Where's all the Ollie apologist?

[superjohn]

No sarcasm here -- I am fully aware that Ollie may need to lose his job, and am okay with it. It's a results-oriented game at the end of the day. I used to think KO should be kept because whoever we could get would be worse, and I've moved away from that. I am just concerned that people are not prepared for what the next several years will look like, because it won't be pretty no matter who the coach is.

Your first solid and measured post on this. I'm absolutely prepared for the growing pains, what I cannot stomach is to keep going with something I know is rotten. When your car is overheating you don't keep driving the car until the engine fails.

I wish we could have hit the reset button before this season but I understand and knew Benedict would give Ollie this season to show him he is making the changes, actually knows what he's doing, and is getting us back to national relevance.

The one thing that is a bit atypical is we don't have to worry about losing some major can't miss recruits when Ollie is canned and a new coach comes in.

 

[superjohn]

Need to see a link for that tbh, because it's reported otherwise in a couple of places.

He's wrong.

 

[UConnDan97]

I'm still an Ollie apologist, I guess. There's been a noticeable drop in his energy on the sidelines for 2 years running, but contrary to what folks here say, he knows x's and o's. He's famous for drawing up great inbounds plays, by most commentators takes. Pick and rolls, etc. And he's been very solid on the recruiting trail.

What we saw today was a team with no pride, no heart, and no UConn. He has to take some blame for that. But you had better believe that the players need to take some blame for that, too.

Your shots aren't going in? Understood, but then move the ball around to find better ones. Don't settle for the first 3 pointer you see six seconds into the shot clock. And when someone else on your team hoists up a shot, you had better get your backside on that damned glass!

And even after having said all that, if you wear the word "UCONN" on your jersey and you don't have pride enough to seem to be bothered by giving up 100 points on defense, then this isn't the program for you. We are so damned soft! That's the ultimate problem for me.

Again, part of that falls on Ollie. But good God, a big part of that falls on the players...

 

[Stainmaster]

I'm absolutely prepared for the growing pains

I mean let's hope, but that's easy to say now. I fear those "growing pains" will become the new status quo.

 

[WlfdHusky]

Apologies, I stand corrected, the buyout clause is only $600,000 . Considerably less than $9 mil, my bad

It is a 600k buyout for Ollies contract?

 

[Palatine]

Been alot more embarrassing losses before, quite a few under Calhoun. Check out our losses to St John's and Georgetown during the dream season, a couple at Louisville give me time and I'll come up with more. I'm not saying Ollie should go or stay but bad losses happen even to good teams. Ask Arizona how they're week went.

Uconn just had losing season. Now this. It is much different than anything that happened under Calhoun.

 

[mauconnfan]

My best advice to you..... Take the blindfold off

-Sammydabiz

Nice comeback stay up all night for that? I mean those who just are smiling because they are right or seem to be for now are total idiots. If you're a fan you don't want this to happen but you and bass DO and that is pitiful, really disgraceful.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

@Stairmaster I think we're both on the same page with NCAAs or potentially moving on from KO. Where I disagree with you is your stance that the replacement will almost certainly be worse.

If UConn is paying KO $3M a season and there are still UConn faces in the NBA, I think conservatively were a top 30 job, no?

There are absolutely coaches out there that can develop an offensive game plan than what we've seen the past few seasons.

If Danny Hurley would leave URI, and I think he would, is that someone you'd take?

 

[Huskybass]

Nice comeback stay up all night for that? I mean those who just are smiling because they are right or seem to be for now are total idiots. If you're a fan you don't want this to happen but you and bass DO and that is pitiful, really disgraceful.

Because we want a coach who can actually coach? How is that pitiful?

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Foreign coaches from top Euopean leagues.

It's been a long evening, but did you post this two different times?

 

[mauconnfan]

Because we want a coach who can actually coach? How is that pitiful?

That's not pitiful rooting against your team to be sure you get one IS. And just the tone of your posts tell us all we need to know. You're like Jalen at the end of this game, it's "bass" time, he looks so good now for all the negative crap he's spewed. He's so smart!

 

[Stainmaster]

@Stairmaster I think we're both on the same page with NCAAs or potentially moving on from KO. Where I disagree with you is your stance that the replacement will almost certainly be worse.

If UConn is paying KO $3M a season and there are still UConn faces in the NBA, I think conservatively were a top 30 job, no?

There are absolutely coaches out there that can develop an offensive game plan than what we've seen the past few seasons.

If Danny Hurley would leave URI, and I think he would, is that someone you'd take?

Danny Hurley is my #1 choice by a wide margin.

I am less convinced we would be his.

 

[mauconnfan]

It's been a long evening, but did you post this two different times?

Oh there will me more, it's like magic it just appears everywhere. Haven't seen those "AB will be a real good NBA player" in a while but these will now be the tone to expect from the magic man.

 

[mauconnfan]

Danny Hurley is my #1 choice by a wide margin.

I am less convinced we would be his.

He'd be a whack job if offered to turn it down to stay at URI. Unless of course he just likes it there so much he wants to coach there for 40 years.

 

[Stainmaster]

He'd be a whack job if offered to turn it down to stay at URI. Unless of course he just likes it there so much he wants to coach there for 40 years.

I'm talking about other jobs.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Danny Hurley is my #1 choice by a wide margin.

I am less convinced we would be his.

Fair - I guess it depends what the openings would be come the off-season.

Hopefully it doesn't come to that though.

 

[Stainmaster]

Fair - I guess it depends what the openings would be come the off-season.

