Hoping for Cronin wake up call.

[bearcat1962]

After seeing the inept offense again for 2013, one would assume that some eyes have been opened as to why this program struggles. Coach Cronin recruits for defense 1st, then offense as a bonus. This formula has worked for coaches in the past but one thing always was a hallmark of those said programs. They always progressed each year. We are not seeing this with Coach. With the exception of Killa and Stephenson, no one has come here with an offensive resume' since the Cronin era began. And he cannot teach offense or cannot command the respect to get his players to buy in to what he is teaching. Either way, it is a fatal flaw. The water downed league we will be heading in to will help us look better than we are in the future, but come March, we will be exposed.

 

[bearcat jeff]

After seeing the inept offense again for 2013, one would assume that some eyes have been opened as to why this program struggles. Coach Cronin recruits for defense 1st, then offense as a bonus. This formula has worked for coaches in the past but one thing always was a hallmark of those said programs. They always progressed each year. We are not seeing this with Coach. With the exception of Killa and Stephenson, no one has come here with an offensive resume' since the Cronin era began. And he cannot teach offense or cannot command the respect to get his players to buy in to what he is teaching. Either way, it is a fatal flaw. The water downed league we will be heading in to will help us look better than we are in the future, but come March, we will be exposed.

The offense is horrible but you're wrong to lay it all at Mick's feet. This team gets many open looks and simply misses them. They miss wide open threes and they miss lay ups and short jumpers. Throw in 21 turnovers, or 21 trips you fail to get a shot, and you're not beating anyone. The players are playing horribly. I agree the scheme needs tweaked to bes fit what he has now, and in my opinion that's 4guards, but he can't shot, dribble and pass for these guys. This is a team whose confidence is completely gone. If you watch them they are just hoping for something good to happen and lack the will to make it happen. Louisville had 12 steals last night and that is the reason they shot 48% (breakaway layups).

 

[TheLongHaul]

4 guards isn't going to help anything. It'll probably hurt. There isn't another guard that is very good so why put in an average guard and remove any resemblance of interior defense and rebounding?

They should be pushing the tempo offensively at all times. If Cash doesn't want to do it, take him out. It's what Mick should have done in the early part of the season.

 

[bearcat jeff]

4 guards isn't going to help anything. It'll probably hurt. There isn't another guard that is very good so why put in an average guard and remove any resemblance of interior defense and rebounding?

They should be pushing the tempo offensively at all times. If Cash doesn't want to do it, take him out. It's what Mick should have done in the early part of the season.

How do you know? You're for doing nothing? What we know is what they are doing isn't working period end of story. You have to let guys play for them to improve. You KNOW you're going no where with the current line up. Again, what the hell will it hurt to try?

 

[cincycpaw]

Mick inability to recruit a bench that is helpful and a big that can finish around the rim are big problems. Help is on the way...but Cash, Parker, and Mbodj will be gone. Hopefully the 2014 class will have some difference makers in a couple of years to compliment the great 2013 class coming in.

You simply cannot say this is all the players fault and the head coach has little responsibility. It's not like it's changed all year. If his offense is to get open 3 looks, he has failed this team as they can't hit enough to win consistently.

 

[TheLongHaul]

How do you know? You're for doing nothing? What we know is what they are doing isn't working period end of story. You have to let guys play for them to improve. You KNOW you're going no where with the current line up. Again, what the hell will it hurt to try?

Do nothing? I just explained what I'd do. Sanders isn't very good. Thomas has potential but isn't there yet. Guyn is average. Can't imagine putting in more average players is going to help any.

 

[bearcat jeff]

Mick inability to recruit a bench that is helpful and a big that can finish around the rim are big problems. Help is on the way...but Cash, Parker, and Mbodj will be gone. Hopefully the 2014 class will have some difference makers in a couple of years to compliment the great 2013 class coming in.

You simply cannot say this is all the players fault and the head coach has little responsibility. It's not like it's changed all year. If his offense is to get open 3 looks, he has failed this team as they can't hit enough to win consistently.

You say you can't blame players and end with this? It is the coaches and players fault. He has recruited a bench. Thomas and Sanders were very highly thought of by many and seen to have great potential. You have to develop a bench. That's where the staff has failed and I said it near the end of non-conf. Guys have to play in more than blow out games. They have to be allowed to play in some pressure to grow. Playing only against teams your athletic ability and size alone can overcome does not develop players.

Mick is like Dusty Baker in that he puts everything on veterans regardless of how they're playing and he doesn't allow young guys to develop on the court, only in practice.

 

[BearcatMick]

They are fine. We lost to a good ul team on their home court. Our rpi and SOS both went up today.

Well destroy usf and advance to the finals of the BE tourney. Then we are out of that dreaded 8/9 seed and advance into April. And everyone will be bi polar again but this time loving mick

 

[TheLongHaul]

They are fine. We lost to a good ul team on their home court. Our rpi and SOS both went up today.

