Some quotes from Dave Benedict

[RJScootin]

The lights are out. Benedict wouldn’t talk to KO the night before a game, if the plan is for him to be here next year. A donor step forward for a negotiated buyout a few weeks ago - Oz did not apparently realize it until last night.

Thank you! Was waiting for an insider to confirm the nightmare will end.

 

[the Q]

No he went because he thought he should play more. Not the first kid to leave a school for that reason.

The worst part about guys Like Durham is that if they do good next year everyone will say they could’ve done that this year, but will forget that he got an extra year to get healthy, practice and build up his body.

 

[CTBasketball]

The worst part about guys Like Durham is that if they do good next year everyone will say they could’ve done that this year, but will forget that he got an extra year to get healthy, practice and build up his body.

And they upgraded coaching staffs.

 

[UConnStats]

Not to burst anyone’s bubble, but putting stock into public statements made by the AD is folly. Ollie is still done.

 

[dennismenace]

Good Lord. I know we had injuries last year. This year, other than losing Gilbert, we have been injury free. Most teams have it much worse.

I suspect he’s back because we can’t afford to let him go. That makes me sad, because all you have to do is watch them, and see his decisions to tell that he is a pretty bad basketball coach. He still doesn’t know who his best players are and his better lineups. Still. Last game of the year and the guys played hard, but his personnel and strategy decisions doomed them.

I can only hope they find a way to move on from him. You could give him James Harden and he’d sit him on the bench.

To me the most disheartening thing about this team is a lack of identity. By that I mean "we are Uconn" (UNITY) is missing from the minds of this years team as well as the last few years going back to the end of Bazz year. It's a "we" thing and KO can talk about it and the jersey but it must be decisively defined and drilled every day with plans. He looks confused and overwhelmed for years now and I think it is time for a change for the best interests of everyone. Mantras are fine but they must be backed up with action plans that make sense and that leadership must come from the top. Cannot be waffling every week. Those plans are foundational. Not sure where he got the S and C ideas but our guys with the exception of Dave (a transfer) and Vital look like they got lost in the desert for the last 6 mos. Looking forward to changes.

 

[Paesano]

I think some folks here vastly overestimate the "fire him" frenzy going on among the fanbase, because the only fans who truly matter are the ones with big enough bank accounts to actually pony up the 10 million dollars it will take to get rid of Ollie. Until a "fire him" frenzy exists among those folks, nothing is happening. A "fire him" frenzy among some Boneyarders means nothing.

There's no reason to be leaking anything to anybody at this point, unless you've got something to leak. Ollie can tell recruits he's going to be back unless he's heard otherwise from Benedict. They can either choose to believe him or not believe him. Announcements always smack of votes of confidence, which usually mean the opposite is going to happen.

The "fire him" frenzy exists among those who used to buy tickets and merchandise. That matters.

 

[auggie22]

After reading the full interview in the current, I don’t think he was setting up Ollie’s return as much as he was signaling the start of a formal evaluation process.

 

[nadav]

So the alum are bigger fans than people who started to go to games at 3 years old.

 

[TopDogs]

This thread is a nightmare to fully read through, but in case it hasn't already been posted, here's the full article from the courant: UConn Men Notebook: AD David Benedict Beginning Evaluation: 'We Need To Be A Tournament Team'

 

[BlueMAB]

Enoch needed playing time, like most young unpolished bigs do. Need to let him learn. He had a quick hook here at UConn.

Who would you rather have at this point? Jackson being our #1/2 scorer or Larrier? I’ll take Jackson all day - even as a freshman he was better defensively, offensively, and basketball IQ wise than Larrier.

KO stuck with his boys and our record shows. 30-34 overall and 16-20 in conference. 10 Toes In.

I base everything off facts so if people want to subjectively say “we looked like we’re turning the corner with that Temple win and tough Houston loss” then so be it. Took us 62 games to turn the corner?

Enoch had a quick hook because he shot 40% from the field and was lost on defense. Had he stuck around, he would have had plenty of opportunity to earn PT this year. Jackson would have seen a ton of minutes this year too, but Ollie had no plan for how to use him on offense. Our. Best. Shooter. And he had no plan. Incredible.

Couldn't agree more with the "62 games to turn the corner" question.

 

[August_West]

So the alum are bigger fans than people who started to go to games at 3 years old.

according to Jmick yes

 

[JMick]

according to Jmick yes

Yes. It's college basketball.

 

[huskyrob1]

After reading the full interview in the current, I don’t think he was setting up Ollie’s return as much as he was signaling the start of a formal evaluation process.

Substitute the word "investigative" for "evaluation". The NCAA thing has legs and Benedict would have to be a total fool if he is just sitting in his office waiting for the NCAA to notify him of their findings. You can bet UConn is looking into this on its own, and if they find anything, will self report. Remember that "living up to UConn standards and practices" does not just refer to winning games.

 

[August_West]

Yes. It's college basketball.

So what is your rationale for you as an alum for hating Kevin Ollie? You think he brings a black mark to the university?

 

[The Funster]

OH NO. Can we please not get into what constitues a "fan" or a "good or great fan". It is one of the dumbest arguments one can possibly have.

 

[JMick]

So what is your rationale for you as an alum for hating Kevin Ollie? You think he brings a black mark to the university?

I think he's done things that have the potential to make us look bad nationally.

 

[Huskybass]

Yes. It's college basketball.

