It's truly remarkable. The love these guys have for him, each other, and vice versa is an absolute joy to watch. Obviously we have bigger fish to fry but what a phenomenal regular season this has been. I think this is my favorite MU team ever and I believe this is just the beginning. We can sustain greatness in Milwaukee with Shaka leading the way. #Resurgence
Muggsy
MU basketball is fxxkin back!!
It is stunning that in year 2 Shaka and team accomplish what they did so far! Marquette basketball is super-exciting again, and getting lots of national attention. Wow!
The day he was hired was the day MU basketball was ready to return to glory. We ain't see nothing yet.
Quote from: Goose on March 11, 2023, 08:07:02 PM
The day he was hired was the day MU basketball was ready to return to glory. We ain't see nothing yet.
Goose:
When the announcer says before the game that top recruits should want to go play for Shaka , you know the Coach has changed everything .
As I said, it is an absolutely perfect match. He's doing it the way he wants, and it's only year two!!!!
Herman
I believed to my core that this hire changed everything at MU. Last year I said I could recruit for this team and the job has gotten easier. There will be no shortage of talent on Wisconsin Ave moving forward.
Quote from: Goose on March 11, 2023, 08:01:03 PM
Muggsy
MU basketball is fxxkin back!!
DAMN STRAIGHT. Aint it great Goose -- like the old days!!!!
Smart was not my first choice to replace Wojo (2d or 3d). I was wrong. I apologize.
What a remarkable, unexpected, absolute gift of a season.
Thank you, Shaka, and the players.
Quote from: warriorfred on March 11, 2023, 08:14:55 PM
Smart was not my first choice to replace Wojo (2d or 3d). I was wrong. I apologize.
You're good. We all can enjoy.
Thank you Coach Smart. Thank you.
We've got our Jay Wright.
This team has a brilliant offense that is really tough to plan for, but the defensive identity that Shaka has instilled is beyond underrated.
Both tonight and last night, I found myself saying "holy sh**" out loud watching the rotations and scrambles and covers on the perimeter. To a man, they all move in harmony.
Nudge, Boum, and Jones average 47 a game combined, all shoot 40%+ from 3. After all 3 averaged around 20 each while scoring 89 against DePaul and 82 while dismantling Creighton, MU held them to 17 combined and 0-9 for, deep. This was sublime.
Al created the program, KO saved it, Shaka feels he's well on the way to being the architect of the new Golden era for it.
Anyone that thinks Shaka Smart isn't a good basketball coach doesn't know 🏀
Shaka is bringing in the Herb Brooks philosophy.
He doesn't need the BEST players, he wants the RIGHT ones.
Rico
There are a lot fewer members on that group than two years ago. The eye test is great way to learn.
Yes! Exactly Muggs. It would drive me nuts when Marquette would fart around with hiring assistant coaches with no proven track record. They either had some success and then left MU or stunk like Woj. Regardless, hiring these types always put Marquette in a no win situation long term. Every 5 years or so the program always started over. There was no continuity and no long term culture that was connected.
That last time we had that continuity of culture was Al, Hank, & Rick. But as we know, the facilities sucked in the 1980's and half of the 1990's and that placed a stranglehold on the program.
However, after Crean there are no excuses. I cringed at the Buzz Williams hire (the guy is scum) and the Woj hire (Mr. No personality with no head coaching track record).
Shaka has changed things at Marquette. They finally have a guy who can coach with the bonus of having a big name in college basketball. This hasn't happened at MU in a long long time.
Hopefully MU will be smart and realize how rare it is to have a coach like Smart.
Congrats to the players, program, entire University, and the fans on this incredible championship!!!
II think what Donny Marshall stated before the game was quite prescient. Kids are going to want to come to Marquette and play for Shaka.
Shake is the real deal and I hate that expression. He's actually not just what Marquette needs, he's what the NCAA needs. He's something else.
Quote from: Uncle Rico on March 11, 2023, 08:18:13 PM
Anyone that thinks Shaka Smart isn't a good basketball coach doesn't know 🏀
Or lives in Madison/Storrs
Quote from: DavidBoone2inchesTaller on March 11, 2023, 08:22:24 PM
Yes! Exactly Muggs. It would drive me nuts when Marquette would fart around with hiring assistant coaches with no proven track record. They either had some success and then left MU or stunk like Woj. Regardless, hiring these types always put Marquette in a no win situation long term. Every 5 years or so the program always started over. There was no continuity and no long term culture that was connected.
That last time we had that continuity of culture was Al, Hank, & Rick. But as we know, the facilities sucked in the 1980's and half of the 1990's and that placed a stranglehold on the program.
However, after Crean there are no excuses. I cringed at the Buzz Williams hire (the guy is scum) and the Woj hire (Mr. No personality with no head coaching track record).
Shaka has changed things at Marquette. They finally have a guy who can coach with the bonus of having a big name in college basketball. This hasn't happened at MU in a long long time.
Hopefully MU will be smart and realize how rare it is to have a coach like Smart.
Congrats to the players, program, entire University, and the fans on this incredible championship!!!
Great to hear from you DB2!!!! I hope all is well!
Quote from: JWags85 on March 11, 2023, 08:26:17 PM
Or lives in Madison/Storrs
The "smart" Madison residents hated the hire because they knew
DB+2 and PRN in the same thread!
Match made in heaven. Great leadership and terrific kids representing the program.
Kudos to MU admin (specifically Lovell and Scholl) for hitting a GRAND SLAM.
Quote from: MuggsyB on March 11, 2023, 08:26:22 PM
Great to hear from you DB2!!!! I hope all is well!
