The bar has been set ridiculously high

[Inyatkin]

Many questions still to answer on returning players, and a lot of good newcomers on the horizon. Still, it's worth wondering how Ollie is ever going to match this year's performance.
The motivational speaker stuff, 10 toes in, going to the site of the Final Four halfway through the year, telling the crowd on senior night we're brining home a title -- it will be interesting to see how much of that comes into play next year, and the year after. It will take a different kind of motivation to spark a group of defending champions, you'd think.
Can't wait to see what he's got in store.

 

[Leebo]

It won't be too tough, because everyone other than UConn fans expects this team to be no better than top 20 or so even with Boat and DD. People will continue to ask if they can do it without Shabazz even if they have a good season, because they'll need to do it in the tournament to make it count.

 

[UCONNfan1]

I am totally content as a UCONN fan and if I were to die tomorrow, I'd be a happy guy from a UCONN perspective. 3 NC's with HOF'er JC, and 1 NC with future HOF'er KO.

Do I want more? Of course. But it's crazy to think we will compete for a NC every single year. No one does, not really. But as long as Ollie recruits great kids who are really talented to boot, then we will have a shot at being a top 10 team more years than not. If we can have a legit shot to win a NC every 5 years or so, that's about the most any sane MCBB fan can expect from their team. And that's about how often UCONN has won NC's in the past.

And as has been pointed out, NO team has been more successful than UCONN in the past 20 years. Not one single team. In a sense, we've achieved the holy grail at this point in MCBB. And yeah, the bar has been set crazy high, but if we can be a top 10 team most years, and a perennial top 25 team, and compete realistically for a NC once every 4-5 years, we can't really ask for any more than that...

 

[Scot-e]

I assume you are talking about everyone else! I am not aware of any "bar" at UCONN- we just do what we do-regardless of the haters- regardless of the comparisons- regardless of our conference. The only constant is that WE ARE DOOMED!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[art4life]

We Are the Bar!

The last 15 years = there's UConn, and then there's everyone else...

 

[huskyharry]

One goal that I would like to see next year that they didn't achieve this year...AAC champs. But of course, we are doomed, CLEARLY DOOMED!

 

[jibsey]

Recruits, recruits, recruits, where is our NC bounty? KO planted seeds, now the harvest.

 

[Kitaman]

Ridiculously high = undefeated National Champions.

So we are where we usually are; relevant/good ring bearers. What more can a fan(atic) ask for?

 

[Scoe]

Were Uconn, the bar has always been set high, ever since JC took over the program and it has been followed by Ollie. Do I have realistic expectations yes, I am never one to make any predictions I just take it one year one game at a time. You cant win a national championship without setting the bar high.

 

[Palatine]

The bar is in the same place it was for Calhoun. The Sweet Sixteen.

We should be in the top 32 teams every year. Make the Sweet Sixteen and it's a good season, make the final four and it's a great season.

 

[Scoe]

One thing I would like to see that we havent done yet is make the sweet 16 coming off a championship year which we have yet to do, I think thats attainable.

 

[Strummer]

It will take a different kind of motivation to spark a group of defending champions, you'd think.

Not me.
What do all these guys have in common, if they are all here next year?
Boat, DD, Samuel, TDorf, Facey, Purvis, and so on?

Answer. To a man, they have something to prove.

Boat - I belong in NBA.
DD - I should be a high draft pick.
Samuel - I am a legit DI point.
Dorf - give me PT.
Calhoun - last year was a fluke - i am the real deal.
Purvis - I am much better than what the flawed NCS system allowed me to show.
Facey - I'm the next DD.
Hamilton - I am what they say I am.

Heck, the only guy I think would be hard up for motivation, based on past success, would be Ollie, and to a person on this board we know, and love the fact, that he is going to bring it even harder next year.

 

[UConnDad]

Championships chase us. Most of next years team will only have one ring. Some newcomers will have none. I foresee some hungry Huskies! I like the bar where it is. These rides are so much fun lets do it again.

 

[Inyatkin]

Heck, the only guy I think would be hard up for motivation, based on past success, would be Ollie, and to a person on this board we know, and love the fact, that he is going to bring it even harder next year.

I'm saying I want to see what Ollie does differently. The promising to raise a banner on Senior Night -- that ended up working this year; most years it won't, and you don't want to overdo it on that stuff or people tune it out. We've been for two years the team that got banned, the chip on the shoulder team. We're not that anymore. I want to see how we do it.
No one said they can't be motivated.

 

[willie99]

he'll have plenty of material to use for years to come

we're not Dook, we're not KU, we're not UK, we're not MSU who works really really hard, we're not UCLA or CUSE or FL or......, damn, we're not even Gonzaga in some circles

I bet some bufoons will call us something as stupid as "being a women's basketball school". They're that dumb

At the end of the day, the haters will always make motivating our kids easy, we really should be thanking them

 

[Dogbreath2U]

I just noticed the first reference (that I have seen) about "repeating." The anti-mojo jinx factor is just off the charts for such statements. It took the core of the current NATIONAL CHAMPIONS 3 years to get it together...no such time next year if Boat and maybe DD back. Our guys could be pretty good, but I hope our giddiness doesn't lead to underestimating just how difficult it is to win once, much less twice in a row.

I intend to enjoy the ride and expect some ups and downs.

 

[Horatio]

We are the standard now but the only thing that concerns me a little is I don't want us to become a one and done factory. I now we'll have one or two of those kids per recruiting class but I really enjoy that blue collar , player development aspect of our program.

I mean, we just watched a German kid named
Niels grow up in front of our eyes and win two championships. We watched Tyler deal with the struggles of being a young man and lose playing time but the program and fans stuck with him.

Seriously, would marginal D1 players like Donnell Beverly, Chuck Okwundo , Tyler , etc. contribute and win championships at any of the other so-called "Blue Blood" programs? Has any of the other elite programs ever had a Brandon Allen in between two championships? Who else wins championships with a combination of sophomore Phil Nolan and freshman Brimah at the Five. Hopefully we'll still mix in a few Fords and Chevy's with the Ferrari's we'll be bringing in.

 

[tcf15]

I just noticed the first reference (that I have seen) about "repeating." The anti-mojo jinx factor is just off the charts for such statements. It took the core of the current NATIONAL CHAMPIONS 3 years to get it together...no such time next year if Boat and maybe DD back. Our guys could be pretty good, but I hope our giddiness doesn't lead to underestimating just how difficult it is to win once, much less twice in a row.

I intend to enjoy the ride and expect some ups and downs.

I'll never forget going to First Night in 2012 and seeing people wearing custom-made "Back to Back" t-shirts. Wasn't happy to see that at all.

 

[Scoe]

We have heard it every year, after 2011 you can't win without Kemba, your program will go down without Calhoun and being in the AAC, this year we will hear you can't win without Shabazz. Were

I'll never forget going to First Night in 2012 and seeing people wearing custom-made "Back to Back" t-shirts. Wasn't happy to see that at all.

Yeah that is just wrong, thats something UK fans would wear. My expectations are always high but I will never make predictions I always live in the moment.

 

[WeAreUCONN]

The Year after a Championship, is always Gravy.

That being said...
We are a Top 5 team, Next Year.
If Boat and Deandre both come back.

 

[UconnU]

We set the bar....and will continue to. (we now have the right to be the cocky fan base, I love it)