We're 114 hours away from one of the biggest seasons in UConn history

[champs99and04]

Make no mistake - this IS the biggest season in twenty years. I tend to think most fans will take a more cautious approach heading into the season, given the limited expectations and postseason ban. This fan, though, will be viewing Friday's game with the same intensity I've always watched UConn basketball with. For my money, the Michigan State, N.C. State, Louisville, and Syracuse games will be among the biggest regular season games in the history of this program, and here is why: perception is everything with this program right now. I'm somewhat of an optimist when it comes to this program, and for good reason, but this program is in an extremely vulnerable position right now, and subject to negative recruiting. Obviously the postseason ban has hampered recruiting, but the uncertainty surrounding the Big East and the begginning of the Kevin Ollie era is going to be a major source of concern in the eyes of recruits.

Now don't confuse me placing a high level of importance on these games with me having high expectations. The situation is what it is - two of our three best players are barely six feet tall, our only center is a german who has played about the same amount of meaningful division one minutes as I have, and we have a coach who hasn't yet called a single timeout in a real game. I seem to be more hoepful than most, but there glaring weaknesses here that are going to be exposed.

Whatever the case, just don't give me any of that "this season really doesn't matter" , because that couldn't be further removed reality. We need a sea of obnoxious and roudy UConn fans at the Garden in December, and at all the home games this season. Sure, we aren't nearly as good as the teams we'll be playing, but we've seen what can happen before when a fan base rallies behind a team that has embraced the role of underdog. If this team can knock off a few top 25 teams this season, suddenly recruits will be lining up to play for an enthusiastic young coach with an NBA pedigree and exceptional character.

In short - LET'S GO HUSKIES.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

If by the biggest season in the past 20 years, you mean the least important, then I whole heatedly agree with you.

 

[Silk City]

If by the biggest season in the past 20 years, you mean the least important, then I whole heatedly agree with you.

Is it weird if I kind of agree with both of you guys?

 

[champs99and04]

If by the biggest season in the past 20 years, you mean the least important, then I whole heatedly agree with you.

That's because you're looking at the season in a vacuum, and not at the big picture. The way this program performs the next couple years will almost certainly shape the way they perform over the next twenty, and you couldn't say that about the 2002 Huskies or the 2006 Huskies, because they had one of the greatest coaches of all-time on the sidelines and nothing else mattered. Now we're like any other program, dependent on momentum and public perception. A bad year here and there during the Calhoun era didn't matter, but a clunker of a season this year and it could be a real uphill climb to re-join the circle of elite.

 

[Ts5034]

All great points champs. i would also put it as "we're 114 hours away from one of the most unique seasons in UConn history". I mean this is the first season in the last 26 years that Jim Calhoun is not the head coach so this is a new experience for EVERYONE involved from KO and the coaching staff, to the players, fans, and even the media. It is very important that this program get even extra fan support this year. We all showed up when times were good so that means we better show up when they may be looking bad.

I forgot who in the media said this, but somebody made the point that the New York Yankees have 162 one game seasons every year. I think that will relate to this years UConn team more than ever. Given the situation and with Ollie's one year deal, i think every single game will be magnified and every little thing watched so closely...thats not fair by the way. With that said i just have a feeling this will be a lot better team in February then it will be in December. Last year, you really couldnt say the team improved as the season went on. I cant wait to see what this team has in them. Even though we cant go to the tournament this has the potential to be one of the most exciting season in recent memory.

 

[mauconnfan]

If by the biggest season in the past 20 years, you mean the least important, then I whole heatedly agree with you.

How can it be the "least important"? Just because of the tourney? No champs99and04 is 100% correct and the way the season plays out, not how many wins mind you, could say a lot for the future of the program. They need to play hard and be competitive despite being outsized and having less talent than the majority of their opponents. This is something very new to our fans and the program.

It will be hard to maintain the recruiting, one because of the 1 yr contract and 2 because of the Big East and changes.........a good start, a fun passionate way of playing the game will keep the HS kids interested and steer KO and the staff towards improvement on many levels. If they whiff on kids because they get their a**es handed to them night in-night out which in turn offers more questions on KO's return, the Huskies stand to lose 1-2 years on the recruiting trail and potentially become fixtures in the middle of the pack/cellar for a while.

