's now battling on 2-3 fronts (vs UConn, vs NCAA, vs Miller). No other commentary intended.
But I'm on board with the method that UConn has chosen. I wish KO had accepted some money and went away, but per the vague contract he signed, he's not owed a dime. You appear to be on the other side of the fence from me. What's your take?

I disagree with the UCONN approach to firing K.O. It could have been done years earlier and they did not have to extend his contract in the first place. In most cases when a coach doesn't work out you agree to a buyout. UCONN didn't have the money to do this based on the remaining money left on K.O.'s deal. Ultimately UCONN when nuclear and so did K.O. so I do put burden on the University to avoid this situation all together and to clean it up. It was very foreseeable. We are where we are now and there are costs to be paid with decisions. I think the core disagreement on this board is around approach however I don't understand when folks on the board act like UCONN had absolutely no role to play in this situation and feel the burden still remains with the University to clean this up. Folks on the board character assassinate K.O. at the expense of letting the UCONN Administration completely off the hook for getting us in this situation.

 

[UCDaveD]

I'm sure K.O. found out that he had a cancer on his staff

It wasn’t hard to find. All he had to do was look in the mirror.

 

[navery12]

I disagree with the UCONN approach to firing K.O. It could have been done years earlier and they did not have to extend his contract in the first place. In most cases when a coach doesn't work out you agree to a buyout. UCONN didn't have the money to do this based on the remaining money left on K.O.'s deal. Ultimately UCONN when nuclear and so did K.O. so I do put burden on the University to avoid this situation all together and to clean it up. It was very foreseeable. We are where we are now and there are costs to be paid with decisions. I think the core disagreement on this board is around approach however I don't understand when folks on the board act like UCONN had absolutely no role to play in this situation and feel the burden still remains with the University to clean this up. Folks on the board character assassinate K.O. at the expense of letting the UCONN Administration completely off the hook for getting us in this situation.

They offered KO a buyout and he turned it down because he wanted more. Come on man, this isn't hard

 

[CL82]

I disagree with the UCONN approach to firing K.O. It could have been done years earlier and they did not have to extend his contract in the first place. In most cases when a coach doesn't work out you agree to a buyout. UCONN didn't have the money to do this based on the remaining money left on K.O.'s deal. Ultimately UCONN when nuclear and so did K.O. so I do put burden on the University to avoid this situation all together and to clean it up. It was very foreseeable. We are where we are now and there are costs to be paid with decisions. I think the core disagreement on this board is around approach however I don't understand when folks on the board act like UCONN had absolutely no role to play in this situation and feel the burden still remains with the University to clean this up. Folks on the board character assassinate K.O. at the expense of letting the UCONN Administration completely off the hook for getting us in this situation.

UConn has @$385M in cash or cash equivalents, so it certainly had the ability to pay Kevin. It didn't because Kevin had breached his contract by cheating and by lying about it to his employers which triggers a termination of his contract. If KO hadn't cheated or hadn't lied about it, he would likely have been terminated and paid the remainder of his contract. Paying someone millions who had no lawful claim to that money would at best be malfeasance and might be well criminal. There is one person who is responsible for the chain of events that led to Kevin's discharge for cause. That is Kevin.

 

[Rico444]

I disagree with the UCONN approach to firing K.O. It could have been done years earlier and they did not have to extend his contract in the first place. In most cases when a coach doesn't work out you agree to a buyout. UCONN didn't have the money to do this based on the remaining money left on K.O.'s deal. Ultimately UCONN when nuclear and so did K.O. so I do put burden on the University to avoid this situation all together and to clean it up. It was very foreseeable. We are where we are now and there are costs to be paid with decisions. I think the core disagreement on this board is around approach however I don't understand when folks on the board act like UCONN had absolutely no role to play in this situation and feel the burden still remains with the University to clean this up. Folks on the board character assassinate K.O. at the expense of letting the UCONN Administration completely off the hook for getting us in this situation.

Ollie could've been fired YEARS earlier than he was?! Two years before he was fired he made the 2nd round of the NCAAs, and two years prior to that he won a national championship. When exactly would you have fired him?

 

[polycom]

I don't personally know K.O. but certainly if you reflect on those seasons you could see that something was off with the team's chemistry and no one could put there finger on what it was. Dis-function like this bleeds into recruiting, the team, the staff; it bleeds into everything. I guarantee you that this wasn't done for an invalid reason. I'm sure this undermining was also indirectly tied to the fractured relationship he had with Jim Calhoun prior to the GM firing. It's all related and it would have been great of Jim Calhoun was able to fix this. However typically what happens is when things don't play out the way you hoped you start to look deeper at potential causes and I'm sure K.O. found out that he had a cancer on his staff as it related to where he was trying to take the program. It's clear that GM did not buy into what K.O. was doing and had an issue with it. I'm sure this even went back to when K.O. was selected over him by Jim Calhoun. The bottom line is when the trust is gone you have to go in a different direction. It's clear that is what happened here.

How can you speculate all of these things if you do not know either party involved.

