Our Fanbase Is Still Conflicted

[whaler11]

If we lost to Tulane, this board may have had a riot. Then if we followed that with a loss to 0-4 Temple to follow, it would have been mass hysteria.

This board doesn't matter to me anymore. I eagerly await the next thread about getting back onto an Ollie platform and then eagerly await the jumping off again of the platform two days later. I don't even participate in the game threads anymore because it is a free for all once we see the first missed shot. It gets tiring. And it sucks the fun right out of UConn sports...

I’m not sure what that has to do with SMU being better than UConn this year - but understood.

 

[SwingDog]

Far more money will be lost if nothing is done.

That's a fair point. Something needs to be done to stop the bleeding and then nurse the program back to health. I don't like to look at men's basketball as a revenue generator but from a business standpoint it obviously is- or should be.

 

[whaler11]

Clemson having a good season.

They pretty much play 6 guys.

2 from Clemson, 1 from RMU, 1 from Vandy, 1 from Michigan State and 1 from Michigan.

They have 8 non-freshman who get any minutes. Five transfered in. One of the 3 non-transfers is a sophmore who has taken 20 shots all year and zero in the ACC.

 

[Calhoun's Court]

Dan please. SMU is LIGHTYEARS better than UConn this season.

One is ranked 32nd and one is ranked 157th.

That’s silly.

I'll take SMU's roster right now. They are so much better than us it's mot even funny. Oh and can we have their coach too ?

 

[Dogdeacon]

The comments about Larrier sitting with headaches is a tribute to KO's commitment to the kids. Head injuries cannot be ignored. Those who suggest he should have chosen or been ordered to tough out headaches are irresponsible.

When Ollie was given the job it was reasonable to expect that he was going to have to learn on the job. Calhoun had 7 modest years at Northeaster before he distinguished himself and part of the basis for his improvement was Northeaster moving to a better conference.

Ollie is still learning in game coaching.

Ollie has also had a learning curve regarding recruiting, particularly distinguishing which kids have toughness and potential for growth and closing the many kids whose families loved KO while the kid went elsewhere. Hopefully, Killings and Chill solve the remaining weaknesses by complimenting the head coach in this aspect of his job. Also, hopefully Ollie is looking for players who want to be in his system and will thrive there.

The 5 kids who came in 2016 were celebrated, but two couldn't play and then there was a scramble we are still recovering from as KO tried to figure out how to earn love and maintain authority.

There is no way the UConn program benefits by its fans talking about sacking the coach on 1/18 any year unless there is some kind of scandal going on. Serial injuries to key players is not a scandal. There is plenty of time to debate whether to replace the coach in March.

When the debate is ripe, I will be pointing out that we are in the AAC. We have a coach with NCAA and NBA experience, NBA connections, whose history of success began in the same kind of hard neighborhoods that many recruits are living in. He has a national championship. Regardless of the qualifications some will assert, that is a big deal. I have zero confidence that we will find a replacement that will come to the AAC and assemble a competitive team faster than he can. I am fully certain that if there is such a coach, he would be gone to a P5 job as quickly as he could earn a bid.

So send Ollie to Northeastern for 12 years or so and then we'll give him another look.
No one debates there's a learning curve and time needed, but the curve is bending steeply the wrong way.

 

[August_West]

Other than they don’t get breaks

We can never catch a break.

Last in luck

 

[whaler11]

We can never catch a break.

Last in luck

20th in luck dot dot dot

 

[August_West]

View attachment 27847

20th in luck dot dot dot

Turrible

 

[David 76]

Why people don't see this is beyond me. I guess no one in this board was a business major. Franchise value is WAY more important than short term le.

It is complicated by the fact that it is a government institution, budget deficit and politics. But the point is still the same.

 

[David 76]

You fail to recognize this is a state university funded by the state that is in a major budget crisis. You can't just throw $10 mil out the window for the sake of change

Not for the sake o f change. For your investment in the university. They would have never built the Rent if they didn't see a payoff.

 

[David 76]

It is funny that those that told us we would lose 8 in a row are angry that we lost game #3 after 2 wins.
But it was one ugly loss.

 

[uconngb]

100% disagree.

And you couldn't be more wrong. Go back to the Dream Season. The spike in applications was dramatic after that. And it has obviously only continued since then. Winning basketball programs have propelled UConn, there is no argument counter to that. That's not to say a losing men's program will crater the university, but that's not the argument. The argument is that KO is ruining the franchise value of the UConn men's basketball program. And that is painfully obvious, from attendance, to recruiting, to national perception......all of which will persist and worsen if the bandaid is not ripped off sooner than later.

 

[John]

And you couldn't be more wrong. Go back to the Dream Season. The spike in applications was dramatic after that. And it has obviously only continued since then. Winning basketball programs have propelled UConn, there is no argument counter to that. That's not to say a losing men's program will crater the university, but that's not the argument. The argument is that KO is ruining the franchise value of the UConn men's basketball program. And that is painfully obvious, from attendance, to recruiting, to national perception.all of which will persist and worsen if the bandaid is not ripped off sooner than later.

