Mick's RECRUITING

[TheLongHaul]

What recruit would want to play for a team whose practice facility has bad acoustics? No wonder!

There are not many high schools gyms nicer than the Lindner center. Also, didn't the Lindner center open in 2006? Are you mixing it up with Armory? They even redid Armory to make it pretty nice.

There is nothing embarrassing about the facilities. The Shoe is outdated but mostly from a fans perspective. Again, and it doesn't seem like anyone wants to acknowledge this, but their weight room is state of the art which is also an important part of the facilities equation. I remember one recruit even saying is was better than OSU's.

The fact is that UC's facilities may not be state of the art but they are good enough to recruit with. It simply is not the reason top recruits aren't coming to UC.

 

[Gotcha23]

If it's not about blue chip/5 star players, what are you even talking about?

.....

Most good teams have 3-4 star recruits and the occasional 5.
I'm sorry but if you're not expecting us to be a Kentucky or a Duke, in terms of recruits, what's the point of this thread exactly?

I honestly have no idea what you're saying?? My point was I never said we need a bunch of 5 stars. We need Top 150 kids though. You can't compete on a regular basis with big time programs with the kids he has signed the last two classes. We are never going to be UK or Duke...I realize this

 

[Gotcha23]

These "fans" only come out of te woodwork when uc loses and immediately want mick fired. They are the guys who say "were gonna lose" after the other team makes a run to pull within 4 with 10 minutes to play

I know what you mean. They do but guess what?? These fans expect final fours, they expect big time players, they expect to run people out of the gym. Personally, I don't dispute that mindset. Fans and schools that expect greatness come the closest to it. Do you want fans to be alright with losing to St Johns and NM?? I sure as hell don't. Fans affect the program more than people think IMO.

 

[aronius]

We need Top 150 kids though. You can't compete on a regular basis with big time programs with the kids he has signed the last two classes.

Johnson and Morman are top 150 players and I would bet Caupain will be top 150 when the list is finalized. You could argue they need more talent in the front court, I won't dispute that, but the 3 guards coming in are very talented.

 

[JasonS]

What recruit would want to play for a team whose practice facility has bad acoustics? No wonder!

There are not many high schools gyms nicer than the Lindner center. Also, didn't the Lindner center open in 2006? Are you mixing it up with Armory? They even redid Armory to make it pretty nice.

There is nothing embarrassing about the facilities. The Shoe is outdated but mostly from a fans perspective. Again, and it doesn't seem like anyone wants to acknowledge this, but their weight room is state of the art which is also an important part of the facilities equation. I remember one recruit even saying is was better than OSU's.

The fact is that UC's facilities may not be state of the art but they are good enough to recruit with. It simply is not the reason top recruits aren't coming to UC.

No. Varsity Village opened in 2006 or whatever. The building attached to the shoe was there long before and no, I am not talking about the field house and that shitty rubber floor. You obviously have never been on that floor that UC practices on so I can see why you wouldn't understand how crappy it is.

 

[TheLongHaul]

No. Varsity Village opened in 2006 or whatever. The building attached to the shoe was there long before and no, I am not talking about the field house and that shitty rubber floor. You obviously have never been on that floor that UC practices on so I can see why you wouldn't understand how crappy it is.

I can guarantee you that I've been on whichever floor you are talking about.

Here is an exerpt from an article from a couple years ago:

UC included a practice facility as part of the construction of the Lindner Center, which opened in 2006, but Cronin calls it “a gym in the basement.”

They have since updated that "gym in the basement". And yes, I have played games in that gym and never had any issues whatsoever. I also played games in the Shoe without noticing much difference.

As for Armory (which is attached to the Shoemaker and has been there forever), unfortunately I spent a great amount of time in there and their rubber floors but they have since updated it with a nice and official UC basketball court.

 

[TheLongHaul]

Johnson and Morman are top 150 players and I would bet Caupain will be top 150 when the list is finalized. You could argue they need more talent in the front court, I won't dispute that, but the 3 guards coming in are very talented.

I think their 2013 class looks pretty darn good but getting an immediate impact player like Lawrence would be huge. Especially with their front court concerns.

 

[Gotcha23]

Johnson and Morman are top 150 players and I would bet Caupain will be top 150 when the list is finalized. You could argue they need more talent in the front court, I won't dispute that, but the 3 guards coming in are very talented.

That's my fault for not doing the research Three in the top 150 would be a great addition. I thought I didn't see them in there. Maybe ESPN is different.

 

[TheLongHaul]

According to Rivals, KJ is 114 and Morman is is 125.

 

[cincycpaw]

I think their 2013 class looks pretty darn good but getting an immediate impact player like Lawrence would be huge. Especially with their front court concerns.

I agree. I'm excited about this class even without Lawrence. But with him, it is a terrific class.

If next years class is this good or better than we know that the program and Mick have finally turned a corner.

 

[david aka the TYZ]

I can guarantee you that I've been on whichever floor you are talking about.

Here is an exerpt from an article from a couple years ago:

UC included a practice facility as part of the construction of the Lindner Center, which opened in 2006, but Cronin calls it “a gym in the basement.”

They have since updated that "gym in the basement". And yes, I have played games in that gym and never had any issues whatsoever. I also played games in the Shoe without noticing much difference.

As for Armory (which is attached to the Shoemaker and has been there forever), unfortunately I spent a great amount of time in there and their rubber floors but they have since updated it with a nice and official UC basketball court.

