[Rosiak's Blog] MU notes

[77ncaachamps]

StillAWarrior...I don't think Chico is complaining about playing against top BE teams, but look at the non-conference schedule. Granted, being in the Big East has its perks (top RPI teams) but also it's disadvantages (not much wiggle room for non-conf games). Looking at their non-conf schedule you can't but help to applaud their sports department:

2006-07
Eastern Washington
Rice (feat. Morris Almond) - NIT Tip-Off
Baylor - NIT Tip-Off
UTSA
UNC - NIT Semi-Final
Butler - NIT Final
Idaho
Texas
Washington State
Washington
Georgia
Duke
Nevada
Virginia
Stanford
Memphis
Most of the above non-conf teams were in the NCAAs...

2005-06
Idaho
Maryland - Maui
Michigan State - Maui
UConn - Maui
Portland State
Washington
Washington State
Oklahoma State
Virginia
Eastern Washington
St. Louis
Memphis
St. Joseph's
Stanford

2004-05
Portland State
Montana
Idaho
Illinois
Washington
Washington State
Eastern Washington
UMass
St. Louis
Georgia Tech
Oklahoma State
Missouri
Northern Colorado

They could be filling in the slots with likes of Central Washington, Northern Arizona, Weber State, Sacramento State, UC Riverside, CSU Bakersfield, or even the small colleges like Seattle U., Lewis and Clark, etc.

MU needs to do it's best to find a balance between "blowout win" and "stiff competition" for their non-conference games.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Sorry PRN--possibly steroids, I don't know--but Pakuni crushed that one, outta the park.

Yup....that was McCovey Cove territory.

PRN, what you are saying in a round about way is that you want NCAA appearances more than a great conference and a better out of conference schedule.  Well, Gonzaga has that but that means the conference you play in has to be the "give".  Are you suggesting we join the Horizon League and dominate that league while playing Youngstown State, Cleveland State, UWM, etc as our conference slate goes?

Something has to give...what is the "give" in your scenario?

[StillAWarrior]

Looking at their non-conf schedule you can't but help to applaud their sports department...

Absolutely.  I love Gonzaga's non-con schedule.  But, they're forced to do that by circumstance.  Once Gonzaga gets into its conference schedule, their RPI is likely to go down every game -- even when they win.  They have to put together the best non-con schedule possible in order to ensure that they've got a decent RPI and a few quality wins.

I have a lot of respect for what GU has created.  They've built a great program.  My brother went there, so I constantly hear about it.  But, being in the Big East, we don't need our non-con schedule to boost our RPI or to help us get quality wins (at least not to the degree that Gonzaga does).  Like everyone else, I would like a better non-con schedule, but it's not a trade I'd be interested in making.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Great argument. I'm clearly saying I'd like to be in the Horizon League. You cannot be as clueless as Pakuni and this other dope.

I'm saying that people on this board who claim we're somehow better than Gonzaga because we're in the Big East are asinine. I'm saying, if we were Gonzaga getting bids every year and winning 9 NCAA games in 11 years I'd be happy.

This is like a child bragging that his Dad has a bigger car. Our car may be bigger, but theirs is getting a lot better gas mileage. Plus they have a much better driver behind the wheel.

Incidentally, I have repeatedly said this year's non-conference schedule is fine with me. It's the previous two years I've objected to because THEY WERE ATROCIOUS!

[ChicosBailBonds]

Actually I'm simply asking what is the "give".  If you want 9 bids in 11 years, you pretty much have to join a conference like that and do what Gonzaga has done.


Do you know how many major conference teams have gone to the NCAA 9 of the last 11 years?  I'll bet the number is less than 15 and probably closer to 10.  When you factor in how many went 9 of the last 11 years and won their conference 9 straight years...the number might be 1, if that.

There is a tradeoff...what Gonzaga has is because of the crap conference they are in.  We would all love 9 of 11 NCAA berths, but the fact of the matter is that almost no one is able to pull that off that plays in a major conference sans a handful of schools like North Carolina, Duke and Arizona.

[Pakuni]

I have complained about our NON-CONFERENCE!!!! schedule, Einstein. You do understand that those are the games MU has control over, right? But it's great that you enjoy paying paying for tickets for the Hillsdale and Cardinal Stritch games. 

By the way, we haven't won an NCAA game in four years.

So, you get your dander up over 4-5 non-conference games not to your liking, but you'd be cool with a 16-game conference schedule akin to UWM's? Interersting.
Oh, and last I checked MU also has control over its conference affiliation, and therefore control over its conference schedule, Newton.

