Ollie Withdrawing from OKC Consideration | Page 4 | The Boneyard

Ollie Withdrawing from OKC Consideration

Status
Not open for further replies.
BigErnMcCracken said:
I don't disagree with any of that. I just don't think it reflects some malicious intent vis-a-vis UConn like the tin foil hat brigade. It's amazing that I'm the outlier for laughing at the idea that media stories are being pushed with the express purpose of damaging UConn's recruiting. Somehow, when this kind of stuff comes up concerning - oh, I don't know, any other coach in America - no one here fires up the conspiracy machine.

Good reporting in the age of the 24 hour news cycle is a lost art, and people "breaking" stories aren't incentivized to be accurate or penalized when they're not.
Expand ...
I was part of that brigade and what set me off was the following tweet by Woj in response to a CBS guy claiming these rumors were fabricated.

Adrian Wojnarowski ✔ @WojYahooNBA Follow


Despite public statement, UConn's Kevin Ollie does not really enjoy playing golf. And he's a top choice for using foot wedge.

3:10 PM - 22 Apr 2015


There are a number of posters who admire him and feel he has credibility. I would imagine some recruits, or their handlers, with NBA aspirations might also consider Wojo in the same vein. Had he stuck with the insistence about his sources, fine. But he specifically targets KO. If it was a hack like Goodman I wouldn't have cared.
 
I like KO, I hope he is here for a long time. I think he handled this situation fine, and I think it's something that is going to come up at least every year or two until he's been here for a decade or longer and it becomes clear he wants to remain coaching college.

BUT...he did not "turn down" the Lakers (last year) and OKC (this year). You can't turn down something that wasn't offered. Was he a candidate? Sure. Maybe even the favorite. But he never even interviewed for those jobs. Let's not get carried away as if he turned them down based on tweets that 24-48 hours ago we were dismissing based on the fact OKC hadn't even fired Brooks yet.
 
.-.
WingU-Conn said:
I like KO, I hope he is here for a long time. I think he handled this situation fine, and I think it's something that is going to come up at least every year or two until he's been here for a decade or longer and it becomes clear he wants to remain coaching college.

BUT...he did not "turn down" the Lakers (last year) and OKC (this year). You can't turn down something that wasn't offered. Was he a candidate? Sure. Maybe even the favorite. But he never even interviewed for those jobs. Let's not get carried away as if he turned them down based on tweets that 24-48 hours ago we were dismissing based on the fact OKC hadn't even fired Brooks yet.
Expand ...
that okc job was his if he said "yes". there wouldn't be much of an interview process, the entire organization from owner downward is already familiar with him. he turned down presti
 
8893 said:
Just to be clear, I made that one up.
Expand ...

fleud mentioned that one in the Yahoo topic too... where did you originally make it up that he found it?
 
James said:
that okc job was his if he said "yes". there wouldn't be much of an interview process, the entire organization from owner downward is already familiar with him. he turned down presti
Expand ...

What was the offer he turned down? How much for how long?
 
PcketknfNiels said:
Luckily should only be 1 more year of rumors now before we know whether he's a UConn lifer.
Expand ...

There is no way we don't see this nonsense on a yearly basis. If he has a losing season, it's time to jump. Wins another national championship, it's time to jump. Youngest kid just graduated, it's time to jump.
 
temery said:
There is no way we don't see this nonsense on a yearly basis. If he has a losing season, it's time to jump. Wins another national championship, it's time to jump. Youngest kid just graduated, it's time to jump.
Expand ...


Until he has said, No enough times. I agree that's not in one year but even pro teams have stopped calling Coach K. Hopefully we can get to that point with KO.
 
WingU-Conn said:
What was the offer he turned down? How much for how long?
Expand ...

Who the heck knows? There obviously are back channel conversations that take place that the media aren't privy to.

It's been reported enough times that everyone in the OKC organization is fond of Ollie and wanted him to be their coach. Saying he didn't "turn them down" because he didn't officially interview is just semantics.

Can you imagine the panic in Husky Nation (and the delight of every coach recruiting against UConn) if Ollie actually got on a plane to OKC? He shut this whole thing down before it could get to that point.
 
.-.
WingU-Conn said:
I like KO, I hope he is here for a long time. I think he handled this situation fine, and I think it's something that is going to come up at least every year or two until he's been here for a decade or longer and it becomes clear he wants to remain coaching college.