I recently took a tour of the facilities before one of the football games and I can say that the fieldhouse at this point in time is an absolute dump. The University doesn't know what to do with it and have talked of tearing it down but don't want to because of it's history. It currently is being used for storage and for various smaller sports to do various things in. Not sure where your info on this one is coming from. The Lindner Center was opened recently and is attached to the older facilities, so some parts are new and some are older. The practice gym is part of the newer wing and doesn't really stand out, even with the additions of color and sound proofing in the last year.

As far as the facilities as a whole, I agree that UC's isn't horrible. I also agree that a recruits final decision isn't coming down to which team has the better weight room, etc. And I think the argument for a poor arena is more that fans don't come to games rather than a recruit really caring that the facility itself is bad, which does affect recruiting. I personally don't think the university needs to spend the money at this point on a new arena. I think fans need to quit bellyaching and go to games to support the program. In the grand sceme of things a seat is a seat and you're there to watch a game, not get the best perks and ammenities. If people want that pony up the cash to make it happen. There are older arenas and bench seating all over America. I guess Cincinnatians just feel entitled to the better things in life without actually having to support and pay for it.

EDIT: the old rubber floor was torn out and a real floor added for basketball years back as you stated, but the fieldhouse itself is a dump and not used for anything of significance. In fact the guy doing the tour say they typically don't bring people in there or recruits because it literally looks like an abandoned warehouse, with broken windows and everything

 

[TheLongHaul]

^ My sole info on Armory was that they replaced the rubber floors with the basketball court (and it is attached to the Shoe). I agree the Armory is a dump overall, just stating that it doesn't have the rubber floors anymore....To my knowledge, UC basketball doesn't use it for anything. My point was the practice gym opened in 2006 not a long time ago as Jason suggests.

 

[Nomadic1]

I honestly have no idea what you're saying?? My point was I never said we need a bunch of 5 stars. We need Top 150 kids though.
You can't compete on a regular basis with big time programs with the kids he has signed the last two classes. We are never going to be UK or Duke...I realize this

Then I'm really confused. We've had top 150 kids. Do you mean to suggest, that we should have nothing but top 150 kids? At that point, you're basically saying we need to be a blue blood and a blue blood we aren't...

 

[mdchick]

you guys think just because people rate players and put them in "the top 150" category they are the players we need, Mick has a system, he is obviously making it work, he is having a solid season this year and made it to the sweet 16 last year................. Besides Tom Brady was drafted 199 in the draft and now he is the best QB of all time, just because they don't have hype on them doesn't mean they arn't as good as top teir prospects. MICK KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING, WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT THAN RESULTS???

 

[TheLongHaul]

Big East championships, final fours, etc??? Isn't that what all fans want?

 

[CPAW29]

Cincinnati fans in general don't know what they want

 

[Bcatfollower]

you guys think just because people rate players and put them in "the top 150" category they are the players we need, Mick has a system, he is obviously making it work, he is having a solid season this year and made it to the sweet 16 last year................. Besides Tom Brady was drafted 199 in the draft and now he is the best QB of all time, just because they don't have hype on them doesn't mean they arn't as good as top teir prospects. MICK KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING, WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT THAN RESULTS???

If he doesnt need them or they are not part of his plan then and rankings dont mean anything then why does he continually try to get top rated recruits?

 

[Gotcha23]

Then I'm really confused. We've had top 150 kids. Do you mean to suggest, that we should have nothing but top 150 kids? At that point, you're basically saying we need to be a blue blood and a blue blood we aren't...

Yea im saying we need all top 150 kids. We don't need 5 year projects. Plenty of teams recruit top talent every year that are not powerhouses. Marquette, Nova, St Johns (now), Uconn, Memphis...The list goes on. I can visibly see when watching this team play that we do not have the talent to compete with the big dogs in the tourney. There is a HUGE difference in our talent compared to 15 years ago here. I like these kids but they are just not that talented.

 

[CPAW29]

If he doesnt need them or they are not part of his plan then and rankings dont mean anything then why does he continually try to get top rated recruits?

because some kids that happen to be highly rated fits his system. he said himself he will not waste scholarships on just any body. he has to get kids that will play for him and be team oriented

 

[david aka the TYZ]

^ My sole info on Armory was that they replaced the rubber floors with the basketball court (and it is attached to the Shoe). I agree the Armory is a dump overall, just stating that it doesn't have the rubber floors anymore....To my knowledge, UC basketball doesn't use it for anything. My point was the practice gym opened in 2006 not a long time ago as Jason suggests.

Yeah it's a shame that a place with that much history has no use and sits just short of shambles at this point. I asked why they didn't use it for an indoor practice field instead of building the bubble and they said that was considered but it was slightly too small, also said they couldn't use it for an indoor track facility for the same reason. I guess at one point the basketball team used it for practice (I was a student from 96-97 to 99-00 and I know it was then, but it was also the open gym for students and where the dance team practice which was always nice) and I want to say when they got the new state-of-the-art floor at the Shoe they moved the old floor to the fieldhouse and that's what replaced the rubber floor. Don't quote me on that though. Obviously they practice in the new gym now, which looks nothing more than an old YMCA gym or something. I don't think Mick liked the openness of it for a practice gym and I can understand that. There are athletes that use the open area for stuff. I think there were some shot put stuff in there and they said athletes will still go run laps in there. The one thing I will say in UC's favor is it has a great engineering program and an even better architectural program so it will always utilize it's space and I'm sure they will find good use for it. I thought it would make a really cool weight room. Keep the arched ceiling and the seats and let the athletes work out on the same floor that Oscar roamed and it's two national titles and five straight final fours were built on. That's pretty good motivation in and of itself.