sammydabiz
I sport NewBalance sneakers to avoid a narrow path
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
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***I'm not sure if this has been randomly suggested in another thread, and if so I apologize for being redundant, but there's been so many threads lately, and unfortunately I have so much time***
But firstly,
- Kevin Ollie has totally turned me around, I had doubts more so than most, but I truly believe there are certain individuals in life that are true gems, in sports or out of...maybe a mentor, a father, mother (u get the idea), that emphatically make a positive impact/impression on your life. I have no doubt he is one of those rare individuals and between his own basketball knowledge and the support of 4-5 ex-head coaches on the bench to support him, I have no reservations he will succeed in terms of X's and O's as well.
-And I DO believe that the path the UConn admin took in giving him a trial bases period is the right move. This is not BC, nor is it Providence, heck not even Georgetown. Who we root for and unconditionally love is not a team, but a "Program" and arguably the most successful program in the nation for the past 15 years. That deserves respect, respect for our past players, respect for our current ones, as well as respect for the fans that live and die with UConn season by season. We need to know for sure before we give the keys to (to be honest) an unknown. I respect Ollie to the highest extent (and that's a lot coming from an individual like myself) but if I'm being honest, I respect the team I love more and an evaluation is warranted
Now if UConn was smart, this is what I think their ultimate plan is:
- Ollie will be closely monitored, whether its player management, recruiting, in game decisions, basically the overall way of he composes himself as the leader and face of this program. And I have no doubt that he will exceed in all facets, and I'm pretty sure the admin believes as wholeheartedly as I do. They know this will be a very different, as well as, tough season on many accounts (specifically in the W-L, though I hope not). IF THEY'RE SMART, they will realize fairly early that Ollie has the tools to effectively run this program for years to come with success. And I'm hoping/banking on the fact that they will offer Ollie an extended contract somewhere in the late January/ early February time frame for 3-5 years. This way, we have the assurance that our future is protected in the hands of Ollie, and in addition, we do not decapitate ourselves on the recruiting front. With the extension, we would give our potential recruits the security that Ollie will be our man going forward for the forseeable future.
-does this plan create the potential for UConn to lose the interest of a few of our recruits in the short term....yes. But for my money, when you're dealing with the viability and future of a program whose presence/effect far out reaches that of the basketball court, the risk is worth the reward. And it is exactly how I would play my cards, if I was Warde Manuel.
But firstly,
- Kevin Ollie has totally turned me around, I had doubts more so than most, but I truly believe there are certain individuals in life that are true gems, in sports or out of...maybe a mentor, a father, mother (u get the idea), that emphatically make a positive impact/impression on your life. I have no doubt he is one of those rare individuals and between his own basketball knowledge and the support of 4-5 ex-head coaches on the bench to support him, I have no reservations he will succeed in terms of X's and O's as well.
-And I DO believe that the path the UConn admin took in giving him a trial bases period is the right move. This is not BC, nor is it Providence, heck not even Georgetown. Who we root for and unconditionally love is not a team, but a "Program" and arguably the most successful program in the nation for the past 15 years. That deserves respect, respect for our past players, respect for our current ones, as well as respect for the fans that live and die with UConn season by season. We need to know for sure before we give the keys to (to be honest) an unknown. I respect Ollie to the highest extent (and that's a lot coming from an individual like myself) but if I'm being honest, I respect the team I love more and an evaluation is warranted
Now if UConn was smart, this is what I think their ultimate plan is:
- Ollie will be closely monitored, whether its player management, recruiting, in game decisions, basically the overall way of he composes himself as the leader and face of this program. And I have no doubt that he will exceed in all facets, and I'm pretty sure the admin believes as wholeheartedly as I do. They know this will be a very different, as well as, tough season on many accounts (specifically in the W-L, though I hope not). IF THEY'RE SMART, they will realize fairly early that Ollie has the tools to effectively run this program for years to come with success. And I'm hoping/banking on the fact that they will offer Ollie an extended contract somewhere in the late January/ early February time frame for 3-5 years. This way, we have the assurance that our future is protected in the hands of Ollie, and in addition, we do not decapitate ourselves on the recruiting front. With the extension, we would give our potential recruits the security that Ollie will be our man going forward for the forseeable future.
-does this plan create the potential for UConn to lose the interest of a few of our recruits in the short term....yes. But for my money, when you're dealing with the viability and future of a program whose presence/effect far out reaches that of the basketball court, the risk is worth the reward. And it is exactly how I would play my cards, if I was Warde Manuel.
