DEJA VU

[lumberjack]

The UC BEARCATS are what we think they are! It's like having a hard on and not being able to get off. Mick is very good at what he does. It is remarkable how he and his players can achieve this consistancy .Bottom third of the Big East. Apathy until a change is made. The little train that couldn't.SWG yells at the tv alot. He almost said as many f-bombs as Mick Cronin. The only difference was I was paying attention and listening to SWG. Close but no cigar. Failing at manhood when the girls pants come down. Premature brickeration. One more year of this is deja vu!

 

[lumberjack]

Other than that , Go Bearcats. They should win the Big East tourney and pigs will fly.

 

[Kingsley Court]

The UC BEARCATS are what we think they are! It's like having a hard on and not being able to get off.

Umm...what?

 

[bearcat jeff]

Quote from Doc "The difference Tuesday was Scottie Reynolds. UC has no Scottie Reynolds. In the race for Big East player of the year, Reynolds is 1 or 1A. He shares the photo with Wesley Johnson of Syracuse. Reynolds took one shot and scored no points in the first half. He finished with 15 points on a coolly efficient five second-half shots. When the Wildcats were in a jam, they knew where the ball had to go."

Been saying this for the past two seasons. It's the biggest thing that was lost when the disconnect from the past was severed. There wasn't anyone left connected to the tradition and winning attitude anymore. Van Excel, Buford, Martin, Maxiel, Hicks, Brannen all were locker room and floor police. They kept the team steady and they kept it together. This team lacks that. It is immature and has no floor leader. That coupled with a very poor basketball iq, i.e. two 3 point shots down 4 with less than a minute to play, is what has killed this team.

Vaughn for all his heart is not that guy. He sulks just like the rest of the team does and his basketball iq isn't very strong. He should have known the Bearcats were killing Villanova in the paint. Bishop could be that guy next season if he steps up and takes the responsibility. He understands the game. Lance has the toughness and talent for it but lacks maturity.

The late game poor decisions, whether it is due to players doing their own thing or not, falls on Mick Cronin. It is a refelection of him being able to coach his players to execute. I think Mick Cronin is a decent X and O guy, but has a team of players that panic and choose to take poor shots after a play breaks down, or to take the first shot open rather than let the play develope. Part of that is poor iq, part of it is the players not having confidence in the coach.

All issues are alleviated by winning. Players learn how to win big games. Players gain confindence in the coach by winning in big game situations. Players come together as a team and trust each other by winning big games.

I have loved the effort of the past two games and think even in losing they are arguably the best two games this team has played. However, the issues I mentioned above may cost the coach his job. Is it fair? No, it's not, but it has kept a fractured fan base from coming together and attendance continues to be down as well. How long in the current financial situation can the admin support Mick Cronin? Time will tell.

 

[swg]

I went to Lumber's house to watch the game. My wife wasn't thrilled about delaying Idol. LOL
It's like a bad movie...there's some good parts, some really bad stretches, and you know how it's going to turn out.

 

[adrock]

Last night's game was an absolute heartbreaker on several levels:

1. We lost.
2. Fans came late for Senior Night...probably 1000 fans in the stands to acknowledge the seniors.
3. Fans left early when we were down 16 with 5 minutes left. A lead that was diminished to 1 late in the game, giving us a chance to win.

It was embarrassing to see such little fan support. I'm not blaming fans that didn't come to the game, I'm simply stating that I was embarrassed for my team and my school.

To address the OP's remarks: Though I understand fan frustration (I feel it too), taking the 2nd best team in the best conference in the nation to the wire is not something to be ashamed of. These guys played their hearts out for us last night and showed more guts than I've seen a Bearcat team show in quite a while. Let's not crap all over their effort. And as for Mick's ability as a coach...I'll take a coach any day that comes within inches of beating a top 5 team with a much less talented squad.

 

[bearcat jeff]

And as for Mick's ability as a coach...I'll take a coach any day that comes within inches of beating a top 5 team with a much less talented squad.

This team has lost 10 games by 8 or fewer points. 5 of which were by 4 or less. All due to poor execution, not talent. Like it or not that IS coaching. It may not be Mick's fault, but it is Mick's job to ensure they execute. If this team could pay attention to detail, and realize how important they are, they easily could have 21 or 22 wins and be 12-4, 11-5 in league play. Again, I love Mick, but he isn't getting it done like it or not. Failure to execute comes down to coaching, fairly or unfairly. The teams that execute win. The teams that don't lose. Players play, but coaches are responsible for wins and losses. I don't think this is all Mick's fault but it is his responsibility. Close don't count. They are right there! Right there may not be enough.

 

[adrock]

Jeff, I agree. The head coach is ultimately responsible for everything that happens on the court, in the same way a CEO is responsible for stock prices. Even if it has nothing to do with his actual in-game coaching, if a player screws up, he chose to bring that player to the university.

I think that's what's happening here. Deonta hasn't screwed up per se, but he is the only player in a position to lead this team on the floor. Problem is, he's not a leader. That's just not him, and you can't make someone what they're not.

