I agree with you that he is one of the all-time most disappointing players at UC.Originally Posted by Reds4Life
Maybe he really didn't actually have it in him? I don't believe that.
I agree with you that he is one of the all-time most disappointing players at UC.
Maybe he really didn't actually have it in him? I don't believe that.
One of the most overrated players at UC, I don't care where he's at in the record books.
When you look at the what if's, providing Zimpher didn't burn the program to the ground, it's enough to make you want to puke. UC would have likely signed OJ Mayo, Bill Walker, and Downey would have stayed at UC. Instead we have the garbage you see on the court. Joy.
Hope Nancy likes her job, I can't see any University that cares about athletics hiring her after what she pulled at UC. The irony is, she hated Huggins, her previous employer had one of the lowest graduation rates in the conference, and had Bruce Pearl as a coach, who is one of the biggest clowns around.
What about Michael Beasley? I always figured he would've gone to UC if Hugs had stayed.
Doubt it. He didn't commit to KState until Bob hired Delonte Hill. If he stayed at UC, not sure if he would have had an opening on the staff.
At this point, the Zimpher / Huggins business is water under the bridge. While I was disappointed to see Huggins treated the way he was by the administration, I think that his dismissal probably ended up being the best thing for him. Even before the Zimpher / DUI business, the program wasn't quite on the same level as it was for most of the 90s. They made the NCAA tournament but they weren't seeded highly and never made it out of the first weekend and his last four recruiting classes were very mediocre.
That isn't to say I wouldn't take him back in a nanosecond, I just question the fact that he would have had the same kind of success at UC as he did at KSU and is having at WV had the whole Zimpher debacle never taken place.
We can all thank Cronin for that one too. Downey initially wanted to transfer, but then changed his mind and wanted to stay. Cronin told him to get out and used Downey as his so-called example regarding team loyalty. It's ironic that in the end, not having a guy anywhere near the caliber of Devan Downey at the PG spot may end up being one of the primary reasons Cronin gets run out of town. Of course, who knows how UC would have looked with Downey still, but I'm sure it wouldn't have been any worse these past few years.
Overall, though, like others have said, the lack of player development is really what's frustrating. Watching this team play night after night, it's just players making one dumb play after another ... dumb basketball as I'm now calling it. One stupid decision after another, one lost possession after another due to lousy execution, etc.
The St. John's game, IMO, is the microcosm of the season. The end of that game was simply a disaster, and how they managed to blow that game and lose was simply stupifying. And it's losses like that against a team that's 91st in the RPI and 2-8 in the Big East that will keep UC out of the NCAA tourney barring a miracle.
I don't expect UC to beat teams like Syracuse who are top five in the country, but it's some of the losses that really frustrate me. St. John's is one, Seton Hall is another ... plus two noncon games they gave away at the end (Gonzaga and Xavier). Unfortunately, they've really only got one win they can hold up to everyone (Vandy), and that's not going to be enough to outweigh the mounting losses.
The Lost Decade Average Season: 74-88
2014-22 Average Season: 71-91
I don't think Huggins had any success at K-State. I'm pretty sure they were an NIT team in his only season there.
Damn, Cyc, did not know that about Downey wanting to come back. He would be exactly what the doctor ordered for this Bearcat team. (Of course, he would be the same thing for most teams in America.) Maybe it's because he seems to always save his special daggers for Kentucky, but, man I have become extremely impressed with his game over the past couple seasons.
I'd call taking a team that never finished above 7th in the conference in school history, and brining in the #1 recruiting class in the country, and winning 23 games as a pretty good success for 1 season.
I watched what Downey did to your boys two weeks ago, and all it did was make me depressed knowing that's what UC had ... and then threw away.
Of course, I also had similar feelings when watching Mayo and Walker too.
The Lost Decade Average Season: 74-88
2014-22 Average Season: 71-91
Wow, I understand Vaughn isn't having a very good season, but he definately hasn't had a dissapointing career at UC. For the prior three years he has been the only bright spot on bad teams. His career numbers tell a pretty big story.
As for Cronin, no doubt this team should be playing better than they are. I've heard the chemistry is terrible. This year has been teetering on disaster, but its not over, and UC's bid for the NCAA's certainly aren't. I've pointed to this year as the show me year in Cronin's tenure for a long time. It isn't over yet, but he isn't showing much.
Its not doomsday yet, but it is very close.
Vaughn got the stats on the bad teams because he was the only player on the court that could have sniffed major conference basketball for nearly 3 years. His game hasn't improved, at all. Every important game, same stuff. Vanishes into thin air, and makes horrid decisions that costs his team valuable possessions. I've never seen a senior chuck up so many 35 footers that he doesn't have a prayer of making.
I can see your an optimist, but unless UC goes on a huge tear, they aren't going to the tournament. Still have to play WVU, Nova, UConn and G'Town. Those games are likely all losses.
Bad players don't put up those numbers on any team. Vaughn was the only player other teams had to guard for the prior three years and they would always put the emphasis on stopping him.
Maybe I'm an optimist, but losing to #3/4 Syracuse doesn't signal the end of times. I'd say you might be just as pessimistic as I am optimistic. Sure UC has some tough games, but getting to 9-9 in conference play gives them a chance to get in meaning they need 4 more wins. Their remaining schedule is @UConn, @USF, VS. Marquette, VS. DePaul, @WVU, VS. Villanova, @Georgetown. USF, Marquette, and DePaul are games they must win in all likely hood. You'd like to see them upset UConn, WVU, or Georgetown on the road to give them a quality road win. UC has played better at home this season so Villanova is another game you might circle as a quality win. UC has a decent RPI and good SOS. 10 wins would be ideal for UC, however.
UC has played good teams pretty close this year. I'd say they could be in every one of those games and wins are definitely not out of the question. Its a tough road to hoe to be sure, but not impossible by any stretch.
I can't be the only one who thinks UC isn't in as bad a position as some on here believe. One thing UC does have going is they have plenty of talent. They haven't really shown it to this point but it is there. Whether the coach can use that talent properly is a point of contention, but at least it is there.
Quite frankly I don't get pissed at Zimpher all over again. I think Huggins had slacked in his recruiting and began to mail in some recruiting classes. He did recruit Downey but after that the classes were bare. He sure as heck didn't recruit like he did at KSU or now at WVU.
No way they get in at 9-9. Its going to take 10 wins, one of those over one of the big four or they'll have to make a run in the tourney.
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