Revival of Marquette, Notre Dame basketball rivalry a long shot
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/goldeneagles/revival-of-marquette-notre-dame-basketball-rivalry-a-long-shot-b99348932z1-274690191.html
When Bill Scholl was an undergraduate at Notre Dame, the Fighting Irish were inhabitants in the basketball stone age of no conference affiliation.
Later, as an executive in the department of athletics, Scholl saw the basketball program transition into the Big East, starting with the 1995-'96 season. Now, the Irish are to start their second season in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Also roaming the prehistoric plains of basketball independence in the late 1970s was Marquette, where on Tuesday, Scholl was announced as new vice president and director of athletics.
Scholl, a 1979 graduate of Notre Dame, fondly recalled the battles his school had with Marquette in those years, when Digger Phelps guided the Golden Domers.
"I thought it was a tremendous rivalry," Scholl said. "We had a handful of rivalries; DePaul was another one. But Marquette and UCLA were far and away the two rivalries the students just embraced completely.
"It was a blast," Scholl said. "And what was really cool was that there was always a good group of Marquette students who would come to South Bend. So whether it was South Bend or Milwaukee, it was always a heated confrontation that, for the most part, was played under the rules of good sportsmanship. Not always, but mostly."
But Scholl understands more than most how business trumps sentiment and new conference alliances eclipse old reliable rivalries in college basketball.
"I always hate to see the rivalries go away, because I think they are an important part about what our industry is all about," Scholl said. "But I also understand the realities of it. I've been in those AD shoes trying to schedule games and it just gets really complicated.
"Would I be interested in playing them?" Scholl said about Notre Dame. "I would have to talk with coach (Steve Wojciechowski). I have no idea what his interests might be. I'm guessing he has a scheduling philosophy that he adheres to. I want to learn what that is. We have not had that conversation.
"If it led to that, it would be a lot of fun. But it would be a hard one only because (Irish coach) Mike Brey is a very close friend....But the fans would love it."
The last time Maquette played Notre Dame was in the 2013 Big East tournament.
'Exciting' time for Wojo
On the same day Marquette introduced its new athletic director, it released the school's 2014-'15 basketball schedule.
"It's exciting," said first-year head coach Wojciechowski. "It makes it even more real. We've been working like crazy since April 1. But to see the actual schedule come out and be able to look at it, start to study it in great detail is something that we are very excited to have the opportunity to do.
"To compete in the Big East — growing up on the East Coast, watching the great games and rivalries — to have the opportunity to lead Marquette against some of those great schools is a dream come true."
Friends in high places
In a feature about Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh in the current issue of ESPN The Magazine, the story mentions the high-powered businessmen who have befriended Suh, including billionaire investor Warren Buffett and the chief financial officer of TD Ameritrade, William Gerber.
Included in that group is Junior Bridgeman, the former Bucks guard/forward, who owns a slew of Wendy's restaurants.
Suh met Bridgeman at the Kentucky Derby.
Bridgeman made a prediction about Suh's prospects after his NFL career ends.
"If he's not successful, I'll be shocked," Bridgeman told the magazine.
Also mentioned in the story, Suh's mother, Bernadette, tried after the Thanksgiving Day game in 2011 to ask her son about his stomping of Green Bay's Evan Dietrich-Smith. He did not want to talk about it.
"He knows better," Bernadette says about the incident. "It was just an impulsive decision."
Schilling returns to work
ESPN baseball analyst Curt Schilling is scheduled to return to work during the 9 p.m. edition Thursday of "Baseball Tonight" on ESPN2.
Schilling has been away from work for eight months after being diagnosed with mouth cancer. Schilling, 47, said he has been in remission since June. He said he has lost 80 pounds.
"Mentally, physically, the most difficult eight months of my life," Schilling said in an interview with ESPN's KarlRavech. "Certainly the most painful."
Schilling joined ESPN as an analyst in 2010. Last winter, he was added to the crew of "Sunday Night Baseball." He will join that show when he gets more comfortable, the network said.
"The challenging part is, much like the company I ran, this is my fault," Schilling told Ravech. "I chewed tobacco for thirtysomething years. I was warned and warned year after year, and I didn't pay attention."
I can understand. Where would MU have room to squeeze ND into its murderers row of elite non-conference opponents? ::)
Notre Dame has no interest in playing us . We compete with them for many of the same kids and we can beat them. I think they would prefer to keep Depaul on the schedule . Guaranteed win and exposure in Chicago.
