MU picked for 7th in Big East

[Lennys Tap]

We have lots of depth, lots of players who are basically interchangeable. But I don't see any stars, any real go to guys. Every successful MU team in my memory has had at least one (Vander, JFB, Crowder, DJO, Lazar, Wesley, Jerel, DJ, Steve, Travis, Dwyane). Hope to be proven wrong but I don't see one on this roster (at least not yet).

[Galway Eagle]

We have lots of depth, lots of players who are basically interchangeable. But I don't see any stars, any real go to guys. Every successful MU team in my memory has had at least one (Vander, JFB, Crowder, DJO, Lazar, Wesley, Jerel, DJ, Steve, Travis, Dwyane). Hope to be proven wrong but I don't see one on this roster (at least not yet).

Those guys were all true warriors what we've got is a team chalk full of Eagles

[wadesworld]

Luke's defense has never been stellar but I think it's going to suffer this year with his fear of foul trouble. Really hope Matt "the bat outta" Heldt can surprise some folks.

Lol that's an incredible nickname.

[Golden Avalanche]

We have lots of depth, lots of players who are basically interchangeable. But I don't see any stars, any real go to guys. Every successful MU team in my memory has had at least one (Vander, JFB, Crowder, DJO, Lazar, Wesley, Jerel, DJ, Steve, Travis, Dwyane). Hope to be proven wrong but I don't see one on this roster (at least not yet).

Similar to descriptions of the Nova program in 2013-2014: You could find grit. Perhaps guts. Some potential. Highly rated prep prospects. But not one dominant soul night it, night out. Studs aren't magical. It's on the shoulders of every guy to elevate their game to that level. Just hope one of them can do it by January.

(Pre-emptive response for the clowns: no, that isn't me suggesting the pieces are in place for MU to win a title in two years)

[Badgerhater]

Those guys were all true warriors what we've got is a team chalk full of Eagles

It can't be said any better than this.

[wadesworld]

Those guys were all true warriors what we've got is a team chalk full of Eagles

It can't be said any better than this.

Disagreed.

[Pakuni]

We have lots of depth, lots of players who are basically interchangeable. But I don't see any stars, any real go to guys. Every successful MU team in my memory has had at least one (Vander, JFB, Crowder, DJO, Lazar, Wesley, Jerel, DJ, Steve, Travis, Dwyane). Hope to be proven wrong but I don't see one on this roster (at least not yet).

A bit early to say whether this team does or does not have a go-to guy. I suspect at least one will reveal himself as the season progresses, as is nearly always the case.
Ans even bad MU teams usually have a go-to guy (see: Brian Wardle, Tony Smith, Matt Carlino).

[Jay Bee]

Truths:
1) Luke's fouling is way overstated by the masses;
2) Against better competition, Haanif was not very good (86.5 Ortg in 18 games vs KenPom Tier A & B [approx top 100 teams]; 82.5 in 12 vs top 50)... not a lot of assisting for his role; crazy TO's. Needs to maintain eFG% - not easy - and chop down on TO's. I expect a nice jump, but it's very much needed

[Galway Eagle]

Disagreed.

disagree that those players were warriors or are you saying there's somebody on this team who's name is going to be on par with those other guys that were absurdly good against their opponents no matter who they faced off against

[Ellenson Guerrero]

I shudder to think what this team will be like if Fischer gets injured.

[mu03eng]

From what I've heard he was the better player in practice last season. I'll also admit some bias. I hate turnovers more than anything else. HCs leading the team in TOs kept me from having the same level of admiration for him as others. Still think he's a stud, but he's gotta work on ball control and going to his right.

I think Rowsey could be our Rotnei Clark.

I think a lot of HC's TO issues last year were due to A) Inexperience and B) playing out of position at the PG part of the time. I think both of those things are resolved this year and he will have far fewer TOs this season.

[mu03eng]

First of all, I am cautiously optimistic about this year. I predicted 20+ wins and a pretty good Big East record, which would get us in the tournament. I admit a lot of this is my heart speaking but I see lots of things improving this year.

As to Henry, it's an intangible but it seemed like whenever the team "needed" something, there was a concept of "let Henry do it." They looked for Henry and his talent rather than working as a team to get a basket or a defensive stop. This was especially true early in the season and something that was not quite as prevalent as the season went on. Nonetheless, with Henry gone, Haaniff, JJJ and Luke will have to pick it up. If our outside shooting is materially improved, we'll be in the top half of the conference for sure.

Here's hoping.

I think the beauity of this year's team is there is a lot of talent but no one alpha dog that we have to defer to at the end of games. We will have enough talent across the floor that we should be able to take advantage of whatever match up is best for MU.

