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

[Huskybass]

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.

Yeah, that's all going to happen and Santa Claus is going to give you a big, wet, sloppy kiss too.

Amazing the level of denial on here.

 

[Stainmaster]

Keep defending KO!

Keep lying about me defending KO - which I am not, nor have I been.

How happy were you to see UConn lose tonight?

 

[Stainmaster]

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?

And the JC comparisons continue...

 

[UCweCONN]

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.

And in many cases, the best thing for both parties.

 

[BlueDogs]

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.

No more years. Sometimes the cure has to hurt to recover.

 

[DMIL]

Yeah, that's all going to happen and Santa Claus is going to give you a big, wet, sloppy kiss too.

Amazing the level of denial on here.

These guys are committed, not pie in the sky. All of these guys may be gone if Ollie is fired. Don't know if he will make it another season. Will be painful regardless but need to try and find positives.

 

[DMIL]

No more years. Sometimes the cure has to hurt to recover.

True.

 

[JMick]

These guys are committed, not pie in the sky. All of these guys may be gone if Ollie is fired. Don't know if he will make it another season. Will be painful regardless but need to try and find positives.

oh no one top 100 recruit and a couple 3 star guys. how will this program ever recover?

 

[UCweCONN]

OT but I read that UCONN women's lacrosse which had been playing in the Big East will play in the AAC next season. WHY???! Another program to decline in the AAC like football, men's basketball, men's and women's soccer etc. The best route was to have stayed in the Big East and gone independent in football. Then once we'd demonstrated some sustained football success, wait for a P5 conference to call. The athletic jumped in before it was time and now we're a shambles.

 

[DMIL]

oh no one top 100 recruit and a couple 3 star guys. how will this program ever recover?

It's the pieces. They address specific needs we don't have right now. If you include JA, Larrier, Sid Wilson, Gilbert and Diarra that would be 5 Top 100 players gone possibly. This is the talent you need to bridge classes.

 

[JMick]

It's the pieces. They address specific needs we don't have right now. If you include JA, Larrier, Sid Wilson, Gilbert and Diarra that would be 5 Top 100 players gone possibly. This is the talent you need to bridge classes.

JA and Larrier probably didn't even want to be back for next year. Who knows what will happen to Gilbert. We have a bad team and a bad coach. We can afford to lose pretty much everyone and get back to building a real UConn basketball team

 

[BlueDogs]

OT but I read that UCONN women's lacrosse which had been playing in the Big East will play in the AAC next season. WHY???! Another program to decline in the AAC like football, men's basketball, men's and women's soccer etc. The best route was to have stayed in the Big East and gone independent in football. Then once we'd demonstrated some sustained football success, wait for a P5 conference to call. The athletic jumped in before it was time and now we're a shambles.

Good Lord, it's not the conference. Witchita is ranked in the top 10, and Cincy in the top 20. We sit in the bottom third of the conference. The problem isn't football. The problem is a coach that recruited terribly, cant coach up players or get players working as a disciplined unit.

 

[Stainmaster]

Good Lord, it's not the conference. Witchita is ranked in the top 10, and Cincy in the top 20. We sit in the bottom third of the conference. The problem isn't football. The problem is a coach that recruited terribly, cant coach up players or get players working as a disciplined unit.

How many times has Cincy made it to a Sweet 16? Wichita has what, one F4 berth in program history? How many guys does each program have in the league, much less guys who weren't NDFAs?

This board would be furious if we were Cincy or Wichita.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Those professing that KO has to go within a day or two of our last game this season have a very valid argument.

I do ask however: How is the buyout getting paid?

 

[UConnNick]

OT but I read that UCONN women's lacrosse which had been playing in the Big East will play in the AAC next season. WHY???! Another program to decline in the AAC like football, men's basketball, men's and women's soccer etc. The best route was to have stayed in the Big East and gone independent in football. Then once we'd demonstrated some sustained football success, wait for a P5 conference to call. The athletic jumped in before it was time and now we're a shambles.

