UConn basketball....

[Pudge]

Because "optimism" with no rational basis is just fantasy. And reading those "optimists" declaring that we'll be fine because "We're UConn!" is maddening.

No hold on a minute ...

RATIONAL BASIS begins with: (1.) One of the few coaches in CBB with a National Championship - brought together by great understanding of how 8 guys played roles on a Team; (2.) Jalen Adams did get far better as the year went on. If he works on his jump shot and has assorted surrounding players, his 2017-2018 will be epic. One of the best players in the conference; (3.) Larrier and Gilbert showed in less than 4 games that they had supreme talent. We can hope for full health - gosh they are 20 year olds NOT old men like you & I; (4.) Out of Whaley, Carlton, Cobb ... we should get some good play. Someone has to play inside. (4.) Vital. We all love the guy.

Instead of the typical standard Connecticut curmudgeon behavior. Consider this: 2017 ended with a Thud. Change was needed. I happen to think part of the Ollie issue ... is the divorce. Going less than .500 has to make him nervous as being back on a 10 day contract. He is not safe. Chillious and Killings: We were swimming along with Blaney, Miller, Hobbs ... and that, frankly, was not moving the needle. Chillious and Killings, IMHO, is the reset we needed - boldly highlighted by a AD David Benedict that is into the Program. A Action guy.

Want to know what the standard UCLA fan says at this point? I am optimistic because, unlike maybe some others, I remember the fieldhouse and the tidy white short shorts. The games against Maine ... and the big WIN against Hofstra. There is nothing this little engine in Storrs can't do. I do believe Ollie - with a CULTURAL push from the stakeholders (including our primary alums) - can get another title. Not in 2017-2018. But within a 5 year cycle.

 

[intlzncster]

I don't think a monster 2018 is realistic. The 2018 class is already too far along in their recruiting for either 2017-18 wins or even the arrival of Chill to make a big difference. We need to get 3 good class of 2018 guys, patch holes again with a grad transfer or two, and get an elite 2019 class. To get there, 2017-18 has to be a highly successful season, UConn players have to strongly endorse the coaching staff to recruits, and KO needs to get the program's marketing pitch and sales process to a higher level of professionalism.

Then they're screwed. Seriously. You can't take this many hits to recruiting and weather than kind of storm with a thin class. If we hadn't had all the 2016 defections, I'd agree with you. But the pipeline, while not dry, is at a trickle right now.

We don't have remotely enough players right now. Think about a roster with no Jalen, no Larrier, and without one other guy. And then plug in an average 2018. And then the year after. The pipeline will be well and truly dry.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

The reality is that it is all of those factors and more. They are axiomatically not mutually exclusive. If you can't put most of last years results on injuries, you're fooling yourself*. If you can't put defections on Ollie and staff and some parental involvement, you are fooling yourself. Why's this so hard?

*yes I know they lost their 1st two games to crappy teams--still can't extrapolate that out; does not work that way.

I think the injuries play to some extent, but losing to East Carolina, Tulsa, Houston, etc. even with a banged up squad, those really shouldn't happen.

And as we all know, that problem isn't relegated to last season alone. Sluggish at best regular seasons have become the norm, not the exception.

 

[pj]

Then they're screwed. Seriously. You can't take this many hits to recruiting and weather than kind of storm with a thin class. If we hadn't had all the 2016 defections, I'd agree with you. But the pipeline, while not dry, is at a trickle right now.

We don't have remotely enough players right now. Think about a roster with no Jalen, no Larrier, and without one other guy. And then plug in an average 2018. And then the year after. The pipeline will be well and truly dry.

Yeah, I'm thinking about it. It comes down to, they need to recruit players and they need to develop them. We can see that already in the frontcourt - we've got a bunch of young guys, Diarra, Carlton, Polley, Whaley. There's space for 5 big men on a 13 man roster. These are our big men for years to come. KO has to develop them into excellent players or we'll be in trouble. We may have to make do for a few years with similarly rated players on the wing and at guard (e.g. Vital level players). They have to be developed and turned into excellent players, the way JC used to do, and a winning team created. That's how KO will rebuild his reputation and get us back to the top.

