Calhoun

It starting to look like Calhoun's hospitalization had more to do with stress over the pending story as opposed to cancer.

It seems like UConn co-operated fully with the Yahoo story, which seems odd, tho I guess legally mandated.

The timing of the story, of course, stinks.

Miles is evidently, quite the talent:

Commenting publicly on Nate Miles for the first time since the expulsion, Calhoun said, "The young man was the best offensive player in this program. So I'll just leave it at that. He's the best offensive player in the program. ... He's a terrific kid and learning. What happened was more than unfortunate."

He may well be a poster boy for the consequence of trying to force kids who don't belong to go to college.

It seems somewhat likely now that this is Calhoun's last year. I will not be sad to see him go. Consider the following list:

Doug Wiggins:

“I completely respect Doug’s decision,” Calhoun said. “He has contributed to many successes for us in his time here. We will do everything we can to help him finish school in good standing this semester and move on to a place where he will be happy. I appreciate him for the time that he was here with us and wish him the best of luck in the future.”

Curtis Kelly:

“Curtis and I met over the last several weeks and, although he loves the program, he would like more playing time,” said Calhoun. “He and I both agree that he may have more opportunity for that playing time in another program. We wish Curtis the best of luck and success at wherever he decides to continue his college career.”

Rob Garrison

"Rob and I have had several conversations during the course of the year and he has expressed an interest in pursuing his options for the future," Calhoun said through the press release. "Rob is a good person and has been a true team player over the past two years. I will do whatever he needs to assist him as he plans for the future."

Antonio Kellogg:

"We worked hard over the past year to assist Antonio through both the academic and athletic transition to life as a college student-athlete," Calhoun said. "Unfortunately, it did not turn out as we had hoped or expected.

"We wish Antonio the very best in his future endeavors and hope that he will continue his education in an environment in which he can be successful," Calhoun said.

The freshman was kicked out of school after running into the law on two separate occasions.

On March 30, Kellogg was charged with possession of less than four ounces of marijuana after a police officer approached him and several friends at an off-campus apartment complex. Kellogg, in an attempt to hide the marijuana, dropped a bag after police said they had detected the smell of burnt marijuana.

On April 9, Kellogg was charged with attempting to assault a police officer, first-degree criminal trespassing and interfering with an officer after an incident in Hale Hall - a Hilltop dormitory...

Kellogg had no prior criminal record before coming to UConn.

(On an ironic note, Kellog transferred to USF, where, in 2007:

Kellogg played in 28 games, with 25 starts. He led the West Coast Conference in scoring during league play (17.2 ppg.) and in steals (2.4 avg.) in overall action, and paced the squad with 3.6 assists. He will be remembered for his 37 point effort in an overtime win over San Diego in which he sent the game into overtime on a long three-pointer at the buzzer.

San Diego being the team that bounced UConn from the NCAA tournament)

Marcus Johnson:

"Marcus came to see me today and told me that he felt it was in his best interests to find another school to attend and to play basketball," Calhoun said in the press release. "I know he has a desire to maximize his playing time and also to get closer to home, so he felt this was the best decision for him at this time. I wish him nothing but the best as a person and as a basketball player."

Ben Eaves:

"Ben and I met this week and he let me know that he has decided to continue his college career at another institution," said head coach Jim Calhoun. "While I am sad to see Ben leave, I completely understand his feelings and will do everything I can to help him transfer to a school where he can enjoy the best experience for him as a student and as a basketball player. I wish him nothing but good luck in the future."

And of course there is Stanley Robinson:

University of Connecticut head basketball coach Jim Calhoun says forward Stanley Robinson will spend at least one semester away from Storrs. The Day reports that Robinson, who is one of the Huskies' top-ranked 2006 recruits, plans to take courses at a junior college near his home in Birmingham, Ala., while addressing academic and personal issues...
He says Robinson wants to return to UConn, and that he asked Calhoun to turn back calls from other schools seeking to recruit him...
Calhoun told the paper he believes Robinson, who averaged 10.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, could develop into a top-25 NBA draft pick.

Robinson was evidently too talented to allow to transfer, but with Nochimson associates Nate Miles and Ater Majok needing scholarships, there was no room for him on the roster either. His academic and personal issues magically resolved themselves once it became clear that neither Miles nor Majok were going to play for the 2008-09 huskies.

Were we to acknowledge that college basketball was simply a business, then there would be nothing reprehensible about the list above. But then, players would have to be paid, they would be allowed to hire sophisticated advisors to guide them through the "admissions" process, it would violate anti-trust laws to force transfers to sit out a year, and so forth.

Instead we allow the NCAA to exploit these kids on the pretense that there are higher values involved. At the very least those higher values ought dictate that players are not commodities to be disposed of when the Coach discovers he has better use for their scholarships.

To put not too fine a point on it, however grateful I am for the program he built, I find Calhoun's behavior in this regard reprehensible, his cancer well-deserved and his coming dishonorable retirement long coming.

It continues to sicken me tho that the scandal which promises to bury him involves making a few extra phone calls and not exploiting kids he had responsibility towards.