Yahoo calls Ollie a liar.

[jrazz12]

In all fairness to our friends in the media, journalism is a tricky thing

 

[PcketknfNiels]

I'm not saying that it's being planted by competing recruiters, but they are helping perpetuate it. Marquette and UConn absolutely compete for recruits at the same level, and that was the only example to which I pointed for the recruiting manipulation. There are plenty of people with different reasons to perpetuate this, OKC itself being another. Even if they want Donovan, it would still make sense for them to make it known that they are considering other options, lest he have all the bargaining power as their sole target.

Ollie has already made a statement that he is staying. That is good enough for me. If he leaves after that, I will have been wrong about him. I am willing to commit to that position.

I don't believe for a second that Manuel has superior insight on Ollie. It was a negotiation in which Ollie had a lot of leverage under the circumstances and UConn got some reasonable concessions in exchange, the declining buyout being one of them. But if you actually looked at the decline rate and concluded what you did on that basis, how do you explain the drop to $1M for an NBA job on June 1, 2016? In other words, if Manuel really thought that an NBA job was Ollie's end game, he got taken in the negotiation even worse than it appeared.

So the massive pull Marquette holds over the media is what's helping perpetuate this? And/or OKC solely using Ollie as leverage for Donovan, even though there are other high profile names like JVG and Thibs on the periphery? Sorry, I don't buy any of that.

Ollie's statement wasn't an unequivocal "I'm staying at UConn no matter what", and it came before Brooks got fired and the job officially became open.

And I can't even take the last part of your post seriously given how contradictory it is and your apparent belief that Manuel doesn't have any more insight into the seriousness of Ollie's motivation to go to the NBA than us forumers. That's just a ridiclous statement.

 

[CTBasketball]

A guy on the Thunder board said its between Ollie and Tom Thibodeau. He's probably as wrong as we all are though.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

OKC beatwriter. Think Presti may be talking about the hiring process:

IF he said "No" he is a true liar. That is just what you say though in the business world.

 

[caw]

But, but done deal...

 

[8893]

So the massive pull Marquette holds over the media is what's helping perpetuate this? And/or OKC solely using Ollie as leverage for Donovan, even though there are other high profile names like JVG and Thibs on the periphery? Sorry, I don't buy any of that.

Ollie's statement wasn't an unequivocal "I'm staying at UConn no matter what", and it came before Brooks got fired and the job officially became open.

And I can't even take the last part of your post seriously given how contradictory it is and your apparent belief that Manuel doesn't have any more insight into the seriousness of Ollie's motivation to go to the NBA than us forumers. That's just a ridiclous statement.

I see that you struggle with comprehension, and I don't suffer fools gladly, so this is a bad combination and I will make one more attempt before parting with you.

I pointed to a statement by a Marquette booster as an example of how our recruiting competition has every interest in perpetuating this, which merely requires tweets and retweets of the same sourceless crap.

I said that there are also others with an interest to see this be kept alive, OKC among them. Note that this last point directly contradicts the "solely" fiction writing in which you've engaged.

You believe what you want to believe about Ollie and Manuel. I judge people based on their acts. All I'm saying is that if you truly believe that Manuel saw this coming and the $5M buyout was his masterstroke in response, then he got taken badly imo, because all it did was buy one more year. The precipitous drop to $1M for an NBA job next June was a coup by Ollie, and it apparently spoke louder to me than it did to the guy on the other side of the negotiating table. That's when KD becomes a free agent, btw.

 

[CTBasketball]

I see that you struggle with comprehension, and I don't suffer fools gladly, so this is a bad combination and I will make one more attempt before parting with you.

I pointed to a statement by a Marquette booster as an example of how our recruiting competition has every interest in perpetuating this, which merely requires tweets and retweets of the same sourceless crap.

I said that there are also others with an interest to see this be kept alive, OKC among them. Note that this last point directly contradicts the "solely" fiction writing in which you've engaged.

You believe what you want to believe about Ollie and Manuel. I judge people based on their acts. All I'm saying is that if you truly believe that Manuel saw this coming and the $5M buyout was his masterstroke in response, then he got taken badly imo, because all it did was buy one more year. The precipitous drop to $1M for an NBA job next June was a coup by Ollie, and it apparently spoke louder to me than it did to the guy on the other side of the negotiating table. That's when KD becomes a free agent, btw.

