Brown Deer Novak Family Field House

[ChuckyChip]

Didn't see this posted...nice story about Steve Novak's contribution to the new Brown Deer High Field House

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/preps/brown-deer-honors-steve-novak-for-donation-7k9jmik-203511281.html

[Blackhat]

Greatest shooter in Wisconsin history, possibly United States.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/xQS7olh4NFg" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/xQS7olh4NFg</a>

[Silkk the Shaka]

Greatest shooter in Wisconsin history, possibly United States.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/xQS7olh4NFg" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/xQS7olh4NFg</a>

Nay - the world

[VegasWarrior77]

Great video!

[muhoops1]

Are we recruiting Steve's son?

[sailwi]

Worked with a guy who lived near the Novacks, said the little sister was a great shooter also.  I know she played HS at DSHA, anyone know if she got any D 1 Offers.  Maybe Steve can pay the tuition and she can walk on at MU.

[Les Nessman]

Worked with a guy who lived near the Novacks, said the little sister was a great shooter also.  I know she played HS at DSHA, anyone know if she got any D 1 Offers.  Maybe Steve can pay the tuition and she can walk on at MU.

Wrong family. We're talking about the Novak's.

[LloydMooresLegs]

Take the time to watch the video.

2 biggest takeaways:  work ethic and  family.

[ChicosBailBonds]

IMO, 2nd most important recruit we had in the last 15 years.  Keyed success in the Big East which was so gigantic to credibility

[Lennys Tap]

IMO, 2nd most important recruit we had in the last 15 years.  Keyed success in the Big East which was so gigantic to credibility

Steve was a great player and a great guy, but really? His three years as a starter included 2 NITs and a first round NCAA loss. Nobody came to MU because of him or to be the next Steve Novak, so there was no "follow through". I'd say Wesley Mathews (opened a closed door in Madison which gave us Vander), Jimmy Butler (first NBA juco, preceding DJO and Crowder), Davante Gardner (showed a big man could develop and succeed at MU) and Duane Wilson (the Pied Piper of Milwaukee) were/are substantially more important recruits to the program than Steve was, and I mean that with all due respect.

[Blackhat]

Great how Steve embraced getting toughened-up by Crean too.   Novak is an inspiration.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Steve was a great player and a great guy, but really? His three years as a starter included 2 NITs and a first round NCAA loss. Nobody came to MU because of him or to be the next Steve Novak, so there was no "follow through". I'd say Wesley Mathews (opened a closed door in Madison which gave us Vander), Jimmy Butler (first NBA juco, preceding DJO and Crowder), Davante Gardner (showed a big man could develop and succeed at MU) and Duane Wilson (the Pied Piper of Milwaukee) were/are substantially more important recruits to the program than Steve was, and I mean that with all due respect.

LOVE Novak. I'm convinced he's the greatest shooter on the planet. But I agree with every word of this post.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Steve was a great player and a great guy, but really? His three years as a starter included 2 NITs and a first round NCAA loss. Nobody came to MU because of him or to be the next Steve Novak, so there was no "follow through". I'd say Wesley Mathews (opened a closed door in Madison which gave us Vander), Jimmy Butler (first NBA juco, preceding DJO and Crowder), Davante Gardner (showed a big man could develop and succeed at MU) and Duane Wilson (the Pied Piper of Milwaukee) were/are substantially more important recruits to the program than Steve was, and I mean that with all due respect.

I think you ignored the word IMPORTANT and inserted a different word

[Lennys Tap]

I think you ignored the word IMPORTANT and inserted a different word

On the contrary, his lack of IMPORTANCE vis-a-vis other Marquette stars of the last 15 years was my entire point. His IMPORTANCE as a player? How'd we do with him as a starter? Two NITs and a first round NCAA loss (after a Final Four run). So not so great. How many high school stars watched Steve and said "I'm that kind of player. I can see myself doing that at Marquette". None, nada. We've never signed a guy whose game even remotely resembles Steve's. What geographical areas did Steve open up or solidify for Marquette recruiting? Again, none.

Steve was a really good (and unique) player. I'm really glad he chose Marquette, but his IMPORTANCE to the program, both when he played and since, is grossly overstated by you.

[Skitch]

That video was great.  Worth watching the whole 23 minutes.  Couple of things I noticed...

1. Mike Kinsella got old
2. USC sent 2000 letters to Steve on the same day???? Is that a typical recruiting ploy?

[Gato78]

Mike Kinsella had some very serious health problems about 2 years ago.

[ChicosBailBonds]

LT

MU needed to do well the first year of the Big East.  It was critical, on so many levels.  Steve Novak was the key to that success.  If we would have flopped that year, who knows where we are now...are we a Providence, Seton Hall type...I don't know, but I do know that success was huge and gave further validation to the program.

