Jeff Jacobs one-on-one with Kevin Ollie
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Meh, I couldn't get past his comments about focusing on filling holes with a certain type of player. It's obvious they're swinging and missing in bpa right now. Bottom line is shut up and win
I think it's very telling article, Jacobs asked the tough questions ...but KO sounds like a lost soul. He still trying to spin this supposed "family stuff " he's been preaching about since he took the job. But it doesn't work anymore, especially when you can't keep the family together. (like the 2 Uconn guys on your bench that were actually HC's).... and his own players leave because they have no faith in him....And now he's spinning this stuff about Chillious job at Nike and about him being a HC at prep school as his confidant and a guy to learn from ? But he doesn't really talk to the guy (Calhoun) who handed him this $3.5 mil job on a silver platter and is in the HOF ? (I heard months ago that he doesn't want JC's input and posted it on this board)
And this:
" we didn't want none of our guys to leave. We can't go around recruiting players who are on somebody else's team. That's happened. It's other college coaches also. I'm not afraid to speak on it."
From what I know about KO, he's been a humble, respectful guy and good soldier. That served him well keeping a job as a career bench player in the NBA. But I don't know if he's cut out for this. He's not a strong leader in my opinion and he's just searching for excuses and grasping for help because he's a pushover who admits other coaches are poaching guys off his team and/or a recruit who signed a NLI, but he doesn't have the skill, salesmanship or the fight to know how to respond......kind of the same way he looks on the sidelines plenty of times until the game is out of hand. It sounds like reality is kicking in and he's living in a sea of sharks and doesn't know how to swim. So maybe he thinks he can hire his own shark...but that could kill him too.
I don't see this ending well because as the saying goes nice guys finish last..
And this:
" we didn't want none of our guys to leave. We can't go around recruiting players who are on somebody else's team. That's happened. It's other college coaches also. I'm not afraid to speak on it."
From what I know about KO, he's been a humble, respectful guy and good soldier. That served him well keeping a job as a career bench player in the NBA. But I don't know if he's cut out for this. He's not a strong leader in my opinion and he's just searching for excuses and grasping for help because he's a pushover who admits other coaches are poaching guys off his team and/or a recruit who signed a NLI, but he doesn't have the skill, salesmanship or the fight to know how to respond......kind of the same way he looks on the sidelines plenty of times until the game is out of hand. It sounds like reality is kicking in and he's living in a sea of sharks and doesn't know how to swim. So maybe he thinks he can hire his own shark...but that could kill him too.
I don't see this ending well because as the saying goes nice guys finish last..
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What would you like him to do, just not take any interviews? Then you would say he's running away from the media
Those were very direct and tough questions and I thought he handled all the questions very well.
Ignoring your irrational hate towards KO, I will say that it does seem clear that KO realizes that college bball recruiting is a dirty and murky world. That's why he said he needed something "different" aka Chillious who can navigate that murky world. As he said Glenn was a great coach but he needs a guy who understands the game when it comes to recruiting.
Losing Hamidou hurt, especially when we thought he was ours the whole time, only to find out he had been a UK commit way before he actually committed. Glen failed in intelligence gathering and it hurt us with other recruits who we turned down or told to wait bc we thought we had Hamidou.
I think a more aggressive coaching staff will eventually reap dividends. We will see in the next few months.
AFG, I know your new around here, but your so wrong on this..... go back and read this board a year before he got the job and you'll see that me and Ozzie, we're 2 of the only guys who thought KO was being groomed for this job and that he would be a good transition as HC because of his Uconn and NBA heritage.....while everyone else was clamoring for Brad Stevens and Shaka Smart, who would of left anyway. ........The warts that are showing up now are exactly my concerns from back then and even more so now because these are his own guys he's trying to win with and even has to sell to stay with the team. College sports is about stability if nothing else, once a program starts showing any cracks it will be used against you by other coaches...so please stop that it's Miller's fault that KO lost a recruit.... yeah OK.... but when he got Dan Ham (a top 15) that was all because of KO...
The only irrational people on this board are the ones when reality is staring them in the face are the pollyana's looking for a silver lining ( kinda like those who believed in Diaco's spiel until he was out the door)....KO is a Uconn guy and I want him to turn this around more than anyone ...but right now he is overpaid because he leveraged the NBA flirting into a salary he doesn't deserve, had the worst Uconn record in 30 years, he's bleeding players and fans that actually buy tix to support the team.. and to say he is under performing is being kind.......I guess all the sports writers everywhere who see that and say WTF is KO doing to the Uconn program hate him and are irrational too. Anyway he's got Uconn street cred with plenty of the BB alumni who have his back...but like Canolee says above he's on the clock...so just win
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I can't get over this irrational panic. Are we in a tough spot right now? Yes. But it was ONE INJURY FILLED SEASON. Kids today transfer. Get used to it. It's going to happen more and more. Cooley obviously poached MAL and there is rumor that GM sabotaged MAL to UConn connection as well. How is that Ollie's fault? Because he decided to shake things up? If that's true, I've lost a lot of respect for GM.
