On a positive note

[albanycuse]

Choppa’s gonna be a heck of a player for us. He plays with confidence and swag which is rare for a freshman. He’s got the mid range and long range game to him and the ability to drive to the basket and finish. He’s been impressive and his future looks bright if he keeps working hard.

 

[ar inj]

And do not forget, we are one game closer to the end of the season.

 

[NineOneSeven]

And do not forget, we are one game closer to the end of the season.

I laughed out loud.

 

[kingtidge]

Another positive / glass half full perspective...

There was always going to be a higher probability of failure if we went with an internal, inexperienced HC legacy hire over an external, merit-based coaching search and hire of a HC with experience.

If Red isn't going to work as HC, we may actually be finding that out now relatively quickly, early in his tenure, and with a fair amount of sobering clarity.

The "You don't want to follow JB... You want to be the guy that follows the guy after JB" mentality may actually be playing out in front of our eyes - perhaps faster than anyone hoped possible (and with the shorterm pain that comes with that.)

I like Red and really hope he is going to work out but major red flags have emerged early in his tenure already and the problems look systemic and rooted in inexperience.

If he IS the wrong hire, the faster that is realized, the better (even if it's more painful in the shorterm.)

I think we will have our answer to this question definitively this season and within the next 2 months.

 

[Red Holzman]

Another positive / glass half full perspective...

There was always going to be a higher probability of failure if we went with an internal, inexperienced HC legacy hire over an external, merit-based coaching search and hire of a HC with experience.

If Red isn't going to work as HC, we may actually be finding that out now relatively quickly, early in his tenure, and with a fair amount of sobering clarity.

The "You don't want to follow JB... You want to be the guy that follows the guy after JB" mentality may actually be playing out in front of our eyes - perhaps faster than anyone hoped possible (and with the shorterm pain that comes with that.)

I like Red and really hope he is going to work out but major red flags have emerged early in his tenure already and the problems look systemic and rooted in inexperience.

If he IS the wrong hire, the faster that is realized, the better (even if it's more painful in the shorterm.)

I think we will have our answer to this question definitively this season and within the next 2 months.

Now THAT'S some high-level Rationalization!
I also like Red -feel bad for him b/c at this point he appears over his head.
Similar to his PG, who seems likeable also.

Agree: carnage this season could speed a needed HC change that appears inevitable at this point.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Another positive / glass half full perspective...

There was always going to be a higher probability of failure if we went with an internal, inexperienced HC legacy hire over an external, merit-based coaching search and hire of a HC with experience.

If Red isn't going to work as HC, we may actually be finding that out now relatively quickly, early in his tenure, and with a fair amount of sobering clarity.

The "You don't want to follow JB... You want to be the guy that follows the guy after JB" mentality may actually be playing out in front of our eyes - perhaps faster than anyone hoped possible (and with the shorterm pain that comes with that.)

I like Red and really hope he is going to work out but major red flags have emerged early in his tenure already and the problems look systemic and rooted in inexperience.

If he IS the wrong hire, the faster that is realized, the better (even if it's more painful in the shorterm.)

I think we will have our answer to this question definitively this season.

So far Hubert Davis and Jon Scheyer have done ok, although where both are currently ranked might not sit well with their faithful. But at least they are ranked, and both have huge matchups tonight as the ACC tries to save a little face against the more powerful SEC.

 

[billsin01]

Another positive / glass half full perspective...

There was always going to be a higher probability of failure if we went with an internal, inexperienced HC legacy hire over an external, merit-based coaching search and hire of a HC with experience.

If Red isn't going to work as HC, we may actually be finding that out now relatively quickly, early in his tenure, and with a fair amount of sobering clarity.

The "You don't want to follow JB... You want to be the guy that follows the guy after JB" mentality may actually be playing out in front of our eyes - perhaps faster than anyone hoped possible (and with the shorterm pain that comes with that.)

I like Red and really hope he is going to work out but major red flags have emerged early in his tenure already and the problems look systemic and rooted in inexperience.

If he IS the wrong hire, the faster that is realized, the better (even if it's more painful in the shorterm.)

I think we will have our answer to this question definitively this season and within the next 2 months.

This is a genuinely good point. With everything that has changed in the game we don’t really know what the future holds for Cuse hoops. It should be better than this, we know that. But we don’t know what it is.

The hire was always going internal. I think university dynamics and politics dictate that in most cases. If Red’s not the guy, a truly brutal year may open the window for change quicker than we thought.

Not rooting against Red or these kids … but if these trends hold it will be an absolutely brutal season and Wildhack will at least have to think about how to move forward.

 

[Sbucketball]

Another positive / glass half full perspective...

There was always going to be a higher probability of failure if we went with an internal, inexperienced HC legacy hire over an external, merit-based coaching search and hire of a HC with experience.

