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(03-23-2021 07:18 PM)Cataclysmo Wrote:  I question it too. But not because of the quality of the program, but because I'm not sure what exactly it is about Brannen that would make him and Mikey so comfortable moving down a level.

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If something truly awful was going on, I would think it would have come out anonymously in the Athletic piece. Brannen has some work to do, and he will need to make some adjustments in his recruiting and communication or else he'll be gone in 1-2 years. The no jewelry/do-rags thing is just dumb, and Brannen needs to relax on that kind of stuff if he's going to be such a demanding practice coach. We've all played for dickhead coaches. I'd even say that most coaches are dickheads to some degree. I don't begrudge the guys transferring out for making the decision they feel is best for them, and I wish them well.

But I've been following this all very closely, have subscriptions to the Athletic and Bearcat Journal, and have listened to all the relevant podcasts and local radio pieces on this story. I've heard nothing even remotely shocking that has come out from current players, transferring players, or insiders. If Brannen or members of his staff did something that is worthy of investigation, then the players need to come out with it. Otherwise, I'm ready to move on with players who want to play for Brannen. If he doesn't produce results next season or has another mass exodus of transfers, then it's probably time to move on with a new coach.

(03-23-2021 07:24 PM)QSECOFR Wrote:  Before labeling Saunders and Madsen failures, perhaps it would be a good idea to see where they end up - 20 years from now.

Just sayin’........

I know you're not singling me out, but I'm not labeling either player a failure. They both have a lot of potential, and I was looking forward to watching them the next 3-4 years. I just wish they would have gotten to play in front of a packed Fifth Third Arena and gotten to know our former players who are visible in the program during normal times. I think they might be missing out on a great opportunity, but it's their decisions to make and I wish them well.

One legitimate gripe I think Saunders could have is the substitution patterns. There were a couple games where he started, but barely played the rest of the game. That constitutes some real mixed signals from Brannen, and I question the logic. If a guy is good enough to start, surely he shouldn't sit the entire 2nd half. Brannen isn't blameless in any of this, and I hope he learns from this experience quickly.

(03-23-2021 07:37 PM)robertfoshizzle Wrote:  

(03-23-2021 07:24 PM)QSECOFR Wrote:  Before labeling Saunders and Madsen failures, perhaps it would be a good idea to see where they end up - 20 years from now.

Just sayin’........

I know you're not singling me out, but I'm not labeling either player a failure. They both have a lot of potential, and I was looking forward to watching them the next 3-4 years. I just wish they would have gotten to play in front of a packed Fifth Third Arena and gotten to know our former players who are visible in the program during normal times. I think they might be missing out on a great opportunity, but it's their decisions to make and I wish them well.

You’re absolutely correct. I wasn't singling you out. I too was looking forward to watching them play.

In general, I think society loves to rush to judgment and loves to blame someone. I’ve been on this planet for a long time and I have never seen a very difficult situation like we see with the UC MBB where there isn't shared blame in one form or another. The cartoon world concept of a character being all bad or all good simply doesn’t apply in the real world.

Other posters seem to be implying that these young men will be failures if they don’t make a decision that is in keeping with a posters thoughts. Or perhaps, I am reading too much into some of the posts. Lord knows that I make plenty of mistakes and I could be misinterpreting what I have read. I hope that is the case. I am more than willing to admit to my failures.

(03-23-2021 07:42 PM)robertfoshizzle Wrote:  One legitimate gripe I think Saunders could have is the substitution patterns. There were a couple games where he started, but barely played the rest of the game. That constitutes some real mixed signals from Brannen, and I question the logic. If a guy is good enough to start, surely he shouldn't sit the entire 2nd half. Brannen isn't blameless in any of this, and I hope he learns from this experience quickly.

I was scratching my head over that as well.

This entire new trend of blaming 18 and 19 year olds is troubling but not entirely unexpected.

