The single most important attribute KO is missing from Calhoun

[Mots010]

Nice memory I was there.

Crazy thought but watch Eric Williams grab the ball to take it OOB's and step over and back then dropping it again for someone else. Sorry that's just not right the ref was right there. Oh well who cares LOL

They got a real good look at the buzzer too, and almost made it!

 

[Husky68]

Boy you guys memory of Calhoun is how I hope my kids remember me, all my good traits (the few there are) exaggerated and all my many faults forgotten. His teams ran terrible offense, refs screwed the team continually and most everyone thought he had too quick a hook. Boone doesn't tip the ball to Emeka, Arizona makes one of those late game 3's and Smart misses that shot and we'd have the nose picker with more national championships than Calhoun.

Calhoun's last 3 years as coach UConn was 11th, 9th and 9th in league. The middle year still turned out ok. Where was Calhoun's toughness when a team with Adrien, Robinson,
Price and Thabeet tanked after a 11-0 start in 2007 or 2010 when he followed a FF appearance with a quick out in the NIT. Even with the recruiting draw of the BE was hard to keep teams really competitive every single year.

As mentioned before, if you guys have some behind the scene info on Ollie that has you on his case spit it out. If not, his team won a game in the tournament 2 years ago and the AAC tournament, losing season with major injuries to key players last year and this year team is playing hard and winning games supposed to. Plenty of time for team to gel or fold or somewhere in between. Just seems criticism is legit but way, way overdone.

 

[Confident Carl]

That's my reaction to this post as well. Yes, it's a good analysis, and I fully agree. There are a few other things that I'm not sure KO is nearly as good at as JC. To me, the biggest is not looking at the pieces on the first day of practice, figuring out how the team will play (rotation, minutes, shots, style) and then getting everyone to buy in to his vision.

BUT SO WHAT. KO is not going to be Jim Calhoun, but neither is any other coach we hire to coach us likely to be Jim Calhoun. Because almost nobody -- and possible absolutely nobody depending on how you rank JC and K -- is Jim Calhoun. So discussions on anything other than how good KO is compared to good coaches generally is just wasting bandwidth.

It seems like the team is taking on KO's persona and quite frankly that looks a little mixed up lately. Hesitant, slow to let it go - unsure. KO needs to get that he is not JC. He can try and emulate the basic principles JC taught him but he's got to be himself, his own man. Following a legendary coach is no easy task. Winning the NC in his first year was both a blessing and a curse.

After Enoch, Jackson and Durham left, I thought maybe they just couldn't take the heat so they got out of the kitchen. Was KO too tough and demanding? It's pretty obvious to me that we could use all three of those players this year. Ollie had to be second guessing himself and his style. How did I let those guys get away?

Lately, it seems as though he coddles his players and goes out of his way to complement them. It almost seems like he's trying to be a nice guy and not offend anybody. Maybe I'm wrong. I'm not at practice. It just looks that way from a fans view. Funny thing is Geno and JC never seemed to worry about who they offended.

I maintain that the injuries last year to Gilbert, Larrier and Diarra, coupled with the loss of the three players, plus his divorce and all took its toll. KO needs to be KO, not JC. Jim Calhoun knows who that guy is. That's why he hand picked him. Now KO's got to know, like and trust that guy. Once that happens then we will see the team take on the persona of the KO that Calhoun knows and admires.

 

[pj]

I hope Ollie wasn't second-guessing the loss of Enoch, Jackson, and Durham. They are all replaceable. But I do hope he was reviewing his own coaching and figuring out where he needed to improve.

JC was a coach 13 years before coming to UConn, it's reasonable to think it may take KO 10 years of head coaching experience to really come into his own. Every year is a new chance for him, until the chances go away. I hope he realizes how precious each year is and gives his all to this team.

 

[superjohn]

Boy you guys memory of Calhoun is how I hope my kids remember me, all my good traits (the few there are) exaggerated and all my many faults forgotten. His teams ran terrible offense, refs screwed the team continually and most everyone thought he had too quick a hook. Boone doesn't tip the ball to Emeka, Arizona makes one of those late game 3's and Smart misses that shot and we'd have the nose picker with more national championships than Calhoun.

Calhoun's last 3 years as coach UConn was 11th, 9th and 9th in league. The middle year still turned out ok. Where was Calhoun's toughness when a team with Adrien, Robinson,
Price and Thabeet tanked after a 11-0 start in 2007 or 2010 when he followed a FF appearance with a quick out in the NIT. Even with the recruiting draw of the BE was hard to keep teams really competitive every single year.

