SI: How Kevin Ollie Could Contest UConn's 'Just Cause' Firing

[Huskybass]

Nope - don’t want to become a witness.

Can I get a witness?

 

[noeynox]

Ridiculous.

The burden is on UConn not Ollie.

If UConn doesnt offer him an acceptable deal he would be mind numbingly stupid to not fight this tooth and nail.

I really think people are being homers on this one which I get.

Ollie has a contract detailing his payout if terminated. Until we know for sure what the "just cause" is we are all guessing. Every once in a while someone says the hell with a settlement this is about principle. If the just cause turns out to be impermissible practices and too much cream cheese on bagels Uconn looks incredibly bad. Every day this drags on it looks bad for the school. This school needs to get out of the business of buyouts it can't afford to pay without shenanigans.

 

[BaZZnBOAT]

Nope - don’t want to become a witness.

Nothing but respect for MY President.

 

[8893]

. If the just cause turns out to be impermissible practices and too much cream cheese on bagels Uconn looks incredibly bad.

Depends. What type of cream cheese we talking? If it's that veggie cream cheese crap they really have no other choice.

 

[Javjudah]

His entire reputation as an upstanding human being? He still has that to lose. He can go to the NBA even with college recruiting violations

Maybe he is defending his reputation as an upstanding human being and there is no price on that especially if he didn't commit any infractions. Priceless..

"• UConn is deceitfully using the “just cause” classification to fire Ollie so that it can avoid paying Ollie the remainder of his contract.."

"• UConn has damaged Ollie’s name by depicting him as corrupt and have made it impossible for him to land a similar coaching position.."

 

[whaler11]

For 11 million dollars you fools would be welcome to tell anyone, anything you like about me.

Do you guys even pay attention to the world?

You can do almost ANYTHING and almost no one cares. The Thunder aren’t going to hire someone because he had an active Tinder account? Because they held illegal workouts?

Unless they have something a lot more interesting than what I’ve heard why would anyone give up millions of dollars over it?

 

[CardiffGiant]

What further damage? UConn trashed his reputation when they fired him for cause.

I know there is a lot of Ollie hate on this board and posters think that because they don't like Ollie that UConn doesn't have to pay him, but that is not how contracts or negotiations work.

The University could not open the door to negotiations without first taking the legal steps that they had to take, meaning that they had to assert they had the grounds to fire him for cause first before they begin negotiating. If they didn't do that, and they communicated with KO to try to negotiate a buyout first, the grounds for the for cause firing could be considered a pretext(KO could claim that it was just a concocted excuse to fire him when they had already made up they mind to get rid of him without cause) and that would support KO's defense. It is unfortunate that the University had to take the very public and unfortunate first step in firing him for cause, but they really did not have much of a choice.

 

[whaler11]

BTW. Since so many think UConn is going to get out of this at a lot less than 11 million..

Nobody ever went broke fading the Boneyard.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

His entire reputation as an upstanding human being? He still has that to lose. He can go to the NBA even with college recruiting violations

FYI...I know personally KO's golf instructor. As a matter of fact we share a few "cocktails" together on occasion.

I bet... I know more than you! Notice though I keep my cards close to the vest like the world class poker player I am.

None of this in 20 minutes I am going to the car wash folks!

You feelin' me brotha J?

 

[Javjudah]

The University could not open the door to negotiations without first taking the legal steps that they had to take, meaning that they had to assert they had the grounds to fire him for cause first before they begin negotiating. If they didn't do that, and they communicated with KO to try to negotiate a buyout first, the grounds for the for cause firing could be considered a pretext(KO could claim that it was just a concocted excuse to fire him when they had already made up they mind to get rid of him without cause) and that would support KO's defense. It is unfortunate that the University had to take the very public and unfortunate first step in firing him for cause, but they really did not have much of a choice.

Yes, they had another choice. Fire him, pay him his money and keep it moving.

 

[August_West]

BTW. Since so many think UConn is going to get out of this at a lot less than 11 million..

Nobody ever went broke fading the Boneyard.

The icing on the cake will be while this whole protracted mess plays out Pitt will be rolling an ACC wheelbarrow full of cash at Hurley.

 

[whaler11]

The icing on the cake will be while this whole protracted mess plays out Pitt will be rolling an ACC wheelbarrow full of cash at Hurley.

Rich famous divorced guy plows through single women. Film at 11.

