Kevin O'Neill is optimistic, I'll give him that...
by Paragon SC on Jun 23, 2009 7:00 AM PDT
in USC Basketball
13 comments
You have to give Kevin O'Neill credit. He knows this is going to be a tough situation but he isn't going show his cards if he is worried.
He is going to put the best spin on it as possible and shoot for the moon.
"It would be my expectation, when we hit the practice floor, we want nothing short of the NCAA Tournament," O'Neill said.
In just about every article or column I have read he seems undaunted with the challenges that lie ahead. O'Neill looks at the roster and sees a lot of good players...that's great but there aren't a whole lot of new ones coming in. He is unconcerned with the ongoing NCAA investigation, but that same investigation could cripple the program further when the NCAA hands down their findings. O'Neill claims he has mellowed...I am not buying any of it. We are who we are and very few people change their stripes, especially this late in their career. It is clear he is driven...and honest, he is not afraid to tell you what he thinks.
This quote caught my eye...
"Players don't always like the coach," O'Neill said. "Guess what, coaches don't always like all the players sometimes either."
When was the last time you heard a coach say something like that?
It is clear from the stories that we have read about his brief time in Tucson that he certainly did not get along with his players. But those were not his players and the old head coach was working behind the scenes to undermine O'Neill.
But that is in the past.
We have to deal with today and there is no looking back. Plaschke makes some interesting observations.
Facing new and increased scrutiny, the Trojans have to remain squeaky clean, and in a dozen college seasons spent retooling junkers, O'Neill is still without stain.
"We're going to deal with whatever comes out of this and be positive and move forward," O'Neill said.
Finally, facing the rebuilding of a program that has lost its four best players and seemingly all of its best recruits in the wake of the NCAA probe, the Trojans needed a tough guy who can hold things together.
I have said we are irrelevant in college hoops right now. It really doesn't matter if O'Neill was 4th choice or 100th choice. SC needed someone to come in and do some dirty work...the other coaches that SC went after didn't want any part of it, Placshke offers up his thoughts on that as well.
To all those Trojans fans who are complaining that he was Athletic Director Mike Garrett's fourth choice, that he's no Jamie Dixon or Jeff Van Gundy or Lon Kruger?
You really think any of those guys would agree to coach a team facing probably at least one season of meaninglessness?
You really think those guys would hook up with someone who is headed for jail?
Those kinds of reputations don't do ruins.
If you believe the reports that those coaches required an "out" clause so they could quit if the school were placed on probation, well, USC basketball has had enough quitting for now, and I don't blame Garrett if he refused to put that in a contract.
This is not a job that would interest a Coach K, this is a job for a Brand X, and O'Neill fits that well.
That pretty much goes along with what I said that SC couldn't land a top tier coach because SC is not a top tier job. I have some other opinions on that but they are unimportant now.
O'Neill doesn't think this a rebuilding job...I have news for him...it is. We only have one player coming in for 2009/10 O'Neill is going to have to build a lot credibility with the local programs and he is going to have to prove that he is a different coach than what we have all read about. He is going to have build credibility with the coaching staff as well. He needs them right now as they will help smooth the transition with the players that are still on the roster.
O'Neill is not going to shy away from the one-and-done players that litter every recruiting class...the very type of players that put us in this mess. That is fine, because O'Neill has a spotless NCAA record he will be able to weed out those one-and-done's that could bring something to the table and those that could spell trouble. Expectations are low so he won't feel the pressure that Tim Floyd apparently felt in bringing in OJ Mayo.
O'Neill certainly said a lot of the right things in yesterday's press conference but now he has to show us.
He has a lot of detractors out there but maybe he can use that to his advantage by coming in under the radar. I have read where many people have called him a great recruiter yet I cannot find any examples of the great players he recruited. I do think O'Neill gets a bad rap for his over all record. He has done some major rebuilding jobs in the college ranks and he has never stayed around long enough to taste the fruits of his labors. But I think that is a far cry from being a failure...some people are just better at coming and fixing things after they have been destroyed...not necessarily running them once they are fixed.
I am still unwilling to look at O'Neill's hire in the same light as the hiring of Pete Carroll. There may be some up front similarities but the circumstances could not be more different and those circumstances will chart a path for USC basketball that we will not like.
USC basketball needs someone to come in and roll their sleeves up and like it or not O'Neill is that guy. Sure, It would have been great to get a guy like Dixon or Kruger but I am not sure that under the circumstances they would have been a great fit. Kruger is too comfortable where he is given that he has turned down higher profile jobs than USC and Dixon, for as great as some think he is, has never had to build something like this. That may be a blessing in disguise. Plaschke's comments on the "out clause" do have a ring of truth to them.
Moving on...
So, now its just a waiting game. Waiting on recruits, waiting on the NCAA and waiting to see just how this hire works out.
Here are some links from everything out there ...
Kevin O'Neill ready to move forward as USC coach - Los Angeles Times
Kevin O'Neill's introduction at USC - PE.com - College Sports
More from Kevin O'Neill - PE.com - College Sports
O'Neill's goal for USC basketball: reaching NCAAs - LA Daily News
SHELBURNE: USC's O'Neill up for challenge, which is what he'll face - LA Daily News
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K.O. had a good press conference
He’s a charming and dedicated teacher that says all the right things at your school’s open house: He loves teaching, he’s all about the kids, call me if you have any questions, here’s my number and email, etc. The next morning he turns around and terrorizes his students, makes unreasonable demands, refuses to answer questions and humiliates those that complain or don’t meet his expectations.
