Big East Sour Grapes

[XUOHTX]

Sounds like a lot of sour grapes in this article about the Big East tournament.

This is where you click to read the article. It's called a hyperlink. Neat huh? (http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20130310/SPT0101/303100121/Big-East-Tournament-gets-fond-farewell?gcheck=1&nclick_check=1)

[GoMuskies]

Let Mick take his shots. It's all he's got.

[Masterofreality]

See the "I hate Mick Cronin" Thread.

[dc_x]

Hypothetical 2013 "new" Big East tournament (seeded based on kenpom.com):

#1 Georgetown v #8 St. Johns / #9 Seton Hall
#4 Villanova v #5 Butler

#2 Creighton v # 7 Xavier / #10 Depaul
#3 Marquette v #6 Providence

That's pretty damn good.

[GoMuskies]

It doesn't change the bracket, but I'd flip-flop Butler and 'Nova. That's a very good top half of the league. Bottom half needs some work.

[waggy]

God I hope they get beat game one.

[Stephen FriarFan]

God I hope they get beat game one.

Me too.

[waggy]

Me too.

Haha. What's the betting line?

BTW, if you happened to going to MSG make sure to call Cronin a yellow toothed gnome repeatedly. He loves that!

[X-man]

Let Mick take his shots. It's all he's got.

The way Mick sounds, his bearcats were part of the Big East when it was a great league with all the tradition and high profile coaches. Well guess what, Mick. The programs staying are all, by and large, part of that great tradition. Your bearcats are not.

[xubrew]

The Big East Tournament was always great, but I always thought the ACC's nine team format was consistently the best tournament.

The Big East had some classic moments. The thing is, UC really wasn't a part of any of them. What are the top five BE Toureny moments?? What are the top ten?? Is UC even on the list?? There have been thirty BE tournaments. If you had a top thirty would UC be on the list??

So.....what exactly will UC miss about the BE Tournament??

[Pajama Joe]

They'll miss hanging their hat on how tough the big east is. What will they blame now when they don't cut it?

[XU '11]

haha. What's the betting line?

Btw, if you happened to going to msg make sure to call cronin a yellow toothed gnome repeatedly. He loves that!

uc -3.5

[Xman95]

So.....what exactly will UC miss about the BE Tournament??

Being part of the Big East is the best thing about UC hoops. So I understand why UC will miss the Big East and its tournament. The more important fact is that the Big East will not miss UC.

[paulxu]

The Big East had some classic moments. The thing is, UC really wasn't a part of any of them.

UC had its own classic moments...like being #1 in the country, and #2 in their own city. A situation that will only get worse.

[X-band '01]

The Big East Tournament was always great, but I always thought the ACC's nine team format was consistently the best tournament.

The Big East had some classic moments. The thing is, UC really wasn't a part of any of them. What are the top five BE Toureny moments?? What are the top ten?? Is UC even on the list?? There have been thirty BE tournaments. If you had a top thirty would UC be on the list??

So.....what exactly will UC miss about the BE Tournament??

Funny you mention the ACC Tournament - the 8-team tournament was the real dream draw there. The only people who went to the 8/9 game were mostly fans of the bottom 2 schools. This was almost always NC State (after Valvano resigned and NC State went on probation) and one other bottom-feeder.

There were several years where there was no public sale of tickets - I think that changed once they played in the Georgia Dome on occasion.

[xubrew]

Funny you mention the ACC Tournament - the 8-team tournament was the real dream draw there. The only people who went to the 8/9 game were mostly fans of the bottom 2 schools. This was almost always NC State (after Valvano resigned and NC State went on probation) and one other bottom-feeder.

There were several years where there was no public sale of tickets - I think that changed once they played in the Georgia Dome on occasion.

I would always watch that game. I probably shouldn't be proud of that.

I forget the exact year, but when I was in high school NC State once finished 8th, and got all the way to the championship where they lost in overtime. Their RPI actually finished up in the 60s, and some were saying they would be an at-large despite being 15-14. This was before the media knew as much about the process as they do now. They won the 8v9 game, then beat Duke, who I think was ranked in the top five, then beat Maryland, who was also highly ranked, and then almost beat UNC, who was ranked really high as well.

