OT: Kevin O'Neill

[SCdem@MU]

As a MU and SC guy, I was curious as to what folks here think of the job Kevin O'Neill is doing at SC this year.

I know Chicos hates him for some supposed off-the-court shennigans he apparently pulled at Marquette, but he has some how coached a Marquette-like-depth-depleted team to an 8 game win streak with impressive wins over Tennessee, St. Mary's, UNLV, and a sweep of the Arizona schools to start PAC-10 play.

The game against ASU tonight might have been one of the ugliest basketball games I have ever watched, but SC held ASU to only 24% shooting.

I know its early, and I know that the PAC-10 is terrible this year, but I have to say I'm very impressed with the job Kevin O'Neill has done so far.

(Note: Despite the heartbreaking loses I'm also very impressed with what Buzz has managed to do with Marquette so far.)

[ChicosBailBonds]

LOL....there was nothing "supposed" about it.  Well known by anyone that was there and KO has practically admitted as such without getting into details.

All I can say is THANK GOD he wasn't the head coach at MU during the Internet age because it would have been very very ugly for the university. 

Yes, KO has done a good job so far and the return of Mike Gerrity which has been huge for them.  It's hard to say how good they are since the conference is so brutal this year.

Tonight they won 47 to 37.....some of the ugliest basketball on the planet, but KO gets his guys to play defense.

He's winning with a short bench because he's playing it very smart....play defense.  This is how he won at MU for awhile...clamp down defense leads to staying in every game.

[warthog-driver]

there was nothing "supposed" about it.  Well known by anyone that was there and KO has practically admitted as such without getting into details.

All I can say is THANK GOD he wasn't the head coach at MU during the Internet age because it would have been very very ugly for the university. 

Was KO an ass-biter like Deane?

[El Duderino]

I won't claim to know anything about how Keven was beyond just as a coach, but i've long felt he deserves a slice of the credit for getting Marquette back on track as being relevant again in college ball. Plus, i liked his blunt nature when interviewed.

If he was a jerk off the court though, i would have no way of knowing that back then.

[warthog-driver]

I won't claim to know anything about how Keven was beyond just as a coach, but i've long felt he deserves a slice of the credit for getting Marquette back on track as being relevant again in college ball. Plus, i liked his blunt nature when interviewed.

If he was a jerk off the court though, i would have no way of knowing that back then.

I heard KO was a jerk regardless of location. I think what The Chico is referring to is KO's much discussed admiration for the ladies. The young ladies. The really young ladies.

Admiration for the ladies is a MU Coaching position deliverable that Deane picked up with great relish. I think Deane liked a little more life experience in his companionship, though, than did KO. Mike was also known to pinch and bite buttocks during post-game activities while in the throes of blind drunkeness.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Doesn't really matter much what he does this year, USC will not be going to the post season this year for punishment


http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/ncb/news/story?id=4792634

[MarquetteDano]

Doesn't really matter much what he does this year, USC will not be going to the post season this year for punishment


http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/ncb/news/story?id=4792634

How many "One and Done's" are going cause universities to vacate wins?  I am sure the NCAA is loving the dollars brought in but it is a sad state of affairs.

[SCdem@MU]

How many "One and Done's" are going cause universities to vacate wins?  I am sure the NCAA is loving the dollars brought in but it is a sad state of affairs.

Especially when the NCAA does its own investigation into the recruit's eligibility prior to the season even starting...

I really don't understand what the NCAA expects schools to do. Take the Joe McKnight situation at USC. His girlfriend had a long outstanding relationship with her employer and he decides to help her get a loan for an SUV.

Could he have been making the loan to her knowing that McKnight might favor him and his business more favorably? Certainly. But, I really don't understand how USC, or any other program is supposed to monitor the automobile purchases of girlfriend's employers.

IMO, the only way to solve this program is for the NCAA, NFL, and NBA to get together and agree to ban agents AND athletes from professional sports for 2 full seasons if they violate their amateur status prior to declaring for the draft. 

Until players and agents are given a large enough incentive not to engage in these types of activities, it will be impossible for schools to police it.

