"UConn Trying to Snatch $10 Million for a Phone Call with Ray Allen"

[Mokum]

I

@CL82, I beg the differ. This is going to get uglier and uglier for UConn. This negative publicity will kill UConn basketball. We were at a very fragile stage before this. Who knows what is going to come out next about Coach Calhoun and Geno. What infractions and violations did they commit and what were the consequences? I hate to see what is happening but the truth is Ollie has nothing to loose and his statement today indicates that. I pray before I die I get to see UConn dominate again. Settle with Ollie, fire Herbst and Benedict, settle with Miller and let's get the season going.

I don't see this killing Uconn basketball. Most people, except the boneyard and some people in CT, will loose interest. Recruits don't care about any of this.

 

[gwhuskyfan]

Said in another thread. This will go away in two days. I compare this to when Edsall yanked a scholarship from one of Diaco's recruits. There were columns in NJ saying schools shouldn't send kids to UConn, Edsall was ripped on ESPN and all the other outlets -- but life went on....and no one probably remembers the story (Outside of us who follow the day to day activities).

 

[8893]

Do you know if this actually happened?

Glenn Miller’s wife told me that she heard it at the car wash.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Glenn Miller’s wife told me that she heard it at the car wash.

"I think."

 

[Padutch5]

This would be a fair argument if the NCAA conducted the investigation independently without any tip-off from people within the program. Since it appears this was not the case, we can only be led to believe that the school is attempting to extort him over things that have been normalized at every other program.

I've never found the NCAA even a little credible - the fact that they've dropped the hammer on UMass, Memphis, and Louisville while letting other schools skate is evidence enough that they're corrupt.

But at least in the past there has been a sliver of logic. You could say "school x may have got busted for illegal phone calls, but it was probably only the tip of the iceberg if it prompted the NCAA to intervene."

That doesn't apply anymore, not only because UConn has a vested interest in exposing any conceivable violations, but also because Ollie was fired due in large part to his inability to recruit. You can't fire somebody for not cheating well enough and then fire him for cause because he cheated. You have to at the very least pick one if you want to avoid being labeled an incomparable hypocrite.

This whole thread has drifted way off base. Ollie was fired because he lost his players, they became an unmotivated, disorganized mess. Remember all the players we lost after 2017? How about all the rumors on here about all we might lose after last season? Somewhere he lost himself and the team.
Enough. Lets move on.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Glenn Miller’s wife told me that she heard it at the car wash.

Wait, wasn't she dead before you were born @8893 ?

 

[amory]

shrug.The article implies UConn is just being cheap. All of this sucks, but the fact is the school doesn't have the money to spare just for the sake of amicability. what does the contract say? if any sort of broad violation would void the contract, then UConn needs to exploit that, no matter how petty it looks.

I feel bad for Ollie. What's happening here is plainly transparent. We are having our cake and eating it too.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Unvision is offering buyout packages to Gawker employees as we speak. Deadspin wont even be around much longer.

The end of the pet rock was a bigger loss to society.

 

[intlzncster]

@CL82, I beg the differ. This is going to get uglier and uglier for UConn. This negative publicity will kill UConn basketball. We were at a very fragile stage before this. Who knows what is going to come out next about Coach Calhoun and Geno. What infractions and violations did they commit and what were the consequences? I hate to see what is happening but the truth is Ollie has nothing to loose and his statement today indicates that. I pray before I die I get to see UConn dominate again. Settle with Ollie, fire Herbst and Benedict, settle with Miller and let's get the season going.

A thousand times worse things happen and reported upon at MCBB and CFB programs nationwide. All the time. It doesn't kill them off. Maybe some opposing fans come up with some chants. Big deal. The only thing that's going to matter is how UCONN plays on the court. That will shape the narrative.

People, by and large, just don't care. Put a product on the court; that's all they care about.

It won't affect Hurley. Kids are going to come if they like or not if they don't.

It's not like things like the 30k rumor will result in sanctions, because the NCAA can't come up with any evidence. Glen has no actual info. Kids mothers from prior years aren't talking, and the NCAA has no authority to get them to divulge information.

And what do JC and Geno have to do with this? You act like the NCAA is going over those guys full careers or something. They're not.

 

[Stainmaster]

Said in another thread. This will go away in two days. I compare this to when Edsall yanked a scholarship from one of Diaco's recruits. There were columns in NJ saying schools shouldn't send kids to UConn, Edsall was ripped on ESPN and all the other outlets -- but life went on....and no one probably remembers the story (Outside of us who follow the day to day activities).

I'm saying this as someone who thinks the secondary violations should be enough to void the entire $10MM -- I don't think it will go away anytime soon, for a couple of reasons.

1. UConn MBB is a much higher profile program than UConn FB, and KO has a much higher profile than Edsall.
   
2. Sports media contains a significant number of personalities and executives who harbor a personal distaste for UConn baskeball. There are plenty of Cuse grads out there in powerful positions who would take great joy in dragging this story out and spinning it so that it causes UConn maximum harm. This is a phenomenon that just doesn't exist with UConn football; nobody in the national media really cares about them that much either way. We saw this happen with the APR nonsense, and I have no reason to believe it can't happen again.