It wasn't that long ago when they did it again, but at that point the ACC was at a 12 team format, so it wasn't quite as spectacular.

[GoMuskies]

That was C.C. Harrison's team. He was amazing in that ACC Tournament. He must have not been so great the rest of the year.

[X-band '01]

That was 1996-97; also Herb Sendek's first season at NC State.

[danaandvictory]

I believe Feinstein chronicled that season (96-97) in a book called "A March to Madness." As usual with Feinstein the writing is sloppy and could use a lot of editing, but he got great access to guys like Dean, K, Barnes, Dave Odom, etc.

[X-band '01]

That was the season he wrote on. Even he noted that access was a little more limited when it came to covering Carolina and NC State. Dean Smith was more secretive than any of the other 9 coaches, and Sendek just wasn't ready to have a reporter hounding his every move.

Feinstein also had a good book on the Patriot League (The Last Amateurs) that was written during the 1998-99 season.

[rationalbearcatfan]

Sorry to get this thread back on-topic, but I have to reply. I normally try not to get myself into these disagreements with "rival" fans, but here it goes...

Since the 95-96 season, your beloved C7 schools have only won 2 BE tourney championships. 2 out of 17 is not so good. Also, I believe the C7 schools have only have 4 of the last 18 outright/shared regular season championships, but would have to confirm. So when Mick says things like the Big East best days are past, it's true. I don't agree with Mick 100% of the time, probably not even 50%, but he's right on this one. Big East basketball is going to be nothing compared to what it used to be because the football schools for the most part have dominated the BE in bball for the last 20 years.

Now, I fully expect to be taken to the woodshed for this post, with comments like "sUCks", "your team hasn't done crap in the BE", "your new conference sucks", "your coach is a troll", so go for it. But nothing will change the fact that when the football schools are gone, they're taking the vast majority of the basketball talent with them.

[Muskie1000]

Maybe... but I think when this conference gets going it will appeal to some of the best basketball players. So DePaul and Seton Hall may be nothing to write home about, but do you realize we have to play Fordham every year. Fordham - who I bet has not cracked the top 100 RPI since we joined. But i digress. Do you honestly believe that the conference you will be in - less Louisville in a year, will be better than the conference that is being created? In basketball, no way, no how. I think that's the point that is trying to be made here. And Mick can say whatever he wants, if this "new" conference wasn't going to be so good than UC should be happy to be out of there, but from what I hear they have been begging to stay, so it can't be that bad.

[gladdenguy]

Sorry to get this thread back on-topic, but I have to reply. I normally try not to get myself into these disagreements with "rival" fans, but here it goes...

Since the 95-96 season, your beloved C7 schools have only won 2 BE tourney championships. 2 out of 17 is not so good. Also, I believe the C7 schools have only have 4 of the last 18 outright/shared regular season championships, but would have to confirm. So when Mick says things like the Big East best days are past, it's true. I don't agree with Mick 100% of the time, probably not even 50%, but he's right on this one. Big East basketball is going to be nothing compared to what it used to be because the football schools for the most part have dominated the BE in bball for the last 20 years.

Now, I fully expect to be taken to the woodshed for this post, with comments like "sUCks", "your team hasn't done crap in the BE", "your new conference sucks", "your coach is a troll", so go for it. But nothing will change the fact that when the football schools are gone, they're taking the vast majority of the basketball talent with them.

Yep Syracuse, UConn, Louisville, and Pitt are gone so they will be missed. Nobody cares about sUCks....a 7 or 8 year member who never finished in the top 3.
America 12......whoooo hoooooooooo

[_LH]

Sorry to get this thread back on-topic, but I have to reply. I normally try not to get myself into these disagreements with "rival" fans, but here it goes...

Since the 95-96 season, your beloved C7 schools have only won 2 BE tourney championships. 2 out of 17 is not so good. Also, I believe the C7 schools have only have 4 of the last 18 outright/shared regular season championships, but would have to confirm. So when Mick says things like the Big East best days are past, it's true. I don't agree with Mick 100% of the time, probably not even 50%, but he's right on this one. Big East basketball is going to be nothing compared to what it used to be because the football schools for the most part have dominated the BE in bball for the last 20 years.