I don't mind it. Seeing guys like Vital, Diarra, etc develop is why I like college ball more than the NBA. But the coach has to get it done.

 

[intlzncster]

Yeah, I'm thinking about it. It comes down to, they need to recruit players and they need to develop them. We can see that already in the frontcourt - we've got a bunch of young guys, Diarra, Carlton, Polley, Whaley. There's space for 5 big men on a 13 man roster. These are our big men for years to come. KO has to develop them into excellent players or we'll be in trouble. We may have to make do for a few years with similarly rated players on the wing and at guard (e.g. Vital level players). They have to be developed and turned into excellent players, the way JC used to do, and a winning team created. That's how KO will rebuild his reputation and get us back to the top.

I don't mind it. Seeing guys like Vital, Diarra, etc develop is why I like college ball more than the NBA. But the coach has to get it done.

Not knocking you, but read that again. Is that a recipe for success in MCBB?

You really do need studs at the guard position to win. Look at the backcourts of every single one of our championship teams. Loaded with 'best UCONN player...' kind of guys.

If we were to get Waters this year (we are not), I might feel a little different.

 

[superjohn]

Well PJ thinks UConn basketball will become Tulane and he/she seems perfectly comfortable with it.

 

[AntG168]

IMO, you've been serving much more BS than you've been calling out.

Example? And i wasnt talking about BS from posters. I was referring to the program. Like feeding brimah in the post was BS

 

[djct1999]

To get a pulse of UConn basketball, all we have to do is take a look around. Look at Arizona. Look at Kansas. Look at Duke. Look at Kentucky.....................then look at UConn. Look at Syracuse. Truth is, the haves vs the have nots has spread. UConn is on the wrong side and will remain there indefinitely.

 

[intlzncster]

To get a pulse of UConn basketball, all we have to do is take a look around. Look at Arizona. Look at Kansas. Look at Duke. Look at Kentucky......then look at UConn. Look at Syracuse. Truth is, the haves vs the have nots has spread. UConn is on the wrong side and will remain there indefinitely.

Syracuse is worse than us right now. But you made your point anyway.

 

[UCDaveD]

This league doesn't hurt our recruiting? Look at the in conference schedules of P5 teams vs ours and ask why a recruit would want to play for us? A top team in the AAC for us Cincinatti was a yawn opponent when we were in the BE. Twilight Zone.

You're wasting your time trying to explain this. A lot of these people are just living in an alternate reality.

 

[BaZZnBOAT]

To get a pulse of UConn basketball, all we have to do is take a look around. Look at Arizona. Look at Kansas. Look at Duke. Look at Kentucky......then look at UConn. Look at Syracuse. Truth is, the haves vs the have nots has spread. UConn is on the wrong side and will remain there indefinitely.

Quite frankly I disagree with this. We have never been those teams. We beat them, but we do not operate in the same way. I agree things need to get better and soon, but I just don't like the comparison.

 

[Huskybass]

We have ten scholarship players in late May after having only eleven last season. Think about that for a minute. Perhaps a few of you will realize that it's difficult to compete when your own "leadership" consistently leaves you undermanned and less than fully prepared. I for one am tired of seeing the team fall behind by scores like 18-4 against teams we used to roll right over. People can make all the excuses they want, but in three short years the program has fallen off so badly that it is now basically irrelevant on the national scene. Sad, but true.

 

[Hugo]

No hold on a minute ...

RATIONAL BASIS begins with: (1.) One of the few coaches in CBB with a National Championship - brought together by great understanding of how 8 guys played roles on a Team;

Chillious and Killings: We were swimming along with Blaney, Miller, Hobbs ... and that, frankly, was not moving the needle. Chillious and Killings, IMHO, is the reset we needed - boldly highlighted by a AD David Benedict that is into the Program. A Action guy.


