We look clueless. Is it coaching?

[HuskyBballFan]

Do the people saying we have "no system" remember what the half court offense looked like in recent years under Jim Calhoun? Sure, late in these games we've been resorting to pick and rolls for Napier/Boatright, but at some point you have to put the ball in the hands of your best players and let them create. Not to mention, when you're down by 10 late in the second half, you can't afford to run 30 seconds off the shot clock and risk Phil Nolan having the ball in his hands when it's time to shoot.

I love some of the stuff Ollie runs in the halfcourt - it's a heck of a lot more creative than anything we've seen in recent years. We got a bunch of open looks in the first few games, but are getting fewer now that teams have had the chance to scout us. That's what happens.

 

[Phil]

Im sure the Germany trip than this trip and the double ot game has something to do with it. This isnt a talented NM team.

The Lobos are 4-0, and may well be ranked highert than the Huskies before the day is out.

 

[nomar]

Yeah, we've looked stagnant plenty of times with Jim Calhoun on the bench, that's for sure. My one knock on KO so far is that he's not calling timeouts when it seems the team could really need one.

 

[aceboon]

I swear these guys don't watch basketball, every team eventually puts the ball in their best players hands to do something when they fall behind or when they're milking clock. Did people not watch UK/Duke last week and see Coach K basically put the ball in Curry's hands and tell him to do work? What complicated sets are they running? I agree with you about the offense, we're definitely running more stuff, but when it results in Olander missing wide open jumpers or similar results from other plays, eventually your main players have to get the job done, and so far Napier has done a good job of that.

Do the people saying we have "no system" remember what the half court offense looked like in recent years under Jim Calhoun? Sure, late in these games we've been resorting to pick and rolls for Napier/Boatright, but at some point you have to put the ball in the hands of your best players and let them create. Not to mention, when you're down by 10 late in the second half, you can't afford to run 30 seconds off the shot clock and risk Phil Nolan having the ball in his hands when it's time to shoot.

I love some of the stuff Ollie runs in the halfcourt - it's a heck of a lot more creative than anything we've seen in recent years. We got a bunch of open looks in the first few games, but are getting fewer now that teams have had the chance to scout us. That's what happens.

 

[Palatine]

Yeah, we've looked stagnant plenty of times with Jim Calhoun on the bench, that's for sure. My one knock on KO so far is that he's not calling timeouts when it seems the team could really need one.

They didn't run much offense last night. They passed the ball around the perimeter looking for the opportunity at dribble penetration.

Calhoun's team pounded the ball on the outside. Ollie's team does seem to pass it more, to move the ball from side to side. But it rarely seems to serve any purpose except looking for the dribble drive. In fact, the offense looks a little worse every game.

Perhaps the team is tired. But they are 20-years old, they shouldn't be. It will be interesting to see how KO handles a little adversity.

 

[aceboon]

Age has nothing to do with it, have you ever played a sport in your life? The guards are playing damn near the entire game, after playing a double OT game the night before and picking up defense full court, of course they're gonna be tired. Too many pencil pushers on this board who have never played a sport in their life commenting on things they know nothing about.

They didn't run much offense last night. They passed the ball around the perimeter looking for the opportunity at dribble penetration.

Calhoun's team pounded the ball on the outside. Ollie's team does seem to pass it more, to move the ball from side to side. But it rarely seems to serve any purpose except looking for the dribble drive. In fact, the offense looks a little worse every game.

Perhaps the team is tired. But they are 20-years old, they shouldn't be. It will be interesting to see how KO handles a little adversity.

 

[Hoophound]

I agree with Nomar on calling more to timeouts to regain focus. However, I like that KO is letting these guys play a little street ball at times. He is an NBA guy and I want him to play a style that the most talented recruits will like. Hopefully, he believes he will soon have better horses to work with. Shabazz and Boat can both play an open style with quick shots if the team can just get in rhythm. We saw JC teams go from awful to outrageously good in the span of week many times over the years. One they learned where to find good shots they tended to stick with it and play great basketball.

 

[Waquoit]

Wow, do people realize/remember that this is Ollie's first coaching experience? With experience comes better decision making, understanding and other things that make a good coach better. I would bet to say that the 'mistakes' he's made have been made by Bob Knight, Coach K, and even guys like Crean and Huggins. This in not the Ollie in five years.

