Kevin Ollie congratulates his alma mater

[mauconnfan]

Good to see and glad to see it. Not sure why anyone would eventually want it any other way, unless of course you so perfect then I understand lol.

 

[Matias]

I‘m pro-healing, but also realize that the kind of damage that was done is not something you instantly cure with a Natty. Last night we reached a big milestone in the healing process. The damage was proved not to be irreparable and KO’s expression shows the kinship is still there. There is still a long road ahead and actions warranted on both sides to complete the healing but I‘m a lot more hopeful about it today than I was before.

 

[CL82]

Kevin Ollie, our debt is settled. Welcome back to Storrs.

Perhaps we can stage some kind of dual recognition event with Bob Diaco?

 

[Scoe]

Will always be grateful for every Ollie has done for this program and he does deserve more credit for that national championship which was a 2 year plan.

As far as having a relationship with Hurley, I could see it but it would just be awkward. It would be like having a friendship with somebody who married your ex wife..

 

[LBird33]

Perhaps we can stage some kind of dual recognition event with Bob Diaco?

Don’t forget to add Randy

 

[UConn990411]

For whatever else went wrong, that 2014 run was a super well-coached team. We beat Martelli, Wright, Hoiberg, Izzo, Donovan and Calipari.

Every game had different coaching tests, St. Joe's had the point forward thing going on, we opened up a lead on Nova with Bazz on the bench in foul trouble, we had to withstand a big-time counter punch from Michigan State when we were down 10 in the second half, Florida took Bazz out the game entirely and looked like they were going to beat us 100-10, and we made adjustments. We looked way better prepared for Kentucky than vice versa and only some foul trouble to Daniels and Boat after we got up 30-15 gave them some life.

Florida threw a 1-3-1 zone at us in the second half and we torched it with three lobs, and then when we got a lead we played with Giffey at center and let Young have his, but we matched them basket for basket. Then the lob worked again against Kentucky in the final in a key spot, and when they ran a double at Bazz on the last possession, we were ready for it and got Kromah to the line. Some of that is Bazz being savvy too, but the only time in that tournament when it felt like we were getting outcoached was at the start of Florida when their gameplan smothered us, and we couldn't do anything. And we won by double digits.

Maybe the assistants did most of that work and KO got lucky, but man, that team was super well coached. It was downhill from there, but I'll always say that title is his. Yeah Bazz and Boat were Calhoun recruits, but he had to take that team over after everyone else bailed and build up over two years with an entirely different system (and no offense to Olander, Nolan, and Brimah, but with a frontcourt that was typically outmatched).

That’s one of the interesting things about the KO era - after that near loss to St. Joe’s, the game plans against every other team and coach were on point all tourney.

That 2014 was so in sync, from the coaches all the way down to the end of the bench. They took away everything Nova wanted to do, frustrated the hell out of Izzo and MSU, and the second-half adjustments against Florida were ridiculous.

 

[Citrusdog]

I love KO. He just got caught up in some personal challenges that many of us face in our lifetime. He’s still a great man. I empathize with his situation (as many of us have faced) - to one extent or another. Unfortunately, it impacted many due to the public nature of all of it. I think he is okay now (survived). He will always be a husky - and I would always participate in the wagon circle.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Ollie did keep UConn relevant. I agree that the AAC hurt UConn, but I think the biggest AAC problem was once Ollie blew up the program, the AAC would have hurt UConn's ability to turn around the program after Ollie was fired. Look at Ollie's recruiting classes in 2015 and 2016. Here were the top recruits and their recruiting rankings:

Jalen Adams #24
Steven Enoch #84
Alterique Gilbert #35
Juwan Durham. #50
Vance Jackson #77
Mamadou Diarra. #125
Christian Vital. #166

On paper, the recruiting looked good, yet his records were:

2016/2017: 16-17
2017/2018: 14-18

The problems Ollie had were poor scouting of recruits, injuries (some were previously known), poor development, and he didn't seem to recruit players to have an effective basketball strategy. I'm sure his cutting off Calhoun and his divorce didn't help either.

I think it’s important to note that only 2 of these guys played for 2 full seasons under Ollie. Everyone else either transferred or was hurt. Injuries and transfers over a very bad 2 year stretch pretty much sunk Ollie.

After that mass transfer exodus, combined with mass injuries, and then recruiting taking a nosedive while being in the AAC, there was nothing Ollie could do to get out of that hole.

 

[NJHoops]

This run was huge for this specific collection of guys and the program in general. Basketball is a collective. Seeing all those Huskies along with some of Hurley’s former players, going back to his Wagner days, being at that championship game and celebrating was special.

 

[tower1]

He's family. Still always a Husky. Never held a grudge with him and never will.

Move on. We have the right guy at the helm now and he's brought us back to the mountaintop.

That was a classy move by Ollie.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Ollie did keep UConn relevant. I agree that the AAC hurt UConn, but I think the biggest AAC problem was once Ollie blew up the program, the AAC would have hurt UConn's ability to turn around the program after Ollie was fired. Look at Ollie's recruiting classes in 2015 and 2016. Here were the top recruits and their recruiting rankings:

Jalen Adams #24
Steven Enoch #84
Alterique Gilbert #35
Juwan Durham. #50
Vance Jackson #77
Mamadou Diarra. #125
Christian Vital. #166

On paper, the recruiting looked good, yet his records were:

2016/2017: 16-17
2017/2018: 14-18

The problems Ollie had were poor scouting of recruits, injuries (some were previously known), poor development, and he didn't seem to recruit players to have an effective basketball strategy. I'm sure his cutting off Calhoun and his divorce didn't help either.

