Summed things up well. I can't figure out why we keep inbounding the ball and/or dribbling the ball into the corner against the press. Can't Mick come up with a better inbounds play? I simply don't see a team capable of enough consistent play to make a run in either tournament.
I think this one is more of an execution problem than a play design one, because Andrews in particular just makes a beeline for the corner wherever he catches the ball (Clark did the same thing). The middle was open every time, but the players lacked the composure to attack it and instead kept trying to go up the sideline.
My impression from many of your recent posts is that you would like to replace Coach Cronin. I have been following the Bruins since the early 1960s. There is no other coach to match Coach Wooden. For 50 years, UCLA has not had a coach superior to Cronin -- and many were far less successful. Competition to attract and keep top players is much more intense than 50 years ago. Last year we had the disaster of all the top players leaving a championship quality team at the same time. Coach Cronin has taken in numerous quality new players and has them playing together, often at a high level. I believe that the future for UCLA basketball is bright. I support Coach Cronin and hope to be able to follow his teams for several more years.
Yeah, as paulie said, I'm actually a huge Cronin supporter, have season tickets and a lot of what I coach at the high school level is modeled after Cronin's system, especially on defense. That said, I'm a huge proponent of the idea that no one is above criticism, and there are some things Cronin has done this season that have warranted the criticism levied by myself and others. Given all the changes going on in college athletics, I'm more lenient on some things than I might have been in the past, but support for someone should not be blind and you should be willing to point out problems with the hope they get better.
I am also a huge Cronin supporter, but I do not expect him to stay long term. I think he likes UCLA, but the Big Ten travel is a problem. He made a comment a few weeks ago that he was not happy his team had seen the statute of liberty twice in three weeks. And LA is not exactly a plus for him. He might very well leave for Indiana. If a better job were available, he'd probably be all over it, but he might settle for Indiana.
The biggest problem was the loss of composure at the end-both in turning the ball over and missing FT's. Cronin did say in the post game presser what I was yelling during the last minutes, you got three time outs so use them instead of throwing panic inbounds passes resulting in turn overs. Do not know why DA kept running into the corner to get the inbounds pass as NW was employing the obvious tactic of guarding the other three players and then double teamed when the ball went into the corner--actually a triple team because the sideline is a third player. Cronin needs to work on that although he says they do so quite a bit. Too late to correct FT mechanics but the worse is at the end of games when they are crucial so could be composure/(chocking). (maybe hypnosis techniques to calm the players down while shooting FT's?)
Have no idea why DA has regressed so much from the end of last season.
At his point, do not see us getting beyond the second round of the Big 10 tournament nor beyond the first round in the Big Dance.
Thank you for clarification. I agree with Howland, but since his cheating forced him out, no more here -- we want and need honesty in the program. Teenagers are inconsistent -- that is why basketball has long runs of terrific and awful results. I'm glad we all agree that Coach Cronin has a bright future at UCLA and our comments are suggestions to help him. Go Bruins!
P.S. For me, M.A. & B.A. in Economics, 1968; Ph.D. 1973 from Berkeley -- still rooting for UCLA.
Calling Harrick a cheater is an incredibly uncalled for low blow. He paid for dinner for Cameron Dollar and Charles O'Bannon. That's it. He didn't bribe recruits. He did not do anything to give UCLA an advantage over other schools. He was fired for lying about it. He shouldn't have done that, but he did not cheat. What a ridiculous comment.
Sorry, my memory isn't what it used to be a few decades ago. Yes, I remember both seasons and times -- but I am not as good at keeping coaches' names straight during years when we had so many of them per decade. Thank you.
I believe the biggest problem for this team is guard play. We don't have a leader at the point guard position...
DA is having a really rough time and whatever it is that has caused his problems, it has not been resolved and Cronin has had all season to help DA resolve it.
Perry needed to be developed over the season to eventually takeover at point. He is the only guard with a world of natural ability and leadership qualities but he needed playing time and he didn't get it. He could have been our starting point guard by now.
Without a point guard who can effectively run the offense, has great court vision and passing skills, can penetrate in the paint, and can calm the team with his steadiness, we are going to have breakdowns, and scoring droughts.
Guard play is our achilles heel and I am afraid will be the reason we exit early when the Madness begins.
P.S. Mara also needed to be developed alongside Perry, from the start. If these two were brought along through the season, we might be talking about a deep run.
Tomorrow the Lady Bruims face Nebraska in the quarterfinals of the BIG Tourney! Let's hope they have resolved the issues such as turnovers that have plagued them all seasom and come out focused and ready to play!
DD, please throw up a thread tomorrow for this game! We need to get rid of the terrible taste of the suc lost and hopefully make it to the finals and finally beat suc for the BIG championship. Thank you! 💙💛
Summed things up well. I can't figure out why we keep inbounding the ball and/or dribbling the ball into the corner against the press. Can't Mick come up with a better inbounds play? I simply don't see a team capable of enough consistent play to make a run in either tournament.
