Mick Cronin's Baffling Take on the Big East

[More Cowbell]

This is a masterpiece:

http://bearcatsblog.com/2011-articles/october/mick-cronins-baffling-take-on-the-big-east.html

[danaandvictory]

Finally, let's touch on what appears to be the biggest issue for Mick, the fact no one talked about him. It seems Mick's biggest issue his whole entire time that he's been at Cincinnati is that no one is talking about him.

This is exactly it. Cronin has the biggest persecution complex in college basketball. Here's a tip, Mick: "improving" five straight years impresses exactly no one when said improvement involves a total of one NCAA Tournament win. I remember last year he was angry because they didn't have a UC player on the conference commercial or something. It's ludicrous.

[GoMuskies]

Mick misses the OVC.

[MuskieCinci]

When UC finally got ranked last year Mick would walk around places with his hoodie pulled tight over his head. When one of the UC managers asked him about it he said now that now UC was back to being big time he didn't want people recognizing him and getting mobbed by fans whenever he walked around. This is a true story.

[xudash]

When UC finally got ranked last year Mick would walk around places with his hoodie pulled tight over his head. When one of the UC managers asked him about it he said now that now UC was back to being big time he didn't want people recognizing him and getting mobbed by fans whenever he walked around. This is a true story.

The closest he gets to celebrity status is in looking like Seth Green's older ugly brother.

[bleedXblue]

Classic

He's going to give Huggins a run for his money once he's done at UC.

As much as I disliked Huggins, he wasn't the constant whiner, bitcher, moaner etc. that Cronin is.

[Kahns Krazy]

I hate Mick Cronin so much I might start a thread about it.

[xubrew]

This is a masterpiece:

http://bearcatsblog.com/2011-articles/october/mick-cronins-baffling-take-on-the-big-east.html

Classic. Absolutely freakin' classic. This is Mick Cronin at his Mick Croninest.



When UC finally got ranked last year Mick would walk around places with his hoodie pulled tight over his head. When one of the UC managers asked him about it he said now that now UC was back to being big time he didn't want people recognizing him and getting mobbed by fans whenever he walked around. This is a true story.

I really REALLY hope this is true. If it's not, then it should be. He's like some character on a TV show.

[bleedXblue]

Classic. Absolutely freakin' classic. This is Mick Cronin at his Mick Croninest.




I really REALLY hope this is true. If it's not, then it should be. He's like some character on a TV show.

Dude is UGLY. Looks almost martian like.

[Xaveriana]

Dude is UGLY. Looks almost martian like.

That makes me mad!!!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2698/4255064211_18bbb5c5a7.jpg

[Titanxman04]

Mick is a legend in his own mind. He seriously perceives himself as a larger than life character, and that he never gets the credit he truly deserves.

A very good friend of mind worked at the AD office for UC for a little big. He ran into Mick from time to time, and had enough stories for me about the dude that only furthered this image of him. Its impossible for an outside observer to feel pity for the man. When his own fanbase is mocking and poking fun of him, clearly there is a separation with his perception of reality, and reality itself.

ESPN needs to do a documentary on this guy...in conjunction with Comedy Central.

[JimmyTwoTimes37]

http://i852.photobucket.com/albums/ab82/NBow37/Mickstooges-dentist-2.jpg

[Titanxman04]

http://i852.photobucket.com/albums/ab82/NBow37/Mickstooges-dentist-2.jpg

Get that yellow tooth! GET IT!

[Anti-Homer]

Classic. Absolutely freakin' classic. This is Mick Cronin at his Mick Croninest.




I really REALLY hope this is true. If it's not, then it should be. He's like some character on a TV show.


The rumor is true. I am affiliated with both X and Lasalle, and heard the same thing last year for someone who has known him for 20 yrs.. It would have helped if his "hoodie" didn't have a big UC logo on the front, and Coach Cronin in huge letters on the back.

[XUFan09]

The rumor is true. I am affiliated with both X and Lasalle, and heard the same thing last year for someone who has known him for 20 yrs.. It would have helped if his "hoodie" didn't have a big UC logo on the front, and Coach Cronin in huge letters on the back.

It sounds like he wanted to act like he didn't want the attention at the same time that he was hoping people would still recognize and subsequently mob him. Wow, just wow.

