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1. John Brannen is not going to get fired this year. A $4.5 million dollar buyout is just too pricy. I am just as upset about this whole situation as the rest of the board and my confidence in Brannen leading this program has been shaken to its core but I understand the reality and economics of the school's situation.

Agreed.

2. Wichita went into this season with only 3 scholarship players and managed to string together a solid season. It's not impossible to recover with the players we still have on the roster. JD, MAW, and DeJulius are all solid players. Lahkin is a major question mark, so hopefully, we'll see him contribute. If any more players leave, we are looking at a Mick Cronin rebuild type of situation.

This has to assume that John Brannen is at least as competent as Isaac Brown. I don't think he is...though we did squeek a win out over the Shockers in the Conference tournament. But overall, Isaac Brown seems like a much more competent coach in salvaging the year for the Shockers than I think John Brannen is.

I hope I'm wrong.

3. This 2021 recruiting cycle is make-or-break for Brannen. We need to surround our current players with competitive, complementary talent. No more Raps... Brannen still has a chance to right this ship but he is a LONG way from earning a renewal and every year the buyout decreases. Brannen is officially on the hot seat as of next year.

Yeah... Not happening right now.

4. I want answers about WTF happened between Brannen and the players but they are not going to be coming today. I think a lot of us, myself included, need to take a step back from this board for a couple of days for our own sanities.

Yes.

And, in this hyper-connected society, it's a little...surprising...that not one of the players has been out there blowing more steam than the "Bingo" comment we got briefly yesterday. Hell, even Tari Eason's mom has been quiet. Very odd.

If any one else leaves Brannen is done. There is actually a huge chance to upgrade the roster. One thing people need to remember is that the team wasn’t good. That was on the coaching staff but the players weren’t good either. Not a single player that left would start on a top 25 team next year. Maybe in a few years Eason or Saunders could.

Screw it with freshmen, in modern college basketball you should be recruiting transfers who then are stuck with you, older players, with a track record. Freshmen are basically free agents who are looking for tape for their next school.

Whoever is coaching UC needs to adjust to the new normal and kill it every year with the portal. Coaches are wasting their time bringing in large freshmen classes.

I think the best thing Brannen could do right now is making a change on the staff and bringing in a former Bearcat as an assistant. **** it, let's get James White on the phone. You know he wants to. We clearly need a players coach somewhere on this staff and a notable name to help instill confidence in this program to both fans and recruits.

(03-17-2021 01:50 PM)UCBearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  If any one else leaves Brannen is done. There is actually a huge chance to upgrade the roster. One thing people need to remember is that the team wasn’t good. That was on the coaching staff but the players weren’t good either. Not a single player that left would start on a top 25 team next year. Maybe in a few years Eason or Saunders could.

Screw it with freshmen, in modern college basketball you should be recruiting transfers who then are stuck with you, older players, with a track record. Freshmen are basically free agents who are looking for tape for their next school.

Whoever is coaching UC needs to adjust to the new normal and kill it every year with the portal. Coaches are wasting their time bringing in large freshmen classes.

I actually agree with this to a degree and why my love for college basketball has gone from about a 100 to 5 over the last decade or so. Add in AAU recruiting BS and the brand on your jersey meaning where players can't go and the sport isn't anything like it used to be.

Oh well at least I still have football left. How much longer. We'll see.

Just wanted to post this before I sign off for a couple of days and actually get some work done.

JD is a true Bearcat, everyone needs to show him some love on Twitter.

(03-17-2021 02:05 PM)UCbball21 Wrote:  Just wanted to post this before I sign off for a couple of days and actually get some work done.

JD is a true Bearcat, everyone needs to show him some love on Twitter.

Can he be the player-coach like another true Cincinnati athlete?

(03-17-2021 08:57 AM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(03-17-2021 08:48 AM)UCBearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  How likely is this scenario, UC loses Mason, everyone else stay including the staff.
The team is a bunch of older transfers plus a few returning guys. They actually outperform this past season and are contention for an NCAA bid.

