UCONN NATION - Take the emotion out of this for a moment

[mdkhusky]

Delete your account.

Ah pulling one out of hillarys book! Nice job! Can guarantee I've spent more money on uconn athletics than you. So shut up

 

[Stainmaster]

Ah pulling one out of hillarys book! Nice job! Can guarantee I've spent more money on uconn athletics than you. So shut up

You’re rooting for the team to lose. That burns any credibility you thought you had, money or no money.

 

[Dogdeacon]

First I'm fully on board 100% in support of the team during the season and I'm rooting for a turnaround/miracle/merely competence. But how is it that a post titled 'take the emotion out of this' is an emotional plea to just be loyal fans & give benefit of doubt to someone that was there in time of need!?

Contrary to that, Ollie benefitted greatly from the no pressure year one and then to his credit but with much assistance spun that into one very successful year and lots of personal benefits & accolades. Since then we've been collecting evidence that he is less effective amidst personal success i.e. maybe all those NBA teams that gave him 1-year deals knew the best way to motivate him.

 

[freescooter]

I don’t know about the rest of you but I don’t much care if our coach is s UConn alumnus or went to Syracuse or AIC. If he wins he is good. If not get somebody else who will.

Here’s the thing. Nobody lets a coach stay if he can’t do the job. Maybe at D3 schools but after that if you have been an utter failure you are gone. Ollie is gone barring some kind of miracle. Has to happen because the alternative is the program just collapses along with attendance and support.

 

[BUConn10]

Lmao @ "take the emotion out of this".

That's actually exactly what those saying he should be gone are doing. It's the snowflake loyalists who can't take the JC connection to Ollie out of their heartboxes for a second to see with clarity.

 

[DMIL]

Also a desperate fan base.

It is what it is. Like a Marriage needing counseling. We need to go through this together. There is simply no quick fix. Divorce is very expensive and painful.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I ask this question with all sincerity. Why next season as well? It is likely to just be more of the same and I just can't see this going on that much longer. Other than the buyout, what is it that I am not seeing?

"Other than that, how did you enjoy the play Mrs. Lincoln?"

What beyond the buyout do you need to see? I've stated a few times on this board that if it were my decision and if money were not an issue KO would be dismissed once the season ends.

I don't have a lot in terms of inside info and I could very well be wrong but I don't see us eating that buyout so soon after eating Diaco's.

If something (off the court) occurs that embarrasses the school, things will change. If someeone steps forward with a was of cash to cover the buyout,things will change. Otherwise, we havee tto endure another year.

 

[HuskyHawk]

First I'm fully on board 100% in support of the team during the season and I'm rooting for a turnaround/miracle/merely competence. But how is it that a post titled 'take the emotion out of this' is an emotionally plea to just be loyal fans & give benefit of doubt to someone that was there in time of need!?

Contrary to that, Ollie benefitted greatly from the no pressure year one and then to his credit but with much assistance spun that into one very successful year and lots of personal benefits & accolades. Since then we've been collecting evidence that he is less effective amidst personal success i.e. maybe all those NBA teams that gave him 1-year deals knew the best way to motivate him.

Now that is the rational take. I particularly like the last part. It certainly seems to fit the evidence.

 

[Husk1881]

Sad stat but I'm friends with a former walk on player and was recently at the gym speaking to him and he said that during 2014 there wasn't a single practice without JC there. Although we suspected this, it hurts to hear.

 

[HuskyHawk]

"Other than that, how did you enjoy the play Mrs. Lincoln?"

What beyond the buyout do you need to see? I've stated a few times on this board that if it were my decision and if money were not an issue KO would be dismissed once the season ends.

I don't have a lot in terms of inside info and I could very well be wrong but I don't see us eating that buyout so soon after eating Diaco's.

If something (off the court) occurs that embarrasses the school, things will change. If someeone steps forward with a was of cash to cover the buyout,things will change. Otherwise, we havee tto endure another year.

Yes. It's obvious that we simply don't have the money to pay him. I think there is a solution where Kevin leaves for an NBA assistant job, and is spared the indignity and negative career impact of being fired. He needs a change of scenery and I don't think he wants to be here anymore given the changes in his personal life.

I came across an article from last April (after our horrible season) speculating on what UCLA would do if Alford went to IU. Ollie was one of the top names listed, which makes sense, since he's an LA guy.

 

[Scrutineer]

Nothing is over until we decide it is. Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor???

Not when General Blutarski is leading the allied forces!

 

[DMIL]

Lmao @ "take the emotion out of this".