The chances of a P5 conference taking an independent UCONN football program are less than zero. Basketball means nothing in conference realignment decisions. If it did, we'd already be in a P5 conference. Our football program must remain in the AAC for us to have any chance at ever getting a P5 invite.

 

[JMick]

I do ask however: How is the buyout getting paid?

@August_West 's bitcoin wallet. He wanted to flair bet on our record this season. maybe we can make him up the ante

 

[DMIL]

JA and Larrier probably didn't even want to be back for next year. Who knows what will happen to Gilbert. We have a bad team and a bad coach. We can afford to lose pretty much everyone and get back to building a real UConn basketball team

Possibly.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

@August_West 's bitcoin wallet. He wanted to flair bet on our record this season. maybe we can make him up the ante

That could work.

You'll need to offer an Arby's dinner to meet with him to discuss it. If you pick up the dinner tab he just may go for it.

 

[zls44]

If there's one think Kevin Ollie has done better than anything else, its taking any sort of emotional attachment away from the fans towards the program. I'd have had trouble sleeping after a loss like this 5 years ago. Now I just don't care.

 

[UConnDan97]

If there's one think Kevin Ollie has done better than anything else, its taking any sort of emotional attachment away from the fans towards the program. I'd have had trouble sleeping after a loss like this 5 years ago. Now I just don't care.

That's ironic, because I feel sick to my stomach still. They played a good game tonight, and there was improvement by a lot of players. And after going down 9 points while Tulsa hit a bazillion threes, we fought back and played with heart and intensity.

If the game today didn't bring out any emotion from you, I'd question whether or not you're a UConn fan. I'm not trying to be mean. But they played as exciting ball game tonight...

 

[BlueDogs]

How many times has Cincy made it to a Sweet 16? Wichita has what, one F4 berth in program history? How many guys does each program have in the league, much less guys who weren't NDFAs?

This board would be furious if we were Cincy or Wichita.

Come on, now. If KO was 11-2 the KO sycophants would be naming him HOF ready. Hell, I'd like to see us at least be near the top of this so called horrendous conference. One thing I can assure you is SMU, Witchita and Cincy will at least be in the first round of the NCAAs. We won't even be invited to the NIT at this rate.

 

[zls44]

And after going down 9 points while Tulsa hit a bazillion threes, we fought back and played with heart and intensity.

Showed a lot of heart gagging away leads at the end of regulation and OT.

Intensity? Take a look at the jump ball Tulsa fought for in the first OT. Look at how fired up the Tulsa kid was and tell me the last time you saw a UConn player show that much emotion on the court about a big turnover.

There are no moral victories when you lose at Tulsa. Something Kevin Ollie has done in all four of his trips there.

KO is not the answer.

 

[DMIL]

Come on, now. If KO was 11-2 the KO sycophants would be naming him HOF ready. Hell, I'd like to see us at least be near the top of this so called horrendous conference. One thing I can assure you is SMU, Witchita and Cincy will at least be in the first round of the NCAAs. We won't even be invited to the NIT at this rate.

This is a solid football and basketball conference. Horrendous is not the right word.

 

[superjohn]

JA and Larrier probably didn't even want to be back for next year. Who knows what will happen to Gilbert. We have a bad team and a bad coach. We can afford to lose pretty much everyone and get back to building a real UConn basketball team

Not to mention Diarra isn't a top 100 recruit.

 

[UConnDan97]

Showed a lot of heart gagging away leads at the end of regulation and OT.

Intensity? Take a look at the jump ball Tulsa fought for in the first OT. Look at how fired up the Tulsa kid was and tell me the last time you saw a UConn player show that much emotion on the court about a big turnover.

There are no moral victories when you lose at Tulsa. Something Kevin Ollie has done in all four of his trips there.

KO is not the answer.

The last time?

Well it was either Jalen with his big overtime bucket or Vital with his big 3 in overtime or it was the Kwintin dunk. All during tonight's game; all hyped up.

If you didn't see it, it's because you either weren't looking our didn't care to look. Either case would be on you...