Faith in Mick

[swg]

I’m not down on the UC Bearcats.

I never have been, so why start now?

The Bearcats play hard. They just don’t always play smart, and that’s why they are 15-11 overall and 6-8 in the Big East after their 79-76 overtime loss to visiting Marquette on Sunday.

I have faith in Mick Cronin. He’s a good coach who knows what he’s doing. UC has a ton of athletes. What it needs is better — more consistent — guard play.

Cronin needs five years to get the ‘Cats into the NCAA Tournament. The 2010-11 season will be his fifth.

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/ludwig/2010/02/21/faith-in-mick-cronin/

 

[Thegreatone]

Not agreeing or disagreeing but we should give mick our full support as fans but I hope the administration at least takes a look at who might be interested.

 

[swg]

I think we should always support the team. We can debate whether the coach is doing a good job, or if a player is struggling/deserving playing time.
The real question is what is needed to improve, and who fits into that equation.

 

[TheLivingLegend]

I have faith in Mick Cronin. He’s a good coach who knows what he’s doing.

That is seriously a questionable statement. Like Mick or hate him, but watch his sets, there not impressive. Watch his substitution patterns, there not impressive. He cant motivate his players, most would agree.

Obviously people believe differently so let me as this question.
Strictly based on coaching, what does mick do well? (I don't care about the past situations, the players he has, anything like that... just on coaching)

 

[swg]

Don't look at me, I just posted the blog notes.

 

[ralph1950]

That is seriously a questionable statement. Like Mick or hate him, but watch his sets, there not impressive. Watch his substitution patterns, there not impressive. He cant motivate his players, most would agree.

Obviously people believe differently so let me as this question.
Strictly based on coaching, what does mick do well? (I don't care about the past situations, the players he has, anything like that... just on coaching)

Mick knows the same X's and O's as all the other coaches. Yesterday he was making a point to Lance and Yancy that if they do not give 100% effort they are going to sit.

The team is still in the rebuilding process from the decisions made 5 years ago. That is why Mick was guaranteed a minimum of 6 years at the start.
UC recognized that he was doing a remarkable rebuilding job, having overachieved in years 2 & 3, and extended his contract for two more years. The problem with overachieving is fans expect more than they should. Mick is on track with the rebuilding process.

A coach who did not know his job was safe would probably have continued to play Lance and Yancy, but Mick knowing he has at least 4 more years finally said to himself it is time to bench Yancy and Lance, win or lose.

 

[Thegreatone]

Mick knows the same X's and O's as all the other coaches. Yesterday he was making a point to Lance and Yancy that if they do not give 100% effort they are going to sit.

The team is still in the rebuilding process from the decisions made 5 years ago. That is why Mick was guaranteed a minimum of 6 years at the start.
UC recognized that he was doing a remarkable rebuilding job, having overachieved in years 2 & 3, and extended his contract for two more years. The problem with overachieving is fans expect more than they should. Mick is on track with the rebuilding process.

A coach who did not know his job was safe would probably have continued to play Lance and Yancy, but Mick knowing he has at least 4 more years finally said to himself it is time to bench Yancy and Lance, win or lose.

Agreed.

 

[Thegreatone]

That is seriously a questionable statement. Like Mick or hate him, but watch his sets, there not impressive. Watch his substitution patterns, there not impressive. He cant motivate his players, most would agree.
Obviously people believe differently so let me as this question.
Strictly based on coaching, what does mick do well? (I don't care about the past situations, the players he has, anything like that... just on coaching)

Agreed

 

[ready2go]

Mick knows the same X's and O's as all the other coaches. Yesterday he was making a point to Lance and Yancy that if they do not give 100% effort they are going to sit.

The team is still in the rebuilding process from the decisions made 5 years ago. That is why Mick was guaranteed a minimum of 6 years at the start.
UC recognized that he was doing a remarkable rebuilding job, having overachieved in years 2 & 3, and extended his contract for two more years. The problem with overachieving is fans expect more than they should. Mick is on track with the rebuilding process.

