Perspective

[dgies9156]

Three years ago, our program was in ruins. We had a major revolt just a year prior, as our team was set to be very good. We fired yet another coach and wondered openly if we could ever find someone who could get Marquette back to the promised land. We couldn't win when it mattered and our program was threatening to become an upscale DePaul.

Then came Coach Shaka.

We've since made the NCAA three years in a row. Our incoming class is good and our coach well-respected. Our guys win and they tend to stay off the front pages of the Chicago Tribune. Our center is about to earn an MBA, for heaven's sake. He was going no where under our previous coach.

Yes, we've had disappointments, but how many of us in here thought we'd be where we are today just three short years ago.

I realize the vast majority of Scoopers weren't even alive during the Al years. So to many of us, we see 1977 in a vacuum. We forget about how long it took for Marquette to climb the mountain, or the disappointments in Lexington, KY, Dayton, Ohio, Athens, GA, Madison, WI, Tuscaloosa, AL, Nashville, TN. and lots of other places. We forget, or never knew, about losing Jim Chones or Maurice Lucas at incredibly inopportune times. We forget that many of us wondered, "what's it going to take to get to the top of the mountain?"

And it isn't just us. Shortly after we defeated North Carolina in the 1977 National Championship game, a newspaper in North Carolina began asking if Dean Smith EVER could win a national championship. You see, North Carolina had been a program that had been very good beginning in the late 1960s. They'd been to Final Fours and Regional Finals but had never gotten over the hump.

Coach Smith did quite well in the years that followed.

In the disappointment of North Carolina State, I would encourage everyone who follows our program to ask, "Are we on the right track?" When we put our emotions away and stop seeing boogymen at every turn, the answer is unquestionably, "yes!" The fact that we talked about a national title and that we believed we could is something I haven't seen in 20 years. I flew back from Florida to watch our team play in December and February was excited to see the FiServ filled to the rafters. The enthusiasm and the interest in what Coach Shaka and the guys are doing is amazing.

As a final thought, there are 68 teams annually that go to the NCAA. 67 end up in the same place Marquette was last night. We're going to be the one that doesn't.

Count on it!!

[MuggsyB]

I agree brother dgies, but it's not going to be easy to find a better opportunity than this particular tournament.  Losing sucks, but the way we lost/played sucks more.  Even the announcers were in disbelief.  I completely agree with your overall sentiments about Shaka, and the state of the program.  That said, this is going to sting for a long time.   

Wanting it so badly may have made our guys tight and out of sorts, I really don't know.  I do think it's much easier to play as the hunter as well.  But I thought it was pretty clear we lost our mental acuity and with a veteran team that's really hard to stomach.  And believe it or not I do think our B ish game would have been enough to win this contest despite being down 13 at the half. 

[Goose]

dgies

There will be better outcomes down the road. I always love your fandom and perspective. Hopefully we will see you over the summer if you are back in Chicago.

[tower912]

If the last two seasons are the new normal, I am in.

[T.V. Diener 34]

Just can't get my head around the fact that Oso was dreadful all tournament.  Not for an average player but for a potential first round NBA draft pick.  We played 3 games and he scored 20 points TOTAL.  He was having balls bounce off of his head and couldn't catch crap.  Wonder how much his draft stock dropped.  I really hope we go to the portal and shore up some of our missing holes during the offseason.  It was a fun ride but ended way too early.

[DoctorV]

Good stuff, nice read

[mix it up]

Three years ago, our program was in ruins. We had a major revolt just a year prior, as our team was set to be very good. We fired yet another coach and wondered openly if we could ever find someone who could get Marquette back to the promised land. We couldn't win when it mattered and our program was threatening to become an upscale DePaul.

Then came Coach Shaka.

We've since made the NCAA three years in a row. Our incoming class is good and our coach well-respected. Our guys win and they tend to stay off the front pages of the Chicago Tribune. Our center is about to earn an MBA, for heaven's sake. He was going no where under our previous coach.

Yes, we've had disappointments, but how many of us in here thought we'd be where we are today just three short years ago.

I realize the vast majority of Scoopers weren't even alive during the Al years. So to many of us, we see 1977 in a vacuum. We forget about how long it took for Marquette to climb the mountain, or the disappointments in Lexington, KY, Dayton, Ohio, Athens, GA, Madison, WI, Tuscaloosa, AL, Nashville, TN. and lots of other places. We forget, or never knew, about losing Jim Chones or Maurice Lucas at incredibly inopportune times. We forget that many of us wondered, "what's it going to take to get to the top of the mountain?"

And it isn't just us. Shortly after we defeated North Carolina in the 1977 National Championship game, a newspaper in North Carolina began asking if Dean Smith EVER could win a national championship. You see, North Carolina had been a program that had been very good beginning in the late 1960s. They'd been to Final Fours and Regional Finals but had never gotten over the hump.

Coach Smith did quite well in the years that followed.

In the disappointment of North Carolina State, I would encourage everyone who follows our program to ask, "Are we on the right track?" When we put our emotions away and stop seeing boogymen at every turn, the answer is unquestionably, "yes!" The fact that we talked about a national title and that we believed we could is something I haven't seen in 20 years. I flew back from Florida to watch our team play in December and February was excited to see the FiServ filled to the rafters. The enthusiasm and the interest in what Coach Shaka and the guys are doing is amazing.

