I don't think Cronin is going anywhere.

 

I do think next year is pivotal for him.

It would have to be comparable to what Pitino took over.

1st off it isn't remotley true that he didn't accomplish anything at the D1 level. He took Murray St. to the NCAA tourney twice in three years. He also was an assistant under two really good head coaches. The job at the time wasn't that enticing for big names.

 

1. He wouldn't turn it down. They couldn't get left w/ their 8th choice after being turned down by 7 people. It was his dream job.

 

If you believe in your program and it's top flight, why would you be afraid of rejection?

 

2. They had to go w/ someone young wanting to make a name for themselves or someone old who failed big time somewhere else. He had been to 2 of the last 3 dances. He was a good hire.

 

Isn't this the path of the mid-major programs? So, in your opinion, taking Murray St. to the dance a couple of times propped up his resume enough to get the UC job? This is where I respectfully disagree with you.

 

I don't think Cronin is going anywhere.

 

I do think next year is pivotal for him.

 

I agree with this. How much rope do you give the guy? Is he getting more rope than someone else normally would because he's a hometown guy?

 

:idunno:

Isn't this the path of the mid-major programs? So, in your opinion, taking Murray St. to the dance a couple of times propped up his resume enough to get the UC job? This is where I respectfully disagree with you.

 

 

 

I agree with this. How much rope do you give the guy? Is he getting more rope than someone else normally would because he's a hometown guy?

 

:idunno:

 

I think its fair to give him the rope. It was a bad situation he came into. However, life as a college b-ball coach does not allow for a whole lot of rope regardless of the situation. UC may look at him as having done OK after next year and then try to go out and get a bigger name coach.

 

I'm not a Mick guy. Don't know him. Could be an outstanding human being. I just don't think he has IT to be a head coach in a conference like the Big East. Sometimes you're a coach because you're a recruiter. That IMO is Mick.

Not really. The only talent Pitino who he has was a small forward playing center - Reggie Hanson. The rest were not Pitino type players and were not highly recruited. He coached them into being productive.

 

Bodies are bodies. Mick had 1 in a below average JUCO. Still nothing close to similar...

Bodies are bodies. Mick had 1 in a below average JUCO. Still nothing close to similar...

 

I agree that Mick was in bad shape.

Bodies are bodies. Mick had 1 in a below average JUCO. Still nothing close to similar...

 

So it was hard for Mick to find "bodies" to play at UC? C'mon. We all agree it was a complete rebuilding job, but so was UK's post Sutton.

So it was hard for Mick to find "bodies" to play at UC? C'mon. We all agree it was a complete rebuilding job, but so was UK's post Sutton.

Given when the firing of Huggins went down and the nature of the entire situation, it was as difficult of a situation as you will find outside of the death penalty. There was no recruiting done for over a year, and only one player left on the roster. Go back and look at that first class of JUCOs and Vaughn. Mick had 6 weeks to start from scratch and build an entire roster just so they could put a team on the court in the Big East. As I said the only similar situations are Baylor when Drew took over and IU with Crean. Mick is at worst equal with where Drew was in year 4 and ahead of Crean in year 2...

Given when the firing of Huggins went down and the nature of the entire situation, it was as difficult of a situation as you will find outside of the death penalty. There was no recruiting done for over a year, and only one player left on the roster. Go back and look at that first class of JUCOs and Vaughn. Mick had 6 weeks to start from scratch and build an entire roster just so they could put a team on the court in the Big East. As I said the only similar situations are Baylor when Drew took over and IU with Crean. Mick is at worst equal with where Drew was in year 4 and ahead of Crean in year 2...

 

I think he rebuilt it too fast for is own as far as players go. The majority of the fan base has seen the talent he has brought in and expects more than the NIT.

I think he rebuilt it too fast for is own as far as players go. The majority of the fan base has seen the talent he has brought in and expects more than the NIT.

The majority of the fan base are idiots that wanted him to fail before he coached one game. Not much you can do about that...

Isn't this the path of the mid-major programs? So, in your opinion, taking Murray St. to the dance a couple of times propped up his resume enough to get the UC job? This is where I respectfully disagree with you.

 

No it isn't. Who do you think UC as a program fits in with? It's not UK, UNC, Kansas, Duke, IU, UCLA obviously. It isn't Syracuse, Nova, GTown either. They aren't and weren't picking from the best of the best. In all honesty if they fire Cronin after this season who do they target? Who can they get? Are they any better than Cronin? Calipari or anyone like that aren't going to the toughest conference in basketball for a middle of the pack program.

No it isn't. Who do you think UC as a program fits in with? It's not UK, UNC, Kansas, Duke, IU, UCLA obviously. It isn't Syracuse, Nova, GTown either. They aren't and weren't picking from the best of the best. In all honesty if they fire Cronin after this season who do they target? Who can they get? Are they any better than Cronin? Calipari or anyone like that aren't going to the toughest conference in basketball for a middle of the pack program.

 

Honestly, I can remember the day when I heard they were going to join the Big East, and the first thing I thought was..............they are going to be in trouble. I really think they were much better suited for C-USA and should have stayed right where they were. This is where they were competitive year in and year out. I just don't see UC ever being in the top tier of the Big East Conference. If I was Mike Thomas, I would go after Mark Few. He is a proven commodity and knows how to win, and if he turned you down, that would be a slap in the face of the program.

 

Honestly, I can remember the day when I heard they were going to join the Big East, and the first thing I thought was..............they are going to be in trouble. I really think they were much better suited for C-USA and should have stayed right where they were. This is where they were competitive year in and year out. I just don't see UC ever being in the top tier of the Big East Conference. If I was Mike Thomas, I would go after Mark Few. He is a proven commodity and knows how to win, and if he turned you down, that would be a slap in the face of the program.

 

Everyone thought it would be hard there, but would Thomas switch back and give up 2 BCS bowl bids in football? No. So they need to build the basketball back to respectable. I'd say they'd be happy making 5 out of 10 tourneys w/ 2 more BCS bids in the next 10 years. Few would never ever take that job. Why would he? They would need to get a coach that has had some success, but maybe not at their last job or an up and comer. They think they got an up and comer that will stay if he turns them around and not leave for a "better" job.

Mark Few? Really? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

The UC athletic department is swimming in debt and they are going to have the money to bring in a guy that turned down truckloads of cash from IU and Arizona to stay at Gonzaga? Funny...

Mark Few? Really? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

The UC athletic department is swimming in debt and they are going to have the money to bring in a guy that turned down truckloads of cash from IU and Arizona to stay at Gonzaga? Funny...

 

Could UC's budget deficit force them to keep a coach who they are not happy with?