Well destroy usf and advance to the finals of the BE tourney. Then we are out of that dreaded 8/9 seed and advance into April. And everyone will be bi polar again but this time loving mick

Yea, but UL was completely overconfident, right?

 

[Bearcat22]

You say you can't blame players and end with this? It is the coaches and players fault. He has recruited a bench. Thomas and Sanders were very highly thought of by many and seen to have great potential. You have to develop a bench. That's where the staff has failed and I said it near the end of non-conf. Guys have to play in more than blow out games. They have to be allowed to play in some pressure to grow. Playing only against teams your athletic ability and size alone can overcome does not develop players.

Mick is like Dusty Baker in that he puts everything on veterans regardless of how they're playing and he doesn't allow young guys to develop on the court, only in practice.

During the UCONN game one of the commentators remarked that Kevin Ollie (UCONN's Coach) over the course of the season draws up plays during timeouts for his younger guys or the non-stars to give them better in game experience to prepare them down the road. I thought it was a pretty good idea.

 

[cincycpaw]

You say you can't blame players and end with this? It is the coaches and players fault. He has recruited a bench. Thomas and Sanders were very highly thought of by many and seen to have great potential. You have to develop a bench. That's where the staff has failed and I said it near the end of non-conf. Guys have to play in more than blow out games. They have to be allowed to play in some pressure to grow. Playing only against teams your athletic ability and size alone can overcome does not develop players.

Mick is like Dusty Baker in that he puts everything on veterans regardless of how they're playing and he doesn't allow young guys to develop on the court, only in practice.

You can't only blame the players, epecially if the offense is designed for players with different skills.

Now you are just nitpicking between recruiting and developing. Either way the bench is not effective regularly.

Plenty of blame to go around really, including the fans for not showing up.

 

[TheLongHaul]

I frankly, couldn't care less about the bench. It'd be nice to have a couple players off the bench provide something but the starting 5 are the ones you ride to success and it is them not getting the job done.

 

[cincycpaw]

I frankly, couldn't care less about the bench. It'd be nice to have a couple players off the bench provide something but the starting 5 are the ones you ride to success and it is them not getting the job done.

We don't have a starting 5. At best a starting 4.

 

[bearcat4life]

Yea, but UL was completely overconfident, right?

hahahahahahahahahaha

 

[bearcat4life]

my biggest concern is the inability to in bound the ball under the hoop. this has been a constant struggle over the past couple of years. we failed 5 times yesterday. we took 2 timeouts in a row, then on the 3rd try, turned it over. we also turned it over 2 more times. the most embarrassing part about was that raftery said that we worked on that in shootaround. you need to send wright beyond half court every play and just let mbodj or Jackson post up. if you do one of those 2 every time, we will not have such a hard time.

 

[Scheids21]

We don't have a starting 5. At best a starting 4.

Good one?

 

[bearcat jeff]

You can't only blame the players, epecially if the offense is designed for players with different skills.

Now you are just nitpicking between recruiting and developing. Either way the bench is not effective regularly.

Plenty of blame to go around really, including the fans for not showing up.

I'm not nitpicking between recruiting and development. The two go hand in hand.

Longhaul, you do ride the starting 5 but elite teams have guys that come off the bench and give you minutes without a drop. They know their roles and there are typically 1-2 who can score.

 

[ready2go]

The offense is horrible but you're wrong to lay it all at Mick's feet. This team gets many open looks and simply misses them. They miss wide open threes and they miss lay ups and short jumpers. Throw in 21 turnovers, or 21 trips you fail to get a shot, and you're not beating anyone. The players are playing horribly. I agree the scheme needs tweaked to bes fit what he has now, and in my opinion that's 4guards, but he can't shot, dribble and pass for these guys. This is a team whose confidence is completely gone. If you watch them they are just hoping for something good to happen and lack the will to make it happen. Louisville had 12 steals last night and that is the reason they shot 48% (breakaway layups).

You sure about that?

I cant recall many uncontested looks this team has had. They do miss a lot of close attempts, but the majority of those are contested and we usually end up blaming our lack of being aggressive.

The 3's we miss are not in rythem or in the context of any kind of offense. They are usually off of one or two passes with no flow

Look at how many teams get open looks. For us, everytime down the floor is draining. We do nothing to help these guys get true looks at the basket in the frame of an "offense"

 

[PakMan]

More Shaq, more Guyn. Less Rubles. For the love of God, LESS RUBLES!!!!!

They'll be okay as long as they make the tournament, they'll be a tough out. It's a new season come tournament time.

 

[bearcat jeff]

You sure about that?

I cant recall many uncontested looks this team has had. They do miss a lot of close attempts, but the majority of those are contested and we usually end up blaming our lack of being aggressive.

The 3's we miss are not in rythem or in the context of any kind of offense. They are usually off of one or two passes with no flow

Look at how many teams get open looks. For us, everytime down the floor is draining. We do nothing to help these guys get true looks at the basket in the frame of an "offense"

Then you aren't watching objectively. This team misses more open looks than any team I can remember. I'm not saying they don't struggle on offense but they get open shots and shots around the basket.