Cincinnati basketball

[Fishy]

1) Lost the AAC title game by nearly 40 points.

2) Have lost five players to the transfer portal in two days.

3) Have no incoming recruits.

4) Profit.

 

[Giddyup5]

@kobe wellness check?

 

[Ts5034]

Not a good situation out in Cincy.

 

[the Q]

@kobe wellness check?

He’s currently taking...32 shots

 

[Gurleyman]

I must say that underpants gnomes joke has had remarkable staying power. We are at about 25 years worth of “question mark, profit” references now.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

What’s happening on Cincy? I don’t know much about John Brannen but he was a successful, respected coach at NKU.

From what I’m seeing this is one of, if that the biggest exodus of the season that isn’t involving a new hire and/or grad transfers. The only other that rivals this that comes to mind is GW.

A team I loved to hate, but a relevant Cincy program is good for college basketball, especially for Xavier.

 

[Hoophound]

My first instinct would be to think he’s a miserable hard ass and the kids don’t like him because he works them too hard. Then I consider what playing for Mick Cronin would probably be like, Mick has to be tough. He’s emotionally explosive, his players are in incredible shape and they are very disciplined.

If kids can play for and succeed under Cronin, they should be able to handle just about anyone. It does not look good for Brannen that they can’t stomach him. Maybe Brannen is just unlikable?

 

[Slasher]

I don't know how Brannen survives this. You can't lose your whole team and expect to keep coaching. It would be one thing if he was pushing out players for new guys. But he has zero recruits and zero committed transfers. Sounds like a toxic environment...

 

[The Funster]

Mick was an easy target but I thought he and Cincy were a great fit.

He's a scrappy, gritty, good coach.

 

[MexicoHusky]

We know as well as anyone that multiple transfers per/year is a sign the coach will be gone soon. This goes beyond our expieewnces with KO.

Winning is hard enough. Winning with a drastically different roster every year is impossible.

 

[HuskyHawk]

We know as well as anyone that multiple transfers per/year is a sign the coach will be gone soon. This goes beyond our expieewnces with KO.

Winning is hard enough. Winning with a drastically different roster every year is impossible.

Well it didn't seem to be the end of Pat Ewing. Agree with others that the college hoops landscape is better when Cinci is relevant and competitive.

 

[UConnJim]

Brannen has a great resume. He played at Marshall with Billy Donovan as head coach and Greg Marshall as assistant coach. Was an assistant under Anthony Grant for 9 years, 3 at VCU, 6 at Alabama. HC at Northern Kentucky where he went 81-51 with 2 NCAAs. Even at Cincinnati, he is 32-20 and 21-11 in the AAC.

Since Cronin left, the Cinci roster has been in turmoil. When Cronin left, 5 transferred before year 1 and 2 transferred before year 2. Brannen brought in 4 transfers before year 1 and 2 transfers before year 2, many one year transfers. Now this year.

Based on his resume, I think you have to let this guy build his own team. He should have rebuilt it the way Hurley did with only a few transfers coming in and a focus on developing existing players and recruiting. You can't build a solid program with lots of transfers.

 

[WestHartHusk]

Cincinnati us so screwed, long term. Good.

 

[HuskyBoi]

Live look at @kobe

 

[freescooter]

I don't know how Brannen survives this. You can't lose your whole team and expect to keep coaching. It would be one thing if he was pushing out players for new guys. But he has zero recruits and zero committed transfers. Sounds like a toxic environment...

Patrick Ewing did something similar. Maybe not as bad but pretty close. I don’t quite know what’s happening either. Brannon had a good rep at NKU and seemed like a good fit.

 

[zls44]

Wrongest I've been on a hire is either Archie at IU or Brannen at UC. Maybe they should've traded places.

 

[ThabeetDown]

I don't know how Brannen survives this. You can't lose your whole team and expect to keep coaching. It would be one thing if he was pushing out players for new guys. But he has zero recruits and zero committed transfers. Sounds like a toxic environment...

They can't afford his ~$5m buyout. His program for at least next year, probably 2 years. Unless they have a donor like IU had write that big check.

 

[Improviser]

They can't afford his ~$5m buyout. His program for at least next year, probably 2 years. Unless they have a donor like IU had write that big check.

A big pockets donor is the dream.

I suppose the payout could be spaced out over a number of years to cushion the blow, if the parties agreed.

The other unknown is whether a coach can keep tolerating diminishing attendance (when fans are back) with booing from the home crowd and pressure from the administration to take a negotiated payout of a lesser sum than that contractually provided for. Coaches do decide they have had enough of the pressure and hostility and do make arrangements with the university to leave at a negotiated sum.

Also, there are still a large number of players in the transfer portal, so at some point he will get players. The question is what quality of players will he get?

Maybe the inducement for a player is the ability to start right away. A top player can do that or get significant PT at a winning program anyway.

Maybe he will get Quintin Williams types from who are left over and if so, the program will plummet further. Time will tell how it all washes out.

They had a very good center last year whose name I cannot recall. Not sure if he is still with the program.

 

[NatiHuskiFan]

UC fans are doing a few things...
1. Posting on Facebook about how many days it is til Opening Day
2. Making sure they have Ohio State gear ready for this weekend
3. Taking shots of Fireball
4. Bad mouthing Mike Dewine while they drive out to the Indiana border to drink buckets of Mich Ultra til 2am

 

[MexicoHusky]

Well it didn't seem to be the end of Pat Ewing. Agree with others that the college hoops landscape is better when Cinci is relevant and competitive.

I'm not an insider, but wasnt Ewing under the microscope before his recent late season surge?

 

[Waquoit]

I'm not an insider, but wasnt Ewing under the microscope before his recent late season surge?

Maybe a little, but he wasn't going to get fired this year. The biggest microscope was on the Yard where folks were quick to belittle a nice win because it was against a "bad" Georgetown team.

 

[Dooooooomed]

 

[Dean Wormer]

Well it didn't seem to be the end of Pat Ewing. Agree with others that the college hoops landscape is better when Cinci is relevant and competitive.

Pat Ewing is the greatest player in GT history & a Hall of Famer. He gets a pass. Brannen on the other hand...not so much!

 

[rollskies]

 

[dennismenace]

How do you think all those transfers liked being in the Transcontinental AAC conference. And no Frequent Flyer miles.

 

[Drew]

 

[rollskies]

Speaking of the beloved Am***can At***tic Conf***nce, just read that our favorite directional Florida school, USF, now has 5 players now in the transfer portal.

 

[Dooooooomed]

Hmmmm.... Cincy or USF perhaps...

 

[BFieldHusky]

Where's @freescooter?

 

[superjohn]

Speaking of the beloved Am***can At***tic Conf***nce, just read that our favorite directional Florida school, USF, now has 5 players now in the transfer portal.

View attachment 65937

A targeted article came up on Google yesterday for me with Aresco outlining how the AAC is at a crossroads and is basically a dumpster fire.