Special Guest Will Be in Attendance for UCLA's Cronin on Tuesday

UCLA coach Mick Cronin is on the brink of history.

With a Bruins win over Minnesota on Tuesday, Cronin will earn the 500th win of his career.

Cronin's father, Harold "Hep" Cronin, will be making the trip out from Cincinnati, with hopes of seeing his son secure the achievement. Cronin actually didn't know the milestone was within reach until his father told him.

"I asked my dad why he was flying in for this game," Cronin said when he addressed the media on Monday. "If you don't have a great relationship with your dad where you make fun of each other, I feel for you. So, I have an awesome one. All those flights already delayed because there's no direct from Cincinnati today, so I think he's snowed in [in] Detroit. But anyway, he was making fun of me; he goes, 'Well, you're a real genius. You know if you win what it is?' I did not know. And so, he put that on me."

Cronin, who isn't one to express too much sentimental emotion, simply said he's "happy" his father will be making it out.

"Look he's 83. ... The fact that he's alive is a gift. So, although I pay for everything and have the for about the last 15 years, which is an honor to be able to pay your dad back, I'm still paying for everything, but I'm glad because when somebody's 83, knock on wood, his health's been great. So, I look forward to calling him every day."

Hep, who was a longtime high school coach in Cincinnati, has served as an influence in Cronin's career.

"When you're a high school coach, you don't coach for money," Cronin said. "It's all about relationships and teaching. And that's what coaching used to be about. I try to hold on to that. And I know people at times think, 'Man, this guy is hard on his players.' I try to be a truth teller. Because I want these guys to grow up because they live in a fantasy land. And it's not their fault. I know people say, 'Oh he calls his players delusional.' It's not their fault. We have created the fantasy land -- the commercialization of youth sports. pay for play and all the money and branding that surrounds this whole thing. It puts them in a fantasy land that's not going to be there for them when the ball stops bouncing.

"And that's what I try to prepare them for. What's it going to take for me to hire you some day. Are you going to be hard working enough? Dependable enough. Are you going to have life habits that are going to stop me from hiring you? Are you going to have the work ethic and character. Because even playing basketball is a job.

"So, that's what my dad was about, and that's what I try to be about."

Tuesday's game is set for 7:30 p.m. PST, 10:30 p.m. EST.

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