Replacing a Legend and Recovering

[LIuconn]

So playing a Frank haith team hard is good enough?

Ollie got rid of the coaches with HC experience and it's been a disaster since. IDK if it's insecurity or what, but the time to do the right thing is here

 

[huskiesnyc]

Ollie is a disaster. We’ll average 5k attendance next year with him.

 

[Caronimo]

I kinda feel like the players wouldn’t be all that bummed about it.

Yes they would be. After all, it’s partially their fault if he gets canned

 

[upstater]

What is the upside, as opposed to waiting? It's not going to magically change the team's results. No one is coming in midseason to coach either. The only thing it does is give us a much higher probability of losing recruits and current players on the roster. That's it.

You need somebody in place quickly to go after kids.

Not only that, but it's not a good look to humiliate your coach. Not the kind of thing other coaches find attractive.

 

[nychuskyfan]

He would never do it and what men's high school recruit is going to commit to a women's basketball coach who may only be there a year or two?

He’s not just another “women’s basketball coach”. He has more gravitas walking into a recruit’s house than any of the other coaching options I’ve heard thrown around the last few weeks, realistic or otherwise. This board would be thrilled to get Tim Pikiell who has accomplished nothing and no recruit has ever heard of and yet goes ballistic if Geno is brought up. Is it risky and unconventional? Yes. But Jim Calhoun isn’t walking through that door.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Where’s Martin Lawrence?

 

[JMick]

I'm 100% for it to ride out Ollie's contract if they can't get the buyout money and Geno continues to coach for free. Think about it this way - would you rather pay Ollie $3mm/year to coach or would you rather have Geno coach for free and pay Ollie $3mm/year no to coach

 

[UConnNick]

What is the upside, as opposed to waiting? It's not going to magically change the team's results. No one is coming in midseason to coach either. The only thing it does is give us a much higher probability of losing recruits and current players on the roster. That's it.

You need somebody in place quickly to go after kids.

Correct. If you fire him now, one of the assistants gets elevated to being the interim head coach until the season ends. Then you get an announcement about who the new coach is. That's a double dose of uncertainty. Recruits will likely decommit, players will likely transfer, and you've got a worse mess on your hands.

 

[nychuskyfan]

Considering many here agree with me, and have been much more harsh in their take, I'm surprised you feel that way.

I don’t think most people would say there’s no indication he could coach men and it’s a different sport. There are much more rational and nuanced arguments against it.

 

[Walker11]

As awful as I may be now, I must have been just a terrible person in a prior life to be saddled with being a UConn fan.

It's as though Connecticut is the place sports forgot.

You could be born in Georgia. Especially after they get dumped by 21 versus Bama. There has been no similar sports fan experience to the UCONN fan experience though, thats for sure.

 

[Huskyforlife]

The one plus of this happening is the attention it would bring the program. It would be a really interesting story.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

He’s not just another “women’s basketball coach”. He has more gravitas walking into a recruit’s house than any of the other coaching options I’ve heard thrown around the last few weeks, realistic or otherwise. This board would be thrilled to get Tim Pikiell who has accomplished nothing and no recruit has ever heard of and yet goes ballistic if Geno is brought up. Is it risky and unconventional? Yes. But Jim Calhoun isn’t walking through that door.

You are literally insane.

 

[djct1999]

And if geno doesn't want to, maybe Brad Stevens wants to come back to college and loves living in the northeast, especially in the winter.

 

[8893]

Honest question. Why the visceral reaction every time this is suggested? Is it because it’s well known that he would never do it or because people are skeptical he’d be a good mens’ coach?

For me, the pizza selections at his restaurant raise serious questions about his judgment.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

The effort was far better than what we've seen earlier this season (for a game following a decent effort against a better team) but that is the only positive.

A couple of points that cost us:

Although we played a far better team game offensively tonight than we have in the past there still were a number of lapses (too many to list) where we reverted to stupid play. If we avoid those lapses, we a) never would have needed to recover from a nine point second half deficit and would have built a sufficient lead to withstand a very late comeback or b) we would have been able to close the game out in regulation if we hadn't avoided the nine point deficit or c) we would have been able to close out the first overtime if we hadn't avoided the lapses referenced in (a) or (b) or d) we wouldn't have fallen behind by two possessions in the second overtime.