As mentioned before, if you guys have some behind the scene info on Ollie that has you on his case spit it out. If not, his team won a game in the tournament 2 years ago and the AAC tournament, losing season with major injuries to key players last year and this year team is playing hard and winning games supposed to. Plenty of time for team to gel or fold or somewhere in between. Just seems criticism is legit but way, way overdone.

Good lord.

 

[Confident Carl]

I hope Ollie wasn't second-guessing the loss of Enoch, Jackson, and Durham. They are all replaceable. But I do hope he was reviewing his own coaching and figuring out where he needed to improve.

JC was a coach 13 years before coming to UConn, it's reasonable to think it may take KO 10 years of head coaching experience to really come into his own. Every year is a new chance for him, until the chances go away. I hope he realizes how precious each year is and gives his all to this team.

I think everyone was of the mindset, me included of don't let the door hit you in the rear. However, Louisville, New Mexico and Norte Dame see value. Our current bigs can't score unless you call Larrier a big. With the right mind set, they would add an important dimension missing from this team-SCORING from the post and the baseline. We could still bring in Cobb and Onuorah for rebounds and muscle but they would be an alternative to a 5 guard offense.

 

[gtcam]

The one thing KO is missing from Calhoun is EVERYthing

Wouldn't expect anything else from you on this subject

 

[pj]

I think everyone was of the mindset, me included of don't let the door hit you in the rear. However, Louisville, New Mexico and Norte Dame see value. Our current bigs can't score unless you call Larrier a big. With the right mind set, they would add an important dimension missing from this team-SCORING from the post and the baseline. We could still bring in Cobb and Onuorah for rebounds and muscle but they would be an alternative to a 5 guard offense.

I think Cobb, Carlton, and Whaley may be able to contribute solidly once they get stronger and better versed in college ball. They'll be opportunistic scorers only to be sure, but they can be the solid Rod Sellers type players who built JC's reputation. I had hopes for Durham, who could have been a Deandre Daniels type slender shooter, but we had to wait 3 years for Deandre to mature and it might be an even longer wait for Durham given his knee troubles. Enoch and Jackson - meh. Louisville was desperate for big men given pending sanctions, and Jackson found his level at New Mexico.

 

[gtcam]

All these folks GUESSING what KO's like in practice, with the kids 1on1 and even in their homes
All speculation

There is no other JC and to will KO to be like him is ridiculous. Different times, different places.

I appreciate the OPs thoughts but that's all they are with zero hands on experience with either coach - as far as I know

 

[Bonk]

Is anyone else watching Villanova play right now? You don't fully realize KO's lack of coaching ability until you watch the ball movement, toughness, and unselfishness of a team like Villanova or Gonzaga play. Can't remember the last time I've seen this type of offensive movement from a Kevin Ollie team

 

[Travelman6]

Good lord.

I am just here in the middle observing things, but I do not get these kind of responses. So, what do you have to say? What is the point of a response like this? Like a thinly veiled dismissal as if your point of view is better, without actually offering it up...

Feel free to contribute to the convo at any time!

Because I actually do agree with what was said, in part. I think that people do tend to forget the more negative aspects and glamorize people as time passes. For all that was great about Calhoun, for sure he had some faults!

 

[superjohn]

I am just here in the middle observing things, but I do not get these kind of responses. So, what do you have to say? What is the point of a response like this? Like a thinly veiled dismissal as if your point of view is better, without actually offering it up...

Feel free to contribute to the convo at any time!

Because I actually do agree with what was said, in part. I think that people do tend to forget the more negative aspects and glamorize people as time passes. For all that was great about Calhoun, for sure he had some faults!

Calhoun is considered by everyone to be a top 5 college coach of all-time. This guy comes on the board and bashes a top 5 all-time coach for a paragraph plus and you're confounded by my response?

 

[Confident Carl]

I am just here in the middle observing things, but I do not get these kind of responses. So, what do you have to say? What is the point of a response like this? Like a thinly veiled dismissal as if your point of view is better, without actually offering it up...

Feel free to contribute to the convo at any time!

Because I actually do agree with what was said, in part. I think that people do tend to forget the more negative aspects and glamorize people as time passes. For all that was great about Calhoun, for sure he had some faults!

Easy to forget the faults after 4 National championships in 1999, 2004, 2011 and kind of 2014.

 

[Jaker]

These threads are so counter productive, it's sad

 

[TheChamps990411]

Kevin Ollie's biggest issue is that he has not figured out the importance of imposing his will onto his best players, and onto games.

