In Reply to: Yeah, that answer leaves a lot of holes and posted by ej on June 11, 2025 at 14:13:10
I agree—it’s a moot point now. But I’m not sure how that narrative ever took hold. Immediately after UCLA’s loss to Tennessee, Ben Bolch wrote an article titled “As UCLA seeks resurgence via transfer portal, Aday Mara’s Bruins future is murky.” In it, Bolch described Mara as “noncommittal,” while guys like Clark and Dailey were steadfast about returning. What could be more telling than that contrast?
I understand why some people hesitate when they feel a trusted source is reporting something different. We all tend to believe what we want to believe—myself included. Personally, I’m choosing to trust Bolch’s reporting over BRO. To me, one is clearly more credible. But I get it—it’s like what we see in politics: people sticking to the sources they trust.
At UCLA, I was taught to value primary sources. And in this case, there’s no more primary source than the player himself. He went out of his way to give an interview and explain why he left. He admitted to things like asking out of games because he was tired, and even asking to stay and train with the staff after he’d officially left. But he directly denied that money or control over playing time were part of the decision. A decision he stated was hi alone.
Unless Cronin himself contradicts that, I don’t see any credible reason to accept someone else’s version over the player’s own words.