Xavier loses again

[cincygrad]

The Kenyon year was the best chance to win it all. The Bearcats bracket was a mess and Michigan State won the title and it probably wasn't their best team in the Izzo era.

I hated the Fortson offense.... He was exposed in that elite eight game against Eric Dampier, where he couldn't get his shot off. Also hated that Damon Flint and Darnell Burton would always go cold at the wrong time.

 

[bengaldoug]

Heh heh---- Huggs used to call Fortson "the black hole" because once the ball went in to him, there was no chance it was coming out again....looking back, they relied on him way too much....and Damon Flint was a big disappointment to me....he just never developed into the offensive weapon he could have......

 

[cincygrad]

I was disappointed with Flint as well. Looking back at that recruiting class, we landed Dontinio Wingfield and Flint - Both McDonalds All-Americans. We also got Burton and a few other guys that didn't do anything. Flint was already a legend in Cincinnati given how good he was in high school. I was always surprised he wasn't a better player. I suppose you could easily make the argument that Darnell Burton was the best of the bunch.

 

[bengaldoug]

Yep--and all he was was a one dimensional streak shooter......

 

[cincygrad]

Yep--and all he was was a one dimensional streak shooter......

I always found that odd. If I recall, when he was coming out of high school he was known more for his defense and ability to drive the basket - Not for shooting the ball. Yet, that's all he did for us!

 

[bengaldoug]

He was cold-blooded though, when the game was on the line.....I remember several game savers from the corner in the final minutes....definitely not as natural a shooter as Durden or Field Williams....but if we really needed one, Burton was the guy you wanted shooting.....

 

[bengaldoug]

I really miss Huggs.......he's a flawed man, but he's a man's man......and a helluva coach...

 

[Cincyfan78]

I really miss Huggs.......he's a flawed man, but he's a man's man......and a helluva coach...

Agreed. He was polarizing. Either you loved him, or hated him. There weren't many people who were indifferent.

The guy came into a broken program and turned it around big time. Making it a national power year in and out for most of the 90's and into the 00's.

Rumor is that he would have landed OJ Mayo and Beasley (I think) had he not been ousted and re-surfaced at Kansas St. That would have been an interesting team to watch. Especially since they would have been paired up with Devon Downey, who ended up being a stud at S.C. after he transferred when Kennedy was not retained.

I like Mick, I think he's a great recruiter...and finally, just letting his offense play ball is the best move he's had since he's been here. I think fans rile against him because he can be rather annoying, isn't as polarizing as Huggins was, which is what UC fans want/are used to, and since he is the guy who ultimately replaced Huggins and worked for Huggins, they consider him a traitor (Which is ludicris).

It will be interesting to see what Mick can do now that he's starting to get his recruits in, and experienced. Like I mentioned before, this team is set up pretty well over the next few years. It has depth, with this new offense, they have guards that can score. I think recruiting will be a lot easier for Mick with this offense than it was with the "watch the paint dry" low post offense earlier.

 

[bengaldoug]

Agreed. He was polarizing. Either you loved him, or hated him. There weren't many people who were indifferent.

The guy came into a broken program and turned it around big time. Making it a national power year in and out for most of the 90's and into the 00's.

Rumor is that he would have landed OJ Mayo and Beasley (I think) had he not been ousted and re-surfaced at Kansas St. That would have been an interesting team to watch. Especially since they would have been paired up with Devon Downey, who ended up being a stud at S.C. after he transferred when Kennedy was not retained.

I like Mick, I think he's a great recruiter...and finally, just letting his offense play ball is the best move he's had since he's been here. I think fans rile against him because he can be rather annoying, isn't as polarizing as Huggins was, which is what UC fans want/are used to, and since he is the guy who ultimately replaced Huggins and worked for Huggins, they consider him a traitor (Which is ludicris).

It will be interesting to see what Mick can do now that he's starting to get his recruits in, and experienced. Like I mentioned before, this team is set up pretty well over the next few years. It has depth, with this new offense, they have guards that can score. I think recruiting will be a lot easier for Mick with this offense than it was with the "watch the paint dry" low post offense earlier.

Don't get me wrong....if they were going to replace Huggs, Mick was as good a hire as they could hope for.....and he's proven himself through some pretty adverse circumstances.....I actually like the direction of the program now, and I am hopeful they can become a consistent national power again.....

 

[Cincyfan78]

Don't get me wrong....if they were going to replace Huggs, Mick was as good a hire as they could hope for.....and he's proven himself through some pretty adverse circumstances.....I actually like the direction of the program now, and I am hopeful they can become a consistent national power again.....

Agreed. I actually was hoping they would target him when they were doing their search. Local guy. Knows the UC tradition. Worked here. Can recruit.

The only difference is that he was going to be doing this in the Big East instead of C-USA.


Agreed...it's nice to be able to talk UC bball once again. He's got the direction of the program pointing in the right direction.

 

[bengaldoug]

Bearcats blow out Irish, X loses again, this time to mighty LaSalle....

 

[cincygrad]

It just keeps getting better!

Chris Mack is a joke. Xavier's program is on the way down. They had a string of good coaches and those guys are now gone.

 

[bengaldoug]

Yep, Mack has lost control of his team, while Mick has grabbed control of his....

 

[cincygrad]

I thought Mack's behavior after the fight said everything about his personality.... He was willing to let the inmates run the asylum. Let someone else shut them up. Let someone else discipline them. He didn't want to take a stand.

UC has run a program full of questionable characters for many years. But never once did I get the feeling that the coach wasn't in control. I always knew that Huggins would throw anyone off the team and I feel the same way about Mick. The thing is that you can recruit and even live with questionable character players, but the minute you give up control, you're finished. Rex Ryan is currently learning this in the NFL.

 

[bengaldoug]

Mick has really won me over the last two years....I don't think I fully realized the daunting task he faced when he took over, and just how decimated the team was.....Nancy Z basically killed Huggs ability to recruit, so after Andy K took over for a year the cupboard was left really bare....Mick can recruit, but he didn't have a chance to get started the first year, all the players were basically gone....they've improved a bit year by year, and Mick has risen to every challenge, and is to be commended for how he handled this last crisis.....he could be here a long time, and the program is well back on the way to prominence again.....

 

[OrangeBlackRedWhite]

La Salle High School is a formidable opponent. Don't knock them.

 

[cincygrad]

La Salle High School is a formidable opponent. Don't knock them.

LOL! Well, they were state champs for a reason.

 

[kramer1]

Was texting bearcatdave during the game...he's pumped. We have ourselves a nice tourney team here, fellas.

 

[bengaldoug]

Is dave still without internet?

 

[kramer1]

Is dave still without internet?

Not sure, but I'll find out today. It would be nice to have him here.