First Place….and BIG EAST CHAMPIONS

[Viper]

Why are we debating/discussing this issue again?

Coach Shaka is our head coach. Our team has been in the NCAA tournament (assuming we're in this year) ever since he became our coach.

We're on an upward trajectory and competing for the Big East title in a year where we were projected to be in ninth place.

Here's the reality: We have a great coach who has shown a capability to do things our prior coach could not. Is he the greatest Marquette hire ever? When he surpasses Al McGuire, I'll agree to that! Until then, enjoy the ride and forget about anyone else!

agreed, Brother Dgies.  In fact, I’m embarrassed we’re celebrating a 1/2 game first place lead on February 13. I know we’ve had our share of below expectations seasons, but had MU fallen that low? 5 big games ahead.

[Herman Cain]

I love looking over to the left side of MU Scoop and seeing our squad on top of the league standings .

 In addition the only team in the league with 20 wins so far.

What an awesome place to be .

F ‘ Em🤓

[NickelDimer]

I love looking over to the left side of MU Scoop and seeing our squad on top of the league standings .

 In addition the only team in the league with 20 wins so far.

What an awesome place to be .

F ‘ Em🤓

How dare you celebrate this. You should be embarrassed!

- some scoopers apparently

[Coleman]

My list was:

1). Dwyane Wade
2). Shaka





3). Moser
4). (Yikes)

Never hire a D Wade. He is an MU legend and once you sign him, you can't fire him without alienating him and/or half the fan base. Look at Ewing at Georgetown.

Get someone with coaching experience and enough distance from the program that you can fire him if you need to.

[MU82]

agreed, Brother Dgies.  In fact, I’m embarrassed we’re celebrating a 1/2 game first place lead on February 13. I know we’ve had our share of below expectations seasons, but had MU fallen that low? 5 big games ahead.

Who is "celebrating"?

I'm happy about the direction of the program under Shaka, and I've enjoyed watching these hard-working athletes play at a high level and in an entertaining, effective way. I'm glad the program is getting some deserved national attention and glad that, on Feb. 13, the talk is about how high our seed will be rather than us being on the bubble.

But we're all well aware the season isn't over. Even if we win the Big East title, I won't really "celebrate" until we make some noise in the NCAA tournament.

I'm an enjoy-the-journey kind of guy, and I don't think it's the least bit "embarrassing" that I enjoy each victory, each step in what we all hope will be Marquette's return to national prominence. I thoroughly enjoy every moonshot 3 by Kam, every incredible pass by Kolek, every outstanding play by Oso, etc. If you can't be happy about the way things are going -- if you're "embarrassed" that your fellow fans like the direction Shaka is taking this program and that we enjoy watching this team play -- that's on you.

[Galway Eagle]

Never hire a D Wade. He is an MU legend and once you sign him, you can't fire him without alienating him and/or half the fan base. Look at Ewing at Georgetown.

Get someone with coaching experience and enough distance from the program that you can fire him if you need to.

Ok outside Ewing, and Mullin, and Clyde Drexler name one time that's gone wrong

[Coleman]

Ok outside Ewing, and Mullin, and Clyde Drexler name one time that's gone wrong

Jerry Stackhouse and Juwan Howard are a couple more.

Sometimes it works out. But I hate that it boxes the program in and makes it really difficult to fire a guy who is a legend. Get someone with no prior playing connection to the program (a current Assistant Coach is OK). You have to be able to end it quickly if things go south.

[Galway Eagle]

Jerry Stackhouse and Juwan Howard are a couple more.

Sometimes it works out. But I hate that it boxes the program in and makes it really difficult to fire a guy who is a legend. Get someone with no prior playing connection to the program (a current Assistant Coach is OK). You have to be able to end it quickly if things go south.

Ok i was just being facetious before but it seems ludicrous to include Howard on there. Guys been there for four years and has a B1G championship w/ elite 8, and sweet 16. This year he's not been good but to throw him in with the others seems odd.

[NCMUFan]

Never hire a D Wade. He is an MU legend and once you sign him, you can't fire him without alienating him and/or half the fan base. Look at Ewing at Georgetown.

Get someone with coaching experience and enough distance from the program that you can fire him if you need to.

I think it is a two-edge sword.  Coach retention due to program loyalty versus easy termination if necessary. 

[Coleman]

Ok i was just being facetious before but it seems ludicrous to include Howard on there. Guys been there for four years and has a B1G championship w/ elite 8, and sweet 16. This year he's not been good but to throw him in with the others seems odd.

Fair. You're right. He doesn't belong in that group.

[Uncle Rico]

Fair. You're right. He doesn't belong in that group.

He’s had legit NBA interest, too. 

[brewcity77]

Ok i was just being facetious before but it seems ludicrous to include Howard on there. Guys been there for four years and has a B1G championship w/ elite 8, and sweet 16. This year he's not been good but to throw him in with the others seems odd.

