The Boatyard

[mets1090]

He was talking mainly of his in game coaching style. As far as making in game adjustments. Which I can agree with. Im still confused as to why Rashad didn't get the shot against George Mason in 06 after all the game winners he hit that year. Thats just something that will forever irk me though..

To be fair Denham did get a great look. And he hit the impressive reverse layup that sent it into overtime. And it wasn't as if that play was coming out of a timeout. It was a rebound and push it situation. He got the look and took it. I couldn't complain about that. I do however agree that Calhoun isn't great at drawing up a play as time is running low. It pretty much becomes either Iso or set a screen and see what happens. But I'm also OK with that because he coaches discipline and intensity so he trusts that his players will make the play more often than the other team's players will.

 

[Northbound]

My head hurts reading the OP and the follow up post from the OP. I can't figure out if it's serious or not, the adoration of JC, books etc, and the complete opposite side of the spectrum of he can't coach and can't make in game adjustments. I was at Northeastern when JC was there and he made adjustments then, he didn't forget how to do that and as many posters pointed out please see any number of opposing coaches. The dude is in the HOF, you don't get there because you are an intense coach, those are a dime a dozen.

Good duckK, I don't need an asprin, I need a morphine drip after reading these things.

 

[caw]

I kind of get the Calhoun thing:

He is fantastic at teaching players

He sets up great game plans

He gets players in tip-top shape

He scouts other teams very well

He has set plays he runs over and over

He rarely switches to zone and rarely presses but plays variations of man-to-man

He has great energy and a fierce competitive spirit

He is a leader

He knows when to get a T and when to call a TO. ie he knows how to gain and stop momentum

He doesn't pull out a clip board and show the kids X-O plays, why? Because he has taught them the plays and expects them to know how to run them. He expects he should be able to tell them do play "asdfsaf1" and they will run it. And he expects that play to work. If it doesn't he expects his players to be individually skilled enough to get a good shot up. He is correct more than most coaches.

He isn't polite, he's blunt and vulgar and he doesn't hide that fact.

I have no problem with the last two things, some people do.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

The Boatyard????? Thanks for putting a smile on my face with the "stage name". LOL

 

[UC990411]

maybe you shouldn't have joined the yard...

I've never liked Calhoun's inability to change up his coaching mid-game. He put UConn on the map, he's made us into a high caliber team, and his record speaks for itself. But personally, I'm not a fan. He can't adapt mid-game, and he can't coach in the final minutes of a game. I love the guy, and I'd take him over Blaney...but I'm not a big fan of his coaching.

 

[uconnfan68]

Haha, suit yourselves guys. You're taking it out of context. Like I said, I love the guy. I learned a lot as a kid watching a video of him explaining the essentials of the game. His book is sitting next to me as I write this. I owe him a lot of joy. And I hate the fact he's always battled medical issues. I don't claim to know more about coaching than he does. I've just never seen him as an aggressive coach willing to change his strategy. How many times have the fans complained about Bazz this year, yet Calhoun's continued to use him in the same capacity...that's what I'm talking about. Bazz is the worst defensive player I've seen in a while, and he can't play point...but Calhoun's insisted on it every single game. He finally changed it up in the Georgetown game by bringing Boat in to start...only to revert back after 2 minutes of great basketball. Even when he didn't have Boat because of the suspensions, there were other options. He didn't take him. I don't hate Calhoun. I just don't agree with a lot of his strategy.

He didn't have any options. It's really that simple.

 

[progrocks]

Imagine how successful be would have been over the last two decades if we had a coach who knew what he was doing?!?!

 

[GlastonTim]

Here's to hoping the XL Center and Gampel Pavilion soon become known as "the Boatyard".

 

[60'sfan]

He was talking mainly of his in game coaching style. As far as making in game adjustments. Which I can agree with. Im still confused as to why Rashad didn't get the shot against George Mason in 06 after all the game winners he hit that year. Thats just something that will forever irk me though..

I think he makes game adjustments when he judges that they are warranted. I think that sometimes he sticks to his game plan because he believes it is the right thing to do. You can question his judgement if you want, but his record would suggest that there is nothing wrong with the decisions he makes.