[THRILLHOUSE]

When UC finally got ranked last year Mick would walk around places with his hoodie pulled tight over his head. When one of the UC managers asked him about it he said now that now UC was back to being big time he didn't want people recognizing him and getting mobbed by fans whenever he walked around. This is a true story.

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_loezg7V1Q91qafk16.gif

Classic Cronin. What a douche nozzle

[Pete Delkus]

I know most of us hate Bob. However, I never did. There was some side to him that made me laugh a little, regardless if it was with him or at him, from time to time.

However, Cronin has nothing. He is nothing and most of all has won next to nothing.

The only enjoyable part of Cronin at UC, is that it is sooooo clear that our success sends him to the moon...like Curtis Bostic does for suburban Moms.

[X-band '01]

My fear is, what if the Gnome is an evil genius? Personally, I bought in when the Cats just flat out quit in 2009 and lost to DePaul in the Big East tournament. Only last year did they start winning games in March; they did get a step further than Xavier did in the Tournament.

How he motivates his players while calling them out in public is anyone's guess.

[boozehound]

I know most of us hate Bob. However, I never did. There was some side to him that made me laugh a little, regardless if it was with him or at him, from time to time.

However, Cronin has nothing. He is nothing and most of all has won next to nothing.

The only enjoyable part of Cronin at UC, is that it is sooooo clear that our success sends him to the moon...like Curtis Bostic does for suburban Moms.

NM

[whitesox]

My fear is, what if the Gnome is an evil

Definitely possible


genius?

Not too worried.

[MADXSTER]

Mick Cronin is no "Wile E Coyote"

or Dr Evil!

[Kahns Krazy]

I know most of us hate Bob. However, I never did. There was some side to him that made me laugh a little, regardless if it was with him or at him, from time to time.

However, Cronin has nothing. He is nothing and most of all has won next to nothing.

The only enjoyable part of Cronin at UC, is that it is sooooo clear that our success sends him to the moon...like Curtis Bostic does for suburban Moms.

I loved to hate Bob. He was Darth Vader. You were supposed to hate him. He was powerful, won a lot, evil, oddly likable (he was approachable in public, and it seems like it would have been enjoyable to knock back a few brews with the guy), but he was still the enemy. You can't have Luke Skywalker without Vader.

Mick Cronin is the Ewok with two rocks tied together with a string and a bad attitude. He's annoying, isn't really threatening in any way, except that he might get off a lucky shot and actually knock someone off with those rocks, but he's just as likely to hit himself in the head with them. He prefers the moon of Endor, because he's normal size there. The only thing that gives him any power at all is all the other Ewoks around him in his conference, er, moon. At the end of the day, we'd all be better off if there were no Ewoks.

[danaandvictory]

Apparently Huggins was a leading contender to take over the Dayton program before he went to UC. He wanted the job. He was a hot property having turned around Akron's program. Gerry Faust, his own athletic director, dropped a dime to his alma mater (UD) and basically crapped all over him -- said he wasn't the type of guy for Dayton. Faust actually describes this in his own book and pretends like it was some great masterstroke of moral courage. Oops. I'm not 100% sure whether this was in the mid-80s when UD hired O'Brien or when they were considering firing him in the late 80s.

Anyway, I'm down the line with Kahn's -- Huggins was an archvillain at UC, now he's a big fat hilarious blob/curmudgeon. I used to think he was a horrible coach who just recruited athletes and yelled at them, I think he's proven at WVU he's pretty damned good. It was more satisfying when X beat UC when he was there.

[JAX 3758]

Nothing Cronin said surprises me.

He is a bitter and jealous midget who wants tons of admiration for having 1 NCAA tournament berth while coaching a Big East basketball program

[XUXC2009]

When UC finally got ranked last year Mick would walk around places with his hoodie pulled tight over his head. When one of the UC managers asked him about it he said now that now UC was back to being big time he didn't want people recognizing him and getting mobbed by fans whenever he walked around. This is a true story.

This is undoubtedly true. However the context of the anecdote would be key. I had many "interactions" seeing Coach Miller, his assistants, and the players during my time as a student athlete at XU and could probably spend days telling similar stories that out of context makes them look like delusional a**hats.

