Cronin for B.E. COY?!

[XmAn06]

So I'm listening to Mo Egger on the way home from work today. And I hear him talking about Mick Cronin being his "obvious" or "front-running" candidate for big east COY... Did anyone else hear this?! I almost drove my car of the big mac bridge!! I like Mo just as much as anyone on here, but come on...

They were talking about if UC wins tonight that Cronin would - and I quote - "Cement his status/standing as BE COY"...

Does anyone agree with this assessment?

[xavbball]

One word:
Delusional

[Xavier Nation]

UHHHHHHH HELLLLL NO. There is a guy at St. John's who deserves it. He is not even in the top 5. Comical.

[MADXSTER]

When Cronin was 15-0 what was the teams RPI. I think it was somewhere around 287. How does this get overlooked?? Seriously

[STL_XUfan]

How can this be?!? He isn't even in the Big East Commercial?

[MADXSTER]

How can this be?!? He isn't even in the Big East Commercial?

Yes he is, you have to get real close to the TV and look down. He's there.

[kyxu]

I'd say the BE coach of the year race is between Steve Lavin at SJU and Mike Brey from Notre Dame.

[BBC 08]

I'd say the BE coach of the year race is between Steve Lavin at SJU and Mike Brey from Notre Dame.

And Chris Mack. Mainly because he is that much of a bad ass that he wins other conferences COY.

[xsteve1]

Is UC playing the Georgetown women tonight. Georgetown 8-42 from the field. UC is a lock with this win.

[QueensbridgeMF]

well they're up 12. 14-2 in the at the under 12 of the 2nd half after being tied. Not watching, must be an ugly game. I think Calhoun gets BE COY for avoiding a harsher penalty from the NCAA

[danaandvictory]

Christ, this is going to be an unbearable few weeks.

And Mo Egger is completely, outrageously out of his mind if he thinks Cronin deserves to be Big East COY. That's absolutely stupid.

[chico]

Are you trying to tell me Mick Cronin could not win COY in the A-10?

[danaandvictory]

They also are beating the drum for Rashad Bishop as Defensive Player of the Year.

Yes, that Rashad Bishop.

[DC Muskie]

This game was painful. And I actually gave friends of mine tickets to this game as a Christmas present.

I am an awful friend. Awful.

[THRILLHOUSE]

I like Mo, but he is one of the biggest fair weather fans you will ever want to meet. Just two weeks ago he was crying about how UC's season was done and about how they have underachieved. I will give UC credit, they are definitely tourney bound after this win at Georgetown. but in no shape or form is Mick coach of the year.

[DoubleD86]

I will be blasted, but I don't care.

Mick Cronin should be in the running for BE COY. Lavin? Really? He has a team with 9 seniors. Take this quote from KenPom's twitter:
kenpomeroy Ken Pomeroy
Lavin inherited a team of seniors that was unlucky last year. BP projection had them 45th. They are 35th. It pays to have friends at ESPN.

Lavin has done a good job, but the best part of that job was his recruiting class and getting buzz going. The team is only slightly better than where they should have been. They just get a lot of hype.

Brey I could understand. Cronin should absolutely be in the top 3 for discussion of COY in the Big East. He has turned a crappy program into a tournament caliber team. He exceeded expectations. Notre Dame was picked 11th, Cincy 12th. UC is now in the top 6, ND in the top 2.

Say what you want about Cronin, but his team has improved. He did a great job turning around Yancy, who has been a different player in the last 3 or so games. He has done very well with Cash. Justin Jackson has evolved into a solid player. Cronin has done a pretty good job with this team.

My vote would be Brey then Cronin. However, to claim Cronin isn't even in the running is just speaking with Xavier bias.

[xsteve1]

I will be blasted, but I don't care.

Mick Cronin should be in the running for BE COY. Lavin? Really? He has a team with 9 seniors. Take this quote from KenPom's twitter:
kenpomeroy Ken Pomeroy
Lavin inherited a team of seniors that was unlucky last year. BP projection had them 45th. They are 35th. It pays to have friends at ESPN.

Lavin has done a good job, but the best part of that job was his recruiting class and getting buzz going. The team is only slightly better than where they should have been. They just get a lot of hype.

Brey I could understand. Cronin should absolutely be in the top 3 for discussion of COY in the Big East. He has turned a crappy program into a tournament caliber team. He exceeded expectations. Notre Dame was picked 11th, Cincy 12th. UC is now in the top 6, ND in the top 2.

Say what you want about Cronin, but his team has improved. He did a great job turning around Yancy, who has been a different player in the last 3 or so games. He has done very well with Cash. Justin Jackson has evolved into a solid player. Cronin has done a pretty good job with this team.