A coach who did not know his job was safe would probably have continued to play Lance and Yancy, but Mick knowing he has at least 4 more years finally said to himself it is time to bench Yancy and Lance, win or lose.

Ok I am sure he knows his x's and o's, otherwise he wouldn't have gotten the job.

Does he HOWEVER adjust in the games with his x's and o's. Meaning out of timeouts does he have good looks at the basket or good defensive sets? At halftime, does he make good adjustments? At the end of games does he have a go to set or a play to draw up to put the cats over the top?

Using one example here, yes it is one, but this has summed up the season for me yesterday. In OT, Marquette in bounded in their end. Dan Hoard, Chuck Machock and even the telecasters pointed out that Marquette would send a guy deep here for an easy dunk. What happened??

Terance Nelson said last night that if you are going to go for the steel in that situation by putting all players up front, you have to put a big man on the ball. We put a guard which made it an easy throw and dunk.

 

[adrock]

Does he HOWEVER adjust in the games with his x's and o's.

Yes.

Meaning out of timeouts does he have good looks at the basket or good defensive sets?

Yes.

At halftime, does he make good adjustments?

No.

At the end of games does he have a go to set or a play to draw up to put the cats over the top?

Yes.

Frankly, I don't know where the "Mick doesn't understand the game of basketball" theory came from. I'm even more astounded that people keep repeating it in spite of evidence to the contrary. Out of a timeout when we're on offense, we score more often than not. Out of a timeout when we're on defense, we force a bad shot more often than not.

At the end of games, there are always open looks to be had. This is by Mick's design. The catch by Thomas at the end of the game yesterday, who handed off to a streaking Cashmere was a well drawn-up play. Cash just didn't pass it quite as crisply as he needed to to Deonta, and Deonta missed the open shot. That's not on the coach.

 

[TheLivingLegend]

Frankly, I don't know where the "Mick doesn't understand the game of basketball" theory came from. I'm even more astounded that people keep repeating it in spite of evidence to the contrary.

In bounding the ball to Thomas to take free throws? Get the ball in some one elses hands.

Our last shot in regulation was a terrible set up? Needed a better play.

Mick might understand some aspects of the game, but here is his problem. He over analyzes EVERYTHING. If he would take a step back, he would be much better IMO. At the end of the game you put your best 5 on the court, its pretty simple. The reason for Yancy not playing was mear a joke.

Ill continue to say this, our offensive sets are NOT GOOD. They simply arent, we dont do anything except stand around. Hell the announcer even said "looks like a bunch of white standing around". That sir is not a good offense, and directly correlates to mick. Sure the offense "looked" better yest, because some shots where made. But on the season its been awful. Breaking a 2-3 zone apparently is the hardest concept to grasp. O wait that was leaned in grade school.

 

[DontMissHim]

Mick knows the same X's and O's as all the other coaches. Yesterday he was making a point to Lance and Yancy that if they do not give 100% effort they are going to sit.

The team is still in the rebuilding process from the decisions made 5 years ago. That is why Mick was guaranteed a minimum of 6 years at the start.
UC recognized that he was doing a remarkable rebuilding job, having overachieved in years 2 & 3, and extended his contract for two more years. The problem with overachieving is fans expect more than they should. Mick is on track with the rebuilding process.

A coach who did not know his job was safe would probably have continued to play Lance and Yancy, but Mick knowing he has at least 4 more years finally said to himself it is time to bench Yancy and Lance, win or lose.

Dont you think its a bit late to be sending messages? This would have been better, oh say in late december? Sending messages with 4 games left and in the heat of a tournament run against a team you need to beat is simply bad coaching.

 

[ready2go]

In bounding the ball to Thomas to take free throws? Get the ball in some one elses hands.

Our last shot in regulation was a terrible set up? Needed a better play.