The team will be FINE next yr. The core group of players coming back is very very good. They'll find some bodies to come off the bench and fill out the roster. Looks like Adams, Larrier, AG, CV will be playing a lot of minutes...which is good. They'll be fun to watch. Lets just relax and let things happen.
If UConn is healthy and struggles again next yr...then ok we can talk about Ollie, but at this point I'm not ready to discuss it.
The team will be FINE next yr. The core group of players coming back is very very good. They'll find some bodies to come off the bench and fill out the roster. Looks like Adams, Larrier, AG, CV will be playing a lot of minutes...which is good. They'll be fun to watch. Lets just relax and let things happen.
If UConn is healthy and struggles again next yr...then ok we can talk about Ollie, but at this point I'm not ready to discuss it.
Ah yes, the injuries, kids panic & transfer, losses to Wagner & Northeastern with a full team, can't beat a real team with a pulse....yep that's all normal.....if you don't want to discuss it then why do you even show up here ?
I'm so sick of the early season losses BS. They also happen to teams often. Syracuse lost to a D2 school one year and still made the tournament.
Players have to play together...get a chemistry. You dismiss the injuries...why? Only 2 of the top 3 players on the team went down. Look around. No one panicked. They are just spoiled kids. In case you weren't aware, there have been more transfers this yr than ever before. It's been consistently going up. I would expect that trend to continue.
Players have to play together...get a chemistry. You dismiss the injuries...why? Only 2 of the top 3 players on the team went down. Look around. No one panicked. They are just spoiled kids. In case you weren't aware, there have been more transfers this yr than ever before. It's been consistently going up. I would expect that trend to continue.
I know it's probably terrifying if someone says "the emperor has no clothes".. But you don't have to preach to me.... I see what I see....either way I'm all in with Uconn and have been years before KO and even a few B4 ....JC.....and will be once KO's gone to the NBA if he ever turns this around..... or fired if he doesn't .....
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OK explain something to me. Why do you assume KO wants to go to the NBA? Why do you think he'll be fired? I'm just a bit confused. The guy won a title 3 yrs ago. He's won the conference or been in the title game every yr of this conference's existence. (Aside from last yr...though they made the semi-final even though severely undermanned.) I agree that they've been somewhat flawed. Last yr was frustrating to watch, but regardless of the 2 early losses, I believe a pass needs to be given for last yr. If they are healthy and struggle again next yr, I'll be with you.
I agree about the pass for last year, he's got time to create some stability in the program ...I'll give him that but the fanbase ( who buy tix) won't ! We can talk X's and O's and all the other stuff but at the end of the day if he tanks the attendance again like he's been doing it's not about our opinions. Regarding the NBA...... rumors though they help any coach in his own contract talks... can hurt your own recruiting ( see Edsall 1.0 losing recruits his last few years because of job rumors) ....plus strait from his boy Donny Marshall this year, despite the new $40 mil practice facility and the $3.5 mil he's getting paid that JC never had " this isn't the Uconn KO signed up for "
( reference to the AAC ? ...looking elswhere ?)......
( reference to the AAC ? ...looking elswhere ?)......
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All true. I don't think it's so much the team that's causing the lack of interest. I think it's that no one gets juiced up for a home game in December against Temple or Houston. Not because they're not good teams, but just because it's not the same. If Syracuse or Georgetown or Pitt or someone like that were to come...people would go. People showed up like crazy for the Cuse game at the Garden. Having a better product would help, but I think the conference is problematic as far as attendance goes. We need a conference upgrade badly.
This former Boston Globe writer has some good contacts at Uconn and not that he's the end all be all of Uconn info ( some of the thoughts seem off base)..
but here's a little dialog from a national writer regarding KO ( Uconn stuff starts after the 18:00 mark) :
but here's a little dialog from a national writer regarding KO ( Uconn stuff starts after the 18:00 mark) :
+1, I've written a book on this site regarding that but here's what's been going on attendance wise post JC:
2011-12 17/ 12640 ( Calhoun's last year )
2012-13 16/ 10728 ( Final Big East year)
2013-14 18/ 10134 ( First year AAC, National Champs)
2014-15 16/ 10957
2015-16 17/ 10413
2016-17 18- 8732
I'm there every game, season tix holder for 25+ years... I talk to everyone.....The team and what KO's doing to it have turned alot of people off. Are they spoiled ?
