Goodman's Coaching hire grades - shocking

[GGGG]

I agree completely.  Goodman is a suck up.  Guys like him just need to get out of reporting if they're that much of a wussy.  My attitude would be if a coach is going to be that sensitive toward one guy's opinion, he's got way bigger issues than what grade I gave his hire, in other words not worth my time if the coach can't be a man about it.

Well good thing you are not making your livelihood as a journalist who relies on inside information then.  Because your information would not be very good, and your career would be very short.

[GGGG]

Pearl is a better hire than Buzz.  Way better.  Auburn is the only one that I think is safe to say homered with their selection.  The guy has won big at every stop and at programs with less than stellar basketball traditions. 

If you want to simply overlook the issues he had with recruiting violations sure.  And Pearl's success wasn't *that* much greater than Buzz's anyway.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

That is a real good point.  On the one hand, Buzz has a history of jumping.  On the other, Marquette has a history of being a little uncomfortable with basketball coaches with strong personalities.

Yep. You can slice it either way.

I like Buzz, but the dude is wound pretty tight. It's not hard to imagine even small changes or challenges from the admin. causing Buzz to lose his love for MU and start looking around.

With this said, MU doesn't have a spotless track record either. A lot of big egos making decisions, or at least offering opinions. At private schools, the guys with the most $ often have the most pull... and that's not necessarily a good thing. Add to that the general difficulties of balancing academics & athletics, and I'm sure MU isn't the most consistent organization to work for. 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

With this said, MU doesn't have a spotless track record either. A lot of big egos making decisions, or at least offering opinions. At private schools, the guys with the most $ often have the most pull... and that's not necessarily a good thing. Add to that the general difficulties of balancing academics & athletics, and I'm sure MU isn't the most consistent organization to work for. 

Eh, the administration makes plenty of decisions that have pissed off the big donors. Marquette does a better job than most of making sound decisions, often before other universities think to.

[GGGG]

Eh, the administration makes plenty of decisions that have pissed off the big donors. Marquette does a better job than most of making sound decisions, often before other universities think to.

I'm not sure I agree with that.  In fact I think over the past 30-40 years, the University has had periods where it has been run rather poorly in many respects.

Raynor and his crew were around way too long and had the University stuck in a past that was rapidly fading.  DiUlio, with the nickname and WI Avenue, was way too controversial.  The Wild era was by and large pretty good, but he made some poor decisions near the end of his tenure too.  Then there was the whole SP fiasco.

I think the overall track record has been rather mediocre to be honest.  If Marquette hadn't have hired KO when they did, and basketball continued to slide, I hate to think what Marquette would be like today.

[79Warrior]

I'm not sure I agree with that.  In fact I think over the past 30-40 years, the University has had periods where it has been run rather poorly in many respects.

Raynor and his crew were around way too long and had the University stuck in a past that was rapidly fading.  DiUlio, with the nickname and WI Avenue, was way too controversial.  The Wild era was by and large pretty good, but he made some poor decisions near the end of his tenure too.  Then there was the whole SP fiasco.

I think the overall track record has been rather mediocre to be honest.  If Marquette hadn't have hired KO when they did, and basketball continued to slide, I hate to think what Marquette would be like today.

Agreed. I do think Raynor did a good job overall. DiUlio was a complete bust and set the University back. Wild had quite a bit of ground to make up and by and large suceeded. Pilarz, well nothing good there.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

We may have not liked the decisions made, but you don't become a top 75 institution by accident. Especially if you are a small, private, liberal arts University.

[willie warrior]

willie, to be honest I'm starting to get creeped out over your obsession with me.

Yup, leave it to a guy that slurps to be creeped out by anonymous posts on an MU  board. But it has been so easy since your analysis and then denial of Otule. Having now responded to your concern, you can now be uncreeped, because I will never again accuse you of being the Buzz Slurper that you deny you are. But my guess is that you will not allow this post to go by without a retort, which will then continue to contribute to the fear of being creeped out.