All is wonderful Muggs! Life is great. How about you?
Quote from: JWags85 on March 11, 2023, 08:17:27 PM
Al created the program, KO saved it, Shaka feels he's well on the way to being the architect of the new Golden era for it.
Very well said. :-)
Quote from: Uncle Rico on March 11, 2023, 08:26:59 PM
The "smart" Madison residents hated the hire because they knew
Exactly. Anyone that hates Marquette and knows basketball knew the Smart hire was going to be a major problem for them.
When it's all said and done, I believe Shaka will be a hall of fame coach, and I think he believes it, too. And Marquette will be his magnum opus.
Probably been shared already, but a cool video from Fanta a few months back with some foreshadowing at the end.
https://twitter.com/John_Fanta/status/1634694108626165760?t=yxmUQhIvNGB8i5QjlCxtCg&s=19
Quote from: DavidBoone2inchesTaller on March 11, 2023, 08:31:45 PM
All is wonderful Muggs! Life is great. How about you?
I'm hanging in there! MU HOOPS IS BACK!!! :)
Just getting started ladies and gents. No finish line.
I love this effen team.
Believe!
Feels so damn good
(https://bronxpinstripes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/giphy-1.gif)
Quote from: lostpassword on March 11, 2023, 11:58:35 PM
(https://bronxpinstripes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/giphy-1.gif)
This, a thousand times this.
Quote from: TAMU, Knower of Ball on March 11, 2023, 10:21:16 PM
Just getting started ladies and gents. No finish line.
No.F'ing. finishline.
Quote from: DavidBoone2inchesTaller on March 11, 2023, 08:22:24 PM
Yes! Exactly Muggs. It would drive me nuts when Marquette would fart around with hiring assistant coaches with no proven track record. They either had some success and then left MU or stunk like Woj. Regardless, hiring these types always put Marquette in a no win situation long term. Every 5 years or so the program always started over. There was no continuity and no long term culture that was connected.
That last time we had that continuity of culture was Al, Hank, & Rick. But as we know, the facilities sucked in the 1980's and half of the 1990's and that placed a stranglehold on the program.
However, after Crean there are no excuses. I cringed at the Buzz Williams hire (the guy is scum) and the Woj hire (Mr. No personality with no head coaching track record).
Shaka has changed things at Marquette. They finally have a guy who can coach with the bonus of having a big name in college basketball. This hasn't happened at MU in a long long time.
Hopefully MU will be smart and realize how rare it is to have a coach like Smart.
Congrats to the players, program, entire University, and the fans on this incredible championship!!!
Absolutely right. Whatever MU is paying Shaka, after the season, back up the truck,
Reward him with a nice extension.
Loved this last question at the post game presser. Sounds like Shaka is here for a while.
https://m.youtube.com/live/IchUJNAAWPA?feature=share&t=39m57s
Quote from: willie warrior on March 12, 2023, 07:17:19 AM
Absolutely right. Whatever MU is paying Shaka, after the season, back up the truck,
Reward him with a nice extension.
Lifetime contract...
I essentially said this repeatedly the last 3-4 years before Shaka came to Milwaukee: Culture matters. Team identity matters. Leadership and sacrifice from top to bottom matters. Within two years Shaka has established an identity and culture back to Marquette basketball. It's absolutely beautiful to see and is reverberating throughout the city of Milwaukee and very soon the entire nation. :)
Brothers and Sisters:
Let's give thanks where thanks is deserved:
Hook 'em Horns!
We ended up with Coach Shaka because the University of Texas was, frankly, stupid. They drove him off the ranch and into our hands because of one bad game. They somehow thought they'd be better with a guy who no longer coaches for them... Chris Beard.
There's going to be bad games at Marquette too. Over Coach Shaka's time with us, I promise you we're going to lose when we shouldn't and be disappointed. But while we may criticize, we don't chase excellence away at Marquette.
So as you wake up this glorious Sunday, let's be thankful the folks who wear burnt orange and white are just a bit on the dumb side!
Whether it's through boosters or university coffers or some combination of numerous fund sources, Marquette really does need to find a boatload of $$$ to extend Shaka's contract and those of his assistants.
As we all know, extensions don't mean all that much in big-time college sports because if a coach really wants out of his contract he'll find a way out (and if a university wants out, it also will find a way). But Shaka seems dedicated long-term to Marquette, and he knows the grass isn't greener. So it's time to make his bank account a little greener.
It's also a great message to send to recruits: Shaka Smart = Marquette Basketball and Marquette Basketball = Shaka Smart.
Quote from: MU82 on March 12, 2023, 08:02:02 AM
Whether it's through boosters or university coffers or some combination of numerous fund sources, Marquette really does need to find a boatload of $$$ to extend Shaka's contract and those of his assistants.
As we all know, extensions don't mean all that much in big-time college sports because if a coach really wants out of his contract he'll find a way out (and if a university wants out, it also will find a way). But Shaka seems dedicated long-term to Marquette, and he knows the grass isn't greener. So it's time to make his bank account a little greener.
It's also a great message to send to recruits: Shaka Smart = Marquette Basketball and Marquette Basketball = Shaka Smart.
Damn straight!
82
Money is the least of my concerns for the basketball program. My only concern today, I have a large limb that broke off in the snowstorm on Friday and need to do cleanup today.
Quote from: Goose on March 12, 2023, 08:21:09 AM
82
Money is the least of my concerns for the basketball program. My only concern today, I have a large limb that broke off in the snowstorm on Friday and need to do cleanup today.
Goose, giving your right arm for a BET championship is well worth it.
Dr. B
We are all connected at the hip and whatever it takes. Three more weeks to go!!!