UC Basketball right around the corner!

[bucksfan2]

Originally Posted by NorrisHopper30

You're serious? He was coaching a bunch of JUCOs that never touched the floor of a D1 basketball game, let alone Big East.

This recruiting class and next years should give you a good reason to love Mick. As for coaching, I can't judge him yet until I see how well these kids develop.

Let me know the next time a team goes 10-17 (somewhere around there) and ends up with the 13th best recruiting class in the nation.

I understand that he had a very poor team last year and basically give him a pass. This year, from the start to the end, will go a long way to showing what kind of coach Cronin is. I am neither fully behind him or against him. I think the freshman and Vaughn need to show improvement over the legnth of the season. I also want to see how well he Cronin coaches up his players. Whether he gets his players to play at a higher level, to play with better competition.

[SeeinRed]

I think the Cronin hire was a decent hire reguardless of what happens. The guy had a decent pedigree as an assistant coach and I definately think that helps. Lets face it, UC wasn't going to go out and get a big name coach. Basketball was the furthest thing from (the one who's name I must not speak) the President's mind. They weren't going to fork out the cash. Why not get a guy who wants to coach at UC, has been there before, and coached under some of those big name coaches. I don't know what kind of coach UC could have pulled in. To be quite honest, I don't even remember the other coaches that were in the race, if any, other than AK. I liked AK but he knew the program was set up to fail for a few years, his boss was fired the year before, and he got a chance to coach a team that he actually wanted to coach for personal reasons. He didn't want to come back.

Cronin has made some mistakes, probably because last year was so tough and he was trying to hard to get something going. He's young and he'll learn. He could have had worse mentors, that for sure. Huggs and Pitino are two coaches who get the best out of their players, and at times even turn player's lives and careers around. Not bad people to learn from.

Based on the team last year, and the above, I'm willing to give him the benifit of the doubt. The only thing that worries me is that he tries to become Huggins or Pitino, or that fans expect a Huggins or a Pitino. He has to find his own way to coach. Hopefully he will find his way realitively quickly, and fans will be patient as he finds his way.

[CrackerJack]

Originally Posted by SeeinRed

As a recruiter, I think Cronin has done a better job than I could have expected. There was a lot of turmoil at UC. Not only on the court, but with alumni. To come in and get this team to respectability was a huge task, assuming they are at a respectable level this year. There is no reason to think they won't be. I don't know much about Cronin's coaching ability, but he has worked under Huggs and Pitino. There could be worse mentors, thats for sure. The only thing that scares me is the shadow that Huggs left. Sometimes guys try to fill those big shoes instead of trying to do their own thing. Mick isn't Bob Huggins. He won't be the hot tempered coach who constantly yells at his players to keep them in line. He won't be recruiting the same type of players. He won't be running the same smothering defense and fast paced offense that Huggs installed, at least IMO. Not saying he won't have a fast team, or a good defense, but it won't be the same as what we were used to with Huggs. I hope to see a more organized offense. More of a team oriented style of play. I think that was the downfall of Huggs teams.

I was a big fan of hiring Cronin, based on his recruiting abilities alone almost. I think Huggins' downfall was that he operated too much like Marvin Lewis regarding his choice of talent. But yes he relied too heavily on one or two individuals, who usually had a poor supporting cast, ecspecially in Huggin's later years here.

[Redlegs23]

I agree in that Cronin was a great hire. I don't think Mike Thomas could have done a better job with hiring Cronin and Brian Kelly. As far as this basketball season, it will be another long one. Last year's team was horrible, with little to none of the blame going to Mick. They had no business winning a few games they did last year (Xavier, NC State, West Virginia) which gives me some hope for the next few years.

I don't think we'll be able to truly judge Mick as a coach at UC for another 3 years. Last year's recruiting class was a last minute job, and this year's class was similar, even though we got a few quality recruits. Most coaches start recruiting their classes 3 years in advance, and until Mick has had a few years to catch up, I won't be judging him.

[NorrisHopper30]

Originally Posted by Redlegs23

Last year's recruiting class was a last minute job, and this year's class was similar, even though we got a few quality recruits. Most coaches start recruiting their classes 3 years in advance, and until Mick has had a few years to catch up, I won't be judging him.

That's an understatement.

http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.c...asp?CID=676729
#15 recruiting class on Rivals

http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75...b&c=14&yr=2007
#25 on Scout (not sure if completely updated)

And many other polls have UC in the top 25 recruiting classes in all of the nation.

Mick did all of that with a terrible record, Mick did a stellar job with the recruiting class and already has 2 4 stars locked up for '08 in Yancy Gates and Cashmere Wright.

[Cedric]

Originally Posted by NorrisHopper30

That's an understatement.

http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.c...asp?CID=676729
#15 recruiting class on Rivals

http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75...b&c=14&yr=2007
#25 on Scout (not sure if completely updated)

And many other polls have UC in the top 25 recruiting classes in all of the nation.

Mick did all of that with a terrible record, Mick did a stellar job with the recruiting class and already has 2 4 stars locked up for '08 in Yancy Gates and Cashmere Wright.

Top 25 isn't that amazing in college basketball. You need multiple top 25 teams or one huge class to catch up. At this point UC doesn't have the talent to compete in the Big East.

[CrackerJack]

Originally Posted by Cedric

Top 25 isn't that amazing in college basketball. You need multiple top 25 teams or one huge class to catch up. At this point UC doesn't have the talent to compete in the Big East.

Yet...they have two top 25 classes coming in this year and next....

[paintmered]

Originally Posted by Cedric

At this point UC doesn't have the talent to compete in the Big East.

I agree. They took a big step with this recruiting class, but it's undeveloped. There are a few more blue-chippers headed to Clifton next year.

UC will be much improved, but they will still end up in the bottom half of the Big East. And that's not a knock on Cronin. The cupboard was beyond bare for him. It's not going to happen overnight.

[GoReds33]

Tonight should be a good test of this team. The preseason was awful. They almost lost to NKU. How in the world is that possible? None the less, I expect tonight's game to be a good one. If the Cats can pull it out, I see good things in this season. Now I'm not going to be stupid and say they will win 22 games or something, but it will be much better than last season. I predict that they win about 17 games this year, which would be a tremendous step back to where we were.

[MWM]

Ced, I thought you were done with UC basketball after what happened to Huggins. Just curous why the change of heart?

[Reds4Life]

Ugh, I'm watching the game now, horrible defense and ice cold from behind the arch.

[CrackerJack]

Rough first half - geesh - this team is as raw as I've ever seen. A harsh reminder that this program needs a couple of more seasons to get back on track.

That said Belmont is a pretty good team from what I can tell. Weren't they a tournament team last year?

[Reds4Life]

Originally Posted by CrackerJack

Rough first half - geesh - this team is as raw as I've ever seen. A harsh reminder that this program needs a couple of more seasons to get back on track.

That said Belmont is a pretty good team from what I can tell. Weren't they a tournament team last year?

Made the NCAA's the last 2 years I believe, and won 20+ games last year.

[guttle11]

Not a UC fan at all (UD fan), but I like Deonta Vaughn. He's scrappy.

Watching the game. Ugly first half saved by Vaughn at the end. He nailed a three, stole the inbound pass and got a layup. 5 points in 3 seconds.

[CrackerJack]

I guess it's going to be another long year.