Probably won't happen, but I just see Cronin as a guy that will keep them a bottom tier Big East team that regularly struggles to have any shot at the tourney.

 

That's odd considering they have been a middle of the pack Big East team on the bubble every year since the first season...

That's odd considering they have been a middle of the pack Big East team on the bubble every year since the first season...

 

:lol: Well, there's 16 teams in the league, so to be in the upper half you'd have to rank 1 to 8, right? Those in the 9-16 range would fall into the "bottom half." UC was 10th in the league in both 07-08 and 08-09. They are currently 10th this year and doubtful they'll finish any higher than that given their remaining schedule. What bothers me most is that Cronin had highly ranked recruiting classes in '07 (15th) and '08 (18th) and picked up a top ten recruit in '09, but it hasn't translated into the level of success many were expecting. I'm not anti-UC in the slightest. I've been attending their games since long before you were born. Cronin seems like a great guy and very solid recruiter. I just don't think he can coach at this high level and get UC to be anything other than a marginal bubble team.

:lol: Well, there's 16 teams in the league, so to be in the upper half you'd have to rank 1 to 8, right? Those in the 9-16 range would fall into the "bottom half." UC was 10th in the league in both 07-08 and 08-09. They are currently 10th this year and doubtful they'll finish any higher than that given their remaining schedule. What bothers me most is that Cronin had highly ranked recruiting classes in '07 (15th) and '08 (18th) and picked up a top ten recruit in '09, but it hasn't translated into the level of success many were expecting. I'm not anti-UC in the slightest. I've been attending their games since long before you were born. Cronin seems like a great guy and very solid recruiter. I just don't think he can coach at this high level and get UC to be anything other than a marginal bubble team.

 

If you used the word "half" instead of tier, you'd have a point. That and they finished 9th last year.

 

That 07 class was ranked that high simply because of the number of players they had to bring in to fill the roster. There wasn't a single high level guy in that group, and they were expected to be the 4 years guys that laid a foundation to reestablishing the program. Of that group Bishop has been the only one that you can call a consistent Big East level player. McClain was ranked as high as he was on being 7'0" and playing for one of the elite AAU programs so scouts had their eyes on him at every event. His chronic foot problems have really slowed any development and he has never really gained the strength needed to play in this league. Davis is a shooter that can't make a wide open shot. Wilks is a freak athlete with the basketball IQ of a pebble. Couple that class with Vaughn and you have exactly why the program is stuck in the middle of the Big East pack. ZERO leadership from the upperclassmen which is tied directly to only having Ced McGowan (the most quiet person on the planet) on scholarship when Mick took over and having no one to show the young guys what it took to be a leader and win consistently in this league. Vaughn simply doesn't have leadership in his personality, and this team needs it from him BAD.

 

The 08 and 09 classes are the future of this program, and guys like Yancy, Lance (if he stays), Cash, Parker and Kilpatrick are all worlds better than anyone in that 07 class on and off the floor. Vaughn has helped keep this program afloat through a tough time, but it will be a case of addition by subtraction once he graduates...

GT, please explain to me why Cronin called a timeout with 1:34 to go, and his team down 17? He grabs his playboard, and starts drawing up a play, they come out of the TO, and look completely lost. One of the worst possessions of the game IMO. I did not understand that one at all. Boeheim was dumbfounded. Can you shed any light?

GT, please explain to me why Cronin called a timeout with 1:34 to go, and his team down 17? He grabs his playboard, and starts drawing up a play, they come out of the TO, and look completely lost. One of the worst possessions of the game IMO. I did not understand that one at all. Boeheim was dumbfounded. Can you shed any light?

 

I was already in the press room setting up for the post game so I didn't see that...

If you used the word "half" instead of tier, you'd have a point. That and they finished 9th last year.

 

That 07 class was ranked that high simply because of the number of players they had to bring in to fill the roster. There wasn't a single high level guy in that group, and they were expected to be the 4 years guys that laid a foundation to reestablishing the program. Of that group Bishop has been the only one that you can call a consistent Big East level player. McClain was ranked as high as he was on being 7'0" and playing for one of the elite AAU programs so scouts had their eyes on him at every event. His chronic foot problems have really slowed any development and he has never really gained the strength needed to play in this league. Davis is a shooter that can't make a wide open shot. Wilks is a freak athlete with the basketball IQ of a pebble. Couple that class with Vaughn and you have exactly why the program is stuck in the middle of the Big East pack. ZERO leadership from the upperclassmen which is tied directly to only having Ced McGowan (the most quiet person on the planet) on scholarship when Mick took over and having no one to show the young guys what it took to be a leader and win consistently in this league. Vaughn simply doesn't have leadership in his personality, and this team needs it from him BAD.

 

The 08 and 09 classes are the future of this program, and guys like Yancy, Lance (if he stays), Cash, Parker and Kilpatrick are all worlds better than anyone in that 07 class on and off the floor. Vaughn has helped keep this program afloat through a tough time, but it will be a case of addition by subtraction once he graduates...

 

Thanks for the excellent insight. The key question is does Thomas have Cronin's back? There seems to be mounting disenchantment in the fan base. Is there another good recruiting class lined up that could help show Mick truly has it going?

Thanks for the excellent insight. The key question is does Thomas have Cronin's back? There seems to be mounting disenchantment in the fan base. Is there another good recruiting class lined up that could help show Mick truly has it going?

Thomas has his back and Mick isn't going anywhere for at least another year and likely more.

