Basically JP Macura.
Paul Mulcahy
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Basically JP Macura.
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JP had some extra curriculars that added to his image.
There's also no place for self-righteous posts condemning people you don't know.
Maybe I should avoid one liners. I've only been posting comments for a few months, they tend to be long and many relate to our history. Anecdotes about various players, how we felt as the program developed, etc.
But one thought from the end of Calhoun's time and seemingly throughout Ollie's tenure was how we seemed to get away from recruiting the kind of players that made UConn great. Guys who knew how to play, regardless of their height and weight. Guys who may not have had great shooting ability but bought in to a team environment and who had a great desire to win.
Nadav Henefeld, Kevin Freeman and Khalid El Amin come to mind along with Ricky Moore and many others. How did Toraino Walker and Dan Cyrulik neutralize Alonzo Mourning and Dikembe Mutombo in the 1990 Big East semi-final? I was there and still don't know how they did it. And, I'll never forget how arrogant Derrick Coleman was before and at halftime of the Big East Championship game the next night, but not after the game. Coleman, Billy Owens, and Stevie Thompson beaten by a team that wanted it more. How did Napier and Boatright negate the Harrison twins? Wasn't beating Kentucky with all the five stars more fun than losing to George Mason with a team that didn't seem to have the will to win that the 2014 team had?
Some here have said Calhoun seemed to veer into recruiting athletes he believed he could turn into basketball players and Ollie seemed to be trying to create a roster of Durants (position less in his words) and chased a lot of one and done's to no avail. And, those going crazy speculating on all the five stars Hurley would bring in seem to be in favor of going after the hype rather then the formula that was proven here for 30 years and seems to be thriving again at Villanova. Have any of the geniuses here ever had to manage a group of egotistical individuals and try to make them work for the betterment of the group?
Who knows if Ollie would have taken Henefeld, who came out of nowhere, didn't have great stats (except steals) and helped make a questionable roster into a great team. Would Ollie believe a 5'10", 220 pound, point guard would ever be a great player? Who knows, but we do know Khalid El Amin brought the moxie we had never seen on a UConn team (at least none I could ever remember) and his attitude about "shocking the world" may have been the key to 1999. I remember wanting very much to see him play and will never forget the first exhibition game his freshman year when we saw just how confident he was and how much fun we'd be having watching him. Would he have been recruited the past five or ten years? Or didn't he fit the formula?
We had, as I said in another post, a lot of people giddy with excitement about all the Lecques that would soon be signing with UConn. The quick fix. Saying take him even if we have to take a friend of his some believe is not worthy of a scholarship. Didn't we get enough ill suited recruits the past four or five years?
Hurley has a tough decision to make regarding taking great athletes who may stay a year and win for us like Carmelo Anthony did for Syracuse versus building a program with continuity.
Based on offers to Mulcahy and reportedly to some others that are not five stars, it sure looks as if Hurley is following a different course.
intlzncster
i fart in your general direction
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This coming year, we need a quick fix. We need a guy who can play, but will only take up a scholarship for a year. Most of 2018's best is gone, and we have holes. So focus on 2019, but try to temporarily plug those holes. Lecque* would be perfect for that. So would a solid grad transfer or two.
A big part of next year is about optics for UCONN. If we can make some sort of move back into the conversation, it will go a long, long way to help right the ship permanently.
*I don't think anybody has a solid grasp on Romero yet.
It's not either/or. Pretty sure he wants to do both. All UCONN's championships had at least one 5 star on the roster.
You need glue guys, experiencedm, quality 4star types, and elite players. Most elite players come from the 5star end of the pool (Shabazz a notable exception, though his reclassification screwed up his ranking).
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Well if you read my post, you will see that I used the word "IF", and have highlighted it above, because I didn't think anything negative was meant initially by your post. Though "complexion" is an unusual word choice, my assumption was that you meant it in a figurative sense, not literal, and I actually liked your post. It was afterwards when it was suggested the word complexion may have been meant in a literal sense, that my reaction changed and I unliked your post.
As for your comment to me, I'm certainly not being self-righteous if the word was meant in the literal sense, as suggested by others. I don't know anyone who would think it's alright in that way. If that's the way it was intended, then I sure will condemn it and anyone who used it with that intention. That said, I really hope you meant nothing negative and can clear it all up by saying your intention was to use it figuratively and we can all move on, without animosity, as Husky fans. Thanks!
Well if you read my post, you will see that I used the word "IF", and have highlighted it above, because I didn't think anything negative was meant initially by your post. Though "complexion" is an unusual word choice, my assumption was that you meant it in a figurative sense, not literal, and I actually liked your post. It was afterwards when it was suggested the word complexion may have been meant in a literal sense, that my reaction changed and I unliked your post.
As for your comment to me, I'm certainly not being self-righteous if the word was meant in the literal sense, as suggested by others. I don't know anyone who would think it's alright in that way. If that's the way it was intended, then I sure will condemn it and anyone who used it with that intention. That said, I really hope you meant nothing negative and can clear it all up by saying your intention was to use it figuratively and we can all move on, without animosity, as Husky fans. Thanks!
Amen. You weren't the only one to comment but unfortunately I used yours as the one to reply to. Not for any reason other than I didn't think to start a "new" comment, so I apologize for that.
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Good points. I just don't want to overlook the need to start building a strong program again and fear the outcome might be the same for Hurley as for Ollie if we spend most of our recruiting chasing five stars.
Don't know if you saw it, but there was an article about Hurley in which the writer spoke with a number of high school coaches in New Jersey and they said kids are looking for the league in which the school plays more than they once did. If that's the case Hurley's name may not bring the five stars, but let us pray for him and the recruiters he's brought in.
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He had home visits with a couple other schools this weekend.
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Batting "One Thousand" is batting 1.000 or 100%; like batting "Three Hundred" is batting .300 or 30%.
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Remember Rip Hamilton? He never weighed a lot!
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Ummm, they were in the NC game with us in 2014, won the NC in 2012, and were in the FF in 2011... they get knocked out of the tourney every year? At least they’re IN the tourney every year and I’d take those results...
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Long... but well written post.
We could use a UConn basketball past to present book ya know
gtcam
Diehard since '65
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I hear what you are saying but it is true - if they don't win it all they do get knocked out
yeah they are IN the tournament BUT to have that talent and not win on a more consistent basis is not results I would be happy with - same at Duke. In past 8 plus years both programs have been consistently ranked 1 and 2 in recruitment and how many NCs?
In terms of past 20 years they have been in the tourney more than UConn but UConn has won more NCs and I'll take those results...
UconnU
If he blocks 100, he blocks 100
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Irish kid from the Jersey City area, whos family grew up with the Hurleys, who has a relationship with our new assistant coach from AAU. I like our chances better than anyone elses.
Matrim55
Why is it so hard To make it in America
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There's a decent chance we land him & Delaire in the coming weeks.
Exit 4
This space for rent
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Just based on the vibe and various cryptic comments by insiders here it does seem like our 2019 class starts with these two which would be fantastic.
Stainmaster
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Seeing all of these other coaches get in-home visits is a little concerning.
Hurley really ought to see the man Mulcahy.
Hurley really ought to see the man Mulcahy.
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