With that said please keep things in perspective with our coach, its his first year of coaching.
Is he qualified? yes. Is he ready? yes. Is he respected? yes Is he experienced? no

I pray that he is not being compared to our last coach, or having the same expectations. The truth is that Ollie is not as good as Calhoun (and many others), the sooner fans accept that the more enjoyable this season will be. What we have is a Coach that has the makings of an great coach. He's on that journey, are we ten toes in with him?

I think you get to the rub of the matter. Why should people have to "realize/remember that this is Ollie's first coaching experience"? This is UConn, an elite program. The "mistakes" you talk about with Knight, K and the other's were made before they got to the jobs that made them famous. UConn's previous coach had 248 D-1 wins before he got the job. The head coach of UConn should be expected to perform at a high level from the get-go.

 

[upstater]

I think you get to the rub of the matter. Why should people have to "realize/remember that this is Ollie's first coaching experience"? This is UConn, an elite program. The "mistakes" you talk about with Knight, K and the other's were made before they got to the jobs that made them famous. UConn's previous coach had 248 D-1 wins before he got the job. The head coach of UConn should be expected to perform at a high level from the get-go.

You're saying Shaka Smart would have these players at 5-0?

 

[Waquoit]

You're saying Shaka Smart would have these players at 5-0?

I'm not saying anything about Ollie there, dope. I'm just saying Ollie fluffers shouldn't get to use the inexperience card. And being critical about Ollie doesn't make one a hater. Ollie was clearly outcoached by Tom Moore. Does saying so out loud make one a hater?

 

[8893]

You're saying Shaka Smart would have these players at 5-0?

At least. Probably even better than that. He's that good.

 

[8893]

Ollie was clearly outcoached by Tom Moore. Does saying so out loud make one a hater?

If being "clearly outcoached" means that we end up with the W, I'll take it. But that's just me.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

I'm not saying anything about Ollie there, dope. I'm just saying Ollie fluffers shouldn't get to use the inexperience card. And being critical about Ollie doesn't make one a hater. Ollie was clearly outcoached by Tom Moore. Does saying so out loud make one a hater?

Tom Moore has better post players on his team than Kevin Ollie does. I wish I were joking.

 

[PomonaHusky]

Tom Moore has better post players on his team than Kevin Ollie does. I wish I were joking.

Very true. Unfortunately, the recruiting restrictions (scholarship reductions...) over the past couple years is showing now. Plus, a fair amount of bad press over the same time period (Nate Miles, APR, retirement questions,...) hasn't help recruiting either.

 

[selles]

I think you get to the rub of the matter. Why should people have to "realize/remember that this is Ollie's first coaching experience"? This is UConn, an elite program. The "mistakes" you talk about with Knight, K and the other's were made before they got to the jobs that made them famous. UConn's previous coach had 248 D-1 wins before he got the job. The head coach of UConn should be expected to perform at a high level from the get-go.

People should have to realize/remember that this is Ollie's first coaching experience because this is, in fact, Ollie's first coaching experience. So it would be foolish to expect him to be K or Knight or Jim Calhoun right off the bat, and the wise approach would be to pipe down and watch to see if and how he and his team grow and develop over the course of the season.

Speaking of K, is it your contention that his 38-47 record over his first 3 years at Duke was compiled despite pristine, mistake-free coaching?

 

[upstater]

I'm not saying anything about Ollie there, dope. I'm just saying Ollie fluffers shouldn't get to use the inexperience card. And being critical about Ollie doesn't make one a hater. Ollie was clearly outcoached by Tom Moore. Does saying so out loud make one a hater?

"The head coach at UConn should be expected to perform highly from the get-go."

You wrote that.

and no, Moore didn't outcoach Ollie. In fact, it was the opposite.

And lastly, take a deep breath. May help your posting style move from insults to substance.

 

[aceboon]

I'm not saying anything about Ollie there, dope. I'm just saying Ollie fluffers shouldn't get to use the inexperience card. And being critical about Ollie doesn't make one a hater. Ollie was clearly outcoached by Tom Moore. Does saying so out loud make one a hater?

If missing shots and having better bigs than the opposition so that it was easier to convert their own misses qualifies as being outcoached, then I guess Moore cooked up a brilliant strategy.

 

[Greathusky]

One freaking loss and this board goes into meltdown mode! We are not going to pick up where we left off. This a new journey like it or not. Between JC leaving, sanctions and transfers, I expected to take a step back. Enjoy the ride!

 

[Waquoit]

"The head coach at UConn should be expected to perform highly from the get-go."

You wrote that.

and no, Moore didn't outcoach Ollie. In fact, it was the opposite.

