Devan Downey

[Aaron]

Didn't know if anyone on this forum has checked out Devan Downey's stats after his first two games. He's averaging 17.5 pts, 6.0 Reb, and has a Assist/Turnover ratio of 18 assists w/ only 3 turnovers. It's a shame we don't have him as a PG for this team.

Go Cats

Aaron 96

[Bp4thebest]

god i miss him! he is so good!

[Bearcat_DF]

god i miss him! he is so good!

How can you say that! Mick, the great evaluator of talent and recruiter extraordinaire did not think so. So you must be wrong in your judgment.

And given the tough position Mick inherited, you cannot question his decisions.

How dare you.

Go Cats!
DF

ps - be careful or this thread will be moved to where are they now . . . because we all know that that decision did not impact this year's team.

[Bearcat Cafe]

DF, Might want to get your facts straight. Downey never asked to play for Mick. Makes a good story, though.

[Bearcat Fan Since 1958]

Didn't know if anyone on this forum has checked out Devan Downey's stats after his first two games. He's averaging 17.5 pts, 6.0 Reb, and has a Assist/Turnover ratio of 18 assists w/ only 3 turnovers. It's a shame we don't have him as a PG for this team.

Go Cats

Aaron 96

He's happy. And UC has 2 good PG on the roster and 1 more signed for next year.

[Bearcat_DF]

DF, Might want to get your facts straight. Downey never asked to play for Mick. Makes a good story, though.

I'm not sure what facts to which you are referring.

Downey was on the team when Mick took over.
He left the team after Mick was coach . . .

Mick was not able to keep him.

Those are the facts.

Additionally, there was a rumor circulated here that Downey left, explored his options, returned and asked to come back and Mick refused. Whether that is true, I have no idea . . .

But it doesn't change the fact that Downey was here when Mick came and left afterwards.

So at the least, Mick had an opportunity to build a relationship with him and to convince him to stay . . . We can only guess if Mick tried and failed or didn't regard Downey highly enough to make the effort . . .

Maybe you see a third explanation?


Go Cats!
DF

[jkwuc89]

I have a question. Does it really matter how or why Downey left? This almost falls under the category, who cares.

To paraphrase a former coach. Let's concern ourselves with the players that are here.

[Bearcat_DF]

I have a question. Does it really matter how or why Downey left? This almost falls under the category, who cares.

To paraphrase a former coach. Let's concern ourselves with the players that are here.


Well, it is related to the coach that is here and it seems to me, that it reflects on his abilities. Maybe we should move this back into the main basketball thread since the nature of the thread has shifted to Cronin.

Certainly Downey's departure, the departure of a proven BE caliber player, impacted last year's team and this year's team.

I can understand that Downey may have wanted to leave given all the turmoil during his first year.

Still, if the rumor is true - that he wanted to return and Cronin did not want him - I think that is a negative mark on Cronin.

Go Cats!
df

[FleXcursion]

Still, if the rumor is true - that he wanted to return and Cronin did not want him - I think that is a negative mark on Cronin.

Go Cats!
df


rumor isn't true.

http://www.ncaabbs.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=262554

[richard k.]

You can believe him or not but I was at a dinner in the fall of last year and Cromin was the guest speaker. He was asked specifically about the "rumor" that Downey had requested (about in the June/July time period) to return after telling everyone he was leaving. Mick's response was that it was true, he had asked to come back, but Cronin told him no - that he had recruited a couple of players on the basis that Downey wasn't going to be with the team, and he asserrted that he told Downey it was simply not fair to those who had made commitments on his word that Downey would not be on the team.

Now you can say that Mick was making it up - that he was covering something up, or whatever, but this is exactly what he told a group of close to 100 people, and everyone there believed him.

[Bearcat Fan Since 1958]

I have a question. Does it really matter how or why Downey left? This almost falls under the category, who cares.

To paraphrase a former coach. Let's concern ourselves with the players that are here.

People often discuss ex-players and ex-coaches on message boards.

[Bearcat Fan Since 1958]

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/boxscore?gid=200711220459 Downey scores 30 on Penn St today.

