Jim Calhoun tells SI he'll decide whether or not to step down in the next t

[Whitey23]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/basketball/ncaa/09/06/jim-calhoun/index.html?sct=cb_t11_a0

 

[Flacusian]

Like him or not Jim Calhoun has been a formidable opponent and done an amazing job of building the Connecticut Basketball Program. I remember when I was a kid in Branford Ct. and great basketball players would shun the Ct. program and go elsewhere. John Williamson, Soup Campbell, and many others didn't even consider UConn for even a nanosecond.

I went to my 1st college basketball game in Syracuse when I was up visiting my brother and was so struck by it that I became a Syracuse fan. As a Cuse fan it is only natural to dispise... or hate... Georgetown 1st and UConn 2nd. But as Calhouns career is winding down and you look back at what he has achieved at Uconn it becomes clear that he is one of the best college coaches ever.

If it weren't for Jim Calhoun there wouldn't have been the fierce rivalry with Syracuse and certainly I doubt we see the likes of the 6 overtime game and the level of insane excitment it generated. It is perhaps the most remarkable game I've ever seen in ANY SPORT.

I believe it's important to honor your adversary and provide them with the respect they deserve for their accomplishments even when they are of the ilk of "most hated opponent" status. Not having the build up and excitement of the UConn / Cuse rivalry will be something that I miss as we move to the ACC along with knowing that the Jimmy B/ Jimmy C epic battles are perhaps behind us.

 

[moqui]

Like him or not Jim Calhoun has been a formidable opponent and done an amazing job of building the Connecticut Basketball Program. I remember when I was a kid in Branford Ct. and great basketball players would shun the Ct. program and go elsewhere. John Williamson, Soup Campbell, and many others didn't even consider UConn for even a nanosecond.

I went to my 1st college basketball game in Syracuse when I was up visiting my brother and was so struck by it that I became a Syracuse fan. As a Cuse fan it is only natural to dispise... or hate... Georgetown 1st and UConn 2nd. But as Calhouns career is winding down and you look back at what he has achieved at Uconn it becomes clear that he is one of the best college coaches ever.

If it weren't for Jim Calhoun there wouldn't have been the fierce rivalry with Syracuse and certainly I doubt we see the likes of the 6 overtime game and the level of insane excitment it generated. It is perhaps the most remarkable game I've ever seen in ANY SPORT.

I believe it's important to honor your adversary and provide them with the respect they deserve for their accomplishments even when they are of the ilk of "most hated opponent" status. Not having the build up and excitement of the UConn / Cuse rivalry will be something that I miss as we move to the ACC along with knowing that the Jimmy B/ Jimmy C epic battles are perhaps behind us.

I agree . . . I think, hands down, he has been the best coach in the country over the last 20 years. I used to dislike because of his gruff demeanor and, of course, for the fact that he built a program that surpassed our Orange. But once I took up the challenge to examine the man's biography, it was hard not come to admire him as a person and, once that hurdle was passed, to step away from my fandom and to appreciate the quality of the coaching he has done.

 

[br801]

I will miss the surly old b*stard when he's gone. He's had a remarkable run and I hope he enjoys a long and healthy retirement.

 

[IthacaMatt]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/basketball/ncaa/09/06/jim-calhoun/index.html?sct=cb_t11_a0

He can't retire soon enough for me. That article nails it - he has always had a chip on his shoulder, and I have never really liked the guy, although I acknowledge he is a Hall of Fame coach. And I do envy how his teams always show up in the NCAA tournament, while we have under-achieved a few too many times for my liking.

 

[orangehomer]

i appreciate him as a competitor and a great coach that won a hell of a lot of games. I still think that the way he handled kids and scholarships was poor and not in the spirit of a college program. i also think that this whole "i don't know if i'm going to coach" year after year is bizarre, and i have absolutely no clue why that fanbase thinks they should just hand over the keys to ollie.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Reading the Boneyard's reaction to this story - here's the link: http://the-boneyard.com/threads/ad-manuel-impacting-recruits-because-of-not-naming-a-coach-in-waiting.23188 -

... it appears to me that (1) Calhoun maybe doesn't have the stomach for the crap that awaits this year's team and doesn't want to tarnish his legacy by having a lousy last year or two; and (2) by talking to the media about retirement with only a little over a month before practice starts puts UConn in a very tight spot, with no chance to get an outside coach to take over for this season.

Thus, this looks like Calhoun is making a power move, using the media and his threat of retirement as a means of getting Kevin Ollie his audition to be next coach for this upcoming season, while Calhoun doesn't suffer through what certainly looks to be a dreadful, dreadful seaason.

 

[pearl31]

undeniably a great coach but undeniably an arrogant bully as well

 

[armory]

Will always respect him as a coach. Don't think I will ever respect him as a person (but admittedly do not know him personally). Can't remember him ever having one nice thing to say, about anything or anyone. He just comes across as the type of person who treats life as a competition.

 

[jdubs30]

Will always respect him as a coach. Don't think I will ever respect him as a person (but admittedly do not know him personally). Can't remember him ever having one nice thing to say, about anything or anyone. He just comes across as the type of person who treats life as a competition.

