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(03-18-2021 07:48 AM)mptnstr@44 Wrote:  

(03-18-2021 07:37 AM)DownOnRohs Wrote:  I'm leaning Brannen too guys. This year largely sucked to watch, i can imagine how much it sucked to experience isolated on campus away from home for the first time in your life and without fans to lift you up.

That said, you have to see the bigger picture. This transfer portal thing is so trendy this year was kind of a perfect storm. It would have been nice to have a real vocal senior leader who was in Brannen's camp.

I wonder if there is ANY chance any of the guys in the portal decide to come back?

I wondered this too...
f a player puts their name in can they pull it back out?
If you were their coach and they decided to bail on you do you want them back?

I think they could all return if they wanted. Honestly, most of them probably couldn't give a reason why they didn't like it here. If not for the covid guidelines, they would have probably been very happy at UC. Maybe CJB can get better and more experienced players this year.

Could be. You could be dead on. Who really knows?

Be nice to hear from the guy making $1.5 large a year or his boss about now, though. Closest we have come to comment is his nutty wife liking tweets of people slamming kids who hit the portal as being quitters, etc.

(03-18-2021 02:10 PM)bearcat54 Wrote:  

(03-18-2021 07:48 AM)mptnstr@44 Wrote:  

(03-18-2021 07:37 AM)DownOnRohs Wrote:  I'm leaning Brannen too guys. This year largely sucked to watch, i can imagine how much it sucked to experience isolated on campus away from home for the first time in your life and without fans to lift you up.

That said, you have to see the bigger picture. This transfer portal thing is so trendy this year was kind of a perfect storm. It would have been nice to have a real vocal senior leader who was in Brannen's camp.

I wonder if there is ANY chance any of the guys in the portal decide to come back?

I wondered this too...
f a player puts their name in can they pull it back out?
If you were their coach and they decided to bail on you do you want them back?

I think they could all return if they wanted. Honestly, most of them probably couldn't give a reason why they didn't like it here. If not for the covid guidelines, they would have probably been very happy at UC. Maybe CJB can get better and more experienced players this year.

3/6 of them have indicated they are leaving because of the coach in some way. Saunders came out and said it, Eason and Harvey pretty much did by leaving the coaching staff out of their farewell tweets. They aren't coming back unless Brannen leaves.

Gabe/Mason have been silent, but Gabe has indicated he wants to play closer to home. Who knows with Mason, but I'm guessing he either wants to play with Gabe or he feels the same as Saunders, Eason and Harvey and has no interest in playing for Brannen.

They don't like Brannen, they haven't liked Brannen for quite a while now. A large number of players who have played for Brannen at UC have not liked him. All indications are that he is a locker room cancer.

https://www.barstoolsports.com/blog/3354...the-roster

If even half of this is true this program is in serious trouble.

Always thought it was odd Brannen didn’t get more interest from bigger schools than NKU while he was there.

Maybe we’re finding out why?

(03-18-2021 11:55 AM)s10bball Wrote:  I would suggest you check out James White on instagram. Flight8. He went live yesterday taking about the the UC program, his thoughts and stories. He talks about why he transferred from Florida to Cincinnati.
James White live video chat

Is that a 3 hour video chat? If someone has listened to this and would care to summarize I would greatly appreciate it.

Justin Williams just came out with an article in the Athletic about the situation. It’s not good.

The strength coach is also leaving because of Brannen.

(03-18-2021 03:23 PM)BcatMatt13 Wrote:  Justin Williams just came out with an article in the Athletic about the situation. It’s not good.

The strength coach is also leaving because of Brannen.

John Wooden-Brannen strikes again...

We actually almost made it a full day without someone getting off of this ship.

One anonymous player was quoted as saying he’s going to be here as long as Brannen is the coach. So not quite everyone is leaving!

(03-18-2021 03:23 PM)BcatMatt13 Wrote:  Justin Williams just came out with an article in the Athletic about the situation. It’s not good.

The strength coach is also leaving because of Brannen.

I thought the article implied more than ever that the circumstances had a ton to do with it. Sounds like the freshman interpreted things from John differently than the other guys in the program. I think not having competed in a normal college basketball year had a lot to do with that.

That doesn't mean John handled it well but some of the complaints were practicing too hard and minutes issues. I think not having a real opportunity to set expectations and build a program in the offseason like he normally would clearly effected the freshman. Wish he'd found a way to handle it better.