[jkwuc89]

This is going to sound a bit harsh but it accurately reflects how I think. When the going got tough, Downey decided to quit and move on. When he tried to come back, Coach Cronin said no and rightfully so. I want players who want to be Bearcats through thick and thin. If a player like Downey does not want to be a Bearcat, then good riddance.

[London 'Cat]

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/boxscore?gid=200711220459 Downey scores 30 on Penn St today.

I watched some of that game. Nondoby on Penn State could stay in front of him and his 3-point shot has improved greatly. It brought back some fond memories. I loved watching him as a Bearcat. I wish he had stayed.

[Bearcat Fan Since 1958]

This is going to sound a bit harsh but it accurately reflects how I think. When the going got tough, Downey decided to quit and move on. When he tried to come back, Coach Cronin said no and rightfully so. I want players who want to be Bearcats through thick and thin. If a player like Downey does not want to be a Bearcat, then good riddance.

Downey is quite happy where he is. He gave UC one good year when others in that recruiting class bailed before the season.

[shaunsimpson]

If a player like Downey does not want to be a Bearcat, then good riddance.


And he can take the wins he would have helped get with him. Having Downey at the point and Vaughn at the 2 make this a much better and different team.

[Bearcat_DF]

This is going to sound a bit harsh but it accurately reflects how I think. When the going got tough, Downey decided to quit and move on. When he tried to come back, Coach Cronin said no and rightfully so. I want players who want to be Bearcats through thick and thin. If a player like Downey does not want to be a Bearcat, then good riddance.

Keith,

It is a bit harsh. Imagine if that had always been the policy. How many great Bearcats would never have developed here - Hicks, Bobbitt are two that readily come to mind.

You've created a high standard. It will be interesting if you and Cronin maintain it over the next couple of years.

Go Cats!
df

[Raj]

I watched Downey play against Penn St too and I wish he'd stay here too, HIm and Vaughn in the backcourt would have been very nice and we probably wouldn't be looking so bad right now. But with that being said, I think Mick can get this thing going in the right direction and has with the signing of Cashmere Wright, so we'll be ok

[jeffto]

His stats weren't that good today, but he looked totally in charge vs. NCSt, but I only saw about 20 mins. of the 1st half.

We'll be okay w/o him.

[mlb]

He doesn't look to have much help around him... but he certainly is looking like a big time PG in the SEC for the next 3 years.

[Bearcat Fan Since 1958]

Downey was a key reason for the success of the 2006 team. One heckuva PG.

[Brian H.]

I watched that game last night. Downey's shot was really not falling for him but it is still impressive the way he gets around people. No one can stay in front of him.

[levydl]

This is going to sound a bit harsh but it accurately reflects how I think. When the going got tough, Downey decided to quit and move on. When he tried to come back, Coach Cronin said no and rightfully so. I want players who want to be Bearcats through thick and thin. If a player like Downey does not want to be a Bearcat, then good riddance.

Good riddance?!? You have to be joking. What an awful comment.

That kid played his heart out here and didn't deserve what UC gave him in return - he didn't get to play for the head coach that recruited him, he wouldn't get to play for the guy that helped recruit him and coached him for one year, and he would have had to play for a couple of years for a team that went a year without recruiting players to help him. It looks like the classic bait and switch to me. Who did who wrong here?

I wish Downey would have stayed, I kind of understand IF Mick told him he couldn't come back, but I don't blame the 18 year old for wanting out of this mess to go home our elsewhere.

[Bearcat-in-Italy]

If that story is true I hate to hear it. One could understand why Downey would want to bail initially. Then he re-evaluates and says "this is the place for me" and Mick sends him packing? Ouch. I hate to see it. We might have been .500 with him last year. One player can make a huge difference in b-ball.

[Iwannarawk]

Is anyone surprised that Mick and the administration failed Devan Downey?

Good riddance? Look at this UC team and tell me that Devan Downey made the wrong decision? Why would anyone with his talent want to play with division II players like John Williamson, Jamaal Warren, and Gentry? No offense to those players. It's not their fault they are playing at this level.