I don't think Coach Cronin needs to worry much about being noticed though, over the summer saw him in the lobby of the Westin Hotel downtown in line at Ingredients. Being cordial I said, "Hi coach, how are you?" Without looking up from his cell phone he just said, "Great, thanks." Funny thing was there were about 100 people there at the time. I was the only one who noticed.

[xubrew]

Apparently Huggins was a leading contender to take over the Dayton program before he went to UC. He wanted the job. He was a hot property having turned around Akron's program. Gerry Faust, his own athletic director, dropped a dime to his alma mater (UD) and basically crapped all over him -- said he wasn't the type of guy for Dayton. Faust actually describes this in his own book and pretends like it was some great masterstroke of moral courage. Oops. I'm not 100% sure whether this was in the mid-80s when UD hired O'Brien or when they were considering firing him in the late 80s.

Anyway, I'm down the line with Kahn's -- Huggins was an archvillain at UC, now he's a big fat hilarious blob/curmudgeon. I used to think he was a horrible coach who just recruited athletes and yelled at them, I think he's proven at WVU he's pretty damned good. It was more satisfying when X beat UC when he was there.

I've heard this story before as well. I don't doubt it. What I do find to be outrageous is that Faust would shit all over Huggins when UD inquires about him, but yet this is the same person that he himself hired and continued to employ. So....what's that say about Faust?? My instinct reaction is that he either sabotaged him so he wouldn't leave Akron for Dayton, or that he holds a school that he doesn't even work at to a hire standard than the school he does work at. I really don't consider either circumstance to be commendable. Either way, it's bizarre.

[danaandvictory]

My instinct reaction is that he either sabotaged him so he wouldn't leave Akron for Dayton, or that he holds a school that he doesn't even work at to a hire standard than the school he does work at.

Unfortunately the google books version of Faust's book omits the relevant pages, but my recollection is that Faust said Huggins was a fine coach but he could not in good conscience recommend him to his alma mater.

[chico]

I've heard this story before as well. I don't doubt it. What I do find to be outrageous is that Faust would shit all over Huggins when UD inquires about him, but yet this is the same person that he himself hired and continued to employ. So....what's that say about Faust?? My instinct reaction is that he either sabotaged him so he wouldn't leave Akron for Dayton, or that he holds a school that he doesn't even work at to a hire standard than the school he does work at. I really don't consider either circumstance to be commendable. Either way, it's bizarre.

If you're implying Coach Faust hired Huggins you may want to check your timeline. Huggins took over at Akron in 1984, which was right in the middle of Faust's tenure at Notre Dame.

Faust is from Dayton - he went to school there and his father was the football coach. That would explain his allegiance to UD. And I sincerely doubt that Faust would try to either sabotage a man's career or try to keep him from going somewhere else.

[xubrew]

If you're implying Coach Faust hired Huggins you may want to check your timeline. Huggins took over at Akron in 1984, which was right in the middle of Faust's tenure at Notre Dame.

Faust is from Dayton - he went to school there and his father was the football coach. That would explain his allegiance to UD. And I sincerely doubt that Faust would try to either sabotage a man's career or try to keep him from going somewhere else.

I didn't imply it. I flat out stated it incorrectly, but that's because I didn't know the timeline. I don't know that much about him. It's just that I've heard this story before and it struck me as strange. I'm puzzled by anyone who would say that about someone, yet continue to employ them. What is the reason for that??


Unfortunately the google books version of Faust's book omits the relevant pages, but my recollection is that Faust said Huggins was a fine coach but he could not in good conscience recommend him to his alma mater.

That just strikes me as odd. He states in a book that he couldn't in good conscience recommend Huggins to his alma mater, but he could in good conscience continue to employ him. OOOKKAAAAAY.

[chico]

I didn't imply it. I flat out stated it incorrectly, but that's because I didn't know the timeline. I don't know that much about him. It's just that I've heard this story before and it struck me as strange. I'm puzzled by anyone who would say that about someone, yet continue to employ them. What is the reason for that??



That just strikes me as odd. He states in a book that he couldn't in good conscience recommend Huggins to his alma mater, but he could in good conscience continue to employ him. OOOKKAAAAAY.

