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UConn coach Jim Calhoun to retire on Thursday

NCAA Basketball Tournament -  UCONN v Iowa St

LOUISVILLE, KY - MARCH 15: Head coach Jim Calhoun of the Connecticut Huskies reacts as he coaches against the Iowa State Cyclones during the second round of the 2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at KFC YUM! Center on March 15, 2012 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

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According to a report from NBC Connecticut, Jim Calhoun is planning to retire as head coach of the UConn Huskies.

The report also says that “nothing has been finalized” and that Calhoun wants to speak with his team before he makes any announcement official. Both Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com and Kevin Duffy, who has owned the UConn beat for the past year, have tweeted that an announcement could come as early as tomorrow, but they haven’t been told what that announcement will be. (UPDATE: Jeff Goodman is now reporting that Calhoun will retire and Kevin Duffy has confirmed that Kevin Ollie will be the interim coach.)

This decision should come as absolutely no surprise to anyone.

The current AD at UConn, Warde Manuel, has made clear that he’s the one in charge and that he wants to make the decision about who Calhoun’s successor is. The exceedingly stubborn Calhoun wants Kevin Ollie to take over the program. Ollie has no head coaching experience, but he would have a staff with three former head coaches in Glen Miller, Karl Hobbs and George Blaney on it. By postponing the announcement of his retirement until right before the start of the season, Calhoun can all but force Manuel’s hand.

And wouldn’t that just be the most “Jim Calhoun” move ever?

Rob Dauster is the editor of the college basketball website Ballin’ is a Habit. You can find him on twitter @robdauster.