[GGGG]

We may have not liked the decisions made, but you don't become a top 75 institution by accident. Especially if you are a small, private, liberal arts University.

No doubt.  And I never said the leadership was piss-poor, just mediocre.  I think Marquette has benefited from a number of things:

**Strong alumni/donor support
**Very good programs in subjects like business and engineering, which graduate people who make $$ and are somewhat recession proof.
**A basketball program that markets the university very well.

But there have been a lot of dumb decisions...decisions that didn't need to even be made.  Its good that Marquette has succeeded despite some of these.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Eh, the administration makes plenty of decisions that have pissed off the big donors. Marquette does a better job than most of making sound decisions, often before other universities think to.

I'm not saying that MU is a total whore, but they also aren't going to bite the hand(s) that feed the most.

The biggest donors are going to be consulted on big issues... which can muddy the water at times.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

No doubt.  And I never said the leadership was piss-poor, just mediocre.  I think Marquette has benefited from a number of things:

**Strong alumni/donor support
**Very good programs in subjects like business and engineering, which graduate people who make $$ and are somewhat recession proof.
**A basketball program that markets the university very well.

But there have been a lot of dumb decisions...decisions that didn't need to even be made.  Its good that Marquette has succeeded despite some of these.

It's a chicken and the egg thing. Do we do well because of all these things, or do we have these things because our administration has done well?

There have been mistakes for sure. In my lifetime I have been pretty satisfied. I'm assuming the "decisions that didn't need to even be made" is referring to the Warriors nickname?

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

No doubt.  And I never said the leadership was piss-poor, just mediocre.  I think Marquette has benefited from a number of things:

**Strong alumni/donor support
**Very good programs in subjects like business and engineering, which graduate people who make $$ and are somewhat recession proof.
**A basketball program that markets the university very well.

But there have been a lot of dumb decisions...decisions that didn't need to even be made.  Its good that Marquette has succeeded despite some of these.

To be fair to MU, I wonder how other Universities have done over this same time period. I generally agree with what you are saying, but still, MU has experienced nice growth and success over the past 20 years. I wonder if every school is simply experiencing the same rising tide?

[CTWarrior]

Similar article from SI we fare well...

http://college-basketball.si.com/2014/05/20/bruce-pearl-steve-wojciechowski-best-coaching-hires/

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

To be fair to MU, I wonder how other Universities have done over this same time period. I generally agree with what you are saying, but still, MU has experienced nice growth and success over the past 20 years. I wonder if every school is simply experiencing the same rising tide?

This was my point. We may not agree with every decision, but compared to the majority of the 4,494 universities out there, we have done fantastic. The reality is that the collective wisdom of scoop has no idea how or why many of the decisions at the top level is made.

The next ten years will be the true test. Higher education reform is inevitable. We will likely see hundreds of universities/colleges/community colleges closing. This could be terrible for some universities but will be a time of great opportunity  for others. If we play our cards right, we will find ourselves as a top 50 university in the next decade. I think Lovell is the right man to do it.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

This was my point. We may not agree with every decision, but compared to the majority of the 4,494 universities out there, we have done fantastic. The reality is that the collective wisdom of scoop has no idea how or why many of the decisions at the top level is made.

The next ten years will be the true test. Higher education reform is inevitable. We will likely see hundreds of universities/colleges/community colleges closing. This could be terrible for some universities but will be a time of great opportunity  for others. If we play our cards right, we will find ourselves as a top 50 university in the next decade. I think Lovell is the right man to do it.

Well, my next concern for MU is the rising cost(s), and the endowment (or lack there of).

MU isn't cost prohibitive, yet... but they need to figure out how to slow down the rate of rising tuition.

There is a breaking point where MU just won't be "worth it" for a lot of prospective students. It's best it MU has a good grasp of what that # is, before the free market slaps them upside the head and enrollment drops.

MU is not unique in this situation, but due to it's size, it needs to be more proactive than other schools.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Well, my next concern for MU is the rising cost(s), and the endowment (or lack there of).

MU isn't cost prohibitive, yet... but they need to figure out how to slow down the rate of rising tuition.