As an Alum who has attended games for 36 years I understand where you are coming from. There is definitely a different type of feeling rooting for a school that you attended and graduated from. I won't dispute that at all.

That said, fandom is what you make of it. There might be non Alum fans of UConn basketball who love the program as much or more than I do. You and I will never know for sure, and it really does not matter. Everyone is entitled to be a fan at whatever level suits them.

I know that my own feelings as a fan have changed. I remember when I used to feel absolutely terrible for a day or two when UConn lost a game. It was as if I had run over my own dog. Now it doesn't faze me in the least. I have become accustomed to it.

My hope is that next year is the first step toward becoming relevant again. All I want is a dog in the hunt come March. Perhaps this down period will make us all appreciate future success more when it arrives.

 

[JMick]

OH NO. Can we please not get into what constitues a "fan" or a "good or great fan". It is one of the dumbest arguments one can possibly have.

It is definitely different if you went to the school of the team you're a fan of. I'm not saying there aren't any non-alum fans because obviously that's not true but it will never be the same thing.

 

[August_West]

I think he's done things that have the potential to make us look bad nationally.

Worse than star players beating women?
Players stealing computers from other athletic teams players?
Providing illegal benefits to players?
Stealiing sneakers from Bob's stores?
Having abysmal graduation rates for years running?
Being suspended from tournament play for lack of Academic progress (spare me the NCAA vendetta crap, thats a different story. We did in fact put ourselves in that position. The NCAA screwed us. But we gave them something to screw us with)

That kind of bad nationally?

See the problem with your argument is you didnt give a rats ass on how our university looked as long as we were going to the final four every few years.
You didnt give a crap that outside of Connecticut our national nickname was "YouCon" and "UConnvict"

From every metric except on floor performance Kevin Ollie has RAISED the standard of integrity in the basketball program.



So spare me your disingenuous fake outrage over what "damage" KO has done to our school.
He's put a bad basketball program on the floor for a couple years. THATS IT!

You want me to get worked up at a guy dating a college student who isnt even a UConn student? Maybe a bit creepy and sad but we are talking consenting adults.

 

[Lefty2one]

My guess is AD Dave is giving KO one more shot with Adams, Gilbert, Akinjo, Vital, Wilson, etc.

If he doesn't make NCAA tournament, see you later.

For that to happen we have to hope that the rumors of a "mass exodus is coming even if KO is retained" isn't true.

 

[JMick]

Worse than star players beating women?
Players stealing computers from other athletic teams players?
Providing illegal benefits to players?
Stealiing sneakers from Bob's stores?
Having abysmal graduation rates for years running?
Being suspended from tournament play for lack of Academic progress (spare me the NCAA vendetta crap, thats a different story. We did in fact put ourselves in that position. The NCAA screwed us. But we gave them something to screw us with)

That kind of bad nationally?

See the problem with your argument is you didnt give a rats ass on how our university looked as long as we were going to the final four every few years.
You didnt give a crap that outside of Connecticut our national nickname was "YouCon" and "UConnvict"

From every metric except on floor performance Kevin Ollie has RAISED the standard of integrity in the basketball program.



So spare me your disingenuous fake outrage over what "damage" KO has done to our school.
He's put a bad basketball program on the floor for a couple years. THATS IT!

You want me to get worked up at a guy dating a college student who isnt even a UConn student? Maybe a bit creepy and sad but we are talking consenting adults.

You seem really mad. You should take a break.

 

[HuskyHawk]

It is definitely different if you went to the school of the team you're a fan of. I'm not saying there aren't any non-alum fans because obviously that's not true but it will never be the same thing.

I think this is a New England/Northeast sentiment. In the midwest and south, most of the fans of the local state U are not alumni. If you live in say, Iowa, you root for Iowa or Iowa State. Same in Alabama, Mississippi, etc. Period. It's a way of life for people, the same way those of us in the north feel about our pro teams.

I think UConn did a very good job for a long time or being that in Connecticut, and bringing in a ton of non alumni fans. I think they have lost most of them. The women still have a hold on many of them. The men, meanwhile, have managed to lose the interest of even the alumni and current students.

 

[UConnNick]

Substitute the word "investigative" for "evaluation". The NCAA thing has legs and Benedict would have to be a total fool if he is just sitting in his office waiting for the NCAA to notify him of their findings. You can bet UConn is looking into this on its own, and if they find anything, will self report. Remember that "living up to UConn standards and practices" does not just refer to winning games.

Please tell me, after we deliberately sabotage our head coach just to avoid paying a 10 million dollar buyout, what coach in his right mind is going to want to come work at UCONN?

 

[JMick]

I think this is a New England/Northeast sentiment. In the midwest and south, most of the fans of the local state U are not alumni. If you live in say, Iowa, you root for Iowa or Iowa State. Same in Alabama, Mississippi, etc. Period. It's a way of life for people, the same way those of us in the north feel about our pro teams.

I think UConn did a very good job for a long time or being that in Connecticut, and bringing in a ton of non alumni fans. I think they have lost most of them. The women still have a hold on many of them. The men, meanwhile, have managed to lose the interest of even the alumni and current students.

That doesn't really mean anything though. You can be a fan of whoever you want but that doesn't mean it's not different when you're actually a graduate from that school. These are college sports. You can't tell me it's not a different experience when you actually see players in your classes or see them at a house party or bar.

 

[August_West]

You seem really mad. You should take a break.

I’m fine bro. Having fun exposing your hypocrisy