UCLA's Mick Cronin Was Not In The Mood To Discuss Next Season, Dreading Allegiant Airlines Flight Home

LEXINGTON, KY - Following the loss to Tennessee that ended early Sunday morning, UCLA head coach Mick Cronon was rightfully not interested in talking about next season. In what was an honest moment, the Bruins leader was more concerned about the dreaded flight home, and just how uncomfortable it was going to be on their Allegiant Air plane. 

Turns out, the NCAA reached out on Sunday to say it was actually a ‘Global X’ flight, not Allegiant Air, so obviously Mick Cronin was a bit confused. 

There's never an easy time to talk about a loss that ended your college basketball season, especially twenty minutes after it all comes to an end during a postgame press conference. 

Even though it's the job these guys signed up for when getting into coaching, it's never easy to discuss these types of things, knowing you aren’t playing any longer. Add on the fact that you have to stay the night, and can’t get on a plane home immediately following a loss, the entire situation is obviously hard to stomach. 

For the Bruins, the opening minutes of the second half against Tennessee turned out to be one of the deciding factors in the second-round loss. But after discussing for a few minutes what they could've done better against the Vols that might have changed the outcome, the Bruins head coach was asked about next season. 

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By the way, the question is a legitimate one, given that the transfer portal opens on Monday, and teams will start putting together a roster for next season. While the UCLA staff have obviously started to evaluate areas they can better themselves with the portal, Mick Cronin wasn't in the mood to talk about what's coming next year.

"Right now guys, it’s 12:40 am and our season just ended," Cronin noted. "Right now my biggest concern is how bad the seats are on Allegiant Air flight, on that terrible plane we’re gonna have to fly home tomorrow. The cheese, the plane version of the cheese. 

"And, is there any chance that Doug got me some hot food, because I don't eat on gameday. That I got something edible. Not next year, not right now guys."

I'll be honest, I felt that in my bones when Mick Cronin was discussing that long flight home, especially without an area to stretch out in. By now, UCLA is used to those long flights, having traveled the country while playing in the Big Ten this past season. 

The cross-country flights were something that Cronin has discussed plenty of times during the season, but this last one is going to obviously be the worst. 

As for what will happen next season at UCLA, the coaching staff will continue to scour video of potential additions through the transfer portal. 

But on Sunday morning, it was a dreaded flight home that was on the mind of the Bruins head coach, along with having to say goodbye to some players who contributed to this team all season long.