This is UConn Men's Basketball 1986

[DMIL]

UCONN NATION

This is UCONN MENS BASKETBALL 1986, Jim Calhoun’s 1st year at UCONN and the necessary mindset needed to get us through the current and the next challenging year. Our program is at a complete reset on all levels so as we have our memories, especially those of us that have been vested in the program pre - Calhoun era and through it’s magical rise with Calhoun we will need to mentally do a complete reset.

Let’s stop all of the comments about the conference and the old Big East. Let’s endure this pain together, get off of our high horse and enjoy all of our small victories even if those are simply moral ones. Enjoy this ride with Hurley from the bottom to the top. Let’s take this one recruiting class at a time. We will get back to being UCONN in a few years and when it happens these rebuild years will be bitter sweet.

The difficult part is that none of us have any control over these outcomes no matter how much we want and feel we need to get back. I’ve let it go and we are back to 1986.

 

[SwingDog]

Good points. Many of us here who have enjoyed the success of 4 national titles and perennial Top 25 rankings still have that Husky pride. But the reality is we have lost our relevance on the national scene and haven't been ranked in years. We are no longer ready for prime time TV, and find ourselves on ESPNU, ESPNews and CBSSN instead. Those are the hard facts. I am 100% with you in believing that we will rise from the ashes and once again reach that level of success under Coach Hurley.

I also agree the complaints about how bad this conference is do not help. First of all, the conference is not that bad when you compare it to many others and second of all we need to demonstrate that we can succeed in the AAC. It's where we are and I don't see that changing anytime soon. The strengths in recruiting have to be based on the history of UConn success, yes, but more importantly the current culture that is being established under Coach Hurley's leadership. I know it's tough, but I think we absolutely need to have patience and see the big picture and longer term goals as what matter most.

 

[gampelcrazies]

It's funny my dad was telling me the other day that this reminded him of 1986.

 

[DMIL]

Good points. Many of us here who have enjoyed the success of 4 national titles and perennial Top 25 rankings still have that Husky pride. But the reality is we have lost our relevance on the national scene and haven't been ranked in years. We are no longer ready for prime time TV, and find ourselves on ESPNU, ESPNews and CBSSN instead. Those are the hard facts. I am 100% with you in believing that we will rise from the ashes and once again reach that level of success under Coach Hurley.

I also agree the complaints about how bad this conference is do not help. First of all, the conference is not that bad when you compare it to many others and second of all we need to demonstrate that we can succeed in the AAC. It's where we are and I don't see that changing anytime soon. The strengths in recruiting have to be based on the history of UConn success, yes, but more importantly the current culture that is being established under Coach Hurley's leadership. I know it's tough, but I think we absolutely need to have patience and see the big picture and longer term goals as what matter most.

You are spot on. I remember during the rise starting in 1986 when UCONN immediately became competitive against some of the Big Dogs of the Big East. Then a year to so later they started knocking off these heavyweights in the conference at the time with an occasional victory against Syracuse, St. Johns and then Georgetown. Every game in the old Big East seemed like a war, the physicality, grit, skill. There did not seem to be any easy games. Then we started getting close to 20 wins eventually getting into the NIT eventually getting to 20 wins. Then we win the NIT. After that we made the NCAA tournament and did not look back. The Clifford Robinson teams and then the Chris Smith teams. It's about this process and the climb. I'll put my money on Hurley even if I have to use my home as collateral (figuratively speaking). Essentially that is what UCONN did so we need to ride this train and stay on. Let's enjoy watching Coach Hurley grow along with our recruiting classes.

 

[Vancat]

Good thread!

 

[Dogdeacon]

UCONN NATION

This is UCONN MENS BASKETBALL 1986, Jim Calhoun’s 1st year at UCONN and the necessary mindset needed to get us through the current and the next challenging year. Our program is at a complete reset on all levels so as we have our memories, especially those of us that have been vested in the program pre - Calhoun era and through it’s magical rise with Calhoun we will need to mentally do a complete reset.

Let’s stop all of the comments about the conference and the old Big East. Let’s endure this pain together, get off of our high horse and enjoy all of our small victories even if those are simply moral ones. Enjoy this ride with Hurley from the bottom to the top. Let’s take this one recruiting class at a time. We will get back to being UCONN in a few years and when it happens these rebuild years will be bitter sweet.

The difficult part is that none of us have any control over these outcomes no matter how much we want and feel we need to get back. I’ve let it go and we are back to 1986.

I don't know if its analogous. It is more any coach's first year rebuilding a program. It is impossible to erase compare what UConn basketball is today to what it was 33 (gulp) years ago...
1. In 86 we doubted UConn could ever be competitive even in BE, much less nationally
2. We were coming off a year when the star player got kicked off campus, then off the team for kidnapping a fellow student with a weapon (an allegedly non-functioning old gun) in search of drugs
3. Two best players became academically ineligible (Cliff, Gamble)
4. Gas was under a buck, we thought "Walk like an Egyption" was a fun song and that Crocodile Dundee was a good movie

 

[CAHUSKY]

I don't know if its analogous. It is more any coach's first year rebuilding a program. It is impossible to erase compare what UConn basketball is today to what it was 33 (gulp) years ago...
1. In 86 we doubted UConn could ever be competitive even in BE, much less nationally
2. We were coming off a year when the star player got kicked off campus, then off the team for kidnapping a fellow student with a weapon (an allegedly non-functioning old gun) in search of drugs
3. Two best players became academically ineligible (Cliff, Gamble)
4. Gas was under a buck, we thought "Walk like an Egyption" was a fun song and that Crocodile Dundee was a good movie

It's more analogous to Indiana, Kentucky and UCLA after their great runs and subsequent dips. And, since we are now in a crappy conference maybe more similar to UNLV after Tarkanian. I hope not that.

