Hartford - This much we know about sports: Real-time pronouncements are perilous because circumstances change. Today's rant could be tomorrow's rubbish.And so any such declarations over the UConn men's passionless loss on Saturday at the XL Center could come back to bite you in the keister by Monday. The Huskies could awaken from their inexplicable malaise and play harder and better at Villanova. Jim Calhoun's use of "embarrassed" and "befuddled" on Saturday could become "proud" and "inspired" by Monday.

And so any such declarations over the UConn men's passionless loss on Saturday at the XL Center could come back to bite you in the keister by Monday. The Huskies could awaken from their inexplicable malaise and play harder and better at Villanova. Jim Calhoun's use of "embarrassed" and "befuddled" on Saturday could become "proud" and "inspired" by Monday.But even if they do succeed in playing with more purpose and pride, Saturday's loss to Cincinnati illustrated and sustained a larger issue that continues to plague this program:

But even if they do succeed in playing with more purpose and pride, Saturday's loss to Cincinnati illustrated and sustained a larger issue that continues to plague this program:Where have all the players gone?

Where have all the players gone?At one point Saturday, with the Huskies desperate to rally against Cincinnati, Calhoun could have looked to his right, to the players on his bench, and wondered, "Who the hell recruited these people?"

At one point Saturday, with the Huskies desperate to rally against Cincinnati, Calhoun could have looked to his right, to the players on his bench, and wondered, "Who the hell recruited these people?"Aside from the managers and walk-ons, there was Jamaal Trice, Darius Smith, Donnell Beverly, Charles Okwandu, Ater Majok and Jamal Coombs-McDaniel.

Aside from the managers and walk-ons, there was Jamaal Trice, Darius Smith, Donnell Beverly, Charles Okwandu, Ater Majok and Jamal Coombs-McDaniel."I looked down the bench," Calhoun said, "and I didn't see a lot of answers there."

"I looked down the bench," Calhoun said, "and I didn't see a lot of answers there."And while there's certainly the possibility that the aforementioned players improve in their time here, do any of them strike you as difference makers?

And while there's certainly the possibility that the aforementioned players improve in their time here, do any of them strike you as difference makers?It's a far, far bigger issue than a bad day on Saturday.

It's a far, far bigger issue than a bad day on Saturday.What happened Saturday was bothersome to anybody who has appreciated the way UConn has been the NCAA benchmark for passion and playing hard since the day Calhoun got here. And Saturday did not change the fact that Calhoun is one of the greatest college basketball coaches of all time.

What happened Saturday was bothersome to anybody who has appreciated the way UConn has been the NCAA benchmark for passion and playing hard since the day Calhoun got here. And Saturday did not change the fact that Calhoun is one of the greatest college basketball coaches of all time.But Saturday made me wonder if Calhoun has assembled a very good coaching staff at the moment.

But Saturday made me wonder if Calhoun has assembled a very good coaching staff at the moment.Because I don't see many UConn-level players here.

Because I don't see many UConn-level players here.Sure not like the old days.

Sure not like the old days.In the old days, Howie Dickenman, Dave Leitao, Karl Hobbs and Tom Moore found players whose names eventually made the walls of Gampel Pavilion. Good players. Better players than this. They would find them and cultivate them and then Calhoun, in his inimitable style, would close better than Mariano Rivera.

In the old days, Howie Dickenman, Dave Leitao, Karl Hobbs and Tom Moore found players whose names eventually made the walls of Gampel Pavilion. Good players. Better players than this. They would find them and cultivate them and then Calhoun, in his inimitable style, would close better than Mariano Rivera.But where have the players gone?

But where have the players gone?And what of next season when Jerome Dyson, Stanley Robinson and Gavin Edwards leave?

And what of next season when Jerome Dyson, Stanley Robinson and Gavin Edwards leave?Here is what I see - and what I've seen - from this program lately: freakishly athletic players with alarmingly limited basketball skills. That doesn't apply to every player. Example: A.J. Price was basketball player first, athlete second. Jeff Adrien was, as Calhoun liked to say, "ferocious."

Here is what I see - and what I've seen - from this program lately: freakishly athletic players with alarmingly limited basketball skills. That doesn't apply to every player. Example: A.J. Price was basketball player first, athlete second. Jeff Adrien was, as Calhoun liked to say, "ferocious." But who on this team would you say is skilled?

But who on this team would you say is skilled? In lieu of skilled, would you call any of them ferocious?

In lieu of skilled, would you call any of them ferocious?I'll take either at the moment.

I'll take either at the moment.Starting in the post. Nobody there is a scoring threat. Nobody can catch, turn and score. Hell, some of them can't even catch.

Starting in the post. Nobody there is a scoring threat. Nobody can catch, turn and score. Hell, some of them can't even catch."When you throw the ball to people," Calhoun said Saturday, "quite frankly it was a dangerous mission."

"When you throw the ball to people," Calhoun said Saturday, "quite frankly it was a dangerous mission."I wouldn't expect Calhoun to like this. I would expect him to defend his guys because fierce loyalty is what he does best, behind winning and wonderful sarcasm. But he's got to see that his staff, excluding George Blaney who doesn't recruit, is just not producing the kind of players who have been responsible for 15 Big East titles and two national championships.

I wouldn't expect Calhoun to like this. I would expect him to defend his guys because fierce loyalty is what he does best, behind winning and wonderful sarcasm. But he's got to see that his staff, excluding George Blaney who doesn't recruit, is just not producing the kind of players who have been responsible for 15 Big East titles and two national championships.This kind of stuff is not easy to write. We're talking livelihoods here. But Calhoun's staff must do better. Getting good players to visit isn't enough. UConn didn't get to be UConn with a flurry of almosts.

This kind of stuff is not easy to write. We're talking livelihoods here. But Calhoun's staff must do better. Getting good players to visit isn't enough. UConn didn't get to be UConn with a flurry of almosts. There will be plenty of chatter about Calhoun's future here in the coming weeks. It's absurd. I saw a guy who still had his fastball on Saturday coaching some players who aren't very good. Mick Cronin, the Cincinnati coach, said after Saturday's game that "kids win games."

There will be plenty of chatter about Calhoun's future here in the coming weeks. It's absurd. I saw a guy who still had his fastball on Saturday coaching some players who aren't very good. Mick Cronin, the Cincinnati coach, said after Saturday's game that "kids win games."The Huskies need more of them.

The Huskies need more of them.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro.