Unpopular Opinions & Confessions: Addressing Your Bearcats Takes

This was originally going to be a podcast but life got in the way. We'll be back next week with the podcast. For now, here's a written version of what we planned to cover. Please accept my apologies.

Earlier this week I asked our wonderful readers for two things. First, unpopular Bearcat opinions that your friends and family hate you for. Second, deep dark confessions as they relate to your fanhood. The responses were wide-ranging, containing everything from mild statements to hurtful confessions.

Here are my responses:

Confession: I wanted to go to X but UC was cheaper, and I still wish I went there.

I'll be honest: This hurt my feelings. I'm a bit offended that OhVarsity is the type of place with the capacity to foster a following that includes anyone who believes their time would have been better spent at Xavier. In fact, I think this says more about you than it does UC. This may be the first person I've ever encountered who had gone to UC and regretted not choosing Xavier. Part of me thinks this is a Xavier student.

The throwback basketball uniforms are vastly overrated.

I wouldn't say I agree with this take, but I don't disagree. Don't get me wrong, I like the throwbacks. However, people seem to adore them a lot considering they aren't UC's best uniform, they aren't 100% accurate to the originals from '92, and they don't come in black.

They're cool, and I even bought one, but they aren't phenomenal.

Unpopular take: I am opposed to retiring player numbers. There is a finite amount of usable numbers available, and eventually, a team will run out. However, I'm a big fan of a "Ring of Honor"

I don't agree with this one, but I understand it. I even wrote a column earlier this year where I argued for this very idea as somewhat of a middle ground for people on both sides of the aisle.

That being said, I still prefer to truly retire the numbers of deserving players. In the entirety of UC's history there are maybe 10 of these kinds of players, give or take. That leaves 91 remaining two-digit numbers when you include #0 and #00. Running out of numbers is not a problem anyone actually has.

The New York Yankees have been cranking out legends for more than a century and have only retired 21 jerseys. Preferring a Ring of Honor is fine. Preferring it to 'save numbers' is a bad take.

I love UC sports and I love the success we've had. I love supporting student athletes. However, it's super gross that so much student tuition and general fee money go to supporting the Athletics program, including some big-ass salaries. Athletics are fun, but students are dropping out or dying because they don't get mental health support. Some students are homeless. It feels wrong.

Yeah, this is definitely something I think about, although I think it's more nuanced than "college athletics are bad." College spending in general, including athletics, is messed up. College tuition, even if you were to remove athletics stipends, is still out of control. Mental health care, including those for the athletes themselves, is still insufficient.

I'm not disagreeing with you, but I think the issue reaches well beyond athletics and I certainly don't have a solution. There are definitely times I wonder how long it'll be until the college athletics bubble collapses and leaves UC in the dust. Doesn't feel like this current state of things can continue forever.

does matt ever feel guilty for making those stupid ass titanic music sports videos

Matt Allaire is a 1 trick pony. All he does is titanic videos.

Two people (or likely one person who's a big Allaire fan) clearly had some free time earlier this week.

For the record, I understand those who are over the Titanic video gag. However, the number of people who are infuriated by it is hilarious and baffling to me. Imagine being angry at a meme.

Kevin Johnson is one of my favorite recent bearcats. Wasn’t too popular

I'm with you. I really like KJ. He was a hard worker, a good defender, a Cincinnati kid, and he had several key moments in his career wiped out by heartbreak. I've got a soft spot.

I don't consider Lance Stephenson a true "Bearcat".

I guess I understand what this take is getting at, but I don't agree. The circumstances surrounding Lance ending up at UC are definitely unusual, but he was still a Bearcat and was even successful in his one season.

Plus, I'm definitely not one to decline the ability to claim a very visible NBA player. It's good for UC that Lance was a Bearcat for a year, even if he doesn't engender the same feelings that other alum do.

I give zero blame to Cronin for the Nevada loss

LOL what?

Is the Nevada loss 100% Cronin's fault? Of course not. Does he ultimately have to accept the blame? Absolutely. Giving him zero blame for blowing a 22-point second half lead is laughable. This doesn't even make sense.

Larry Davis should be fired.

This is probably the biggest scorcher I received. I'm not sure what Davis has done to warrant a firing, and I'll actually return volley with another hot take. Here: Larry Davis is the single most important piece of the program behind Cronin, and nobody else is close. He's Mick's right hand man and foil. If anything, I'd like Davis' influence in the program to be even stronger because I think he has a lot of qualities Mick lacks.

He also recruited Gary Clark. Come on, people.

I think there's a case to be made that the staff as a whole lacks certain traits, but firing Davis is the very last thing I'd do to address that deficiency.

I know I'm in the minority thinking that the indoor facility should have been the Fieldhouse instead of the bubble. Code shmode grandfather that sucker in and pay homage!

I know our own Alex Apyan would be hugely in favor of this as well.

My only issue is that I think there's more that can be done with that space. The fact that it's sitting essentially vacant right now is criminal, but I'd rather use it for something focused on the fans or the basketball program than for a football facility.

I think this team will be top 25 next year

Will we be a Top 25 team next year? I absolutely disagree. I'm picking them to return to the tournament yet again, but this isn't a team that will win enough over marquee opponents to hang in the rankings.

Do I expect them to reach the Top 25 at some point? Sure. I don't think it's unreasonable to assume that we get hot at some point and sneak in. But this team has too many unknowns and not enough offensive firepower to win consistently enough to maintain a ranking.

That doesn't mean the season will be bad, it just won't be like last year.

I really dislike most of our fans.

I do sometimes, too. Some of you people give me heartburn.