Probably, but it doesn't matter, people expected to dominate in this conference like Memphis did in C-USA...you add bad draws and a bad team that showed cracks right
in the beginning of the year and that kills advanced sales and partial game ticket packages...so it's a double whammy.....bottom line, get some fricken' players and win KO !
Well we heard from KO one on one... now here's some quotes from the AD, JC, etc...Long read from the Courant today :
UConn Men's Dismal Season Sparks Scrutiny Of Kevin Ollie's Leadership
"Let's begin with the fact that we have extremely high expectations for our men's and women's basketball program," Benedict told The Courant this week, "so any time that things look to be going in a different direction then, yeah, there should be concern. … But the important thing is really getting to the bottom of why those things are happening. "
UConn Men's Dismal Season Sparks Scrutiny Of Kevin Ollie's Leadership
"Let's begin with the fact that we have extremely high expectations for our men's and women's basketball program," Benedict told The Courant this week, "so any time that things look to be going in a different direction then, yeah, there should be concern. … But the important thing is really getting to the bottom of why those things are happening. "
Yes, last yr we agreed was a pass. But what else has Ollie done that people don't like? This is what I'm missing.
If the answer is recruiting, I'm sorry but I don't agree. We had a great freshman class come in last yr rank-wise. The best one got hurt. The next best one already was hurt and didn't seem ready for even AAC competition. The next best 2 guys started slow but developed. I don't blame Ollie for the transfers. Like Adams said...it was a surprise that these guys left...they loved UConn. I think daddy and whomever else got into some of their heads and they decided to leave. Jackson obviously didn't want to see a dip in minutes. Durham confuses me. I still don't blame Ollie.
If the answer is X's and O's I also don't blame Ollie. I think a lot of times this year players got open looks and couldn't make shots. It also doesn't help when you have 2 key players go down.
I'm just confused. I'm frustrated too...but Im just trying to understand where people are coming from.
If the answer is recruiting, I'm sorry but I don't agree. We had a great freshman class come in last yr rank-wise. The best one got hurt. The next best one already was hurt and didn't seem ready for even AAC competition. The next best 2 guys started slow but developed. I don't blame Ollie for the transfers. Like Adams said...it was a surprise that these guys left...they loved UConn. I think daddy and whomever else got into some of their heads and they decided to leave. Jackson obviously didn't want to see a dip in minutes. Durham confuses me. I still don't blame Ollie.
If the answer is X's and O's I also don't blame Ollie. I think a lot of times this year players got open looks and couldn't make shots. It also doesn't help when you have 2 key players go down.
I'm just confused. I'm frustrated too...but Im just trying to understand where people are coming from.
If the AD is questioning his leadership that might be a clue....Transfers ? Uconn has always had transfers... from low end recruits that couldn't compete, who wouldn't get much PT here ...or because of off the court issues...not 4 stars guys with starting jobs staring them in the face...so where is that best class or the number 1 recruit he lost this year after a signed NLI ( unheard of ), or the guys he loses early entry to the NBA who don't get contracts ?
And when the best scoring big he's had in 4 years is someone who was developed by an Ivy league coach, that might be a concern....I could go on and on how the same guys are making the same mistakes that lead to losing, the 20 point swings he gives up repeatedly, the putrid offense he runs that was only ahead of UCF, ECU and USF in this terrible league..but ultimately winning cures all..... I think we all want the same thing
And when the best scoring big he's had in 4 years is someone who was developed by an Ivy league coach, that might be a concern....I could go on and on how the same guys are making the same mistakes that lead to losing, the 20 point swings he gives up repeatedly, the putrid offense he runs that was only ahead of UCF, ECU and USF in this terrible league..but ultimately winning cures all..... I think we all want the same thing
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If they dominated the conference the way they are supposed to, people would show up. It's a mediocre product now and as a result, they draw mediocre crowds. I'm not driving from Norwalk with two small kids at home, to watch them lose to Tulsa.
Ollie did a great job getting the team to gel at the end of the year in '13 and deserves credit. But he's never finished higher than tied for third in the American regular season. Even in years with no injuries.
That isn't cutting it. Finish in the top 2 this coming year or he shouldn't have a job here anymore.
The NBA may fit his skillset better. Where he is known to let "men be men"(problem in college is they aren't men) and he won't have to buy the groceries(bring in the players).
Ollie did a great job getting the team to gel at the end of the year in '13 and deserves credit. But he's never finished higher than tied for third in the American regular season. Even in years with no injuries.
That isn't cutting it. Finish in the top 2 this coming year or he shouldn't have a job here anymore.
