Lance McAlister pushing buttons before the biggest game in Cronin's tenure

[JasonS]

In typical Lance fashion, he takes a story from an Arkansas newspaper and tries to get everyone all riled up instead of letting the fan base enjoy the tourney experience. I am tempted to quit following him on twitter because he does this crap all the time. After the way Kelly left last year, it is pretty crappy for a local sports host to take a story which basically says who is on Arkansas wish list and make it sound like Mick is interested. Bush league but not surprising. Here are his tweets.

LanceMcAlister Mick to arkansas?....woo pig sooie

Followed by:

LanceMcAlister Mick, Buzz, Turgeon, Marshall? http://arkansasnews.com/2011/03/16/basketball-demands-quick-turnaround/

He then has the nerve to reply to some fans like this:

@jkleinIV @2amw the way he's been treated here? Are you kidding me?

Their original comment was: @LanceMcAlister Is that really the rumor? I don't see anyway he leaves UC for another job. Do you?@2amw

followed by: @LanceMcAlister I can't see Mick taking on another rebuilding project.

I agree with this jkleinIV fellow. I could see Mick leaving for another job some day. Anything is possible but there is NO WAY he takes another rebuilding job right now when he is on the cusp of having an elite team in the best conference in America. He now has something to recruit to. If he was all about money, he would have never taken the job. Mick loves the University of Cincinnati and I don't see him leaving just yet. Couldn't Lance have waited until after UC's run to post this? I think so.

 

[Little Danny]

Yes its typical Lance but in addition, it is also typical Cincinnati media. Jason, if I recall you live in Columbus, just as I do. Can you image the media here reporting on the Buckeyes like the media in Cincinnati does to their sports teams?

The media in Cincinnati are always negative. They always like to perpetuate the notion that their sports teams are small potatoes, undeserving of ever being in the spotlight. It is as if they have a rooting interest in their failure. Now compare that to the Columbus media. Everyone knows the Blue Jackets and the Columbus Crew have little following. The Blue Jackets have been god-awful since the came into the NHL. Yet, if you read the paper or watch the news, you won't find a critical word. I won't even comment on the OSU coverage. It is 100% rosy, 100% of the time.

 

[JasonS]

Yes its typical Lance but in addition, it is also typical Cincinnati media. Jason, if I recall you live in Columbus, just as I do. Can you image the media here reporting on the Buckeyes like the media in Cincinnati does to their sports teams?

The media in Cincinnati are always negative. They always like to perpetuate the notion that their sports teams are small potatoes, undeserving of ever being in the spotlight. It is as if they have a rooting interest in their failure. Now compare that to the Columbus media. Everyone knows the Blue Jackets and the Columbus Crew have little following. The Blue Jackets have been god-awful since the came into the NHL. Yet, if you read the paper or watch the news, you won't find a critical word. I won't even comment on the OSU coverage. It is 100% rosy, 100% of the time.

You make a really good point.

 

[psax889906]

I have zero concern that Cronin will leave... what he will do is use things like this as leverage for the University to give him more benefits... higher pay, facility upgrades, etc...

 

[JasonS]

I have zero concern that Cronin will leave... what he will do is use things like this as leverage for the University to give him more benefits... higher pay, facility upgrades, etc...

And he should. I don't think he will leave either. I just didn't like the timing of it.

 

[Little Danny]

To reinforce what I was saying yesterday about Columbus media vs. Cincinnati media, 610 WTVN just fired Bruce Hooley, the guy who was most critical of Jim Tressel in regards to OSU's issues.

If Lance, P-DOC or anyone else criticizes UC in the Cincinnati media they probably get a pay raise.

http://www.610wtvn.com/

 

[dp3113]

it was reported he's one of four finalists. lance posted a link. he has to say some things to create interest in the story. cronin has been treated like shit by 90% of fans in cincy- thats a fair point. but lance has a duty to report it and has to make something out of it for his own livlihood to garner interest. the fact that we are talking about his posts shows that he is doing his job. lets not make this a bigger deal than it is.

 

[psax889906]

it was reported he's one of four finalists. lance posted a link. he has to say some things to create interest in the story. cronin has been treated like shit by 90% of fans in cincy- thats a fair point. but lance has a duty to report it and has to make something out of it for his own livlihood to garner interest. the fact that we are talking about his posts shows that he is doing his job. lets not make this a bigger deal than it is.

True... but I believe Danny's point still remains and is viable- It's Cincinnati syndrome. I don't think it's because guys in the media here are inherently bad. It's more the culture that's surrounded the majority of this city's sports teams over the past two decades. Things are changing for the better though (sans Bengals) as the Reds are a model organization right now and UC is on the way back in basketball and building a program in football.

 

[JasonS]

UC athletic director Mike Thomas said today that he has had discussions within the past week with basketball coach Mick Cronin and his representative about a contract extension.

“It’s our intention for Mick Cronin to be our basketball coach into the future,” Thomas said.

Cronin, who has received one contract extension since being hired in 2006 to rebuild the program, is under contract through 2014. Thomas said the discussions have been preliminary, with the length of a new contract yet to be settled on.

Thomas said he has heard rumors that Cronin is a candidate for the Arkansas job, but that no one from Arkansas has contacted him about Cronin, nor has Cronin mentioned anything to him about the job.

In his fifth year as the head coach, Cronin a UC graduate and Cincinnati native, has guided the Bearcats to a 25-8 record entering Thursday night’s NCAA Tournament game against Missouri after inheriting a program that had only one scholarship player and was facing academic penalties from the NCAA.

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/uc/2011/03/17/cronin-thomas-have-talked-about-a-new-contract/

 

[psax889906]

Dare we say it- responsible and timely journalism from Bill Koch!!!