UConn projected to win less games than Central

[mauconnfan]

UConn has lost enough fans these last few years, please don't push any additional away.

Are they actually fans if they aren't fans anymore?

 

[Travelman6]

I can't tell the difference between your W's and L's at times...

Yah, that is pretty awful penmanship.

 

[auror]

What I also don't like about the system so to speak - is that it's kind of faulty and exclusionary to a point. If you're an elite big - why come to UConn? If everything is going to be based off of guard creativity and penetration and swing-ish 2/3/4's that can dribble and create - where do you really fall in that equation? People complain about our ability to develop bigs, but they're not a part of the sauce in this system so to speak - so the type of talent we're going to attract in that regard is going to be what it is.

A true catch 22. Shouldn't change our system to highlights bigs if our bigs are bad and it won't help us win this year, but we can't recruit solid bigs because they see our system doesn't develop bigs.

If we stick with Ollie, we have to break out of the vicious cycle somehow, either by convincing some can't miss big or developing the ones we have. Zach Brown fell through, unfortunately. I've got hope for Carlton. Let's hope Ollie doesn't fail him.

 

[HuskiesAllDay]

I mean from what i've read - and what I agree with - is that it's the same thing over an over again - the same problems over and over again. And the clock's just kinda ticking. I don't think KO is a bad dude. I've heard some hearsay stuff behind the scenes - don't know what truth there is to it; but my issue at the end of the day is on the court, and what's been on the court has been the same kinds of players doing the same things wrong repeatedly. For multiple seasons.

And I also think it's just unfair to look at the situation in a total vacuum. Because you have this weird perfect storm where the program is in this rut, but also stuck in the conference realignment cement mixer and you have a team not playing well and stuck against opponents that aren't really BAD per se - but clearly not up to the level of competition we saw in the Big East - but more importantly just not teams we have any real rivalries or history with outside of say... maybe Cincinnati. So it's really just a lot of things coming together at the same time where you have declining revenues that are exacerbated by all of the above that have to put anyone with a pulse on edge a bit.

And truth be told, while I don't want to BE in the American Conference, I'm not bummed that we're IN it right now. I think people are way over the top in criticizing the programs in it. It's been pretty good and teams are absolutely improving. Houston is getting better. SMU got better quickly and seems to be maintaining. Wichita State is a great add for hoops and Cincinnati has been strong. Memphis has been a little all over the place and Tulsa and Temple - while not setting the world on fire, have maintained their status as more or less steady eddies. UCF, USF and Tulane are clearly making the effort even though no one's really had the progress they've wanted them to have on the hoops front at least... on the football front - where the dough is - it's impossible to call UCF and USF bad partners in that regard... and to boot - we haven't carried our weight.

So it's hard for me to sit back and take this kind of elitist attitude that we're too good for the conference and that the conference is ruining US. It's not helping, but everyone in it is doing their best and doing what they need to. We're not. That's on us.

When looking at Ollie - what concerns me is that he has clearly demonstrated an ability to get top talent recruitment wise, but he hasn't been able to keep it, develop it and find the KIND of talent that can succeed in his system. That's really what it comes down to at the end of the day. I don't see a willingness to coach a team where it's at or to what it actually is. He keeps trying to make circles squares. That lack of adaptability scares me. But it also exacerbates some of the 'attitude' issues people constantly complain about. Truth be told - it's hard to keep a positive attitude and max effort when the situation you're in clearly isn't helpful to you. It's hard for me to fault the kids for that.

What I also don't like about the system so to speak - is that it's kind of faulty and exclusionary to a point. If you're an elite big - why come to UConn? If everything is going to be based off of guard creativity and penetration and swing-ish 2/3/4's that can dribble and create - where do you really fall in that equation? People complain about our ability to develop bigs, but they're not a part of the sauce in this system so to speak - so the type of talent we're going to attract in that regard is going to be what it is.

And what the kicker is for me - and I really DO believe this with every fiber of my being - is that I feel like Ollie's one of those guys who is that anomaly that could be a sage in an NBA setting - and just never get one foot in front of the other as a college coach. Get some self motivated, uniquely talented types like you find in the NBA - and you'll have a lot of succes. Sometimes its the coaches that kind of get out of the way and let players create are the best in the modern pro game. Not sure it's a fit for college as the kids just aren't developed enough or have IQ's on the court that can play to that as it's so antithetical to what we see in AAU, etc.

And one behind the scenes knock I hear a lot about Kevin is that he's more interested in being 'one of the boys' so to speak rather than a coach - and while that's not necessarily a fault - it's that you can't really do that at the college level. One guy I talked to explained it to me that Kevin was more like a grizzled NBA vet taking young players under his wing as opposed to being Dad, basically. And I could see that being something. Again - I'm not sure he's a bad coach, he just might be a really bad fit for this level, that's all.