Now, I fully expect to be taken to the woodshed for this post, with comments like "sUCks", "your team hasn't done crap in the BE", "your new conference sucks", "your coach is a troll", so go for it. But nothing will change the fact that when the football schools are gone, they're taking the vast majority of the basketball talent with them.

The real BE died in 2005 when they pimped out and added South Florida and UC. It has not been the "real" BE Mick is talking about since 2004. UC never played in the real BE.

Now, while Syracuse and UCONN have won titles since 2000. Syracuse was leaving for the ACC no matter what and if the ACC would take them, so would UCONN. The BE was never going to have Syracuse and Louisville for the long haul and would always be waiting for UCONN to leave as well. If the C7 had stayed, the BE would be worse off with the additions of Tulane, ECU, UCF, etc. than it will be with the C7 plus Bulter, XU and Creighton.

Villanova, Marquette, Georgetown and Butler have all been the Final 4 since 2000 and XU has been to the Elite 8 twice in the same time frame. The new BE will be one hell of a league and better off without South Florida, Tulane, SMU and UC.

UC's new league is far worse than the new BE as UC, Temple, Houston and UCONN continue to to try to get invited to better conferences. They only thing UC has to look forward to is the hope the B10 might take some ACC schools so UC is invited to the ACC out of default.

[DC Muskie]

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that because teams who have long histories and successes, basically everyone but UC, have left things will be different.

The Big East will create new moments and continue to move forward. That's a cold hard truth.

[xubrew]

Sorry to get this thread back on-topic, but I have to reply. I normally try not to get myself into these disagreements with "rival" fans, but here it goes...

Since the 95-96 season, your beloved C7 schools have only won 2 BE tourney championships. 2 out of 17 is not so good. Also, I believe the C7 schools have only have 4 of the last 18 outright/shared regular season championships, but would have to confirm. So when Mick says things like the Big East best days are past, it's true. I don't agree with Mick 100% of the time, probably not even 50%, but he's right on this one. Big East basketball is going to be nothing compared to what it used to be because the football schools for the most part have dominated the BE in bball for the last 20 years.

Now, I fully expect to be taken to the woodshed for this post, with comments like "sUCks", "your team hasn't done crap in the BE", "your new conference sucks", "your coach is a troll", so go for it. But nothing will change the fact that when the football schools are gone, they're taking the vast majority of the basketball talent with them.

Quite frankly, Mick Cronin lamenting about the Big East Tournament as if UC was a major player in it is pretty funny. It's like Colorado reminiscing about the days when the Rose Bowl always featured the Big Ten and the Pac Ten. They weren't there during the era of classic Rose Bowl games, and they weren't a player in the Rose Bowl picture once they finally did get there.

There are virtually no indelibile BE Tournament moments that feature UC. One, maybe, was Syracuse's run in 2006 after they finished 9th overall and won four games to win the whole thing. But, that was Syracuse's moment and UC just happened to be one of the teams that they beat along the way.

UC didn't have a six overtime game, and then a double overtime game the very next night.

UC never had anything like the classic Pitt v UConn matchups in the final.

I get your point about how accomplished (or unaccomplished) some of those teams have been recently. That's not what makes the comment absurd, though. I actually agree that it kind of sucks to see a signature event like that end. Between Georgetown, Syracuse, UConn, Nova, Pitt and West Virginia it was good programs with an endless string of rivalries. Even Rutgers v Seton Hall had some moments (glad they're keeping that series going), and of course it was fun when Saint John's was good because they were hosting. To have high level programs that are bitter rivals playing in a knockout format...well....it was always fun.

UC wasn't really an essential part of any of it, though, so it's funny to see him lament it the way that he is.

[Masterofreality]

Sorry to get this thread back on-topic, but I have to reply. I normally try not to get myself into these disagreements with "rival" fans, but here it goes...

Since the 95-96 season, your beloved C7 schools have only won 2 BE tourney championships. 2 out of 17 is not so good. Also, I believe the C7 schools have only have 4 of the last 18 outright/shared regular season championships, but would have to confirm. So when Mick says things like the Big East best days are past, it's true. I don't agree with Mick 100% of the time, probably not even 50%, but he's right on this one. Big East basketball is going to be nothing compared to what it used to be because the football schools for the most part have dominated the BE in bball for the last 20 years.

