UC's Cronin trying not to go 'stir crazy'
Tom Groeschen, tgroeschen@enquirer.com 4:24 p.m. EST January 11, 2015
Mick Cronin talks to reporters during a press conference Friday. (Photo: The Enquirer/Meg Vogel)
Mick Cronin is still coming to grips with not coaching his University of Cincinnati men's basketball team, as the 2014-15 season continues without him.
Cronin on Saturday settled into his usual game-day routine, watching on television from his Cincinnati home as UC lost 62-56 at UConn.
"Obviously disappointed," Cronin said via telephone. "I thought we could have played better defense and won. We've got a really good team, we're just young."
Cronin has been sidelined since Dec. 20 for medical reasons, and he will not coach UC practices or games for the rest of the season.
UC (11-4 overall, 2-1 American Athletic Conference) is 4-2 since associate head coach Larry Davis took over for Cronin, who was sidelined by persistent headaches.
Cronin was diagnosed with a non-life threatening vascular condition known as arterial dissection. With rest and medication, doctors believe Cronin can return to the UC bench again next season.
Cronin meantime continues to work with the Bearcats behind the scenes, including game planning and recruiting. The headaches are gone.
"I feel great," Cronin said. "I just can't do any strenuous activity. I'm walking as much as I can, or else you go stir crazy. I'm used to expending so much energy."
Cronin's father, Hep Cronin, said jokingly that Mick has learned not to yell at the television. Mick said he mostly has been able to do that, but the coach in him naturally still gets excited.
"I have to stay analytical," Cronin said. "I need to have the blood pressure and mentality of an accountant for nine more weeks."
That is when doctors told Cronin that, if he follows their plan, he should not have to deal with this medical issue for the rest of his life.
The 43-year-old Cronin is in his ninth year as UC coach, with a Bearcats career record of 169-110 before he was sidelined. The Bearcats have reached the NCAA tournament in each of the last four seasons, and this year's team has played better recently.
Sophomore guard Troy Caupain, UC's second leading scorer at 9.5 points per game, said the Cronin influence remains strong.
"We still see him every day, he still tells us what to do," Caupain said. "Whatever the coaching staff does is through him. His voice is still spoken."
Cronin usually likes to work out to stay in fighting trim, but doctors have told him to cool it. For now.
"It is a huge adjustment, I will tell you," Cronin said. "I'd love to be able to get a hard workout in, to be honest with you. It'd help me sleep better, but I've got to eliminate strenuous activity.
"It's not draining to sit at my desk or meet with my staff or go to a high school game. I had to convince my doctors of that. I still do everything I did, right up until practice starts."
http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/c.../21593087/