The NBA may fit his skillset better. Where he is known to let "men be men"(problem in college is they aren't men) and he won't have to buy the groceries(bring in the players).
From the Courant article:
"As described by several sources close to the program, who spoke to The Courant on condition of anonymity, Ollie, always businesslike and close-to-the-vest, had become resistant to "letting people in," less communicative, more determined to distance himself from the Calhoun era."
If KOs agenda is "...to distance himself from the Calhoun era" (winning, perennially ranked contender, etc.), well Mission Accomplished!
"As described by several sources close to the program, who spoke to The Courant on condition of anonymity, Ollie, always businesslike and close-to-the-vest, had become resistant to "letting people in," less communicative, more determined to distance himself from the Calhoun era."
If KOs agenda is "...to distance himself from the Calhoun era" (winning, perennially ranked contender, etc.), well Mission Accomplished!
Did you ever consider that maybe coaching staff that KO inheireted from JC and KO just weren't the right match?? I for one respect GM's loyalty to UC and loved his scouting of our opponents and his brilliance in his X's & O's, but it seems to me, at least, that he's been deficient lately in his duties. Maybe KO needs his own crew that melds with him and his philosophy on coaching? Maybe the kids that transferred were premadonnas who thought that they deserved a lot more from KO and staff than they got? Have you ever considered that these kids may have given any coach, from any school they may have gone to, other than UC, the same end game that they gave KO and UCONN?? Lighten up, PLEASE!! KO now has in place the staff he chose and let's see what happens.
Unfortunately, this ignores the fact that no one other than KO is responsible for recruiting, signing, and ultimately losing the so-called "prima donnas" on this team. Tough to see that it's taken him five years to know what kind of players UConn needs, especially when a group of them won him a national championship not that long ago. As far as everybody lightening up just because a new staff is in place, I think everyone here would be happier if KO actually had a team in place before relaxing.
No..... it's looking more and more like JC picked the wrong guy for head coach( he had 2 former ones on his staff) and maybe he should have left KO with his 2 years of coaching experience as the assistant to learn. I pray that I'm wrong.
The other thing to consider is that UCONN HAS been the elite program in the country for a span of 15 years. That is UNREAL and just too hard to maintain. UCONN under Ollie should have 10 years to rebuild. All you have to do is look at ANY OTHER NON BLUE BLOOD and they goes long stretches without success. Indiana, Michigan, Nova, St. Johns, Georgetown, UCLA, etc......all great names that have spurts but not overall programs that are always there. UCONN under Ollie will prevail and be a top non blueblood but days of us being a blue blood are probably over. That was a lightnening strike with JC, a HOF coach that bested the best of the best for 4 (yes 4) titles. OIlie MIGHT be that guy but chances are he isnt and we settle for once every 4-7 years a deep run. That is the way the rest of the world works. We arent UK, Duke, NC, Kansas..........we were...............but Ollie isnt the guy YET to even think about getting back there.
Good post 90. I just don't see how people blatantly forget that KO is also responsible for who he recruits and hires as coaches. I heard during the year "we need tougher players". From the coach, as well. Well then, recruit them.
Finishing first in recruiting is cool and all, but I'd rather finish first in early April.
Finishing first in recruiting is cool and all, but I'd rather finish first in early April.
You think he'll have that long Dom ? If that's the case we'd end up with less fans than Tulane and we might as well go back to playing games in the Fieldhouse...
and even that would be to big... LOL !
It was not one injury filled season. It was 3 weeks of good basketball with the games best player running the team.
Yeah, me and Jim Calhoun both. Kevin's contract is ridiculous. You realize he could put together his second losing season and that contract would keep us chained to him? But I'm ridiculous, ok.
I think he had a great 3 weeks with the best guard in cbb to win the championship. Bazz was capable of doing whatever he wanted with the ball making that pick and roll look good. Right system for the right player. Bazz is gone. Time to move on.
Although Bazz hit some big shots that whole season, UConn won the 2014 NCAA title primarily due to playing superb team defense and making 88% FTs for the tournament. The former is something that can be coached but the latter is something I don't we will ever see again in our lives, or maybe even hundreds of years. It's going to hang out there like Joe DiMaggio's 56 game hitting streak, untouched.
"This is Kevin Ollie's program. Ollie's program had the worst record at UConn in 30 years.There had better be anger and angst. There has been. There had better be introspection and conversation. There has been. There had better be change for the better. The months ahead will determine if changes have worked."
Full read Jacobs: Ollie Will Fight, But Can He Get Better Leading Program?
Full read Jacobs: Ollie Will Fight, But Can He Get Better Leading Program?
