There Goes Cronin......Again.

[jhelmes37]

P.Doc's article from this morning:

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20110106/COL03/301060110

Just when I thought U.C. had outclassed us last night........Cronin goes off and says that Villanova is a bigger game than us.

Now, he's probably right. But why in the hell would you ever say it out loud to a media member. Totally bashing us after already beating the hell out of us on the court.

Last year, there were a number of games that I thought were more meaningful than U.C. Like, for instance, all three of our tournament games. You know, the tournament that U.C. missed.

The difference: Chris Mack would NEVER tell a reporter that the U.C. game isn't very important.

Stay classy, Mick.

[GoMuskies]

Mick Cronin is a moron.

[Power]

Just coach speak. UC could have played Duke last night he would have said that. He is trying to keep his guys focused. Your making something out of nothing.

[DC Muskie]

Nova is UC's Super Bowl. And since they have only beaten the Wildcats once, you can imagine that it's a big game.

That's how UC views things. By Super Bowls.

[jhelmes37]

Just coach speak. UC could have played Duke last night he would have said that. He is trying to keep his guys focused. Your making something out of nothing.

I 100% do not agree with you. No coach should ever say in the media that an upcoming game is more important than a game against another team. Especially when they just beat said team by 20. That is only adding insult to injury.

Every coach needs to maintain that the most important game is the next one you play.

Obviously, Florida was a much bigger game for us than Albany. Did you hear Mack say that Florida is a "much bigger game" for us after we beat Albany? No. Why? Out of respect to the coach of Albany and to the players that just played the game. It's extremely rude and disrespectful.

He may have said it behind closed doors to the team, but not to the media.

[boozehound]

If there was ever anybody who needed a good ass-kicking, Mick Cronin is that guy.

[X-band '01]

Just add it to the bulletin board for next year's Shootout.

After all, he was bursting to say it for 4 years.

[sash19]

Just add it to the bulletin board for next year's Shootout.

After all, he was bursting to say it for 4 years.


F Mick Cronin....They were the better team last night however he will NEVER be the better coach unless the criteria is how yellow your teeth can be! Ever hear of teeth whitning napolean???

[xuwin]

Nova is UC's Super Bowl. And since they have only beaten the Wildcats once, you can imagine that it's a big game.

That's how UC views things. By Super Bowls.

Xavier is UC's Super Bowl. It's the only game that they sell out.

[GuyFawkes38]

Just coach speak. UC could have played Duke last night he would have said that. He is trying to keep his guys focused. Your making something out of nothing.

yeah, I really do think this is right.

UC has had an awful few years of playing really, really badly after the crosstown.

Lets not be too sensitive.

[Filthy Chilean]

If there was ever anybody who needed a good ass-kicking, Mick Cronin is that guy.

It wouldn't be too difficult, kinda like the midget in dayton.

[Power]

A win over Nova at their place would be a better win then X at home. Mick has put together a much better team than CMack right now and they would win 9 out of 10 games. It was a big game for the fans but not in terms of tournament selection. Nova IS a bigger game and it is not up for debate.

I am sorry it hurt your feelings but it was a true statement. X will be OK. They will make a run at the tournament still. I will be rooting for X.

[Muskied]

I don't lik Mick as much as the next guy, but I don't disagree with what he said.
A, because he's being consistant. If he downplays the game when they lose, he can't say it's a huge game when they win.

2, because it's true. I don't care if it's right after the game. He's not disrespecting Xavier...it's matter of fact, a conference game on the road is a bigger game, and his team has a quick turn around to get prepared. I hope Mack is saying the same thing to our players, and would be fine if his comments were related to preparing for Rhode Island.

[gladdenguy]

I really need Villanova to smack them in the mouth....please

[gregsweeney]

Didn't hear the entire quote but I believe Cronin was also referring to how decimated X's roster had become. UC expected to win last night as they should have. If UC couldn't knock off the worst X team in many years it would be a serious blow.

UC's performance against Villinova will be a much better indicator of whether this year's Bearcats are any different than Cronin's previous crews.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

I disagree with all of you that said it wasn't a slight against XU. When you crush your crosstown rival at home and a reporter asks you that the right answer is always along the lines of respecting your rival and the game itself.

Cronin is a douche...period end of story. You can bring to light to a major conference matchup and pay respect at the same time. Cronin has been there 5 years is now 2-3 against us and has never seen the NCAA tourney from the view from the bench during that time.

He is up now but graduates 5 guys after this year year is done and maybe his view won't be so rosy 12 months from now.

His remark, although benign on the surface, really showed how classless he really is.

[xsteve1]

I really need Villanova to smack them in the mouth....please

Yea I hope UC suffers post shootout letdown. The media in this town is giddy right now.

[Muskied]

With all due respect, I think everyone is crying cus we got our asses kicked. So what about Mick said....know how you prevent that...win. Who cares if the media is giddy...they only talk about UC anyways...win or lose, so what's the difference. We have to take it like they've taken it from us 8 out of the last 10 years, and know that we'll have the ability to beat them by 30 next year, and flip the landscape once again. On to the next one-

[mplebanon]

Pretty petty to be upset with Cronin's comments. We have plenty of our own problems and you're worried about what an opposing coach says?

And honestly, with their weak OOC schedule, Big East games are MORE IMPORTANT than the Crosstown Shootout. What UC does in the Big East will either make or break their chances of making the NCAA Tournament.