I'm all for giving him the season. He earned that right winning a national title, he's been the tournament twice, probably would have been three times had we not been banned. He's been good enough to warrant the season to me. But if this season turns into anything like last year - it's probably time to make a change. That's where i'm at. I'm in the 'he's out as of now, but let's see what he can do with the season and I can totally reconsider that position.'...

very good post. really well said. agree with all of it.

The bold is what sticks out to me and something I have been saying on here over and over the last few years. (and something that concerns me regarding his ability to turn things around).

What is Kevin Ollie's system?

As someone who follows the program closely, I still have no idea after 5+ years. You hear things like "position less" basketball, but all that has really gotten us is some tweeners who aren't overly effective at any position. Either he hasn't been getting the right types of players for his system, or he doesn't know how to use them when they get here. I suspect its the latter, as we have had some talented (albeit flawed) kids here the last few years, who have only been able to show brief flashes of reaching their potential, only to return to inconsistency and cause general frustration.

We have not been very good on the offensive end the last few years, and appear to be defensive oriented. But is this by design?

Our d numbers have never been that great (kenpom adj d in the 50's is our best under Ollie), and our lack of toughness down low and rebounding have rendered this "system" ineffective. And Ollie always talks about getting out in transition and using our quickness and athleticism, which do not support this philosophy either.

All of this affects recruiting and scouting and so on and I really think is a major problem we are facing. Wisconsin knows exactly how they want to play and they find the right guys to play that way. Same Cuse, Villanova and so on. The Villanova model is one that it appears KO wants to try to run with guard oriented offense, and a rotation of versatile and athletic wings and bigs. And we have had players that would fit playing this way (maybe not quite as talented), but we haven't been successful at it.

We seem to be stuck playing a style of basketball that we either don't want to play or are playing by design and just aren't very good at it. I think its the former which is concerning.

 

[RJScootin]

Are they actually fans if they aren't fans anymore?

They're still fans but their interest is declining. If you're not a diehard this isn't the most exciting product out there. These are more the "casual fan" that help fill seats as seen this year. I appreciate all UConn fan/supporter regardless the level. No need to turn them away. I took my son and 2 of his buddies to XL last game. I want to create more fans not tell people not to watch.

 

[mauconnfan]

They're still fans but their interest is declining. If you're not a diehard this isn't the most exciting product out there. These are more the "casual fan" that help fill seats as seen this year. I appreciate all UConn fan/supporter regardless the level. No need to turn them away. I took my son and 2 of his buddies to XL last game. I want to create more fans not tell people not to watch.

Sorry but you are not a fan if your interest can decline. I can accept all of these people whining about KO, the league etc etc but at least that's because they are passionate, most of them at least. If you jumped on because they were winning and now your interest has waned because they aren't that for now, please stay away no reason to come back, not at all a fan.

I appreciate you taking your son and his buddies and hopefully they can hop on and at some point soon are rewarded with a reasonable facsimile of all of our expectations.

 

[CL82]

Carwash

I read this and thought "what?" and then looked at the handle of quoted poster and literally lol'd.

 

[Athlete94]

Wanna bet an Avatar on that?

Yeah what’cha got

 

[Athlete94]

Again, won’t win 16.. ok, I’ll give, 17 and that’s generous..

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Yeah what’cha got

I’ll up the ante. Loser goes through the carwash windows down. I’ll throw in the hot wax.

 

[Athlete94]

I’ll up the ante. Loser goes through the carwash windows down. I’ll throw in the hot wax.

Deal, photos included...

 

[August_West]

Yeah what’cha got

So you are betting 15 wins or less? Confirm and good

 

[Athlete94]

So you are betting 15 wins or less? Confirm and good

Nope said 16, but I’d give 17 if the efforts there each night

 

[shizzle787]

I have us going about 18-13 with our traditional march to the conference tournament championship before losing and finishing 21-14, good for an NIT berth. That won't be good enough for the program.

 

[August_West]

Nope said 16, but I’d give 17 if the efforts there each night

Deal if you say 17 I win 16 you lose? Deal

 

[Athlete94]

Deal if you say 17 I win 16 you lose? Deal

I’ll take 16..

 

[August_West]

I’ll take 16..

Done

 

[August_West]

Are they actually fans if they aren't fans anymore?

Lol a+++

 

[whaler11]

Deal if you say 17 I win 16 you lose? Deal

Not to get too mathy but that’s 16.5.

 

[August_West]

Not to get too mathy but that’s 16.5.