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| Huskies Head Coach, Jim Calhoun (center)/AP Images |
By Lauren Dellipoali
Jim Calhoun has been a staple on the Uconn bench for 26 years. He has a higher salary than the President of the university, and could probably run for governor of the state and win. However, after announcing Friday that he is taking another medical leave of absence, his future as head coach of the Huskies is now in question.
Calhoun announced he would miss at least the next two games because of back pain, which has plagued him for most of the season. With the Huskies struggling and heading into the meat of their Big East schedule, it is now time for the players to step up and get the Huskies back on track.
With Calhoun out of commission, assistant coach George Blaney, who has served as the interim coach every time Calhoun was on leave/suspended, will take over the reigns of the struggling Huskies.
Calhoun, who turns 70 in May, flirted with retirement after the Huskies won the National Championship, but decided to return so he could see his team through the NCAA investigation, which eventually lead to Calhoun being suspended for the first three Big East games. Calhoun is a three-time Cancer survivor and has missed 21 games during his time at Uconn. His last extended medical leave came in 2010, when he missed seven games with what he called stress-related issues.
Calhoun told his team he is determined to return this season, however if his ailment, which is being called Spinal stenosis, does not improve with rest and medication, the next course of action will be surgery, which may sideline him for the rest of the season and possibly his career.
Blaney has be tabbed as Calhoun’s successor whenever he decides to retire, but former UConn player Kevin Ollie who is currently an assistant on the team, is said to be being groomed to be the next head coach of the Huskies.
If and when Calhoun does return, he will be hoping that his team has developed the chemistry and fire that has been lacking from the team the entire year. Kemba Walker is not going to walk through the locker room doors, and this team has a lot of work to do if they want to return to the title game.
Jim Calhoun has been a staple on the Uconn bench for 26 years. He has a higher salary than the President of the university, and could probably run for governor of the state and win. However, after announcing Friday that he is taking another medical leave of absence, his future as head coach of the Huskies is now in question.
Calhoun announced he would miss at least the next two games because of back pain, which has plagued him for most of the season. With the Huskies struggling and heading into the meat of their Big East schedule, it is now time for the players to step up and get the Huskies back on track.
With Calhoun out of commission, assistant coach George Blaney, who has served as the interim coach every time Calhoun was on leave/suspended, will take over the reigns of the struggling Huskies.
Calhoun, who turns 70 in May, flirted with retirement after the Huskies won the National Championship, but decided to return so he could see his team through the NCAA investigation, which eventually lead to Calhoun being suspended for the first three Big East games. Calhoun is a three-time Cancer survivor and has missed 21 games during his time at Uconn. His last extended medical leave came in 2010, when he missed seven games with what he called stress-related issues.
Calhoun told his team he is determined to return this season, however if his ailment, which is being called Spinal stenosis, does not improve with rest and medication, the next course of action will be surgery, which may sideline him for the rest of the season and possibly his career.
Blaney has be tabbed as Calhoun’s successor whenever he decides to retire, but former UConn player Kevin Ollie who is currently an assistant on the team, is said to be being groomed to be the next head coach of the Huskies.
If and when Calhoun does return, he will be hoping that his team has developed the chemistry and fire that has been lacking from the team the entire year. Kemba Walker is not going to walk through the locker room doors, and this team has a lot of work to do if they want to return to the title game.
