Column: UCLA’s faded glory days have hampered its ability to attract the biggest names in the college basketball coaching ranks, but Mick Cronin pairs well with a program that is more blue-collar than blue blood, BillPlaschke writes.
There’s one thing he hasn’t done well, and it’s a big one. He hasn’t won in March. In those nine consecutive tournament appearances, his teams advanced past the first weekend only once, and that was seven years ago, and that’s as far as he’s ever gone.
Steve Lavin went to four Sweet 16s in five years and, a year later, he was fired. Howland went to those three Final Fours in a row, failed to advance to the second weekend for the next five years, and was fired. Steve Alford went to three Sweet 16s in his first four years, and he was fired not even two years later.
“Throughout what was a thorough and exhaustive search, those of us on the committee repeatedly discussed and emphasized the importance of bringing in a coach who really wants to be here,” said Bob Meyers, Golden State Warriors general manager and former Bruin. Cronin is a defensive coach like Howland, he is emotional like Lavin — a couple of years ago he had to be restrained from brawling with the entire Xavier bench — and he seems hungry for this opportunity.
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