John Brannen

[leo from jersey]

I think Terry’s post is spot on. I have been spending covid locked in a what I can only describe as a jail cell of my apartment in NYC. While everyone had to deal with covid, the rules around it were different from everyone’s employer, state emergency laws, and guidelines. I didn’t have the luxury of a massive home gym over in Jersey. Didn’t get to see my family in Ohio, spent Christmas and NYE locked down with covid, and had to figure out a way to do my job from home performing construction management which requires a full time site presence. It’s incredibly draining and exhausting. Had someone offered me a way to go to Florida with no penalty and the assurance of a new job with the same salary, I’d have gone in a heart beat as millions of other NYC’ers already have.

These guys felt abandoned by the coach and especially the university. You can arguing it, agree/disagree with it, claim it’s right or wrong but this group of kids felted wronged, held a players only meeting to agree that their belief was accurate, and decided they would move on with the NCAA offering a fresh new start without any penalty of eligibility. To the players credit, they went out and won and played for each other.

credit luke fickle and his staff, how he maneuvered this with football like he did is a feat I’ll never get over.

I had a new cardio piece delivered yesterday and set up. It is smooth and at my age, I need it. So a gym is essential. I also go fishing in warm weather. In life two things can ever get you down. People and situations. Certain people in Bearcat leadership have led to a bad situation. The whole UC community must adapt and overcome if we want to see championships. I had losing players, but it is time to develop a future in a winning Bearcat tradition.

[RecNizeRealBCat]

These are young men, let's not understate where they are in maturity. They came here and must of met a different person then their initial recruiter. Team building and functions I'm sure make a difference but as a coaching staff just like in basketball and life you have to be able to adjust to things you cannot control. I doubt it was as isolated of a situation as its being explained for these players.
We are all just speculating on how it was for these players and what went into the decision making of this freshman transfer which is the best time to make the jump if you are. You would think the upperclassmen would have a tighter hold also in help swaying the decision. Why would the freshmen be so close with each other and not their juniors to be?

[Rufus]

With the way this free for all, free agency, mass exodus from all schools is materializing I have to say there may be some truth to TN' s synopsis. One statement made in sorting through this was that it was overheard people were upset that promises made during recruiting were not met. JB may have or may have not handled this difficult situation correctly and it is extremely difficult to handled so many egos in normal circumstances let alone doing so in covid lockdown. Yes others apparently did a better job of it but by and large those that did were those that had players already invested in the known enviornnment. JB was dealing with all newcomers ( excepting a few) and thier parents who couldnt interact personnally with these newbies. I think whoever is advising these kids are jumping the gun. There has been no wrong doing brought against the coach and yet he has to win ball games under these unprecedented conditions

[leo from jersey]

With the way this free for all, free agency, mass exodus from all schools is materializing I have to say there may be some truth to TN' s synopsis. One statement made in sorting through this was that it was overheard people were upset that promises made during recruiting were not met. JB may have or may have not handled this difficult situation correctly and it is extremely difficult to handled so many egos in normal circumstances let alone doing so in covid lockdown. Yes others apparently did a better job of it but by and large those that did were those that had players already invested in the known enviornnment. JB was dealing with all newcomers ( excepting a few) and thier parents who couldnt interact personnally with these newbies. I think whoever is advising these kids are jumping the gun. There has been no wrong doing brought against the coach and yet he has to win ball games under these unprecedented conditions

I think that is why people get a huge salary. They must be able to handle the job. We often forget it is performance based on many variables. It is clearly a business and in business you must perform well in all expectations. If it isn't a business, get a hoop and put it in the backyard and play for the love of the game. John Brannen told them he was worth a 4.5 million buyout if he didn't meet expectations and the school agreed. I believe he is set. I have seen people satisfied with pay check collecting regardless of what job they have. Money can make you lose that desire to succeed as you think you have and are now comfortable. Most of us were raised in a town where our sport example was Pete Rose. Yes he ended up forsaking and forsaken, but he showed the desire to win, win, win. We also were raised with seeing the excellence of Oscar or at least many of us were. I am trying to adapt to these newer times, but overcoming is the same no matter what era we are in.

