UC NEEDS TO SUPPORT CURRENT COACH & PLAYERS

February 11, 2009


by Ray Mernagh


It's not Mick Cronin's fault that Nancy Zimpher fired Bob Huggins as the basketball coach at Cincinnati back in August of 2005. None of the current players had anything to do with it either. In fact, both Cronin and his players are too busy trying, finally, to make good on their first real chance at an NCAA Tournament berth since Cronin took over the program. Cronin accepted the job in March of 2006 after leading Murray State to two NCAA Tournaments in his three years there -- compiling a 69-24 record while in charge of the perennial Ohio Valley Conference power. Why some in Cincinnati are still upset with the Huggins firing is somewhat understandable, given the love for Huggins there (think Pete Rose-like adulation). But to use that bitterness as a reason not to support native son Cronin and the Bearcats program is petty.

With yesterday's news that Zimpher will be leaving the Queen City to take over the reigns of the SUNY system, the largest state university system in the country that has 64 campuses across New York, it seems like now is the perfect time for closure. Cincinnati plans to honor Huggins, a mentor of Cronin's who gave the young coach his start in the D-1 game, when West Virginia visits Cincinnati later this month. Honoring Huggins is fine. He's a legendary figure in Cincinnati lore, having turned the ravaged program he inherited from Tony Yates in 1989 into a huge winner. He deserves to be recognized for what he accomplished, especially if honoring Hugs will allow the Bearcat Nation to move on and finally embrace native son Cronin and the job he's doing.

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The only situation even comparable to the one Cronin stepped into at Cincinnati is the one currently happening at Indiana. Tom Crean, after cleaning house and watching Jordan Crawford transfer to Xavier, had no returning scholarship players. When Cronin began his first season at Cincinnati, he had one scholarship player returning -- on a team expected to compete in the Big East. Not an easy gig. Yet some fans of Cincinnati basketball still consider Cronin a traitor. You see, Cronin left Huggins' staff to be Rick Pitino's associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Louisville in 2001. Yes, Louisville was a huge rival of Cincinnati in Conference USA, but holding the move against Cronin, especially now, is nuts. Because when you look at it with the 20/20 vision that hindsight provides, Cronin not only made the right decision for his career at the time, but ultimately, the right decision for the future health of the Cincinnati basketball program.

Cronin was a recruiting beast as an assistant under Huggins. He was the lead recruiter on five Bearcats who went on to be NBA draft picks: Steve Logan, two-time Conference USA Player of the Year (Golden State); DerMarr Johnson, Parade Magazine National Prep Player of the Year and C-USA Freshman of the Year (Atlanta); Pete Mickeal, a junior college national player of the year selection (Dallas); Kenny Satterfield, a McDonald's All-American (Dallas); and Jason Maxiell (Detroit). Cronin helped deliver recruiting classes ranked in the top-five nationally in two of his last three seasons and another that was ranked in the top-ten. His work helped UC compile a 108-26 record, capture five regular season titles in Conference USA, plus two conference tournament titles.

So Cronin's move, while upsetting to Huggins and UC fans at the time, wasn't traitorous. He'd repaid any debt to Huggins for making him an assistant coach in the first place by doing such a monster job on the recruiting trail. Cronin showed keen insight and intelligence for making the move when he did. Rumors were swirling at the time that Huggins wasn't long for Cincinnati, plus Cronin felt he'd never have a shot to be a head coach -- especially in his hometown -- if he didn't go somewhere else and have success first. When Pitino called, as hard as it was for Cronin to leave, the choice to get in that car and head to the 'Ville was a no-brainer. Being on Pitino's staff was, and is, a gateway to a head job in D-1 basketball. That's exactly what Pitino used to sell Cronin on the move. It turned out exactly the way Pitino pitched it.

Cronin delivered for Pitino -- and in turn -- Pitino delivered for Cronin. Cronin was hired by Murray State in 2003 and had the aforementioned success. When his dream job came open following his third season at Murray State, Cronin's success made him a viable candidate, and more importantly, he was ready for the job.

Now in his third year, Cronin has implemented the toughness he learned under Huggins into the program, while steadily acquiring the kind of talent needed to compete in the Belly of the Beast. The Bearcats stand at 16-8 and 6-5 in the Big East going into their game with St John's this evening. They look to be on track for 20 or 21 wins and certainly are in the discussion for a bid to the NCAA's.

None of that would be possible if Cronin had stayed eight years ago.

Huggins is gone, coaching a conference rival in what he calls his dream job. Zimpher is on the way out the door.

Cronin is back home where he belongs. UC fans should be thankful for that.
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Ray Mernagh is the Basketball Editor for the Pittsburgh Sports Report and writes for Basketball Times as well as his own blog, Hoop Wise. Ray's first book, 1 Chance 2 Dance: A Season Inside Mid-Major Hoops in Mid-America, focuses on 18 months of MAC basketball.
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