Doc: UC, Xavier head in different directions
The Morning Line
Paul Daugherty , pdaugherty@enquirer.com Published 9:17 a.m. ET Feb. 16, 2017 | Updated 6 hours ago


UC PLAYING AGAINST ITS OWN ASPIRATIONS in Tampa, easing past South Florida (279 in the RPI). Only concern was T. Caupain. The Enquirer’s UC guy, Tom Groeschen, went a whole story without typing the senior point guard’s name.

In the past three games, Caupain has scored 15 points on 5-for-26 shooting. Last night, backup J. Jenifer had five assists in 15 minutes. Caupain had three in 30.

FRACTURING XAVIER. . . No one should expect a team that is playing without its top 3 guards (M Davis included) to go on the road and beat a hungry Bubble team. But the way Xavier lost at Providence was troubling. No Sumner and Bluiett demands the Musketeers play smart and focused. For 34 minutes, they were neither. Injuries don’t account for shoddy ballhandling and occasionally lax defense. Chris Mack to the Enquirer’s Pat Brennan:

"We have to grow up. I feel like I'm doing a lousy job as a head coach influencing our team to fight through adversity. Really feel like I am doing a poor job. Tellin' ain't teaching, and until we can survive other teams' runs and other teams' just willingness to take over a game, we're fracturing.’’

The Selex Committee will take X’s injuries into account, assuming the Musketeers make the tournament. But unless Bluiett makes a miracle recovery and X starts winning down the stretch, their seed will be a disadvantage. Damned shame.

AND ABOUT UC’S HOME COURT ISSUES. . . Mobster AJ chimes in with this:

I doubt if I would be attending any UC basketball games at any venue. The comfort of my chair in the den is better than one in any arena. You could have mentioned the price gouging for parking downtown and that nobody is likely to get hit by a street car in Highland Heights.

Having remembered how UC was stuck with Alabama A&M for its inaugural game opponent at renovated Nippert, I think UC should be working on its home opener foe for the 2018-19 season. Top suggestions, in order:

l. West Virginia.....because Bob Huggins is the coach.

2. Minnesota.....because that was the inaugural opponent for Shoemaker Center.

3. Xavier.....because UC is gonna play at home that season anyway, so why not in the opener?

4. Northern Kentucky......the gratuity for even considering renting their place to UC for the 2017-18 season.

5. Miami (Ohio)......nearby familiar opponent that hasn't played UC for awhile but seems to be willing to play anyone anywhere.

I don't think Mike Bohn's wildest dreams would include Ohio State, Kentucky or Louisville consenting to play here.

I like 1 and 3.

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/b.../97987368/

I like #2 for symmetry -also the last 2nd win headed the program off to greatness

NKU Norse would be my first choice. I'd be OK with WVA or MN. Miami (OH) - meh. Eggs, NFW they should bask in the glow of (and their obnoxious fans trash) our newly renovated arena!

They may not have any choice. This year their first two home games were determined by the Mohegan Sun tournament.

(02-16-2017 08:45 PM)gerhard911 Wrote:  NKU Norse would be my first choice. I'd be OK with WVA or MN. Miami (OH) - meh. Eggs, NFW they should bask in the glow of (and their obnoxious fans trash) our newly renovated arena!

That could be the perfect situation. Play NKU at NKU next year (split tickets?) and then play them as the opener at the new Fifth Third.

(02-16-2017 08:52 PM)BcatMatt13 Wrote:  

(02-16-2017 08:45 PM)gerhard911 Wrote:  NKU Norse would be my first choice. I'd be OK with WVA or MN. Miami (OH) - meh. Eggs, NFW they should bask in the glow of (and their obnoxious fans trash) our newly renovated arena!

That could be the perfect situation. Play NKU at NKU next year (split tickets?) and then play them as the opener at the new Fifth Third.

Yup.

NKU, Minnesota, and West Virginia would all be great. I would pass on Miami (although I would like to play them some other time), and no way in hell do I want to open our new arena with any Xavier fans in attendance.

It would be cool to host a school we have history with at 5/3 with but no longer share a conference with. Louisville would be my first choice. Marquette or Pitt would be cool too. Not sure how realistic any of these options are, but it's fun to think about.

Have some fun. Bring in the Harlem Globetrotters for an exhibition game and stuff the place with spectators up to the rafters.

