Thank You Kevin Ollie

[AntG168]

He deserves this. A great man who gave over half of his life to this program. He delivered us a title and gave us our pride back at a time when it felt like all was lost. He was flawed, he made mistakes, and he ultimately couldn’t sustain but let’s not forget the good times he brought us. No KO hate in this thread only appreciation. Thank You KO

 

[AntG168]

 

[Ha Who]

Kevin could have been lost to the streets as a kid. Hope he has a bright future

 

[tentoes4rings]

Nicely stated. Thank you KO for all your hard work in bringing two championships to the program, as well as four years of warrior play. I hope he lands in a great place.

 

[Matrim55]

Thanks KO. Good luck as an NBA assistant.

 

[UCHuskies08]

Named my cat Ollie, so I'll always have that...

 

[nomar]

Named my cat Ollie, so I'll always have that...

Ha

 

[01Neaggrad02]

Half his life?

 

[AntG168]

Half his life?

1/3. Close enough

 

[HuskyBoi]

Let’s not forget what he did for us. Let’s move on thanks Kevin. BleedBlue

 

[SaeHusky]

Ollie stepped into a tough situation and did a great job his first couple of years. Did very well getting this team up to par in the classroom as well. I thank him for that. He just wasn't the same after his divorce. Wish him the best. Likely will get a job as an NBA assistant.

 

[Kathy]

Thank you KO. The last game my husband and I watched together after33 years was the 2014 championship. My husband died from cancer 2 weeks later. A memory I will forever cherish

 

[gtcam]

Thanks for the post
I appreciate KO as a man, a father, a mentor to many and a God fearing man
NOBODY should celebrate a person losing a job and anybody on here that does is shallow (the best/kindest word I can say now)
I thank him for being a loyal Husky and wish him only the best in the future
I know KO and I know he will be just fine
Thanks Coach - you are a great person

Time to move on and try to find someone as replacement other than in the state of RI

on another note

If UConn is trying to hang KO on something to get out of the obligation I and others know some great attorneys that will tear AD David Benedict and the BoT to pieces and while I have bled blue for over 55 years I will be disappointed and back any action that goes after anyone involved.

 

[WrenchFan69]

I for one am looking forward to the day I can argue that someone else won with Ollie's recruits. Hopefully he'll be vindicated by that, but it'd still be the right choice to move on. Thanks coach.

 

[Jaker]

Thank You KO!

 

[uconndogs]

These coaching positions are meat grinders. They are not for everyone. One can be a good person, but not a fit for a position. Happens all the time.

My best to Coach Ollie.

I think UCONN hoops comes back very quickly.

 

[XLCenterFan]

Ollie got mixed up in a situation where he couldn't control many things. While he didn't win as much as we would have liked, I know he tried like hell. Who else cares as much about our program than him? The next guy surely won't. We lost out in conference realignment and made a bet on football that we won't back down from. Both of those hurt the hoops program. Throw in an investigation or two and the fact that I'm sure some recruits don't want to play at a program where the women are so dominant, and it's going to be tough for anyone. I'm glad we've had an actual Uconn stakeholder at the helm-it would have been way worse without one. We have to get back to where we were. We need national rankings and trips to the NCAA tourney every year. I had been emailing the athletic dept. at Uconn lately about all of these things, as I am a stakeholder myself...I bleed blue- THANK YOU KO!

 

[Onions]

He deserves this. A great man who gave over half of his life to this program. He delivered us a title and gave us our pride back at a time when it felt like all was lost. He was flawed, he made mistakes, and he ultimately couldn’t sustain but let’s not forget the good times he brought us. No KO hate in this thread only appreciation. Thank You KO

For myself I look at the KO period as an overall success. I would not trade UCONN's past 6 years for Cincinnati's. Even knowing how badly things have deteriorated, and I do believe the firing was merited and essential, I am glad he was hired. Long after these past few years have faded the championship banner will still be hanging in Gampel, so thank you KO.

 

[awfuldan]

Thank you for everything KO

 

[Skiblets]

Watching his team of hungry Huskies beat Florida and Kentucky in Jerry World was amazing. Can't thank him enough for his contributions

 

[the Q]

Obviously thanks for taking over for a legend and getting things on track for 2014. Just an incredible run. He brought #4 home. And my favorite part in all that was when it was over, he didn’t put up 1 finger like “were number 1”. He threw up 4...for the program. That’s who Ollie is to me.

Obviously 8 year old me also thanks him for leading me around the locker room and introducing me to the entire team when he was a player.

 

[uconNYC]

That 1 NC was epic. Will never forget it. Time to move on.

 

[Mr. French]

I watch that video once a month or two, probably.

There’s no way I’m happy today after that guy is gone, though I understand the sense of new optimism.

I’m a Bills fan so every new QB gives you that “maybe HE’S the guy” and that’s exciting, but not happy.

Kevin Ollie is one of the first players I watched as a young UConn fan, he helped get us one of the most enjoyable few weeks of my life, and he’ll always be a true Husky.

I wish he figured out his coaching/program running issues earlier, and I don’t know that he wouldn’t have ultimately, but the program couldn’t wait and hope.

I’m sad today for our program. It’s not a good feeling for me.

I’ll always have 2014. Thanks Kevin, for your years of UConn work.

 

[Chief00]

Thanks for the post
I appreciate KO as a man, a father, a mentor to many and a God fearing man
NOBODY should celebrate a person losing a job and anybody on here that does is shallow (the best/kindest word I can say now)
I thank him for being a loyal Husky and wish him only the best in the future
I know KO and I know he will be just fine
Thanks Coach - you are a great person

Time to move on and try to find someone as replacement other than in the state of RI

on another note

If UConn is trying to hang KO on something to get out of the obligation I and others know some great attorneys that will tear AD David Benedict and the BoT to pieces and while I have bled blue for over 55 years I will be disappointed and back any action that goes after anyone involved.

Good post until the last paragraph - I agree KO should get some buyout but given the circumstances not $9 million. He is living in a glass house and it’s not made of gorilla glass.

 

[Oldbones]