Quote from: JWags85 on Today at 10:39:48 AMThe amused cynic in me says it's a lot of money for a QB who was not good at ALL against Indiana, and struggled very notably against Troy and JMU, the only 2 legit programs they played in the Sun Belt.  He's a solid QB, but he's not Drew Mestemaker

I think UK splashing $4-5MM for a QB is insane, cause they aren't just a good QB away from contending.  However, from Leavitt's perspective, I actually totally get it.

He and his brother (who is his agent and overbearing advisor) are pretty singularly focused on his earning potential and then NFL prospects.  That caused the friction at ASU that allegedly, according to some, lead to Dillingham more or less kicking him off the team.

It isn't just his brother but mainly his father. Leavitt's parents bought a house in East Lansing when he went out to MSU, then when Smith was hired, they refused to even talk to him because Smith didn't offer local boy Leavitt in HS when Smith was at Oregon State. I guarantee his parents refer to Sam as their "investment."

Marquette Basketball
Predictions Update
Jan 5, 2026
•   After losing to UConn 73-57 yesterday, Marquette is now projected to finish the regular season 10-21 (5-15 Big East).
•   We currently rank Marquette as the #98 team in the country, and the #9 team in the Big East.
•   Next game: Wed, Jan 7 vs. #96 Xavier. Our power ratings give the Golden Eagles a 62% chance to win.
Bracketology Projections
Make NCAA Tournament   0%
Get Automatic NCAA Bid   0%
Projected Seed (if Selected) 12

Quote from: Jay Bee on January 01, 2026, 07:56:41 AM#FakeNews #Lies

It did not.

lol it did I checked 45 prior to Marquette game and 46 after Marquette game. It even listed prior day before NET

Quote from: TallTitan34 on Today at 10:23:59 AMThink you missed the joke in this.

I guess so. 

Quote from: GB Warrior on Today at 10:24:44 AMI don't know what to make of Stefanski. He's a really good coach, no doubt about it. Seeing Florio postulate that the Packers would dump MLF for him is mostly clickbait but it's an interesting exercise. It's been years since I think Stefanski has had a CHANCE to be a good coach. But it's been long enough that I wonder if teams will be cautious.

My two close friends that are Browns fans think he's a really good coach, agree that the front office hasn't helped him, but they do feel like he mailed it in the last 2 years and was needlessly stubborn/inflexible. Thought it was blatantly obviously he never wanted nor liked Sanders and managed him very poorly as a result.  They didn't think it was some conspiracy but rather just a stubborn coach preference and misalignment with the front office.

And neither were Sanders fanboys or champions, they just thought Gabriel was terrible with no potential and wanted a realistic look at Sanders in a lost season.  The sentiment was basically "if we saw Stefanski coaching Sanders like he did with Baker early on, it would have been a totally different QB.  Not necessarily a very good one, but something to build on"

So that I think may give some teams pause, not necessarily because of Sanders, but Stefanski being stubborn and apathetic in a tough situation

Quote from: mug644 on Today at 09:33:55 AMThis is where the rubber meets the road--

With the RGV culture (though has that taken a big hit with Zaide leaving and Haynes being suspended) and the purported equity for NIL disbursement, why would 2 or 3 guys leave? Shaka is smart and won't want to have another season next year like this, and is (or better be) able to see the trend the team is on.

I think Shaka forcefully nudges some guys to look for other opportunities, and he will (in his fatherly way) help connect them to programs where they will get playing time. Then, the spin will be that seeing guys move on to places where they can expand their wings and move forward with their b-ball "careers" on a new path is for their Growth, and the Relationship between Coach and player will remain strong.

The next challenge for Shaka will be to let the remaining team know that Victory is as important as Growth (disagree-I think victory is more important), and that he'll be bringing in, via the portal, players that will be expected to contribute immediately.

Then, he'll have to find the right guys, at a cost that MU wants to pay and that doesn't totally blow up the Relationship culture.

None of this will be easy for Shaka (and, thus, there is a part of me that wonders if he might just choose to walk away (agree)), but I just don't see him being so stubborn that, even with the writing on the wall and the external concern about the program, he sticks exclusively with the path he's been on for every year but Year 1.

We shall see.

Thanks for your exceptionally well-worded, rational post. I have not posted on this page since late November because the screaming "discussions"-even by the low bar of scoop standards- were not something I wanted to engage in. Instead, I have relied on "likes" in lieu of posting.

I have italicized one area of disagreement and one comment that I agree is very possible just due to Shaka's nature and depth of his beliefs.

I see RGV as having taken on a life of its own and becoming blinders that have prevented Shaka from being realistic. Shoehorning the word growth into a very brief opportunity to speak after the Valpo game was not a good look, nor was stating "We believe in growth" after the UW fiasco. And I hope that at the end of this season, all the RGV merchandise is shipped off to Marquette Michigan Board of Education free of charge.

Posters who repeatedly reminding scoopers of his past success-#2 seeds, COY, etc.-seem unable to see the disconnect of then and now. It is not a seamless blanket in my opinion. The current version has been Coach Don Quixote, astride his horse Argeevee, in defense of chivalrous basketball. I want Coach Shaka Smart back. Let Argeevee spend his remaining days grazing in a pasture 







 

Jonathan Gannon out in Arizona.
That's a franchise really in need of a reset, but can they find someone to take Kyler off their hands? And with the Raiders and Jets picking in front of them, will there be a QB for them to draft?

Quote from: jesmu84 on Today at 10:35:49 AMDepends how Madden 27 grades Glenn

He'd be their best corner

Amorim sacked by Man U. I can't blame them in totality, but seems wild at a glance when he's gotten them 3 points out of CL qualification after the disaster of last campaign.

So now that he's gone, Maresca left Chelsea (though that was more management disagreement than performance), and Ange getting the boot at Spurs... 3 of Big 6 English clubs have changed managers in 7 months. And Slot is on the hot seat and Pep is rumored to potentially be stepping down at City in the spring.  Even if 1 of those happens, 2/3 of Big 6 managers being replaced within a year is pretty unheard of.

Quote from: mug644 on Today at 10:38:03 AMIf neither Hamilton nor Norman leave after this year, do you really think that just two roster spaces (Zaide's and Sean's--presuming your speculation about him graduating and then no longer using a scholarship plays out) is enough to make a big enough difference after this pathetic season and lack of growth from other players?

That's a big if you got there, given how we're seeing little growth in both the junior and sophomore classes this year.

If they only secure two transfers, those two guys would have to be absolute studs to turn this program around quickly. Like a scoring floor general and dominant athletic big. Would be nice to add as many as four transfers but I won't hold my breath.