Mick Cronin pressed on where he is mentally as UCLA coach

UCLA head coach Mick Cronin is under no shortage of strain. The Bruins are on a three-game losing streak and the California wildfires are running rampant through Los Angeles. After a reporter attempted to ask Cronin about his standing with the program following UCLA’s 79-71 loss to Maryland on Saturday, the 53-year-old head coach delivered a blunt response.

“Man, listen. My house is getting real close to being evacuated, like I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Cronin said. “You don’t live where we live. It is literally an unbelievably horrible situation. We lost the other night, and I went home and packed. Bags are still at the door of my house, valuables and things like that. That is my only concern.”

As of this report, the wildfires have killed 16 people, according to the Associated Press. However, thousands have been displaced by the wildfires, which have burned down countless homes and community landmarks.

On Saturday evening, Cal Fire reported the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth and Hurst fires had consumed about 62 square miles. Now, as winds pick up again, Californians are concerned that the fires could reach UCLA’s campus.

Naturally, the stressful situation has taken a toll on Cronin. With five minutes left in UCLA’s loss to Maryland, the officials ejected Cronin after he exploded on the sidelines. While Cronin certainly wasn’t happy to leave his team, his mind immediately moved to other matters once he reached the locker room.

“When I got thrown out, I just immediately went to my phone,” Cronin said. “I was texting Chrissy at my house, who’s my de facto wife and longtime girlfriend, to make sure everybody’s OK and they’re ready to go.

“I got people in that locker room and people evacuated yesterday that are here in our travel party. And this is as bad as can be,” he said. “Puts a lot of stuff in perspective. I was giving a friend of mine my Nike account password yesterday so he could get clothes for his family. …And it’s not over that’s the scary part.”

Mick Cronin and Co. will have some time away from Los Angeles this week as they travel across the country to face off against Rutgers on Monday at 6:30 p.m. ET. The game will air live on FS1.

The Bruins will look to make their community proud as they play for something bigger than themselves. After all, while Cronin and UCLA may physically be elsewhere in the country, their hearts and minds are with Los Angeles.

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