Above is Brannen only path forward in my view assuming he makes it to the end of the week.

I mean, even if we have that scenario, we'll be right back where we are today next year if we get a ton of grad transfers and upper-classmen.

(03-17-2021 02:06 PM)BcatMatt13 Wrote:  

(03-17-2021 02:05 PM)UCbball21 Wrote:  Just wanted to post this before I sign off for a couple of days and actually get some work done.

JD is a true Bearcat, everyone needs to show him some love on Twitter.

Can he be the player-coach like another true Cincinnati athlete?

I’m sure Pete could lead the Bearcats back to the NCAA. I’d bet on it.

(03-17-2021 02:05 PM)UCbball21 Wrote:  Just wanted to post this before I sign off for a couple of days and actually get some work done.

JD is a true Bearcat, everyone needs to show him some love on Twitter.

Ultimate troll job is someone posting the dancing Bearcat in response to that tweet

Attorney in me thinks the longer we don’t hear anything official, the more likely they are considering firing him or negotiating a package for his resignation.

(03-17-2021 02:19 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  Attorney in me thinks the longer we don’t hear anything official, the more likely they are considering firing him or negotiating a package for his resignation.

Doing whatever they can to figure out a "cause" is what I'm thinking at the moment.

(03-17-2021 02:20 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(03-17-2021 02:19 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  Attorney in me thinks the longer we don’t hear anything official, the more likely they are considering firing him or negotiating a package for his resignation.

Doing whatever they can to figure out a "cause" is what I'm thinking at the moment.

Oh I bet there are some exit interviews underway as I type this.

(03-17-2021 01:57 PM)UCbball21 Wrote:  I think the best thing Brannen could do right now is making a change on the staff and bringing in a former Bearcat as an assistant. **** it, let's get James White on the phone. You know he wants to. We clearly need a players coach somewhere on this staff and a notable name to help instill confidence in this program to both fans and recruits.

I just linked this article in the KW thread that includes Huggins talking about why he prefers to have an ex-player on his staff. Makes sense to me although I think he was speaking more about one of his ex-players (Erik Martin in this case) as opposed to one of the current school's ex-players. I highly recommend the article anyway.

(03-17-2021 02:24 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  

(03-17-2021 01:57 PM)UCbball21 Wrote:  I think the best thing Brannen could do right now is making a change on the staff and bringing in a former Bearcat as an assistant. **** it, let's get James White on the phone. You know he wants to. We clearly need a players coach somewhere on this staff and a notable name to help instill confidence in this program to both fans and recruits.

I just linked this article in the KW thread that includes Huggins talking about why he prefers to have an ex-player on his staff. Makes sense to me although I think he was speaking more about one of his ex-players (Erik Martin in this case) as opposed to one of the current school's ex-players. I highly recommend the article anyway.

Coach K has had former players on staff since he got the job at Duke in the early 80’s.

(03-17-2021 02:00 PM)natibeast21 Wrote:  

(03-17-2021 01:50 PM)UCBearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  If any one else leaves Brannen is done. There is actually a huge chance to upgrade the roster. One thing people need to remember is that the team wasn’t good. That was on the coaching staff but the players weren’t good either. Not a single player that left would start on a top 25 team next year. Maybe in a few years Eason or Saunders could.

Screw it with freshmen, in modern college basketball you should be recruiting transfers who then are stuck with you, older players, with a track record. Freshmen are basically free agents who are looking for tape for their next school.

Whoever is coaching UC needs to adjust to the new normal and kill it every year with the portal. Coaches are wasting their time bringing in large freshmen classes.

I actually agree with this to a degree and why my love for college basketball has gone from about a 100 to 5 over the last decade or so. Add in AAU recruiting BS and the brand on your jersey meaning where players can't go and the sport isn't anything like it used to be.

Oh well at least I still have football left. How much longer. We'll see.

Idk if the portal is going to ruin NCAA basketball, but it sure ruined Bearcat basketball today.

