Mick Cronin Can Be A Hero

As a Cincinnati alum/fan...I am embarrassed and humiliated by my team's actions near the end of the game.

I am not a big fan of Mick Cronin as a basketball coach...but I am awfully proud of him for how he represented himself and the university with what he had to say after the game.

Skip to about the 3:45 part of this presser...there's a solid 8-10 minutes of very appropriate comments:

Cronin Press Conference

Based on his comments and others out of the university later in the day, I am confident my university will handle this.

As Holloway from Xavier said in the post game interview - referring to his teammates: " We have a locker room full of gangsters ..."

Refreshing honesty - and I agree.

Just pure unadulterated thuggery - with the only fair option being arrest, prosecution and jail time.

Both Cincinnati University and Xavier University have - involuntarily - shown the world what they are willing to accept in order to put a basketball team on the floor - and keep the money flowing in.

Both University's reaction to this will be interesting to watch- but I have little faith that they will do what should be done.

quote:

Originally posted by biggerpapi:
Mick Cronin made comments in his interview that he might actually kick some of these criminals off his team. He will be my new favorite coach if he actually backs up his statement.

Yancy Gates is one of the best players in the country and was clearly the strongest offender during the fight. Will this affect Cronin's willingness to back up his statement?

Six game suspension. Not bad but a far cry from kicking them off the team.

As expected - very light penalty for a collection of violent criminals.

The University of Cincinnati - along with the gutless clowns at the NCAA - once again prove just how immoral and corrupt big time college athletics really are.

This was the same coach that said nothing while his bench players jawed incessantly with opposing players on the court during the game. That seems to be part of what caused the situation to continue to escalate throughout the game. Why would any coach allow his bench players to speak directly to the opponents during a game?

quote:

Originally posted by itsinthegame:
As expected - very light penalty for a collection of violent criminals.

The University of Cincinnati - along with the gutless clowns at the NCAA - once again prove just how immoral and corrupt big time college athletics really are.

Judge, jury and executioner?

I think the punishment is too light too...I too am disappointed, but those are awfully harsh words for a punishment 6-times what was required and 1.5 times what the other team handed out.

The Xavier players in the press conference afterwards should have gotten much worse. I'm not sure that I'd suspend the UC players anymore. The two Xavier players got one and two games respectively...

I am sure these fine student athletes are performing well in the classroom too.

quote:

Originally posted by justbaseball:

quote:

Originally posted by itsinthegame:
As expected - very light penalty for a collection of violent criminals.

The University of Cincinnati - along with the gutless clowns at the NCAA - once again prove just how immoral and corrupt big time college athletics really are.

Judge, jury and executioner?

I think the punishment is too light too...I too am disappointed, but those are awfully harsh words for a punishment 6-times what was required and 1.5 times what the other team handed out.

I am not the judge, the jury or the executioner.

If I were - many of those players would never set foot on a college campus again.
Several of them would also be in a courtroom - and not on a basketball court.

They are violent thugs - who fortunately - didn't kill anyone this time.

And in about a week or so - they will be right back on the court. "Gangsters" ready for their next round of violent mayhem.

The actions of the Universities and the NCAA - are an insult to all law abiding citizens and student athletes.
But then again - it shouldnt surprise anyone - and from my perspective - was totally expected.

quote:

The Xavier players in the press conference afterwards should have gotten much worse. I'm not sure that I'd suspend the UC players anymore. The two Xavier players got one and two games respectively...

That's a joke. I don't know what all went on all game long, but those Xavier players were proud of themselves. For them to get 1 or 2 games is sad....the institution of Xaxier should be ashamed.

What a joke. Student athletes? If you sucker punched and stomped on a student on campus you would be kicked out of school and arrested. They did this on national TV. What are they doing when no one is watching? If I were an AD I would refuse to schedule them in any sport. Period.

I will try and leave this alone after this post.

Coach_May, its, others...I have TREMENDOUS respect for your opinions, and I will respect them here too, but you don't know everything about this, not even close... I admit I don't either.

But I know enough. I have been to these UC/XU 'shootouts' in the past. I've talked with people in Cincinnati including with some at the university. I now know much more about the events leading up to the end of the game...and there is a fair amount not yet (or maybe ever) reported in the press.

The kid who threw the big punch from UC, yeah, like you I woulda kicked him off the team and out of school.

But maybe it relates to some of the things I learned late yesterday and today that aren't being reported. Maybe the penalty reflects what I also learned about the kid and some things that happened to him in previous XU/UC shootouts and some of the things that happened in this game yesterday as well.

ESPN cameras don't record everything...lets just say I've been directed to some tape of other events and that it certainly was not the first (or last) in-game/arena assault by or between those two players...not even close.