Now, I fully expect to be taken to the woodshed for this post, with comments like "sUCks", "your team hasn't done crap in the BE", "your new conference sucks", "your coach is a troll", so go for it. But nothing will change the fact that when the football schools are gone, they're taking the vast majority of the basketball talent with them.

Right. That's why 2 of the New Big East 7 tied for the reg season championship....and have all their players coming back.

[chico]

Sorry to get this thread back on-topic, but I have to reply. I normally try not to get myself into these disagreements with "rival" fans, but here it goes...

Since the 95-96 season, your beloved C7 schools have only won 2 BE tourney championships. 2 out of 17 is not so good. Also, I believe the C7 schools have only have 4 of the last 18 outright/shared regular season championships, but would have to confirm. So when Mick says things like the Big East best days are past, it's true. I don't agree with Mick 100% of the time, probably not even 50%, but he's right on this one. Big East basketball is going to be nothing compared to what it used to be because the football schools for the most part have dominated the BE in bball for the last 20 years.

Now, I fully expect to be taken to the woodshed for this post, with comments like "sUCks", "your team hasn't done crap in the BE", "your new conference sucks", "your coach is a troll", so go for it. But nothing will change the fact that when the football schools are gone, they're taking the vast majority of the basketball talent with them.

The Big East's "glory days" have been gone for some time. Look at any list of greatest teams/players of the conference and the overwhelming majority of them are from the 80's and early 90's. Cronin laments the end of the Big East but even he rattled off players that were there before UC was in the conference. You can try to rationalize it any way you want but the fact remains that UC was never part of the Big East glory days.

But in actuality it's that the Big East is returning to its roots - great basketball. Take a look at the schools involved and you'll see teams with pretty rich histories and/or teams on the upswing poised to remain at a top level. There's no push to try to compete with the big boys on the football field, just to simply have a pure basketball conference. One that's getting a nice payday to do so, by the way, which tells me that those in charge of the money know a good thing when they see it.

[PMI]

Sorry to get this thread back on-topic, but I have to reply. I normally try not to get myself into these disagreements with "rival" fans, but here it goes...

Since the 95-96 season, your beloved C7 schools have only won 2 BE tourney championships. 2 out of 17 is not so good. Also, I believe the C7 schools have only have 4 of the last 18 outright/shared regular season championships, but would have to confirm. So when Mick says things like the Big East best days are past, it's true. I don't agree with Mick 100% of the time, probably not even 50%, but he's right on this one. Big East basketball is going to be nothing compared to what it used to be because the football schools for the most part have dominated the BE in bball for the last 20 years.

Now, I fully expect to be taken to the woodshed for this post, with comments like "sUCks", "your team hasn't done crap in the BE", "your new conference sucks", "your coach is a troll", so go for it. But nothing will change the fact that when the football schools are gone, they're taking the vast majority of the basketball talent with them.

The Big East won't be as great as it's ever been, but it's still going to be damn good. By adding Xavier and Butler to Georgetown, Marquette, Villanova and the rest, it's still going to be a top 4 or 5 basketball conference, sometimes better. Are the days of the Big East being obnoxiously oversized with a variety of all different kinds of schools over? Sure. The old Big East was too loaded with good programs not to be the gauntlet it was, but make no mistake, the new conference will be very good.

[xudash]

The Big East's "glory days" have been gone for some time. Look at any list of greatest teams/players of the conference and the overwhelming majority of them are from the 80's and early 90's. Cronin laments the end of the Big East but even he rattled off players that were there before UC was in the conference. You can try to rationalize it any way you want but the fact remains that UC was never part of the Big East glory days.

But in actuality it's that the Big East is returning to its roots - great basketball. Take a look at the schools involved and you'll see teams with pretty rich histories and/or teams on the upswing poised to remain at a top level. There's no push to try to compete with the big boys on the football field, just to simply have a pure basketball conference. One that's getting a nice payday to do so, by the way, which tells me that those in charge of the money know a good thing when they see it.

Boom.

[xubrew]

I actually have an appreciation for what the Big East did for college basketball. It does not top the list of things that made college basketball a major sport, but I definitely think it is on the list.

I wasn't alive for much of this, but I do try to know and appreciate the history. So, anyone else with a different opinion or take can jump in.