He's well liked among the coaching elite for the most part; but for those 40 minutes between the lines he's all business and it can come off as brash and extremely arrogant at times (other coaches have this quality too, but it's more apparent in Calhoun).

 

[br801]

Will always respect him as a coach. Don't think I will ever respect him as a person (but admittedly do not know him personally). Can't remember him ever having one nice thing to say, about anything or anyone. He just comes across as the type of person who treats life as a competition.

Fair enough, but if he coached your team you'd probably worship him.

 

[moqui]

Can't remember him ever having one nice thing to say, about anything or anyone. He just comes across as the type of person who treats life as a competition.

Two years ago, as his top ten squad was about to host a Syracuse team mired in the first 4 game losing streak in Boeheim's career, Calhoun made it a point to tell a press conference that "I happen to believe that the guy coming in here next is the best coach in the country."

Calhoun has consistently said nice things about JB both personally and professionally. You are mostly correct - he certainly doesn't offer compliments easily or lightly, which makes his praise of Boeheim really stand out.

 

[The Governor]

Who would want to coach a train wreck at his age and medical conditions. Time to hang it up and enjoy the fruits of your Hall of Fame career.

 

[longtimefan]

Reading the Boneyard's reaction to this story - here's the link: http://the-boneyard.com/threads/ad-manuel-impacting-recruits-because-of-not-naming-a-coach-in-waiting.23188 -

... it appears to me that (1) Calhoun maybe doesn't have the stomach for the crap that awaits this year's team and doesn't want to tarnish his legacy by having a lousy last year or two; and (2) by talking to the media about retirement with only a little over a month before practice starts puts UConn in a very tight spot, with no chance to get an outside coach to take over for this season.

Thus, this looks like Calhoun is making a power move, using the media and his threat of retirement as a means of getting Kevin Ollie his audition to be next coach for this upcoming season, while Calhoun doesn't suffer through what certainly looks to be a dreadful, dreadful seaason.

Dean Smith announced his retirement at about the same time of year, giving his administration little choice but to to promote his lieutenant (Guthridge). This might be a similar power play by Calhoun.

 

[Jake]

He's stepping down.

 

[suthrills]

He's stepping down.

Is that fact through inside sources or just conjecture?

 

[moqui]

Is that fact through inside sources or just conjecture?

he's 95 per cent sure, unless something changes

 

[albanycuse]

If Jim calhoun retires on espn tomorrow, moqui wont believe it because he wasnt there to witness it live.

 

[SouthCampusHero]

Apparently Calhoun was a huge Brett Favre fan.

 

[Jake]

I'm told it'll happen before the season. Calhoun pulling a power play to get Ollie the gig, who the AD isn't 100% sold on.

Interesting times.

 

[jdubs30]

I'm told it'll happen before the season. Calhoun pulling a power play to get Ollie the gig, who the AD isn't 100% sold on.

Interesting times.

Yep Calhoun knows the longer he waits the greater the chance that Ollie ends up the HC. We're at the point now where it's almost too close to the season to do a national search for a replacement; Manuel always wanted to scope the landscape for possible candidates but Calhoun was 100% on Ollie; they never saw eye-to-eye.

The question is now, if indeed Calhoun leaves and Ollie the replacement, does he get handed the job if he does well this year, or do they still conduct a HC search after the year?

It has absolutely affected recruiting.

 

[Shenexon]

I will miss the surly old b*stard when he's gone. He's had a remarkable run and I hope he enjoys a long and healthy retirement.

He's the coach I've loved to hate more than any other, including JT the elder. It's funny how hatred can spawn respect.

 

[br801]

He's the coach I've loved to hate more than any other, including JT the elder. It's funny how hatred can spawn respect.

Indeed. The "villains" like Calhoun and Big John have made being a fan all the more fun over the years. As have the characters like Louie and Rollie.

 

[Jake]

Yep Calhoun knows the longer he waits the greater the chance that Ollie ends up the HC. We're at the point now where it's almost too close to the season to do a national search for a replacement; Manuel always wanted to scope the landscape for possible candidates but Calhoun was 100% on Ollie; they never saw eye-to-eye.

The question is now, if indeed Calhoun leaves and Ollie the replacement, does he get handed the job if he does well this year, or do they still conduct a HC search after the year?

It has absolutely affected recruiting.

Absolutely spot on what I'm hearing. The word is that Calhoun wants to spot Ollie a year with no pressure to make ncaas and limited expectations.

 

[Gabjon]

Yep Calhoun knows the longer he waits the greater the chance that Ollie ends up the HC. We're at the point now where it's almost too close to the season to do a national search for a replacement; Manuel always wanted to scope the landscape for possible candidates but Calhoun was 100% on Ollie; they never saw eye-to-eye.

The question is now, if indeed Calhoun leaves and Ollie the replacement, does he get handed the job if he does well this year, or do they still conduct a HC search after the year?

It has absolutely affected recruiting.

I believe JB and Hop will/have done this right but there has never been a great HC in college basketball retire without the transition being a complete disaster for the program! (let's hope we are the first) And what happens with Blaney does he stay on to assist Ollie? There seems to be very little preparation for this day.