Thank you Marquette, the Big East, and ESPN

[MonsterWebWarrior]

... for all your hard work in making yesterday's events truly special.  It's a day I'll never forget.

Thank you Tom Crean for building a program and restoring so much pride back to the university.  I was so proud to be a Marquette alumni yesterday.  You are truly a special ambassador for our university.

Thank you to all the Marquette staff that put in countless hours in preparation for the College GameDay show.  I was there and it was an unbelievable experience.  I had goosebumps throughout the show.  Your efforts did not go unnoticed and are much appreciated.

Thank you Big East for accepting us into your conference, and believing in us to the point that you helped us land College Gameday to showcase our university to the entire nation, when you could have easily pushed the conferences traditional powers, UConn and Syracuse and no one would have raised an eye.

Thank you to ESPN for bringing your crew to Marquette and letting us welcome you into our house.  You've allowed us to reveal our school pride to the entire nation, and provided unbelievable exposure to our school.  I hope you enjoyed your time in Milwaukee as much as we enjoyed you being here.  Please come back soon!


And one more thank you, to Herb Kohl and the Milwaukee Bucks, for switching your Saturday night game to Sunday to allow us to have this special day.


Thanks again to everyone involved with yesterday.  It was a fantastic day from start to finish.  WE ARE MARQUETTE!

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Good post. I don't know if you're a student, but I'll tell you this...the current students at MU don't know how good they've got it. 

It was a great day to be a Marquette fan/alum!

[Avenue Commons]

And one more thank you, to Herb Kohl and the Milwaukee Bucks, for switching your Saturday night game to Sunday to allow us to have this special day.

I wasn't aware of this. That was extremely thoughtful and generous of them to do that. Thanks to the NBA as well for letting that happen.

[marquette09]

I don't know about the Bucks, but I know moving the game back didn't effect the Bulls at all.  They dont play agian until Wed

[GOMU1104]

I agree, great post. It was an awesome experience!!!!


However, PRN...

Good post. I don't know if you're a student, but I'll tell you this...the current students at MU don't know how good they've got it. 

It was a great day to be a Marquette fan/alum!

I am a MU Student, and have been a fan even longer, but everytime I see the footage, or hear stories about Al Mcguire, I get extremelty jelous of those that got to experience that National Champtionship. Us students have it good now, but nothing would compare to the feeling that those had in 1977...

[thisists]

the current students at MU don't know how good they've got it. 

What makes you think that? There may be some students that take this team for granted, but it sounds like a glittering generality when you say it like that. It might be easy as an alumnus to look down on students and say, "oh, when i was a student...."

But the students are proud of this team and extremely grateful to be in the Big East, have 20+ wins, a young energetic and charismatic coach, and a promising future.  We know that for a long time this team didnt have these things to be proud of.  

[MonsterWebWarrior]

Nope, I'm not a student.  I was there for the late O'Neil and early Deane years - the Sweet 16 run, the NIT runner-up, and the conference tourney champ, and two more NCAA appearances.  And even though we had that much success when I was in school, the vibe around the program just pales tremendously to what it's like today.  We were happy when the student section was full in the lower level.  The only thing we ever chanted were protests - Let's Go Warriors - or mock cheers - 'Polo-nowski'.  The game last night was as big time an atmospshere as there ever was in the BC for Marquette.  Absolutely fantastic.

[maxpower773]

PRN is right to an extent. Some current students don't know how good we have it. Those of us who are current students but have been going to games since we were kids know how well we have it. But we are a minority. Some though that are big basketball fans even know that being in the position we are is a huge thing. I really don't think PRN is totally wrong with what he said, but there are those of us who couldn't be happier with the direction of the team right now.

[BuzzSucksSucks]

I just wanted to chime in and repeat what others have said:  Well said! Great post.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

the current students at MU don't know how good they've got it. 

What makes you think that? There may be some students that take this team for granted, but it sounds like a glittering generality when you say it like that. It might be easy as an alumnus to look down on students and say, "oh, when i was a student...."

But the students are proud of this team and extremely grateful to be in the Big East, have 20+ wins, a young energetic and charismatic coach, and a promising future.  We know that for a long time this team didnt have these things to be proud of.  

It's just an expression, buddy.

[muwarrior87]

i have to agree with max...there are a lot of students who have no clue what they're talking about and think crean should be blamed for everything or think we should have undefeated 30 win seasons. it's just insane that ppl don't realize, to be in the position we've been in the past few years is amazing and we're very fortunate. Hopefully someday we'll be able to be here every year like programs like UNC and Kentucky, but until we're to that point and even then, i'll be very thankful for the effort this team puts in and the results they continue to manufacture.

