(12-11-2017 02:23 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(12-11-2017 01:57 PM)CliftonAve Wrote:  So the surrogates came out before the season to tell us this was the strongest UC team since Ed Jucker led the program. Now they tell us we should not be surprised because the team is not that good?

LOL... nobody said this was the best team since Ed Jucker. Best team since 2001-2002 and I stand by it.

Additionally, 2 losses doesn't mean a team is not that good. A couple missed opportunities in a long season. There is still plenty of reason to believe this will be a top 15 basketball team.

I felt this was Cronin's best team depth wise and talent wise. I also stand by that. Preseason AP Poll ranking for the Cats was #12 and Coaches Poll was #13. The AAC coaches picked Cincinnati to win the AAC conference this year even with the addition of WSU. I don't believe these preseason accolades have happened in the Mick Cronin era. His top three scorers from last year all returned. The expectations are high and they should be. Why would we not want it that way? This board went through the roof and gave fecal cucumber birth over Coach Luke Fickell's first effin' year as unprepared, needed improvement, head scratching calls, learning on the job, communication errors, etc. So why does Mick get a pass in his 12th season at the helm? Agree with many that the season is long and there can be ups and downs. There is time to right this ship but our disappointment in how the team has played against teams with a pulse is justified IMO.

(12-11-2017 11:32 AM)Crewdogz Wrote:  

(12-10-2017 03:25 PM)jarr Wrote:  

(12-10-2017 02:57 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  I mean seriously. What did folks think was going to happen?

Lose a 4 year starter at PG who simply did not turn the ball over and the other senior starter at guard who was a defensive ace and we replace them with what? A career backup and a skinny transfer from a Sacred Heart who struggles as a PG and who passes the ball like he has 2x4's tied to his palms and a mixture of Cumberland and Evans who are too slow to defend or create at the 2?

We suffer from same guy syndrome (as last year) except we are replacing two seniors at the most important positions with guys who are not equals let alone improvements or who are out of position. That is the fault of the staff.

Might as well get used to it against opponents with decent guard play.

Kevin Johnson was a stiff that played decent to above decent defense. Troy didnt turn the ball over, but rarwly did anything other than chuck it around the perimiter. Losing 2 mediocre seniors shouldn't be the deathnail to the following season. Most programs are able to bring in new players (Broome, Moore, Williams, etc.) and improve the players (Jennifer, Cumberland, Evans) that were here the year before.

Player development has been an issue with Mick over the years.

Also, why does Mick always leave an extra scholarship or 2 open every year? Why wouldn't he try to fill that spot with someone who could run the point?

I think it's sad when we run down players on the board. KJ & Troy are Bearcats.

Good point Crew, I shouldn't do that and cleaned up my previous post. Troy and Kevin are very good guys and represented UC well. I still stand my the premise of my post, that they we didn't exactly lose a couple All Americans or something. Every ream loses at least a few seniors every year. The other players are supposed to be improving to make up for their loss.

(12-11-2017 02:23 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(12-11-2017 01:57 PM)CliftonAve Wrote:  So the surrogates came out before the season to tell us this was the strongest UC team since Ed Jucker led the program. Now they tell us we should not be surprised because the team is not that good?

LOL... nobody said this was the best team since Ed Jucker. Best team since 2001-2002 and I stand by it.

Additionally, 2 losses doesn't mean a team is not that good. A couple missed opportunities in a long season. There is still plenty of reason to believe this will be a top 15 basketball team.

Still a lot of Basketball to play, but the 2003-2004 team might have something to say about that or the 2011-2012 team. Regardless, this program has been very average the past 15 years.

(12-11-2017 07:57 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(12-11-2017 02:23 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(12-11-2017 01:57 PM)CliftonAve Wrote:  So the surrogates came out before the season to tell us this was the strongest UC team since Ed Jucker led the program. Now they tell us we should not be surprised because the team is not that good?

LOL... nobody said this was the best team since Ed Jucker. Best team since 2001-2002 and I stand by it.

Additionally, 2 losses doesn't mean a team is not that good. A couple missed opportunities in a long season. There is still plenty of reason to believe this will be a top 15 basketball team.

I felt this was Cronin's best team depth wise and talent wise. I also stand by that. Preseason AP Poll ranking for the Cats was #12 and Coaches Poll was #13. The AAC coaches picked Cincinnati to win the AAC conference this year even with the addition of WSU. I don't believe these preseason accolades have happened in the Mick Cronin era. His top three scorers from last year all returned. The expectations are high and they should be. Why would we not want it that way? This board went through the roof and gave fecal cucumber birth over Coach Luke Fickell's first effin' year as unprepared, needed improvement, head scratching calls, learning on the job, communication errors, etc. So why does Mick get a pass in his 12th season at the helm? Agree with many that the season is long and there can be ups and downs. There is time to right this ship but our disappointment in how the team has played against teams with a pulse is justified IMO.