Every man has a breaking point. Do you? Don't kid yourselves...we all do. I like to think my breaking point is much higher than his, but I've also NEVER had some of those things happen to me...and I'd be willing to bet a large sum of $$ that you haven't either. So if I'm being totally truthful with myself, I probably don't know, for sure, whether or not I would have snapped under yesterday's circumstances.

Be at least a little careful how you characterize an entire team...one of the players on the team of "violent criminals" and part of ESPN's game report was a HS teammate and friend of a very respected poster on this message board.

Most stereotypes have a human face and this situation is no exception.

These events have been brewing for 20+ years. And it doesn't emanate from one school. Both schools should have seen this coming at least 10 years ago. In fact, I believe this game should not be scheduled again for at least a few years, maybe more. If they do schedule it, IMO it HAS to be in the downtown arena (~neutral) with equal distribution of tickets and no student sections behind either bench. Would probably also be best if they didn't televise it either.

As I said, I accept and respect your harsh criticism, but until you walk in another man's shoes, well...

I hear ya, JB.
My only comment was regarding whether the HC would be able to back up his threat to kick anyone off the team.
I will be the first to admit that, as an athlete, when taunted, called out or pushed around beyond the general guidelines of the game, it was often very difficult to restrain from retaliation. And when things escalated to the point where both benches cleared, rarely did common sense dictate the actions that followed. This applied far more so for a heated, hated rival.

Coach Cronin, I mean Just Baseball:

For those offenders that were punching and kicking, should they receive any discipline for what they did? Or is it okay that because things have been brewing for the past 20+ years that no punishment should be doled out? Speaking of things that have been brewing for the past 20+ years, what is the graduation rate of the student athletes that represent this fine academic institution? I know when Bob Huggins was head coach, the graduation rate was 0% for his student athletes over a number of years while Huggins was in charge. Mick Cronin is quite the protege, I just hope that some of the players on his team are focusing on academics and representing the university in a more responsible manner, rather than exhbiting the kind of behavior I witnessed.

I haven't been in these players' shoes but look forward to hearing all their excuses.

quote:

Originally posted by Proud Dad 24:
Coach Cronin, I mean Just Baseball:

For those offenders that were punching and kicking, should they receive any discipline for what they did? Or is it okay that because things have been brewing for the past 20+ years that no punishment should be doled out? Speaking of things that have been brewing for the past 20+ years, what is the graduation rate of the student athletes that represent this fine academic institution? I know when Bob Huggins was head coach, the graduation rate was 0% for his student athletes over a number of years while Huggins was in charge. Mick Cronin is quite the protege, I just hope that some of the players on his team are focusing on academics and representing the university in a more responsible manner, rather than exhbiting the kind of behavior I witnessed.

I haven't been in these players' shoes but look forward to hearing all their excuses.

Be as sarcastic as you want, I already answered your first questions...but on grad rates, its not really the topic we're discussing, but here you go...

According to the NCAA's latest reporting period:

[Latest reported (single) class, Basketball players - 67%, 4-year average - 67%]<-Federal computation method, GSR - 53
University of Illinois (since thats your state school) - 40%, 55% and 80 respectively (basketball).

Side note: The National Science Foundation ranks UC as one of the top-25 public research universities.

Pardon the sarcasm but we all have problems. Thanks for the updates on the graduation rates. I am pleased to see the academic progress and hope those suspended for their actions will learn from their mistakes on the court and in life. They are fortunate to be at such a great institution and it would be great if their performance in the classroom helps further increase graduation rates.

JBB I respect your opinion and if you say there is more to the story I will take you on your word, you have earned it over the years imo.

How about they quit scheduling these two teams against each other if there is so much bad blood and hostility?

The police should have arrested all involved.

Okay, it's time to officially change my title to this thread to "Mick Cronin Had His Chance And He Blew It."

I was afraid all the big talk would be forgotten the next day. Maybe he's a wimp, maybe he was muzzled by the university. Whatever. I don't care.

This is not about the quality of the schools involved, nor do I care if this has been brewing for twenty years. And I don't think a local Cincinnati-ite is more qualified to understand this.

This is about normal, well-behaved people in this country being shoved aside and being forced to believe that vociferous posturing, gang-banging and mob action are normal ways of life and should be accepted, if not even glorified.

Basketball and football are the worst offenders. And by no coincidence, they are the college's money makers. If you're going to claim that these are truly high upstanding institutions of higher learning, then you also have to admit that the University muckety-mucks are selling their souls.

quote:

Originally posted by biggerpapi:
Watch This Vulgar Display

Sorry, this is about basketball but this is the reason I hate the NBA and maybe will have to stop watching college basketball as well.

Watch the fight. Listen to the goons talk about it in the post-game press conference. Ask yourself why isn't someone from Xavier University dragging these *******s off the podium as they're spewing their street garbage?

Mick Cronin made comments in his interview that he might actually kick some of these criminals off his team. He will be my new favorite coach if he actually backs up his statement.

