We can solve Problem #1, we can't solve Problem #2

[ASweet3781]

This program has 2 major problems. One of them can be solved in a matter of days. Hiring a competent hungry basketball coach. I have no idea what happened to Kevin Ollie the last couple of years. I find it incredibly sad. But he has earned every ounce of the firing if he is in fact fired.

Problem #2 cannot be solved. We play in a southern based football league. This is not a conference where a school from Connecticut can attract the type of basketball player our program once attracted. We just played a game in front of about 800 people in Orlando. Our major competitors are playing in packed crowds in Madison Square Garden (Big East, Big Ten) and Brooklyn (ACC). The atmospheres are not comparable. Our selling points of old, which won us 4 National Titles and 7 Big East Tournaments, can no longer be used.

UConn built championship teams and our brand attracting players from NYC (Kemba, Ben G, Charlie, Taliek), Boston (Shabazz, Oriakhi), Pennsylvania (Donyell, Rip), Maryland (Rudy, Boone), Maine via Wisconsin (Caron), Connecticut (Smith, Drummond) all northeast players in Big East country who were obviously allured by playing in the top TV conference in the country who played their tournament on the biggest stage MSG. We also recruited top players and sleepers nationally based on this allure. Minnesota (Khalid), South Carolina (Ray), Texas (Emeka, Jake), Georgia (Lamb, Moore) and international (Doron, Nadev, Neils).

Would we be able to attract these players to play in that atmosphere we just played in? Maybe some. Most I doubt.

We can hire a better coach. If we are lucky we may at least "Take care of business" and do what Cincinnati is doing and take the easy 20-25 wins playing in this league should get you. Perhaps we become Xavier. Perhaps we will simply look like a competent basketball team again. I'll take any of this after what I witnessed the last 2 seasons. But we will never ever ever ever be what we once were. It's impossible. And the fact that every state leader/politician/school official/coach hasn't raised bloody hell about this is their ever lasting shame.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Some people here really think recruiting here is impossible. It’s harder, not impossible.

 

[ASweet3781]

Some people here really think recruiting here is impossible. It’s harder, not impossible.

Won't be easy. You watching the Big Ten, ACC, or even Big East Tournaments? More people. Better venues. NYC locations. That's what we built UConn basketball on. Not sure how you recruit a championship level team playing where we just played. We have to convince players to come here over our competition playing in those leagues.

But we can absolutely do better than what Ollie has done that's for sure.

 

[djct1999]

The right coach can recruit anyone to play anywhere. With the right coach, top 20 kids would be willing to play at UConn.
(Sad thing is, a while back I thought we had that guy.)

 

[Stainmaster]

The right coach can recruit anyone to play anywhere. With the right coach, top 20 kids would be willing to play at UConn.
(Sad thing is, a while back I thought we had that guy.)

The problem is, coaches who can pull in Top 20 kids are in high demand.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Our selling point in the 80's was the BE and MSG.

Once we started winning, our selling point was being part of an elite program and getting to the NBA. It had nothing to do with our conference.

There's no reason we can't be Gonzaga, C-USA Memphis, MVC WSU, or other programs that have dominated lesser leagues en route to frequently contending for high seeds.

 

[ASweet3781]

Our selling point in the 80's was the BE and MSG.

Once we started winning, our selling point was being part of an elite program and getting to the NBA. It had nothing to do with our conference.

There's no reason we can't be Gonzaga, C-USA Memphis, MVC WSU, or other programs that have dominated lesser leagues en route to frequently contending for high seeds.

Ah the But Gonzaga example.

There's no reason we can't be Gonzaga.

There's also no reason we can't be UMass, UNLV, Temple post Chaney, Georgetown post JT, etc

This schools entire athletic program was put in jeopardy in conference realignment. The only school left out. But Gonzaga is not a solution to this.

 

[GuardU]

Won't be easy. You watching the Big Ten, ACC, or even Big East Tournaments? More people. Better venues. NYC locations. That's what we built UConn basketball on. Not sure how you recruit a championship level team playing where we just played. We have to convince players to come here over our competition playing in those leagues.

