In Reply to: Re: If I were the coach, my first loyality would be to my team. posted by TheHappyBurgermeister on August 26, 2025 at 14:36:39
I agree that fans are an important part of the equation. And even though they are an important part of any program they are also way down on the totem pole of importance when it comes to what the coach considers when making decisions that concern the program. Especially if the issue is the entertainment demands from the fans.
That kind of consideration is way to arbitrary and subjective to try and anticipate what fans would consider entertaining. Why do you think Cronin says we spell fun w-i-n? Winning is the main priority. What goes into winning is varied, myriad, and can be nuanced.
From experience I would assume that, like every other coach, Cronin's schedule making is geared toward winning - not just winning particular games, but winning big. His vision is probably pointing toward winning games, challenging for conference championships, and putting his teams into what he envisions will place his team in the best position for a long run in the tournament.
Scheduling his non conference games may seem capricious on the surface but it's highly calculated and pointing to the bigger picture. I would venture to guess that fan's entertainment needs are way down on the list of considerations. That's not disrespecting the fans. In actuality it's the opposite. Winning should be everyone's priority. If that is indeed the case then the assumption would be that if Cronin is doing everything he can to win, then it would fall into line that the fans would be supportive of his moves and not complaining that there's a lack of entertainment for their buck.
So the question may be asked - are the fans supporting the team for entertainment or for winning? Depending on how one defines entertainment they could be the same thing or maybe not.