Cronin offers last word on Shootout

CINCINNATI - Mick Cronin thought he'd heard the last officially sanctioned word about last Saturday's Xavier Shootout dust up after Wednesday's 20 point win at Wright State. The Bearcats did so without four players, including senior Yancy Gates. He offered at the time that they all pulled together and got through it and would do so for the rest of the suspensions that have left his team undermanned.

Then came a news conference Thursday afternoon during which he was asked again about Yates. He was not pleased.

"I'm not pleased to hear that Yancy Gates is the guy people continue to talk about. Not pleased at all. Not pleased with how he reacted in that situation but it bothers me that you even asked me. You're not asking about the two guys who jumped Octavious Ellis. Where is his apology.

Everybody was wrong. Everybody. Not one guy. Everybody was wrong period. And I'm not gonna sit here any more and talk about one guy. Cause everybody's missing the point about the whole thing. Just like everybody's wrong that goes to a 7th grade game and screams at officials. Like lunatics. And their kids see that. Everybody was wrong in that whole situation. Everybody that threw punches was wrong. Everybody that let the game get out of control was wrong and everybody that continues to act crazy about sports is wrong. Everybody needs to grow up."

Well said coach. And best of luck with that.