Cronin's time at UC needs to end

Is everyone ready for at least three more years of UC basketball mediocrity?

While the University of Cincinnati men’s basketball team is clinging (understatement) to its NCAA tournament hopes, Bob Huggins is preparing his eighth-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers for a possible No. 2 seed in the big dance.

But I don’t want to make this about the past.

At this point, blame has to be placed on Cronin and a coaching change needs to be made.

The UC basketball team is nothing short of an embarrassment. Not because of their record, I can deal with that, but because of a lack of consistency and motivation.

They have the talent to win games, but laziness, mental errors, turnovers out of timeouts and a lack of consistency is inexcusable. To go into South Florida Tuesday night and be down 18 points late in the second half is pathetic.

Isn’t this team fighting for a spot in the Big Dance?

It’s like the team doesn’t care. Do you ever see them play with the fire former teams had?

Or play with a chip on their shoulder like they’re out to prove something?

Jason Maxiell and Eric Hicks wouldn’t put up with half the crap this team goes through.

Those guys would fight anyone at anytime to defend their teammates. Cronin’s players this year would fight anyone at anytime to defend only themselves.

I’ve heard he should have one more year, and I have to ask why?

One more mediocre year where UC doesn’t make the tournament isn’t a step in the right direction. Might as well find someone now and start the rebuilding process again.

Not once have I ever heard Cronin say it was his fault or he has to do a better job — enough with the excuses.

I’ll give a prime example. My job forces me to listen to the “Chris Mack Show” on the radio every week.

Chris Mack is the coach of Xavier University and week after week I hear him say he has to do a better job at coaching particular players or he needs to do better getting certain players involved in the offense.

Mack doesn’t have the most talented players in the world, but he gets the most out of them every night.

And I know Cronin would counter by saying Xavier isn’t in the Big East. Well, no, they’re not. But it doesn’t mean his players don’t play hard every minute of every game.

It honestly sickens me to watch the Cats this year. I long for the days when UC players were swatting shots across the court or dunking over players, putting them on a poster.

UC used to be the team embarrassing whoever stepped on the court with them. Now they’re embarrassing themselves by stepping on the court.

I don’t know why I’m surprised this season turned out the way it did. Every year, Cronin-coached teams have underachieved, but he was given a pass because they were young, inexperienced and rebuilding.

That might be true, but a consistent lack of effort has been a constant every year since Cronin’s arrival.

Ultimately, Cronin has to be responsible for it. If he knew when he recruited his players they didn’t play with any sort of passion, then why recruit them? If he didn’t know they lacked effort, it’s his job to pull the effort out of them.

Four years is plenty of time.

UC managed to let go of former women’s coach J. Kelly Hall after two seasons and a
14-17 record in his final season. If two years is enough for Hall, how much time does the men’s coach deserve?

Huggins had the ability to make the most of his players’ abilities. Cronin simply doesn’t.

It’s never easy for someone to lose a job, and it’s not something to take lightly, but it’s time to cut ties with Cronin.

He’s had plenty of time to put a competitive team on the court and it hasn’t happened.

Steps in the right direction aren’t coming quickly enough — if they’re coming at all.

It’s time to circle the wagons and rebuild the program with a coach ready to bring in some fresh faces. A coach who can pump life into his players and maybe into Fifth Third Arena.

Think Cronin deserves another year to right the ship? E-mail Garrett at sabelhgt@mail.uc.edu