|
Get over it you ignorant Bearcat fans
Mark Chalifoux
I didn’t want to be blunt, but sometimes you have to be to get through to a University of Cincinnati Bearcat fan. I guess this is the counterpoint to Sara’s point (and to be honest, who doesn’t love impromptu PCP?), but the fact of the matter is that this was the best thing to happen to UC in a long time.
Just for a moment, step outside of the Zimpher Huggins “let’s see who’s is bigger” contest and look at Bob’s tournament track record. His teams have never beaten a higher ranked seed and rarely does he make it past the second round. So not only can he not take care of business, but he doesn’t even know what a tournament upset feels like. It’s pretty clear that the most important thing in college basketball is winning in March and UC fans have been living off of a final four appearance a decade ago. Bottom line, Huggins doesn’t win in March. Frankly, if it wasn’t for the fact that the entire fan base is brain washed, I don’t know why they wouldn’t have already put some pressure on him to step it up. Let’s face it, 1-and-done isn’t going to make it in the Big East.
Now, throw into it the fact that Bob Huggins graduates players as frequently as Ricky Williams passes drug tests, and you start to have an idea of why he’s being shown the door. Add in the fact that under his reign players have gotten into trouble by punching police horses, torturing roommates, being pregnant women, bringing guns onto campus, and raping underage girls.
Now, that’s not too bad, but then you factor in Huggins DUI tape, which even Joe Namath would find utterly embarrassing, and it becomes clear why Huggins is on his way out. Maybe its not as clear as one would think…after all, what says responsibility and intergrity more than boozing with a recruit’s family and then driving home? What says integrity and responsibility more than vomit on the inside of your car and your begging the police officers, who have let you off for similar actions in the past, to let you go again.
What I don’t understand is the overwhelming backlash to this decision. UC fans, he took your program to the next level, no argument here. But to go further, you need fresh blood. He’s taken you as far as he can go, what more do you expect from him? Constant one-and-done’s and more disgraces to the school until he Joe Pas (and don’t even begin to think Paterno is still a capable coach) the program he built until its back on the MAC-level?
It isn’t like Huggins is winning anyone over outside of Cincinnati either. The program is a complete and utter joke to the national media thanks to the DUI, graduation rates (which, to his credit, have gotten mildly better) and his players rap sheets. UC fans, if you want respect, your school won’t get it with Huggins there.
Sara tries to make a point about Huggy getting the best recruiting class UC has ever had with OJ Mayo and Bill Walker, but the only people that honestly believe that are the same ones who will still vehemently argue with you that Pete Rose never bet on baseball. The last time Mayo listed his schools he named about 25, and UC wasn’t one of them. The kid doesn’t have his mind made up, but never seriously considered UC.
As far as fans not giving donations anymore and not buying tickets, I say, what better an example of their ignorance? Did they graduate from Bob Huggins U? Are you really, honestly, that you condone the actions of Huggins and you loathe the one person who is trying to make the school better? Do they honestly believe that Ws and playing the first week of the tourney is more important than graduating players, and more importantly, graduating men? I know you Bearcat fans love your basketball, but at least pretend to act like they are supposed to be student-athletes, when in reality you’d be happier with the Portland Trail Blazers as long as they won 20 a year and lost to Xavier.
Make no mistake, this decision was not made for this season. The timing wasn’t the best, but the sacrifice of one season will make the program much healthier in the long run. Zimpher scored a huge victory for UC by ousting Huggins, and this is bigger than a few recruits and one season. It’s not about short term, its about long term and long term this just makes sense. Why let Huggins ride out the last two years of his deal? What recruits would go to the school knowing that Bob would probably not be there for their entire career? Better now than a year from now or two years from now, and that’s not even addressing whether or not he deserves to finish.
I know that change TERRIFIES the Bearcat fan, but realize this, the UC job is going to be a coveted position. There are a lot of advantages to the UC job, especially the facilities and the conference. There will be no shortage of suitors for this position. You will get great young coaches to interview for this job and you will get a great new coach who can take you farther than Huggs could dream of, all while keeping things clean off the court. The program may take a hit for a year or two, but relax, you will be fine.
As far as how it was handled, this was no surprise to the Huggins camp. The letter to the lawyer was only the end of the process that has been going on for months, and rumor has it that Huggs has known for some time and had been pushing for the larger buyout. If anything, Huggs should’ve shown some respect and class (I know, it would’ve been a first) and left right away, when he saw he wasn’t going to come out of this with the job, instead of milking UC for more money and hurting this season in the process.
Bottom line, Zimpher did what had to be done. Bearcat fan will whine, bitch, moan, and make empty threats, that’s how they roll. That being said, they will be back. They will hop back on to the bandwagon when the new coach comes in and makes the program even better, and maybe even a respectable one on the national stage. All will be right in Bearcatland and many will deny they ever left the bandwagon, but I doubt that Nancy Z will ever get the props she deserves for this. Not that I expected it from the ignorant Bearcat fans to begin with.
|
|
|
12 comments - join this discussion...
|
|
|
|
|
|