I think this one is more of an execution problem than a play design one, because Andrews in particular just makes a beeline for the corner wherever he catches the ball (Clark did the same thing). The middle was open every time, but the players lacked the composure to attack it and instead kept trying to go up the sideline.
My impression from many of your recent posts is that you would like to replace Coach Cronin. I have been following the Bruins since the early 1960s. There is no other coach to match Coach Wooden. For 50 years, UCLA has not had a coach superior to Cronin -- and many were far less successful. Competition to attract and keep top players is much more intense than 50 years ago. Last year we had the disaster of all the top players leaving a championship quality team at the same time. Coach Cronin has taken in numerous quality new players and has them playing together, often at a high level. I believe that the future for UCLA basketball is bright. I support Coach Cronin and hope to be able to follow his teams for several more years.
Dimitri has been one of mick's supporters against some of the "haters" here , so I don't think he wants him fired.
But this is just a realistic post that this team is what it is - good (not great) at its best, but maddeningly inconsistent
And for your post, I would argue that Howland had an unbelievable run, but things got away from him. Hope that we don't get a repeat of that
Yeah, as paulie said, I'm actually a huge Cronin supporter, have season tickets and a lot of what I coach at the high school level is modeled after Cronin's system, especially on defense. That said, I'm a huge proponent of the idea that no one is above criticism, and there are some things Cronin has done this season that have warranted the criticism levied by myself and others. Given all the changes going on in college athletics, I'm more lenient on some things than I might have been in the past, but support for someone should not be blind and you should be willing to point out problems with the hope they get better.
I am also a huge Cronin supporter, but I do not expect him to stay long term. I think he likes UCLA, but the Big Ten travel is a problem. He made a comment a few weeks ago that he was not happy his team had seen the statute of liberty twice in three weeks. And LA is not exactly a plus for him. He might very well leave for Indiana. If a better job were available, he'd probably be all over it, but he might settle for Indiana.
The biggest problem was the loss of composure at the end-both in turning the ball over and missing FT's. Cronin did say in the post game presser what I was yelling during the last minutes, you got three time outs so use them instead of throwing panic inbounds passes resulting in turn overs. Do not know why DA kept running into the corner to get the inbounds pass as NW was employing the obvious tactic of guarding the other three players and then double teamed when the ball went into the corner--actually a triple team because the sideline is a third player. Cronin needs to work on that although he says they do so quite a bit. Too late to correct FT mechanics but the worse is at the end of games when they are crucial so could be composure/(chocking). (maybe hypnosis techniques to calm the players down while shooting FT's?)
Have no idea why DA has regressed so much from the end of last season.
At his point, do not see us getting beyond the second round of the Big 10 tournament nor beyond the first round in the Big Dance.
Thank you for clarification. I agree with Howland, but since his cheating forced him out, no more here -- we want and need honesty in the program. Teenagers are inconsistent -- that is why basketball has long runs of terrific and awful results. I'm glad we all agree that Coach Cronin has a bright future at UCLA and our comments are suggestions to help him. Go Bruins!
P.S. For me, M.A. & B.A. in Economics, 1968; Ph.D. 1973 from Berkeley -- still rooting for UCLA.
Ah you must be talking about Jim Harrick. I am too young for that :)
I was mentioning Ben Howland who took us to 3 straight final fours but then had the wheels fall off due to poor recruiting and behavioral issues.
Calling Harrick a cheater is an incredibly uncalled for low blow. He paid for dinner for Cameron Dollar and Charles O'Bannon. That's it. He didn't bribe recruits. He did not do anything to give UCLA an advantage over other schools. He was fired for lying about it. He shouldn't have done that, but he did not cheat. What a ridiculous comment.
Sorry, my memory isn't what it used to be a few decades ago. Yes, I remember both seasons and times -- but I am not as good at keeping coaches' names straight during years when we had so many of them per decade. Thank you.
I believe the biggest problem for this team is guard play. We don't have a leader at the point guard position...
DA is having a really rough time and whatever it is that has caused his problems, it has not been resolved and Cronin has had all season to help DA resolve it.
Perry needed to be developed over the season to eventually takeover at point. He is the only guard with a world of natural ability and leadership qualities but he needed playing time and he didn't get it. He could have been our starting point guard by now.
Without a point guard who can effectively run the offense, has great court vision and passing skills, can penetrate in the paint, and can calm the team with his steadiness, we are going to have breakdowns, and scoring droughts.
Guard play is our achilles heel and I am afraid will be the reason we exit early when the Madness begins.
P.S. Mara also needed to be developed alongside Perry, from the start. If these two were brought along through the season, we might be talking about a deep run.
Tomorrow the Lady Bruims face Nebraska in the quarterfinals of the BIG Tourney! Let's hope they have resolved the issues such as turnovers that have plagued them all seasom and come out focused and ready to play!
DD, please throw up a thread tomorrow for this game! We need to get rid of the terrible taste of the suc lost and hopefully make it to the finals and finally beat suc for the BIG championship. Thank you! 💙💛
From 3000 miles away, and 10 years ago, I did not know details. Thanks for clarification.