It Feels Good

[bearcat jeff]

Watching the Unversity of Cincinnati win last was satisfying in many ways. From the beginning of the season this is the team that has heard what it couldn't do. It couldn't score without Vaughn and Stephenson here. It couldn't beat good competition. It couldn't win with it's coach. It couldn't overcome player issues. No matter what it did, it was always about what it couldn't do.

They weren't respected when they were rolling thru a soft non-conference schedule. When they did something positive there were always reasons why and reasons why what they were accomplishing wasn't real.

Beat Xavier by twenty and it was because they were still finding their way. Beat St. Johns on the road and it was because the Johnnies couldn't hit free throws. Beat Louisville and it's never mentioned. If only Georgetown would have had Chris Wright those two wins never would have happened. It went on and on and on.

Even leading up to their first round game and against Missouri in the NCAA Tournament you could hear it. Mike Gottfried called them a fraud and was upset they received a 6 seed. Doug Gottlieb wasn't impressed and had them wilting under the pressure of the Tiger press. Even during the game the announcers kept telling us when the Missouri press would start taking it's toll. Would it be midway thru the second half? No it'll start with 10 minutes left, well perhaps when there's five. Cincinnati answered every run the Tigers made and committed 11 turnovers against 40 minutes of hell defense. Once again they proved the critics wrong.

My heart has attached to this team like no other in my love of UC basketball. These Bearcats have overcome so much and been given so little love. From the soft non-conference schedule to having no players on the All Big East team, they have taken every obstacle in their way and broke it in pieces. When nobody else believed they did and they pushed forward with one purpose. They wanted to re-establish the name "Cincinnati Bearcats" among the nations elite programs.

This team may not be elite yet but they have made the Bearcat name once again relevant. Last night for the 26th time they proved the doubters wrong. Only this time it was in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. After hearing all the words, and reading all the articles and posts by experts and fans that said they couldn't do it that feels pretty good.

 

[Ryno99]

Jeff, if I could rep you I would, but I guess I give you too much too often that it won't let me. Great post. Damn it feels good to be a Bearcat fan today.

 

[JasonS]

Well said Jeff and let me add that no matter what happens tomorrow, I will always love this team. If they lose to UCONN tomorrow this was still an impressive and successful season. If they beat UCONN, the sky is the limit. We can begin to dream of the improbable. I know someone mentioned this before the tournament, but doesn't this team have a little bit of Huggs 92 Final Four team to it? That team was a 4 seed that never had to beat a seed better than it the entire tournament but other than that, the lack of respect seems similar. It was a long time ago and I was pretty young so maybe I am "misremembering" but this UC team could make an improbable run if they get past UCONN. This could go from fun to really fun really fast!

 

[bearcat jeff]

This group of seniors is one of the most important in the history of this program. One day I hope people will fully appreciate what they've fought through and accomplished. One day I hope everybody will see what a really good job Mick Cronin has done in the face of so many challenges. I'm simply proud to be a Bearcat fan.

 

[babcat]

I LOVE WINNING !!!!!!!!!!!

 

[adhdfan]

This why I see them beating UCONN. They will dive after loos balls, rebound, play great defense and make it hard for UCONN to socre. If we keep them below 70 I say we win. I also see Cash playing way better even than last night. He gets a great opportunity to lay it all on the line when he did not the first game. It is going to be a great sat night! Another thing to consider is that UCONN will not do anything that UC has not seen. This will also help with confidence when UCONN makes a run.. Plus Calhoun is a jerk and deserves to lose!!

 

[Amberlycolonel]

This why I see them beating UCONN. They will dive after loos balls, rebound, play great defense and make it hard for UCONN to socre. If we keep them below 70 I say we win. I also see Cash playing way better even than last night. He gets a great opportunity to lay it all on the line when he did not the first game. It is going to be a great sat night! Another thing to consider is that UCONN will not do anything that UC has not seen. This will also help with confidence when UCONN makes a run.. Plus Calhoun is a jerk and deserves to lose!!

Nice post. Could not agree with all of your points more.

 

[anbuc88]

Watching the Unversity of Cincinnati win last was satisfying in many ways. From the beginning of the season this is the team that has heard what it couldn't do. It couldn't score without Vaughn and Stephenson here. It couldn't beat good competition. It couldn't win with it's coach. It couldn't overcome player issues. No matter what it did, it was always about what it couldn't do.

They weren't respected when they were rolling thru a soft non-conference schedule. When they did something positive there were always reasons why and reasons why what they were accomplishing wasn't real.

Beat Xavier by twenty and it was because they were still finding their way. Beat St. Johns on the road and it was because the Johnnies couldn't hit free throws. Beat Louisville and it's never mentioned. If only Georgetown would have had Chris Wright those two wins never would have happened. It went on and on and on.

Even leading up to their first round game and against Missouri in the NCAA Tournament you could hear it. Mike Gottfried called them a fraud and was upset they received a 6 seed. Doug Gottlieb wasn't impressed and had them wilting under the pressure of the Tiger press. Even during the game the announcers kept telling us when the Missouri press would start taking it's toll. Would it be midway thru the second half? No it'll start with 10 minutes left, well perhaps when there's five. Cincinnati answered every run the Tigers made and committed 11 turnovers against 40 minutes of hell defense. Once again they proved the critics wrong.

My heart has attached to this team like no other in my love of UC basketball. These Bearcats have overcome so much and been given so little love. From the soft non-conference schedule to having no players on the All Big East team, they have taken every obstacle in their way and broke it in pieces. When nobody else believed they did and they pushed forward with one purpose. They wanted to re-establish the name "Cincinnati Bearcats" among the nations elite programs.

This team may not be elite yet but they have made the Bearcat name once again relevant. Last night for the 26th time they proved the doubters wrong. Only this time it was in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. After hearing all the words, and reading all the articles and posts by experts and fans that said they couldn't do it that feels pretty good.

Great post. This has been the most satisfying year to a Bearcat fan in a long time. I am proud to be a Bearcat, and things are only going to get better.