Mick Cronin is the proud father of an incredibly supportive family – and they showed their love and support again this weekend during the Pac-12 championship game. UCLA coach Mick Cronin’s 81-year-old father, Hep Cronin, attended the game at Arizona to cheer on his son and the team. Unfortunately, after UCLA’s 61-59 loss to the Wildcats, an Arizona fan directed a vocal outburst towards Mr.Cronin.
Mick Cronin and UCLA Athletic Officials Respond During Postgame News Conference.
Mick Cronin was reportedly made aware of the incident when asked about it postgame. It prompted him to immediately leave the news conference. Athletic director Martin Jarmond followed closely behind to ensure that proper security protocols were taken care of. Alex Timiraos, UCLA associate athletic director for athletic communications, confirmed that security personnel had asked fans in that area to leave. Jarmond was also in contact with conference officials about what had occurred.
Being reunited with his son at the NCAA Tournament after a year-long physical separation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, successful high school coach Hep Cronin garnered national notice during UCLA’s unexpected run to the 2021 Final Four.
DO’H! – A Final Thought
As a father, I can’t help but feel heartbroken for Mick Cronin and his family. A moment like this should have been a proud one for the entire Cronin family to share together. It does not deserve to be marred by some rude outburst from a fan. How can we ensure that similar incidents never happen again in the future? How can we protect families when cheering on their loved ones without fear of being insulted?