When you call him he says nothing but wonderful things about your kid, then reverts to the usual. Anyone with schoolchildren knows K.O. really well.
by Locoweed 1.1 on Jun 23, 2009 10:21 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Hey Paragon,
Is he optimistic, delusional, of just plain full of scheiße?
by Locoweed 1.1 on Jun 23, 2009 11:07 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Seems like KO is pissed at the reaction surrouding the hire
and it will either turn out great (a huge motivating force) or create even bigger disaster…
by anh_sc79 on Jun 23, 2009 11:21 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I think his back is against the wall.
With what has been going his way in last 10yrs he is now in the corner fending off jerks and will have fight back. This is a good thing for USC because sanctions or none this program finds itself in the same place. He will show us what kind of man he is win or lose unlike some people (BN) who regularly just run away (ban) from a good fight. I like the fact he said that his practices aren’t closed and that players should be on time and not be jerks (probably most of that Zona team) so with just these attributes I say lets take a ride with this guy.
PS—-When referring to BN people I don’t include impaulv and aj the rest I don’t get them.
Paul D. Kelley
by so.cal.native1952 on Jun 23, 2009 11:36 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Disciplinarian or just plain mean?
Not my words, this is what our old pal Plaschke asked about Henry Bibby a few short years ago. I’m no fan of Plaschke but this hire has revived some really bad memories, the parallels between King Henry and K.O. are eerie.
Read it and cringe, history is about to repeat itself:
http://articles.latimes.com/2004/jan/21/sports/sp-plaschke21
by Locoweed 1.1 on Jun 23, 2009 1:31 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Maybe you only hear the bad stories?
I’m not going to search for the links, but I’ve heard that former players like Elliott, Kerr, Muehlbach, McIlvaine, etc really like the guy. Former players say they learned a lot from him and are better men for it, and continue to keep in touch with him. Even UoA assistant coach Pastner admitted how much he learned from TO. One of his Tenn players said he was a great guy and very approachable off the court.
Sounds like he is just super-competitive, passionate for winning, and uses the Bobby Knight tough love approach. I’m sure KO is a perfectionist.
I like Leonard’s positive response to KO, and hope the other players will follow suit.
Also, Para, I totally agree with the Dixon comment. Dixon has limited experience and built nothing, only sustained what Howland built. I am still not certain that Dixon was a panacea candidate.
by DFWTrojan on Jun 23, 2009 6:32 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Yeap...
I’m sure Dixon is a fine coach, I would have loved to have him just to see if we could get him, but he is the flavor is the month…
I said it before…there is no guarantee that Dixon comes to ucla when Howland departs. At some point he has to want to do his own thing not always follow in his mentors footsteps. The “allure” that is ucla may not be as big a deal to Dixon as ucla fans think it is. That is a long way away anyway.
By the way, I laughed at Nestor calling you a troll…I thought your arguments were well reasoned. He wouldn’t no a good argument if it hit him in the ass.
by Paragon SC on Jun 23, 2009 6:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
“Even UoA assistant coach Pastner admitted how much he learned from TO”
- Terrell Owens? :-P
Excellent use of “panacea”!
by impaulv on Jun 23, 2009 11:20 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
TO-KO, same difference
Go exorcise your demons Pablo!
by Locoweed 1.1 on Jun 23, 2009 11:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Of course you're right Tex
But it drives me nuts that everyone keeps whining that USC is not a good place for basketball because football is so big. Mike Garrett is a font of low expectations, and as a result he hires coaches that no one else wants.
Let’s face it, the Pete Carroll hire was pure dumb luck, and Tim Floyd was just penciled in after the Jim Saia to Majerus fiasco. At least xCTF gave us the best three year run in USC hoops history. I firmly believe that xCTF should have stuck it out; he made some dumb moves but they were not necessarily career ending, he would have had us back in a year or two.
USC is a prestigious, highly-selective university, we have an awesome arena and facilities, we have one of the best talent pools in the country at our doorstep and all kinds of media exposure… and K.O. is the best we could do? Garrett should have given the job to Gib Arnold until the program was cleared by the NCAA. Gib would have surprised everyone because he happens to be an excellent coach, and he would have put us position to land a big name.
Anyway Tex, I hope I’m wrong about K.O., because another Bibby style run will really make me loco. Things aren’t going to change until Mike Garrett retires.
Thank goodness football is just around the corner.
by Locoweed 1.1 on Jun 23, 2009 11:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Gib Arnold
I totally agree that giving Gib a shot might have been a great call. And, I couldn’t agree more on AD Garrett. The times have passed him by. We desperately need fresh blood in the AD’s office.
by DFWTrojan on Jun 25, 2009 12:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Amen to that Tex
There is a lot of appreciation on campus for what xCTF achieved during his tenure and the general feeling is that MG hung him out to dry. My insider friends on campus are very disappointed with MG, and it extends way beyond this latest “decision.”
One thing is certain, the Administration wanted this cleaned up, and pronto. Having KO take over may be a good thing for Gib because he is protected from blame if the NCAA decides to blow us up, or if KO flames out. Let’s hope for the best.
by Locoweed 1.1 on Jun 25, 2009 1:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
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