 

[Kitaman]

I don't see it as being the biggest season, but maybe our biggest challenge for the reasons the OP mentioned and we are in transition. The reality is its an audition for coach, the players can hopefully take this year to build cohesiveness and unity, we have so many new players that haven't played a league game, lack of bigs being ready, we are not highly ranked, and of course banned from the pre-season, etc... So many story lines makes it interesting for us fans. With that said this could also be the most rewarding season (sans championship seasons) with the team being competitive, challenging, exciting and of course explosive (win or lose).

 

[Stinger92860]

I agree with Champs. When the body of work for 2012 to 2032 is reviewed, the foundation could be made this year. Considering the current the state of our Football program, it is extremely important to maintain relevance in BBall. If we lose that, what conference other than the A10 or MAC will want to team with us?

 

[rw005]

I agree with Champs. When the body of work for 2012 to 2032 is reviewed, the foundation could be made this year. Considering the current the state of our Football program, it is extremely important to maintain relevance in BBall. If we lose that, what conference other than the A10 or MAC will want to team with us?

This is true. Heck we need to keep our Baseball and Soccer recognition as well, since we're a Top 1-4 team each year in the conference.

 

[freescooter]

That's because you're looking at the season in a vacuum, and not at the big picture. The way this program performs the next couple years will almost certainly shape the way they perform over the next twenty, and you couldn't say that about the 2002 Huskies or the 2006 Huskies, because they had one of the greatest coaches of all-time on the sidelines and nothing else mattered. Now we're like any other program, dependent on momentum and public perception. A bad year here and there during the Calhoun era didn't matter, but a clunker of a season this year and it could be a real uphill climb to re-join the circle of elite.

I don't really think that's true. A bad year this year and we have a whole new coaching staff this time next year and with the right coach we're back in the game pretty quickly. Maybe it takes 2-3 years, but not 20. the problem will come if the Athletic Department is not willing to pull the trigger after a mediocre performance NEXT year. I think he will if this year is really bad. But if were mediocre or bad next year, it will just push the recovery out even further.

 

[Waquoit]

If this season is so important to our history, why is it being led by a complete novice at head coach?

 

[aceboon]

If this season is so important to our history, why is it being led by a complete novice at head coach?

The fact that it is being led by a "complete novice" who has the potential to be our next coach for the next 20 years is why it is important, Einstein.

 

[freescooter]

The fact that it is being led by a "complete novice" who has the potential to be our next coach for the next 20 years is why it is important, Einstein.

You could pretty much say that about anyone, no? We hire the guy coaching Wesleyan and he "has the potential" to be our coach for the next 20 years. Calhoun and his supporters did a masterful job of making Ollie into something he isn't. the question will come if he goes 14-16 this year and 16-14 next whether Manuel will have the guts to go in the direction he knows he should. That is when we'll see what he is made of.

 

[aceboon]

You could pretty much say that about anyone, no? We hire the guy coaching Wesleyan and he "has the potential" to be our coach for the next 20 years. Calhoun and his supporters did a masterful job of making Ollie into something he isn't. the question will come if he goes 14-16 this year and 16-14 next whether Manuel will have the guts to go in the direction he knows he should. That is when we'll see what he is made of.

I know how anti Ollie you and Waquoit are but what is so hard to understand about this post and champ's statement that you guys can't take your collective heads out of your asses for 2 minutes and THINK. KO is being granted an opportunity(whether ya'll like how it happened or not) to show that he can be in charge and lead a top 10 CBB program. In trying to secure the job for the forseeable future, he also has to drum up excitement outside the program with recruits so that they have confidence that they can place their future with him. It may not lead to recruits right away in '13, but '14 is a big year with the ships that we'll have available and we need to generate momentum now so that we can get those early committments from them. The two of you are really going to act this obtuse and dense and not understand that due to circumstances that the program and Ollie(not some no name coach from Weslyan that you pulled out of your ass) are in, that their is not significant importance on this season, post season ban or not? Really??