Just to be consistent with your rational, if you give credit to KO for the 2014 championship then Miller, Hobbs and Blaney (not sure about Blaney as he may have retired at that point} deserve the same credit. If we weren't moving the needle with those three assistants, then to be consistent again you need to include Ollie with them as well. KO deserves credit for 2014 but so does the rest of the staff. As a group they get credit and as a group they take any blame.

 

[freescooter]

No ever wants to tell the whole story. Comparing us to cincy last yr while totally ignoring how we were decimated by injuries is why ppl get accused of just being negative. There is enough to be negative about, why invent more

Um, Cincinnati didn't lose to the likes of Northeaster and Wagner. Injuries or no injuries last year's team was not looking like anything special, that is for certain. Look they barely beat Chaminade. Trying to make the case that it was only injuries that led to last year's disappointment is a bit of whistling past the graveyard I think.

 

[UConnfan8]

IMO, you've been serving much more BS than you've been calling out.

Too many cheerleaders on this board. Delusional of how "in trouble" we actually are. These guys think that no matter what we are okay. Calhoun had them too high.

 

[HuskyHawk]

You people are insufferable sometimes. It's all the league's fault! It's Ollie's fault, he sucks! It's these darned players who don't play right or have heart! It's the sanctions! The injuries! Cinci and SMU were good! But Cinci and SMU didn't recruit well! It's Herbst! It's Warde! It's Miller! No wait, Miller was the one good thing! Blah, blah....noise.

It's all of the above. There is no one person to point the finger at so stop trying. There are dozens of people to point the finger at. More that that really, since our fans could do a better job of filling the arena and not being insufferable crybabies.

Can we win in this league? Yes. Obviously. Is it harder to win in this league? Yes. Obviously. Can Ollie win games and go deep in the tournament? Yes. Obviously. Is it much harder to do that now? Yes. Obviously. Does he still have it in him? I honestly don't know.

For those of you who missed the later Perno years and the early Jim Calhoun years: winning begets winning. You win, your name shows up on ESPN, kids are interested in coming, therefore, you recruit better and you win. Kevin Ollie needs to damn well figure out how to win games with 3 star kids (like CV) and a couple of 4 stars. When he does that, he'll recruit better. If he doesn't, he will have to be fired and we'll have to hire somebody who can win with lower 4 and 3 star kids. We probably have a little mileage left from our championships, but not much. We wasted a ton of it last year (and yes, injuries were a prime contributor). We cannot waste what's left of it this year. This team has to win in 2017-18, or the hole we will be in will get deeper.

 

[AntG168]

You people are insufferable sometimes. It's all the league's fault! It's Ollie's fault, he sucks! It's these darned players who don't play right or have heart! It's the sanctions! The injuries! Cinci and SMU were good! But Cinci and SMU didn't recruit well! It's Herbst! It's Warde! It's Miller! No wait, Miller was the one good thing! Blah, blah....noise.

It's all of the above. There is no one person to point the finger at so stop trying. There are dozens of people to point the finger at. More that that really, since our fans could do a better job of filling the arena and not being insufferable crybabies.

Can we win in this league? Yes. Obviously. Is it harder to win in this league? Yes. Obviously. Can Ollie win games and go deep in the tournament? Yes. Obviously. Is it much harder to do that now? Yes. Obviously. Does he still have it in him? I honestly don't know.

For those of you who missed the later Perno years and the early Jim Calhoun years: winning begets winning. You win, your name shows up on ESPN, kids are interested in coming, therefore, you recruit better and you win. Kevin Ollie needs to damn well figure out how to win games with 3 star kids (like CV) and a couple of 4 stars. When he does that, he'll recruit better. If he doesn't, he will have to be fired and we'll have to hire somebody who can win with lower 4 and 3 star kids. We probably have a little mileage left from our championships, but not much. We wasted a ton of it last year (and yes, injuries were a prime contributor). We cannot waste what's left of it this year. This team has to win in 2017-18, or the hole we will be in will get deeper.