If Red isn't going to work as HC, we may actually be finding that out now relatively quickly, early in his tenure, and with a fair amount of sobering clarity.

The "You don't want to follow JB... You want to be the guy that follows the guy after JB" mentality may actually be playing out in front of our eyes - perhaps faster than anyone hoped possible (and with the shorterm pain that comes with that.)

I like Red and really hope he is going to work out but major red flags have emerged early in his tenure already and the problems look systemic and rooted in inexperience.

If he IS the wrong hire, the faster that is realized, the better (even if it's more painful in the shorterm.)

I think we will have our answer to this question definitively this season and within the next 2 months.

This is what I've been thinking about so far this year as the silver lining.

Would you rather have: 19 wins (no tourn); 9 wins (no tourn); 13 wins (no tourn); new coach

Or: 19 wins (no tourn); 18 wins (no tourn); 20 wins (bubble); 18 wins (no tourn); 20 wins (bubble); 16 wins (no tourn); 16 (no tourn); new coach.

I'll take the former. If he's not the guy, let's find out in 2-3 years instead of 5-6. We're deep into irrelevance already. Need a guy to take us to championship caliber, and if that guy is Red, the time is now not in a few years. It's too critical of a time for our basketball program and college sports in general.

 

[EnviroSciGuy]

Context is important in this discussion. It's not just the losing, it's how it occurs that is most troubling. In our case, even the wins over cupcakes are disturbing. A hard-fought loss would be one thing, but a loss where guys are making lazy passes, not getting back on D, and dogging it with seemingly zero accountability from the HC... all while a player that comes out like his hair is on fire languishes on the bench... is indicative of major systemic issues.

The lineups appear more like a Red popularity contest than anything strategic or merit-based. I guess the silver lining is that they are so bad that we won't win many games that way, and the problem will correct itself.

 

[NKR1978]

Another positive / glass half full perspective...

There was always going to be a higher probability of failure if we went with an internal, inexperienced HC legacy hire over an external, merit-based coaching search and hire of a HC with experience.

If Red isn't going to work as HC, we may actually be finding that out now relatively quickly, early in his tenure, and with a fair amount of sobering clarity.

The "You don't want to follow JB... You want to be the guy that follows the guy after JB" mentality may actually be playing out in front of our eyes - perhaps faster than anyone hoped possible (and with the shorterm pain that comes with that.)

I like Red and really hope he is going to work out but major red flags have emerged early in his tenure already and the problems look systemic and rooted in inexperience.

If he IS the wrong hire, the faster that is realized, the better (even if it's more painful in the shorterm.)

I think we will have our answer to this question definitively this season and within the next 2 months.

No other high major program would have hired Red or GMac. And there's a reason for that.

 

[kingtidge]

No other high major program would have hired Red or GMac. And there's a reason for that.

I'm not sure that's valid.

How about John Scheyer and Duke??

Legacy hires do happen but they should be on a tight leash.

We can't pretend they don't happen because our legacy choice doesn't work out.

 

[NKR1978]

I'm not sure that's valid.

How about John Scheyer and Duke??

Legacy hires do happen but they should be on a tight leash.

We can't pretend they don't happen because our legacy choice doesn't work out.

Legacy hire at a program that's humming along like Duke is one thing. JB sputtered to the finish line and left a dumpster fire. There was no legacy to maintain.

 

[kingtidge]

Legacy hire at a program that's humming along like Duke is one thing. JB sputtered to the finish line and left a dumpster fire. There was no legacy to maintain.

I don't disagree, but it was always going to happen here.

If Wildhack tried to go external search and hire from the get-go, JB would have gone scorched-earth and Wildhack would have lost his job.

It is what it is.

 

[MSOrange]

I don't disagree, but it was always going to happen here.

If Wildhack tried to go external search and hire from the get-go, JB would have gone scorched-earth and Wildhack would have lost his job.

It is what it is.

Exactly. As JeremyCuse has also mentioned a few times. there are always internal politics that come into play with a hire like this.

 

[NKR1978]

I don't disagree, but it was always going to happen here.

If Wildhack tried to go external search and hire from the get-go, JB would have gone scorched-earth and Wildhack would have lost his job.

It is what it is.

I 100% agree that he had to hire Red. But if he went outside and the coach started winning right away, there would have been fewer hurt feelings.

I don't think UConn basketball alumni are worried about how Ollie was treated any more.

 

[tee1222]

Choppa’s gonna be a heck of a player for us. He plays with confidence and swag which is rare for a freshman. He’s got the mid range and long range game to him and the ability to drive to the basket and finish. He’s been impressive and his future looks bright if he keeps working hard.

This kid has a special talent needed for his role on the court: