As the word came out of UC today that Mick Cronin would be back next year, the Bearcats fan base gave its standard angry reaction. People seemed puzzled or even shocked.
As if everyone expected Cronin to be gone this year?
First off, everyone understands the frustration within the program. Everyone there is disappointed by the results of this season and hoped for better than the current 16-13 mark and almost certain exclusion from the NCAA Tournament for the fifth consecutive season.
But this shouldn't be a shock. Less than a month ago I documented the trend of when coaches are fired in the power conferences of college basketball. The two I chose to dissect that day were the Big East and the ACC.
Here is that post, which will delve into all the gritty details.
The point of them is this: top programs don't fire coaches after four years unless it has been an absolute catastrophe. They certainly don't do it when the pile of rubble remaing was what Cronin took over. And even moreso if they would have to pay them $1.5 million.
Here's a little exceprt of that post that showed when coaches were being let go:
Now, Mick Cronin entered his fourth year as head coach this season with a 42-52 overall record and was 18-34 in the Big East. That includes a 2-14 season his first year when myself and Pete Rose could have earned playing time in an epic rebuilding project.
UC has improved each year under his guidance. Last year they were 18-14 and 8-10 in the conference. That will likely be about the same this year.
http://cnati.com/blogs/paul/2010/03/why-the-surprise-over-cronins-return.php
As if everyone expected Cronin to be gone this year?
First off, everyone understands the frustration within the program. Everyone there is disappointed by the results of this season and hoped for better than the current 16-13 mark and almost certain exclusion from the NCAA Tournament for the fifth consecutive season.
But this shouldn't be a shock. Less than a month ago I documented the trend of when coaches are fired in the power conferences of college basketball. The two I chose to dissect that day were the Big East and the ACC.
Here is that post, which will delve into all the gritty details.
The point of them is this: top programs don't fire coaches after four years unless it has been an absolute catastrophe. They certainly don't do it when the pile of rubble remaing was what Cronin took over. And even moreso if they would have to pay them $1.5 million.
Here's a little exceprt of that post that showed when coaches were being let go:
Now, Mick Cronin entered his fourth year as head coach this season with a 42-52 overall record and was 18-34 in the Big East. That includes a 2-14 season his first year when myself and Pete Rose could have earned playing time in an epic rebuilding project.
UC has improved each year under his guidance. Last year they were 18-14 and 8-10 in the conference. That will likely be about the same this year.
http://cnati.com/blogs/paul/2010/03/why-the-surprise-over-cronins-return.php