But we can absolutely do better than what Ollie has done that's for sure.

The Big 10 Tourney was not the turnout you're making it out o be. Their first 2 rounds were comparable to the crowd we just witnessed for 2 irrelevant, bad teams.

 

[zls44]

The Big 10 Tourney was not the turnout you're making it out o be. Their first 2 rounds were comparable to the crowd we just witnessed for 2 irrelevant, bad teams.

I was at IU-Rutgers. The crowd for that wasn't huge, but it was 40x what was in Orlando today.

 

[AdamaNation]

Won't be easy. You watching the Big Ten, ACC, or even Big East Tournaments? More people. Better venues. NYC locations. That's what we built UConn basketball on. Not sure how you recruit a championship level team playing where we just played. We have to convince players to come here over our competition playing in those leagues.

But we can absolutely do better than what Ollie has done that's for sure.

Conference USA had a tarp separating them on Facebook!!! That’s like two steps below 800 fans!!!!!

 

[August_West]

Our selling point in the 80's was the BE and MSG.

Once we started winning, our selling point was being part of an elite program and getting to the NBA. It had nothing to do with our conference.

There's no reason we can't be Gonzaga, C-USA Memphis, MVC WSU, or other programs that have dominated lesser leagues en route to frequently contending for high seeds.

That's all true. But realize that it is a "4 year job" to even sniff that success. Because those schools successes are built around lesser ranked players staying around for 4 years and meshing. And it takes a while even to get the right group to establish that formula. Once you do, it kind of feeds on itself in that you start cycling the "right" lower ranked players in the underclass groomed to take the place of the seniors, rinse repeat. It's most likely the model we will have to follow in the future, in this conference especially. But again.....that is at minimum a 3-4 year build up if everything goes perfectly to start. Does this fan base have the patience for that? I dunno. We are (and Im not saying its wrong) screaming for the neck of a Coach who won a title 4 years ago after only 2 bad seasons.
Whoever we get from here is going to have more bad seasons than that before we become something again. But if we see progress we will have to accept it. The bar has now been changed forever on how we can measure success.
No ONE, Not even Larry Brown (well maybe only Larry Brown) is coming in here and putting us in the tourney next year.

 

[CL82]

Problem #2 cannot be solved. We play in a southern based football league. This is not a conference where a school from Connecticut can attract the type of basketball player our program once attracted.

Disagree. We're still UConn. We can still schedule games in NYC. Bring a competent hire and all of a sudden recruiting will get a whole lot easier. That doesn't fix all of the problems with being in the American but it is a good first step.

 

[Tenspro2002]

That's all true. But realize that it is a "4 year job" to even sniff that success. Because those schools successes are built around lesser ranked players staying around for 4 years and meshing. And it takes a while even to get the right group to establish that formula. Once you do, it kind of feeds on itself in that you start cycling the "right" lower ranked players in the underclass groomed to take the place of the seniors, rinse repeat. It's most likely the model we will have to follow in the future, in this conference especially. But again.....that is at minimum a 3-4 year build up if everything goes perfectly to start. Does this fan base have the patience for that? I dunno. We are (and Im not saying its wrong) screaming for the neck of a Coach who won a title 4 years ago after only 2 bad seasons.
Whoever we get from here is going to have more bad seasons than that before we become something again. But if we see progress we will have to accept it. The bar has now been changed forever on how we can measure success.
No ONE, Not even Larry Brown (well maybe only Larry Brown) is coming in here and putting us in the tourney next year.

Of course it will take a rebuild, what matters at this point is the trajectory.

KO has driven us into the ditch and is burrowing through the bedrock.

Even if a new coach is only .500 next year, but has players who show toughness, basketball IQ, and improvement throughout the year, we will take that. Even if it takes 2-3 years to get back to being a regular Tournament team, we will take that, because under KO there is no such hope.

And, to correct a premise: it's not 2 bad seasons, it's 4 bad seasons. The 2016 team underachieved and was relevant for a week and a half. That's not a good season.

