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Message: [QUOTE="spudzj6, post: 2128725, member: 6812"] Russ - just to start - I do agree with a number of your points, albeit your take on most topics here feel as if you discuss things in a negative light - Ollie is a competitor, BUT // Larrier and Gilbert were good in their 3 games, BUT - almost like you have hope, but are not expecting things to get better. That is most likely why your taking flack from people on the board. When you are a bit negative and have a few factual errors, you will get hammered - happens to everyone - myself included. Just have to know going in if you say one thing wrong, your original post will be meaningless to many. Anyway, while I agree with a number of points (conference and recruiting, attendance), I do want to throw out my take on a couple. #1 - You, and so many others, like to throw out the comparison of " JC would never" or "JC did it this way"... People need to stop comparing JC to KO. They are inherently linked through the UConn brand, but as a coach, they could not be more dissimilar. JC was a get in your face, tell you what he's thinking, 100% of the time kind of leader. KO is a motivational leader. JC was a coach before he came to UConn, he came through the ranks to get where he got. KO played ball, developed for 2 years under Calhoun, then was placed in a position of immense scrutiny right away (which I agree that it is fair to be critical of him), BUT he is a brand new coach. He didn't have the high school, to player development/video assistant, to associate head coach, to head coaching trail that so many coaches have. He relies heavily on his motivational tactics to get the most out of his guys every single day. He is not JC, and I don't think it's a fair assessment to judge his abilities/tactics to those of JC. Being critical about results is fair, but comparing leadership and styles of coaching - that's something that I don't see as a fair way to judge what his potential might be. Lastly, I really can't stand the same old line that our RIVAL SCHOOLS like to use - "he won with Calhoun's guy's". Kevin Ollie was heavily involved in recruiting the 2013-2014 recruiting class. Yes, Calhoun was the coach in which the year the 14 champ recruits came aboard. But Kevin Ollie helped recruit, was able to keep Shabazz from transferring in 2012, then developed, and coached HIS TEAM to a title. Using the "Calhoun's guys" without giving some credit to KO is an excuse used to fit certain narratives. Stop selling the job KO did with those players short. If you are going to blame KO for the lack of results in the last couple of years, then you need to give him some credit for winning as well. Using the "Calhoun's guys" line completely discredits the job he did in bringing those recruits to Connecticut, and giving us our 4th title. [/QUOTE]

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