Bleacher Report - Articles by Who Dey

No Hugs: Bob Huggins, Mick Cronin Have Contentious History

Who Dey — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 07:02:41 -0500

It was the end of the 2001-2002 season. The future of Bob Huggins with the Cincinnati Bearcats was up in the air.

Mick Cronin was told by an assistant close to the Cincinnati coach, that Huggins was ready to head back down that country road to his home and coach the West Virginia Mountaineers.

Knowing he would not be named the Bearcats next coach, Mick Cronin had to make an agonizing decision: stay with Cincinnati and risk losing a job or take another job offer elsewhere.

He chose the latter.

No one can blame him for the decision he made to leave. Everyone thought Huggins was heading to West Virginia, including himself.

Huggy-Bear changed his mind late. He wanted to stay in the Queen City.

The decision was made too late, however, for Cronin. The '97 UC graduate decided to leave the program. He was just being a professional. He was just trying to climb the coaching ladder.

Then, on came the dogs, or perhaps, the birds.

It was not the decision to leave that angered Huggins and many Bearcat fans. It was the choice of going south to Louisville, to join Rick Pitino as an assistant coach for the Cardinals: a long-time conference rival of the Cats.

Ever since, tension has boiled over between the two. Although both dance around the questions concerning their relationship, it is evident that, well, they are not too fond of each other.

The rest is history. Cronin is noted nationwide as the NCAA's best assistant coach with Louisville. He then takes the head coaching job at Murray State, leading them to two NCAA Tournament appearances in three seasons.

Huggins, on the other side of the spectrum, was disliked by new UC President Nancy Zimpher. A couple athletes in trouble, plus an embarrassing DUI led to his untimely firing, leaving his beloved program in the most impossible situation. A year later, he took the job in Manhattan, Kansas, as head coach at Kansas State.

Manhattan was livid. A packed house showed up for his first press conference. Purple "Huggy-Bear" shirts were sold on every street corner in the entire town. The former Bearcats coach had found a new home. A home that appreciated is superior coaching ability.

Then, before he could even lead the university to an NCAA Tournament, he left.

So, how can Huggins blame Cronin for leaving? Mick was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

This blame is coming from a man who took a giant chunk out of the "Little Apple" when he abandoned Kansas State for his alma-mater West Virginia. We went from being in the Little Apple Hall of Fame, to the Hall of Hate. He went from loved to despised.

Some can say Mick went to Louisville for selfish reasons. With Huggins, not just some, but all will say Huggins went back home for selfish reasons. He knew it was his last chance to do so.

Now, both are exactly where they want to be. Both are at their alma-maters. Both are at a place where they could coach forever.

It just goes to show that everything happens for a reason.

If anything, the two should be proud for each other. Huggins developed Cronin into a fine basketball coach. Cronin recruited Huggins some of the best players he ever coached.

Tonight, their teams will square off in Morgantown, West Virginia, in front of the national audience on ESPN.

One has to believe the players understand the magnitude of this meeting, because it is off the charts.

Cronin, already having taken down former mentor Rick Pitino, will look for his Bearcats (9-11, 4-3) to do just the same to Huggins' Mountaineers (15-5, 4-3).

As entertaining as this game may be with all the story lines, history, and drama, the thing I will be most watching for is the pregame handshake, or even a nice little pregame hug.

For the blind Bearcat fan, it may be an awful reminder of what transpired over the last five seasons.

But for the true faithful, it will be fun to watch Huggins jump up and down on the sideline, or even chase referees to the locker room. But most of all, it will be entertaining to watch little Mick Cronin to continue to lead his Bearcats to big places.

Eli Manning: Silencing the Critics

Who Dey — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 15:44:33 -0500

"Unstoppable—Eli Manning is."

How many times have you seen the Citizens Watch commercial calling the struggling New York Giants quarterback unstoppable? Furthermore, how many times did you laugh at it?

I know I did, as did many of my friends.

But right before our eyes, we have witnessed an unimaginable growth in a quarterback. A quarterback who has stepped out of the shadow of his brother, to lead his team to the Super Bowl.

His famous older brother Peyton will be sitting on his couch, or filming more Mastercard pep talks, while Eli—yes, Eli—will be taking the field in Glendale, Arizona on Super Bowl Sunday.

It was just weeks ago, that Eli Manning threw four interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns, in an embarrassing loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

For the entire week, so called experts stated the Manning could not perform in the second half of the season.

The next two games, Manning's numbers were just as pathetic. A 34.6 percent completion rate in a loss to Washington, including a lost fumble.

The following week, the Giants won an interstate rival with the Bills, but not because of Eli's arm. He fumbled the ball five times, losing two of them, and only threw 15 passes in the 38-21 victory.