You may be right. Do you think DePaul realizes how much their Chicago location has aided them? It's the reason they got in the Big East. It's the reason they got to stay in the Big East. It's the reason elite opponents are interested in playing them.
Location. Location. Location.
Quote from: Groin_pull on September 26, 2014, 09:34:22 AM
You may be right. Do you think DePaul realizes how much their Chicago location has aided them? It's the reason they got in the Big East. It's the reason they got to stay in the Big East. It's the reason elite opponents are interested in playing them.
Location. Location. Location.
+1
If Ray Meyer went to Depauw in Greencastle Indiana and the exact thing unfolded after he left. They would be in the Horizon League today awaiting a big showdown with Loyola.
Quote from: Heisenberg ELLENSON on September 26, 2014, 12:14:47 PM
+1
If Ray Meyer went to Depauw in Greencastle Indiana and the exact thing unfolded after he left. They would be in the Horizon League today awaiting a big showdown with Loyola.
Actually, Loyola is now in the Missouri Valley. They replaced Creighton. However, that fact proves the point, as Loyola hoops has done nothing since 1963.
Quote from: RJax55 on September 26, 2014, 12:33:20 PM
Actually, Loyola is now in the Missouri Valley. They replaced Creighton. However, that fact proves the point, as Loyola hoops has done nothing since 1963.
They have A sweet 16 in the 80s! But seriously I agree
Quote from: RJax55 on September 26, 2014, 12:33:20 PM
Actually, Loyola is now in the Missouri Valley. They replaced Creighton. However, that fact proves the point, as Loyola hoops has done nothing since 1963.
They're waiting for the rest of the state to catch up on national titles.
Quote from: Texas Western Ellenson on September 26, 2014, 12:01:43 AM
Notre Dame has no interest in playing us . We compete with them for many of the same kids and we can beat them. I think they would prefer to keep Depaul on the schedule . Guaranteed win and exposure in Chicago.
Notre Dame gets plenty of exposure in Chicago without Depaul's help. ND is covered like they are a local team.
This is a shame because ND is the game I always looked forward to most, with Wisconsin a fairly close second.
Brey's chickenpoop attitude just gives me more fuel to root for my favorite college football team: Whoever is playing the Irish any given week!
In my opinion, the rivalry will take a hiatus for a few years before they play each other again. The rivalry is older than just the Big East days. It goes back to the McGuire-Phelps eras. We now have an AD that comes from ND (again), which should only help the possibility about a scheduling agreement. It makes too much sense not to happen.
Georgetown and Syracuse are continuing their rivalry. Providence and Connecticut are continuing theirs. It will happen sooner or later.
...but if it doesn't, I wouldn't mind seeing Louisville again.
Regional rivalries are too rich in tradition and sponsorships to go away permanently.
The title is deceiving. MU and ND will play sooner rather than later.
Quote from: MUfan12 on September 26, 2014, 03:03:56 PM
The title is deceiving. MU and ND will play sooner rather than later.
If you have actual insider knowledge, please share.
If you're just guessing, welcome to the club.
Quote from: RJax55 on September 26, 2014, 12:33:20 PM
Actually, Loyola is now in the Missouri Valley. They replaced Creighton. However, that fact proves the point, as Loyola hoops has done nothing since 1963.
Quote from: BagpipingBoxer on September 26, 2014, 12:56:38 PM
They have A sweet 16 in the 80s! But seriously I agree
Loyola was actually out-recruiting Marquette for players in Chicago area in the '80's. Joe Daughrity, Alfredrick Hughes, Carl Golston, Gerald Hayward, and Keith Gailes to name a few.
Quote from: GoldenWarrior11 on September 26, 2014, 02:09:34 PM
In my opinion, the rivalry will take a hiatus for a few years before they play each other again. The rivalry is older than just the Big East days. It goes back to the McGuire-Phelps eras. We now have an AD that comes from ND (again), which should only help the possibility about a scheduling agreement. It makes too much sense not to happen.
Georgetown and Syracuse are continuing their rivalry. Providence and Connecticut are continuing theirs. It will happen sooner or later.
...but if it doesn't, I wouldn't mind seeing Louisville again.
There was a time in the 70's (and '80's?) when Marquette, Notre Dame, DePaul, and (gulp) Dayton were known as the "four independents" and they played a round robin schedule against each other every year.