I'm skeptical on Howard. He has done well with a lot of players left over from Beilein. They were fine year one, made a nice run mostly with Beilein guys leading the way to an Elite 8, but that S16 masked a very shaky season. This year with his own guys leading the way they are just trying to get on the bubble. They have significantly underperformed expectations each of the past two years, coinciding with the roster really being his.

[StillAWarrior]

Never hire a D Wade. He is an MU legend and once you sign him, you can't fire him without alienating him and/or half the fan base. Look at Ewing at Georgetown.

Get someone with coaching experience and enough distance from the program that you can fire him if you need to.

I'm often surprised by the number of people who seem to believe elite basketball skills equate to elite coaching skills. They are very different skill sets. There are some cases where one person has both skill sets -- but I think that is the exception and not the rule. By far. I think a lot of truly elite athletes have a hard time working with people who can't perform at that level.

[Galway Eagle]

I'm skeptical on Howard. He has done well with a lot of players left over from Beilein. They were fine year one, made a nice run mostly with Beilein guys leading the way to an Elite 8, but that S16 masked a very shaky season. This year with his own guys leading the way they are just trying to get on the bubble. They have significantly underperformed expectations each of the past two years, coinciding with the roster really being his.

For sure, but as of this point in time it's definitely not fair to say he's on that list.

[JakeBarnes]

I'm skeptical on Howard. He has done well with a lot of players left over from Beilein. They were fine year one, made a nice run mostly with Beilein guys leading the way to an Elite 8, but that S16 masked a very shaky season. This year with his own guys leading the way they are just trying to get on the bubble. They have significantly underperformed expectations each of the past two years, coinciding with the roster really being his.

Llewlyn going down in December has hurt the team a lot. I agree it's not his best season though and I am not sure if his guys are going to cut it in the long run.

[Uncle Rico]

I'm skeptical on Howard. He has done well with a lot of players left over from Beilein. They were fine year one, made a nice run mostly with Beilein guys leading the way to an Elite 8, but that S16 masked a very shaky season. This year with his own guys leading the way they are just trying to get on the bubble. They have significantly underperformed expectations each of the past two years, coinciding with the roster really being his.

Roster construction the last two years has been bad and that’s on him

[rocket surgeon]

here's the thing about hoping shaka is in this(MU) for the long haul- wasn't there some off the record comments by TC essentially stating that he wishes he would have stayed at marquette or how good he had it there?  well, the grass is only greener where it get's the water

   shaka appears to have the demeanor to get along with most everyone, yet remain focused on his goals.  there doesn't seem to be much about shaka that could make any university powers that be nervous.

       shaka's character is solid.  after observing him for the past year+ one should get a decent feel for what makes a him tick.  he's a what you see is what you get kind of guy.  you can tell by how the people around him respond to him.  has anyone seen him really lose it...i mean lose it like kevin o'neil lose it??  there were a few times when i wished he would have, but he's a man who's been through some real growing pains over his career already.  he's walked through the threshold.

     what is that you may ask?  it's growth through adversity.  it's humility during down times.  it's a constant self assessment to always do better or correct what failed.  it's a consistency in delivery until either something didn't work within ones assessment or a better alternative is realized.  either way, they are always accomplished within his sphere of what is right and good; shaka sees all this selflessly.  marquette, i hope, realizes we got a *once in a generation nugget who will remain loyal to us unless the power(s) that be cannot see eye to eye with him...the problem there will be solely in the hands of that idiot who fails to see what we have


    * side note-al mcguire was also a once in a generation nugget, but his story remains a GREAT separate chapter most of us are all too familiar with.  let's allow shaka to continue to write his own chapter

     

       

[Scoop Snoop]

Great post! You covered a lot of ground.

I see Shaka and Marquette as the perfect marriage of a coach and a school.

[Viper]

How dare you celebrate this. You should be embarrassed!

- some scoopers apparently

nickel, that wasn’t worth a dime🤣

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Shaka Smart is also only 45. He probably has no idea what his future holds.

[Newsdreams]

Shaka Smart is also only 45. He probably has no idea what his future holds.

Multiple NC titles at MU, duh!

[real chili 83]

Kolek ‘em.

[Daniel]

Shaka is a breath of fresh air - focused, determined, he has his way of do8ng things that he believes in and he has brought excitement back and national attention back to Marquette basketball.   

Yes, Crean said something like, he never had the kind of administration support anywhere else like he had at Marquette - and he said, you think it will be same elsewhere but it wasn’t.

So, hopefully Shaka, who has been to VCU and has seen the side of teams in the Texas bracket, sees Marquette as a perfect fit - a basketball school in a basketball conference, with tremendous admin support, facilities, etc. and stays a long long time.    Why not?  It could happen.   Tons of schools will be after him without doubt.   

Goo Marquette!

[real chili 83]

Not a word in the Chicago Trib.

F**k ‘em

[Scoop Snoop]

Not a word in the Chicago Trib.

F**k ‘em

Maybe they took a cue from the Washington Post and decided covering a poorly performing home team simply is not worth the time.