As a life-long UConn basketball fan, I am saddened by the current circumstance of the program. Uncertainty has become a word that is strongly associated with the Huskies of late. The effect of such uncertainty is still undetermined, but one would naturally assume that negative consequences are sure to follow. Between the conference realignments, a coaching change, and NCAA violations, it is safe to say that UConn has seen better days. Perhaps there is a silver lining. With all the turmoil and chaos, UConn is left with a team of 'loyalists' for lack of a better word, and through the cancellation of the post season a new goal has risen from the ashes of a fallen team.
The conference realignments over the past couple of years have been nothing short of pitiful. The illusion that college sports are about pride, sportsmanship and teamwork has been wiped away as this endless paper chase has torn rivalries apart and left fan bases with a combination of whiplash and PTSD. In my opinion, the Big East has been the most dominating conference in the history of NCAA athletics. By the same token, UConn embodies all that the Big East represents. Coming from humble beginnings and rising to become a national powerhouse, UConn, one of the founding members of the conference, has used the Big East as a tool for recruiting and exposure alike. It seems, however, that those days are behind us. The Big East has been completely decimated by other conferences, especially the ACC, who have seemingly picked off teams at will. The only real option for UConn is to jump ship; a fact recognized by President Susan Herbst who has called the most recent passing over by the ACC "a difficult day." The unfortunate truth of it all, is that basketball simply doesn't dictate conference change. The much more powerful football programs are responsible for bringing in the big bucks and, therefore, are the ones who dictate realignment. With the loss of Notre Dame, Syracuse, Pittsburgh West Virginia, Louisville, etc. the Big East is a sinking ship and if they don't do something quick, UConn is doomed to go down with it.
The dismantling of the Big East is only part of UConn's problems this year. NCAA violations relating to academic matters have led to the Huskies being banned from the post season. This means no Big East tournament, which is disappointing since this will, in fact, be the last tournament with all the perennial powerhouses still in-conference. This also means no NCAA tournament. I will not dive into my feelings about the NCAA as that will take far too long and I simply don't have the time tonight. It is important to note that not a single player on this team is responsible for the academic problems leading to this year's penalty. It is also important to note that due to this fact, the NCAA has allowed an exception to the normal sit-a-year-out rule that applies to all transfers. Since no one on the current roster is responsible for the program's problems, the NCAA allowed players to transfer and immediately play at another school the same year. This allowance claimed Alex Oriakhi and Roscoe Smith as well as leading to a possible-early goodbye for Jeremy Lamb and Andre Drummond who declared for the NBA after the 2011-2012 season.
Perhaps all is not bad in Connecticut this year. Due to the departure of so much of the original team, the players who chose to stick it out as well as the recruits who chose not to attend other schools have proven themselves loyal to the program. Last year's season was plagued with lack of heart and lack of leadership. Perhaps a gutting of the team is exactly what UConn needed to get it together. A talented back court coupled with a plethora of solid small forwards, this year's roster certainly has talent. The only real gaping hole is lack of height and, as a result, lack of a presence down low; a sort of signature for UConn in past years. Another silver lining for the Huskies comes with their new coach. A transition from the hall of famer, Jim Calhoun is no doubt going to be difficult, but Kevin Ollie may be the perfect fit for such a situation. A former UConn player who went on to have a long NBA career, Ollie provides a perfect example of the target goal for a player's career path. All of a sudden, in a year without a post-season, the players have something to play for. Ollie's contract is only good for this season; not even a full year. The players and fans have gotten behind the former UConn alum, and now have a new cause to root for: a contract extension for Kevin Ollie. The passion is as strong as ever. Perseverance has been a word representative of UConn during the Calhoun years. Can Ollie carry on the tradition? He certainly has a lot working against him in his first season as head coach. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
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