Nice Kevin O'Neill Interview in Journal Sentinel

[NersEllenson]

Not sure if this was linked/posted..but a nice quick read:

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/242606411.html

Since leaving Marquette in 1994 with a five-year record of 86-62 and a Sweet 16 appearance, Kevin O'Neill has coached at Tennessee, Northwestern, the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, Indiana Pacers, Arizona, the Memphis Grizzlies and Southern California.

After being let go by USC last season, O'Neill took a broadcasting job with Fox Sports 1 calling college basketball games as a color analyst. He'll be back in Milwaukee Thursday night to call the Marquette-Providence game with Brian Anderson.

O'Neill, 57, lives off the coast of San Diego and misses coaching, although he's not sure if he wants to get back in it just yet. I caught up with him after he arrived in town.

Q: What's your take on Marquette's struggles this season?

A: To me it's pretty evident. When you lose a guy like Vander Blue with that kind of experience on the perimeter and you replace him with inexperienced guys, it's a difficult transition. To me, it's as plain and simple as that. If Vander Blue were here, nobody is talking about anything except wins. It's really hard to have that kind of turnover throughout your whole perimeter and still stay at the same level. It's not just losing Vander. They lost those other guys who were veteran players on the perimeter, also. The point guard (Junior Cadougan) was a really good player, way underrated. When you lose that kind of firepower on the perimeter, it's hard to replace it with youth and inexperience.

Q: Would you agree that Marquette has to pretty much run the table to get back to the NCAA tournament?

A:  Their backs are against the wall, obviously. They played a tough non-conference schedule and weren't able to get any of those big wins. I've learned that it's never too late in basketball. There are always conference tournaments. That would appear to be their best avenue to get into the tournament unless they have a long winning streak right now.

Q: What's it like for you to come back to Marquette?

A: It's cool. There are so many people here that I know. I had a great experience when I was here. Bill Cords, my old AD, is back as the AD. I've known Buzz (Williams) for years. It's been really cool, I've really enjoyed it.

Q: What's your take on the state of college basketball this season? Is it as wide open as most believe?

A: I don't agree that anybody can win it because not everybody can. There is a select group of them, probably 8 or 10 or 12 that could conceivably win it. There might be a surprise team in the Final Four. Look at all the quality teams in the Big Ten. Arizona. Wichita State is for real. San Diego State, in my mind, is not for real, rated high but not for real. It's going to be interesting to see how it shakes out. I think a team like Iowa could win the national title. I think teams like that who play in tough conferences, Syracuse out of the ACC, Florida out of the SEC, that group of teams will probably produce a champion.

Q: What about the Badgers?

A: I think they're very good. I've said this a million times, including the NBA, the hardest league I've ever coached in was the Big Ten. Everywhere you go with the exception of Penn State it's sold out. Everywhere you go you're playing quality teams.

Q: How have you enjoyed the broadcasting gig?

A: It's been great working with Fox. The best thing is that you don't lose. The worst thing is that you don't win. I won't lie. I miss everything that goes with coaching. I thought I 'd do this for a year and wait and see what the spring brings.

[GooooMarquette]

Great interview.  Spot on about the Vander loss.

Interesting comment about SDSU.

[mu-rara]

That's what I loved about KO.  No BS.

He had many flaws, but he was real.  Very disappointed when he left. 

I have a sense that he regrets not continuing what he started.  I also sense that he may have been the reason CTC stayed 9 years.  They are friends and I think KO told him that the grass was not always greener.  If asked, KO probably would have been OK with the transformation into I4.

[rocket surgeon]

who is ctc? 
one of kevin's biggest draw backs in the eyes of the some was, i think, his demeanor and swearing on the sidelines.  i didn't give a sh!t, he was very emotional and into it, but the senoir alumni and some of the jesuits had to act offended about it.  kevin was being kevin and that was part of his schtick...when he was shown the door, i thought we lost a good.  he put us back on the national b-ball map with some big wins, a great midwest conference championship, a couple of ncaa bids and a trip to the sweet sixteen...and oh yeah, a pivotal role in the movie hoop dreams 

[ChicosBailBonds]

who is ctc? 
one of kevin's biggest draw backs in the eyes of the some was, i think, his demeanor and swearing on the sidelines.  i didn't give a sh!t, he was very emotional and into it, but the senoir alumni and some of the jesuits had to act offended about it.  kevin was being kevin and that was part of his schtick...when he was shown the door, i thought we lost a good.  he put us back on the national b-ball map with some big wins, a great midwest conference championship, a couple of ncaa bids and a trip to the sweet sixteen...and oh yeah, a pivotal role in the movie hoop dreams 

Way way behind the swearing...hell, everyone swears.  That wasn't it at all.


I'm glad "it's Tennessee, it's Tennessee" has matured a bunch.  I think him profoundly for what he did in 1987-1992, and I thank God that cell phones with cameras didn't exist.