Mick Cronin went OFF on his players following their loss to Michigan 😳 “We’re soft… Every day, I have more passion and energy in practice." (video)

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DarthGopher said:
Savage. But I'd be lyin' if I said I didn't like it. 'Bout d*mn time. Basketball is probably the worst of all sports that I've seen with this kind of mentality that is pervasive among the players.
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And that mentality is only getting worse with the debacle that is "NIL" and unlimited free transfers with immediate eligibility.

It would be a weird time to be a college football or basketball coach. Pay is amazing but dealing with the athletes right now has to be at one of the hardest points it has ever been.

You can see the burnout on coaches like Cronin. If he isn't fired for this I could see him stepping down to get a job of some kind in the NBA. At least at the pro level there is some structure and control. College football and basketball are just chaos right now.
 




Bigg Robb said:
Now that these kids are getting paid, I don't mind this at all. The "student athlete" days are over. If you are getting paid to perform at a P6 institution, then you should be able to accept the criticism
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That attitude is very unlikely to fly. Don't like how you're being treated? Transfer. And then transfer for a 3rd and 4th time. Plus, if you get a reputation as a tough-on-players coach, attracting the next round of talent becomes harder.

That's where we are, unfortunately. Coaching in this era is extremely difficult.
 

formerlybis said:
That attitude is very unlikely to fly. Don't like how you're being treated? Transfer. And then transfer for a 3rd and 4th time. Plus, if you get a reputation as a tough-on-players coach, attracting the next round of talent becomes harder.

That's where we are, unfortunately. Coaching in this era is extremely difficult.
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Mr Cronin, there's a job here at Minnesota just waiting for you. One thing we are not is delusional. We know we are terrible and we desperately want someone to coach us. Tervetuloa herra! (Welcome sir!)
 

Mentioned his staff too. I saw this last night and was wondering what place there is for comments like this in 2025. There is probably a lot of truth to what he said, but I don't think young people are motivated by tactics like this in this generation. That was true for a decade or so before NIL and I think it's even more true today. I think one of the biggest challenges in all sports right now is getting people to buy in to systems, roles, and to play hard consistently. It's not just college sports, but you see it in the NFL with like Romeo Dobbs, Tyreek Hill and our former Gopher Devondre Campbell among countless others that likely were kept in house. It's an issue in the NBA where certain players have so much power that the coach really can't even coach them.

Tying this back in to college hoops and you see what an Otzelberger or Smart has done in getting consistently excellent results year after year. They are getting a buy in from their guys that is increasingly rare (in my opinion) and the result has been way more wins than what I imagine their NIL budgets would suggest. I feel for Cronin, but he's also paid handsomely to find a way to reach these kids and get them to bring more energy.

Side note: How fun would it be to have a coach who gets this angry when we're ranked in the top 25? For the last 12 years all we've heard is how good the other team is and/or how tough it is to win on the road after a loss.
 

EG#9 said:
Side note: How fun would it be to have a coach who gets this angry when we're ranked in the top 25? For the last 12 years all we've heard is how good the other team is and/or how tough it is to win on the road after a loss.
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I'm not sure I'm even capable of imagining such a thing right now. :cry:
 



formerlybis said:
That attitude is very unlikely to fly. Don't like how you're being treated? Transfer. And then transfer for a 3rd and 4th time. Plus, if you get a reputation as a tough-on-players coach, attracting the next round of talent becomes harder.

That's where we are, unfortunately. Coaching in this era is extremely difficult.
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It is one thing to think it. It is another to verbalize it so bluntly. While I applaud the unvarnished honesty, I agree, this probably is not going to go over too well, especially if the parents get involved. They were the worst part of coaching basketball. Hands down.
 

Agree it's hard to be a head coach these days but I applaud Cronin for his bluntness and honesty. I think part of the issue for a coach is whether to get the best players he can or the best players that care, are coachable and have manageable egos. Fine line.
I think that's were it appears PJ does a great job. Seemingly no ego issues and everyone seems to buy in. Just wish he could find a few more 4*'s that fit the mold. 😉
 

TNGophfan said:
Agree it's hard to be a head coach these days but I applaud Cronin for his bluntness and honesty. I think part of the issue for a coach is whether to get the best players he can or the best players that care, are coachable and have manageable egos. Fine line.
I think that's were it appears PJ does a great job. Seemingly no ego issues and everyone seems to buy in. Just wish he could find a few more 4*'s that fit the mold. 😉
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It's a balancing act for sure and a lot of it probably depends on where you are coaching as well.

Minnesota is a perfect fit for Fleck because he can pass on talented head cases in favor of guys who will buy into what he is doing.

Getting back to Cronin - will be interesting to see how the players handle being called out like this in public.
 

MNVCGUY said:
It's a balancing act for sure and a lot of it probably depends on where you are coaching as well.

Minnesota is a perfect fit for Fleck because he can pass on talented head cases in favor of guys who will buy into what he is doing.

Getting back to Cronin - will be interesting to see how the players handle being called out like this in public.
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How his players (and His Assistant Coaches) respond will certainly tell everything you need to know. Not strictly in terms of wins and losses, but more in terms of how they approach games, practice, and everything else associated with being part of a college basketball program.
I thought calling out his assistants was a far bigger, more personal deal than calling out the players.
 



FinnGopher said:
Mr Cronin, there's a job here at Minnesota just waiting for you. One thing we are not is delusional. We know we are terrible and we desperately want someone to coach us. Tervetuloa herra! (Welcome sir!)
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I liked your post. Unfortunately he isn't leaving a top 5 place to coach for the slum we are here at MN.
 

Chico Gopher said:
How his players (and His Assistant Coaches) respond will certainly tell everything you need to know. Not strictly in terms of wins and losses, but more in terms of how they approach games, practice, and everything else associated with being part of a college basketball program.
I thought calling out his assistants was a far bigger, more personal deal than calling out the players.
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Certainly put them on notice that they could be in danger of getting fired.

In addition to the comments that were quoted for the post he also called out a number of players by name. In the old days that might have motivated the players to work harder.....with this current generation of players it probably just motivates them to look for a new school next season.
 

Chico Gopher said:
How his players (and His Assistant Coaches) respond will certainly tell everything you need to know. Not strictly in terms of wins and losses, but more in terms of how they approach games, practice, and everything else associated with being part of a college basketball program.
I thought calling out his assistants was a far bigger, more personal deal than calling out the players.
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Maybe so but if you have any kind of pride at all in yourself then man up, take the criticism, move forward and be become better
 


RockChalk said:
Maybe so but if you have any kind of pride at all in yourself then man up, take the criticism, move forward and be become better
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I agree but not sure that is how this current generation is wired. They are being taught that if they don't get what they want when they want it just transfer somewhere else.
 

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