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(11-15-2021 11:15 AM)levydl Wrote:  

(11-15-2021 07:41 AM)OKIcat Wrote:  

(11-15-2021 06:40 AM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  I watched Mick’s postgame media after they beat Nova. He is so much less wound up there than he was here. He sorta referenced the recruiting bit. One of the reporters asked something about UC and he as always was very complimentary. Said the goal at UC was to play as hard as Jay Wright’s teams and once they did that they went to 9 straight tournaments. He also referenced that his team now is filled with guys who are much better offensively than what he generally had up and down the roster here. Not just recruiting to UCLA, he said not many eastern schools want to recruit the west coast hard - makes it easier for him to recruit but harder to schedule games like Nova since nobody wants to come all the way out to an area they don’t recruit.

He’s a smart dude. I don’t think it was just the UCLA blue blood and history that interested him. I think he saw fertile recruiting areas on the coast that were under utilized and he’s reaping those benefits.

Interesting post based upon his post-game comments; thanks for sharing.

In some ways, I think Mick made UC more of a pressure job for himself than what he's experiencing at UCLA and I actually mean that in the most positive sense. Being an alumnus and lifelong Cincinnatian, and following the second most successful coach in UC history, a potential hall of famer, he took the weight of the world upon his shoulders. He succeeded on many levels here, on and off the court, but his move in retrospect appears to have been mutually beneficial for these universities.

They almost lost in the play-in game last year. Posters on here would be laughing and talking about how he's about the get fired had they not made that crazy tourney run. It's hilarious.

As for recruiting the west coast, it doesn't take a genius to see that there was an opportunity there, especially with Arizona floundering. He's a very good coach in a great situation and he had some luck last year in the tourney that he didn't have before and narratives are now being created around it.

Mutually beneficial? Yes, it's been just great at UC since he left . . . I'm excited about Miller and the team, but this is delusional.

I thought Brannen was awful but Mick left a toxic program due to the Nevada collapse, the opening night loss to Ohio State, and debacle in Columbus against Iowa. There was a segment of this fan base who was done with him.

There was a segment of this fan base that was done with him in 2006.

(11-15-2021 11:18 AM)UCBearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  

(11-15-2021 11:15 AM)levydl Wrote:  

(11-15-2021 07:41 AM)OKIcat Wrote:  

(11-15-2021 06:40 AM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  I watched Mick’s postgame media after they beat Nova. He is so much less wound up there than he was here. He sorta referenced the recruiting bit. One of the reporters asked something about UC and he as always was very complimentary. Said the goal at UC was to play as hard as Jay Wright’s teams and once they did that they went to 9 straight tournaments. He also referenced that his team now is filled with guys who are much better offensively than what he generally had up and down the roster here. Not just recruiting to UCLA, he said not many eastern schools want to recruit the west coast hard - makes it easier for him to recruit but harder to schedule games like Nova since nobody wants to come all the way out to an area they don’t recruit.

He’s a smart dude. I don’t think it was just the UCLA blue blood and history that interested him. I think he saw fertile recruiting areas on the coast that were under utilized and he’s reaping those benefits.

Interesting post based upon his post-game comments; thanks for sharing.

In some ways, I think Mick made UC more of a pressure job for himself than what he's experiencing at UCLA and I actually mean that in the most positive sense. Being an alumnus and lifelong Cincinnatian, and following the second most successful coach in UC history, a potential hall of famer, he took the weight of the world upon his shoulders. He succeeded on many levels here, on and off the court, but his move in retrospect appears to have been mutually beneficial for these universities.

They almost lost in the play-in game last year. Posters on here would be laughing and talking about how he's about the get fired had they not made that crazy tourney run. It's hilarious.

As for recruiting the west coast, it doesn't take a genius to see that there was an opportunity there, especially with Arizona floundering. He's a very good coach in a great situation and he had some luck last year in the tourney that he didn't have before and narratives are now being created around it.

Mutually beneficial? Yes, it's been just great at UC since he left . . . I'm excited about Miller and the team, but this is delusional.