 

[TJT]

Hey welcome back.

As time go on this gets uglier and uglier for KO. The legal team's attempt to smear two HOF coaches has not played well at UConn or with many alumni, who previously support Kevin. He would have been wise to walk away for a modest settlement. Everyday that drags on he looks worse.

Actually think you have it backwards. Every day this drags on makes UConn look worse.

 

[Penfield]

Said in another thread. This will go away in two days. I compare this to when Edsall yanked a scholarship from one of Diaco's recruits. There were columns in NJ saying schools shouldn't send kids to UConn, Edsall was ripped on ESPN and all the other outlets -- but life went on....and no one probably remembers the story (Outside of us who follow the day to day activities).

Except this is going to court. Unless they reach an agreement this will go on a while

 

[8893]

1. UConn MBB is a much higher profile program than UConn MBB,

?

 

[Stainmaster]

?

Fixed. Thanks.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

The question is,
Does the $10 million that you may still have to pay Ollie worth the stain and possible doward spiral of the program?

Is yours a paid or unpaid internship?

 

[Waquoit]

"Snatch" is a silly word.

See Land Grab

 

[HuskyHawk]

shrug.The article implies UConn is just being cheap. All of this sucks, but the fact is the school doesn't have the money to spare just for the sake of amicability. what does the contract say? if any sort of broad violation would void the contract, then UConn needs to exploit that, no matter how petty it looks.

I feel bad for Ollie. What's happening here is plainly transparent. We are having our cake and eating it too.

I sincerely don't understand why people feel bad for him. He quit on UConn and on his players, pocketed huge paychecks while paying lip service to doing his job, and reportedly failing to exercise much self discretion or control. That's without any NCAA violations. On that alone, I certainly don't think he deserves any buyout money.

We are not talking about the guy who spent 30 years in a coal mine or on an assembly line and was screwed out of his pension on some technicality. When did a pampered, overpaid ex-jock making millions become the symbol of oppression?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I sincerely don't understand why people feel bad for him. He quit on UConn and on his players, pocketed huge paychecks while paying lip service to doing his job, and reportedly failing to exercise much self discretion or control. That's without any NCAA violations. On that alone, I certainly don't think he deserves any buyout money.

We are not talking about the guy who spent 30 years in a coal mine or on an assembly line and was screwed out of his pension on some technicality. When did a pampered, overpaid ex-jock making millions become the symbol of oppression?

He signed a contract and he expected UConn to honor it. He clearly made a bad decision there.

 

[JMick]

He signed a contract and he expected UConn to honor it. He clearly made a bad decision there.

He didn't honor his end of the contract. I don't know why so many posters want to make excuses for him

 

[HuskyHawk]

He signed a contract and he expected UConn to honor it. He clearly made a bad decision there.

UConn expected him to honor it too. They clearly made a bad decision there.

 

[amory]

I sincerely don't understand why people feel bad for him. He quit on UConn and on his players, pocketed huge paychecks while paying lip service to doing his job, and reportedly failing to exercise much self discretion or control. That's without any NCAA violations. On that alone, I certainly don't think he deserves any buyout money.

We are not talking about the guy who spent 30 years in a coal mine or on an assembly line and was screwed out of his pension on some technicality. When did a pampered, overpaid ex-jock making millions become the symbol of oppression?

I didn't say he was the symbol of oppression. I even explicitly said UConn is doing the right thing here.

But Ollie is one of us. He didn't turn out to be the right guy to lead the program long term, but he's a UConn guy. He's been an ambassador for our brand for decades. He was fired because he was not winning basketball games. Not for a few minor violations. This is undeniable. And when a coach is fired for not being successful, generally they get the money contractually due to them.

I'm glad he's not our coach anymore, but I'm not going to applaud the school for weasling out of paying him based on technicalities.

 

[Pudge]

I didn't say he was the symbol of oppression. I even explicitly said UConn is doing the right thing here.

But Ollie is one of us. He didn't turn out to be the right guy to lead the program long term, but he's a UConn guy. He's been an ambassador for our brand for decades. He was fired because he was not winning basketball games. Not for a few minor violations. This is undeniable. And when a coach is fired for not being successful, generally they get the money contractually due to them.

I'm glad he's not our coach anymore, but I'm not going to applaud the school for weasling out of paying him based on technicalities.

I agree

 

[Padutch5]

He signed a contract and he expected UConn to honor it. He clearly made a bad decision there.

Yes he signed a contract and then quit on UCONN. In the real world you actually have to fulfill a contract after you sign it.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I didn't say he was the symbol of oppression. I even explicitly said UConn is doing the right thing here.

But Ollie is one of us. He didn't turn out to be the right guy to lead the program long term, but he's a UConn guy. He's been an ambassador for our brand for decades. He was fired because he was not winning basketball games. Not for a few minor violations. This is undeniable. And when a coach is fired for not being successful, generally they get the money contractually due to them.

