If Mick Cronin is fortunate to remain at UC for a while longer, I WISH that he would begin recruiting basketball players with basketball skills. This university needs a basketball team with players that play hard, shoot very well consistently and know how to hit an open man breaking for the basket. This has been going on for years now and I wish to see a good basketball team on Campus again. Are you reading this, Mick? Start recruiting basketball players that have basketball skills instead of being fast and jumping high. You might keep a job a lot longer. Also recruit young men that are motivated to do their best and to learn. Hey, hire some assistants that can teach that too. It will help make your life a lot more simpler. ( Stepping off my soapbox now...sorry).
I just want to see a Winner again!
GO BEARCATS!!!!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone...God bless you and your loved ones.

I have been sour on Mick for awhile now, especially on the recruiting, but have to get credit where it's due. Mick and Savino have done a pretty good job with the upcoming recruiting class. Savino has helped tremendously in the NY/NJ area, a place where we have struggled in recent years. Recruiting pure shooters isn't easy to do, it's a hit and miss game, and the talent pool of those types of players in each recruiting cycle is very limited. If we can get back in the tournament, and do it on a consistent basis, we'll have better luck on the recruiting side.

I do agree we need to upgrade some assistants. I would like an assistant who is better at working with the big guys, George Jackson is a great guy, but the results with the bigs have been less than confidence inspiring.

Savino has been working with the bigs too.

Bearcat54, you have mentioned changing assistants several times, but have yet to say which ones you think need replaced. So, who do you think needs to go?

(11-25-2010 11:10 AM)subflea Wrote:  Savino has been working with the bigs too.

Bearcat54, you have mentioned changing assistants several times, but have yet to say which ones you think need replaced. So, who do you think needs to go?

Flea, I'd change them all. I have seen little improvement at most positions since Mick has been here. I DON'T think they are that good at teaching. Huggins' assistants did pretty good with working with the players. Loyer & Harrison had much better results over time. The key is having assistants working with players and improving them. Probably a lot of Huggins practices were so much into Drilling...I wonder if Mick even comes close to the same practice regiments. Just sayin'..but Mick's teams have been pretty bad in running good plays and shooting with any consistency. They give up a lot of points inside the paint. I'm just not satisfied with what's been going on here and don't see it getting much better. I hope I'm wrong eventually but something needs to change soon or mick will be job searching and another coach will have to start over. Not sure UC can afford to wait much longer with the money crunch nowadays.

Even Savino? That guy has been great so far.

personally, wouldn't mind seeing george jackson replaced...not very impressed with the job he's done. had a couple brews early in the spring with a local coach who has worked with/knows him pretty well. said he wasn't thrilled about the addition and that UC could have done way better. seeing how our front court plays, i can agree with that.

I am not completely sold on Jackson or Davis, but I don't get to see what they do at practice either. Davis was supposed to help with recruiting overseas, but that has been a complete failure so far. I do like what Savino has shown so far. The recruiting class is solid, and he played a huge part in this one. He is also very active on the bench. I also like that he has been coaching in the Big East for the last few years. He knows all the teams we will be playing, and may bring a new perspective on how to play them.

savino has definitely been a nice addition. could have used his recruiting skills the past 4 years, is a shame he left the first time around.

(11-25-2010 10:34 PM)bearcat54 Wrote:  

(11-25-2010 11:10 AM)subflea Wrote:  Savino has been working with the bigs too.

Bearcat54, you have mentioned changing assistants several times, but have yet to say which ones you think need replaced. So, who do you think needs to go?

Flea, I'd change them all. I have seen little improvement at most positions since Mick has been here. I DON'T think they are that good at teaching. Huggins' assistants did pretty good with working with the players. Loyer & Harrison had much better results over time. The key is having assistants working with players and improving them. Probably a lot of Huggins practices were so much into Drilling...I wonder if Mick even comes close to the same practice regiments. Just sayin'..but Mick's teams have been pretty bad in running good plays and shooting with any consistency. They give up a lot of points inside the paint. I'm just not satisfied with what's been going on here and don't see it getting much better. I hope I'm wrong eventually but something needs to change soon or mick will be job searching and another coach will have to start over. Not sure UC can afford to wait much longer with the money crunch nowadays.

I will give due to Sorvino because he has been here less than a year. Maybe he will do a good job teaching. I was thinking about the onces that have been at UC for most of Micks' Tenure. I hope they turn things around and restore my faith back in the program. Time will tell, I guess. But I had forgotten about Sorvino so will see how that goes for him and UC. Defense was refreshing to watch the other night but then again, it was a small struggling program they played. Real test will be Dayton saturday night.

(11-25-2010 11:42 PM)Tymanh99 Wrote:  savino has definitely been a nice addition. could have used his recruiting skills the past 4 years, is a shame he left the first time around.

Losing Savino was the first of several events that went the wrong direction for Mick, things that had a significant impact on a quick return to respectability for UC basketball.

Well, Cashmere and Kilpatrick are supposed to be pure shooters. In fact, if they ever bring in a true pass first PG, I expect Cash to end up at SG, kinda like the Satterfield/Logan two headed PG situation years back.

Larry Davis was supposed to be a pure shooter too. So go figure. I think it must be a crapshoot.

But I get what Bearcat54 is saying. You look at teams like Butler and see guys with high b-ball IQ's, that know how and when to pass, can make FT's, and are pure shooters, but lack the athleticism of some of the bigger name teams, and you wonder why we can't grab a few of these guys.

(11-26-2010 08:54 AM)Vottomatic Wrote:  Well, Cashmere and Kilpatrick are supposed to be pure shooters. In fact, if they ever bring in a true pass first PG, I expect Cash to end up at SG, kinda like the Satterfield/Logan two headed PG situation years back.

Larry Davis was supposed to be a pure shooter too. So go figure. I think it must be a crapshoot.

But I get what Bearcat54 is saying. You look at teams like Butler and see guys with high b-ball IQ's, that know how and when to pass, can make FT's, and are pure shooters, but lack the athleticism of some of the bigger name teams, and you wonder why we can't grab a few of these guys.

I just get the feeling that Mick doesn't even go for those kind of players. He's got in his mind about what kind of player he wants and he just sticks to that plan. Huggins disappointed me years ago when he didn't consider Dominic James , out of Richmond, Indiana...he did pretty well at Marquette. WE need more fundamental ballplayers. Heck, years ago, ED Badger didnt pursue Scott Skiles out of Plymouth, Indiana because he thought he was too slow. We all know how successful Scott was and Badger wasn't.

Shooters, shooters, shooters.

PS - Lasalle Thompson would have helped Badger win, a lot.

I too would still like to see Mick upgrade coaching staff some more. I think savino has shown instant dividends recruiting. Jackson hasn't brought anything to table. Was supposed to help Ohio recruiting.....got none. Especially jakarr iirc. Thomas hasn't improved. I'd like to see Mick get a young energetic up and comer. Or two.

(11-25-2010 11:35 PM)Tymanh99 Wrote:  personally, wouldn't mind seeing george jackson replaced...not very impressed with the job he's done. had a couple brews early in the spring with a local coach who has worked with/knows him pretty well. said he wasn't thrilled about the addition and that UC could have done way better. seeing how our front court plays, i can agree with that.

ive spoken to people over the years in the high school coaching community and none of them had high opinions of george jackson and his abilities.