I do think the most likely late game candidates will be Katin, JjJ and Duane

[GGGG]

I think the beauity of this year's team is there is a lot of talent but no one alpha dog that we have to defer to at the end of games. We will have enough talent across the floor that we should be able to take advantage of whatever match up is best for MU.

I do think the most likely late game candidates will be Katin, JjJ and Duane

Or in other words:  "We lost our best player and are praying that other people step up."

Losing an alpha dog is basketball is rarely a good thing.

[mu03eng]

Or in other words:  "We lost our best player and are praying that other people step up."

Losing an alpha dog is basketball is rarely a good thing.

Disagree, there is a reason Bill Simmons has a Ewing Theory.

[GGGG]

Disagree, there is a reason Bill Simmons has a Ewing Theory.

But the point is that the departure of Henry isn't going to make Marquette better.  Marquette would undoubtedly be better this year had Henry stuck around.

Now they *could* be better than last year even without Henry.  But that's not because of Henry because more of a minus than a plus.  It's because other people stepped up in his absence.

[brewcity77]

I understand there is excitement in D.C. regarding Pryor, Akau, and an improved Govan but all the potential in the world can't overcome the horrendous coaching they have in place. Yet every October for the past half decade, the Hoyas are considered a dangerous team.

I just don't get the Georgetown love. I think they'll be worse than last year. Pryor is an average efficiency, super high usage player from a terrible team. I'm not convinced he can succeed at this level at all. Agau can play some defense, but he's not a game changer. Govan is good, but what about this team tells you they can overcome the loss of DSR, much less be better? What about JTIII indicates a reason for faith? They look like a 7th-9th place team. Only DePaul being terrible really separates them from the cellar.

[wadesworld]

disagree that those players were warriors or are you saying there's somebody on this team who's name is going to be on par with those other guys that were absurdly good against their opponents no matter who they faced off against

Disagreed in that I think there will be players on this team that I personally would consider "warriors."  To me that doesn't necessarily mean they are All American talents/production, but are tough minded kids who have a little swagger about them.  I think Rowsey will be a Warrior.  I think Katin may be a Warrior.  I think Traci and Cheatham could be Warriors.  And I think Sam, over the course of his career, will be looked at as a Warrior in that I think he'll consistently make the right play and do all the little, tough things.

[Galway Eagle]

Disagreed in that I think there will be players on this team that I personally would consider "warriors."  To me that doesn't necessarily mean they are All American talents/production, but are tough minded kids who have a little swagger about them.  I think Rowsey will be a Warrior.  I think Katin may be a Warrior.  I think Traci and Cheatham could be Warriors.  And I think Sam, over the course of his career, will be looked at as a Warrior in that I think he'll consistently make the right play and do all the little, tough things.

I don't think you can say "could be" when the topic is about the team's lack of a go to player. I wrote that regarding those players being guys that could carry a team, it's shifting the goal posts to disagree based on the premise that Sam or Hani or Carter could turn out like that later in his career. Swagger is earned in wins, not a single person other than Katin deserves an ounce of swagger. 

I personally have high hopes for those young guys you mentioned but at this point they can't carry a team and strike fear into opponents the way Zar or Jae or McNeal did. When they do I'll gladly mention them as warriors

[mu03eng]

But the point is that the departure of Henry isn't going to make Marquette better.  Marquette would undoubtedly be better this year had Henry stuck around.

Now they *could* be better than last year even without Henry.  But that's not because of Henry because more of a minus than a plus.  It's because other people stepped up in his absence.

Henry's efficiency was pretty terrible last season....maybe he improves on that year 2, maybe he doesn't but there is a scenario where this year's team is worse with him than without him.

If we end up with post defense issues and inability to rebound this year, you are right and I'm wrong. If not, I'm not necessarily right, but there is definitely an argument to be made.

[wadesworld]

I don't think you can say "could be" when the topic is about the team's lack of a go to player. I wrote that regarding those players being guys that could carry a team, it's shifting the goal posts to disagree based on the premise that Sam or Hani or Carter could turn out like that later in his career. Swagger is earned in wins, not a single person other than Katin deserves an ounce of swagger. 

I personally have high hopes for those young guys you mentioned but at this point they can't carry a team and strike fear into opponents the way Zar or Jae or McNeal did. When they do I'll gladly mention them as warriors

You wrote, verbatim, "Those guys were all true warriors what we've got is a team chalk full of Eagles."  I responded to what you wrote, that we have "a team chalk full of Eagles" and don't have "true warriors" like guys of the past.  Being a "Warrior" doesn't imply you can "carry a team."

And I absolutely can say some players "could be" warriors, because we really don't know what we have.  Even if you want to define "Warrior" as "go to player," there absolutely "could be" a number of "go to players" on this team.  We don't know right now.