 

[superjohn]

I don't personally know K.O. but certainly if you reflect on those seasons you could see that something was off with the team's chemistry and no one could put there finger on what it was. Dis-function like this bleeds into recruiting, the team, the staff; it bleeds into everything. I guarantee you that this wasn't done for an invalid reason. I'm sure this undermining was also indirectly tied to the fractured relationship he had with Jim Calhoun prior to the GM firing. It's all related and it would have been great of Jim Calhoun was able to fix this. However typically what happens is when things don't play out the way you hoped you start to look deeper at potential causes and I'm sure K.O. found out that he had a cancer on his staff as it related to where he was trying to take the program. It's clear that GM did not buy into what K.O. was doing and had an issue with it. I'm sure this even went back to when K.O. was selected over him by Jim Calhoun. The bottom line is when the trust is gone you have to go in a different direction. It's clear that is what happened here.

Sorry but your last couple of posts reveal you have no clue about any of the inner working of UConn basketball. The idea that Glen Miller thought Calhoun would name him his successor is so far from reality it's laughable. You are putting all this dysfunction on Glen Miller and every other place besides Ollie. The idea that three of our future starters and our top recruit left because of Glen Miller is batstuff crazy and the relationship between KO and Calhoun soured because after KO won it all he had no use for Calhoun anymore.

 

[UConnNick]

How can you speculate all of these things if you do not know either party involved.

The same poster also claimed in one of his earlier posts that Ollie is "fighting to save his marriage and to repair his damaged relationship with Calhoun", all without the benefit of knowing Ollie personally. Lots of unsubstantiated suppositions here.

As far as the law is concerned, the marriage is over. Also, the relationship with Calhoun is over, and sadly for Ollie, his collegiate coaching career is likely over.

 

[Madmannsucks]

Sorry but your last couple of posts reveal you have no clue about any of the inner working of UConn basketball. The idea that Glen Miller thought Calhoun would name him his successor is so far from reality it's laughable. You are putting all this dysfunction on Glen Miller and every other place besides Ollie. The idea that three of our future starters and our top recruit left because of Glen Miller is batstuff crazy and the relationship between KO and Calhoun soured because after KO won it all he had no use for Calhoun anymore.

Actually I think they did leave because of GM....GM getting fired.

 

[Husky68]

What is the basis of the claim? Describe the complaint. Kevin Ollie seeks damages because....? Because the NCAA relied on evidence from a guy who may have said something else that they didn’t rely upon, which was untrue? That’s not a tort as far as I know. Oh and they relied upon other information that didn’t come from Miller at all. Most of which we know to be true. And Ollie’s damages, such as they are, come from being fired, which again was based on violations that did happen and which are corroborated by more than Miller.

It’s silly to even suggest that he could sue the NCAA for investigating things they are supposed to investigate and issuing findings as to who it thinks violated rules it wrote. Unless you or he thinks that the NCAA itself made all this up, and fabricated everything with the intent to cause harm to KO. Is that the claim?

Seems like Tark the Shark sued the NCAA for: "things" they are supposed to investigate and issuing findings as to who it thinks violated rules it wrote; and it turned out ok for him. The NCAA is run by a clown and to think for some reason he doesn't surround himself with clowns would be a mistake. At the 1st sign of someone coming at them with guns blazing and nothing to lose the NCAA will fold. Ollie isn't UConn who has already seen what happens when the powers that be in the NCAA have it "in" for you; sure would like to see Ollie disposing NCAA characters on all the "dialogue" they had with various people related to Ollie and UConn related to these potential infractions. When did UConn discuss potential violations with the NCAA vs. with Ollie, when did UConn 1st discuss firing Ollie for cause and what type of discussions were had with Ollie before the firing discussion.

A "nothing to lose" Ollie with a legal team that's willing to take it to the max is not a group I'd want to fight with if I were the NCAA or UConn.

 

[UConnNick]

Seems like Tark the Shark sued the NCAA for: "things" they are supposed to investigate and issuing findings as to who it thinks violated rules it wrote; and it turned out ok for him. The NCAA is run by a clown and to think for some reason he doesn't surround himself with clowns would be a mistake. At the 1st sign of someone coming at them with guns blazing and nothing to lose the NCAA will fold. Ollie isn't UConn who has already seen what happens when the powers that be in the NCAA have it "in" for you; sure would like to see Ollie disposing NCAA characters on all the "dialogue" they had with various people related to Ollie and UConn related to these potential infractions. When did UConn discuss potential violations with the NCAA vs. with Ollie, when did UConn 1st discuss firing Ollie for cause and what type of discussions were had with Ollie before the firing discussion.

A "nothing to lose" Ollie with a legal team that's willing to take it to the max is not a group I'd want to fight with if I were the NCAA or UConn.

LOL...so far Ollie's legal representation has been a total clown show. I seriously doubt that either UCONN or the NCAA are quaking in their boots at anything the Ollie legal team attempts to do. Their track record to this point is an embarrassingly epic fail on all fronts. They are going to lose at arbitration and in the courts, assuming they bother with any more of it after getting poured out at arbitration.