UCLA hiring Mick Cronin

[crazyUCfan23]

Doubt this ends well, but you never know. This entire hiring process has been a disaster for UCLA. Mick always got the most out of what he had it at Cincy and, in theory, he should have an easier time recruiting to UCLA, but UCLA doesn't settle for just making the tournament.

 

[socal613ws]

as a pac 12 watcher and usc fan as well not sure how to feel, I think hes way better than alford tho and he will make the conference better.

 

[blue93]

I'm going to go against the grain here and say that this is an exceptional hire for UCLA. They need stability and toughness, and Mick will give them both. Plus he'll get some 5-stars, which should get them to the 2nd weekend pretty regularly (and third weekend occasionally).

They'll play like Virginia, tho. I do wonder if UCLA fans will sit still for that...

To play devil's advocate, will 5-star recruits want to play that kind of basketball? Shaka Smart and the 'Havoc' defense haven't lived up to expectations in Austin. I think there are some parallels there.

 

[UCONN-NYC]

I really dont understand this hire. I guess missing on Barnes they went into desperation mode but Cronin's complete lack of success in the post season as well as overall demeanor and style don't seem to mesh well with UCLA. I guess time will tell if they are happy with first weekend exits from the dance.

 

[tcf15]

 

[Ts5034]

I did not see that coming. I thought Cronin to UCLA was dead, but I guess they were starting to get desperate. Im sure there are nice incentives in that contract.

 

[UConn990411]

Tough loss for the league, despite his postseason failures. I will miss hating him.

I won’t miss having to watch his teams - they play a dreadful brand of basketball.

 

[Lefty2one]

I doubt UCLA or the Pac-12 will ever be relevant again but there's no way you turn down $24m to live in LA. I will be surprised if he lasts all six years. Also, a really sad indicator of the current state of UCLA basketball if Cronin is your savior. Just a weird hire but it sounds like they were desperate.

Sucks for Cincy and the AAC. This was Cincy's peak. I hope they enjoyed being Pitt for the last 6-8 years; playing physical, ugly basketball and going nowhere in Mach.

 

[The Funster]

Mick will last 3 years and then wind up Dayton

 

[Jaybird65]

I did not see that coming. I thought Cronin to UCLA was dead, but I guess they were starting to get desperate. Im sure there are nice incentives in that contract.

It was dead until UCLA kept being turned down.

 

[freescooter]

Could be wrong but I think this will be disappointing for all sides. Mick is a Cincinatti guy. Born there. Father was a Cincinatti area high school legend. Mick is an alumnus. Just don’t see him fitting in that well in Southern California. Plus UCLA isn’t a big job anymore. There is such a thing as local culture. Cronin fit great in Cincinatti. This will be like when Rollie went to Vegas. He wore sharper suits but he never was a good fit after the Shark.

 

[djct1999]

Adios Mick. Its been fun.

 

[the Q]

I was really hoping he got a $32m contract

 

[ThabeetDown]

Thad Matta or John Brannen (NKU) would be two very good hires for Cincy IMO.

 

[PAHusky]

As much as I love to hate on the fighting midget he managed to wring some great performances, especially on the defensive end, out of some not very highly ranked recruiting classes. I think Mick will stabilize the program a bit because he's a pretty good X's and O's coach, but I don't think he's the kind of recruiter or program builder who is going to return UCLA to blue blood status.

 

[superjohn]

Could be wrong but I think this will be disappointing for all sides. Mick is a Cincinatti guy. Born there. Father was a Cincinatti area high school legend. Mick is an alumnus. Just don’t see him fitting in that well in Southern California. Plus UCLA isn’t a big job anymore. There is such a thing as local culture. Cronin fit great in Cincinatti. This will be like when Rollie went to Vegas. He wore sharper suits but he never was a good fit after the Shark.

I've heard people at Cincinatti couldn't stand Mick.

 

[The Funster]

Could be wrong but I think this will be disappointing for all sides. Mick is a Cincinatti guy. Born there. Father was a Cincinatti area high school legend. Mick is an alumnus. Just don’t see him fitting in that well in Southern California. Plus UCLA isn’t a big job anymore. There is such a thing as local culture. Cronin fit great in Cincinatti. This will be like when Rollie went to Vegas. He wore sharper suits but he never was a good fit after the Shark.

Mick in LA is like corn dogs at the Oscars

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Thad Matta would be a tremendous hire for Cincinnati and an upgrade over Cronin.

 

[UconnU]

Cronin in LA makes about as much sense as Ketchup on Ice Cream. I understand why Mick did it, a winnable P5 conference, great tradition, a place you can recruit to. But it’s kind of a personality mismatch. I bet this doesn’t end well.

 

[intlzncster]

In all seriousness. Thank you Mick for your service. Thanks for bringing the type of stability we needed to rebuild our program. It was just painfully obvious that you maxed out what you could do here, best of luck at UCLA!!!

GO CATS!!!

Do you honestly thing you are going to do better though?

 

[RipCity]

I love that people here truly believe they’re thinking critically by implying that because Mick Cronin is short, bald, and Irish that he couldn’t possibly make it in California.

He’s going there to coach basketball not to steal Blake Lively from Ryan Reynolds.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I don't completely hate Mark Fox to Cal although I think Cal has a ton of potential as a program and it could have done better. Kyle Smith is a nobody but he has potential and Wazzou is a tough job. Cronin is a head scratcher. How did UCLA not find someone better and higher profile than this guy? At least wait a week and see if Luke Walton is fired from the Lakers. Cronin is not going anywhere.

 

[Pgh2Storrs]

I think this is just about as well as UCLA could’ve done, give the circumstances. Cronin will have access to a higher level of talent and should get them back to the top of that miserable conference.

Obviously I’m not dialed into Cincy and their fans, but I really don’t get the cheering on this one. You could do better, sure, but there’s a whole lot worse in the world than being a consistent tournament team and conference champion/finalist.