As a final thought, there are 68 teams annually that go to the NCAA. 67 end up in the same place Marquette was last night. We're going to be the one that doesn't.

Count on it!!

Very well said dgies! I was a freshman in 1977 and there’s been some dark years since then but I’ve always had hope. Count me in for the future!

It was a helluva fun 2 seasons. Have faith in Shaka.

Let the handwringing stop now! Ok, ok it’s Holy Week, I’ll give those that need it, til Mon. 😀

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Just can't get my head around the fact that Oso was dreadful all tournament.  Not for an average player but for a potential first round NBA draft pick.  We played 3 games and he scored 20 points TOTAL.  He was having balls bounce off of his head and couldn't catch crap.  Wonder how much his draft stock dropped.  I really hope we go to the portal and shore up some of our missing holes during the offseason.  It was a fun ride but ended way too early.

I wonder how much Oso is struggling with injuries.  His knee and shoulder were beaten up in the BET.  He just looked off the entire tournament.

Struggled catching passes, struggled finishing (uncharacteristic missed dunks and blocked dunks), his floater and hook shots were both way off.  We didn't see anything close to Oso's best.

[T.V. Diener 34]

I wonder how much Oso is struggling with injuries.  His knee and shoulder were beaten up in the BET.  He just looked off the entire tournament.

Struggled catching passes, struggled finishing (uncharacteristic missed dunks and blocked dunks), his floater and hook shots were both way off.  We didn't see anything close to Oso's best.

If you're hurting that much where you can't even catch a pass, you shouldn't be in the game.  He was a zombie out there most of the game.

[forgetful]

If you're hurting that much where you can't even catch a pass, you shouldn't be in the game.  He was a zombie out there most of the game.

Oso is catching too much flack for this. Bigs expect passes to be thrown in a specific zone. Many of the passes he struggled with, weren't in the right zone.

For instance thrown at his feet, when it should have been a lob. Or thrown at his feet, when it should have been a bounce pass into the pocket so he could go up right away with it. Others, that I was critical of at first, but disagreed with my first assessments, where they should have been a lob at the rim, and instead were thrown for him to catch it on the ground. All of these impact the rhythm of catching the pass and reacting (going up for the shot).

We had too many uncharacteristically poor passes into the post.

[dgies9156]

Just can't get my head around the fact that Oso was dreadful all tournament.  Not for an average player but for a potential first round NBA draft pick.  We played 3 games and he scored 20 points TOTAL.  He was having balls bounce off of his head and couldn't catch crap.  Wonder how much his draft stock dropped.  I really hope we go to the portal and shore up some of our missing holes during the offseason.  It was a fun ride but ended way too early.

STOP IT!!!!

We win as a team. We lose as a team. I'm sure in films they pick apart things we don't even know exist and I'm sure everyone on the team will hear about it. But you can't blame last night on Oso, any more than you can on anyone else.

Maybe we didn't generate enough EGBs as fans? I don't know but we would not be where we are without Oso. He's somebody who has made us proud. To be blunt, from what I have read of him and see of him, I'd love to have him working for and with me!

I suspect the NBA feels the same way.

[jfp61]

Just can't get my head around the fact that Oso was dreadful all tournament.  Not for an average player but for a potential first round NBA draft pick.  We played 3 games and he scored 20 points TOTAL.  He was having balls bounce off of his head and couldn't catch crap.  Wonder how much his draft stock dropped.  I really hope we go to the portal and shore up some of our missing holes during the offseason.  It was a fun ride but ended way too early.

tell me you don't value defense, without telling me you don't value defense.

[WhiteTrash]

I wonder how much Oso is struggling with injuries.  His knee and shoulder were beaten up in the BET.  He just looked off the entire tournament.

Struggled catching passes, struggled finishing (uncharacteristic missed dunks and blocked dunks), his floater and hook shots were both way off.  We didn't see anything close to Oso's best.

FWIW, his issues started before the BET.

[Johnny B]

Just can't get my head around the fact that Oso was dreadful all tournament.  Not for an average player but for a potential first round NBA draft pick.  We played 3 games and he scored 20 points TOTAL.  He was having balls bounce off of his head and couldn't catch crap.  Wonder how much his draft stock dropped.  I really hope we go to the portal and shore up some of our missing holes during the offseason.  It was a fun ride but ended way too early.

It will be a forever mystery amigo. Netflix can put it on one those “unexplained mysteries/phenomenon” shows

[tower912]

If you had told me 18 months ago that MU would go 56-17, win a Big East regular season title, a Big East title, and make a sweet 16 over the next two seasons, I would have been over the moon.
Friday sucked.   Time to see what comes next.

[Uncle Rico]

If you thad told me 18 months ago that MU would go 56-17, win a Big East regular season title, a Big East title, and make a sweet 16 over the next two seasons, I would have been over the moon.
Friday sucked.   Time to see what comes next.

Some incredible insights, I’m guessing

[tower912]

Folderol, platitudes, and one liners

[GoldenWarrior11]

Thanks for this positive insight. We could all use it.

[willie warrior]

If the last two seasons are the new normal, I am in.

No, getting in the portal is the new normal, which we are not in.

[Uncle Rico]

No, getting in the portal is the new normal, which we are not in.

Kolek was from the portal.  OMax was from the portal

[ATL MU Warrior]

Kolek was from the portal.  OMax was from the portal

Shhh.  He’s on a roll.