[PaintCrew93]

Had to respond with my first post to this site with how happy it makes me feel as an alumni (class of 95) to see how far the program has come.  When I went they would put students anywhere in the BC.  In fact i was put in the middle of both the notre dame and kansas alumni sections when we played them here.  O'neill and deane always ran away from the traditions while Crean has embraced them.  I do hope that expectations don't get too high (especially with the boos i heard @ the syracuse game) and we enjoy the success we are having.  We Are Marquette!

[drewm88]

As a freshman, let me put in my two cents...

Thank you alums, for everything you've done in your time here and since. Thank you for giving this team the support needed to grow. UWM doesn't play in the Bradley Center or the Big East. They don't play on national TV. Without your support over the years, this program would be crap.

Thank you especially to those alums whose time here fell in crappy times for the team. I hope you get back into the student section every now and then. You are owed some better experiences.

Thank you specifically Chicos (and the other ones mentioned--sorry I forgot) for the work to introduce GA student seating.

Thank you to anyone who has contributed money and/or bought tickets to support this program and to help elevate both this program and this amazing university.

Thank you ESPN for choosing us for Gameday. This weekend's atmosphere would have been not much different than the Louisville weekend without you guys. National Marquette Day is no big deal to students, and as much as it kills me to say, I think the '77 ceremony would not have made much difference to a lot of students.  (I'm not saying '77 doesn't matter at all to a lot of students, but if you factor in the excitement gone because of Louisville and ND losses, I think they would cancel each other out.) Same goes for Senior Night, but that doesn't kill me as much.

Thank you Coach Crean for emphasizing the students' importance at the games.

Thank you Al and the '77 team for winning that title. I wouldn't care if it was back in 1937, it's so nice to have a national title in our history.

Thank you to the older students (especially seniors) for the support you've given both to this team and to the younger students.

Thank you to the people I was with for 26 or so hours these past two days. I have so much respect for your constant devotion.

Thank you to the handful of students who worked with DPS and MPD to manage the crowd Friday night and guarantee students the spots they earned.

Thank you to the Marquette and BC staff for handling this whole weekend wonderfully.

Thank you to my parents for raising me as a Warrior. Without you, I wouldn't even hate those thugs from Cincinnati.
Thank you Dad for finally giving in in spring of 02 and buying tickets to the next NCAA tournament. By luck, a year later, that Minneapolis regional trip was a pretty cool thing.

Just an incredible weekend. Without everything listed above, it would not have happened. I would not have gotten to meet all those ESPN guys, or all the '77 players. I wouldn't have gotten to do stupid fun things like bug Andy Katz to put us in his Power 16, piss off Digger Phelps, tell Dan Schulman he's my favorite Jewish Canadian, or turn down Erin Andrews when she offers me an autograph and picture. (I was photographer/ sharpie provider for a lot of people, so she in turn asked me. I really had no interest, but it was not the response she expected.) I would not have gotten to have Bo Ellis brag to me about his art skills, take a picture with the Championship Trophy, or wish my dad a happy birthday on national TV. This thing blew away all of my expectations. Amazing.

Thanks also to those who managed to get through all my dumb ramblings...

EDIT: Thank you Mike, Jamil, and Craig. Thank you fans who gave Mike a standing ovation, chanted his name, etc. Thank you to the students who shut up those that heckled him at Gameday. Thank you to those that stuck around for the whole Senior Night ceremony. They've earned that from us.

[marquette09]

Well were on the topic..........

Just wanted to say how pround I am to be a student at Marquette. 
I am pround of my fellow students and the alums who made yesterday possible
I am pround of the basketball program and all that it has done, especially Coach Crean

Lastly,
When people ask where I go to school I am proud to say Marquette

[MUFan07]

Drewm great post.  I think alot of those feelings are shared by many of the rest of us students. 

I'd like to add a thank you to all the regulars in section 106.  Without the support you give to the team every game the student section would not be the same.  I know that anytime I sit near that section I feel motivated to cheer even louder.

[TVDirector]

big group hug, huh??
 

[maxpower773]

Thank you to the Marquette and BC staff for handling this whole weekend wonderfully.