(03-23-2021 08:00 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  This entire new trend of blaming 18 and 19 year olds is troubling but not entirely unexpected.

Yeah, its an ugly, ugly look.

(03-23-2021 08:58 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(03-23-2021 08:00 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  This entire new trend of blaming 18 and 19 year olds is troubling but not entirely unexpected.

Yeah, its an ugly, ugly look.

What "blame" is going around? The only thing players are being "blamed" for is their voluntary decision to transfer and the decision by some of them to blast Brannen on the way out the door.

Those are things they did of their own free will. The only thing that most people are saying on this board is that Brannen didn't do anything unethical to force these kids to transfer.

New Bearcat Bounce podcast w/DerMarr and James White: https://247sports.com/college/cincinnati...162979793/

Only a little over 10 minutes in, but good stuff so far.

(03-23-2021 04:38 PM)Cataclysmo Wrote:  

(03-23-2021 04:00 PM)Bcatbog Wrote:  My bet is Mason winds up in a MAC level school - and is unhappy. IMO this says more about his character than Brannen’s. Color me surprised and disappointing.

Mason is well aware of what kind of school he'll end up at and yet he passed up a clear role with a high major program to pursue it anyways. What does that tell you about the head coach.

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I thought he played well above his ranking. Maybe he thought he would wind up at a comparable school?

And I’ll say it again: these guys looked like they were really having fun or fitting in. Mason did, Saunders dead for sure!. I still don’t get it.

(03-23-2021 04:00 PM)Bcatbog Wrote:  When Mick was here I never liked his yelling at our players. I always thought his tactics made kids too fearful of making a mistake. Then there was Huggy Bear. I always thought he wore the team out before the NCAAs.

I wonder how Mason would have reacted to Mick or Huggins.

My bet is Mason winds up in a MAC level school - and is unhappy. IMO this says more about his character than Brannen’s. Color me surprised and disappointing.

Mason probably would have quit pre season if Cronin or Huggins were coaching. Evidently, he was pretty fragile when it came to being chewed out and motivated. I really thought he was going to be a hard nosed bearcat. Very disappointed in him and his brother.

(03-23-2021 09:39 PM)ZCat Wrote:  And I’ll say it again: these guys looked like they were really having fun or fitting in. Mason did, Saunders dead for sure!. I still don’t get it.

I think Saunders will check into joining Indiana univ. now that Archie was canned. He'll have lots of competition at IU if he goes that route.

(03-23-2021 09:54 PM)bearcat54 Wrote:  

(03-23-2021 04:00 PM)Bcatbog Wrote:  When Mick was here I never liked his yelling at our players. I always thought his tactics made kids too fearful of making a mistake. Then there was Huggy Bear. I always thought he wore the team out before the NCAAs.

I wonder how Mason would have reacted to Mick or Huggins.

My bet is Mason winds up in a MAC level school - and is unhappy. IMO this says more about his character than Brannen’s. Color me surprised and disappointing.

Mason probably would have quit pre season if Cronin or Huggins were coaching. Evidently, he was pretty fragile when it came to being chewed out and motivated. I really thought he was going to be a hard nosed bearcat. Very disappointed in him and his brother.

This is such crap to even throw out there about a kid.

(03-24-2021 05:34 AM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(03-23-2021 09:54 PM)bearcat54 Wrote:  

(03-23-2021 04:00 PM)Bcatbog Wrote:  When Mick was here I never liked his yelling at our players. I always thought his tactics made kids too fearful of making a mistake. Then there was Huggy Bear. I always thought he wore the team out before the NCAAs.

I wonder how Mason would have reacted to Mick or Huggins.

My bet is Mason winds up in a MAC level school - and is unhappy. IMO this says more about his character than Brannen’s. Color me surprised and disappointing.

Mason probably would have quit pre season if Cronin or Huggins were coaching. Evidently, he was pretty fragile when it came to being chewed out and motivated. I really thought he was going to be a hard nosed bearcat. Very disappointed in him and his brother.