 

[RichZ]

JC tends not to make strategic adjustments on the fly, except for switching to a 3 guard set, but that's a preplanned thing, as in, when X happens, we're doing Y, because the matchups will be right. He does switch players a lot, looking for the right combination of effort and sklllset. I think he blames effort and execution rather than strategy when things aren't going right. And usually, he's correct.

But over the years has has made some masterful half-time adjustments to turn what looked like routs against us into routs in our favor.

But the thing is, give JC a week to prepare for a big game, and he always seems to come up with the right game plan.

I have always been of the mindset that we have the best buss driver, so give him the key and sit back and enjoy the ride.

 

[The Boatyard]

Calhoun draws up good game plans prior to games, but you can't argue the fact that he's unwilling to change it once the game has started though. If you do, I don't know what games you've been watching. He also gets "stuck" on certain players and uses them in the same capacity every game when it clearly isn't working...Beverly last year...Bazz this year. He falls in love with certain kids and thinks they're great. In the mean time, UConn can't win a game.

As I said earlier, Calhoun's record speaks for itself. He must be doing somethings right. At the same time, he does plenty of things wrong...and the way I see it, it's lost us quite a few games. Hate to break it to you guys, but Calhoun's not a god. There's no reason why we shouldn't be a top 10 team this year. Also, plenty of not-so-great coaches win championships. I won't give a list in case I step on some toes again.

 

[auggie22]

Calhoun draws up good game plans prior to games, but you can't argue the fact that he's unwilling to change it once the game has started though. If you do, I don't know what games you've been watching. He also gets "stuck" on certain players and uses them in the same capacity every game when it clearly isn't working...Beverly last year...Bazz this year. He falls in love with certain kids and thinks they're great. In the mean time, UConn can't win a game.

As I said earlier, Calhoun's record speaks for itself. He must be doing somethings right. At the same time, he does plenty of things wrong...and the way I see it, it's lost us quite a few games. Hate to break it to you guys, but Calhoun's not a god. There's no reason why we shouldn't be a top 10 team this year. Also, plenty of not-so-great coaches win championships. I won't give a list in case I step on some toes again.

i was almost entertaining the possibility of considering a subset of your argument. then you went and said it. how many average coaches have one (edit: won) three championships? with three completely different teams? in three different decades? and different sets of assistants? four final fours, and within a whisker of having a few more.

the short answer is none. that is why he is in the hof. and objectively is looking up to maybe three coaches, ever.

 

[The Boatyard]

that is why he is in the hof. and objectively is looking up to maybe three coaches, ever.

I've heard the arguments, bud. Just not my cup of tea.

 

[UCHuskies08]

I've heard the arguments, bud. Just not my cup of tea.

Yeah, apparently your cup of tea is cat piss or something.

The guy has forgotten more about basketball than you will ever know in your life. He has eat, slept and breathed basketball for more than 40 years. You post on a message board about the Huskies.

I think I know whose opinions I'm going to place more value in.

This is all of course ignoring the fact that you haven't seen a single practice, team meeting, etc. while he's been there for every one he's been physically able to.

But somehow, you, "The Boatyard", know that Calhoun is incapable of making adjustments (adjustments, that if you were the coach, sure would be made!).

And you don't see how ridiculous this premise is. Oh, internet message boards, you never fail in serving up deluded posters.

 

[The Boatyard]

I don't like Lebron either. Doesn't mean he's not one of the greatest of all time...just means I don't like his style and wouldn't want him on my team.

 

[bobbygt]

This is one of those rare times when I read a series of posts and not only can I not determine what the original poster was trying to say, I'm fairly sure the guy doesn't know himself what he wanted to say.

You love Calhoun, but not his coaching. You love a coach, but not his ability to coach. He can't adapt, he can't coach in the final minutes of a game, but UConn has a chance to repeat if they "can adapt to the loss of Calhoun"? We "continue to have problems", but we looked like a "new team"? Wha?

How many personalities do you have? Is there another one we can talk to? Are you drinking Nyquil?

On a semi-related note, every time I resolve to be less of a around here, I get pulled back in. It's not my fault.

Maybe the OP is fleudslipcon on Nyquil?