The critics did not go away.

Eli heard their criticism, but unlike seasons before, Eli did not fold—he defied them.

In week 17 against New England, Manning developed an air of confidence, despite blowing a third quarter lead in their loss to the perfect Pats. But it was his play that had the 4th year quarterback poised and ready for the playoffs.

He has been stellar ever since.

Manning has been incredible in the playoffs. Of all his struggles, turnovers seemed to be his biggest downfall. In the postseason thus far, he has none

Four touchdowns and no interceptions, or fumbles lost, in the Giants' three wins against Tampa Bay, Dallas, and Green Bay this postseason.

Most amazing of all aspects, all three wins have come on the road.

There was a point in time when all the Giants asked of their quarterback was not to lose.

Now, they know he can step up and win a football game.

The New York football Giants will now fly out to Glendale, Arizona to face the 18-0 New England Patriots.

The Giants do not have a chance.

Nor did they have a chance against Green Bay or against Dallas.

This team may not win the Super Bowl. In fact, Belichick and the Patriots might blow them away. Tom Brady might throw for 400 yards and 5 touchdowns, and Randy Moss may actually make an appearance.

But the growth of Eli Manning in the last four weeks will make a lasting impact for years to come. He may not have the pizzaz of his elder brother Peyton, or the rah-rah type leadership that everyone is looking for, but Eli Manning is starting to look, well, unstoppable. And so are the Giants.

4,256 Reasons Why Pete Rose Belongs in the Hall of Fame

Who Dey — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 10:58:32 -0500

Pete Rose is currently among a few others as being listed Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame ineligibility list.

There is reason to believe Barry Bonds is a cheater. Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Jose Canseco—reason to believe those guys are all cheaters.

Pete Rose is a gambler, not a cheater.

Do not misunderstand the point. What Rose did was completely and totally wrong. As a major league manager, betting on baseball games, particularly those of your own team, is a terrible crime.

But why is putting ten-grand down on a baseball game so much worse than injecting one's body with steroids and/or human growth hormones?

Pete Rose was nicknamed "Charlie Hustle" for a reason. The guy brought the head-first slide back into baseball. He ran out every weak ground ball he ever hit. Because he was such a competitor, the guy even ran over catcher Ray Fosse in an All-Star game, causing a collision that sent Rose on the disabled list for the first, and only, time in his career.

Above all else, the "Hit King" set many records in baseball, and so many of them go unnoticed.

First and foremost, Rose holds the league record for most career hits with 4,256. Understood, today a mere hit is not as flashy as a Barry Bonds’ home run, but at one point in time, this record was one of the most cherished in the game.

The list goes on. Pete Rose has played in the most career games of any player (3,562). He has the most career at-bats of any player (14,053). He has the most seasons of 200+ hits (10) and is the only player in MLB history to have played in 500 games at five different positions (1B, 2B, 3B, LF, and RF.)

That is just a fraction of what Pete Rose accomplished on the baseball diamond.

How can anyone sit there and say that Pete Rose’s gambling on baseball games had anything to do with any one of those 4,256 hits?

Rose is one of the greatest baseball players of all time. I challenge you to check out everything the man accomplished in his major league career and then say he is not worthy of being in the Hall of Fame.

There are plenty of "bad guys" in the Hall of Fame, but a seemingly endless grudge against Rose by former Major League Commissioners, and current Commissioner Bud Selig, is ultimately what ended Rose's hopes of reinstatement.

If the biggest alleged cheater in sports—Barry Bonds*—is allowed in the Hall, consider it a felony if Rose is not given another chance, despite his window for making the ballot being slammed shut.

For a league that wants to even their own playing field, they should start by giving Pete Rose what he undoubtedly deserves—a trip to Cooperstown.

Dungy Retirement?: Time for Tony to Go in Indianapolis

Who Dey — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 13:33:47 -0500

Profootballtalk.com reported today that Indianapolis Head Coach Tony Dungy was stepping down from the position. Dungy has since denied the reports.

Whether they are true or not is quite irrelevant at this point. What is relevant, however, is that Colts assistant Jim Caldwell has today taken himself out of the head coaching search in Atlanta.

Coincidence? No chance.

It is no secret Dungy wishes to retire to where he used to coach, Tampa Bay, and become a minister.

For Dungy, that seems even more appealing, with his son Eric enrolling in a Tampa Bay high school.

Dungy has considered retirement the last two seasons, but this time it seems to be more serious than ever. With his decision to be made official on Monday, expect Dungy to step down.

Even if he decided to stay, is that in the Indianapolis Colts’ best interest? Yes, Dungy has led them to an NFL record five straight 12-win seasons, five straight AFC South Championships, two AFC Championships, and a Super Bowl victory a year ago.