There is a breaking point where MU just won't be "worth it" for a lot of prospective students. It's best it MU has a good grasp of what that # is, before the free market slaps them upside the head and enrollment drops.

MU is not unique in this situation, but due to it's size, it needs to be more proactive than other schools.

+1

Agree with everything. Tuition is way too high and that will kill us in the future. Why pay ~35,000 a year in tuition to be an engineering student at Marquette when you can get a better engineering education at the University of Minnesota for ~$7,000 a year in tuition.

[source?]

We may have not liked the decisions made, but you don't become a top 75 institution by accident. Especially if you are a small, private, liberal arts University.

One minor nit to pick: we aren't a liberal arts university. Every national ranking authority puts us firmly in the "national research university" category.

[Hards Alumni]

Yup, leave it to a guy that slurps to be creeped out by anonymous posts on an MU  board. But it has been so easy since your analysis and then denial of Otule. Having now responded to your concern, you can now be uncreeped, because I will never again accuse you of being the Buzz Slurper that you deny you are. But my guess is that you will not allow this post to go by without a retort, which will then continue to contribute to the fear of being creeped out.

He's right willie, you are obsessed.

[keefe]

We may have not liked the decisions made, but you don't become a top 75 institution by accident.

Top 75 is good?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Top 75 is good?

Out of 4,495? Yes. Very.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

One minor nit to pick: we aren't a liberal arts university. Every national ranking authority puts us firmly in the "national research university" category.

Yes, that is true. But our curriculum is liberal arts based. And when we started we were a liberal arts university. We rose to the level of national research university.

[keefe]

Out of 4,495? Yes. Very.

You can't make that comparison because Marquette doesn't compete with 4,495 tertiary enterprises. I knew a guy my first week at MU who left to go to BC when BC offered some aid. THAT is the competitive landscape.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

You can't make that comparison because Marquette doesn't compete with 4,495 tertiary enterprises. I knew a guy my first week at MU who left to go to BC when BC offered some aid. THAT is the competitive landscape.

I would argue that we do. Even if most of our students are looking at institutions that are similar to Marquette, they still have the option to attend any of the 4,495. I'd be willing to bet that over the years Marquette has lost a perspective student to almost every institution of higher learning. My brother is a hs junior and his final list consists of Marquette, Colorado State, Utah, Western Washington, Texas A&M, Full Sail University, Georgia College, and Appalachian State. None of those are common competitors but they are still competitors.

We also were not always a top 75 national research university. We started as some small time college no one had ever heard of, just like every other university. It takes quality leadership to guide a new college to being a top 75 university.

[JWags85]

I would argue that we do. Even if most of our students are looking at institutions that are similar to Marquette, they still have the option to attend any of the 4,495. I'd be willing to bet that over the years Marquette has lost a perspective student to almost every institution of higher learning. My brother is a hs junior and his final list consists of Marquette, Colorado State, Utah, Western Washington, Texas A&M, Full Sail University, Georgia College, and Appalachian State. None of those are common competitors but they are still competitors.

We also were not always a top 75 national research university. We started as some small time college no one had ever heard of, just like every other university. It takes quality leadership to guide a new college to being a top 75 university.

And if Marquette is being classified as a "national research university", then being that high of a ranking is impressive as they are always going to be at a resource disadvantage from large universities in the B10, Pac-12 and some of the ACC/SEC/Big 12 as well as more historic private schools with huge endowments like the Ivies, Rice, MIT, Georgetown, etc...  All that being considered, top 75 is good.  And thats not even factoring in the skewing of those rankings for graduate research activity and study which doesn't touch or affect the college experience of 80% of the students who rely on these rankings for "guidance"

[GGGG]

BTW, if we are looking at USN&WR rankings to determine that MU is the 75th best "national university" in the country, it is a completely flawed exercise.

Those rankings have so many holes in them that they are pretty much meaningless.  They rely on factors that are way too focused on perception and on the quality of student *entering* the institution...not enough on the quality of person *exiting* the institution.