Ummmm what time did you show up Saturday to wait in line for Gameday? Because that was horrible, MPD was pissed at Marquette, the BC didn't want us on their grounds...as if they have no idea who we are. We were lucky, thanks to a few people(MUfan12 and another<--mostly him, don't know if he posts here though, but he knows who he is) for getting things as organized as they were. There was no planning to control those that were in line, therefore there was skipping which alot of us who were there at around midnight didn't appreciate. If it weren't for the 5 or so DPS and MPD officers that actually came to do something it would have been a huge disaster. The BC staff did a bad job with handing out bracelets, 2 people for 3 lines, which pushed some people back in the one line back at least 20-30 people(I was in that line). They had no idea what the blue bracelets were for, at least some of them didn't. In the end it worked, and I just hope that if anything like this comes up again that they learn from this because trust me and those that were there earlier than I was, it didn't go smoothly.

[drewm88]

In the end it worked

That's my point.
I was there at 8:30 Friday, 11th person in line. I realize there were issues and some people got screwed over, but it could have been much worse. They had a system in place that gave 106 to the students that showed up first, not some random jerk who skips Gameday. They numbered those wristbands to further ensure proper priority among those 95 people. (I know the numbers got messed up, but from everything I heard/saw, things worked themselves out quite well.) They gave the best Gameday seats to the earliest fans (even in front of VIFs). They rewarded all (most?) who came to Gameday with lower level seats, and then gave the best of those to the people who waited the longest during the day. People were allowed to bring stuff into the BC during Gameday that they would normally ban because they understood the circumstances.

Yes, some people got screwed out of their rightful spot, like when the line broke apart crossing State at 5:30 AM. Some security guys were jerks. Some people let their friends cut in line. But overall, they handled it well IMO. You can't prevent every problem, especially with 1000's of drunk college kids. They weren't perfect, but they were good.

[maxpower773]

Yeah it could have been a lot worse, which is why with the whole waiting in line thing, the thanks should go to the two guys I mentioned, the BC kicked us off their grounds and MU had no plan.  They seemed to have less of an idea what to do with all of us than those of us, including you and I, in the front thought should be done.

[GOMU1104]

It was a great day, please dont get me wrong, but....The way the Bradley Center handled the bracelets was an absolute joke. 

I got to the line at about 4 am and was around the corner of the Arena, on 6th street.  When they let us cross onto BC property, I was pretty much in the same spot in line, but was amongst a giant pit of anxious people. I was fine with all of this, it comes with the territory.

When they started handing out wristbands is when it got a little outta control. The BC was too understaffed, as if they didn't expect the turnout.  Two guys handing out the thing people have been waiting for hours for???  People got restless and it was a workout in itself to fight to get your wrist close enought for the flustered worker to put the band on you.

Again, I loved the experience and hope we did enough for them to come back some time soon, but I just felt the Bradley Center could have handled it better...

[drewm88]

I agree completely. I was not in on most of the conversations with DPS, so I don't know what MU had in mind vs. what those 2 suggested vs. what BC suggested vs. what MU figured on out their own, etc. But I do know those two mainly, and a few others, did a ton. They deserve appreciation.
I did mention that above, in case you missed it. (I get the impression you're just trying to emphasize it.)

Max- Where did you deserve to be and where did you end up?

GOMU- Did everyone get lower level bands that earned them?

[maxpower773]

Oh I got what I deserved, band for 106, but my friend and I almost didn't get them which would have been a problem. When we were at the arena I was about 40th in line, when we crossed I was 70th, and when we got bracelets I got 93, he got 95, which the cutoff was. And I didn't miss it, I was emphasizing it I agree with you on once we were in, and then at the game it was better. I hope next year they rework it a little bit, 2 guys for 3 lines is not enough. Also, even though it's for GOMU, I'll say most people, but not all that deserved lower level bands, got them. There was a group just behind me that skipped, I was there just before 1230, they were there at 230....they shouldn't have been there, and I bet it happened near where GOMU was too.

[GOMU1104]

Drew-I cant speak for everyone that was there, but everyone in our group of 6 got their lower level bands, even though it was a every man/woman for themselves.  We would have to hear from those farther back in line to see if any of them got shafted.

Max-We didn't experience any problems with skipping, since we were pretty far back when we got their at 4.  However, when they started letting waves cross the street, I am willing to bet people got skipped.



My only beef with the whole situation was once they started handing out wristbands. IMO, it would have made more sense to open up more doors at that entrance, (instead of only having two rows of barracades,) with more staff handing out wristbands to avoid the insane bottleneck effect that occurred.

[SoCalstu09]

In the rush to the BC from the US Cellular Arena, two girls got trampled. That really pushed my stock back in line. I waited to help out and everyone rushed passed! Crowd management was the worst i've seen it and unforunately it needed to be the best on Saturday.

That being said, I got my usual seat. And just so everyone knows, not to toot my horn, I was the kid with the MU shaved into the top of his head. We got some good air time.