Mick might understand some aspects of the game, but here is his problem. He over analyzes EVERYTHING. If he would take a step back, he would be much better IMO. At the end of the game you put your best 5 on the court, its pretty simple. The reason for Yancy not playing was mear a joke.

Ill continue to say this, our offensive sets are NOT GOOD. They simply arent, we dont do anything except stand around. Hell the announcer even said "looks like a bunch of white standing around". That sir is not a good offense, and directly correlates to mick. Sure the offense "looked" better yest, because some shots where made. But on the season its been awful. Breaking a 2-3 zone apparently is the hardest concept to grasp. O wait that was leaned in grade school.

Agreed!!

I'm not seeing it adrock. It is not all Micks fault either. He is just not experienced enough or good enough coach to jump from Murray St. to the Big East.

He has a lot! to learn. Not sure he has that much time before more and more fans start calling for his head.

Oh and his best Offesnive set was against USF when he told his players to clear the paint and go 1 on 1. In that case where do i sign up to make hundereds of thousands?

 

[ralph1950]

Ok I am sure he knows his x's and o's, otherwise he wouldn't have gotten the job.

Does he HOWEVER adjust in the games with his x's and o's. Meaning out of timeouts does he have good looks at the basket or good defensive sets? At halftime, does he make good adjustments? At the end of games does he have a go to set or a play to draw up to put the cats over the top?

Using one example here, yes it is one, but this has summed up the season for me yesterday. In OT, Marquette in bounded in their end. Dan Hoard, Chuck Machock and even the telecasters pointed out that Marquette would send a guy deep here for an easy dunk. What happened??

Terance Nelson said last night that if you are going to go for the steel in that situation by putting all players up front, you have to put a big man on the ball. We put a guard which made it an easy throw and dunk.

Steel is metal, steal is what you do in a game. Anyway, sometimes strategy fails, sometimes a player who was supposed to be back goes brain dead and goes up instead of back. None of us knows which happened, bad strategy or bad execution by a player.

 

[ralph1950]

Agreed!!

I'm not seeing it adrock. It is not all Micks fault either. He is just not experienced enough or good enough coach to jump from Murray St. to the Big East.

He has a lot! to learn. Not sure he has that much time before more and more fans start calling for his head.

Oh and his best Offesnive set was against USF when he told his players to clear the paint and go 1 on 1. In that case where do i sign up to make hundereds of thousands?

Fans calling for his head have no bearing, Mick knows he is secure, when he took the job he was guaranteed six years minimum.

 

[swg]

Mick is under serious pressure, and he's not even below .500. I can only imagine what it was like to be on a UC board right after the firings of Huggins and Kennedy.

We need to pace ourselves, because MC isn't going anywhere, anytime soon.

 

[ready2go]

Steel is metal, steal is what you do in a game. Anyway, sometimes strategy fails, sometimes a player who was supposed to be back goes brain dead and goes up instead of back. None of us knows which happened, bad strategy or bad execution by a player.

This is a run on sentence.

 

[ready2go]

Fans calling for his head have no bearing, Mick knows he is secure, when he took the job he was guaranteed six years minimum.

False! Absolutely false!!

College Basketball is still a business. Say what you want, but it is. I am not saying it is right either.

When fans want changes, they more than likely will get them. Especially when those fans have LOTS of money in the program. Also, not to mention that attendance is way down from past years.

People in the Athletic Dept. are human, not computers. They feel the heat and stress put on by the fans.

 

[TheLivingLegend]

We need to pace ourselves, because MC isn't going anywhere, anytime soon.

Im not so sure I believe that. While he has time under his contract, Mike Thomas has to be under SERIOUS heat from fans and people with money... To say mick is a lock for next year is a stretch. I believe he will be around, but I say if we dont make the NCAA, and finish 1-4 he has a 30% chance of being out a job, IMO.

Maybe I'm wishful thinking, I guess time will tell.

 

[swg]

I think he gets five years. Being around next year is not a certainty, but I would put my money on that.