My vote would be Brey then Cronin. However, to claim Cronin isn't even in the running is just speaking with Xavier bias.


I'll agree with you. I think it's pretty easy to see that the Big East is down this year. When ND is 2nd in the league that really says something. The only team even close to being very good is Pitt and they look very beatable. I'll give it up to Cronin this year as they have improved down the stretch compared to previous years. They do have a lot of experience which really helps them.

[QueensbridgeMF]

I will be blasted, but I don't care.

Mick Cronin should be in the running for BE COY. Lavin? Really? He has a team with 9 seniors. Take this quote from KenPom's twitter:
kenpomeroy Ken Pomeroy
Lavin inherited a team of seniors that was unlucky last year. BP projection had them 45th. They are 35th. It pays to have friends at ESPN.

Lavin has done a good job, but the best part of that job was his recruiting class and getting buzz going. The team is only slightly better than where they should have been. They just get a lot of hype.

Brey I could understand. Cronin should absolutely be in the top 3 for discussion of COY in the Big East. He has turned a crappy program into a tournament caliber team. He exceeded expectations. Notre Dame was picked 11th, Cincy 12th. UC is now in the top 6, ND in the top 2.

Say what you want about Cronin, but his team has improved. He did a great job turning around Yancy, who has been a different player in the last 3 or so games. He has done very well with Cash. Justin Jackson has evolved into a solid player. Cronin has done a pretty good job with this team.

My vote would be Brey then Cronin. However, to claim Cronin isn't even in the running is just speaking with Xavier bias.

If you want to make the argument that he inherited 9 seniors you also have to admit that those 9 seniors had done squat under Norm roberts and that most of those 9 losses that account for the 35th BP ranking (whatever that is) came in the early season and that Lavin has gotten them to play much better in January forward after the team jelled under a new system. To Dismiss Lavin in favor of Cronin is laughable. Getting a team to improve is important. I don't say Cronin isn't up there in the top 3,5,7 or whatever in coaching this year but Lavin is

[xavierj]

If you want to make the argument that he inherited 9 seniors you also have to admit that those 9 seniors had done squat under Norm roberts and that most of those 9 losses that account for the 35th BP ranking (whatever that is) came in the early season and that Lavin has gotten them to play much better in January forward after the team jelled under a new system. To Dismiss Lavin in favor of Cronin is laughable. Getting a team to improve is important. I don't say Cronin isn't up there in the top 3,5,7 or whatever in coaching this year but Lavin is

maybe the big east just really sucks. When teams from the big east lose to Fordham, st. Joe's, St. Bonnie and Lasalle you've got problems.

[QueensbridgeMF]

maybe the big east just really sucks. When teams from the big east lose to Fordham, st. Joe's, St. Bonnie and Lasalle you've got problems.

you don't have problems, you have 9-11 teams making the tourney. And this adds nothing to the BE COY debate. I don't think it sucks but you clearly do. So who is CYO in this supposedly horrible conference?

[QueensbridgeMF]

I'll agree with you. I think it's pretty easy to see that the Big East is down this year. When ND is 2nd in the league that really says something. The only team even close to being very good is Pitt and they look very beatable. I'll give it up to Cronin this year as they have improved down the stretch compared to previous years. They do have a lot of experience which really helps them.

It's pretty easy to see the Big East is down this year? where is this based? Only close to being good means you're a 1 seed? delusional.

[DoubleD86]

If you want to make the argument that he inherited 9 seniors you also have to admit that those 9 seniors had done squat under Norm roberts and that most of those 9 losses that account for the 35th BP ranking (whatever that is) came in the early season and that Lavin has gotten them to play much better in January forward after the team jelled under a new system. To Dismiss Lavin in favor of Cronin is laughable. Getting a team to improve is important. I don't say Cronin isn't up there in the top 3,5,7 or whatever in coaching this year but Lavin is

Are you saying UC hasn't improved? Come on...

Also, lets look at at preseason predictions:
Big East Media --> SJU #8, UC #12
Big East Coaches --> SJU #6, UC #12
NBE Blog Poll --> SJU #9 , UC #13
Rivals --> SJU #7, UC #12

And if you want to bring up that SJU players haven't done anything, what has UC accomplished? CBI and NIT?

To dismiss Lavin in favor of Cronin is not "laughable" (this word seems to be thrown around quite a bit around here, as if anyone who challenges the thrower's opinion is ridiculous). Cronin has done a very good job, and unless you are counting the recruiting classes in the future, Cronin has done a better job than Lavin.

As for the BP prediction, I believe that was a preseason prediction. Not sure about that, but believe it was.