I thought Brannen was awful but Mick left a toxic program due to the Nevada collapse, the opening night loss to Ohio State, and debacle in Columbus against Iowa. There was a segment of this fan base who was done with him.

Yes, of course a huge segment of the fanbase wanted to move on (most did long before those events), and I don't want to relitigate that. My point was that Cronin is the same guy now as he was then.

I'm happy for Cronin. He had a great record here and did a lot of good for UC basketball.

For some reason he could not advance in the NCAA tournament.

I think he did a lot of "growing up" here at UC and it prepared him well for UCLA.

(11-15-2021 11:18 AM)UCBearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  I thought Brannen was awful but Mick left a toxic program due to the Nevada collapse, the opening night loss to Ohio State, and debacle in Columbus against Iowa. There was a segment of this fan base who was done with him.

Mick totally blew it in some big games, but I wouldn't equate that to toxicity. His successor, however, turned things toxic.

(11-15-2021 11:47 AM)geef Wrote:  

(11-15-2021 11:18 AM)UCBearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  I thought Brannen was awful but Mick left a toxic program due to the Nevada collapse, the opening night loss to Ohio State, and debacle in Columbus against Iowa. There was a segment of this fan base who was done with him.

Mick totally blew it in some big games, but I wouldn't equate that to toxicity. His successor, however, turned things toxic.

Yea. Toxic is a HUGE exaggeration. He left behind a great senior class and some huge holes in the other classes. His recruiting fell off late for whatever reason (I just think he was ready to move on and recruiting was the one area that manifested as he still was a damn good coach his last few years), but the program identity was still in place.

There were a ton of reasons to expect a fall back last season even without the Brannen disaster (and Brannen's recruiting has left us in a pretty good spot for future years), but the toxic culture seems pretty clearly on his shoulders.

(11-15-2021 11:39 AM)bearcatfan Wrote:  I'm happy for Cronin. He had a great record here and did a lot of good for UC basketball.

For some reason he could not advance in the NCAA tournament.

I think he did a lot of "growing up" here at UC and it prepared him well for UCLA.

This is the crux of it. It's amazing to me that people still can't figure it out though.

Thank God I love to talking about my exes

I was a huge Cronin supporter.... until Nevada.

Then I was a Cronin supporter who wanted to see something more in The Dance... until Iowa.

I was very happy with how Cronin rebuilt the program and made UC a winner again.

I don't think it is inappropriate of a fanbase like UC's, who has experienced high level success in the past, to expect the coach to take the program to the next step at some point. Cronin just couldn't seem to get over that next step (March success).

I was more than happy to move on and see if the next guy could get it done.

(11-15-2021 11:39 AM)bearcatfan Wrote:  I'm happy for Cronin. He had a great record here and did a lot of good for UC basketball.

For some reason he could not advance in the NCAA tournament.

I think he did a lot of "growing up" here at UC and it prepared him well for UCLA.

Cheers to all of those with the take that Brannen’s style was tailor made for deep runs. You know who you are.

(11-15-2021 12:18 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(11-15-2021 11:39 AM)bearcatfan Wrote:  I'm happy for Cronin. He had a great record here and did a lot of good for UC basketball.

For some reason he could not advance in the NCAA tournament.

I think he did a lot of "growing up" here at UC and it prepared him well for UCLA.

Cheers to all of those with the take that Brannen’s style was tailor made for deep runs. You know who you are.

The idea that any "style" is made for deep runs has always been the dumbest fan basketball take. Teams win/make runs playing all kinds of different styles. It's about talent and execution.

(11-15-2021 12:29 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(11-15-2021 12:18 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(11-15-2021 11:39 AM)bearcatfan Wrote:  I'm happy for Cronin. He had a great record here and did a lot of good for UC basketball.

For some reason he could not advance in the NCAA tournament.

I think he did a lot of "growing up" here at UC and it prepared him well for UCLA.

Cheers to all of those with the take that Brannen’s style was tailor made for deep runs. You know who you are.

The idea that any "style" is made for deep runs has always been the dumbest fan basketball take. Teams win/make runs playing all kinds of different styles. It's about talent and execution.