That's exactly what I got out of the deal.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

So the massive pull Marquette holds over the media is what's helping perpetuate this? And/or OKC solely using Ollie as leverage for Donovan, even though there are other high profile names like JVG and Thibs on the periphery? Sorry, I don't buy any of that.

Ollie's statement wasn't an unequivocal "I'm staying at UConn no matter what", and it came before Brooks got fired and the job officially became open.

And I can't even take the last part of your post seriously given how contradictory it is and your apparent belief that Manuel doesn't have any more insight into the seriousness of Ollie's motivation to go to the NBA than us forumers. That's just a ridiclous statement.

Ollie may be more appealing to key players than JVG and Thibs. So I wouldn't sell that part short. Your post is spot on but 8893 has a point.

 

[pnow15]

Ollie would lose most of his credibility if he leaves without finishing out at least this contract.
Only if he started to bomb could he really leave, saying he couldn't recruit to this conference.
But, this seems out of character for him. If he leaves, I will be greatly disappointed.

 

[storrsroars]

If he leaves, give Geno the job. LOL

I'm surprised it took 4 pages to get to Geno.

Honestly, if CR/B1G wasn't so damned important right now and we knew we were stuck in hell for eternity, I might actually enjoy that.

 

[junglehusky]

NEWS FLASH - Ollie is not married or legally bound to UConn. He has a buyout which means he can leave anytime he wants if he gets a job where they can take care of the buyout. He also can put out a press release that says he's staying, and reverse course if he gets an offer he feels is right. Unlike grand jury testimony there is nothing binding about putting out press releases. We may be uncomfortable with the business side of things, but it's the reality nowadays.

 

[8893]

I'm surprised it took 4 pages to get to Geno.

Honestly, if CR/B1G wasn't so damned important right now and we knew we were stuck in hell for eternity, I might actually enjoy that.

It would be tremendous entertainment watching heads explode everywhere, and Geno loving it.

 

[CallMeBruce]

NEWS FLASH - Ollie is not married or legally bound to UConn. He has a buyout which means he can leave anytime he wants if he gets a job where they can take care of the buyout. He also can put out a press release that says he's staying, and reverse course if he gets an offer he feels is right. Unlike grand jury testimony there is nothing binding about putting out press releases. We may be uncomfortable with the business side of things, but it's the reality nowadays.

I'm not saying he should go to jail if he lies. But that doesn't make it not lying.

 

[sammydabiz]

Honestly, its disappointing if he leaves but the bigger issue for the program is if UConn leaves the AAC. If they re still in the AAC in 2018 with no hope of leaving, Ollie would be gone by then, either to a better hoops program or the NBA. Uconn could hire Popovich and they won't be relevant in that scenario. however, if UConn has an invite to a P5 conference by 2015, then they can find a coach and still be a great program going forward.

I could see KO trying out the NBA.... But NO WAY does KO ever leave UConn for another program, won't happen.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

There are few places Ollie would leave UConn for, and I believe 2 of those are wherever Lebron is, and wherever KD is. With the OKC job opening and KD being a free agent after next season (possibly going home to play for the Wizards), Ollie will be flirting with the NBA for the next couple of years. I want to believe (and he makes it sound like) he's committed to UConn, but opportunities like this to go back to OKC and be head coach of Durant and co. won't come around all the time.

 

[nyhusky89]

People are to busy calling the guy a liar if he leaves to understand the big picture...lol

The "big picture" has nothing to do with him being a liar. If he came out and gave that statement today with any inkling he is going to OKC, he is a liar. He did not have to make a statement-he made it, presumably, to calm the nerves of UConNation and get in front of the story. Just because the job would be an upgrade and a higher profile position does not change what he said. It would be a great job for him to get and I would wish him well, but there would be a real sour taste if he makes that statement and then leaves because he did not have to do it-to get the confidence high among the team, students, alumni, fans and administration and bounce, oh no, no no.