"I was taught to play that way when I was in high school and even before I got to high school."
Oscar

Times have not changed just the attitudes

[leo from jersey]

With the money I'm making, I should be playing two positions.
Pete Rose

[Rufus]

Leo, I wish to not begin an debate but you cannot expect the ethics and morals of kids from the 60's to be the same as today. Yes they played for the love of the game then, but today not so much its not the same. These kids are being groomed, tutored, being sought after and even offered shoe endorsement as young as middle school, the aau circuit, national and international rankings as they advancen, all the while every adult telling them they are No. 1, they are all looking to the pros every single one of them. It is nothing but a factory putting out kids who can dribble and shoot. Look, from several interviews JB made the statement that during the lockdown he had to begin delivering meals to these kids. Someone else on here questioned the severity of the lockdown, but from all thats been forthcoming these kids were sequestered in their dorms, left in the dark like mushrooms, as everyone one (excepting a few students) were getting virtually educated and so clifton was abandoned. They were not allowed to socialize with anyone outside the team, no contact with their parents other than zoom for fear of bringing the feared covid on board. Which it did eventually happen. These kids are pampered, and have been since they began playing ball, told that they are the greatest and their shot to the pros is legit and now they are left alone for the first time with only JB and his staff looking out for them. Look Im not saying that JB could not of handled things better. But, based on what TN has said it and reading into all that has been said it looks as though the parents of some of these kids didnt like the way their child was treated and given court time. GM couldnt handle not being in thiscenviornment and left. There is no precedent established on working through these times and yet He( JB) under contract and is still expected to put a winning product on the floor. Is there going to hurt feelings? yes. And some parents have invested too much money in their kids future for them not to be hilighted! Anybody who has been in organized sports knows about parents and their stars in the making! We may never know the entire ins and outs of all that occured but it is interesting that only the freshmen are leaving ( except Diarra). Ill guarantee Ed Jucker didnt have to deal with helicopter parents like todays coaches do. And as has been mentioned before as no word is coming from the uc board speaks alot at least until we know more.

[bba_1979]

A question for everyone: If those freshmen in the portal decide the grass isn't greener, do they get welcomed back? By the remaining players? By the staff? By you?

[Pharmfam]

Overreacting is what fans do. And that’s what is happening here. Things are definitely not good with the basketball program right now and the future is very tentative. However JB will be the coach next year barring some revelation of misconduct. The AD and Board will give him more than two tumultuous years to prove himself. The transfer portal swings both ways and we need to see if he is able to bring in some quality players who can fit in with his style of play and coaching. It will most likely be a trying time.

[Colonel]

A question for everyone: If those freshmen in the portal decide the grass isn't greener, do they get welcomed back? By the remaining players? By the staff? By you?

By me as a fan? Most definitely! I liked our youngsters. They were starting to gel (in my opinion). They are still young but I thought we were heading in a decent direction. Except for skip court passes. Those need to stop. ROFL!

[DesertFog]

A question for everyone: If those freshmen in the portal decide the grass isn't greener, do they get welcomed back? By the remaining players? By the staff? By you?

By me? Yes.

[loshow22]

A question for everyone: If those freshmen in the portal decide the grass isn't greener, do they get welcomed back? By the remaining players? By the staff? By you?

I'd buy everyone a round. I'm partial to Saunders especially. However, I think it's a pipe dream.

[Rufus]

Ya know , I was liking this group, they had tenacity, they had heart, and they showed a willingness to cooperate for a shared goal. Maybe this is all a concerted effort by them to just air their grievances but I doubt it in at least two cases. But I could be surprised. Bu Id welcome them back and chalk it all up as a learning experience. I was looking forward to seeing the twins mature and de-velope. and becoming tandem sharp shooting zone busters. Oh well. Next ones on me if it happens!

[Gmann]

I for one would welcome them back. I suspect Brannen would too unless there was a contentious separation. Also the fact that these guys appear to have conspired together to exit I doubt that any would return and risk scrutiny from the others that left. Who knows though since we've gotten very little information.

It seems a common theory is that Brannen's comfort area is watching film, strategizing, and recruiting and may be awkward or clueless around the personal relationship side of the job with today's players. My experience in the business world was that if a leader was overall strong but lacking in interpersonal skills he better surround himself with others on his leadership team that complement not mirror his style. I would then point to the 6 assistant/associate coaches. Where were they in all this? Didn't they develop relationships with these guys? If Brannen stays (and its' appearing more now that he will) someone needs to do a deep dive and change something so the same mistakes aren't made. This revolving door of players is no formula for winning.

[longtimefan]

Not a word yet from the coach or the University. Crickets. I guess we're just supposed to take it. As bad as this is already, they're making it worse.

[London 'Cat]

Not a word yet from the coach or the University. Crickets. I guess we're just supposed to take it. As bad as this is already, they're making it worse.

I agree. Cunningham is either busy trying to work out a buyout or is completely out of his element here. UC needs to say something for Brannen’s sake as well. Until recruits know whether Brannen has UC’s support, they are not coming here.