I didnt read your whole post but his players may respect him as im sure they do but there is no level of fear. Fear can be a good thing. The minute Ollie smacked Donnel Beverly i cringed and till this day it rubbed me the wrong way and sent the wrong message. Would JC ever get into slap boxing matches with his players? Absolutely not! JCs players loved him but they also had a healthy degree of fear of him also. Thats what Ollie is missing. Hes like the parent who wants to be a friend to their kids.

 

[HooperScooper]

I hope Ollie wasn't second-guessing the loss of Enoch, Jackson, and Durham. They are all replaceable. But I do hope he was reviewing his own coaching and figuring out where he needed to improve.

JC was a coach 13 years before coming to UConn, it's reasonable to think it may take KO 10 years of head coaching experience to really come into his own. Every year is a new chance for him, until the chances go away. I hope he realizes how precious each year is and gives his all to this team.

You may be right but I don't think UConn can afford to wait 10 years. He's obviously not being paid like an inexperienced coach. That's not his fault though.

 

[Allbite]

I think everyone was of the mindset, me included of don't let the door hit you in the rear. However, Louisville, New Mexico and Norte Dame see value. Our current bigs can't score unless you call Larrier a big. With the right mind set, they would add an important dimension missing from this team-SCORING from the post and the baseline. We could still bring in Cobb and Onuorah for rebounds and muscle but they would be an alternative to a 5 guard offense.

Enoch and Jackson, who cares. He really did mess up with Durham. And loss of Ashton-Langford obviously hurt bad, too.

 

[tentoes4rings]

Enoch and Jackson, who cares. He really did mess up with Durham. And loss of Ashton-Langford obviously hurt bad, too.

You’re wrong. This team would be much better with Vance Jackson. That was the one that really hurt.

 

[Allbite]

You’re wrong. This team would be much better with Vance Jackson. That was the one that really hurt.

He played NO defense. What good is scoring 15 if you give up 20?

 

[tentoes4rings]

He played NO defense. What good is scoring 15 if you give up 20?

Because he could actually shoot and would make teams change the way they defend us. We’re routinely giving up 40 points per first half now, and don’t have a shooter. Where are we better defensively than we were with VJ in the lineup?

 

[Allbite]

This team has to grind, and even if they did have him, and he was no grinder, him leaving when he was getting a lot of playing time says it all. They need players at the level of AG to compete at the level we all want, and Durham was one of them. He was rated slightly higher than AG before he got hurt. No way Ollie should've had him on the bench all year. And Ashton-Langford was around the level of recruit as Adams. Enoch and Jackson were way later top 100. Big difference.

 

[Austin316]

Coaching experience & inheritance.

Jim Calhoun coached for 14 years at Northeastern before coming to UConn. It took him 7 years to build Northeastern and 7 years later he was in Storrs. Obviously you know the story after that

KO is so lucky his first coaching job was at UConn. The big difference is he inherited a dominant program without leaning the key coaching principles. He’s still learning how to recruit a full team, coach, and learn how to win consistently. In 2014 he has JC’s demeanor along with his team. 4 years after getting hired he has to figure it all out on his own... tough situation to be in.

Problem is after 2014 and 20 years of blue blood we have zero patience.

 

[Hankster]

The camera focused on JC during the Syracuse game. It wasn't for a second either. The way he was rubbing his chin and under is nose with those eyes, I thought he was going to run out there and start coaching. He did not look pleased.

 

[Scrutineer]

Correct analysis of Calhoun's toughness and will versus Ollie's more gentle and understanding approach and willingness to "let them play".
Check out the writeups on the Rutgers/Michigan State game. Izzo was impressed with how hard
Rutgers played and there was a great photo of Steve Pikiell looking as if his head was about to explode as he's making a point with one of his players.
Maybe Ollie is more attuned to the NBA method of coaching where you, as a lowly coach, must
encourage and treat your players with understanding and dignity because they're the stars and
if you're too hard on them you'll be out the door.

 

[Stainmaster]

Correct analysis of Calhoun's toughness and will versus Ollie's more gentle and understanding approach and willingness to "let them play".
Check out the writeups on the Rutgers/Michigan State game. Izzo was impressed with how hard
Rutgers played and there was a great photo of Steve Pikiell looking as if his head was about to explode as he's making a point with one of his players.
Maybe Ollie is more attuned to the NBA method of coaching where you, as a lowly coach, must
encourage and treat your players with understanding and dignity because they're the stars and
if you're too hard on them you'll be out the door.

Once again, laughably off the mark.