Our best offensive lineup tonight included a player (Anderson) the opponent knows is no threat to score. This makes it considerably easier to defend the three primary scorers (Adams, Larrier, Vital).

The perimeter defense still was slow to react far too often, even with the handful of quality stretches of defense. Add to this that we could have fouled the dribbler (who passed the ball for the game tying three) with under five seconds remaining and no possibility for him to get a shot off, giving Tulsa only the hope of a make with a miss then a put back to extend the game.

The low hoops IQ (both offensively and defensively), lack of quality depth in the backcourt and shortage of scorers is all on the head coach and his staff. A win tonight would not have been anything monumental. It would merely have been a small step in the right direction, with many, many more needed over the next couple of months.

 

[Huskyforlife]

I don’t think most people would say there’s no indication he could coach men and it’s a different sport. There are much more rational and nuanced arguments against it.

Geno would have to adjust to the size, athleticism, and speed of the game. It really is a different sport.

Could he do it? Probably, he nailed his sport down to a science. If he'd do it for free, I'd give him a chance.

I would rather go after someone who proved he could coach this game, we don't have many years left before our brand is damaged beyond repair.

 

[Walker11]

You are literally insane.

Is he insane for legitimately considering the possibility or because he thinks Geno would be successful? I think Geno would kill it as a men's coach. I think John Wooden would be a more likely candidate.

 

[JMick]

Geno would have to adjust to the size, athleticism, and speed of the game. It really is a different sport.

Could he do it? Probably, he nailed his sport down to a science. If he'd do it for free, I'd give him a chance.

I would rather go after someone who proved he could coach this game, we don't have many years left before our brand is damaged beyond repair.

if he offered to do it for free I'm 100% down. It'd be like the Edsall sweetheart deal but better

 

[whaler11]

Eat that statement whaler. the last 30 years happened. and it was good.

For the men's basketball program yes. Everywhere else in the world gets to have nice things, the one nice thing we had got taken away from us. Now we get the AAC, arenas where the bathrooms don't work, Kevin Ollie and we have to listen to the delusions of women's basketball fans who have somehow conflated UConn women's basketball with other sports and don't see to get that it ain't quite like that in the real world.

Why does everyone else in the world get to keep competing but UConn has actual fans saying - well that was a good run, take up numismatics or become an arctophile.

I'm going to Clemson at NC State next Thursday - always a jarring experience to visit the outside world. It's like living in woods in that M. Night Shamalan movie.

 

[djct1999]

Honest question. Why the visceral reaction every time this is suggested? Is it because it’s well known that he would never do it or because people are skeptical he’d be a good mens’ coach?

Because it's just that stupid of an idea. I would hope no one would think Geno isn't capable. It's more Geno would never want to.

It's probably best for the yard to take a moment to catch its breath and face reality. The next men's coach will, at first, underwhelm you in name.

 

[Skiblets]

If he killed his parents they would say it's because he's an orphan.

Best line of the night!!!

 

[JMick]

Why does everyone else in the world get to keep competing but UConn has actual fans saying - well that was a good run, take up numismatics or become an arctophile.

it's mind-boggling. so many people are ok with everything just dying off.

 

[whaler11]

He’s not just another “women’s basketball coach”. He has more gravitas walking into a recruit’s house than any of the other coaching options I’ve heard thrown around the last few weeks, realistic or otherwise. This board would be thrilled to get Tim Pikiell who has accomplished nothing and no recruit has ever heard of and yet goes ballistic if Geno is brought up. Is it risky and unconventional? Yes. But Jim Calhoun isn’t walking through that door.

Tim Pikiell has accomplished little coaching. Steve Pikiell is the coach at Rutgers. I'm sure a big UConn fan like you knew that though.

 

[Waquoit]

No he’s insane because he has imagined someone named Tim Pikiell.

Steve's brother. UConn fans know that.

 

[whaler11]

No he’s insane because he has imagined someone named Tim Pikiell.

He's not imaginary - he just runs a construction company (I think).