That's actually exactly what those saying he should be gone are doing. It's the snowflake loyalists who can't take the JC connection to Ollie out of their heartboxes for a second to see with clarity.

Take the emotion out for clear analysis. Emotion keeps everything cloudy. Our team can't shoot no matter what the offense. They miss wide open shots. They can't dribble without turning the ball over. These two areas are costing us games and driven by personnel, not coaching x's and o's. With all the challenges with the program right now no one is really talking about a real solution, a real fix that is obtainable in the near term. It simply doesn't exist. The fix may be a mid term solution but trust it will be like starting from scratch like Calhoun in 1986. That is the reality. Ollie needs the 2018. This season was baked last year. Best case was a bubble team. No control over the Gilbert situation. The program gets back to respectability if Larrier and Adams return for 2018 with a healthy Gilbert and Sid Wilson. This will put him in position to put together back to back classes and for Chillious to do his magic.

 

[DMIL]

Lmao @ "take the emotion out of this".

That's actually exactly what those saying he should be gone are doing. It's the snowflake loyalists who can't take the JC connection to Ollie out of their heartboxes for a second to see with clarity.

2018 that is the watershed year.

 

[DMIL]

I ask this question with all sincerity. Why next season as well? It is likely to just be more of the same and I just can't see this going on that much longer. Other than the buyout, what is it that I am not seeing?

Shooters coming in 2018, Gilbert will be back, Sid Wilson will be eligible, current freshman will be bigger, stronger more experienced and there is still a chance we get Adams and Larrier back.

 

[Dogdeacon]

If we are going to discuss the future and use the present to predict it, I don't think we can also rationalize and have no accounting for recent problems. In fact we are trying that and its not going well. UConn as a whole wiped the 2016-17 debacle off the books and said let's start fresh in 2017-18. It ain't over yet, but the effort & heart we saw back in 12-13 was the promise for this season and thus far it hasn't been realized. It looks like last year but worse and no one is talking the fan base into a 2nd year of memory wipe. Fool me once etc...

 

[DMIL]

If we are going to discuss the future and use the present to predict it, I don't think we can also rationalize and have no accounting for recent problems. In fact we are trying that and its not going well. UConn as a whole wiped the 2016-17 debacle off the books and said let's start fresh in 2017-18. It ain't over yet, but the effort & heart we saw back in 12-13 was the promise for this season and thus far it hasn't been realized. It looks like last year but worse and no one is talking the fan base into a 2nd year of memory wipe. Fool me once etc...

UCONN NATION is holding him and the Administration accountable. Gilbert being out is really the key issue here. This was a 20 win team at best with Gilbert and a bunch of new people trying to develop some type of team chemistry. Look what happened to Duke, NC, Kentucky and Kansas. They all have disappointing losses and much of it due to effort and chemistry. Our talent right now is not even close to that. The personnel is not there. i don't think anyone could get more out of the group that we have outside of maybe a little more discipline with shot selection and handling the ball. Coaches don't shoot or make buckets. Our guys are simply failing to make wide open shots. The defensive effort has been better on balance overall outside of a few games but they need more execution on offense to help the defense sustain i.e. less turnovers, better decision making and try hitting a few wide open jumpers.

 

[UCweCONN]

Did anyone else hear KO on the 1080 AM pre-game show praising the team's effort against Wichita and saying we played really well? I wanted to puke. Comments like that after a 10 point HOME loss and the 4th loss in 5 games?? Can you imagine JC making comments like that?

 

[mdkhusky]

You’re rooting for the team to lose. That burns any credibility you thought you had, money or no money.

Keep defending KO!

 

[Henry]

I realize I post infrequently and probably don't deserve to rant but seriously, we are at a point where after 2 consecutive winnable games, Ollie is going to tell us he is proud of the team's effort. I expect effort. What I expect from the coaches is to get our team in a position to win, not just compete. These close losses are on the coaches. Why call a timeout to inbound leaving us with no timeouts when our biggest problem is inbounding? Then at the end of OT 2 why call a timeout to allow the defense a chance to set up? Calhoun wasn't the best at setting up out of bounds plays but at the end of a game he would let the players run the last play just so he other team could not get set. Everybody in the world knows the ball is going to Jalen so why give the defense a chance to get set? No rebounding, no nose for loose balls and minimal concept of how to run offense. I'm very frustrated.

 

[CTMike]

Very Unemotionally:

WE FN LOST TO TULSA! AGAIN!