I also don't think Coach Faust was the AD at Akron - he was only head football coach, meaning he had no say in Huggins' employment. I don't find it that odd that he wouldn't recommend someone for one job that has one mission but recommend him for another job that has a different mission. UD, being a Marianist school (like Moeller), has a much different mission than state school UC.

[xubrew]

I also don't think Coach Faust was the AD at Akron - he was only head football coach, meaning he had no say in Huggins' employment. I don't find it that odd that he wouldn't recommend someone for one job that has one mission but recommend him for another job that has a different mission. UD, being a Marianist school (like Moeller), has a much different mission than state school UC.

Ahhh. Okay. That makes sense.

[THRILLHOUSE]

Faust and Huggins weren't the best of friends at Akron. When the Akron football program moved up to D1, the basketball program had to leave the OVC and were denied acceptance to every conference they tried to get in. So they were left in the dust and had to go independent for two seasons while all the money and resources went to football.

Here is an old NY Times article with more about that: http://www.nytimes.com/1987/01/20/sports/scouting-faust-got-i-a-huggins-got-zip.html?src=pm

And here is an excerpt from Bob Huggins book talking about the tension between football and basketball during his time at Akron. On page 101 he quotes Faust as saying "I'll let you get the Cincinnati job, but I won't let you get Dayton!"
http://books.google.com/books?id=R-eq7f4mc84C&pg=PA98&lpg=PA98&dq=faust+and+huggins+friends&source=bl&ots=AmkD_VzfFl&sig=kp2H_ZZtoPjLBEsr86FK5RgUmmI&hl=en&ei=fbOxTtmHE8HosQLEscDoAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CB4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

[X-band '01]

And here is an excerpt from Bob Huggins book talking about the tension between football and basketball during his time at Akron. On page 101 he quotes Faust as saying "I'll let you get the Cincinnati job, but I won't let you get Dayton!"


Gerry Faust is a great American if that's true.

[wkrq59]

When Huggins was hired by UC, I was assigned to call Faust and get his comments on Huggins. Faust said and I quote, "Cincinnati will love Bob, he'll do anything, and I underline a ANYTHING to win a game or anything else, no matter what the rules or what he has to do."
I submitted that quote but it was eventually cleaned up by Koch and dropped into his story. Gerry didn't come out looking too good in the cleanup or any other time Huggins mentioned him. Huggins who played into Koch's disgust with and disrespect of Catholics (remember, Huggs once called Sister Rose Ann Fleming a 'fxxxing' nun) and never missed a chance to rip Faust.
After he finished his quote about Huggins, Faust asked me if we could go off the record and I agreed. He then told me Huggins would eventually get UC put on probation and end up costing them tons of money. He was right, of course, but curiously, he never did explain why. And when UC was placed on probation during his majesty's stay at UC, I contacted Faust to ask if he had anything he wanted to add about Huggins and his arrogance and Gerry said he wouldn't have anything to say.
Over the years, I had dealings with coaches from Bob Knight to Mike Krzyzewski to John Wooden and John Thompson and Jerry Tarkanian and never did I encounter a lower life or his evil elf than Bob Huggins and Mick Cronin. :eek:

[chico]

When Huggins was hired by UC, I was assigned to call Faust and get his comments on Huggins. Faust said and I quote, "Cincinnati will love Bob, he'll do anything, and I underline a ANYTHING to win a game or anything else, no matter what the rules or what he has to do."
I submitted that quote but it was eventually cleaned up by Koch and dropped into his story. Gerry didn't come out looking too good in the cleanup or any other time Huggins mentioned him. Huggins who played into Koch's disgust with and disrespect of Catholics (remember, Huggs once called Sister Rose Ann Fleming a 'fxxxing' nun) and never missed a chance to rip Faust.
After he finished his quote about Huggins, Faust asked me if we could go off the record and I agreed. He then told me Huggins would eventually get UC put on probation and end up costing them tons of money. He was right, of course, but curiously, he never did explain why. And when UC was placed on probation during his majesty's stay at UC, I contacted Faust to ask if he had anything he wanted to add about Huggins and his arrogance and Gerry said he wouldn't have anything to say.
Over the years, I had dealings with coaches from Bob Knight to Mike Krzyzewski to John Wooden and John Thompson and Jerry Tarkanian and never did I encounter a lower life or his evil elf than Bob Huggins and Mick Cronin. :eek:

Thanks for setting the record straight on Coach Faust, q. He was and still is a man I greatly admire and look up to.