NOT WVU. The opening of a new arena should be all about moving into the future. Making it Bob Huggins night would be a giant mistake.

(02-17-2017 08:02 AM)BeerCat Wrote:  NOT WVU. The opening of a new arena should be all about moving into the future. Making it Bob Huggins night would be a giant mistake.

Agree, but he isn't coming anyway.

Maybe we can schedule UConn since they will be playing in the BE by then anyway.

Needs to be a 95% certain win. We must win the opener or no beer sales.

NKU would be idea as a thank you game. Pre game ceremony to include a thanks to NKU

I would be good with NKU. Minnesota? Meh, I suppose. But a home and home with Minnesota would be a good thing anyway.

Miami? Could be, although not much of a connection anymore other than proximity, certainly not a rivalry.

WVU? Not a good idea for either team and completely stupid when you consider we are finally out from under that dark cloud. The great memories of the 90's and early 2000's that include Huggins are all still intact and all belong to the old Shoe.

No offense but screw those options... use the opening as an ESPN arranged event.

Butler, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Maryland, Louisville, Florida, Duke. (I would take Nova or Georgetown but that would be and FS1 event.)

New arena lets start thinking new opponents.

(02-17-2017 01:33 PM)nati streets Wrote:  No offense but screw those options... use the opening as an ESPN arranged event.

Butler, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Maryland, Louisville, Florida, Duke. (I would take Nova or Georgetown but that would be and FS1 event.)

New arena lets start thinking new opponents.

ESPN isn't going to do us any favors.

I would try get an in house tournament with couple bigs names.

(02-17-2017 01:33 PM)nati streets Wrote:  No offense but screw those options... use the opening as an ESPN arranged event.

Butler, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Maryland, Louisville, Florida, Duke. (I would take Nova or Georgetown but that would be and FS1 event.)

New arena lets start thinking new opponents.

I agree. Louisville would be the obvious #1 choice for a lot of reasons.

If we can't get a guaranteed ESPN1 or Fox national game out of it (New Mexico wouldn't work and I doubt Wisky, ND, or Maryland would either) then NKU is an outstanding choice too. It would be great for both schools and a classy move.

WVU, Miami, or Xavier would be awful choices.

(02-17-2017 08:02 AM)BeerCat Wrote:  NOT WVU. The opening of a new arena should be all about moving into the future. Making it Bob Huggins night would be a giant mistake.

Terrific point. I posted this link in the realignment thread, as he spent some time discussing the UConn situation, but Chad also had some very good commentary, wondering seriously, why UC fans still pull for Bob Huggins (that is towards the end of the podcast).

https://soundcloud.com/user-529029600

(02-17-2017 08:35 PM)BJUnklFkr Wrote:  

(02-17-2017 08:02 AM)BeerCat Wrote:  NOT WVU. The opening of a new arena should be all about moving into the future. Making it Bob Huggins night would be a giant mistake.

Terrific point. I posted this link in the realignment thread, as he spent some time discussing the UConn situation, but Chad also had some very good commentary, wondering seriously, why UC fans still pull for Bob Huggins (that is towards the end of the podcast).

https://soundcloud.com/user-529029600

Because Huggs > Mick. One will be HOF, the other will not get a sniff. Mick is our coach and I support him in that role but he'll never do for UC what Bob did.

(02-17-2017 09:01 PM)gerhard911 Wrote:  

(02-17-2017 08:35 PM)BJUnklFkr Wrote:  

(02-17-2017 08:02 AM)BeerCat Wrote:  NOT WVU. The opening of a new arena should be all about moving into the future. Making it Bob Huggins night would be a giant mistake.

Terrific point. I posted this link in the realignment thread, as he spent some time discussing the UConn situation, but Chad also had some very good commentary, wondering seriously, why UC fans still pull for Bob Huggins (that is towards the end of the podcast).

https://soundcloud.com/user-529029600

Because Huggs > Mick. One will be HOF, the other will not get a sniff. Mick is our coach and I support him in that role but he'll never do for UC what Bob did.

What a bs comment. You don't know that. Boeheim made the HOF after 30 yrs of coaching. He won his first title in year 27. Only made the Final Four 3 times in 36 years. All at the same school. Syracuse. Cronin would have 26 more years of coaching available to match that. Never a sniff? Your hate for Cronin is pitiful.