The fact of the matter is, Cronin has overachieved with this group. Plus, you take where they were prior to the last 5 games, and they were left to dead. Then, Cronin got the team to rally, inspired Yancy and Cashmere, and they have won 4 of the last 5 (two against ranked opponents, one away from home). That one away ranked win for UC is one more than SJU has.

[DoubleD86]

It's pretty easy to see the Big East is down this year? where is this based? Only close to being good means you're a 1 seed? delusional.

While I don't disagree with what you are saying it, I do disagree with how you say it. Why is it that anyone who disagrees with you is either "laughable" or "delusional".

Please use some type of fact or supporting evidence other than your opinion and attempts to deride the person on the other side.

[sirthought]

All other quality performances considered, Cronin IS a strong COY candidate. His team has overcome the most adversity and his program has come along as far, or further, than St.J or ND. I wouldn't say Lavin or Brey aren't worthy, but Cronin could be considered a front runner.

Cronin can be an immature twerp, but he's slowly starting to get a clue and making progress. The dude wasn't hired by Huggins while he was in college for nothing. He knows the game. He is still learning to manage. This season has been an improvement.

Anyone who thinks the Big East is down this year should watch these teams more. That conference is stacked.

[xavierj]

All other quality performances considered, Cronin IS a strong COY candidate. His team has overcome the most adversity and his program has come along as far, or further, than St.J or ND. I wouldn't say Lavin or Brey aren't worthy, but Cronin could be considered a front runner.

Cronin can be an immature twerp, but he's slowly starting to get a clue and making progress. The dude wasn't hired by Huggins while he was in college for nothing. He knows the game. He is still learning to manage. This season has been an improvement.

Anyone who thinks the Big East is down this year should watch these teams more. That conference is stacked.

stacked? I don't know about that. I watched syracuse nova, rutgers louisville and uc georgetown and those were 3 of the worst games I have seen all year. Teams struggle to get out the 40's. And if the league is so stacked how come out of 18 teams they have 1 projected 1st round nba draft pick?

oh and so queens doesn't get so bent out of shape rick pitino for COY. He has nothing this year and he is winning. Maybe that says more about the league.

[X-band '01]

I'd say fans here should just swallow their pride and cheer for UC to beat Marquette now. UC now has their signature win away from home to go with their 9-6 Big East record; they cannot lose any sub-50 RPI games unless they face someone from the bottom 5 in the Big East tournament.

Besides, it doesn't help that there are also mediocre teams in other BCS conferences (along with mediocre mid-majors) that aren't pulling their weight at this point. The Pac-10 is going to be at most a 3-bid league, and it's possible that the Big 10 only gets 4 or 5 teams in this year.

We can't even count on a choke artist like Virginia Tech missing out on the NCAA again. What happens if they win at home Saturday against Dook?

[ballyhoohoo]

Is UC playing the Georgetown women tonight. Georgetown 8-42 from the field. UC is a lock with this win.

A bad loss will hurt the Hoya's sedding

[danaandvictory]

A bad loss will hurt the Hoya's sedding

Chris Wright broke his hand. Georgetown is absolutely screwed.

[Masterofreality]

Teams that play a pre-conference schedule rated 275 do not get COY awards.

Georgetown is one of those teams that always gets the benefit of the doubt, but in truth hasn't earned it.

[DoubleD86]

Teams that play a pre-conference schedule rated 275 do not get COY awards.

Georgetown is one of those teams that always gets the benefit of the doubt, but in truth hasn't earned it.

The SOS is a very valid point. My counter to it would be, with that poor SOS, they went undefeated and won most games handily (including their two tougher tests).

I am not saying Cronin is for sure BE COY (my vote would go to Brey) but just the belief that he shouldn't even be considered. I think someone argued he shouldn't even be in the top 7. The fact of the matter is, regardless of how much Xavier fans hate Mick (I don't hate him, but not a fan of his by any measure) he has overachieved and should now have the team dancing, barring a collapse. Until the LVille and GTown games, I wasn't sold on that team, now they have proven what they need to.

As for the BE being down, I don't know about that. I truly can't decide. They obviously don't have the top level team they have in the past (no one does this year unfortunately) but they also have a lot of teams high up in the rpi and in that middle range of conf. record. I can't decide if they are all a little worse than their hype or if they are really a strong conference.

My gut is the BE is not as good as it gets credit for this year, but still a top 3 (probably top 2) conference filled with good teams, but no great teams, and a couple poo poo teams.

[DoubleD86]

Chris Wright broke his hand. Georgetown is absolutely screwed.

Agreed, they are a different (read: not very good) team without Wright. They could be in trouble if he does not return for the Tournament.

[The_Mack_Pack]

UC has now sufficiently injured three BE stars this season. First it was Kris Joseph then Ashton Gibbs and now Chris Wright. Kemba Walker better watch his back.