 

[Pudge]

If you don't view Kevin Ollie as a compelling story ... and must-watch ... then I think you're missing the boat. It's going to be interesting.

 

[freescooter]

I know how anti Ollie you and Waquoit are but what is so hard to understand about this post and champ's statement that you guys can't take your collective heads out of your asses for 2 minutes and THINK. KO is being granted an opportunity(whether ya'll like how it happened or not) to show that he can be in charge and lead a top 10 CBB program. In trying to secure the job for the forseeable future, he also has to drum up excitement outside the program with recruits so that they have confidence that they can place their future with him. It may not lead to recruits right away in '13, but '14 is a big year with the ships that we'll have available and we need to generate momentum now so that we can get those early committments from them. The two of you are really going to act this obtuse and dense and not understand that due to circumstances that the program and Ollie(not some no name coach from Weslyan that you pulled out of your ass) are in, that their is not significant importance on this season, post season ban or not? Really??

I don't disagree that Ollie is being given a huge opportunity here, one that he really doesn't deserve based on his level of experience and our status as a national power. He got it for 2 reasons. First Calhoun's Hamlet act ended in his decision not to coach, at a point when it was too late to conduct a proper search, and second Calhoun's coaching tree is so weak that nobody else could be sold to the fans and alumni. That's it. those are the reasons Kevin Ollie is the head basketball coach today. And he had better perform well and perform quickly. If not, we could well be St Johns for the next decade. I have said since the beginning that I hope Ollie significantly over performs and proves me wrong. Failing that I hope he under performs horribly and gets replaced after the season. What UConn simply can't abide in my mind is a mediocre coach who has teams that are regularly 17-20 game winners and go out in the 1st round of the tourney. Because if we do that, we'll be stuck with Ollie for a decade and we'll be a nothing program when we finally get around to replacing him. By the way, Joe Riley, the coach at Wesleyan was an assistant at Yale before taking over at Bates and turning the program around. he came to Wesleyan and is in the process of doing the same thing. I'm not proposing we hire him at UConn. That would be foolish. I mean he only has 3 years as a d1 assistant and 15 as a D3 head coach. Too much experience for the UConn job.

 

[aceboon]

You've copied and pasted this same reply in 100 other threads, none of this has absolutely anything to do with my point or champs, nothing at all.

I don't disagree that Ollie is being given a huge opportunity here, one that he really doesn't deserve based on his level of experience and our status as a national power. He got it for 2 reasons. First Calhoun's Hamlet act ended in his decision not to coach, at a point when it was too late to conduct a proper search, and second Calhoun's coaching tree is so weak that nobody else could be sold to the fans and alumni. That's it. those are the reasons Kevin Ollie is the head basketball coach today. And he had better perform well and perform quickly. If not, we could well be St Johns for the next decade. I have said since the beginning that I hope Ollie significantly over performs and proves me wrong. Failing that I hope he under performs horribly and gets replaced after the season. What UConn simply can't abide in my mind is a mediocre coach who has teams that are regularly 17-20 game winners and go out in the 1st round of the tourney. Because if we do that, we'll be stuck with Ollie for a decade and we'll be a nothing program when we finally get around to replacing him. By the way, Joe Riley, the coach at Wesleyan was an assistant at Yale before taking over at Bates and turning the program around. he came to Wesleyan and is in the process of doing the same thing. I'm not proposing we hire him at UConn. That would be foolish. I mean he only has 3 years as a d1 assistant and 15 as a D3 head coach. Too much experience for the UConn job.

 

[Pudge]

I don't disagree that Ollie is being given a huge opportunity here, one that he really doesn't deserve based on his level of experience and our status as a national power. He got it for 2 reasons. First Calhoun's Hamlet act ended in his decision not to coach, at a point when it was too late to conduct a proper search, and second Calhoun's coaching tree is so weak that nobody else could be sold to the fans and alumni. That's it. those are the reasons Kevin Ollie is the head basketball coach today. And he had better perform well and perform quickly. If not, we could well be St Johns for the next decade.