 

[August_West]

Rich famous divorced guy plows through single women. Film at 11.

#poorJmick

 

[August_West]

Yes, they had another choice. Fire him, pay him his money and keep it moving.

Especially since rumors were donors funding.

 

[noeynox]

Rich famous divorced guy plows through single women. Film at 11.

I didn't want to go there, but recently divorced guy trying to score some ass doesn't seem overly egregious to me. Sorry it just doesnt.

And your other point is also true. Kevin Ollie had enough success early on that he will get offered another college job if he wants it. He seems to have gotten lazy and complacent here and it cost him. He is young enough, and had enough initial success he can start over at a low or mid major and make his way back up the ladder if he chooses to do so. Just can't be lazy and complacent.

 

[JMick]

Rich famous divorced guy plows through single women. Film at 11.

Lol @ the idea that it only happened when get got divorced

 

[CL82]

What further damage? UConn trashed his reputation when they fired him for cause.

I know there is a lot of Ollie hate on this board and posters think that because they don't like Ollie that UConn doesn't have to pay him, but that is not how contracts or negotiations work.

So you really think anyone thinks that?

In any event by the same measure, just because people remember Ollie fondly as a player and as coach of the 2014 championship team doesn't mean that his (well documented) obligations don't exist or should be forgiven. The standard for "just cause" termination are clear and expressly include the failure to comply NCAA rules (or the failure to correct subordinates' non-compliance after proper notice.)

Ignoring that language "isn't how contracts work."

 

[whaler11]

Lol @ the idea that it only happened when get got divorced

LOL @ the idea anyone cares.

The NBA is like Sodom and Gomorrah. When they publish surveys that 80% of the WIVES cheat imagine what it is like.

I have friends who worked for teams in positions where you have to deal with the groupies. It’s a circus.

 

[whaler11]

I didn't want to go there, but recently divorced guy trying to score some ass doesn't seem overly egregious to me. Sorry it just doesnt.

And your other point is also true. Kevin Ollie had enough success early on that he will get offered another college job if he wants it. He seems to have gotten lazy and complacent here and it cost him. He is young enough, and had enough initial success he can start over at a low or mid major and make his way back up the ladder if he chooses to do so. Just can't be lazy and complacent.

But if your issue is being lazy and complacient... don’t you really want your $11 million so you don’t have to work?

 

[Stainmaster]

LOL @ the idea anyone cares.

The NBA is like Sodom and Gomorrah. When they publish surveys that 80% of the WIVES cheat imagine what it is like.

I have friends who worked for teams in positions where you have to deal with the groupies. It’s a circus.

Almost all of them avoid letting those pursuits get in the way of doing their jobs. Ollie didn’t.

 

[CL82]

If UConn doesnt offer him an acceptable deal he would be mind numbingly stupid to not fight this tooth and nail.

Kind of. It is probably in his best interest to reach a negotiated settlement unless he was fully in compliance with NCAA rules, in which case someone at UConn should probably be fired.

In any event, this initial appeal just earned him more salary, at least in the union's worldview. I suspect that KO will delay through the Herbst appeal and then settle.

 

[CL82]

Yes, they had another choice. Fire him, pay him his money and keep it moving money that he isn't entitled to and be pilloried in a later State review.

Alternative view...

 

[Javjudah]

Public humiliation is what Ollie is enduring currently, and it wouldn't be fair "when the rabbit get the gun." Dave Benedict and Susan Herbst may have to resign because of the mess this may cause. Ollie, if clean, I believe will fight this until the end unless they fire him and give him his money to avoid humiliation (I don't think this is about money right now). He will make sure Herbst and Benedict get a taste of public humiliation. If Ollie is clear from any wrongdoing the media will kill Benedict and Herbst for
1. deceitfully using the “just cause” classification to fire Ollie so that it can avoid paying Ollie the remainder of his contract;
2. • UConn has damaged Ollie’s name by depicting him as corrupt and have made it impossible for him to land a similar coaching position;

The NCAA may finally give UCONN a break and announce that Coach Ollie and UCONN men's basketball didn't commit any infractions. They will then sit and watch from the sidelines as UCONN' brain trust dig themselves there graves.

 

[whaler11]

Almost all of them avoid letting those pursuits get in the way of doing their jobs. Ollie didn’t.

This can’t be serious coming from you.

 

[whaler11]

This is an athletic department that lacks the juice to get Corey Edsall settled.

I wouldn’t dream too big on them.