When Deonta leaves this team, he's leaving it better than he found it. However, he'll also be opening the way for a more vocal leader on the court. Lance? Rashad? Dion? Shoot, Yancy (in an Eric Hicks-like turnaround)??

Mick IS responsible for putting Deonta on the floor, and asking him to be a leader...an experiment which has undoubtedly failed. I believe though that Mick had no better choice at the time.

I think we'll all be pleasantly surprised next season. Yeah, I'm an eternal optimist.

 

[BearcatAlum1]

The late game poor decisions, whether it is due to players doing their own thing or not, falls on Mick Cronin. It is a refelection of him being able to coach his players to execute. I think Mick Cronin is a decent X and O guy, but has a team of players that panic and choose to take poor shots after a play breaks down, or to take the first shot open rather than let the play develope. Part of that is poor iq, part of it is the players not having confidence in the coach.

The bad late game decisions do fall on Mick.

Personally, I was extremely disappointed when Mick didn't call a timeout with 1:44 remaining (approximately), we were down 4 points and DV had the ball right in front of Mick. Shot clock was down to 15 or so. We settled for a horrible shot that barely touched iron. Use one of the two remaining timeouts and draw up a play for Yancy in the post.

I also think a turning point was Lance's foul with 2 minutes left near halfcourt when we were down two (after cutting a 15 point deficit). Redding (I think) drilled two free throws and all the momentum was crushed b/c we fouled a ballhandler near midcourt.

 

[bearcat jeff]

The bad late game decisions do fall on Mick.

Personally, I was extremely disappointed when Mick didn't call a timeout with 1:44 remaining (approximately), we were down 4 points and DV had the ball right in front of Mick. Shot clock was down to 15 or so. We settled for a horrible shot that barely touched iron. Use one of the two remaining timeouts and draw up a play for Yancy in the post.

I also think a turning point was Lance's foul with 2 minutes left near halfcourt when we were down two (after cutting a 15 point deficit). Redding (I think) drilled two free throws and all the momentum was crushed b/c we fouled a ballhandler near midcourt.

Agree, about the foul on Lance. He is a frosh that plays hard and competes. Sometimes too hard. BTW, hated the officiating last night. thought it was very unequal. I have a bigger problem with the back to back 3's by Vaughn and Bishop that didn't fall. They are both experienced players that should have known we got back in the game by going to the basket. This team is better when they attack.

 

[BearcatAlum1]

Agree, about the foul on Lance. He is a frosh that plays hard and competes. Sometimes too hard. BTW, hated the officiating last night. thought it was very unequal. I have a bigger problem with the back to back 3's by Vaughn and Bishop that didn't fall. They are both experienced players that should have known we got back in the game by going to the basket. This team is better when they attack.

I think the Vaughn three was fine. Wide open. His miss (which was way off) is a microcosm of our season.

I wasn't too upset with the Bishop three, although two of my friends at the game were irate (they frequent this board, so I'm sure they'll voice displeasure).

Either way, I could justify Bishop driving the ball, Lance taking the pullup jumper, or DV taking one dribble and shot.

Gotta make open shots. Period.

 

[lumberjack]

Quote from Doc "The difference Tuesday was Scottie Reynolds. UC has no Scottie Reynolds. In the race for Big East player of the year, Reynolds is 1 or 1A. He shares the photo with Wesley Johnson of Syracuse. Reynolds took one shot and scored no points in the first half. He finished with 15 points on a coolly efficient five second-half shots. When the Wildcats were in a jam, they knew where the ball had to go."

Been saying this for the past two seasons. It's the biggest thing that was lost when the disconnect from the past was severed. There wasn't anyone left connected to the tradition and winning attitude anymore. Van Excel, Buford, Martin, Maxiel, Hicks, Brannen all were locker room and floor police. They kept the team steady and they kept it together. This team lacks that. It is immature and has no floor leader. That coupled with a very poor basketball iq, i.e. two 3 point shots down 4 with less than a minute to play, is what has killed this team.

Vaughn for all his heart is not that guy. He sulks just like the rest of the team does and his basketball iq isn't very strong. He should have known the Bearcats were killing Villanova in the paint. Bishop could be that guy next season if he steps up and takes the responsibility. He understands the game. Lance has the toughness and talent for it but lacks maturity.

The late game poor decisions, whether it is due to players doing their own thing or not, falls on Mick Cronin. It is a refelection of him being able to coach his players to execute. I think Mick Cronin is a decent X and O guy, but has a team of players that panic and choose to take poor shots after a play breaks down, or to take the first shot open rather than let the play develope. Part of that is poor iq, part of it is the players not having confidence in the coach.

All issues are alleviated by winning. Players learn how to win big games. Players gain confindence in the coach by winning in big game situations. Players come together as a team and trust each other by winning big games.

I have loved the effort of the past two games and think even in losing they are arguably the best two games this team has played. However, the issues I mentioned above may cost the coach his job. Is it fair? No, it's not, but it has kept a fractured fan base from coming together and attendance continues to be down as well. How long in the current financial situation can the admin support Mick Cronin? Time will tell.

Very well said. I guess my posting is more from an uneducated woodsman from the great north.