This is such crap to even throw out there about a kid.

Brannen doesn’t seem like a warm cuddly guy and COVID restrictions probably further hindered his ability to develop relationships with the new players. Couple that with Gabe opting out early (probably because to some degree he wasn’t playing much) and Mason missing his brother and thinking he got a raw deal. Let that fester through lockdowns and sometimes disappointing results in the court.

Not really that much of a stretch to appreciate why it might have happened.

We are at 12 days and counting since anyone in the media or socialmedia has heard a peep from our fearless leader.

With his bedside manner it’s not a shock that Chris Mack is his best friend. Cut from the same cloth. But this schtick of going completely dark so that fans can start turning on 18 year old kids for this utter breakdown is a dooshbag move. Grow a set of balls and address the 500 lb gorilla in the room so you can get back to another 1st season rebuild.

(03-24-2021 05:34 AM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(03-23-2021 09:54 PM)bearcat54 Wrote:  

(03-23-2021 04:00 PM)Bcatbog Wrote:  When Mick was here I never liked his yelling at our players. I always thought his tactics made kids too fearful of making a mistake. Then there was Huggy Bear. I always thought he wore the team out before the NCAAs.

I wonder how Mason would have reacted to Mick or Huggins.

My bet is Mason winds up in a MAC level school - and is unhappy. IMO this says more about his character than Brannen’s. Color me surprised and disappointing.

Mason probably would have quit pre season if Cronin or Huggins were coaching. Evidently, he was pretty fragile when it came to being chewed out and motivated. I really thought he was going to be a hard nosed bearcat. Very disappointed in him and his brother.

This is such crap to even throw out there about a kid.

But it’s perfectly fine when you trash Bryson Spell in multiple posts?!?

(03-24-2021 07:17 AM)Bearcat04 Wrote:  

(03-24-2021 05:34 AM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(03-23-2021 09:54 PM)bearcat54 Wrote:  

(03-23-2021 04:00 PM)Bcatbog Wrote:  When Mick was here I never liked his yelling at our players. I always thought his tactics made kids too fearful of making a mistake. Then there was Huggy Bear. I always thought he wore the team out before the NCAAs.

I wonder how Mason would have reacted to Mick or Huggins.

My bet is Mason winds up in a MAC level school - and is unhappy. IMO this says more about his character than Brannen’s. Color me surprised and disappointing.

Mason probably would have quit pre season if Cronin or Huggins were coaching. Evidently, he was pretty fragile when it came to being chewed out and motivated. I really thought he was going to be a hard nosed bearcat. Very disappointed in him and his brother.

This is such crap to even throw out there about a kid.

But it’s perfectly fine when you trash Bryson Spell in multiple posts?!?

It pretty much boils down to his little buddy Mick being gone.

(03-24-2021 07:17 AM)Bearcat04 Wrote:  

(03-24-2021 05:34 AM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(03-23-2021 09:54 PM)bearcat54 Wrote:  

(03-23-2021 04:00 PM)Bcatbog Wrote:  When Mick was here I never liked his yelling at our players. I always thought his tactics made kids too fearful of making a mistake. Then there was Huggy Bear. I always thought he wore the team out before the NCAAs.

I wonder how Mason would have reacted to Mick or Huggins.

My bet is Mason winds up in a MAC level school - and is unhappy. IMO this says more about his character than Brannen’s. Color me surprised and disappointing.

Mason probably would have quit pre season if Cronin or Huggins were coaching. Evidently, he was pretty fragile when it came to being chewed out and motivated. I really thought he was going to be a hard nosed bearcat. Very disappointed in him and his brother.

This is such crap to even throw out there about a kid.

But it’s perfectly fine when you trash Bryson Spell in multiple posts?!?

Completely genuine question, because I didn't see anything bashing the commitment on here...where was that done?