 

[3rdbass]

This program has 2 major problems. One of them can be solved in a matter of days. Hiring a competent hungry basketball coach. I have no idea what happened to Kevin Ollie the last couple of years. I find it incredibly sad. But he has earned every ounce of the firing if he is in fact fired.

Problem #2 cannot be solved. We play in a southern based football league. This is not a conference where a school from Connecticut can attract the type of basketball player our program once attracted. We just played a game in front of about 800 people in Orlando. Our major competitors are playing in packed crowds in Madison Square Garden (Big East, Big Ten) and Brooklyn (ACC). The atmospheres are not comparable. Our selling points of old, which won us 4 National Titles and 7 Big East Tournaments, can no longer be used.

UConn built championship teams and our brand attracting players from NYC (Kemba, Ben G, Charlie, Taliek), Boston (Shabazz, Oriakhi), Pennsylvania (Donyell, Rip), Maryland (Rudy, Boone), Maine via Wisconsin (Caron), Connecticut (Smith, Drummond) all northeast players in Big East country who were obviously allured by playing in the top TV conference in the country who played their tournament on the biggest stage MSG. We also recruited top players and sleepers nationally based on this allure. Minnesota (Khalid), South Carolina (Ray), Texas (Emeka, Jake), Georgia (Lamb, Moore) and international (Doron, Nadev, Neils).

Would we be able to attract these players to play in that atmosphere we just played in? Maybe some. Most I doubt.

We can hire a better coach. If we are lucky we may at least "Take care of business" and do what Cincinnati is doing and take the easy 20-25 wins playing in this league should get you. Perhaps we become Xavier. Perhaps we will simply look like a competent basketball team again. I'll take any of this after what I witnessed the last 2 seasons. But we will never ever ever ever be what we once were. It's impossible. And the fact that every state leader/politician/school official/coach hasn't raised bloody hell about this is their ever lasting shame.

No but we can hope to at least be as good as Gonzaga is year in and year out. That is at least something that makes looking forward to each season.

 

[Stainmaster]

Of course it will take a rebuild, what matters at this point is the trajectory.

KO has driven us into the ditch and is burrowing through the bedrock.

Even if a new coach is only .500 next year, but has players who show toughness, basketball IQ, and improvement throughout the year, we will take that. Even if it takes 2-3 years to get back to being a regular Tournament team, we will take that, because under KO there is no such hope.

And, to correct a premise: it's not 2 bad seasons, it's 4 bad seasons. The 2016 team underachieved and was relevant for a week and a half. That's not a good season.

If 2015-16 is a "bad season," then I don't know when you'll be satisfied again.

 

[August_West]

And, to correct a premise: it's not 2 bad seasons, it's 4 bad seasons. The 2016 team underachieved and was relevant for a week and a half. That's not a good season.

A 25 win conference tourney champion and NCAA 2nd round exit against a 1 seed will never be accepted as a "bad season" by me so stop trying. 324 schools in the country would trade places with that season.

 

[auror]

The right coach can matter more than every other factor combined in recruiting. Make the right hire, it will work itself out.

 

[ASweet3781]

Disagree. We're still UConn. We can still schedule games in NYC. Bring a competent hire and all of a sudden recruiting will get a whole lot easier. That doesn't fix all of the problems with being in the American but it is a good first step.

I hope. UConn players became legends playing at the BET at MSG during Championship week. We can become competent again for sure with the right coach. I think we'd all take that. But can we be what we once were? I just don't see how that's possible.

If Kemba Walker was a high school senior deciding between UConn, Villanova, and 2 ACC schools, where does he go in 2018? I am glad we don't have to find out.

