Way-Too-Early Big East Rankings

[UConn_Top_Dog]

The author is saying the championship season was the second season under Ollie, not that it was the second championship. Take a second to read before reacting people!

It in fact was KO’s 2nd National Championship as a coach for UConn. He was an assistant coach on the staff for the 2011 title run.

 

[Jbirdp5]

Because the other PG on the roster has been described as the best player on the team.

Who has described rj Cole as better than Bouknight?

 

[ucawn]

The reason next years team is gonna be so good is we have the talent to score 80+ per game and the athleticism to hold the opponent to 60 a game

 

[JimHurley]

Who has described rj Cole as better than Bouknight?

That is what the two guys I talked to in practice and also a few insiders on here have implied, correct. Different players though. Don’t shoot the messenger.

 

[JimHurley]

Because incoming transfers are fun to speculate about. Often times they are the best player in practice.

We have to stop comparing the two eras. One coach had no idea how to coach and our current coach has a great eye for finding and developing talent. We seem to be forgetting that. You can’t compare Ollie’s transfers to Hurley’s transfers.

 

[MuchoDogYears]

Anyone know if it’s a full 20 game home/away conference schedule?

That’d be tremendous. Like the original Big East in-conference schedules that were 3 month wars.

 

[gtcam]

One name Rodney Purvis

We once had a “Ferrari” in the garage. That was actually a Honda Accord. serviceable but not as advertised.

Yet tore up the G League and saw time in the NBA
Not bad for "KOs" Honda - JSMH

 

[MuchoDogYears]

That is what the two guys I talked to in practice and also a few insiders on here have implied, correct. Different players though. Don’t shoot the messenger.

Are they the same insiders whom said (and they were proven right) that Bouknight was UConn’s best player during last years preseason practices?

If so, then !

 

[gtcam]

We have to stop comparing the two eras. One coach had no idea how to coach and our current coach has a great eye for finding and developing talent. We seem to be forgetting that. You can’t compare Ollie’s transfers to Hurley’s transfers.

Are we still trying to figure out the number of NCs KO won in the article?
KO won a NC - he has an idea how to coach the problem was it didn't translate into the college game
He faltered for a number of reasons, some within his own responsibility, he paid for it
Let's see if DH can win a NC
As so many here love to say Olender 2 The Picker 1
KO 1 DH 0
I do hope that DH can add at least 1 to his name at UConn and he is heading in the right direction

 

[tzznandrew]

We have to stop comparing the two eras. One coach had no idea how to coach and our current coach has a great eye for finding and developing talent. We seem to be forgetting that. You can’t compare Ollie’s transfers to Hurley’s transfers.

Meh. People look great in practice all the time. Coaches talk guys up all the time, for a variety of reasons, and they don't live up to that chatter. Jesus, Calhoun talked up Justin Brown every single year.

Speculation in practice is valuable, but KO wasn't unique in that, or uniquely bad at it. He was just uniquely bad at other things.

 

[navery12]

Meh. People look great in practice all the time. Coaches talk guys up all the time, for a variety of reasons, and they don't live up to that chatter. Jesus, Calhoun talked up Justin Brown every single year.

Speculation in practice is valuable, but KO wasn't unique in that, or uniquely bad at it. He was just uniquely bad at other things.

That's the point, it's not the talking up of guys he was referring to but that Cole has a coach where he may actually develop

 

[JimHurley]

Yet tore up the G League and saw time in the NBA
Not bad for "KOs" Honda - JSMH

Yes he tore up the G League and saw time in the NBA because he finally had a coach who knew how to coach and develop players after college! Strange how that works!

Are they the same insiders whom said (and they were proven right) that Bouknight was UConn’s best player during last years preseason practices?

If so, then !

