Ode to Mick Cronin

Mandatory Credit: Rob Leifheit-USA TODAY Sports

Was last night the best win in the Mick Cronin era?

I started ramble and banter with my Facebook friends this morning and thought I’d start to take my thoughts public. I may be caught up in the moment but I have to say that this is the best win we’ve had in Mick Cronin’s tenure. Please hear me when I say that last night’s Louisville team was not the best opponent Mick has ever beaten. The reason last night’s win was so sweet is because we didn’t even need it.

In years past we would have badly needed this game. We would have been doing bracketology and tournament bubble math. This year, we’re already set for the tournament (provided we don’t lose 90% of our remaining games). Last night we could have lost and moved on and been just fine. But this team isn’t going for “just fine”, they are going for dominate. It’s about time too.

We all know the story. Mick inherited a genuine mess, virtually no players, extremely high fan expectations while the school was entering what was (and likely will be) the best basketball conference in the history of the sport (the 16 team Big East). In my mind, all of that earned him a long leash. He deserved a lot of patience and I think he’s received a fair amount. Even still, leading into this season I had my reservations about him. There are certain tendencies, trends, and barriers that Mick and his teams have seemed incapable of overcoming.

Last night illustrated a few of my frustrations with him. Specifically, when the entire Yum Center crowd was on their feet, Louisville scored 14 points in a 1:45 span of gameplay and the refs were didn’t seem to care how lopsided the game was getting. Mick refused to call a timeout and stop the bleeding until the lead was entirely gone. That is a habit of his that has always disturbed me. I would be happier even if he called a timeout when the lead was down to 2 points that way we still have a lead when we head back onto the court. But that isn’t Mick’s way. After the last two games, I’m starting to warm up to it.

I’m not warming up in the sense that I agree with all his coaching decisions but I am beginning to trust him. He’s earned it. I keep waiting for this team to have a total meltdown and drop 3 or 4 straight games against opponents we should beat but it’s not happening this year. This team is legit. Mick Cronin is legit.

I know that I’m rambling here and that it sounds like I have bittersweet feelings about Mick. That’s because it’s been a bittersweet ride. So many times we’ve come close to reclaiming our former glory as a program and fallen just short. But now it’s within our reach. We are regaining national prestige (which we sorely need given the conference situation) and we are putting ourselves in position for a very good tournament run.

Some people have built a false image of Bob Huggin’s career. I grew up as a Bearcats fan, I know how good he was. But there are some Mick Cronin facts on the table right now that, even in Hugg’s career, would have been impressive:

20 wins, 13 straight entering February.
In the last 365 days of Mick Cronin basketball, only one opponent scored 70 against us.
A 2.5 game lead in the conference standings.
A top 15 ranking (more than likely will be top 10).

Not that it means anything at this point but ESPN has us as a 3 seed in the tournament. When’s the last time that happened?

The Bearcats and Mick Cronin have earned national respect but seem to me are still struggling for it locally. It’s time to face the facts. Get on board and sell out The Shoe for all the remaining games. I’m even considering making the road trip to Memphis for the conference tournament. I haven’t been to a conference tournament since UC was in the CUSA and quite frankly, I haven’t wanted to. But there is something very special happening this year, I almost gave up in mid-December but as those 2 losses fade into the distance it is becoming clear that these guys won’t quit and their coach won’t let them.