(12-11-2017 07:57 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(12-11-2017 02:23 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(12-11-2017 01:57 PM)CliftonAve Wrote:  So the surrogates came out before the season to tell us this was the strongest UC team since Ed Jucker led the program. Now they tell us we should not be surprised because the team is not that good?

LOL... nobody said this was the best team since Ed Jucker. Best team since 2001-2002 and I stand by it.

Additionally, 2 losses doesn't mean a team is not that good. A couple missed opportunities in a long season. There is still plenty of reason to believe this will be a top 15 basketball team.

I felt this was Cronin's best team depth wise and talent wise. I also stand by that. Preseason AP Poll ranking for the Cats was #12 and Coaches Poll was #13. The AAC coaches picked Cincinnati to win the AAC conference this year even with the addition of WSU. I don't believe these preseason accolades have happened in the Mick Cronin era. His top three scorers from last year all returned. The expectations are high and they should be. Why would we not want it that way? This board went through the roof and gave fecal cucumber birth over Coach Luke Fickell's first effin' year as unprepared, needed improvement, head scratching calls, learning on the job, communication errors, etc. So why does Mick get a pass in his 12th season at the helm? Agree with many that the season is long and there can be ups and downs. There is time to right this ship but our disappointment in how the team has played against teams with a pulse is justified IMO.

Agree. Same old UC in my opinion. Absolutely no difference in this team and any of the past ones.

better win next two if we want any hope of a decent seed.

It starts tonight.

Surprised to see us still ranked #25. Win these next two games and we rise the charts once again.

Even regardless of seed, teams in the tournament seems to play to the pre-season ranking regardless of seed. Its entirely possible this team figures it out but only has the resume for six or seven seed but upsets someone in the second round like Xavier did last year.

Go back to the 2011-2012 season again. Cincinnati was ranked to start the year and fell hard before turning around post-brawl capped with a Sweet 16. Xavier that year took the long road but was ranked 15th to start the year and fell way down rankings during conference play.

The good news is that post people believe UC has talent, bad news UC isn't a good TEAM yet. Long season and typically teams with talent show up in March regardless of seed.

I don't think I'm gonna watch tonight. You guys can thank me after we win.

(12-12-2017 08:47 AM)bearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  Even regardless of seed, teams in the tournament seems to play to the pre-season ranking regardless of seed. Its entirely possible this team figures it out but only has the resume for six or seven seed but upsets someone in the second round like Xavier did last year.

Go back to the 2011-2012 season again. Cincinnati was ranked to start the year and fell hard before turning around post-brawl capped with a Sweet 16. Xavier that year took the long road but was ranked 15th to start the year and fell way down rankings during conference play.

The good news is that post people believe UC has talent, bad news UC isn't a good TEAM yet. Long season and typically teams with talent show up in March regardless of seed.

All possible. December results historically are a pretty poor predictor of March performance.

With that said, I'm more concerned about what I've seen on the court these last two games than the losses. Looking at the faces, the body language of the UC players I don't see 19 year old kids out there having fun on a big stage and national TV. They look tense, worried--sometimes preoccupied and definitely not focused on their game with turnovers and missed free throws as solid evidence of that. I won't be surprised if someone either leaves this team or is dismissed before conference play begins. If so, that sometimes becomes a case of addition by subtraction.

For a team that got lots of love locally and nationally, something derailed the feel good story.

(12-12-2017 08:39 AM)Bruce Monnin Wrote:  Surprised to see us still ranked #25. Win these next two games and we rise the charts once again.

Not sure how far they can move up with those 2 wins. Miss St hasn't played anyone and ucla Jas already fallen out of the top 25.

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(12-12-2017 11:07 AM)Spinal070508 Wrote:  

(12-12-2017 08:39 AM)Bruce Monnin Wrote:  Surprised to see us still ranked #25. Win these next two games and we rise the charts once again.

Not sure how far they can move up with those 2 wins. Miss St hasn't played anyone and ucla Jas already fallen out of the top 25.

Sent from my SM-N920V using CSNbbs mobile app

Yes, but others will lose and we will rise. The converse, however, is if we lose either game we are out of the Top 25 for a while.