The Absolute Worst Part....

[Stainmaster]

Point is that it happens when transferring to basketball schools from P5 non-basketball schools.

Exception to the rule. See Williams, Buzz and Wade, Will.

 

[shizzle787]

8.10 9 3 7 NCAA Tournament; Reg. Season Champion
2005-06 Kentucky SEC 35 22 13 .629 13.12 8.88 9 7 NCAA Tournament
2006-07 Kentucky SEC 34 22 12 .647 17.12 11.41 22 20 NCAA Tournament
2007-08 Minnesota Big Ten 34 20 14 .588 10.27 6.50
2008-09 Minnesota Big Ten 33 22 11 .667 11.32 7.19 18 NCAA Tournament
2009-10 Minnesota Big Ten 35 21 14 .600 15.64 7.32 25 22 NCAA Tournament
2010-11 Minnesota Big Ten 31 17 14 .548 11.75 9.79 14
2011-12 Minnesota Big Ten 38 23 15 .605 10.70 7.89
2012-13 Minnesota Big Ten 34 21 13 .618 16.83 10.31 8 NCAA Tournament
2013-14 Texas Tech Big 12 32 14 18 .438 8.61 8.61
2014-15 Texas Tech Big 12 32 13 19 .406 3.77 7.20
2015-16 Texas Tech Big 12 32 19 13 .594 12.41 10.25 NCAA Tournament
2016-17 Memphis AAC 32 19 13 .594 6.47 3.19
2017-18 Memphis AAC 6 4 2 .667 1.63 2.29

The most wins Tubby Smith has had since 2005-2006 is 23. He was about to get fired from Texas Tech. Memphis him a favor.

LOL no he was not about to get fired from Texas Tech. He got the Big 12 comeback coach of the year award for getting them to the tournament. Texas Tech and the NCAA tournament are not things that usually go together.

 

[shizzle787]

Exception to the rule. See Williams, Buzz and Wade, Will.

VCU and Marquette ain't Memphis or UConn.

 

[Stainmaster]

We know what we have in our coach and it's really bad, it's amazing you continue to pretend Ollie is bigger than this program. It's the mentality of a loser. Hurley is right down the road, makes a third of what Ollie makes, coaches at a wasteland where he has completely turned the program around.

It's amazing you don't see that's how he was positioned and marketed. If pretending that the program's image will revert to pre-2012 levels once the change is made helps you cope emotionally, then by all means continue to do so.

Hurley would be great, but he will have better situations to choose from. Thinking that locking him up will be easy is delusional.

 

[Javjudah]

LOL no he was not about to get fired from Texas Tech. He got the Big 12 comeback coach of the year award for getting them to the tournament. Texas Tech and the NCAA tournament are not things that usually go together.

Lol so you want us to go from bad to worse.

 

[Stainmaster]

VCU and Marquette ain't Memphis or UConn.

Both are arguably much better programs than the ones their coaches left for.

 

[3rdbass]

Well yeah, but the donations are coming from people are concerned with academics, not basketball coaching. Mike Melio is the biggest-name basketball guy I can think of and he will still be on the Ollie train 30 years from now.

Werth also gave a huge sum for the basketball facility. Or maybe you missed the name on outside. LOL!

 

[3rdbass]

It's amazing you don't see that's how he was positioned and marketed. If pretending that the program's image will revert to pre-2012 levels once the change is made helps you cope emotionally, then by all means continue to do so.

Hurley would be great, but he will have better situations to choose from. Thinking that locking him up will be easy is delusional.

Dude nobody is saying it is a slam dunk but you are delusional to give up on UCONN. Are you even a real UCONN fan is my question. We have seen darker days before and have come out of it. We are the consummate underdog and will thrive going forward. I'm not delusional to think we will ever be the same but we can put a lot better product out there then we currently have been doing.

 

[Stainmaster]

Werth also gave a huge sum for the basketball facility. Or maybe you missed the name on outside. LOL!

The past couple of years may have rendered the Werths too disillusioned to continue supporting the program to that degree.

 

[Northbound]

I am being driven insane by the number of people who know with absolute certainty that we will get a good coach. No, you have absolutely no way of knowing that. There are posters here talking up coaches who have no proven track record of success at higher levels than the MAAC, Big South, and Horizon League. A change may have to be made, but man are you folks in for a rude awakening when even the scenario you described becomes tough.

I want the guy to succeed even if I didn’t agree with the hire (not enough experience coaching and no experience running any program - coaching is only part of the job).