Without that great inaugural Big East season, do other dominoes happen?  Does Buzz Williams ever become an assistant at MU?  Does Butler, Crowder, or whomever else you named ever come to MU?  Etc.  Local kid that stayed home.  Awesome OFF THE COURT and on the court.  Still in NBA giving MU additional exposure.

Feel free to make your argument, I'm sticking with mine.  We needed to hit a homerun that first year in the Big East, and MU knocked it out of the park....largely on the back of Steve Novak.

A reminder of just how incredible he was, including unanimous All Big East first team.

http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/marquette/steve-novak

[Jay Bee]

Cool. I read about this Steve Novak guy in this year's Indiana basketball media guide.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Cool. I read about this Steve Novak guy in this year's Indiana basketball media guide.

You should, he was recruited to play at Marquette by the coach at IU.  I used to read about Kevin O'Neill and Sean Elliott...did you know KO named his kid after Sean.  WOW.  Read it in a MU media guide even though Sean Elliott never played for MU.  Crazy.  Absolutely insanely crazy. 

Oh, and in the USC media guide, there goes crazy K.O. again...talking about Chris Crawford he coached at Marquette. Amal, Jim, Tony Smith....there's even a picture of him with Bill Cords and some other coach.  Crazy they would do this.

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/usc/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/1112-mg-sec-1.pdf

The NCAA should really come in an clean this stuff up.  I mean, why should a coach be allowed to mention who he has coached at another job.  It's terrible, clearly terrible.

[Sunbelt15]

Greatest shooter in Wisconsin history, possibly United States.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/xQS7olh4NFg" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/xQS7olh4NFg</a>

Stephen Curry is better.

[Jay Bee]

Oh, and in the USC media guide, there goes crazy K.O. again...talking about Chris Crawford he coached at Marquette. Amal, Jim, Tony Smith....there's even a picture of him with Bill Cords and some other coach.  Crazy they would do this.

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/usc/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/1112-mg-sec-1.pdf

The NCAA should really come in an clean this stuff up.  I mean, why should a coach be allowed to mention who he has coached at another job.  It's terrible, clearly terrible.

This is probably why USC KO'd KO.

[ChicosBailBonds]

First video, pretty damn good of how Steve got to where he's at from high school, to MU, to the pros.  His marriage, his son, etc.  Well done. 

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/xQS7olh4NFg" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/xQS7olh4NFg</a>




<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/HrRYN6l6atk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/HrRYN6l6atk</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/cMCHIYd8a6o" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/cMCHIYd8a6o</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/_A3o2Mzm8qU" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/_A3o2Mzm8qU</a>


<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/-cx0D1AP3lE" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/-cx0D1AP3lE</a>

[Skitch]

Mike Kinsella had some very serious health problems about 2 years ago.

Hadn't heard about that. Hope he's doing better these days.

[Lennys Tap]

LT

MU needed to do well the first year of the Big East.  It was critical, on so many levels.  Steve Novak was the key to that success.  If we would have flopped that year, who knows where we are now...are we a Providence, Seton Hall type...I don't know, but I do know that success was huge and gave further validation to the program.

Without that great inaugural Big East season, do other dominoes happen?  Does Buzz Williams ever become an assistant at MU?  Does Butler, Crowder, or whomever else you named ever come to MU?  Etc.  Local kid that stayed home.  Awesome OFF THE COURT and on the court.  Still in NBA giving MU additional exposure.

Feel free to make your argument, I'm sticking with mine.  We needed to hit a homerun that first year in the Big East, and MU knocked it out of the park....largely on the back of Steve Novak.

A reminder of just how incredible he was, including unanimous All Big East first team.

http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/marquette/steve-novak

Steve started for three years at MU. Those years we were a combined 58-35, 25-23 in conference (8-8 and 7-9 in CUSA, 10-6 in the Big East). They were our worst, second worst and fourth worst regular seasons in MU's last 12, and in our third worst regular season we made the Sweet 16. 20-11, 10-6 and a first round loss in the NCAAs may be "hitting it out of the park" for you but not for me.

Steve was a big part of that team, but the idea that without a decent first year in the Big East we might have become Providence is silly. The three amigos were already on campus, so 2005-06 and the next couple of seasons beyond were bright regardless.

Beyond all that, nobody with anything like Steve's skill set has come to MU since he left - so nobody's arrived hoping to be the next SN.

Add it all up and I think it's fair to say that of our stars of the past 15 years Steve was the least important to the program. Doesn't mean he can't be your favorite - he certainly was one of mine.

[MU72491]

@ stone cold
that was an awesome video thanks for posting that