College basketball was always big, and in some places it was super big, but it wasn't super big at as many places as it is now until about thirty or so years ago. The Big East formed as a conference of schools where basketball was super big. It was the first of its kind. It was kind of like the modern day Hockey East, only for basketball. It also happened at the time ESPN hit the airwaves, and people began to see more college basketball showcases than they had before.

College basketball had it's showcase moments. The 1979 Bird v Magic final, the 1968 UCLA vs Houston game in the dome (the 1968 FF game which was a rematch between UCLA and Houston did very well too) just to name a few. All of that did a lot to elevate the popularity of the sport. However, I don't think it really became what it is today until the early 1980s when the Big East had formed which was a basketball centric conference, when ESPN was on the air, and when CBS began broadcasting the tournament that it became what it is now.

The BE doesn't top the list, but it was a major player. I don't think that it's as great or as important as it was when it first formed, but in a way, it's the same idea. It's a basketball-centric conference in a time when TV deals and conference football championships (that in many cases draw shit ratings and shittier attendance) seem to be the order of the day.

[xubrew]

I actually have an appreciation for what the Big East did for college basketball. It does not top the list of things that made college basketball a major sport, but I definitely think it is on the list.

I wasn't alive for much of this, but I do try to know and appreciate the history. So, anyone else with a different opinion or take can jump in.

College basketball was always big, and in some places it was super big, but it wasn't super big at as many places as it is now until about thirty or so years ago. The Big East formed as a conference of schools where basketball was super big. It was the first of its kind. It was kind of like the modern day Hockey East, only for basketball. It also happened at the time ESPN hit the airwaves, and people began to see more college basketball showcases than they had before.

College basketball had it's showcase moments. The 1979 Bird v Magic final, the 1968 UCLA vs Houston game in the dome (the 1968 FF game which was a rematch between UCLA and Houston did very well too) just to name a few. All of that did a lot to elevate the popularity of the sport. However, I don't think it really became what it is today until the early 1980s when the Big East had formed which was a basketball centric conference, when ESPN was on the air, and when CBS began broadcasting the tournament that it became what it is now.

The BE doesn't top the list, but it was a major player. I don't think that it's as great or as important as it was when it first formed, but in a way, it's the same idea. It's a basketball-centric conference in a time when TV deals and conference football championships (that in many cases draw shit ratings and shittier attendance) seem to be the order of the day.

....oh yeah. My point was that I don't think UC had anything to do with any of this.

[Mrs. Garrett]

UC is now in a conference that is worse than the conference they left for the BE.

This makes me happy

[ArizonaXUGrad]

What is both unfortunate about this whole deal and funny is that Football is the only driver here. Mick can shout and cry all he wants but as far as his University is concerned it will play in a conference that will allow football to rule as best as it can. I doubt they stay in this America 12 or whatever. Crappy football conference and basketball conference. In the end football rules the landscape.

Ironically, that is what makes the C7 break off so great. It was purely a basketball decision. They will only bring on basketball schools to prevent conference shakeups related to football.

[DC Muskie]

America 12 will still have some good basketball programs.

Memphis
UConn
Temple
UC


That's all I got.

[LA Muskie]

That UC guy isn't completely wrong. This isn't the Big East we all grew up with. That's true. Then again, it hasn't been that same Big East for much of UC's tenure there, and it certainly wasn't going to be so next year -- whether the split happened or not. The Big East was "bigger" (on the CBB scene) at earlier points in its history. That is true. UC has never had anything to do with that. That is equally true. And the New Big East will likely be better than any conference UC finds itself in over the course of the next several years. Although there remains the possibility they will luck into a conference they have no business being in...

[X-man]

That UC guy isn't completely wrong. This isn't the Big East we all grew up with. That's true. Then again, it hasn't been that same Big East for much of UC's tenure there, and it certainly wasn't going to be so next year -- whether the split happened or not. The Big East was "bigger" (on the CBB scene) at earlier points in its history. That is true. UC has never had anything to do with that. That is equally true. And the New Big East will likely be better than any conference UC finds itself in over the course of the next several years. Although there remains the possibility they will luck into a conference they have no business being in...