BUT...he did not "turn down" the Lakers (last year) and OKC (this year). You can't turn down something that wasn't offered. Was he a candidate? Sure. Maybe even the favorite. But he never even interviewed for those jobs. Let's not get carried away as if he turned them down based on tweets that 24-48 hours ago we were dismissing based on the fact OKC hadn't even fired Brooks yet.
Expand ...


Would you rather he interviewed as opposed to just saying "Not interested"? I think the latter demonstrates more loyalty and/or stability for UConn than the former.
 
You guys are missing the point. The comment was made as if he turned down offers from both the lakers and the thunder. It's just not true, but that doesn't matter on this board so my mistake. I'm happy it never went further than it did.
 
Wasnt worried here. Ollie isnt going anywhere anytime soon. I believe the time will come when he moves on to the nba and he absolutely should. He wins a couple more titles and he`ll problably be ready to go.
 
Even though we will likely have to hear Coach KO's name come up every year as an NBA candidate, he strikes me as a guy who would only leave the program in a good place when he is gone. I'm referring to something similar to how JC had him under his wing and made sure he got an opportunity to carry the torch (there were a lot of questions when JC retired with CR and the postseason ban). Not that he will necessarily have a coach and waiting or anything, but he wouldn't leave the program at a time that would cause so much uncertainty and chaos for our future.

KO loves the program just as much as the rest of us... Probably more seeing as he played here and came all the way back when he could have been anywhere after his NBA career. We will be just fine.
 
TheChamps990411 said:
Wasnt worried here. Ollie isnt going anywhere anytime soon. I believe the time will come when he moves on to the nba and he absolutely should. He wins a couple more titles and he`ll problably be ready to go.
Expand ...

Other than possibly money, I don't get why the NBA is considered a promotion.
 
.-.
temery said:
Other than possibly money, I don't get why the NBA is considered a promotion.
Expand ...
coaching in the nba is more difficult, and a bigger challenge. its professional sports.
 
In a year that UConn does not make the Tourney, this is free publicity -- shows recruits the value of KO and the integrity of KO.
 
chris walker just declared for the draft. reading the tea leaves it looks like donovan is out, although walker might have declared out of sheer stupidity . he's not getting drafted
 
The commotion about KO possibly going to OKC was all speculation. It was also based on a poor understanding of Ollie.
It made sense to the pundits that OKC wanted KO. He is a great coach who already has an NCAA ring and is well respected by the 2 players who are the key to that franchise's future. Reasonable conjecture.
It made sense to the pundits that KO would leap if the offer was extended because he would receive a more money for coaching a potential powerhouse with 2 of the top players in the NBA. Reasonable conjecture.
It made sense to the pundits that KO would leap because they believe that UConn is a bad job because the Huskies are in a tidy bowl spiral on the SS AAC. Reasonable conjecture.
However, that speculation discounts KO's character. UConn is not a bad job or a launching point to KO. He would not prefer to coach any other college program, but surely would prefer coaching UConn in a P5 conference.
Pundits did not consider that Ollie may be better suited and derive greater satisfaction from turning out great men, who occasionally cut the nets in April.
Pundits did not consider that Ollie is a family man and , despite his marital issues, still has a daughter to walk to the bus and a son to watch play for Fordham.
Pundits did not consider the family at all. KO has missed enough of their youth.
Pundits did not consider that KO undoubtedly considers work/life balance. You have a better chance to have a life coaching UConn than coaching in the NBA.
Pundits did not consider that if KO leaves UConn he is going to actually feel for the young men who believed in him and his promises to elevate them as people and players. No way he leaves kids hanging.
Pundits did not consider the loyalty that KO feels to Calhoun and the fact that there is no heir apparent to hand the keys to.
That the pundits thought money mattered the most and seized upon the use of the phrase "not pursue" as a clever dodge says much about the pundits and about Ollie. I don't think it ever occurred to KO that his wording was clever. I have to agree with Jacobs, he is not someone to play games with nomenclature to create a false impression while still being able later to deny he lied.
I think KO is will be here long term. I suspect he never gives up coaching college, but the game is changing so there maybe an NBA coaching career. I think UConn will be spotless and self-sustaining before he goes.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Forum statistics

Threads
168,190
Messages
4,556,230
Members
10,441
Latest member
Virginiafan


Top Bottom