(03-17-2021 02:24 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(03-17-2021 02:20 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(03-17-2021 02:19 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  Attorney in me thinks the longer we don’t hear anything official, the more likely they are considering firing him or negotiating a package for his resignation.

Doing whatever they can to figure out a "cause" is what I'm thinking at the moment.

Oh I bet there are some exit interviews underway as I type this.

At the very least, they can claim that Brannen violated his contract when he failed to inform the AD of material information during the season, and failed to use due diligence in recruiting . There's always someone you can hang your hat on for negotiation purposes.

(03-17-2021 02:34 PM)BcatMatt13 Wrote:  

(03-17-2021 02:24 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  

(03-17-2021 01:57 PM)UCbball21 Wrote:  I think the best thing Brannen could do right now is making a change on the staff and bringing in a former Bearcat as an assistant. **** it, let's get James White on the phone. You know he wants to. We clearly need a players coach somewhere on this staff and a notable name to help instill confidence in this program to both fans and recruits.

I just linked this article in the KW thread that includes Huggins talking about why he prefers to have an ex-player on his staff. Makes sense to me although I think he was speaking more about one of his ex-players (Erik Martin in this case) as opposed to one of the current school's ex-players. I highly recommend the article anyway.

Coach K has had former players on staff since he got the job at Duke in the early 80’s.

Even better when former players actually earned a degree from the University of Cincinnati. That shortens the list.

(03-17-2021 02:05 PM)UCbball21 Wrote:  Just wanted to post this before I sign off for a couple of days and actually get some work done.

JD is a true Bearcat, everyone needs to show him some love on Twitter.

Thank goodness! JD and KW true Bearcats!

If I had social media I would. Everyone else do the job.

One thing I've noticed in some of the tweets is players thanking the university and fans, but not the coaches for the opportunity. This adds to my current opinion of get Brannen the F out of here, but needed some good news today. Thanks JD!

It isn't just UC.  Penn State has five players opting for the transfer portal.   I read that over five hundred players (unconfirmed) have opted for transfer this year with more expected when the tournament ends.  It's crazy!

(03-17-2021 02:40 PM)Former Lurker Wrote:  

(03-17-2021 02:24 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(03-17-2021 02:20 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(03-17-2021 02:19 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  Attorney in me thinks the longer we don’t hear anything official, the more likely they are considering firing him or negotiating a package for his resignation.

Doing whatever they can to figure out a "cause" is what I'm thinking at the moment.

Oh I bet there are some exit interviews underway as I type this.

At the very least, they can claim that Brannen violated his contract when he failed to inform the AD of material information during the season, and failed to use due diligence in recruiting . There's always someone you can hang your hat on for negotiation purposes.

Eh...it's going to take something extremely serious to get out of a buyout at this point. I mean, Gregg Marshall punched a student through a car window right in front of the Athletics Office and still got a $7.5M buyout.

"Being bad at recruiting" isn't grounds for wiping out a buyout due to termination, it would have to be something pretty serious (ie. bullying players, refusing to address harmful mental health of players/contributing to said harm, etc.). My guess is they can use the Harvey situation to reduce his buyout if that inevitably is what they want to do...but I'm still not hearing a whole lot about him being fired.

(03-17-2021 02:40 PM)Former Lurker Wrote:  

(03-17-2021 02:24 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(03-17-2021 02:20 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(03-17-2021 02:19 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  Attorney in me thinks the longer we don’t hear anything official, the more likely they are considering firing him or negotiating a package for his resignation.

Doing whatever they can to figure out a "cause" is what I'm thinking at the moment.

Oh I bet there are some exit interviews underway as I type this.

At the very least, they can claim that Brannen violated his contract when he failed to inform the AD of material information during the season, and failed to use due diligence in recruiting . There's always someone you can hang your hat on for negotiation purposes.

At this point I’d can his ass...say it was for cause, tell him to pound sand and when he files the law suit hit discovery hard...they settle for less and in the year in between we would have a new staff and would have stocked up a few pennies to make him go away.

GC office are not big litigators and are more transactional attorneys so they’d freak out but so be it.