I am delighted to see UC and Mick do so well, but let's face the facts-five weeks ago he was on the very hot seat. Win over U of L was huge....I still say he has to get the crowd back behind the Cats next year. He just is boring to listen to, which I know is not a must have for a coach, but man with snoozers Marvin Lewis and Dusty Baker in town-can somebody liven it up a bit. Baker comes off like Dave Chapelle compared to Mick and Marvin.

I am delighted to see UC and Mick do so well, but let's face the facts-five weeks ago he was on the very hot seat. Win over U of L was huge....I still say he has to get the crowd back behind the Cats next year. He just is boring to listen to, which I know is not a must have for a coach, but man with snoozers Marvin Lewis and Dusty Baker in town-can somebody liven it up a bit. Baker comes off like Dave Chapelle compared to Mick and Marvin.

He wasn't on the "hot seat"...

He wasn't on the "hot seat"...

 

I know you have the inside track here, but I had heard that if they didn't make the NCAA tourney this year that changes were going to be made-now to be fair I don't know if that meant him or assistants or whatever...maybe you can let us know what you know.

I know you have the inside track here, but I had heard that if they didn't make the NCAA tourney this year that changes were going to be made-now to be fair I don't know if that meant him or assistants or whatever...maybe you can let us know what you know.

 

As I have said all along the only thing that would have created a situation this year was the program taking a serious back slide. By the time they got the the UL game they were past that point. Firing Mick, paying his buyout and bringing in a low cost replacement while losing a solid 5 player recruiting class was not the answer...

Edited March 15, 201115 yr by gametime

I like Mick he's done a great job. I think UC showed the model of how to get in the tourney when playing in such a tough conference.

Can Mick maintain it now?

You have no clue just how serious the situation was when he took over then. Where Huggs, Zimpher and AK left the program was literally a self imposed death penalty. To recover from that in the span of one full recruiting cycle in the Big East is nothing short of a miracle.

 

Ask Tom Crean how a similar process is going for him...

 

I certainly don't know as much about it as you but I don't see it as miraculous. Very, very good job and it's a shame that some of the fan base hasn't been patient with him. Surely being in the Big East helps some in this situation as well.

Surely being in the Big East helps some in this situation as well.

 

It should now. That has nothing to do with where things where when he got the job and how he had to walk the tightrope to get to this point.

 

Take a serious look at this senior class. Only two Big East area kids, and Bishop has been the sole long term answer. McClain, Davis and Wilks have filled roles, but they are clearly not top of the Big East talent.

 

Mick has done well with Gates, Wright, Dixon and Kilpatrick. The first two were highly rated prospects. The other two were far from a can't miss.

 

So you have a senior class that has one solid starter and three role players at best.

 

The junior class has Yancy and Dion with Cash a year behind at best because of his knee issues.

 

SK came in last year and took a redshirt because of Vaughn and Lance ahead of him.

 

Mick took that bunch and turned them into a 6 seed.

 

Only "star power" is Gates and he wasn't much of a factor until the last 4 weeks. Granted what he did after his issues was totally unexpected.

 

When you put every piece of the puzzle together as it happened, you would have a much better feel for how tough the rebuild has been. Again look at Crean and see how a total rebuild can sink a Final Four coach in a hurry. Mick was ahead of where IU is now in year 2. And did so in a better conference...

Is Cronin now a hot property? I caught the end of some discussion on the radio today and I couldn't figure out whether they were speculating about Arkansas going after him or Missouri if Anderson left. Is either job better than that at Cincy? I wonder what the relative compensation packages would be. They said Arkansas would like him, as Gametime has been saying, because of his success of rebuilding.

Is Cronin now a hot property? I caught the end of some discussion on the radio today and I couldn't figure out whether they were speculating about Arkansas going after him or Missouri if Anderson left. Is either job better than that at Cincy? I wonder what the relative compensation packages would be. They said Arkansas would like him, as Gametime has been saying, because of his success of rebuilding.

 

Arkansas is very interested...

Arkansas is very interested...

 

Why would you leave the "best conference in the country for hoops" after you have rebuilt the program then. Unless it is all about money, it doesn't make any sense to me...

Why would you leave the "best conference in the country for hoops" after you have rebuilt the program then. Unless it is all about money, it doesn't make any sense to me...

 

All about money, and much more than just what Mick is getting paid...

UC players having fun in the lockerroom.

 

Kilpatrick seems like a character.

 

http://www.wlwt.com/sports/27225841/detail.html

All about money, and much more than just what Mick is getting paid...

 

Add in the fact that Arkansas has a top 10 class coming in next year (assuming they all stay committed) led by Bj Young, and it isn't out of the question that Mick could leave UC for the SEC.

 

What are the chances Mick actually leaves though?

 

UC returns Gates, Dixon, JJ, SK, and Cash next season which is a very solid core that will easily compete in the BEast and win a lot of games. Throw in 6'10 Gaines to spell Yancy from time to time and a top 25 recruiting class that could add another player and UC should be considered a top 25 program and in the upper half of the Big East.

 

To go even further, don't 2012 recruits Hammons, Macon, and Hollowell really like UC and have them either as their top choice or in their top 3 or 4?

 

I also think the family and personal ties to both UC and the city of Cincinnati run too deep for Mick to leave.

Here are the budget numbers allotted to Mick from the 2nd-4th years of his tenure.

 

Basketball budget in 07-08 season. 5,528,040.00

Basketball budget in 08-09 season. 4,011,357.00

Basketball budget in 09-10 season. 3,754,077.00

 

Not exactly a recipe for the continued uptrend the program has experienced in that time. This year was at best a flat line from the 09-10 season, and from what I am told was down another few hundred grand...