 

As for recruiting the 2010 class is limited because only Vaughn and Toyloy graduate. They have those two spots filled with two big men that fall on different ends of the spectrum. One is 6'8" PF Justin Jackson who is a very high motor guy that plays like an Eric Hicks or Jason Maxiell. He is very aggressive, a good rebounder and can hold his own on the offensive end. He has played against several 4 and 5 star big men this high school season and played even with or dominated them every time out. He will be an impact player right away. The other is a 6' 10" C named Kelvin Gaines that is a force blocking shots and rebounding but is VERY raw on the offensive end and will need some time to develop. It's likely that one or two more spots open up through either a transfer or Lance going to the NBA. I know of one potential transfer into the program that I would consider an impact player right away after he sat out a year, but I have to keep the wraps on that one for a little while. 2011 is the vital recruiting class for Mick as the large 07 group graduates and they will have a lot of spots to fill...

If you used the word "half" instead of tier, you'd have a point. That and they finished 9th last year.

 

That 07 class was ranked that high simply because of the number of players they had to bring in to fill the roster. There wasn't a single high level guy in that group, and they were expected to be the 4 years guys that laid a foundation to reestablishing the program. Of that group Bishop has been the only one that you can call a consistent Big East level player. McClain was ranked as high as he was on being 7'0" and playing for one of the elite AAU programs so scouts had their eyes on him at every event. His chronic foot problems have really slowed any development and he has never really gained the strength needed to play in this league. Davis is a shooter that can't make a wide open shot. Wilks is a freak athlete with the basketball IQ of a pebble. Couple that class with Vaughn and you have exactly why the program is stuck in the middle of the Big East pack. ZERO leadership from the upperclassmen which is tied directly to only having Ced McGowan (the most quiet person on the planet) on scholarship when Mick took over and having no one to show the young guys what it took to be a leader and win consistently in this league. Vaughn simply doesn't have leadership in his personality, and this team needs it from him BAD.

 

The 08 and 09 classes are the future of this program, and guys like Yancy, Lance (if he stays), Cash, Parker and Kilpatrick are all worlds better than anyone in that 07 class on and off the floor. Vaughn has helped keep this program afloat through a tough time, but it will be a case of addition by subtraction once he graduates...

 

That's a funny line.

 

Here's a question for you - and you have to promise to give a sincere answer. :sssh:

 

Who gets more out of this current UC team - Huggs or Cronin? I hate to re-visit the Huggs days because as much as I liked him (he did something really, really cool once for one of my baseball players going through a personal tragedy), I had grown tired of his schtick. Yet, I can't help but feel that he would get far more out of this current groups of players than does Mick. They darn sure would play better defense. That's my concern with this team and Mick - no way are they playing up to their potential. You have to lay a good chunk of that at the feet of the head coach.

Who gets more out of this current UC team - Huggs or Cronin? I hate to re-visit the Huggs days because as much as I liked him (he did something really, really cool once for one of my baseball players going through a personal tragedy), I had grown tired of his schtick. Yet, I can't help but feel that he would get far more out of this current groups of players than does Mick. They darn sure would play better defense. That's my concern with this team and Mick - no way are they playing up to their potential. You have to lay a good chunk of that at the feet of the head coach.

 

Are we talking apples to apples? Huggs would have also had a tough time getting any leadership out of Vaughn or anyone in the JR class. Huggs is also a proven, big name coach so recruiting that first 2 years wouldn't have been as tough. Winning without leadership on the floor is hard. Ask Roy Williams this year as they have a similar problem. At best Huggs would have them marginally better with this exact roster and situation...

Are we talking apples to apples? Huggs would have also had a tough time getting any leadership out of Vaughn or anyone in the JR class. Huggs is also a proven, big name coach so recruiting that first 2 years wouldn't have been as tough. Winning without leadership on the floor is hard. Ask Roy Williams this year as they have a similar problem. At best Huggs would have them marginally better with this exact roster and situation...

 

No, I'm not talking about recruiting. Simply taking this exact same roster and getting better production, playing harder, and playing smarter. We'll see how this plays out and hopefully there's a big turnaround on the immediate horizon. But I'm left feeling that here in year 4 of the Cronin era, there should have been a much bigger improvement and that there is too much unrealized potential on this team. Remember how promising things looked after the Maui tournament? Seems like eons ago . . . .

No, I'm not talking about recruiting. Simply taking this exact same roster and getting better production, playing harder, and playing smarter. We'll see how this plays out and hopefully there's a big turnaround on the immediate horizon. But I'm left feeling that here in year 4 of the Cronin era, there should have been a much bigger improvement and that there is too much unrealized potential on this team. Remember how promising things looked after the Maui tournament? Seems like eons ago . . . .

Even with this same roster there would be a leadership void. Huggs had a few teams like that in his time at UC, and they also struggled. I would love to have this roster in CUSA though...

Even with this same roster there would be a leadership void. Huggs had a few teams like that in his time at UC, and they also struggled. I would love to have this roster in CUSA though...

 

Holmes' roster would be sufficient to compete in CUSA . . . . :laugh:

Even with this same roster there would be a leadership void. Huggs had a few teams like that in his time at UC, and they also struggled. I would love to have this roster in CUSA though...

 

That reminds me of Calipari's warning to UC and UL when they left CUSA. Neither would not make the move again in a heartbeat though b/c of the football success for both and UL hasn't struggled in hoops until now.