The players got here and realized the AAC schedule was a fan interest wasteland. Ollie might have been better served to dial down the recruiting a bit to find players that couldn't easily jump somewhere else.

It is worth noting that both Football and Basketball went into a nosedive in the AAC, and Geno HATED the league. It is also worth noting that some of us predicted that the AAC would lay waste to our athletic program back in 2012. And then we leave the AAC, and football and basketball pick right back up.

As someone else said in the thread, there is NO WAY Hurley would have turned down Pitt to come here unless he knew we were returning to the Big East. 0% chance.

 

[wingsfan055]

We need Ollie and Shabaz back in the fold. They will help with recruitment.

 

[NJHoops]

We need Ollie and Shabaz back in the fold. They will help with recruitment.

He seems pretty in to me-

 

[Horatio]

Ollie did keep UConn relevant. I agree that the AAC hurt UConn, but I think the biggest AAC problem was once Ollie blew up the program, the AAC would have hurt UConn's ability to turn around the program after Ollie was fired. Look at Ollie's recruiting classes in 2015 and 2016. Here were the top recruits and their recruiting rankings:

Jalen Adams #24
Steven Enoch #84
Alterique Gilbert #35
Juwan Durham. #50
Vance Jackson #77
Mamadou Diarra. #125
Christian Vital. #166

On paper, the recruiting looked good, yet his records were:

2016/2017: 16-17
2017/2018: 14-18

The problems Ollie had were poor scouting of recruits, injuries (some were previously known), poor development, and he didn't seem to recruit players to have an effective basketball strategy. I'm sure his cutting off Calhoun and his divorce didn't help either.

People forget how bad Alterique’s injury issues were on the program at the time. Devastating.

 

[Mr. March]

As someone who was once merciless with Ollie, I'm now ready to let bygones be bygones and welcome him again as part of our family.

Grudges are stupid anyway.

but would you be as forgiving if the program was still in shambles?

 

[HuskyBaggins]

I mean it was literally talked about on national radio and television this morning. But sure fishy. The same way Tristan Newton isn’t a pg.

Lol.

The national media is full of incompetent bozos. I can see why they'd be talking about it

 

[HuskyBaggins]

I think it’s important to note that only 2 of these guys played for 2 full seasons under Ollie. Everyone else either transferred or was hurt. Injuries and transfers over a very bad 2 year stretch pretty much sunk Ollie.

After that mass transfer exodus, combined with mass injuries, and then recruiting taking a nosedive while being in the AAC, there was nothing Ollie could do to get out of that hole.

The transfers didn't just happen like an act of god, they happened for a reason

 

[August_West]

People forget how bad Alterique’s injury issues were on the program at the time. Devastating.

Adams and Gilbert were going to be Boat/Bazz 2.0

 

[WrenchFan69]

Jalen Adams was probably the biggest "What If" guy in terms of coaching quality. Coming out of highschool he was more highly-ranked than (his teammate at Brewster) Donovan Mitchell. Incredible natural ability, maybe the most talented guy I've seen play at UConn to never get a sniff in the NBA. You start him under Hurley and I think he gets there.

 

[Luna]

Uconn should have just paid him…even if we won the case it was a bad look…that 2014 championship run was one of the best coaching jobs i have ever seen… then it looked like he stop putting in the effort… he deserved to get fired

 

[Mike Honcho]

Jalen Adams was probably the biggest "What If" guy in terms of coaching quality. Coming out of highschool he was more highly-ranked than (his teammate at Brewster) Donovan Mitchell. Incredible natural ability, maybe the most talented guy I've seen play at UConn to never get a sniff in the NBA. You start him under Hurley and I think he gets there.

Yea agreed. Love Jalen but he never developed his left hand, which is why he always had to contort his body for wild finishes from the left side of the hoop. Gotta imagine a more tuned in coach would have addressed that.

 

[temery]

You won't find a post from me criticizing Ollie. I'll always appreciate the 2014 title.

Kevin, if you read this ... (please put "Boneyard" in the note section)

Post Championship NIL Fundraiser

Let's do our best to take care of our players, and help a good cause. I was supposed to set this up the week before the tournament, but I forgot. Ben Renshaw (@Huuuusky) sent me the info on how to donate so they can keep track of how we (the boneyard) are doing. Not needed, but it'll help if...

the-boneyard.com

 

[Madmannsucks]

should say “thank you for cleaning up the mess I made”

STFU

 

[Luna]

You won't find a post from me criticizing Ollie. I'll always appreciate the 2014 title.

Kevin, if you read this ... (please put "Boneyard" in the note section)

Post Championship NIL Fundraiser

Let's do our best to take care of our players, and help a good cause. I was supposed to set this up the week before the tournament, but I forgot. Ben Renshaw (@Huuuusky) sent me the info on how to donate so they can keep track of how we (the boneyard) are doing. Not needed, but it'll help if...

the-boneyard.com

That is perfect… thats how you mend things..I donated to that after we won the championship…and I think a lot of people did… its go to help Mr Hurley win another one

 

[Mazhude]

I‘m pro-healing, but also realize that the kind of damage that was done is not something you instantly cure with a Natty. Last night we reached a big milestone in the healing process. The damage was proved not to be irreparable and KO’s expression shows the kinship is still there. There is still a long road ahead and actions warranted on both sides to complete the healing but I‘m a lot more hopeful about it today than I was before.

Anyone ask Calhoun what he thinks of all this? People seem to forget that it wasn't Calhoun who walked away from KO, it was KO turning his back on Calhoun (and ultimately, the whole team).