Wesleyan coach: Too much experience for the UConn job.

This is JUST so much BS.

There is a level of unmitigated arrogance in this notion that we are going to get a Shaka Smart of a Brad Stevens to just plug in & keep our engine running. And a massive ignorance of the CULTURAL attraction of UConn basketball, which Kevin Ollie embodies. He is clued in to what makes this Program work. He might not have the coaching level experience (but how can you ignore a NBA track record that Larry Brown extols his virtues & that both Cleveland & OK City brought him in to "professionalize" LeBron James & Kevin Durant). He is easily an NBA assistant today ... we all know it. And, probably better mentally composed to lead an NBA team than Jacque Vaughn in Orlando. (and that's been stated by the OK City GM)

But ... he hasn't coached at the College level (as opposed to Bates/Wesleyan). We are we not St John's btw. And, let's not forget the Kentucky's/Indiana's/North Carolina's stumbles. And, I think those with recruiting knowledge on this board will tell you that Kevin Ollie, in a short span of time, has done quite well.

Did you notice who is sitting next to him? 3 successful guys ... far beyond Wesleyan/Bates. Jeezum. Give it a rest til February. But I expect you to start yelling far before: he will get an extension BASED on his ability to develop Calhoun & Daniels (IMHO). This team will be competitive.

 

[ctchamps]

Make no mistake - this IS the biggest season in twenty years. I tend to think most fans will take a more cautious approach heading into the season, given the limited expectations and postseason ban. This fan, though, will be viewing Friday's game with the same intensity I've always watched UConn basketball with. For my money, the Michigan State, N.C. State, Louisville, and Syracuse games will be among the biggest regular season games in the history of this program, and here is why: perception is everything with this program right now. I'm somewhat of an optimist when it comes to this program, and for good reason, but this program is in an extremely vulnerable position right now, and subject to negative recruiting. Obviously the postseason ban has hampered recruiting, but the uncertainty surrounding the Big East and the begginning of the Kevin Ollie era is going to be a major source of concern in the eyes of recruits.

Now don't confuse me placing a high level of importance on these games with me having high expectations. The situation is what it is - two of our three best players are barely six feet tall, our only center is a german who has played about the same amount of meaningful division one minutes as I have, and we have a coach who hasn't yet called a single timeout in a real game. I seem to be more hoepful than most, but there glaring weaknesses here that are going to be exposed.

Whatever the case, just don't give me any of that "this season really doesn't matter" , because that couldn't be further removed reality. We need a sea of obnoxious and roudy UConn fans at the Garden in December, and at all the home games this season. Sure, we aren't nearly as good as the teams we'll be playing, but we've seen what can happen before when a fan base rallies behind a team that has embraced the role of underdog. If this team can knock off a few top 25 teams this season, suddenly recruits will be lining up to play for an enthusiastic young coach with an NBA pedigree and exceptional character.

In short - LET'S GO HUSKIES.

I would say this season and the next several seasons are pivotal. Very few programs have survived a legacy coach, and fewer still have maintained the level of performance achieved by that legacy coach.

You cannot understate the impact the changes that are taking place in the BE and the coaching change at UConn have had on the program. KO's lack of experience will be used against him by other coaches. Furthermore the duration of the contract gives the impression UConn does not have confidence in KO, whether this was the intent of Warde Manuel or not. And that impression will also be used against KO by other coaches. Whether or not we are uncomfortable with JC's approach to the coaching change, Warde Manuel compounded the problem.

The reality is there are never any guarantees with change. KO can be very successful or he can fail. But the same outcomes would be confronting any coach that people prefer. The football coach has shown, past performance does not demonstrate future performance.

As fans there is only one thing we can do, and that is to show up and support the team without letting our shortcoming (i.e. the neediness for winning and perfection) interfere with our support. Go to the games and cheer for this team and the next several teams. Do this no matter what their performance. That is the only thing within our control. Not supporting the teams in this manner is the method the fan contributes to the demise of "programs".