And lastly, take a deep breath. May help your posting style move from insults to substance.

I don't know what is wrong with the statement in quotes. And stop it with your decrying a lack of "substance". You've already forgotten the reply to your assertion that JC's first team had more talent than this one? That wasn't enough substance for you?

And just to go on the record (for myself more than anyone else), I'm rooting for Ollie. His being successful would be the best thing that could happen for the program. My beef is with Fawn Hall's on this board, the folks that are "All for Ollie". I'm already sick of you guys pouncing on any little thing that doesn't fit your preconceived narrative. The unrelenting namecalling of the AD is embarassing. Fair criticism should be allowed. But you have Up labelling anyone with any criticism a "hater". It's going to be a long season unless you guys chill out.

 

[Waquoit]

If missing shots and having better bigs than the opposition so that it was easier to convert their own misses qualifies as being outcoached, then I guess Moore cooked up a brilliant strategy.

You make it sound like missing shots was just an accident. Q looked to be well prepared for UConn's offense and they didn't give up many easy looks on D. UConn won because they had the best player on the court.

 

[Huskymaniac]

Very true. Unfortunately, the recruiting restrictions (scholarship reductions...) over the past couple years is showing now. Plus, a fair amount of bad press over the same time period (Nate Miles, APR, retirement questions,...) hasn't help recruiting either.

No, no, no! Didn't you get the memo? Any and all lack of talent is due to Warde Manuel and it will set us back a decade!

Seriously, though, the board has gotten a little more entertaining. I still agree with the contract Ollie got and I still agree that it isn't time yet to give him an extension. I would say we are about 1/3 of the way to that. I also believe Ollie has done a very good job so far. Some inexperience is showing but the results have been pretty good. Now we get to see another critical test to justify the extension. We get to see how the team bounces back from a frustrating loss. I will actually be in the house for the game (about 300 miles from home). If they come back and look focused, energized and confident in the next game, that's another big checkmark. Then I just want to see progress over the next month or so. The team is still pretty young and should improve.

About the subject in general, people are falling into the same stupid trap we get into with politics. People are picking a side (when they don't need to) and becoming more and more irrational about supporting/defending that side. For the love of god people, accept that you could be wrong, relax and come back to rational. In the end, being "right" about your opinions on "the contract" or "the coach" or "the AD" isn't what matters. What matters is that we do what we can, moving forward, to have the best team possible. I think the contract situation is rational and I also realize it could have been the only choice Manuel was given by both Calhoun and the Board of Directors. However, just because people have been asses when arguing with me on this specific subject, I am not going to become "anti-Ollie". I am watching him with an un-biased eye and, if he is the best guy for the job, I will push for him to get it. Since he is in the coach's chair already, it would be great if he is the right guy and gets the extension as soon as it is reasonable to do so and I will be pulling for him. Better to already have "the guy" than to have to look for "the guy".

 

[Dove]

I agree, but at some point, the frontcourt has to contribute something

We're 5 games in and only one game at home. Our posts have each shown signs of goodness. Hopefully during back to back games soon.

 

[aceboon]

You make it sound like missing shots was just an accident. Q looked to be well prepared for UConn's offense and they didn't give up many easy looks on D. UConn won because they had the best player on the court.

I was referring to Quin missing shots. Please point out what Moore did in terms of strategy that showed he outcoached KO. Something definitive and not speaking in generalities, please.

 

[upstater]

I don't know what is wrong with the statement in quotes. And stop it with your decrying a lack of "substance". You've already forgotten the reply to your assertion that JC's first team had more talent than this one? That wasn't enough substance for you?

And just to go on the record (for myself more than anyone else), I'm rooting for Ollie. His being successful would be the best thing that could happen for the program. My beef is with Fawn Hall's on this board, the folks that are "All for Ollie". I'm already sick of you guys pouncing on any little thing that doesn't fit your preconceived narrative. The unrelenting namecalling of the AD is embarassing. Fair criticism should be allowed. But you have Up labelling anyone with any criticism a "hater". It's going to be a long season unless you guys chill out.

And the things you claim about me calling you a hater aren't true. Your posts about Ollie being outcoached have been countered. In fact, the general consensus in the threads the previous night were that Moore's guys played well enough to win but that he was outcoached by Ollie. Maybe you know more about coaching than everyone else, and we're all wrong. Or maybe you're biased against Ollie.

 

[Waquoit]

Your posts about Ollie being outcoached have been countered.

How? All I've seen is variations of "no he wasn't".