I'll highlight this part:

Quote:There were other sources who strongly disagree with that depiction of Brannen and the culture, instead tracing the player issues to a desire for more consistent playing time, the team’s on-court struggles early in the season and most of all, the restrictions of the pandemic and the emotional anguish it levied.

(03-18-2021 03:26 PM)BcatMatt13 Wrote:  One anonymous player was quoted as saying he’s going to be here as long as Brannen is the coach. So not quite everyone is leaving!

Chris Vogt.

(03-18-2021 03:28 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(03-18-2021 03:23 PM)BcatMatt13 Wrote:  Justin Williams just came out with an article in the Athletic about the situation. It’s not good.

The strength coach is also leaving because of Brannen.

I thought the article implied more than ever that the circumstances had a ton to do with it. Sounds like the freshman interpreted things from John differently than the other guys in the program. I think not having competed in a normal college basketball year had a lot to do with that.

That doesn't mean John handled it well but some of the complaints were practicing too hard and minutes issues. I think not having a real opportunity to set expectations and build a program in the offseason like he normally would clearly effected the freshman. Wish he'd found a way to handle it better.

I'll highlight this part:

Quote:There were other sources who strongly disagree with that depiction of Brannen and the culture, instead tracing the player issues to a desire for more consistent playing time, the team’s on-court struggles early in the season and most of all, the restrictions of the pandemic and the emotional anguish it levied.

Certainly was nothing jaw dropping.

But the part about players not being able to have earrings or wear hats? That’s just stupid.

(03-18-2021 03:32 PM)BcatMatt13 Wrote:  Certainly was nothing jaw dropping.

But the part about players not being able to have earrings or wear hats? That’s just stupid.

Yea...that's stupid

(03-18-2021 03:33 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(03-18-2021 03:32 PM)BcatMatt13 Wrote:  Certainly was nothing jaw dropping.

But the part about players not being able to have earrings or wear hats? That’s just stupid.

Yea...that's stupid

Is that true? We have Idiot Marge Schott running the team now?

This entire mess is becoming surreal.

Didn’t read the Williams report but did read the barstool site. The list of Brannen’s inequities was pretty weak. IDK it’s hard to see behind closes doors, but sounded a lot like freshman being whiny about PT and being homesick. I get it, freshman year can be rough- it was rough on me back in 95 but I got through it. I’m sure it was a lot worse for these kids due to Covid. I’m sure there was more Brannen/his staff could have done in hindsight. The Harvey think was clumsy. It’s unfortunate we are where we are. And now it’s Brannen’s mess to clean up- or the AD better push the eject button.

(03-18-2021 03:46 PM)Bearcatbdub Wrote:  Didn’t read the Williams report but did read the barstool site. The list of Brannen’s inequities was pretty weak. IDK it’s hard to see behind closes doors, but sounded a lot like freshman being whiny about PT and being homesick. I get it, freshman year can be rough- it was rough on me back in 95 but I got through it. I’m sure it was a lot worse for these kids due to Covid. I’m sure there was more Brannen/his staff could have done in hindsight. The Harvey think was clumsy. It’s unfortunate we are where we are. And now it’s Brannen’s mess to clean up- or the AD better push the eject button.

Yea. I think it's a lot of things that in a normal year probably don't register much but Bottom line is he's the head coach. It was an insane situation and he failed to connect with his entire freshman class. He lost a year of program building in 24 hours. He's got to figure it out quickly or he'll be out of job.

(03-18-2021 03:33 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(03-18-2021 03:32 PM)BcatMatt13 Wrote:  Certainly was nothing jaw dropping.

But the part about players not being able to have earrings or wear hats? That’s just stupid.

Yea...that's stupid

I thought dress codes were prevalent for the student athlete of today. Wouldn't be surprised if the football team is handled in a similar fashion.

Gotta mandate some strict guidelines for hair, too. From now on everyone needs to rock a Ward Cleaver style like Brannen. Gotta get those kids with their music and clothes in line.

Didn’t coach K have a no tat mandate at one time? Or am I dreaming that up?

(03-18-2021 02:28 PM)nachoman91 Wrote:  https://www.barstoolsports.com/blog/3354...the-roster

If even half of this is true this program is in serious trouble.

Half of what? That's just a compilation of everything that's been publicly posted these past two days. AND, it's Barstool.