 

[NowInStorrs]

4. ...we thought "Walk like an Egyption" was a fun song...

Whoa whoa whoa. Are you trying to say that Walk Like an Egyptian is in fact not a fun song? Hot take.

 

[CbbisGreat]

Loved that song . And the way those Women could move was just so Egyption.

 

[John]

Whoa whoa whoa. Are you trying to say that Walk Like an Egyptian is in fact not a fun song? Hot take.

Susanna Hoffs, nuff said.

 

[Blaneylover]

UCONN NATION

This is UCONN MENS BASKETBALL 1986, Jim Calhoun’s 1st year at UCONN and the necessary mindset needed to get us through the current and the next challenging year. Our program is at a complete reset on all levels so as we have our memories, especially those of us that have been vested in the program pre - Calhoun era and through it’s magical rise with Calhoun we will need to mentally do a complete reset.

Let’s stop all of the comments about the conference and the old Big East. Let’s endure this pain together, get off of our high horse and enjoy all of our small victories even if those are simply moral ones. Enjoy this ride with Hurley from the bottom to the top. Let’s take this one recruiting class at a time. We will get back to being UCONN in a few years and when it happens these rebuild years will be bitter sweet.

The difficult part is that none of us have any control over these outcomes no matter how much we want and feel we need to get back. I’ve let it go and we are back to 1986.

I think that this team is better than the 1986 team but I can totally see the comparison with regard to culture change. My friend tells a story about the first practice in 1986. There was a guy who hung around the Field House because he liked being around the team and would give the players candy before practice. HCJC comes in and sees the guy there. He asks, "Who --- are you?" The guy feebly answers, "I'm the candy man." HCJC sends the guy packing. He meets the players and says, "I hope that candy tasted good on the way down because it's about to come back up." The whistle was blown, the running began, and the Calhoun Era was underway.

Culture change takes on many forms. We are undergoing one here...perhaps without the vomiting.

 

[Adios]

Egyptians*... Egypt is an entirely Anglicized name. Country is called Misra and they call themselves Masri.

 

[Waquoit]

I think that this team is better than the 1986 team but I can totally see the comparison with regard to culture change. My friend tells a story about the first practice in 1986....

Never heard that one before, thanks.

 

[Waquoit]

It's more analogous to Indiana, Kentucky and UCLA after their great runs and subsequent dips. And, since we are now in a crappy conference maybe more similar to UNLV after Tarkanian. I hope not that.

I think it's more like La. Tech in WBB. That's the women's team's future once Geno leaves for sure.

 

[Dogdeacon]

I think that this team is better than the 1986 team but I can totally see the comparison with regard to culture change. My friend tells a story about the first practice in 1986. There was a guy who hung around the Field House because he liked being around the team and would give the players candy before practice. HCJC comes in and sees the guy there. He asks, "Who --- are you?" The guy feebly answers, "I'm the candy man." HCJC sends the guy packing. He meets the players and says, "I hope that candy tasted good on the way down because it's about to come back up." The whistle was blown, the running began, and the Calhoun Era was underway.

Culture change takes on many forms. We are undergoing one here...perhaps without the vomiting.

Yes, from purely that perspective the comparison is apt. If you were a player on the 1985-86 team waking -up to 86-87 is similar to what this year's team is experiencing with a change in culture, expectations etc and similarly the roster doesn't have all the parts to get where its ultimately going.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Egyptians*... Egypt is an entirely Anglicized name. Country is called Misra and they call themselves Masri.

Hmm, Walk like a Mas-ri might have been just as catchy.
First of all, apologies as I searched for a dated song from 86 and repeated the typo from a dumb pop culture list even though I knew it looked weird.
Secondly, I don't think any of them are justified anymore, Florence should be Firenze, not Spain but Espana, not Germany or Alemania* but Deutchsland etc.. but that's a much broader topic.

* Ale Mania would be a good name for a beerfest though, do they have any good one's in Deutcshland or were they all verbotten as a punishment for bombing Pearl Harbor?

 

[UConnJim]

Honestly, this should be an easier turnaround than 1986. The facilities, culture, and roster were a mess back then. The facilities and roster are better and we have three top 100 recruits for next year.

I think Calhoun had 8 scholarship players that first season and went looking for walk-ons on campus.

But, you knew something positive was brewing when UConn went to Boston Garden and beat BC after Robinson and Gamble were ruled ineligible. I think UConn was down to about 6 scholarship players and started a walk-on, Greg Economou. That is when we all found out Calhoun could coach.

 

[BFieldHusky]

Honestly, this should be an easier turnaround than 1986. The facilities, culture, and roster were a mess back then. The facilities and roster are better and we have three top 100 recruits for next year.

Bingo.

 

[Waquoit]

But, you knew something positive was brewing when UConn went to Boston Garden and beat BC after Robinson and Gamble were ruled ineligible.

On ESPN, no less.

 

[Blaneylover]

On ESPN, no less.

I remember that game. Ridiculous win. A lot of Spider Ursery in that game. At the end of the season, Gerry Besselink said that he wished that he could have played for HCJC for his entire career. He saw the changes that were coming. He wanted to be a part of it for longer than one year.