I totally agree on the quality of the league we seem to be moving into. In my book, it is hardly a step up from the current A10 (top to bottom), and may even be a step down. But as you say, the Big East hasn't played up to its legendary standards for a number of years. And that's my beef with Mick. He makes it sound like UC has somehow been a part of th BE legend. Not only has the BE performance dropped way off from its halcyon days, UC has only been a bit player in the modern and weaker version of the conference.

[LA Muskie]

I totally agree on the quality of the league we seem to be moving into. In my book, it is hardly a step up from the current A10 (top to bottom), and may even be a step down. But as you say, the Big East hasn't played up to its legendary standards for a number of years. And that's my beef with Mick. He makes it sound like UC has somehow been a part of th BE legend. Not only has the BE performance dropped way off from its halcyon days, UC has only been a bit player in the modern and weaker version of the conference.
I disagree that this isn't a huge step-up for us. I believe it is, top to bottom. (The middle may be closer.) But I certainly agree about the Big East. I grew up on Syracuse/Georgetown and Syracuse/UConn. 6 foul/player slugfests. That's the Big East people think about. Not UC v USF games.

[GoMuskies]

I'm not sure what some of you guys are talking about. The Big East has been fantastic during UC's time in the league. No thanks to UC, of course.

[LA Muskie]

I'm not sure what some of you guys are talking about. The Big East has been fantastic during UC's time in the league. No thanks to UC, of course.
I disagree. The top 2-3 have been very good each year over that span (UConn, Syracuse, Louisville, and Pitt in particular). The middle and bottom not so much. They certainly haven't deserved many of their NCAA tourney selections and most of their inflated seeds, as borne out by their results.

Regardless, my point really wasn't about how good the conference has been from a CBB point of view. It was perception. And from a perception perspective, the Big East's haydays were in the 80's and early 90's.

I agree that whatever success the Big East has had with UC as a member has come in spite of UC. And that has always made me chuckle.

[danaandvictory]

Every time Cronin opens his mouth I hear the immortal John Cazale as Fredo Corleone:

"It ain't the way I wanted it! I can handle things! I'm smart! Not like everybody says... like dumb... I'm smart and I want respect!"

[GoMuskies]

I'm not sure who has perceived the Big East as being anything other than the best conference in college basketball over most of the last ten years. The Big Ten is better this year, but that's rare. Hell, the 9th place team in the Big East won the national title one year.

Either way, UC sucks and is irrrelevant, and that's the important thing to remember!

[xubrew]

Other than perhaps West Virginia, I think UC's biggest basketball rivals in the Big East were their old CUSA rivals. UC basketball was a much bigger player on the national sceme before it joined the Big East. I realize much of that was due to other circumstances, and I'm not trying to say joining the BE is what caused the decline, but nevertheless, there was a decline in their basketball program.

The Big East was a fantastic basketball conference that had a lot of great rivalries. I feel that it has been that way even after it bloated out to sixteen teams. UC wasn't a major player in any of that, though. They have actually been far less relevant than they were before they joined the league.

[xubrew]

America 12 will still have some good basketball programs.

Memphis
UConn
Temple
UC


That's all I got.

When you have four programs as good as that, you're actually doing better than most.

UCF and USF have potential. USF was horrible this year, but they had been steadily improving and made the round of 32 last year. They also just opened a new arena. UCF was okay, but they were also on probation.

SMU has Larry Brown. They also finished in the top ten this year!!! Of Conference USA.

The league won't be elite, but it won't suck either. Xavier did just fine on the national scene while in the Atlantic Ten. UC can still be good in the new conference.

[PM Thor]

Yeah, UC could still be good, but it's going to take a monumental change in doctrine. And Brew, I think you inadvertently equated the Cineplex conference to the A10. The two really aren't comparable. I digress, back to UC. No longer will they be able to recruit based on conference affiliation, no longer will they be able to use a conference bump in scheduling either. They will HAVE to schedule a more difficult OOC schedule, because that conference is strewn with bottom dwellers. Is Cronin the kind of coach who can totally revamp everything he has ever done in terms of recruiting and scheduling? I have my doubts.

I HATE dayton.

[paulxu]

I think UC's biggest basketball rivals in the Big East were their old CUSA rivals.