I'm glad he's not our coach anymore, but I'm not going to applaud the school for weasling out of paying him based on technicalities.

I tend to think it's more than "not winning games". I understand that some may feel that way. I think it goes way beyond simply not being successful, to not working hard, not putting forth the effort needed to recruit, not spending the time to teach the kids and develop them, the time to scout the opponents, and design systems and plays that allow them to succeed. To not holding the players accountable. Add to that various reported off court behaviors and, yes, the violations. He decided he wasn't going to do his job. That's why he was fired. If he had done his job to the best of his abilities, the team would have won more games.

Since I believe that we could not have afforded to fire him if we had to pay him, I do applaud the school doing all it can to avoid paying him.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

@CL82, I beg the differ. This is going to get uglier and uglier for UConn. This negative publicity will kill UConn basketball. We were at a very fragile stage before this. Who knows what is going to come out next about Coach Calhoun and Geno. What infractions and violations did they commit and what were the consequences? I hate to see what is happening but the truth is Ollie has nothing to loose and his statement today indicates that. I pray before I die I get to see UConn dominate again. Settle with Ollie, fire Herbst and Benedict, settle with Miller and let's get the season going.

"We"?

I beg to differ.

Show me your Sheep & Reverse Sheep answers before you start flinging around pronouns.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Yes he signed a contract and then quit on UCONN. In the real world you actually have to fulfill a contract after you sign it.

He didn't win enough games means he quit on UConn? That just means he didn't win enough games. The main purpose of the head coach's contract is to determine what he is owed if he is fired for not winning enough games.

 

[amory]

I tend to think it's more than "not winning games". I understand that some may feel that way. I think it goes way beyond simply not being successful, to not working hard, not putting forth the effort needed to recruit, not spending the time to teach the kids and develop them, the time to scout the opponents, and design systems and plays that allow them to succeed. To not holding the players accountable. Add to that various reported off court behaviors and, yes, the violations. He decided he wasn't going to do his job. That's why he was fired. If he had done his job to the best of his abilities, the team would have won more games.

This is semantics, though. Losses are the output, poor effort or preparation is the input. It's still a performance related firing at the end of the day.

Ultimately I'm a hypocrite anyway because the only way he was getting the boot is if we didn't have to pay him, or at least not the full amount. So for me the ends justify the means.

But you can't say "oh we fired him for lack of effort, not for the losses". It's two sides of the same coin.

 

[HuskyHawk]

This is semantics, though. Losses are the output, poor effort or preparation is the input. It's still a performance related firing at the end of the day.

Ultimately I'm a hypocrite anyway because the only way he was getting the boot is if we didn't have to pay him, or at least not the full amount. So for me the ends justify the means.

But you can't say "oh we fired him for lack of effort, not for the losses". It's two sides of the same coin.

I think there is a big difference between a guy who gives everything, and tries his best, and just isn't good enough and a guy who takes the money once he lands the big extension, and treats it as an extended holiday.

As much as has been made about Kevin never getting a multi year contract in the NBA, maybe there's a reason for that? He had to bust his butt to get minutes at UConn, and then for each contract in the NBA, and arguably had similar drive in replacing Calhoun. Then he reached the top of his profession in 2014, was paid as a top ten coach, and decided to coast.

 

[CL82]

@CL82, I beg the differ. This is going to get uglier and uglier for UConn. This negative publicity will kill UConn basketball. We were at a very fragile stage before this. Who knows what is going to come out next about Coach Calhoun and Geno. What infractions and violations did they commit and what were the consequences? I hate to see what is happening but the truth is Ollie has nothing to loose and his statement today indicates that. I pray before I die I get to see UConn dominate again. Settle with Ollie, fire Herbst and Benedict, settle with Miller and let's get the season going.

I see it just the opposite. The longer this drags on the more Kevin will be a pariah in the coaching industry and the UConn family. Any violations that they had are long a part of the public record. Kevin's attempt to leverage air them out again will give any potential employers pause in deciding whether they want that kind of scorched earth mentality a part of their organizations. I don't blame Ollie, I think he's been given bad advice. Kevin would be wise to approach with hat and hand and ask how they can resolve this. It won't undue the damage he has done to his professional reputation, but it will be a start.

 

[Stainmaster]

I see it just the opposite. The longer this drags on the more Kevin will be a pariah in the coaching industry and the UConn family. Any violations that they had are long a part of the public record. Kevin's attempt to leverage air them out again will give any potential employers pause in deciding whether they want that kind of scorched earth mentality a part of their organizations. I don't blame Ollie, I think he's been given bad advice. Kevin would be wise to approach with hat and hand and ask how they can resolve this. It won't undue the damage he has done to his professional reputation, but it will be a start.

KO's professional reputation was shot before this process started. He knows he is not getting full-time employment anywhere in the basketball world, and his prospects are not good in general long-term. This is his absolute last chance to acquire significant money, hence the "scorched earth" strategy.