 

[uconnfan68]

The "big picture" has nothing to do with him being a liar. If he came out and gave that statement today with any inkling he is going to OKC, he is a liar. He did not have to make a statement-he made it, presumably, to calm the nerves of UConNation and get in front of the story. Just because the job would be an upgrade and a higher profile position does not change what he said. It would be a great job for him to get and I would wish him well, but there would be a real sour taste if he makes that statement and then leaves because he did not have to do it-to get the confidence high among the team, students, alumni, fans and administration and bounce, oh no, no no.

He's not a liar. Just stop with that crap.

 

[sammydabiz]

 

[John]

What are they saying down at the carwash?

 

[PcketknfNiels]

I see that you struggle with comprehension, and I don't suffer fools gladly, so this is a bad combination and I will make one more attempt before parting with you.

I pointed to a statement by a Marquette booster as an example of how our recruiting competition has every interest in perpetuating this, which merely requires tweets and retweets of the same sourceless crap.

I said that there are also others with an interest to see this be kept alive, OKC among them. Note that this last point directly contradicts the "solely" fiction writing in which you've engaged.

You believe what you want to believe about Ollie and Manuel. I judge people based on their acts. All I'm saying is that if you truly believe that Manuel saw this coming and the $5M buyout was his masterstroke in response, then he got taken badly imo, because all it did was buy one more year. The precipitous drop to $1M for an NBA job next June was a coup by Ollie, and it apparently spoke louder to me than it did to the guy on the other side of the negotiating table. That's when KD becomes a free agent, btw.

I love when someone who gets called out for some ridiculous statements gets a condescending tone out of nowhere rather than just re-examining what they've said. Anyways...

You pointed out that some Marq fanboy replied to some media tweet, why you continue to bring up something so irrelevant is beyond any logic. Nobody besides you and other low basketball IQ cretins are going to care what randoms say on twitter.

Yes, you seem to think OKC/Marquette/Cal/Woj/twitter fanboys (putting them here since you actually seem to put stock into what random fans have to say on twitter) are all conspiring to kill UCONN recruiting. Even going beyond the complete stupidity of that, you've yet to reason anyone through your twisted thought process as to how you could perceive UConn recruiting to be strong enough where this would be necessary, or if that's all this were and Ollie truly had no interest in anything other than UConn hoops, why wouldn't Ollie be repeatedly screaming to anyone who would listen that these rumors are all BS.

And you're clearly mistaken if you don't think Warde both has more insight into what career course Ollie plans to take than you or I, or that, given last year's circumstances, getting such a prohibitive buyout for even 2 years was about the best that anyone could have hoped for.

And everyone in here is well aware of when Durant becomes a free agent, which is why these rumors will persist through next year, and why anyone with half a brain assumes that if Ollie ever wanted to go coach in the pros, this year or next would be the time to do it. Thinking that the buyout has anything to do with Ollie's decision making process is wrong though, he's not going to be paying that personally. It's really a matter of preference to Ollie (if he in fact does want to coach in the NBA) of trying to land in OKC and coaching 2 top 5 players, or waiting until next year after Durant signs his new deal and trying to get in then for the security (but perhaps not as good of a supporting cast around Durant as Westbrook and co).

 

[PcketknfNiels]

Ollie may be more appealing to key players than JVG and Thibs. So I wouldn't sell that part short. Your post is spot on but 8893 has a point.

If Ollie were just being used as a pawn to drive Donovan's price down, why would Ollie cooperate with that?

 

[James]

Honestly in 2015 i hate cbs sports writers much more. the home of matt norlander ( royal cont, self loathing ct native), and that blowhard sam vinceni (sp). oh and gregg doyall. cbs is terrible

 

[FartMan69]

So what news/sports outlet isn't currently conspiring to kill UConn at every turn? Or are we supposed to hate everyone besides Bilas?

 

[Stainmaster]

So what news/sports outlet isn't currently conspiring to kill UConn at every turn? Or are we supposed to hate everyone besides Bilas?

Bilas is a Dukie, can't even trust him...

 

[JimHurley]

So what news/sports outlet isn't currently conspiring to kill UConn at every turn? Or are we supposed to hate everyone besides Bilas?

I think all news/sports outlets are conspiring to kill UConn at every turn, with the exception of Andy Katz which is why he's my favorite sports reporter.