Next year UC's biggest rival in the Big East will be.....Xavier!

[DC Muskie]

Other than perhaps West Virginia, I think UC's biggest basketball rivals in the Big East were their old CUSA rivals. UC basketball was a much bigger player on the national sceme before it joined the Big East. I realize much of that was due to other circumstances, and I'm not trying to say joining the BE is what caused the decline, but nevertheless, there was a decline in their basketball program.

I don't think UC would have struggled so much in the Big East if Huggins was still there. You can't fire a coach like that under those circumstances, bring in a bridge troll to take over and rebuild in the middle of a conference that features Georgetown, Marquette and Villanova to name a few.

[LadyMuskie]

I don't think UC would have struggled so much in the Big East if Huggins was still there. You can't fire a coach like that under those circumstances, bring in a bridge troll to take over and rebuild in the middle of a conference that features Georgetown, Marquette and Villanova to name a few.

I agree. Right or wrong, good or bad (and it was wrong and bad) Huggins built what got UC basketball into the Big East, and he would have done a better job of maintaining it. Cronin's a poseur in so many different facets of his life. He has to try to live up to his mentors, Huggins and Pitino, and so far, even though those two don't exactly set the bar high when it comes to morality and humility, he's failing. Basically, he's a giant failure at this thing we call life and he knows it.

[BMoreX]

We've got a barnburner at MSG:

With 3:20 to go...
South Florida 37
Seton Hall 29

The halftime score was 20-17 USF.

[UCGRAD4X]

Firing Huggy Bear was one thing - it was the hiring of the YTG that got them where they are now. If they would have hired someone with some real basketball acumen post Huggins, they could have still been a player on the national stage. But, when the best you can do is #2 in your own namesake city, perhaps there is no real hope, Huggs or not. After all, what has he done in WVA?

[danaandvictory]

Firing Huggy Bear was one thing - it was the hiring of the YTG that got them where they are now. If they would have hired someone with some real basketball acumen post Huggins, they could have still been a player on the national stage. But, when the best you can do is #2 in your own namesake city, perhaps there is no real hope, Huggs or not. After all, what has he done in WVA?

Other than make the Final Four?

[XUFan09]

He's gone to another Final Four before losing to the eventual champion.

[GoMuskies]

We've got a barnburner at MSG:

With 3:20 to go...
South Florida 37
Seton Hall 29

The halftime score was 20-17 USF.

OT. Awesome! Just what everyone wanted: more of THIS high quality basketball.

[GoMuskies]

Suck it A-12! New Big East rules!

[Masterofreality]

Suck it A-12! New Big East rules!

Yep, one Big East poseur down.......one more to go-starting at noon tomorrow.

[paulxu]

bring in a bridge troll to take over and rebuild

http://i.chzbgr.com/completestore/2009/2/8/128786203298453233.jpg

[X-man]

I'm not sure what some of you guys are talking about. The Big East has been fantastically over-rated during UC's time in the league. No thanks to UC, of course.

Fixed that for you.

[danaandvictory]

Just was musing on all of UC's great Big East Tournament moments. Like that time Gerry McNamara beat them with a buzzer-beater, and that time they lost to 0-18 DePaul, and that time DeSean Butler beat them with a buzzer beater, and the time they scored 44 points in the championship game.

Mick is right - it'll never be the same.

[xubrew]

Mick Cronin is talking about how they will have to schedule up. He's correct. That's not the funny part, though.

His idea of scheduling up is to schedule one more powerhouse conference non-league game.

Seriously.

He didn't even say it was going to be a powerhouse team, per say. It's just going to be a powerhouse conference team.

Their out of conference schedule featured a game against New Mexico, a game against an Oregon team that is barely in, and a game agianst Iowa State who's right on the bubble. So, they're going to look to add to that by one. This could bring their OOC schedule to a grand total of two teams who will solidly be in the field. Well....for them I guess that is scheduling up.

http://courantblogs.com/uconn-men/like-uconn-cincinnati-will-have-to-schedule-up-and-get-back-to-the-garden/

[GoMuskies]

They don't really need to start next year. They'll play Louisville, UConn, Memphis and Temple once/twice each. When they lose Louisville, it's really going to take a bite out of that conference SoS for them and require two new OOC tests.