 

[DAC17]

I find it amusing that so many people waste so much time micro analyzing this disaster. Major UConn men's sports are as low as they can go. All you're doing is getting yourselves upset.

 

[Dibbie]

UCONN is becoming irrelevant in men's basketball, if not already there. Sadly, there's a good chance they never gain it back. At least we have those 4 titles...

 

[3rdbass]

UCONN is becoming irrelevant in men's basketball, if not already there. Sadly, there's a good chance they never gain it back. At least we have those 4 titles...

Well with the current trajectory you are right. The only thing that could change it is a new coach. I mean when will we ever win the AAC regular season?

 

[Milo65]

Understand where we all are right now. We are tired, drained, dis-heartened and incredibly frustrated by downward trend of our program. This transition has taken us to the top of the mountain and now we seem to be stuck in the valley.and honestly I feel this goes back to the 2010 and 2012 Seasons when the program started to lose some traction initially. It was then when momentum started to go a downward and we could see the Calhoun era coming to a close. We were so fortunate to get our title in 2011 and more fortunate in 2014.

Olie is UCONN, flaws and all. We have to ride with him at least through the 2018-2019 Season. There are just no other options out there that is going to right the ship and coming to this realization is painful.

This is our family man, our UCONN brother and the entire staff needs our support. You don't have to like anything that is going on. Yes the product sucks right now and has for quite sometime. All of the numbers, metrics, inconsistent play, tormoil, lack of execution, focus, turnover, budget cuts, losses support a decision on the surface to move in a different direction.

However I want you guys to dig a little deeper and remember 2012-2013, the probation year. The way Ollie coached and motivated that team was a beautiful thing especially when it seemed like we had nothing to play for but that UCONN pride. That coaching staff was strong.

Who can forget the following season and the way that team played down the stretch before winning the whole damn thing for UCONN Nation.

Following year was really a stop gap, rebuild year that was disappointing but not a complete waste of a season. 20 win season and a NIT appearance. If Deandre Daniels stays for his senior season we are probably at least a sweet 16 team.

2015 we go in with elevated expectations and this season was also a bit disappointing given the inconsistency of Daniel Hamilton. Despite he was our best player as a sophomore and we make it to the secound round of the tournament where we eventually lose to a #1 seed Kansas. Won the AAC Tournament despite a 6th place finish.

2016 is the year everything goes completely off of the rails after a top 10 recruiting class that was supposed to set us up for the next few years. This was the stop the bleeding, get back to being UCONN class. Obviously this did not pan out with 2 freshmen transferring and a sophomore, Alteriques and Larrier's season ending injuries. Sure there were some things within our control however this was simply some bad luck. These guys win at least 21 games with Gilbert and Larrier healthy.

This year is this year. Jalen is not a point guard and the only true point guard that we have is out again for the year on a system predicated on a two guard system. We do not have an experienced
front court to lean on. They are very young. We do not have a true five that controls the paint. Larrier is coming off of an ACL. This injury takes about 2 years to fully recover from. We also do not have any 3 point shooters. Due to the injuries and departures this is why we have these holes in our team. The players that transferred would have provided size, length, rebounding and some level of improved shooting. We've asked too much of Jalen. He is not Kemba or Shabazz and will never be. When we have a full team with our pieces the Ollie can utilize his strengths much more effectively.

The bright side for 2018, best case scenario. The incoming class has shooting at point and both forward positions with players that are rising for the most part, want to be here and address a need. There is a chance that we get Jalen and Terry back along with Gilbert. You add Sid Wilson to the mix and we have ourselves a certain NCAA team that could make a sweet 16 run. Ollie fell off a little but he has gotten back up.

We need a few things to fall our way to get back on track. It's not hopeless. The timing has sucked however the bleeding has stopped. This season was baked last year and all we can do is to look for signs of growth and improvement. We are not what we were. The ugly brand of basketball is tough to watch and It's a new era in UCONN Men's basketball. We have to accept this new reality as painful as it has been. We will rise again Huskies but can't throw the baby out with the bath water. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good, the acceptable.

P.S. If Ollie goes now or at the end of the season we lose another class and we're looking at another 3 years of misery at best. Another year is needed. That is all that I ask from my fellow HUSKIES.

 

[GoUconn7961]

Hey OP - try and rally the troops all you want - I've been an Ollie supporter, but right now all I'm hearing is blah, blah, blah. enough is enough.. We were a top notch program and that has now gone by the wayside. Talk up Ollie and his ties to UConn all you want, but I'm done.