But if the trend line with the program continues you can’t just say “well we don’t know who we’ll get so we’ll stand pat” and hope the line reverses trajectory. That’s seems like acceptance and a defeatist attitude to me.

Giants fans didn’t say let’s hold on to Coach Mac even though the program is a mess because we went 11-5 last year and we may never get a coach that will get us back to winning, let alone the playoffs.

I appreciate the loyalty to someone that has given so much to the program - let’s not forget he’s gotten a lot from the program as well.

I also know he’s dealing with a “new” team this year, but let’s not absolve him of his role in that exodus. He recruited the kids and he either miscalculated their mental and physical tools or the kids completely changed after they arrived - possible, not probable.

It’s a tough go right now and while it’s unlikely that the program can experience the consistent heights the programs was blessed with in the past it’s not unreasonable to expect some level of success (NCAA tourney appearances, and an occasional deep run).

 

[Javjudah]

VCU and Marquette ain't Memphis or UConn.

A friend of mine said that the only thing good about UCONN is if a recruit wants to go to school there to watch the best women's basketball program of all time. He also said when Geno goes so will the UCONN woman program.

 

[Stainmaster]

Dude nobody is saying it is a slam dunk but you are delusional to give up on UCONN. Are you even a real UCONN fan is my question. We have seen darker days before and have come out of it. We are the consummate underdog and will thrive going forward. I'm not delusional to think we will ever be the same but we can put a lot better product out there then we currently have been doing.

I'm plenty real. I'm the kind of person who will rearrange his schedule at the last minute and travel across state lines to see the team play Central. I spent all 40 minutes in my seat tonight.

Just because "we have seen darker days before and have come out of it" doesn't mean that will happen this time. I think much of the optimism is based on emotion and not wanting to face the alternative. I know my perspective is very dark, so I understand why it puts a lot of people off.

 

[3rdbass]

The past couple of years may have rendered the Werths too disillusioned to continue supporting the program to that degree.

Dude please give it up you sound like a broken record. Are you even a UCONN fan or just KO die hard?

 

[3rdbass]

I'm plenty real. I'm the kind of person who will rearrange his schedule at the last minute and travel across state lines to see the team play Central. I spent all 40 minutes in my seat tonight.

Just because "we have seen darker days before and have come out of it" doesn't mean that will happen this time. I think much of the optimism is based on emotion and not wanting to face the alternative. I know my perspective is very dark, so I understand why it puts a lot of people off.

Nobody is saying UCONN is going to be great again but we can at least be competitive. This isn't college football we are talking about with the P5 conferences. A good coach an few good players can make a serious run in the tourney year in and year out.

 

[Stainmaster]

Dude please give it up you sound like a broken record. Are you even a UCONN fan or just KO die hard?

Are you kidding? There is declining interest across the board within the fanbase. Read this board, look at attendance numbers. If people whose contributions are ticket purchases don't want to invest their money any more, it's easy to see the same thing happening with people whose gifts are of larger sums.

 

[Stainmaster]

I want the guy to succeed even if I didn’t agree with the hire (not enough experience coaching and no experience running any program - coaching is only part of the job).

But if the trend line with the program continues you can’t just say “well we don’t know who we’ll get so we’ll stand pat” and hope the line reverses trajectory. That’s seems like acceptance and a defeatist attitude to me.

Giants fans didn’t say let’s hold on to Coach Mac even though the program is a mess because we went 11-5 last year and we may never get a coach that will get us back to winning, let alone the playoffs.

I appreciate the loyalty to someone that has given so much to the program - let’s not forget he’s gotten a lot from the program as well.

I also know he’s dealing with a “new” team this year, but let’s not absolve him of his role in that exodus. He recruited the kids and he either miscalculated their mental and physical tools or the kids completely changed after they arrived - possible, not probable.

It’s a tough go right now and while it’s unlikely that the program can experience the consistent heights the programs was blessed with in the past it’s not unreasonable to expect some level of success (NCAA tourney appearances, and an occasional deep run).

No, you're missing the point - I think he needs to go if he misses the tournament. You can't stand pat, poor performance can't be rewarded. I find it frustrating how many people are setting themselves up for disappointment when the new hire either a) takes longer to reach "some level of success," or b) potentially washes out. And I'm not saying either of those are reasons to keep KO -- just realities of the situation.