Even though everybody makes fun of me for it, I knew a former student manager and also a grad assistant. They’ve given almost all the info I give but they’re both gone now, so I won’t have as much info which might make some people happy

Are we still trying to figure out the number of NCs KO won in the article?
KO won a NC - he has an idea how to coach the problem was it didn't translate into the college game
He faltered for a number of reasons, some within his own responsibility, he paid for it
Let's see if DH can win a NC
As so many here love to say Olender 2 The Picker 1
KO 1 DH 0
I do hope that DH can add at least 1 to his name at UConn and he is heading in the right direction

Sorry, but have to disagree. Any coach in America would’ve won with that squad. Also, what implies he knows how to coach? We went from NC to national irrelevancy in 4 years. The recruiting was awful (except for 2016), player development was awful, we played mentally/physically weak, and the in game coaching was disastrous.

 

[MuchoDogYears]

[QUOTE="gtcam, post: 3535564, member: 2844"
Let's see if DH can win a NC
As so many here love to say Olender 2 The Picker 1
KO 1 DH 0
I do hope that DH can add at least 1
[/QUOTE]

I get that the “JB has 1 less NC than Olander” chant is funny but...

I watched the 2011 and 2014 NC games a few days ago. Olander was worse than awful in both.

First, he played possibly 5 minutes combined in the two games.

More telling, in 2014 he was a senior but bolted to the bench behind sophomore starter Phil Nolan and freshman Amida Brimah.

Both Phil and Amida got in big foul trouble against Kentucky, and both (especially Phil) were playing poorly, and still KO wouldn’t go to Olander.

Anyway, not sure why I weighed in on this but

 

[tzznandrew]

That's the point, it's not the talking up of guys he was referring to but that Cole has a coach where he may actually develop

Sure, but that same coach will, of course, develop Gaffney.

So it ultimately is about the talking up of guys, at least when you're discussing who will be the starting PG next year.

I don't have a stake or an opinion who will be the starter, but I've learned to be wary of what people see and say about practice, even when they are being 100% sincere.

 

[mauconnfan]

Yes he tore up the G League and saw time in the NBA because he finally had a coach who knew how to coach and develop players after college! Strange how that works!



Even though everybody makes fun of me for it, I knew a former student manager and also a grad assistant. They’ve given almost all the info I give but they’re both gone now, so I won’t have as much info which might make some people happy



Sorry, but have to disagree. Any coach in America would’ve won with that squad. Also, what implies he knows how to coach? We went from NC to national irrelevancy in 4 years. The recruiting was awful (except for 2016), player development was awful, we played mentally/physically weak, and the in game coaching was disastrous.

The any coach in America would’ve won with that team has to be sarcasm right? I mean no one could believe that’s true.

 

[JimHurley]

The any coach in America would’ve won with that team has to be sarcasm right? I mean no one could believe that’s true.

Slight clarification, any of the 350 D1 basketball coaches was what I meant.

 

[tcf15]

We have to stop comparing the two eras. One coach had no idea how to coach and our current coach has a great eye for finding and developing talent. We seem to be forgetting that. You can’t compare Ollie’s transfers to Hurley’s transfers.

It's not a comparison between the Hurley and KO eras. It happened during the Calhoun years too. Hell, watch the 1999 National Championship game. Cameras zoom in on Ajou Ajou Deng sitting in plain clothes on the bench (not a transfer, but a guy that sat out the year and practiced with the team). Nantz and Packer both say he's the next Donyell/Ray/Rip based on what they've seen in practice. And then he ends up at Fairfield.

 

[tcf15]

Is it just me, or does anyone else find it odd that last season's starting point guard, who helped guide the team to a five-game winning streak to end the season, is assumed by absolutely no one to be a starter this year? Why so little love for Gaffney?

Here's Hurley on Gaffney in his latest Instagram post regarding the Tulsa game at home. Gaffney's stat line 28 minutes, 8 points, 5 assists, 1 turnover:

Gaffney..His presence on the floor changed things for us offensively..he is so easy to play with..he rarely tries to do too much and he is so High IQ..the ball moves better when he is on the floor..and our fans have only seen flashes of his real abilities..he will make a big jump in production and aggressiveness next season.

 

[JimHurley]

It's not a comparison between the Hurley and KO eras. It happened during the Calhoun years too. Hell, watch the 1999 National Championship game. Cameras zoom in on Ajou Ajou Deng sitting in plain clothes on the bench (not a transfer, but a guy that sat out the year and practiced with the team). Nantz and Packer both say he's the next Donyell/Ray/Rip based on what they've seen in practice. And then he ends up at Fairfield.