Heading into the 2013-2014 season the coaches selected MU as the favorite to win the BE tournament and were a team that were thought to have the potential to go to a Final Four.  We missed the postseason altogether.  Nobody knows what we have on October 11 of any upcoming season.  So yes, there are some players that "could be" Warriors, and that I hope will be Warriors.  But I know they will be just as much as you know they won't be.

Anybody who has a full scholarship definitely "deserves to have swagger" for whatever it is they are on scholarship for.  It means they're pretty darn good at whatever that thing is.

[Dawson Rental]

Coaches must read paint touches. I picked the exact order besides SJU and Providence being switched. And in hindsight, I think the coaches are right.

I'm not surprised by no Haanif. I don't even think he's a top three player on our team. Which isn't a knock against him, I just have really high hopes for Luke, Rowsey, JJJ, and Reinhardt

Due to his size, Luke may well have a bigger impact, but Haanif is clearly MU's best player to me.  Haanif will be making that freshman to sophomore jump and won't have to worry about playing PG, two theings that will increase his effectiveness.  Rowsey and Reinhardt both need to work on their defense.

[The Lens]

Due to his size, Luke may well have a bigger impact, but Haanif is clearly MU's best player to me.  Haanif will be making that freshman to sophomore jump and won't have to worry about playing PG, two theings that will increase his effectiveness.  Rowsey and Reinhardt both need to work on their defense.

I'm expecting Katin, Luke, JJJ and Rowsey to all be better than Hannif.  Maybe Duane too.  I'm also not expecting much from Hannif.  I feel like he's going to plateau.  Hope I am wrong.

[Dawson Rental]

From what I've heard he was the better player in practice last season. I'll also admit some bias. I hate turnovers more than anything else. HCs leading the team in TOs kept me from having the same level of admiration for him as others. Still think he's a stud, but he's gotta work on ball control and going to his right.

I think Rowsey could be our Rotnei Clark.

Out of necessity, Haanif was playing out of position last year at PG.  There's a big reason for leading the team in turnovers. 

[Dawson Rental]

Luke has a shot to be our best player if he can actually stay on the floor. He didn't show the ability to do that last season.

I'm pretty sure that Jay Bee has debunked the Luke fouls too much to stay on the floor argument.

[Galway Eagle]

You wrote, verbatim, "Those guys were all true warriors what we've got is a team chalk full of Eagles."  I responded to what you wrote, that we have "a team chalk full of Eagles" and don't have "true warriors" like guys of the past.  Being a "Warrior" doesn't imply you can "carry a team."

And I absolutely can say some players "could be" warriors, because we really don't know what we have.  Even if you want to define "Warrior" as "go to player," there absolutely "could be" a number of "go to players" on this team.  We don't know right now.

Heading into the 2013-2014 season the coaches selected MU as the favorite to win the BE tournament and were a team that were thought to have the potential to go to a Final Four.  We missed the postseason altogether.  Nobody knows what we have on October 11 of any upcoming season.  So yes, there are some players that "could be" Warriors, and that I hope will be Warriors.  But I know they will be just as much as you know they won't be.

Anybody who has a full scholarship definitely "deserves to have swagger" for whatever it is they are on scholarship for.  It means they're pretty darn good at whatever that thing is.

And the post I was responding to was about those players that could carry a team. If I'm framing a sentence using "warrior" referencing a player that can carry a team then that's what it means for the purpose of the conversation. If you feel there's a fundamental difference on what our definition of warrior means then it's not you disagreeing with my post on our team so much as the definition I used, in which case you should've made your own statement first framing the definition of what Warriors would mean. 

Regarding your second point, if I'm rating a player as a warrior because they can carry the team and play tough (something our teams have been severely lacking recently) then I stand buy there not being a proven individual on this team.

The difference between your knowledge of what they can be and mine of thinking they won't be is that mine is grounded in their lack of being warriors for their entire career. If JJJ or Wilson start playing unbelievably physical and take over games I'll say "wow these guys really developed into warriors" but I'll stand by my statement that as of this point in time there is no warrior on the team. Just like if Senior Sam essentially becomes Novak I'll say he "developed into a true warrior"

I'm sorry but your last statement is patently false. Grambling players don't deserve to walk around with swagger, Depaul players don't deserve to walk around with Swagger, heck I know at least a handful of people that went to good D3 and D2 schools electing to pay some money rather than take the full rides at crappy D1 schools. I'd say those guys who're paying, but winning, deserve more swagger than those who get the full ride but lose constantly.

Finally way to take an awesome statement playing into two of our mascots and blow it out of proportion.