 

[Stainmaster]

Nobody is saying UCONN is going to be great again but we can at least be competitive. This isn't college football we are talking about with the P5 conferences. A good coach an few good players can make a serious run in the tourney year in and year out.

I hope you're right...

 

[3rdbass]

Are you kidding? There is declining interest across the board within the fanbase. Read this board, look at attendance numbers. If people whose contributions are ticket purchases don't want to invest their money any more, it's easy to see the same thing happening with people whose gifts are of larger sums.

Well having a coach like KO is bringing us to the brink of irrelevancy. I guess that is the future no matter what we do in your eyes.

 

[uconngb]

I am being driven insane by the number of people who know with absolute certainty that we will get a good coach. No, you have absolutely no way of knowing that. There are posters here talking up coaches who have no proven track record of success at higher levels than the MAAC, Big South, and Horizon League. A change may have to be made, but man are you folks in for a rude awakening when even the scenario you described becomes tough.

How much worse do you think we can do at this point? Seriously. We have an awful coach right now. Like bottom 10% of Division I. How much worse can we do??

 

[Northbound]

No, you're missing the point - I think he needs to go if he misses the tournament. You can't stand pat, poor performance can't be rewarded. I find it frustrating how many people are setting themselves up for disappointment when the new hire either a) takes longer to reach "some level of success," or b) potentially washes out. And I'm not saying either of those are reasons to keep KO -- just realities of the situation.

I get it, but I also don't think any reasonable person knows who UCONN could attract as a next coach or what their success would be - if folks say they do they are delusional - there's no guarantee in any candidate. It's actually why i believe guys like Few or Marshall are smart to stay where they are as they know the landscape and how to have success where they are - why the hell would you upset that outside of ego. Could they set the world on fire somewhere else, sure, but is it a guarantee, nope.

It's a much different search if it goes in that direction than it was when JC retired. The brand has been bruised - lack of recent success (the title win is a long time ago with kids), conference affiliation, etc., etc. so the pool is likely different than it was.

 

[Stainmaster]

Well having a coach like KO is bringing us to the brink of irrelevancy. I guess that is the future no matter what we do in your eyes.

A new coach could change things, but I think it's foolish to get one's hopes hung up on it happening.

 

[Storrs South]

I disagree with the OP. Not that they are wrong about what they said, but about what's the worst part of the whole thing. To me, UConn fans made up the majority of the arena and yet they had very few opportunities to cheer. The loudest parts of the game were when UConn did something remotely positive. It could have been an electric atmosphere if UConn could have made some kind of run but I don't think they mustered anything beyond 4-0 or 5-0 runs. Very disappointing to me. The recipe for something memorable was there and then very quickly lost.

 

[Stainmaster]

How much worse do you think we can do at this point? Seriously. We have an awful coach right now. Like bottom 10% of Division I. How much worse can we do??

There is no hard evidence that any of the MAAC/Horizon League/Big South names being talked up here have the capability of running a successful program at this level.

 

[uconngb]

It's not bizarre. It's totally rational.

The university went all in on KO and welding his name to the program's brand. The public consciousness's association of poor performance, recruiting, the transfer woes, rumors of off the court issues...all of that is tied to the program. Not just Ollie. UConn extended him, UConn's marketing efforts rendered him the face of the program, UConn kept him around while certainly being aware of the issues being discussed in PMs...

There is no reset button once he leaves; the damage sticks around. The rest of the basketball world does not see the historical success and tradition of the program in anywhere near the same light as diehard fans posting on an internet forum.

I think many of the people who claim to skewer the "blind faith" and "pollyanna-ism" of people who support(ed) KO are guilty of the exact same thing when it comes to their views of the post-Ollie era. They refuse to acknowledge the permanence of the last three years and how much it has toxified the program.

I was all in on Ollie because a) I knew that the only way those issues could go away were if he fixed them himself, and b) I think that the fanbase as a whole collectively underrates how much of a detriment the conference is in terms of attracting a coach who could meet the fanbase's standards (because, let's be real - people will not be happy with merely finishing in the top 3 of the conference and making the tourney. It will always be blue-blood status). It was in his hands. Unfortunately it looks like he is not up to the task.

Ollie is awful. How much evidence are you going to need to admit that? 2 more years of underperformance? 5? Keep in mind, however long it is, it's going to take the next guy at least 3 years to unwind it. I can't guarantee the next coach is going to be the savior, but you also can't guarantee me that KO is the guy. And the only difference between our arguments is that we know that RIGHT NOW, KO ain't gettin it done......not even close