[MarquetteDano]

I would prefer the "one and done's" are allowed to enter the NBA draft.  Somehow baseball players are allowed to make this decision but basketball players are not.  I think that would clean some of it up (obviously, not everthing).

[MU B2002]

I would prefer the "one and done's" are allowed to enter the NBA draft.  Somehow baseball players are allowed to make this decision but basketball players are not.  I think that would clean some of it up (obviously, not everthing).

Hockey players as well can go straight from high school to the NHL(or minor league addiliate).

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Hockey players as well can go straight from high school to the NHL(or minor league addiliate).

The problem with basketball is that there isn't a strong minor league to put these kids in.

The D-league isn't there yet, and might not ever get there.

[GGGG]

Especially when the NCAA does its own investigation into the recruit's eligibility prior to the season even starting...

I really don't understand what the NCAA expects schools to do. Take the Joe McKnight situation at USC. His girlfriend had a long outstanding relationship with her employer and he decides to help her get a loan for an SUV.

Could he have been making the loan to her knowing that McKnight might favor him and his business more favorably? Certainly. But, I really don't understand how USC, or any other program is supposed to monitor the automobile purchases of girlfriend's employers.

IMO, the only way to solve this program is for the NCAA, NFL, and NBA to get together and agree to ban agents AND athletes from professional sports for 2 full seasons if they violate their amateur status prior to declaring for the draft. 

Until players and agents are given a large enough incentive not to engage in these types of activities, it will be impossible for schools to police it.

The professional leagues have zero incentive to keep players out of their game for violations they may have committed in college.

[GGGG]

The problem with basketball is that there isn't a strong minor league to put these kids in.

The D-league isn't there yet, and might not ever get there.

High school kids can also be drafted and decide to head off to college in both baseball and hockey, with their rights retained for some period of time. 

[Avenue Commons]

I won't claim to know anything about how Keven was beyond just as a coach, but i've long felt he deserves a slice of the credit for getting Marquette back on track as being relevant again in college ball.

KO gets the exact amount of credit he deserves for getting Marquette "back on track." I don't think anyone denies that he had a strong role in getting Marquette back on the track, it's the nearly derailing the Marquette train that muddles the picture. He loses points because he bailed on Marquette after the 1994 Sweet 16 for the Tennessee job. This was a mistake on his part and led us to hiring Mike Deane, who did a servicable but unspectacular job while manning the helm. 

[WellsstreetWanderer]

I for one have been enjoying watching USC games and rooting for KO because of the MU connnection. Mike Gerrity certainly has added a lot to the team. the Mayo situation sucks for those coming after him and I hope Marquette never goes for the "one and done" athlete

[SaintPaulWarrior]

Hockey players as well can go straight from high school to the NHL(or minor league addiliate).

College hockey players can also play one semester (half of the season) of any year, up until Xmas break, and then jump right into the NHL or the minor leagues....in fact there have been some cases where the NHL teams, that hold their rights, flat out "request" they play minors instead of college while they are in the middle of the season so they can better monitor playing time and the system they play in....Kyle Okposo who played here at the U is a prime example.

[Hards Alumni]

College hockey players can also play one semester (half of the season) of any year, up until Xmas break, and then jump right into the NHL or the minor leagues....in fact there have been some cases where the NHL teams, that hold their rights, flat out "request" they play minors instead of college while they are in the middle of the season so they can better monitor playing time and the system they play in....Kyle Okposo who played here at the U is a prime example.

Miami has a hockey team?

[MU B2002]

Miami has a hockey team?

People in MN refer to Univ of Minnesota as the U.



Edit.... And they are all SOLDIERS!

[SaintPaulWarrior]

Miami has a hockey team?

Actually they do....they lost to BU for the Nat'l Championship last year in a great OT game.

[reinko]

Actually they do....they lost to BU for the Nat'l Championship last year in a great OT game.

Wasn't that Miami-Ohio?  Not the U?

[SaintPaulWarrior]

Wasn't that Miami-Ohio?  Not the U?

Guess I should have used teal...but they do call the school Miami University, no mention of Ohio.

And they have been around 116 years longer than Miami of Florida.