One must wonder how these players are even at a Catholic Jesuit University like Xavier.
Aside from the "trash talk", they do not seem all that intelligent. Why the coach would allow them to do a press conference is also beyond my understanding. It reflects poorly on the institution and implies Xavier puts winning basketball games above choosing quality students. Presumably these basketball players are on scholarship which means that kids with more integrity, and presumably better grades where passed over.
Then again I just finished reading a book by Patrick Buchanan (Georgetown alum) entitled Suicide of a Superpower where he points out that the great Catholic universities of the past no longer adhere to their founding principles. He paints a very bleak picture of where America is, and where it is headed, backed up by statistical facts, not conjecture.

Let's not kid ourselves. It's all about the money. Do you really think all these student athletes would have been accepted into Cincinati and Xavier based on their academic scores? These unversities have sold their souls.

After watching the Heisman acceptance speech by Robert Griffin, I saw a classy student athlete that is a credit to himself, his family and his school. Yancy Gates is no Robert Griffin.

Hopefully, this will make some of you feel a little more satisfied today:

Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters announced Monday that his office will look at the brawl from the Crosstown Shootout and determine if any charges should be filed.

"My office will review this matter to determine whether any criminal charges are appropriate. We will have no further comment until a decision is reached," said Deters in a statement released Monday morning.

For the record, I am fine with that as well.

biggerpapi - That's "Cincinnatian," not "-ite." I would have thought a UL fan would have known that?

quote:

Originally posted by justbaseball:
biggerpapi - That's "Cincinnatian," not "-ite." I would have thought a UL fan would have known that?

Heck, I'm still trying to figure out the multiple ways to pronounce Louisville!

quote:

Originally posted by biggerpapi:
Heck, I'm still trying to figure out the multiple ways to pronounce Louisville!

I can help with that. Something like "Lou-vull"...or so I've been told.

I lived outside of Louisville for 10 years and I can tell you it's pronounced "Frankfort".

If you know the joke I'm referring to then you're probably laughing but if you don't know then you probably think I'm a big dummy.

One of us is a big dummy.

quote:

Originally posted by coach2709:
I lived outside of Louisville for 10 years and I can tell you it's pronounced "Frankfort".

If you know the joke I'm referring to then you're probably laughing but if you don't know then you probably think I'm a big dummy.

Pretty sure I get it coach.

quote:

Originally posted by Vector:
Then again I just finished reading a book by Patrick Buchanan (Georgetown alum) entitled Suicide of a Superpower where he points out that the great Catholic universities of the past no longer adhere to their founding principles.

Some do... sort of.

Here's the story of JayVaughn Pinkston, a 2010 Villanova University freshman basketball player charged with assault from an incident off-campus.

Give Villanova credit for taking a stand with JayVaughn Pinkston

Perhaps, Villanova 'did the right thing' by kicking him out of school for the spring semester after it was apparent the charges would not be dropped, yet they were very careful that he did not play (so much for innocent until proven guilty) and use a season of eligibility.

He was granted ARD, in August. He's back in school. Back on the team as a redshirt freshman.

Who knows what they would have done if he smacked somebody during a game, not at a party

quote:

Originally posted by biggerpapi:
One of us is a big dummy.

Me or you?????

Oh absolutely ME! I'm new to the Louavull scene. And I thought Frankfort was in Germany.

LOL I gotcha - it's an old joke you tell people not from Kentucky.

How do you pronounce the capitol of Kentucky?

"Lewis-ville"
or
"Lewie-ville"

The person thinks and picks one. Then you reply with "That's nice but those from Kentucky pronounce it Frankfort" since that's the capitol of Kentucky.

I guess it was a lot more funnier in my head.

Ha! That actually is funny.

I could use the same joke here.

What's the capitol of Illinois?

Chi-cah-go
or
Chi-caw-go

Different kind of joke...considering our history of Governors.

Is it Illa-noise,

or

Ill-a-noy?

(I don't have a schwa on my keyboard.)

Illinoyed

Indiana has billboards in Illinois asking us if we are "Illinoyed" by the ungodly taxes here!

And, yes, we are.

.

"I don't have a schwa on my keyboard."

Lucky you Antz. I had a large schwa on my keyboard after a rather vigorous schneeze. A large Sham Wow!® and a half bottle of Windex® solved my problem. Unfortunately my spirited scrubbing erased the "J" and "K" from those two keys. Now I often get them mixed up and I wish I could kust jeep remembering which is which. No koje!



.

Wood, it's sure nice to see you venture back out beyond "unusual land". We've missed ya.

.

Why thanks cabbagedad...spending too much time in the Unusually Unusual forum has its effects!





.

Okay, I just filled out my NCAA brackets. I have voted for both Xavier and Cincinnati to lose first round.

There, I made a stand.

Lotta good that'll do me.