Houston: Round 2: The Battle for Everything

[UCats329]

Originally Posted by cincyguy13

They have 8 4-stars. I think Mick has done a great job out there, but that team has more talent than any team we have had in 20 years.

That team is all freshman and sophomores, it's basically the same team that went 16-17 and finished 7th in the Pac 12 last year--minus its three best players--and they looked absolutely dead in the water in December.

All of the things that have made them a good team--solid defense, rebounding, hustle, valuing the ball and not turning it over--are things that you COACH. They are things that Cronin coaches, and they are things that Brannen does NOT apparently coach.

A good team gets BETTER as the year goes on. It's the same shit beating UC that was beating them in November: inexplicable turnovers, missed defensive assignments, not rebounding the ball (especially on defense) or getting after loose balls, and missing an ungodly number of free throws.

Brannen has shown he's absolutely incapable of lighting a fire under these guys' asses. They're just going through the motions at this point. I said it at the time and I'll reiterate--Brannen was a shitty hire, his "system" isn't going to work in a league where they play actual defense, and he'll be gone in 3 years after he fails to make the tournament.

[Bcatfollower]

Originally Posted by UCats329

That team is all freshman and sophomores, it's basically the same team that went 16-17 and finished 7th in the Pac 12 last year, and they looked absolutely dead in the water in December.

All of the things that have made them a good team--solid defense, rebounding, hustle--are things that you COACH. They are things that Cronin coaches, and they are things that Brannen does NOT apparently coach.

Brannen has shown he's absolutely incapable of lighting a fire under these guys' asses. They're just going through the motions at this point. I said it at the time and I'll reiterate--Brannen was a shitty hire, his "system" isn't going to work in a league where they play actual defense, and he'll be gone in 3 years.

Lol. If mick was amazing why the lack of success in March? Why did we lose to the same teams, have bad losses, etc? Why did x own him? His coaching effort amounted to one conference win and a what? One or two conference tourney championships? In 12 years

[Lefty]

Originally Posted by Bcatfollower

Blind

Guess I’m blind as well. I definetly thought I saw defender hit Tre elbow

[Bcatfollower]

Originally Posted by Lefty

Guess I’m blind as well. I definetly thought I saw defender hit Tre elbow

Biased. Game was called both ways

[cincyguy13]

Originally Posted by UCats329

That team is all freshman and sophomores, it's basically the same team that went 16-17 and finished 7th in the Pac 12 last year--minus its three best players--and they looked absolutely dead in the water in December.

All of the things that have made them a good team--solid defense, rebounding, hustle--are things that you COACH. They are things that Cronin coaches, and they are things that Brannen does NOT apparently coach.

Brannen has shown he's absolutely incapable of lighting a fire under these guys' asses. They're just going through the motions at this point. I said it at the time and I'll reiterate--Brannen was a shitty hire, his "system" isn't going to work in a league where they play actual defense, and he'll be gone in 3 years.

So you were out before it started? Great rational discussion. I'm fine if you didn't like the hire but to not give the guy a chance is dumb. What were NKU's defensive metrics? The guy made NKU a great mid-major program in 3 years. NKU!!!! I'm pretty sure he knows something about basketball.

[UCats329]

Originally Posted by Bcatfollower

Lol. If mick was amazing why the lack of success in March? Why did we lose to the same teams, have bad losses, etc? Why did x own him? His coaching effort amounted to one conference win and a what? One or two conference tourney championships? In 12 years

Brannen has lost to Colgate, Tulane, UCF, Bowling Green (and almost lost to Valparaiso, ECU, Illinois State) in the course of one season with most of the same team that Cronin won 28 games with last year, and you're sitting here knocking Mick Cronin for never winning the Big East and not winning a couple more games in a crapshoot single elimination tournament where UC was consistently screwed on seeding and given shitty draws (think Kentucky in Lexington in '15, National Champion UConn in '11, UCLA in Sacramento in '17, grossly under-seeded Creighton and Harvard teams in '13 and '14, etc.)

Brannen has beaten one ranked team in his career (Tennessee, who was ranked at the time but isn't even om the bubble to make the tournament) and Mick Cronin is about to make the NCAA tournament in his first season in the Pac 12 with a bunch of freshmen and sophomores. Myopic UC fans are getting what they wished for.

[skyblade]

Originally Posted by Bcatfollower

And he isn’t in a place to yank guys based on effort; he has said as much in his post games.

A few guys on here are hurt by the loss of mediocre mick and will pick out anything no matter how irrational.

The two seniors on UCLA are 9th and 10th in minutes played in conference. Mick could have easily said he wasn't "in a place" to yank guys based on effort. Instead, he benched his senior starter (who started every game last year) and put a freshman in his place.

Brannen talks about defense and rebounding first, then starts the worst defensive and rebounding center UC has started in the last 20+ years.

He also puts up with lack of effort, intensity and rebounding from a number of the guards and forwards.

Let's hope you guys are right and once he gets his guys in here, things will improve. But it's hard to believe it.

We looked bad in all aspects of the game today.

[cincyguy13]

Originally Posted by Bcatfollower

Lol. If mick was amazing why the lack of success in March? Why did we lose to the same teams, have bad losses, etc? Why did x own him? His coaching effort amounted to one conference win and a what? One or two conference tourney championships? In 12 years

I think it's wanting two different things. I honestly don't care about tournament appearances and making the tourney if we lose every time. To me, it gets kinda embarrassing after 20 years. I don't think it is that exciting if you know you have no chance. Some people like just being part of the tourney. Which is fine but I will never understand that mindset.

Yes, I know Brannen could turn out to be a bad hire. We will see but that's why I didn't really care if Mick left.

[Bcatfollower]

Originally Posted by UCats329

Brannen has lost to Colgate, Tulane, UCF, Bowling Green (and almost lost to Valparaiso, ECU, Illinois State) with most of the same team that Cronin won 28 games with last year, and you're sitting here knocking Mick Cronin for never winning the Big East and not winning a couple more games in a single elimination tournament.

Myopic UC fans are getting what they wished for.

I’m happy he’s gone, couldn’t stand his recruiting, his offense, his childish behavior... just an entitled ass. Couldn’t even play high school basketball “cue bullshit knee injury excuse”. He was a joke in the city and We will be better off.

He lost to Presbyterian, Ohio u, Harvard, Nevada, ecu, and many more shit teams.

[cincyguy13]

Originally Posted by skyblade

The two seniors on UCLA are 9th and 10th in minutes played in conference. Mick could have easily said he wasn't "in a place" to yank guys based on effort. Instead, he benched his senior starter (who started every game last year) and put a freshman in his place.

Brannen talks about defense and rebounding first, then starts the worst defensive and rebounding center UC has started in the last 20+ years.

He also puts up with lack of effort, intensity and rebounding from a number of the guards and forwards.

Let's hope you guys are right and once he gets his guys in here, things will improve. But it's hard to believe it.

We looked bad in all aspects of the game today.

Didn't Brannen Bench Jarron (the senior all american), and everyone freaked out? Wasn't that this year?
The difference is, Mick can put in another 4-star, brannen is puting in Chris mcneal or Zach Harvey, who had ankle surgey less than a year ago.