[boozehound]

I didn't like Huggins, but I hate Cronin much, much more. Something about that shifty little goblin drives me up the wall. His latest batch of quotes are hilarious. He has spent the last few years using that awesome greatness of the Big East as a reason why he deserved more respect than he got, now he wants it to be a weaker conference because, somehow, that will benefit UC as well? Baffling is definitely the right choice or words here.

[anXUfan]

I don't so much hate Cronin as think he's a pathetic whining pussy.

[PMI]

Anyway, I'm down the line with Kahn's -- Huggins was an archvillain at UC, now he's a big fat hilarious blob/curmudgeon. I used to think he was a horrible coach who just recruited athletes and yelled at them, I think he's proven at WVU he's pretty damned good. It was more satisfying when X beat UC when he was there.

Have to disagree with this last sentence, even though the rest is spot on. I find it EASILY as satisfying beating that little gnome, and to look at it from the other side, just as, if not more infuriating losing to him. Part of what made the Huggins era Shootouts so epic, aside from the good vs. evil aspect, was that it was truly a David vs. Goliath type of rivalry back then. Xavier was good, but UC was a perennial powerhouse. Those two wins over UC when they were #1 did more for our program than just about any other single games in my opinion, up to that point. In the eyes of many, beating UC really put us on the map at the time (whether or not that is justifiable is one thing, but if perception is reality, then it was the case.) The Shootout was not only our biggest game by far back then, but usually one of the few truly marquee games on our schedule.

Things have changed. Today, it's not that UC is Goliath and we're David anymore, but rather it's UC still thinking it's Goliath, and that we're David. The cloud of delusion cast over that part of town is truly amazing given that we've been the superior program for about a decade now. They have a coach who feeds it and truly believes it as well. Losing to those bastards takes a big piece out of me, and beating them feels so damned good. I am not one who thinks the Shootout's best days are behind us, even though there was certainly a down period after the Huggins era. Beating Cronin is just as satisfying as beating Thuggy Bear to me, and I'm very confident that those who feel differently will change their minds sooner than later, given the state of the rivalry. It's different now, but I still feel the hate as much as ever.

[danaandvictory]

Now I expect XU to beat UC. Last year was deeply unpleasant.

Beating Huggins was awesome because you knew it just INFURIATED him beyond all reason. It was like a matador teasing a bull.

Also, during the pomp of the XU-Chuggs rivalry I was in my early teens and early 20s which is when most people hit their fever pitch about these sorts of things. I've mellowed a bit, I think. Although the people who sit in front of me probably disagree...

[Masterofreality]

Hey Blogger,

Way to finally admit that SucKS used to dominate a crappy Convict USA under Beelzebob.

I thought that Chuggy was a "God".

[Titanxman04]

I don't so much hate Cronin as think he's a pathetic whining pussy.

Can this be on the XH banner on the homepage? At least during the Crosstown Shootout week?

Reps. Serious reps.

This quite possibly is the best thing ever written on here.

[GoMuskies]

This quite possibly is the best thing ever written on here.

Since "Were you There, Did you Hear" was written on that "other board", you may be right.

[coasterville95]

I must say, I'm disappointed - 24 hours later and no one has mentioned the fact Cronin and his team sardined 3,484 into their gym to watch their first exhibition game.

[QueensbridgeMF]

I must say, I'm disappointed - 24 hours later and no one has mentioned the fact Cronin and his team sardined 3,484 into their gym to watch their first exhibition game.

Even this year with the NA locked out of Cinci

[XUFan09]

Since "Were you There, Did you Hear" was written on that "other board", you may be right.

Eh?

[THRILLHOUSE]

Eh?


on the previous message board that most of us posted on until xavierhoops.com saved us, the thread about David West announcing he would return for his senior season was titled "were you there? Did you hear?". It was an epic thread.

