UConn men, women heading in opposite directions

[pj]

Not trying to too much of a Richard Head, but at this point what makes you think KO has the HOF as his ceiling? He caught lightening in a bottle one year as the team made a really improbable run during playoff and tourney time. Other than that he has been all Tom Crean all the time. In fact that rating may be generous unless he makes tourney next year.

How many coaches could have caught that particular lightning in that particular bottle? I'll bet not one in a hundred D1 coaches, which means 3 at most. Add in 13 years in the NBA mastering all the small things that NBA teams want, and a sterling personal character. Those are things that will serve him in good stead for the rest of his coaching career.

KO proved then he has some special strengths as a coach that few other head coaches can match. Now he just has to build on that foundation, fix his weaknesses or find a team of assistants that can complement him and be strong where he is weak, and he'll be all set.

Every new head coach needs time to master the coaching trade. Tom Crean has reached his ceiling. KO has not. Because of that 2014 championship and the 13 years in the NBA, we can be confident KO's ceiling is far higher than Tom Crean's.

 

[BUConn10]

Compare any men's college program to the most dominant in the history of all of sport is silly.

Except if you are UConn.

We can get this comparison BECAUSE of who we are, and we're. This comparison is valid only for us because just a few years ago we were essentially Top 3 programs in both sports. That's elite. When two programs are two of the best in their respective sports, then one goes in the opposite direction while the other only accelerates its success, it only highlights the growing disparity.

 

[FartMan69]

That 30-24 AAC record is the worst part. Hard enough to grab positive headlines in this conference even harder when you lose games to Tulsa and ECU. Even a battered UConn team should not lose some of these games.

 

[TheDude]

2014 championship is Ollie's. This crap that he did it with Calhoun recruits is just that - crap. He also owns everything bad that has happened since. But to throw out a national championship when evaluating Ollie as a coach, is as ridiculous as saying he's reached HOF status.

Yes I agree with you how people can say that, There is no where close to a guarantee that Jim Calhoun would have won the championship with his own recruits

 

[huskiesouth]

Ha. If you had Hall of Fame voting credentials, 90% of players and coaches would be in! KO was the head coach for one of those 4 championships, and inherited a good squad to accomplish it. So now, if he just gets to the tourney with a team featuring Jalen Adams, Alterique Gilbert and Terry Larrier, he should get fast tracked to the Hall because 3 kids graduated and 4 he recruited bailed? On a board full of them, this is one of the funniest posts I've read yet. Thanks for the comic relief.

Glad to improve your day with some apparently much-needed humor. Perhaps next time you can take the time to absorb what others write before you start clicking away. The original poster does not have a high opinion of the history and status of our BB program, an opinion with which I do not agree. the original poster also believes that, should we fail to qualify for the tournament this coming season it is a reflection of KO's coaching abilities, a position with which I do not agree. I attempted to address the second position in a humorous fashion, sorry the balloon went to high for you to understand.

 

[gtcam]

I'm not throwing it out at all, it was a miraculous accomplishment but should be put into perspective a little.

And that perspective should be?????????????????

 

[champs99and04]

I appear to be in the vast minority on this, but does anybody else think lumping the men's and women's programs together is just about the stupidest thing ever? I'm not talking about just during the bad times. If I have to hear one more word about "dual championships" I'm going to start beating my cat.

Want to write an article about the state of the program? Fine. Just stop with this pretense that the women's program somehow has anything to do with it. It doesn't. What they've done is obviously amazing, amazing to the point that people compete for new ways to pat themselves on the back over praising them. But they're separate. Geno winning a bunch of championships doesn't impact Ollie or Calhoun any more than the softball team winning championships would.

If you're a journalist have the balls to make a real comparison and stop with this low hanging fruit stuff.

 

[the Q]

That 30-24 AAC record is the worst part. Hard enough to grab positive headlines in this conference even harder when you lose games to Tulsa and ECU. Even a battered UConn team should not lose some of these games.

I agree.

I'm pretty sure we've been in this conference for a few now and STILL haven't won at Tulsa.

It's like it's own house of horrors for us.

The only school that we should've had any trouble with was Louisville....and we did...man they beat the crap out of us that year. Although it created a fun little side story for the NC game in 2014.

We beat Florida twice. Who beat Kentucky 3 times. Who beat Louisville twice. Who beat UConn 3 times.

 

[mauconnfan]

Except if you are UConn.

We can get this comparison BECAUSE of who we are, and we're. This comparison is valid only for us because just a few years ago we were essentially Top 3 programs in both sports. That's elite. When two programs are two of the best in their respective sports, then one goes in the opposite direction while the other only accelerates its success, it only highlights the growing disparity.

No doubt!

 

[Palatine]

Calhoun retired in the midst of CR apocalypse, Geno is still here. What do they expect?

I expect to beat Wagner.

 

[mauconnfan]

I expect to beat Wagner.

Guessing everyone does.

 

[tentoes4rings]

And that perspective should be?????????????????

Do you need 42 question marks? There were other factors leading to that championship, although KO obviously deserves the lion share of credit. To say that one championship plus an appearance in next year's tournament should fast track him to the Hall of Fame was just silly.

 

[jibsey]

Whether both programs were at the top of their sport regardless of the dual championships is debatable. The women's program is like Duke as far as recruiting goes, top players, and whatever the conference they will play all of the countries best teams every year. Is that the men's program? So the women reload every year with HS players dreaming of coming here. A little different than what KO has. Also they have maybe 5-6 teams of quality to worry about year in and out. In one case the conference is meaningless and in the other it means a lot. Hard to argue that Geno is a better coach, tactician and motivator, even with the players to work with.

 

[Huskybass]

2014 championship is Ollie's. This crap that he did it with Calhoun recruits is just that - crap. He also owns everything bad that has happened since. But to throw out a national championship when evaluating Ollie as a coach, is as ridiculous as saying he's reached HOF status.

To say KO didn't inherit a good squad to win the NC in 2014 isn't right either. When you have Bazz, Boat, Daniels, Giffey and Kromah all as upperclassmen or grads, those are lots of real nice pieces to work with.

KO did a great job his first two years, but the last three have evolved into a dumpster fire if you are being objective.

 

[CL82]

I get it, you believe that any coach UConn hires is HOF material?

JC is HOF because he took an also ran program and turned it into a top level program. He did it in a conference that was arguably the best in CBB at the time. He regularly competed for and won conference regular season and tournament titles. Not to mention 3 NCAAs.

Not trying to be too negative on KO but even with scholarship restrictions, he started with a program that was miles better than it was when JC came to Storrs. Yet he has not been competitive in a far weaker conference. Yes he won a NC and deserves a lot of credit for that but to me it looks increasing like that "miracle" is the exception not the rule.

For which men's program is winning national championships "the rule."