Quote from: LittleEllenson on September 26, 2014, 07:23:05 PM
Loyola was actually out-recruiting Marquette for players in Chicago area in the '80's. Joe Daughrity, Alfredrick Hughes, Carl Golston, Gerald Hayward, and Keith Gailes to name a few.
And yet with all of that they had a grand total of an NIT appearance and sweet 16 in the 80s. Out recruit us all they want they did less than we did and we were pretty bad.
Quote from: LittleEllenson on September 26, 2014, 07:27:07 PM
There was a time in the 70's (and '80's?) when Marquette, Notre Dame, DePaul, and (gulp) Dayton were known as the "four independents" and they played a round robin schedule against each other every year.
ABD
Quote from: TallEllenson34 on September 27, 2014, 01:00:32 PM
ABD
Bring back Dayton. So we have a scouting report on them when they join the Big East.
Add me in the UL category; would almost rather play them every year going forward than ND.
Quote from: tower912 on September 27, 2014, 01:07:33 PM
Bring back Dayton. So we have a scouting report on them when they join the Big East.
...not enough... hand sanitizer.... after reading this...
First off, this is a mistake on Notre Dame's fault not to play us.
They have the ACC and I know that North Carolina and Duke will be big draws. But beyond those two teams, who cares? Unless Virginia or NC State, or maybe Georgia Tech are contending for the ACC title and ranked in the Top 10, I suspect the interest will be on par with Notre Dame playing, say, Butler, Cincinnati or Memphis State.
Bring us in and you're assured a stronger television audience (because we will be Top 10!), a good rivalry with lots of emotion and lots of ancillary benefits. If it is about TV, we will draw a better audience for Fox and ESPN than Detroit Mercy and if it is about butts in seats, we'll fill both their place and our's.
Second Notre Dame is cowardly. Pure and simple. They know their ACC record will be on par with that of the Hillbilly and they'll be fighting the Hillbilly for a warm concrete spot in the basement. Why would they want another loss?
Third, Notre Dame is running away from its Catholicism. That's the only logical inference from failure to play us. Unless they think we're heratics!
Brey was the lead recruiter for Wojo when Wojo was at Gibbons in Baltimore: http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/10239447/notre-dame-coach-mike-brey-seeing-old-faces-irish-head-acc
It would be an interesting matchup, to be sure.
Quote from: Eye on September 28, 2014, 06:33:01 AM
Add me in the UL category; would almost rather play them every year going forward than ND.
You're a big fan of having an L on the schedule most years I see. With our 3-11 record against UL since 2004 (with many crushing, heartbreaking losses) I'll be happy to never see them again.
MU against UL since 2004
2/3/13 L 51-70
3/8/12 L 71-84
1/16/12 W 74-63
3/10/11 L 56-81
1/15/11 L 70-71
3/2/10 W 69-48
3/1/09 L 58-62
2/4/08 L 57-71
1/17/08 L 51-71
2/17/07 L 59-61
1/15/07 W 74-65
3/1/06 L 60-67
2/17/05 L 61-64
1/26/05 L 52-99
3/6/04 W 81-80
1/31/04 W 77-70
So 96-03 when MU was 11-6 against UL don't count?
I also remember Hutchins in 96, Crawford hitting a 30-footer to beat the shot clock and Lovette not missing a FT in 97, Wardle in 98, Dameon Mason, Diener going off, Novak going off and DJO's tip dunk.
Does MU get better in the big picture playing UL or ND every year? If MU is at the one point where fear of a non-conference loss is an issue, they've got bigger issues.
Quote from: Eye on September 29, 2014, 03:48:38 PM
So 96-03 when MU was 11-6 against UL don't count?
I also remember Hutchins in 96, Crawford hitting a 30-footer to beat the shot clock and Lovette not missing a FT in 97, Wardle in 98, Dameon Mason, Diener going off, Novak going off and DJO's tip dunk.
Does MU get better in the big picture playing UL or ND every year? If MU is at the one point where fear of a non-conference loss is an issue, they've got bigger issues.
We should schedule solid opponents where a non-con loss is a possibility. But they have our number, why not accept it and move on now that they have left our conference? We mean nothing to them - it's not like they consider us a major rival or anything. In terms of MU's rivals we're closer to being their UWM than their Madison. '96-'03 was a long time ago and both schools were in a very different place. I would imagine that '05-'12 is a more representative sample.
But if they want to schedule UL then more power to Wojo and company.