But where would his commitment be?

The main question to ponder is whether Dungy still has the passion for the game. Dungy has repeatedly said he wanted to be out of the game by age 50. Now he is 52.

With a guy like Jim Caldwell waiting in the wings, it might just be time for the Colts and Dungy to part ways. Not taking away anything from the future Hall of Fame coach, but being a coach in this league is very demanding.

If a guy does not want to be there he will not succeed.

The Colts will have everyone under contract for next season, except Dallas Clark, who is likely going to be resigned or franchise tagged. The team may not have Dungy, but they will still have Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and the rest of their Pro Bowl roster.

There is no questioning Dungy's coaching abilities. There is no questioning the fact he is a players' coach. There is also no questioning of his prior success. However, when a coach's commitment to his team is in question, it is time to move on.

His legacy has been sealed, locked up, and sent to Canton. There is no need for him to put a dark spot on what has been a tremendous tenure in Indianapolis and Tampa Bay.

Tony, with all due respect, I advise you retire to the beaches of the great state of Florida.

Losing in Cincinnati: It's the Bengal Way

Who Dey — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 09:24:52 -0500

The Cincinnati Bengals are a proud organization.

Never mind only one playoff appearance in the last 17 seasons, the lack of Super Bowl trophies, and the history of recurring mediocrity. Paul Brown Stadium has sold out 36 straight times. That should be good enough, right?

Of course it is, according to team owner Mike Brown.

As long as the cash hits the bank, what else matters? Winning? Who cares about winning? Since when is that important?

Forget about Marvin Lewis' inability to prepare his football team; his time management blunders; his conservative play-calling; his horrific bend-but-don't-break defense, and his lack of control over the team.

Paul Brown Stadium has sold out 36 straight games, remember?

The problems begin at the top, and, believe it or not, they end at the top, too. Well, actually, the problems are never ending, but I digress.

Mike Brown is the cheapest owner of any big-time organization. Period. If one did not know differently, he would think Brown is still living in the pre-free agency NFL.

Maybe he is.

One must admit—Brown has spent some money. Unfortunately, he has spent it in all the wrong places.

The Bengals' owner dumped an excessive amount of money into defensive ends Justin Smith and Robert Geathers, who combined for a whopping 5.5 sacks. Not bad for a fourth overall draft pick and the man labeled "Adalius Thomas" by his coaches. They certainly deserved the combined $23 million the two banked this past season.

Much more money went into the starting offensive tackles, Willie Anderson and Levi Jones. The Bengals dished out a four-year contract for the aging Anderson, which may have to be terminated this off-season. As for Jones, the left tackle was benched this season by Head Coach Marvin Lewis, even though he was ready to play after injury.

Once again, the Bengals put their money to good use.

The problems will not be fixed for a long time. Most fans will be lucky to see the team make the playoffs again during their lifetimes.

Bengals Nation just has to read the writing on the wall.

Bengals fans, in their desperation for today's Bengals to be better than their Nineties' counterparts, have come to accept a mediocre organization that throws a sad excuse of a football team on the field each Sunday.

There have been no halftime walkouts like in Detroit. The starting quarterback has never stopped speaking to the general manager, ala Brett Favre.

Oh, wait. It would be impossible for quarterback Carson Palmer to not speak to the Bengals' general manager because the organization does not have one.

Mike Brown will tell you they do not need one. Lewis can prepare the team, make all the personnel moves and do all the scouting.

Unfortunately, Lewis cannot coach, let alone pull triple-duty. Having no general manager is rough enough, but the Bengals' woes grow deeper.

The Bengals have the smallest scouting department of any NFL organization with six. Yes, six. Not sixteen, or sixty. Six. Too bad it is not five so we could hold up the number of team scouts on one hand.

"I think we're efficient. I don't apologize for that. [Other teams] can do what they do. We do what we do," says owner Mike Brown.

No one can argue that. We do what we do, and what we do sucks.

Clearly the team is reaping the benefits of "we do what we do." Marvin Lewis apparently agrees because, in every post game interview, he says, "We just got to keep doing what we're doing."

Obviously, he is right, because what we do is working. Lewis is living off of one break in the losing system—one breakdown in the system in which the team actually won three more games than they were supposed to. The playoff season in 2005 was a product of luck.

The 2005 schedule was easy. That season, the Bengals played four games against the worst division in football, the NFC North. The Baltimore Ravens were having a down year, and the Cleveland Browns were the Cleveland Browns.

Winning and Cincinnati do not belong together in the same sentence, let alone the same breath. The bottom line is: things will never change under the Brown regime.