 

[PWS]

I'll take any of this after what I witnessed the last 2 seasons. But we will never ever ever ever be what we once were. It's impossible. And the fact that every state leader/politician/school official/coach hasn't raised bloody hell about this is their ever lasting shame.[/QUOTE]

I agree it is very difficult, maybe even more difficult than what JC had to do, but not impossible. There was a good article in the Wash Post today about what Tony Bennett is doing at UVA (see below). I know ACC, etc. But, he doesn't recruit any entitled top 50 kids. He is winning (currently No. 1 in the country) with a lot of good 50-150 players who buy in & play incredible defense. He is obviously exceptional, but with the right coach and some winning, we can definitely recruit that level of talent. I get that we are currently lacking in talent, but these are players are reasonably athletic, there is absolutely no reason for them to play defense the way they do. They are pitiful on the defense and rebounding. The got clobbered today (the final scramble cloud doesn't change that) against a team that has lost it's best player (among others), lost 7 of their last 8 games & just got worked last week by USF.


Tony Bennett and Virginia hoops aren’t for everyone, but ‘it’s okay to be different’

 

[Tex-Lager93]

You're right...but the old BE is gone forever. We have to make the best of the new paradigm. Kids don't go to Kentucky to play in the vaunted SEC - they don't go to Kansas to play in the Big 12. I'd argue that Duke and UNC get advantages for their conference - but it hasn't helped Pitt. The kids go to play for a program, for a coach, for the winning.
We should be absolutely dominating this conference and making runs in the tourney every year. And if that were the case, the recruiting would still be tough - but we could make a killing off of 3-4 star players who stay 3-4 years.

 

[3rdbass]

Of course it will take a rebuild, what matters at this point is the trajectory.

KO has driven us into the ditch and is burrowing through the bedrock.

Even if a new coach is only .500 next year, but has players who show toughness, basketball IQ, and improvement throughout the year, we will take that. Even if it takes 2-3 years to get back to being a regular Tournament team, we will take that, because under KO there is no such hope.

And, to correct a premise: it's not 2 bad seasons, it's 4 bad seasons. The 2016 team underachieved and was relevant for a week and a half. That's not a good season.

Yeah, I was watching the Cincy-UCONN 2016 game and I couldn't believe we didn't do more with the talent we had on that team. I know some of the issues was how fast to bring Jalen during the season. Unfortunately like this year KO waited to long to take off the training wheels off during Jalen's freshman year. I mean We had DHam, Sterling Gibbs(great shooter), RP, JA, Shonn Miller, AB, KF, PN, OC on that team. We even had Steven Enoch as a little used bench player. We had too much talent to underachieve that year and hope for a tourney run in the AAC to make the big dance.

 

[Milo65]

I'm a big football and basketball fan and I once thought that the American was a conference that could catapult us into a P5 environment. I thought we would dominate the American in basketball and be very competitive in football, then the big conferences will come knocking. After this season I am having second thoughts. UConn cannot and has not attracted quality recruits out of this conference. The university I love, has made terrible, terrible hiring choices. Pasqualoni, Diaco, and KO have been terrible choices to move these programs in the right direction. I know the argument, in order to get the big money, you need to play big time football. I'm not so sure now. UConn has TV markets, academic reputation, and all the other check marks that make it marketable for P5. It doesn't have a competitive football program, and right now the football program is in year 7 of a complete tear down, so at what cost is the University willing to make to stay in the American. Right now the basketball team just lost the 8-9 game in the American Conference in front of 800 people at noon. Let that sink in.

I don't have the right answer, just know what is happening now isn't working.

 

[DefCONNOne]

I can end this thread with one name.......Mick Cronin.


/endthread

 

[August_West]

I can end this thread with one name..Mick Cronin.


/endthread

How does that end the thread?

 

[CL82]

I hope. UConn players became legends playing at the BET at MSG during Championship week. We can become competent again for sure with the right coach. I think we'd all take that. But can we be what we once were? I just don't see how that's possible.

If Kemba Walker was a high school senior deciding between UConn, Villanova, and 2 ACC schools, where does he go in 2018? I am glad we don't have to find out.

So I sort of agree. The dismantling the Big East was tragedy. It literally was the great basketball conference of all time. There will be never be another another tournament like the BET. One epic game after another with talented teams coached by great coaches going incredibly hard at one another. Makes me a little depressed just to talk about it.

That said, a decent UConn team can become a magnet for NYC point guards again. We won't be able to beat the Dukes and Kentuckys for kids, but we really never did.