 

[auggie22]

it seemed to me that yours was an argument of style until you suggested that calhoun was a "not so great coach". this is what prompted me to reply. i can see how someone could be turned off by calhoun's style of coaching, that is a perfectly reasonable opinion. what is not reasonable is to suggest that calhoun isn't a great coach, when the track record proves otherwise.

 

[The Boatyard]

it seemed to me that yours was an argument of style until you suggested that calhoun was a "not so great coach". this is what prompted me to reply. i can see how someone could be turned off by calhoun's style of coaching, that is a perfectly reasonable opinion. what is not reasonable is to suggest that calhoun isn't a great coach, when the track record proves otherwise.

Mmk.

 

[jleves]

I always get suspicious when someone shows up out of the blue and posts this much nonesense from the getgo. Seriously - find me a UConn fan who really thinks while JC has a great record, he wouldn't be their first choice for coaching. My favorite line 'I'd take him over Blaney'. Anyhow, sure smells like a huskymagic or babysheep to me.

 

[DogMania]

I think any name involving something Kemba-related would have first dibs.

Don't get me wrong, I love Kemba, but his name just doesn't work.

 

[DogMania]

Suggest that again and your family will watch me throw your brain at the wall of your living room.

Boatyard has a nice ring to it, but I didn't say it was a good suggestion. My brain hurts just thinking about that. Ouch!

 

[The Boatyard]

I always get suspicious when someone shows up out of the blue and posts this much nonesense from the getgo. Seriously - find me a UConn fan who really thinks while JC has a great record, he wouldn't be their first choice for coaching. My favorite line 'I'd take him over Blaney'. Anyhow, sure smells like a huskymagic or babysheep to me.

I can name you plenty of UConn fans who wouldn't take Calhoun as their first choice for coaching...and I'm a student there. You liked what I said about taking him over Blaney, eh? Really funny, huh? Like Calhoun is obviously so much better than Blaney, right? But wait...I thought it was all about your record...if you have a good record as a coach...and if you put a school on a map...then you must have an incredible coaching style...so then why is Blaney sub par? Didn't he win over 300 games? Didn't he put Holy Cross on the map? Hasn't he won some pretty big games with UConn?

In the words of your god, Jim Calhoun, "Get some facts, and come back and see me."

 

[UCHuskies08]

I can name you plenty of UConn fans who wouldn't take Calhoun as their first choice for coaching...and I'm a student there. You liked what I said about taking him over Blaney, eh? Really funny, huh? Like Calhoun is obviously so much better than Blaney, right? But wait...I thought it was all about your record...if you have a good record as a coach...and if you put a school on a map...then you must have an incredible coaching style...so then why is Blaney sub par? Didn't he win over 300 games? Didn't he put Holy Cross on the map? Hasn't he won some pretty big games with UConn?

In the words of your god, Jim Calhoun, "Get some facts, and come back and see me."

 

[Fishy]

You're a garden-variety idiot. Seriously, seriously stupid - an awesome, breathtaking, jaw-dropping kind of stupid that actually impresses me.

Calhoun's record vs. the normal or vs. George Blaney is not close. He's about to move into the top 5 career wins and will retire in the top 3 all-time.

Calhoun has won 870 games at about a 70% clip. He's won around 70% of his Big East conference games, 75% of his NCAA tournament games and, despite your dumb-duck*ing opinion about close games, he's 13 games over .500 in overtime games. (UConn would have to go on a 500 game losing streak to bring Calhoun's career record to .500.)

Blaney won well over 400 games, but his career record is marginally over .400 and his one NCAA tournament bid and one conference championship pales to Calhoun's 22 and 10. So, yeah, Calhoun's record is "obviously so much better than Blaney's".

Some cheap advice - don't ask for facts. They don't work for you.

 

[The Boatyard]

Blaney won well over 400 games, but his career record is marginally over .400 and his one NCAA tournament bid and one conference championship pales to Calhoun's 22 and 10.

Get your facts straight, Fishy.

You guys don't quit eh? This thread had nothing to do with Calhoun originally. I simply made an aside that I don't care for his coaching technique. Didn't say he was an awful coach. Didn't say he didn't deserve the Hall of Fame. Didn't dispute his record. I just pointed out some obvious weaknesses.