POST OF THE YEAR

 

[AntG168]

Um, Cincinnati didn't lose to the likes of Northeaster and Wagner. Injuries or no injuries last year's team was not looking like anything special, that is for certain. Look they barely beat Chaminade. Trying to make the case that it was only injuries that led to last year's disappointment is a bit of whistling past the graveyard I think.

I made the case last yr was based soley on injuries? What i was implying is that injuries were indeed a major reason why. And the people refusing to acknowledge that look foolish. Im all for the whole truth, not just the parts that fit my argument

 

[KembaStepback]

Here is my take. I like Ollie as a coach and yes he should be held accountable for a lot of this stuff...but not all of it. After the title, we lost DD who probably should have stayed another year. So we had a team with Boat, DH, and a rusty Purvis. The following year, we had DH, the grad transfers (Miller Gibbs) more Purvis and a freshman Adams. Last yr was all injury.
Hamilton should have stayed. I don't blame KO for this. Imagine last yrs team with Hamilton on the floor? They're immediately a top 25 team and would have been able to better sustain the losses of TL and AG. It seems to me that VJ's plan went all wrong. He obviously thought TL would have had a big year and went pro, thus opening up a spot for him at the 3. KO liked him at the 4 (I did too). VJ and his dad are divas and it's showing in how little interest there is for him. I don't blame KO for this. Enoch and Durham are a mystery. I feel like maybe neither were ready for KO's tough love or lack of playing time. Obviously the trickle down from the Diallo loss got GM fired, and apparently he took MAL with him. Not to mention he probably thought Adams and TL would be gone and open up more room on the perimeter.

I don't fault Ollie for Sid Wilson. We made up a ton of ground and were a favorite until the last minute. Like Mau said in the first post, I bet he doesn't even realize what happened the next morning. He obviously had his friends and family pulling him to stay home. Hope he has fun never seeing an NCAA tournament game.

The cure for all of this is winning. Barring injury, I think we'll be doing a lot more winning next yr. Adams and Vital will be hungy and TL and AG will be extra hungry. I look forward to watching this group play. Once they see how much fun it is to play with these guys...recruits will figure it out.

 

[pj]

Well PJ thinks UConn basketball will become Tulane and he/she seems perfectly comfortable with it.

No, I'm saying we might be UConn 1986-1988 for a few years and I accept that because that's where we're at and can't change it. I'll be comfortable if we see steady progress toward becoming UConn 1989-1996.

 

[SECONN]

Why did Hobbs leave for Rutgers.....more money...loyalty to Pickell.........or saw more of a future there........
Always wondered if that was the first shoe dropping or not

 

[superjohn]

No, I'm saying we might be UConn 1986-1988 for a few years and I accept that because that's where we're at and can't change it. I'll be comfortable if we see steady progress toward becoming UConn 1989-1996.

If we are UConn 1986-1988 for a few years Ollie is gone, if we have one of those seasons next year Ollie is gone.

 

[HuskyHawk]

No, I'm saying we might be UConn 1986-1988 for a few years and I accept that because that's where we're at and can't change it. I'll be comfortable if we see steady progress toward becoming UConn 1989-1996.

The challenge of recovering from that now, in this climate, is much harder than what is was then. The landscape has changed. We don't have the luxury of seasons like those (my last two in Storrs). If this team can get ranked in the fall, win a game in the tournament and maybe win a league title, regular season or tournament, we should land some better recruits. Then we will be on our way to recovery. If we start badly again, and have a similar season to the last, we won't attract the players needed.

 

[mauconnfan]

If we are UConn 1986-1988 for a few years Ollie is gone, if we have one of those seasons next year Ollie is gone.

Let me count the ways Ollie will be gone.

Dee Rowe was 18-31 from 70-72 if Ollie does this he will be gone.

 

[gtcam]

Too many cheerleaders on this board. Delusional of how "in trouble" we actually are. These guys think that no matter what we are okay. Calhoun had them too high.

Yeah, Ok, too many cheerleaders - what a bunch of BS
Too many curmudgeons is what concerns me -
Go to the Kensucky or Puke boards and get into the safe zone