My point is mainly towards those comparing Cole’s hype to Purvis and Larrier.

LOVE Purv, great dude and loves UConn...played his heart out BUT the coaches did not develop him. Larrier just did not fit. He could shoot decently but was selfish offensively, took defensive plays off, and just lacked fire. It’s a whole different ballgame with Cole and Hurley.

While I’m at it with you, thanks for all the videos you make!!

 

[Storrs South]

Here's Hurley on Gaffney in his latest Instagram post regarding the Tulsa game at home. Gaffney's stat line 28 minutes, 8 points, 5 assists, 1 turnover:

Gaffney..His presence on the floor changed things for us offensively..he is so easy to play with..he rarely tries to do too much and he is so High IQ..the ball moves better when he is on the floor..and our fans have only seen flashes of his real abilities..he will make a big jump in production and aggressiveness next season.

I hope Hurley just decides Cole, Gaffney, Bouknight, Jackson, Whaley starting 5, sits back and enjoys the chaos he unleashes on opponents

 

[mauconnfan]

Slight clarification, any of the 350 D1 basketball coaches was what I meant.

That's the 2nd time I've read that from anyone in the last few weeks, so you're not alone in being ignorant on this topic. Bazz, Boat, Giff, Daniels and Nolan with a bench of Kromah, Samuel, Olander hell yeah why wasn't everyone cashing their Vegas odd checks after having a no brainer for a NC team? Holy crap no one but Ollie would've won with that team and the reason he did, he got lucky. The timing was beautiful, the team was motivated for 2 years under his tutelage. Was he the best coach, nope, but he was for them. They played 2 teams that had better lineups and rosters than them in the FF so guess what that tells me that neither of those coaches could have won it with the Huskies roster.

We all know he was dreadful after the success, no denying that. But the one's who say anything like that are lying to themselves because they are so possessed with hatred for him ruining us as fans last 3 years of his time.

 

[Umami Zen]

That's the 2nd time I've read that from anyone in the last few weeks, so you're not alone in being ignorant on this topic. Bazz, Boat, Giff, Daniels and Nolan with a bench of Kromah, Samuel, Olander hell yeah why wasn't everyone cashing their Vegas odd checks after having a no brainer for a NC team? Holy crap no one but Ollie would've won with that team and the reason he did, he got lucky. The timing was beautiful, the team was motivated for 2 years under his tutelage. Was he the best coach, nope, but he was for them. They played 2 teams that had better lineups and rosters than them in the FF so guess what that tells me that neither of those coaches could have won it with the Huskies roster.

We all know he was dreadful after the success, no denying that. But the one's who say anything like that are lying to themselves because they are so possessed with hatred for ruining us as fans last 3 years of his time.

It seemed like they were the underdogs in every game the whole Tournament..What I enjoyed about that 2014 team was despite the matchups not in their favor (in any particular game).. They still came out hungry..Great clutch shooting.. Excellent FT shooting (Steve Nash drill)..and off the charts on ball defense by Bazz and Boat on bigger guards.. Cool to watch..

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Slight clarification, any of the 350 D1 basketball coaches was what I meant.

He can't be talking about 2014.

 

[tzznandrew]

He can't be talking about 2014.

2014 is the lowest seeded title team since 85 Nova and definitely among the (if not the) weakest title team since at least the field expanded to 64. Yet this guy wants to pretend the coach had nothing to do with them winning. It's crazy.

We can say that KO was good for a few years and then wasn't without invalidating Hurley or being sincere in being happy Hurley's here rather than Ollie at this stage. But those early KO teams showed that the guy had some coaching chops. There were also some signs of what was to come (particularly in some WTF losses and an uncreative offense), but KO could script OOB plays then, motivate his players, and adjust at halftime. And nobody looked at that bracket and thought UConn could win. That they did means credit should go to the First Team AA (that KO helped mold) the great defense of Boat, the development of Daniels (and coaching gets credit) and the coach that led this team.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Bouknight would've done unspeakable things to the MEAC. He's clearly our best player.