I'm more worried about no-show Dante Jackson. I'm more worried about Tu embarrassing us with his classless actions and if this is going to be an ongoing problem or just a Crosstown Shootout problem. I liked what I saw of Kenny last night, but late in the game, I saw him open and the guards weren't getting him the ball. Lyons is non existent too. Teams are going to shut down Tu from here on out and he's going to get more and more frustrated. Is he going to be immature about it again? We can't afford to have Tu ejected or in foul trouble because of his immaturity. Kenny has shown improvement and should get the ball more. McLean is the king of cleaning up around the basket. Gotta give him props for being one of the few who showed up to play.

Who cares what Cronin says? We lost. The game is over. What we do and what they do from here on out is going to determine alot for both teams.

[xavierj]

Pretty petty to be upset with Cronin's comments. We have plenty of our own problems and you're worried about what an opposing coach says?

And honestly, with their weak OOC schedule, Big East games are MORE IMPORTANT than the Crosstown Shootout. What UC does in the Big East will either make or break their chances of making the NCAA Tournament.

I'm more worried about no-show Dante Jackson. I'm more worried about Tu embarrassing us with his classless actions and if this is going to be an ongoing problem or just a Crosstown Shootout problem. I liked what I saw of Kenny last night, but late in the game, I saw him open and the guards weren't getting him the ball. Lyons is non existent too. Teams are going to shut down Tu from here on out and he's going to get more and more frustrated. Is he going to be immature about it again? We can't afford to have Tu ejected or in foul trouble because of his immaturity. Kenny has shown improvement and should get the ball more. McLean is the king of cleaning up around the basket. Gotta give him props for being one of the few who showed up to play.

Who cares what Cronin says? We lost. The game is over. What we do and what they do from here on out is going to determine alot for both teams.

Gotta love the guys who join the board after the shootout and use we. Are you on the team? Welcome aboard and enjoy your stay.

[Westside_D]

xavier is uc's super bowl. It's the only game that they sell out.

snap!

[LA Muskie]

If I were Mick I'd have said the exact same thing. It's all about motivation. This game is in the past, and frankly beating 'Nova on the road would be a hell of a lot better win this year than a home win against us.

Methinks the initial poster has some sour grapes...

[jhelmes37]

If I were Mick I'd have said the exact same thing. It's all about motivation. This game is in the past, and frankly beating 'Nova on the road would be a hell of a lot better win this year than a home win against us.

Methinks the initial poster has some sour grapes...

Do you have sweet grapes after last night?

Maybe I was being a tad petty.

I woke up pissed. Can you blame me?

[LA Muskie]

Do you have sweet grapes after last night?

Maybe I was being a tad petty.

I woke up pissed. Can you blame me?
I did. A bottle of Napa Valley red. And no, I can't blame you. :)

[Cloak&Dagger]

Seriously? This is what you want to complain about? Not the complete ineptitude on offense, the completely being out classed on national television but the fact he thinks Villanova is a bigger game for UC? I hate to break it to you, but it is.
He didn't insult XU, saying a crippled man is crippled is no insult and the same applies for teams. If anything it was mercy on his part. He could have been a complete pompous d*ck about it all he said was that they had bigger fish to fry.
If you can't acknowledge this team isn't as good as Villanova at this point in the season, I don't know what team you've all been watching.

[coasterville95]

These last 24 hours have been Twilight Zone: Nice UC Fans at the game, our guys doing the thuggery without apparent provocation, and now having to agree with Cronin?

What he said was fact. File under: Truth Hurts.

If you don't think the first road game against a top tier team in your conference is a bigger game than an OOC game at home, against a team that is suffering medical and eligibility issues, and let's face it, have not looked like what a Xavier team has looked like in the past few years. No surprise to anyone we are having a down year, they were 9 point favorites going in. Can't really play the "We battled and won against an extremely tough squad tonight" card with any integrity at this point. Hurts more when a casual observer looking at the box score not knowing team history: (UC Vs. Team ?) would think: Oh, they are 15-0, but they played another OOC cupcake at home last night.

I listened to Cronin's post game address - and the Vilanova line was nothing more than "We have to regroup and prepare for our next game against <insert school name here>" He even wished us well the rest of the way through the A10. (Also, coach post game show formality, I',m sure)

Oh, you know we are licking our wounds from a loss when petty stuff like the we/they/I/them arguments start flying.

Stuff like:
Poster A: "We missed a lot of our shots"
Response A: "No, WE didn't miss a lot of shots, the only thing we missed was part of the second half waiting in the insane beer lines" (Took me 10 minutes, and all I missed was the halftime show, which I heard wasn't much)
Poster B: "We didn't Defend well"
Response B: "No, The only thing I defended was the 16" by 16" plot of cement around my black hard plastic chair" (Admittedly a task made easy by the congenial UC fans last night)
Poster C: "We didn't show up last night"
Response C: "Well, looking around the arena, I guess I have to give that one to you, we AS FANS didn't appear to have shown up in the great numbers we have in the past. (Or were we just more scattered about than usual" (But I did show up last night :) )

On the other hand - allowing a bit of HR/Business Teambuilding/PR Speak:
Use of "we"/"I"/"Our" - indicate the desire to be attached to the subject, shows support of the subject
Use of "they"/"them" - indicate the desire to distance yourself from the subject/shows disaproval of the subject.

Like when the dog brings you the Swimsuit Issue of SI - It's OUR dog Rover.
When the dog craps right in the front of the TV,in the Man Cave, During the Shootout - It's YOUR dog Rover.