Reservoir of animosity ...

[Pudge]

http://bostonherald.com/sports/colu...calhoun_was_college_basketballs_last_warrior/

This is the Orange County Register's Mark Whicker (who gets syndicated nationally). You can look it up ... he has been a supportive complimentary writer of Calhoun for as long as I remember. I recall a very cool column after our 1999 win.

My feeling ... based on my rubbing shoulders with CBB coaches/insiders at Saratoga annually ... has been that Jim Calhoun did not play "the game". He was old-school. Fiercely competitive & ornery often. He has his peers who love him; but, he has a large swath of younger dudes that can't stand him. Many just because he kicked ass all over for 40 years. Whicker touches on this in this column. There is a "culture" whereby these coaches hang together; play golf together; trade assistants/help each other if it benefits self-interest. Calhoun is out of that loop. It's why the Calipari et al clique appears to be oil & water with our guy ... they are. Calhoun just operated in a way that pre-dates the 1990 starts to many of these guys careers. Caste system? Generational gap? And ... just one guy who fought every step.

And, this carries over to a handful of national writers who ... either they are in the pocket/buddies with some of these coaches/insiders OR they got rebuffed by Calhoun in some manner (be it ever so insignificant). They feel empowered to overlook the truly wonderful greater picture: Family; Loyalty; Charity; and raising Kids to Men.

We forgive them. But, Whicker's column lays bare the last piece: we aren't going to see many like him going forward.

 

[mauconnfan]

Thanks Pudge........nice read!!

 

[suzyq]

Thanks Pudge........nice read!!

And ESPN did a bit this morning with Bob Ley saying that Calhoun's departure would surely be the final death knell of the Big East.

 

[mauconnfan]

And ESPN did a bit this morning with Bob Ley saying that Calhoun's departure would surely be the final death knell of the Big East.

Wow didn't see that....how is Bob Ley still on?? LOL


Maybe the way the Husky Fball team fans traveled to maryland the ACC will be calling soon??

 

[TracerBullet]

Great read Pudge. Thanks! JC certainly never worried about being one of the popular "kids". The UConn family was all that he needed and vice versa.

 

[tzznandrew]

I get the sense that he gets along and likes just a few coaches: Boeheim, K.... I don't think I can think of another active coach that he likes....

 

[8893]

I get the sense that he gets along and likes just a few coaches: Boeheim, K.... I don't think I can think of another active coach that he likes....

Izzo, I think.

Great read; didn't know what to expect from the thread title.

 

[TheChamps990411]

Wow didn't see that....how is Bob Ley still on?? LOL


Maybe the way the Husky Fball team fans traveled to maryland the ACC will be calling soon??

i think now that calhoun is gone its possible uconn could end up in the acc.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

He does have a great relationship with Izzo and he thinks the world of Jamie Dixon. Also, a year and a half ago in Houston he couldn't stop praising both Stevens and Smart. I don't know if this means they feel the same about him but I would wager that this praise has played a role in the rumors of Shaka holding out for the UConn job.

JC was the best. It is as simple as that. Old fashioned, tough as nails, loyal and caring until the end. F anyone who doesn't see the value in this.

 

[upstater]

He said he's friends with Beilien and likes him a lot too.

 

[tzznandrew]

So the list of "friends": JB, K, Izzo, Beilein. Respects Dixon, Smart, Stevens. I know he got along with (or at least there are stories of advice and friendliness) with Knight as well. And I assume Dean Smith.

Still quite small if you compare it to Roy Boy or others.

 

[mauconnfan]

So the list of "friends": JB, K, Izzo, Beilein. Respects Dixon, Smart, Stevens. I know he got along with (or at least there are stories of advice and friendliness) with Knight as well. And I assume Dean Smith.

Still quite small if you compare it to Roy Boy or others.

The good news is he won so they can go out on cruises and vacations together, I'll take the ornery guy who doesn't get along with everyone and just wins!!

 

[upstater]

Calhoun also said that he was invited to camp with the Boston Celtics in the 1960s. His roommate for camp? John Thompson.

 

[Kitaman]

Thanks Pudge Great read. Its so great to have seen him coach more games than not. We are so fortunate and able to compare any future coach in the land to someone we admired, saw and followed practically everyday. We witnessed greatness and sadly the extinction of a true breed coach.

No fan knew him like us!