Quote from: Galway Eagle on Today at 12:45:51 PMI think this is a great synopsis but it started earlier than you're giving credit for. It started the year prior when Justin caught them off guard (Shakas words) by leaving early and Gregg grad transferred. Rather than get guys he dug his heels in and ran with the young returnees and swept the BE championships. It started spring 2022.

Justin was a surprise, Greg Elliott was not. Staff didn't want him back as evidenced by giving him a send-off at Senior Day that year.

Should this be changed to the doxxing thread?

Quote from: Johnny B on January 14, 2026, 04:41:49 PMIs there Is there an argument these guys should slightly put their foots off the brakes in a season like this? Don't need guys diving head first into the second row for a ball down 20 in a lost season. maybe

I thought the Villanova game at Fiserv was the most active and highest EGB (sorry) level game thus far. Guys really had a spring in their step and Shaka's coaching was energetic as well. Maybe not getting that W and then flying to NY a couple days later took something out of them. Despite the adage that effort should be consistent, these are young human beings who've been taking a ton of flak all season. I want them to learn as much as they can as they go. My Dad was never a coach but he had a great insight about sports. "More players get injured when they are NOT going all-out than when they are."  I would bet the numbers back this up. Think of how many injuries happen during scrub time when the result is inevitable. I hope these guys give everything they've got from here to March.

Suffice to say, Marquette won't get many mentions in these articles this year. However, don't let that rain on the reality that the sport is stronger at the top than it's been in years, the Big East has a shot at 5 bids, and the era of the power conferences squeezing out the little guys is undeniably here. Let's take a look at the first Cracketology of the year:

Marquette-Free Zone

Quote from: Mu8891 on January 14, 2026, 10:22:34 AMBilly - I agree.  MU needs to commit to playing with the big boys.  Do you believe the powers at MU want to do that?

I'm not at all convinced. 

What leads you to believe this?

Quote from: JWags85 on Today at 04:37:26 PMAnother big sports betting scandal...including DePaul!

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/47619154/many-college-players-20-charged-point-shaving-scheme

Best quote from the article...
https://x.com/tom_winter/status/2011827808197067139?s=46

Some of the amounts bet on no name college games are SHOCKING.  Half a million dollar bets on Towson over NCA&T. $425K on the first half line of a Kent St/Buffalo game.

Beyond the absurdity, some of the books had to be in on it, cause what book is taking that action on those games?

Also indicted is former Bulls LEGEND, Antonio Blakeney for fixing CBA games in China. Hence the quote above. As a recovering degenerate who actively bet CBA games in the past cause nothing else was going early in the morning, I'm SHOCKED it took this long.  You had a league with very minimal defense featuring American "stars" who were only there to score tons of points.  You'd regularly see teams score 35-40 points in a quarter with primary scorers draining buckets at will...only to see the same team score 17 points in the second quarter.

I remember watching a former high level Euroleague player, past his prime now playing in the CBA. Absolutely scorching in the first quarter, DeRozan like mid range game burying jumpers or blowing by to the rim if they jumped at him.  2nd quarter, with a lead, suddenly this guy is only shooting 3s, mostly step backs or pull ups no less, with basically no success.  He finished the half with like 25...but had probably 20 in the 1st quarter.  And his team had a narrow leader after leading by 15ish after 1. I'm sure fixing has been going on for years, but it wasn't American based

I watched a CBA game on Sunday evening.  The team playing had Jared Sullinger from OSU and Edmond Sumner from Xavier on it. 

Quote from: willie warrior on Today at 04:30:33 PMYou are wrong. Joy always arises when I read your posts. I found lots of joy in your undying support of Wojo, as I am finding joy in your undying support of Shaka. Spread the joy, I embrace it. I also find joy in your expert psychological analysis. I try to find joy in this season's journey. You should try to be objective. You might get joy from it.

I am here to bring joy. 

Mistakes are made.  Doesn't mean things cannot be corrected.

So bet DePaul on Friday.....

Highly motivated as a school to "cover".....

And we are a $hit show.....

Quote from: willie warrior on Today at 04:01:33 PMLots of good thoughts and comments above. This has convinced me that MU needs immediately give Shaka a 5 year extension to see if his perceived pivot to the portal blended with his perceived pivot to a different NIL and agent philosophy will work out.

I think he should get a lifetime extension