When Mike Brown hired Lewis five years and three days ago, he said, "I think we've turned over a new leaf for the Bengals. We are starting fresh. He has the respect of people throughout the National Football League. He sold us, and I think he will sell the people in Cincinnati.''

Lewis did not sell us. He ripped us off.

Lewis led the team to an 8-8 record his first year, and he was labeled 'God'. Five years later, the team is 7-9 and looking once again to start fresh.

How did that work out last time? The answer: it did not. It just goes to prove a point. For most organizations, winning is the top priority. For Brown and the Bengals, however, winning takes a backseat to making money.

As all 66,000 loyal Bengals fans click through the turnstiles, Mike Brown just cracks another smile. He is a happy man, regardless of how bad the team performs that Sunday.

Brown's philosophy is carrying over to the players, too.

In his year-end press conference, Coach Lewis was asked if it were true that one of his main concerns involved players being more concerned about their contracts than the terrible performance of the team.

Lewis responded, "It is. But it's something that you can't allow to get in the way of football. There comes a time for that, but once things are set, there's nothing you can do to change it other than going out and performing at the highest level. It's been part of this discussion every year."

Whether it's Mike Brown saving up his pennies, or individuals being too selfish and too concerned with their own nickels and dimes, the Bengals have too many issues to solve and no time in which to do.

If the Bengals continue to show a glimmer of hope at the end of the 2008 season and give fans one more reason to get excited, the 'Bengal Way' will continue.

As long as things do not change, Bengals fans may want to choose paper instead of plastic the next time they hit the grocery store. They are going to need plenty of paper bags to cover their faces for years to come.

Face Facts: Mick Cronin Has Cincinnati Bearcats Playing Good Basketball

Who Dey — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 07:48:23 -0500

Say what you want about the Cincinnati Bearcats athletic administration—or that former coach who now coaches at West Virginia—but what you cannot say is that Mick Cronin cannot coach.

Nor can you say his kids cannot play.

We all know the story: Cincinnati President fires beloved, former Bearcats Head Coach Bob Huggins. Andy Kennedy, current Ole Miss head man, takes over on an interim basis. Kennedy gets consideration for the job, but ultimately does not want it, and does not get offered the position.

No one blames him.

In steps Mick Cronin, long time assistant to Huggins.

Immediately, one had to have respect for the man, as it seemed he was single-handedly trying to rebuild a team that had been ripped apart by a tornado.

He was left with one guy worthy of a scholarship, two walks-ons, and please do not forget Ronald Allen.

In no time, Cronin was on the recruiting trail in what appeared to be a five-year rebuilding process. He brought in a plethora of junior college transfers—none of whom would have been playing Big East basketball had it not been for the Bearcats.

Cronin also snagged soon-to-be stud Deonta Vaughn from Indiana; at the time, it was not a big deal.

After a season of losses to the ever formidable Wofford's of the world and two wins in the Big East conference, the team is beginning to put the remaining pieces of a powerhouse back in place.

The JUCO talent on the squad sometimes seems to go unnoticed; it’s not like Cronin just threw a bunch of guys on the basketball court—he not only filled a roster, but filled a roster with good basketball players.

The JUCOs only have one year of Division I experience but they play as if they have three.

It is now that the team is finally reaping the benefits of their struggles.

Led by sophomore guard Vaughn, the Bearcats stand at 3-2 in the Big East.

For the average man, 3-2 is just one game over .500. In fact it is. But to many of the Bearcats fans it is much more than that: it is a sign of things to come.

As for Cronin, life has not been so easy. Message boards were calling for his head just games into the season. The administration, so pleased with football coach Brian Kelly, was not at all impressed with Cronin.

If they have not eaten their words yet, they might want get out the fork and knife, and do it fast.

Not only has Cronin wowed everyone with his recruiting capabilities, he is beginning to get recognition as a solid basketball coach and deservedly so.

The six freshmen on the team are improving rapidly. From losses to Bowling Green and Belmont, 20 point thrashings against UAB and Illinois State, to now road wins at Louisville and home upsets against Syracuse and Villanova.

If you do not call that progress; I call you blind.

They may not make the NCAA Tournament this season, they may not end up with more than eight wins in the Big East, but the maturation of the young guys on the team is staggering.

They play hard. They play scrappy. They are prepared. Say what you want bitter Bearcats bums, but Mick Cronin is about to take the Cats further than the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Lucky for you, when it happens, you can just sit back and say you knew it was going to all along.

Cronin may be a little guy standing in at 5'7" (is that generous?) but he is going to be doing big things for the University of Cincinnati.

Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

Maybe you could even head out to Fifth Third Arena: Home of the Vaughn show.