[bleedXblue]

I must say, I'm disappointed - 24 hours later and no one has mentioned the fact Cronin and his team sardined 3,484 into their gym to watch their first exhibition game.

I can already hear him complaining about lack of attendance and exposure early on this year when they play an embarassing OOC schedule.

Don't forget Mick, that you put that atrocity together and now your fans are going to give you what you gave them.

Why the hell would you go to a UC game, shell out $100.00 (4 tickets, parking, food and beverage) to watch:

Alabama State
Jacksonville State
Presbyterian
Northwestern State
Wright State
Radford
Arkansas Pine Bluff
Chicago State

[coasterville95]

on the previous message board that most of us posted on until xavierhoops.com saved us, the thread about David West announcing he would return for his senior season was titled "were you there? Did you hear?". It was an epic thread.

I seem to recall reading about that in Xavier Tales. Is he the player who had all but announced his intention to leave for the NBA, to the point where the coaching staff was already trying to figure out how to replace him. Then at the basketball banquet he got up to the microphone, and stunned everyone, including the Xavier coaching staff, by announcing not that he was bailing for the NBA, but that he would stay here to finsih what he started?

"And there was MUCH rejoicing!"

[Juice]

I can already hear him complaining about lack of attendance and exposure early on this year when they play an embarassing OOC schedule.

Don't forget Mick, that you put that atrocity together and now your fans are going to give you what you gave them.

Why the hell would you go to a UC game, shell out $100.00 (4 tickets, parking, food and beverage) to watch:

Alabama State
Jacksonville State
Presbyterian
Northwestern State
Wright State
Radford
Arkansas Pine Bluff
Chicago State

What I don't understand is that they are going to have a good team this team, why the hell would you schedule such an awful OOC schedule? I understand loading up on bad teams because of the Big East, but why not mix in a good test or two? Oklahoma is their best OOC game (not counting XU) and they are terrible.

[chico]

I can already hear him complaining about lack of attendance and exposure early on this year when they play an embarassing OOC schedule.

Don't forget Mick, that you put that atrocity together and now your fans are going to give you what you gave them.

Why the hell would you go to a UC game, shell out $100.00 (4 tickets, parking, food and beverage) to watch:

Alabama State
Jacksonville State
Presbyterian
Northwestern State
Wright State
Radford
Arkansas Pine Bluff
Chicago State

What's so bad about that schedule? Look at all the state schools they're playing.

At least they have the courage to schedule Wright State.

[xubrew]

What I don't understand is that they are going to have a good team this team, why the hell would you schedule such an awful OOC schedule? I understand loading up on bad teams because of the Big East, but why not mix in a good test or two? Oklahoma is their best OOC game (not counting XU) and they are terrible.

It's all about money. They put together a crap schedule and play all those games at home, and sit back and count all the cash they make off ticket sales.

...Oh wait....nevermind.

[bleedXblue]

If I hear one more time from a derelict UC fan that the reason they play a weak OOC is b/c the Big East is so tough, I'm going to go ballistic.

Kentucky, Duke, NC, Kansas, Mich State, OSU etc all play tough OOC schedules even though they play in good leagues.

Cronin is a p.

[Davis Love III]

Cronin is a p.

Nailed it.

He's an embarrassment to college basketball. Nobody really has any respect for the guy. When your own fans don't even respect you, you know you've got some serious issues.

[PMI]

If I hear one more time from a derelict UC fan that the reason they play a weak OOC is b/c the Big East is so tough, I'm going to go ballistic.

Kentucky, Duke, NC, Kansas, Mich State, OSU etc all play tough OOC schedules even though they play in good leagues.

Cronin is a p.

It's the Big East way in general, save a few teams, although UC seems to take it to an entirely different level of shittiness. That league, being the biggest, knows how to manipulate the system.

[bleedXblue]

It's the Big East way in general, save a few teams, although UC seems to take it to an entirely different level of shittiness. That league, being the biggest, knows how to manipulate the system.

I know UCONN won the tourney last year, but the league performed horribly.

They got 11 teams in and how many made the Sweet 16 ?

I think it was 2.

[KingCole]

CBSSportsline's Matt Norlander piles on Cronin in this blog entry and even calls him delirious. Good stuff.
http://eye-on-college-basketball.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/26283066/33070104