shaka smart to illinois
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UCweCONN
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No wonder he seemed so happy at the end of the game. I hope it's not true. I want him at UCONN. I've read that we're losing out on recruits because they don't want to be recruited by assistant coaches when other schools have their head coaches leading their recruiting efforts. It's pretty depressing looking at the top 150 2012 recruits and seeing only one going to UCONN, Instead Calhoun at #38. We've won three national championships in the past 13 years and sent a ton of players to the NBA. You'd think we'd have our pick of recruits every year. It makes a big impact on kids to look up and see Calipari or Roy Williams in the stands. Coaching a top D1 program takes a tremendous amount of energy year-round which is a big reason you can count the number if 70 year-old head coaches on one hand. Does JC have the energy to not only coach but spend the time needed on the recruiting trail? The drama every season about whether JC will or won't be back and how much longer he will stay along with our ineligibility for the tourney next year is really crippling the program. I see Anthony Bennett is still unsigned. Any chance we can get back into the picture and sign him?
Dann
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WHAT???????????????????????????????????
these ast coaches brought in three top kids last year and we have 1 already coming this year. we only have 10ships. we can't just load up on kids right now. were recruiting at the highest level currently right this minute then we ever were. its not even close. do u have a clue the guys were in on and visit to watch all the time???
kids aren't scared of uconn becuase of JC etc. they are being told that ko/Kayleigh Heckel are taking over the program eventually and its all going to be in family and they trust that. know why? becuase every game this year some piece of that large family was around to flex its muscle to help. hell, kembas mom went to games on a island with us. not to mention players and more important people. the kids know those guy are here for the long haul so the JC stuff has no effect on them, him being around only gives them a shot at being around a HOFer which is something special to be aprt of.
these ast coaches brought in three top kids last year and we have 1 already coming this year. we only have 10ships. we can't just load up on kids right now. were recruiting at the highest level currently right this minute then we ever were. its not even close. do u have a clue the guys were in on and visit to watch all the time???
kids aren't scared of uconn becuase of JC etc. they are being told that ko/Kayleigh Heckel are taking over the program eventually and its all going to be in family and they trust that. know why? becuase every game this year some piece of that large family was around to flex its muscle to help. hell, kembas mom went to games on a island with us. not to mention players and more important people. the kids know those guy are here for the long haul so the JC stuff has no effect on them, him being around only gives them a shot at being around a HOFer which is something special to be aprt of.
UCweCONN
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Where are you getting your info from that UCONN is telling recruits that Ollie or Hobbs is taking over? That is news to me. With JC's personality I can't see him giving up any appearance of complete control.
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Every year we see guys who built small programs to relevency bolt for the big pay day and better opportunities of the bigger programs. With every young coach who leaves his school early I simply gain more and more respect for what Calhoun was able to accomplish here. Do you know how easy it would have been for Calhoun to have bolted for greener grass after that 1990 season? Granted, the biggets difference between JC's situation and Smart's or Steven's is that UConn is in the Big East. But the point still stands. There had to be 50-60 better jobs out there offering him more money. JC would have had a shot at immediate gratification but he stuck it out here through some rough seasons and that's why were here today bi*ching because the kids who just won us a national title have no heart.
And that's why I'll always take JC over K no matter what Dick Vitale tells me.
And that's why I'll always take JC over K no matter what Dick Vitale tells me.
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Damn it. He was my number one choice to succeed Calhoun on the sideline. Kids obviously love playing for him, he gets an insane level of effort out of his players, and he knows his Xs and Os. Dude really is "smart" - magna cum laude from Kenyon College. His "havoc" style of basketball is just awesome to watch and I can only imagine what he could do with UConn-level talent.
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Nothing wrong, irresponsible or even dirty about leaving for greener pastures. Better opportunities sometimes come sporadically, and if the family agrees, they should jump on it. Its called 'promotion'.
JC stayed at UConn not necessarily out of loyalty to the school (or the challenge) but also because he has 'solid' roots in the NE. UConn got lucky and were smart in picking a local guy to take the reins. Having a successful program in your 'hometown' is a bonus for JC as well. As for Jim he got his dream job, Shaka, and others are looking for theirs, and I respect that. Hell we do it too, and sometimes not enough.
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I'm not suggesting that there is anything wrong with leaving for a better job. I just have a ton of respect for anybody who is able to achieve such consistent success at a program that was not previously on the map. He could have taken "the easier route" by accepting a more marquee job but he took this one because he wanted to build something special, and he did just that.
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I like shaka smart. seems like a great guy and is apparantly an excellent coach. i think in a few years people could be saying the same about KO. i dont see whats this obsession with finding a big name to replace calhoun and how KO isnt ready to take over a program at this level. look around the nation there are lots of great young coaches that have taken over programs with not much previous experience and have had big time success. i wont lose a second of sleep when JC retires and KO is named head coach.
The college game is about recruiting. if you can bring in the recruits your going to be successful and KO can recruit. can he coach? hopefully we`ll find out in the next few years.
The college game is about recruiting. if you can bring in the recruits your going to be successful and KO can recruit. can he coach? hopefully we`ll find out in the next few years.
cohenzone
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We'd better hope UConn makes a wise choice and not just a popular one when JC retires. As I've said in other posts, I'm not against hiring someone from the UConn family, but I am for hiring the best person available even it is someone not from the "family". If a family guy persists in following UConn's ugly style of playing O, I'm not that crazy about the idea.
Obviously, recruiting is a major element in winning games, but as we are seeing more and more every year, there is one heck of a lot of talent we never heard of that surfaces in the tournament or in games we play against "lesser" teams - hello Jeremy Lin. Putting talent together into a cohesive unit is maybe the most important trait. Who recruits better than Calipari? Are they a lock to win anything? Haven't so far, not to say they won't this year.
And I don't mean this to seem stupid, but it is easy to be fooled by last year's NC as being a product of great coaching. The team last year pretty much performed throughout the year roughly like this year's team, but had a great run on the back of one of the 2 or 3 best leaders we ever had, maybe any team ever had. The "talent" was essentially the same this year except with a year more experience with the supposedly notable addition of 3 top notch recruits, including one many ranked as numero uno. We have a coaching staff aside from JC that has 3 ex- head D1 coaches plus KO and Kelis Fisher. Our inside game was too often horrible, the D erratic as all hell and the O dominated by too much dribbling and a notable lack of movement by players and the ball. Even accounting for JC's absences and the saga of Ryan, you would think all of these "family" guys sitting on the bench would be able to manage the situation if that is what we are looking for going forward. The next guy at the head needs to be chosen with care.
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Can't argue with on his style of coaching... He would've been ideal for a replacement for Calhoun ( whenever he decides to retire )... But in all honesty he probably wouldn't be a top choice as a replacement for us... One of Calhoun's former assistants/players with coaching experience would get looks over him first... Not saying I agree with that logic but that's probably what would happen first...
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