Shaka #13 on ESPN's list. KO Officially ranked higher

[OkaForPrez]

Your thoughts, @freescooter?

 

[Kitaman]

Its confirmed, Ollie has become a 'media darling'. It will be interesting to see where this takes us (coverage, recruiting, spotlight, etc.). Anywhere in the top ten would be fantastic!

 

[amory]

...why on earth would Kevin Ollie be ranked lower than Shaka Smart?

I mean Smart is a great coach but Ollie just won a championship in his second year.

 

[OkaForPrez]

...why on earth would Kevin Ollie be ranked lower than Shaka Smart?

I mean Smart is a great coach but Ollie just won a championship in his second year.

Can't a guy take the opportunity to cheap shot scoot every time its on the table?

 

[ConnHuskBask]

My favorite freescooter line was " big name" coach. I asked him like ten times to name a big name coach that was reasonable (I.e. not getting K from duke) and the best he could muster was I think Sean Miller, lol.

 

[aceboon]

where was Herb Sendek ranked?

 

[CL82]

I gotta say, while Ollie was my first choice, I wouldn't have been unhappy with Smart. In hindsight, however, I can't imagine how we could have done any better.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Because this deserves its own thread

 

[OkaForPrez]

Because this deserves its own thread

Yes, it does.

http://www.the-boneyard.com/search/13960035/?q=shaka&o=date&c[user][0]=1023

 

[Inyatkin]

Yes, it does.

http://www.the-boneyard.com/search/13960035/?q=shaka&o=date&c[user][0]=1023

Every line in there is painful. Every one.

 

[selles]

Yes, it does.

http://www.the-boneyard.com/search/13960035/?q=shaka&o=date&c[user][0]=1023

There's being wrong, and then there's being SPECTACULARLY wrong....

 

[aceboon]

some more goodies

http://www.the-boneyard.com/search/13960199/?q=sendek&o=date&c[node]=3 18 34&c[user][0]=1023

"My gut tells me he's Herb Sendek. Good enough that you can't really get rid of him but not so good that you're ever going to have to worry about making plans for the first Monday in April. But we'll see." - @freescooter

 

[Rocktheworld]

Yes, it does.

http://www.the-boneyard.com/search/13960035/?q=shaka&o=date&c[user][0]=1023

Don't get me wrong, I get it, but imo the fewer times we invoke freescooter, the better.

 

[nomar]

He's like the Candyman...say his name too many times and he'll appear and ruin everything.

 

[nomar]

some more goodies

http://www.the-boneyard.com/search/13960199/?q=sendek&o=date&c[node]=3 18 34&c[user][0]=1023

"My gut tells me he's Herb Sendek. Good enough that you can't really get rid of him but not so good that you're ever going to have to worry about making plans for the first Monday in April. But we'll see." - @freescooter

That's terrific. This one is also great:

"I posted a while ago that Smart would be a good replacement for Calhoun. I got lots of pushback that he was unproven, he would struggle against better competition and other similar nonsense. So given that he finished the regular season 26-8, got to the A-10 finals in his first year in the league, finished ahead of Butler and has a 5 seed in the upcoming Tournament, anyone still think he isn't a terrific coach? Reminds me of a young Jim Calhoun. Of course we have Kevin Ollie who is probably going to be fine. Probably will win 20 games a year from now until he retires at UConn."

Hey, he nailed it: KO is probably going to be fine.

 

[UConnSwag11]

...why on earth would Kevin Ollie be ranked lower than Shaka Smart?

I mean Smart is a great coach but Ollie just won a championship in his second year.

technically first, wasn't his first year a couple month contracts at a time?

 

[tzznandrew]

I didn't love they way the whole Calhoun-Manuel event went down, and I was certainly a KO skeptic worried that JC had pushed him before he was ready, so I am loathe to jump on anyone who had a similar view.

But holy shnikes, those are some absurd posts from free.

 

[Inyatkin]

I didn't love they way the whole Calhoun-Manuel event went down, and I was certainly a KO skeptic worried that JC had pushed him before he was ready, so I am loathe to jump on anyone who had a similar view.

But holy shnikes, those are some absurd posts from free.

SENDEK!!

 

[Kitaman]

I would love to go to the casino and play roulette (red/black, odd/even) alongside him.

I would do opposite betting all night long.

 

[James]

I would have offed myself if we had a coach who full court pressed and trapped every game. Junk defense

 

[intlzncster]

technically first, wasn't his first year a couple month contracts at a time?

Add this technicality: He won his first title in his first NCAA tournament. They weren't even eligible the year before; I have to think they'd have won it in 2013, because.....KO.

 

[intlzncster]

I didn't love they way the whole Calhoun-Manuel event went down, and I was certainly a KO skeptic worried that JC had pushed him before he was ready, so I am loathe to jump on anyone who had a similar view.
But holy shnikes, those are some absurd posts from free.

I had no idea how Ollie would perform, but I was willing to give him 4 years or so (got to at least let your first class graduate.

That said, you knew JC was going to pull that move. He's been saying he would for years, if you read between the lines. As he mentioned many a time, he learned all that stuff from Dean Smith.

 

[johnhuskies95]

I didn't love they way the whole Calhoun-Manuel event went down, and I was certainly a KO skeptic worried that JC had pushed him before he was ready, so I am loathe to jump on anyone who had a similar view.

But holy shnikes, those are some absurd posts from free.

I agree with this.

FWIW, I think Manuel handled that situation about as well as he could have, and UConn fans made him out to be something of a villain because we're always adamant that everyone is against us, even our own athletic director.

 

[Gurleyman]

I'll never forget how Impressed I was with KO as an assistant coach. I was lucky enough to get tickets to the 09 final four and couldn't believe just how involved he was with each player before the game. He was out on the court doing the drills, passing the ball, blowing the whistle, etc. Too bad they lost but you could REALLY see the passion from him. I can't say I knew he would be at this level but you could see something special when he was an assistant.

Hate to break it to you, but you were probably looking at Andre LeFleur. Ollie was still playing with the Minnesota Timberwolves that year.

 

[Dogbreath2U]

I had no idea how Ollie would perform, but I was willing to give him 4 years or so (got to at least let your first class graduate.

That said, you knew JC was going to pull that move. He's been saying he would for years, if you read between the lines. As he mentioned many a time, he learned all that stuff from Dean Smith.

We are quick to acknowledge the brilliance of Jim Calhoun as a coach with a particularly good eye for undiscovered or under-ranked talent. The lack of faith in KO showed a lack of faith in Jim Calhoun's likely motivation and integrity to pick the right guy to carry on his baby. He picked KO over a lot of other assistants and ex-players and, with hindsight, it should not have been a surprise that JC would set aside loyalties for the sake of the program as a whole. You know, JC is a pretty smart guy.