You're completely cherry picking your disussion points in your anti-Ollie crusade.

 

[whaler11]

Can someone please explain to me why I would care how many applications UConn gets? Unless I'm applying and worried about the competition why would this even be mildly interesting?

 

[Huskybass]

Can someone please explain to me why I would care how many applications UConn gets? Unless I'm applying and worried about the competition why would this even be mildly interesting?

In theory, the higher number of applicants would make the school more selective in who it accepts. Which in turn makes it a more difficult school to get into and enhances its reputation.

None of the above really has much to do with the basketball program, however.

 

[John]

Can someone please explain to me why I would care how many applications UConn gets? Unless I'm applying and worried about the competition why would this even be mildly interesting?

I think it has to do with soda.

 

[Dogdeacon]

In theory, the higher number of applicants would make the school more selective in who it accepts. Which in turn makes it a more difficult school to get into and enhances its reputation.

None of the above really has much to do with the basketball program, however.

Hmm, when I went to UConn (Perno to Calhoun years) the reputation was crappy = easier to get in, but then I got an inordinate benefit via the enhanced rep. So maybe there's a dark state effort to bring down the rep by folks with teenagers ;(

 

[JellyBean]

So I’ve been reading through the threads and am surprised to realize that a significant % are not yet convinced that KO must go. It’s going to take more 20-30 point blowouts to drag over those keep KO’ers. Cincy, Temple and Wichita are all possibilities for those. What’s more important is what our AD and school president need to be convinced? Will there still be a question by season end or is this pretty much a done deal now? After our win the other day I thought Tim Welch was President of the KO fan club which I do not understand.

I think the most of us "Keep KO" folks have realistic expectations. We understand that it is a process. We understand that if you don't get the 5 or 4-star recruits, it is a process of developing the lower rated level star players. We also understand that if you fire a coach, you are not guaranteed anything.

Sure those 20-30 point blowouts are a pain to watch/listen to. Would that make me want to question the coaching or want the coach fired? Nope. Do I watch a UConn practice everyday to see how hard those players and coaches are working? Nope. But if the players and coaches can look in the mirror everyday and and honestly say that they gave 100%, who am I to be critical of what the team and coaching staff are doing.

I am a UConn alum/fan. I cheer for my team win or lose. Through the good and the bad. If we are 35-0 or 0-35, I am cheering on the team and coaching staff. I just have realistic expectations.

 

[superjohn]

Can someone please explain to me why I would care how many applications UConn gets? Unless I'm applying and worried about the competition why would this even be mildly interesting?

Selectivity.

 

[whaler11]

Selectivity.

As it relates to the athletic teams. Why would I care about selectivity?

As a taxpayer I can make a case selectivity has become a net negative. An easy case.

 

[Huskybass]

I think the most of us "Keep KO" folks have realistic expectations. We understand that it is a process. We understand that if you don't get the 5 or 4-star recruits, it is a process of developing the lower rated level star players. We also understand that if you fire a coach, you are not guaranteed anything.

Sure those 20-30 point blowouts are a pain to watch/listen to. Would that make me want to question the coaching or want the coach fired? Nope. Do I watch a UConn practice everyday to see how hard those players and coaches are working? Nope. But if the players and coaches can look in the mirror everyday and and honestly say that they gave 100%, who am I to be critical of what the team and coaching staff are doing.

I am a UConn alum/fan. I cheer for my team win or lose. Through the good and the bad. If we are 35-0 or 0-35, I am cheering on the team and coaching staff. I just have realistic expectations.

You wouldn't enjoy things more if we were a tournament caliber team most years? I don't think that's too much to ask as opposed to this absolute crap we've been seeing for 4 Seasons now.

I really don't think it's being unrealistic to want a tournament caliber team most years.

 

[superjohn]

As it relates to the athletic teams. Why would I care about selectivity?

As a taxpayer I can make a case selectivity has become a net negative. An easy case.

You asked why people should care about more applicants. Selectivity is the reason, it means you are getting more and better applicants which in turn makes your school more competitive. Basketball has been huge in making UConn an all around better University.

 

[whaler11]

You asked why people should care about more applicants. Selectivity is the reason, it means you are getting more and better applicants which in turn makes your school more competitive. Basketball has been huge in making UConn an all around better University.

Basketball has made the university better.

Now why do I care about selectivity when I’m taking about basketball?

The school has probably gotten too selective anyway.

 

[superjohn]

Basketball has made the university better.

Now why do I care about selectivity when I’m taking about basketball?

The school has probably gotten too selective anyway.

Most people want their school to be considered more prestigious. The goal is to be more like Michigan and less like URI.

 

[whaler11]

Most people want their school to be considered more prestigious. The goal is to be more like Michigan and less like URI.

Great if you can sit thousands of miles away and aren’t paying taxes to educate people who aren’t from here and don’t stay here.

It’s prestige for the sake of prestige.

The University should serve the taxpayers who fund it - not the academics who want to opine on college rankings.