UCLA’s Mick Cronin invokes Curt Cignetti for why he says ‘nothing’ to media

We’re all used to football coaches giving media the runaround when it comes to strategy, game planning, and anything that could conceivably give opponents a competitive advantage going into a game. But basketball coaches tend to be a bit more open for whatever reason. Maybe it’s because there are more games in basketball. Maybe it’s because the sport is more free-flowing. But generally speaking, basketball coaches are more willing to talk Xs and Os.

Not UCLA head coach Mick Cronin, however. He doesn’t understand why basketball coaches have “diarrhea of the mouth” when announcers come to shootaround, or the media asks questions during a press conference. Cronin doesn’t think that is beneficial for his team, and he’s not opposed to being a bad guy when it comes to his relationship with the press.

During a postgame press conference after his Bruins beat Maryland on Saturday night, Cronin explained his rationale, citing some of the most successful football coaches in recent history as part of the reason why he chooses to be tight-lipped about his game plan.

UCLA HC Mick Cronin shares a story with the media. pic.twitter.com/v59e57oTTA

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“Basketball coaches love attention. So announcers come to shootaround, and then [media] come in [to press conferences] that are smart. You ask the right questions. Basketball coaches got diarrhea of the mouth. ‘Yeah, here’s what I did. Here’s what we do.’ Why the hell would I tell you that? I mean, you really think that like Saban or Belichick or, you know, my man ‘Google me,’ would tell you?” Cronin said, referring to Indiana football head coach Curt Cignetti’s infamous “Google me” rant.

“I mean, ‘Google me’ ain’t telling you nothing. He ain’t telling you nothing. But you guys, shoot, you ever listen to games? ‘In shootaround today, this was the game plan.’ Now, everybody in the league is listening! So I don’t understand that in basketball. Maybe I’m a bad guy but, I don’t even, they’re not in there … when we go to do our game plan they’re out.”

Cronin is right. Basketball coaches simply seem more comfortable divulging information to the media. Whereas football coaches shroud their game plans in secrecy, basketball coaches are fairly transparent, at least comparatively.

The strategy has worked well enough for Cronin, who has had success wherever his career has taken him, even making a run to the Final Four in 2021 with UCLA. Hopefully for the media’s sake, more coaches don’t heed Cronin’s advice.