I'd throw in a bit of luck (including matchups) and simple randomness as significant factors, but otherwise I completely agree.

(11-15-2021 12:04 PM)namrag Wrote:  I was a huge Cronin supporter.... until Nevada.

Then I was a Cronin supporter who wanted to see something more in The Dance... until Iowa.

I was very happy with how Cronin rebuilt the program and made UC a winner again.

I don't think it is inappropriate of a fanbase like UC's, who has experienced high level success in the past, to expect the coach to take the program to the next step at some point. Cronin just couldn't seem to get over that next step (March success).

I was more than happy to move on and see if the next guy could get it done.

Nevada was hard to take.

Iowa was unforgivable.

Getting outcoached by Fran McCaffrey...come on.

Nevada was the worst. I was so excited to be in Nashville as a clear path opened up for us to… absolutely choke it away in the worst possible fashion.

(11-15-2021 12:18 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(11-15-2021 11:39 AM)bearcatfan Wrote:  I'm happy for Cronin. He had a great record here and did a lot of good for UC basketball.

For some reason he could not advance in the NCAA tournament.

I think he did a lot of "growing up" here at UC and it prepared him well for UCLA.

Cheers to all of those with the take that Brannen’s style was tailor made for deep runs. You know who you are.

I never liked Brannen.

I was just joking - poking the bear. When Mick left I pointed out that we averaged 27 wins a year for his last 5 years...I said I’d bet we don’t win 27 games in any year during the next 5 and I had lots of people saying Brannen’s style won’t win as many games but will make deep runs. People drink the koolaid. He’ll finish his career likely never winning a NCAA tournament game.

(11-15-2021 12:04 PM)namrag Wrote:  I was a huge Cronin supporter.... until Nevada.

Then I was a Cronin supporter who wanted to see something more in The Dance... until Iowa.

I was very happy with how Cronin rebuilt the program and made UC a winner again.

I don't think it is inappropriate of a fanbase like UC's, who has experienced high level success in the past, to expect the coach to take the program to the next step at some point. Cronin just couldn't seem to get over that next step (March success).

I was more than happy to move on and see if the next guy could get it done.

Cronin was a good coach who just couldn't get big time talent signed. He blamed the conference, but this was just as true when he was recruiting to the BE

Brannen was a promising coach who was having trouble adjusting to the high major game. He ordinarily would have deserved another season to two to find his footing, but he cracked under pressure and went wacko.

UC is in a better place now.

Look, it’s not a cakewalk to recruit here. We had a tired facility, surrounded by X, UL, UK, OSU, WVU, yadda yadda yadda There is a reason we spent so much time on the east coast and in GA. Sometimes you have to fish where every angler in town isn’t getting a line wet. And no the AAC didn’t help. I can’t wait for the B12 schedule.

(11-15-2021 01:33 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  Look, it’s not a cakewalk to recruit here. We had a tired facility, surrounded by X, UL, UK, OSU, WVU, yadda yadda yadda There is a reason we spent so much time on the east coast and in GA. Sometimes you have to fish where every angler in town isn’t getting a line wet. And no the AAC didn’t help. I can’t wait for the B12 schedule.

I always viewed this area the high rent district for basketball recruiting because you have to invest so much just to compete. UC didn’t do for Cronin until it was too late.

(11-15-2021 12:51 PM)Bear Catlett Wrote:  

(11-15-2021 12:04 PM)namrag Wrote:  I was a huge Cronin supporter.... until Nevada.

Then I was a Cronin supporter who wanted to see something more in The Dance... until Iowa.

I was very happy with how Cronin rebuilt the program and made UC a winner again.

I don't think it is inappropriate of a fanbase like UC's, who has experienced high level success in the past, to expect the coach to take the program to the next step at some point. Cronin just couldn't seem to get over that next step (March success).

I was more than happy to move on and see if the next guy could get it done.

Nevada was hard to take.

Iowa was unforgivable.

Getting outcoached by Fran McCaffrey...come on.

Don't forget Harvard, St. Joseph, and to some extent Creighton.