Hopefully it doesn't come to that though.

The thing is, there's been talk about CUSA and Horizon League coaches today (one of whom I was complimentary of), and to me that's not a good sign of rapid improvement potentially occurring. People have mentioned King Rice in the recent past - he's had 1-2 big wins, and is currently playing Fairfield and Quinipiac in conference. I think it's fair to be skeptical of unproven coaches from lower levels, especially given the hole we are in.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

The thing is, there's been talk about CUSA and Horizon League coaches today (one of whom I was complimentary of), and to me that's not a good sign of rapid improvement potentially occurring. People have mentioned King Rice in the recent past - he's had 1-2 big wins, and is currently playing Fairfield and Quinipiac in conference. I think it's fair to be skeptical of unproven coaches from lower levels, especially given the hole we are in.

OK - I get where you're coming from a little better now.

If the alternative is CUSA/Horizon league, then I'm more inclined to keep KO.

I have a feeling Benedict will make the decision on KO based on behind the scene knowledge of who's interested.

The more over arching point is that UConn just may not be elite again. I think it's funny that people here will clamor to say Calhoun is one of, if not the all time greatest coach (he's clearly one of the best), but then also be surprised that we aren't at Calhoun levels anymore and may not be anytime soon.

I don't think I'm unrealistic to think we should expect NCAA berths almost every season, but the days of 1, 2, 3 seeds may be gone.

 

[sammydabiz]

Nice comeback stay up all night for that? I mean those who just are smiling because they are right or seem to be for now are total idiots. If you're a fan you don't want this to happen but you and bass DO and that is pitiful, really disgraceful.

Geez, a lot of assumptions on your part here pal

1. It took me about 5 seconds,
2. Haven't smiled once, actually I'm quite disgusted by what I have seen on the court.
3. If I'm a fan, I don't want to see This happen?!?, hmmm, maybe you're ok with mediocrity, but I'm not, never have been, and by the looks of it, I'm not the only one.

I won't stoop down to your level and engage in name calling, but if you're truly content with the current state to this program, then there's no helping you sir. I guess in your eyes Ollie is infallible, hard to debate someone who thinks that way.

Have a good night brother.

 

[willie99]

I'd love to hear the new reason why he is not the problem. Honestly, give me something half-way rationale because for better or worse, we are officially BC basketball.

grow up, we're here, we're always here

it's the haters that disappear after a win, a bunch of one trick ponies that double up as internet tough guys

pathetic existence

 

[mauconnfan]

Geez, a lot of assumptions on your part here pal

1. It took me about 5 seconds,
2. Haven't smiled once, actually I'm quite disgusted by what I have seen on the court.
3. If I'm a fan, I don't want to see This happen?!?, hmmm, maybe you're ok with mediocrity, but I'm not, never have been, and by the looks of it, I'm not the only one.

I won't stoop down to your level and engage in name calling, but if you're truly content with the current state to this program, then there's no helping you sir. I guess in your eyes Ollie is infallible, hard to debate someone who thinks that way.

Have a good night brother.

Well you got bass to LIKE this, that's impressive.

You have a good night also pal.

 

[Jimdish255]

I don't care about KO's energy but it's pretty obvious we have decent players who suddenly look at a basket as if it's a UFO and seem totally lost on offense. And why do the officials call an incredible amount of fouls on us? Something's wrong here and it's not a talent disparity between us and Arkansas. There just aren't any excuses that hold water. Coaching matters.

 

[Stainmaster]

OK - I get where you're coming from a little better now.

If the alternative is CUSA/Horizon league, then I'm more inclined to keep KO.

Here's the thing; there's a strong case he can't be kept if this kind of performance continues and keeps them out of the tourney. Even if the alternative is no better, you don't reward poor performance by continuing to let him be an employee of the program. That's what I'm worried about -- that it's a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" type of situation.

The more over arching point is that UConn just may not be elite again. I think it's funny that people here will clamor to say Calhoun is one of, if not the all time greatest coach (he's clearly one of the best), but then also be surprised that we aren't at Calhoun levels anymore and may not be anytime soon.

I don't think I'm unrealistic to think we should expect NCAA berths almost every season, but the days of 1, 2, 3 seeds may be gone.

I think this is really tough for almost everyone to admit. Once you're at the top of the mountain, you never want to come back down. I get in trouble with everyone for being the expectations police, but I think it's very clear that coming to terms with "not being elite" and being several steps down from where we once were will be hard for the entirety of the fanbase.

What's becoming clearer and clearer --at least to me -- is that program's successes were due to Calhoun's own innate qualities and skills, as well as his ability to display then in the environment of the OBE. Not some magic fairy dust that lingers around the program no matter who the coach is and what conference they're playing in.

 

[CTrefugee]

It's the big givers among the booster alumni that will determine when KO goes. BB, from the administration standpoint, is all about the Benjamins the boosters bring in. If the bucks keep flowing there is little incentive to change anything. If/when the sports related spigot slows considerably, KO is history.

 

[Whtdmd]

I have been on the recipient end of these games. First it was an ugly lost and the defense effort was non-existent. It was on Ollie to a get them to at least play D. The game spiral out of control in the early minutes of the second half. Arkansas was not missing their shots. No one from UCONN was shooting well (Larrier, Adams, Gilbert, Vital or Anderson). The shot selections were actually not bad at all. They just don't think that its their day at this point. The whole effort collapse all at the same time and hence the 19-0 run. This happen more often then u think. It happen to Syracuse last yr when they got blew out by a inferior St John's team.