[4everwarriors]

Is Mark Few a better recruiter/coach than Tom Crean?

[Chili]

Is Mark Few a better recruiter/coach than Tom Crean?

No. Few took over a program coming off an elite 8 and has had 3 sweet 16's, 1 first round exit and 3 second round exits.

Crean started with a fairly empty cupboard and has been building a program that has competed in Big East play the last 2 years with less than stellar NCAA experience. But, Crean has made it to the Final Four.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Is Mark Few a better recruiter/coach than Tom Crean?

Don't know....has Mark Few ever coached in a top 3 conference, built a program from scratch, inherited a losing team with the recruiting class of Krunti Hester coming in?

To compare them, I'd like to see the two do something in an apples to apples comparison.  That hasn't happened.

The reverse question would be, if Tom Crean was on Gonzaga's staff and inherited what Mark Few did, would they be doing worse, better or the same as what Gonzaga has done the last few years under Few?

[jmayer1]

The issue I have with this topic is that both the MU and Texas/Maryland fans see this nearly-scheduled game the same way.  

MU Fans:  We should have just sgined on and played at Texas first.
UT fans:  Marquette should should have just signed on and played at Texas first.

I disagree with this and I believe so do a lot of others.  I don't think Marquette should have been signed this deal in a year when they are traveling to UW and Maui.  Playing at Texas next year and then a home game the following year would have been fine with me.

In other words, you're willing to give Texas a two year pass on playing us in Milwaukee?

MU proposed playing at Texas in '08 (just as you suggest).  But MU wanted Texas to come to Milwaukee in 2007.  You say it's fine by you if Texas delays that 2007 game until 2009. 

My point was that MU fans seem too willing to accept the subservient position that we should give in to Texas, rather than vice versa.




 

I am not taking a subservient position at all, maybe you should reread my post.  I stated I don't think many Marquette fans think we should play at Texas this year when we already play at Maui and at UW.  If we are going to schedule a home and home, we need to make sure we play the away game in a year which we play UW at home, which  would be next year.  If Texas doesn't/can't play at the BC this year, then lets make sure that when they do, it is in a year we are at UW (2009).  Somebody has to play the away game first and frankly I don't think the team that does it is the worse or less regarded team.  The fact that Crean refused to give in and not play two tough out of conference games in the same year when the team is going to Maui and playing 9 road big east games shows toughness.

I guess, getting back to your original post, I don' think it is fair to say UT or Marquette fans feel this way; because I don't really think it is the truth.

[skyhook34]

Mr. Negative! You cannot be a MU supporter;your dislike goes back a few years and a few MU 'boards!' Try another board!

Am I missing something? How exactly is Gonzaga outrecruiting us on any scale? Look, I love the Zags and root for them most every game, but if they played in the Big East they'd be .500 every year. That conference they play in is a joke.

Who cares? I don't get this false sense of worth because we're in the Big East. Do you think Marquette gets the same amount of national recognition that Gonzaga does? If you do, you're crazy. Gonzaga is a bigger name than Marquette right now, whether you want to admit it or not.

As a matter of fact, I would bet that a vast majority of college basketball fans have no idea we're even in the Big East. We're thought of as the place where Al McGuire coached, Dwyane Wade attended and as the school that embarrassingly changed a perfectly good nickname. Gonzaga is known as a school that is in the NCAA every year and is a team NOBODY wants to face in the first round, regardless of seed.

I would MUCH, MUCH rather make the NCAA every year than play in the Big East.

[skyhook34]

You have been a 'negative' regarding the MU program for a number of years.  Try another board!

Is Mark Few a better recruiter/coach than Tom Crean?

[77ncaachamps]

You have been a 'negative' regarding the MU program for a number of years.  Try another board!

Is Mark Few a better recruiter/coach than Tom Crean?

Here take one...it's called a "chill pill."

I don't mind the MUFans here at the 'Scoop who refuse to wear rose-colored glasses. I bleed Blue and Gold, and sometimes I can get enamored with the progress of the team it sometimes skews my judgment.

Let them vent...and ignore, if you're annoyed.

[mu_hilltopper]

Skyhook34:  Take a look at all 7 of your posts.  Notice a theme?   None of them are positive.

http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?action=profile;u=197;sa=showPosts

I realize and respect who you are, but please, try participating in other ways; we'd love to hear your thoughts on other subjects besides who you think is "Mr. Negative".

[4everwarriors]

It is common knowledge you have more pressing issues on your plate than to express your opinions on this silly board in such an erudite way.