Per Micah Parsons, Hafley is staying. Please get some cornerback help.

Quote from: MU82 on January 12, 2026, 11:52:49 AMAnd yet ...

Gold is still by far the team's best interior defender.

This is undoubtedly true, but does it really make a difference if we finish 2-18 or 4-16 in the Big East?  At this point our whole season is the Big East tournament.  What happens between now and then doesn't matter a whole bunch.  Let Gold sit until he's at least 90% and get the other guys experience and see if you have anything. 

Quote from: MU82 on January 12, 2026, 12:17:47 PMHe's kind of the Weasels' Kevin O'Neill in that he "saved" basketball at the school. Except Bennett's results were much better.

were they "much better," outside of the final four run? In five years, KO got us to two tourneys with one Sweet 16 run, a NIT bid (out of a mid-major conference), and our first-ever conference championship while making a jump from the MCC to the GMC (which put two teams in the Elite Eight in its first year of existence).

Quote from: Dish on January 12, 2026, 11:54:30 AMThe lazy narrative that will exist all offseason is that the Bears will be next year's Washington. (I'm not saying Wades is being lazy here, I'm saying it'll be beaten to death by a lot of people).

Washington's roster is the oldest in the league and they traded a fair amount of draft capital for three veterans (Latimore, Tunsil, Samuel). They have a QB that coming into the league had red flags for his physical frame and has missed a lot of time. Their skill players on offense relied so heavily on McLaurin, and when he is injured and out, they really lack weapons. On defense, the Commanders let some productive players leave in free agency and relied on guys like Wagner (who clearly doesn't have it anymore).

Fully expect the Bears turnover rate to change next season and they will have a ton of questions to address on defense. Offensively, their skill players depth is significantly better than Washington's. Loveland/Odunze/Burden/Monagai would all be upgrades to Washington.

Agreed there's zero guarantees for the Bears to make the playoffs next season. A couple of injuries, defense not getting upgraded, tougher schedule would/will cause issues.

Fully expect the turnover luck to regress, but at some point the way Allen coaches, you make your own luck.

I am not sure how the defense could be any worse, so that's a great thing for that team.

Despite a lot of games missed, they also were pretty fortunate in terms of EPA lost to injury.

All of this is to say, who knows, but I'd feel really good if I were a Bears fan.

The only thing that really matters is whether Caleb makes down-to-down strides where he is still average.

Just saying it is queer and out of place.
Like an unattended package in an airport.  Maybe 999 out of 1000 it is a package just forgotten behind.

Quote from: tower912 on January 12, 2026, 07:30:34 AMNeither team has met preseason expectations.  If I bet, I would bet on the home team.  NJ gets a homecoming.  Hopefully, the stomach big has exited.  Opportunities abound.

Agree, but please identify the scooper you are referring to as the big stomach. There are probably too many here for anything other than a wild guess. And why should he exit?

Love your optimism, even though I have to admit that I often do not share it.  

Things can change in a hurry in the NFL, even if you're a young team that appears set up for long-term success - remember when the Bengals were going to replace the Chiefs as the AFC's top dog and Arrowhead was Burrowhead? - but there's no use fretting about it now if you're a Bears fan.

Quote from: MU82 on January 12, 2026, 12:15:49 PMAnd yet ... this extremely flawed version of Marquette basketball needs him on the court to win because he is the only interior defender capable of defending the interior.

 

Im very glad that he had a "stellar" game against Xavier to push us to 6-10. We should hang a banner.

Quote from: Billy Hoyle on January 12, 2026, 08:32:26 AMHe took over a program with no history of success and was still playing in the dilapidated Fieldhouse. They hadn't finished with a winning record in the Big Ten in 23 years.  He ushered in the modern era of Badger hoops, which is why I put him at #2. It did seem like he coached longer than six years at Madison.

I remember going to my first game at the Kohl Center in 1998 and laughing about the complete lack of banners in the rafters.  Forget titles, they had only been to the tourny once since 1947.

He's kind of the Weasels' Kevin O'Neill in that he "saved" basketball at the school. Except Bennett's results were much better.

Quote from: #UnleashMalik on January 12, 2026, 11:57:12 AMIn Big east play hes shooting 1-23 from 3's. Against the P5 + Big east hes shooting hes 9-49. Had a big jump against Maryland where he went 4-10.

Without looking it up, probably worse then Derrick Wilson.

Edit: Derrick went 9-39 in his senior year. So probably worse than Derrick.

And yet ... this extremely flawed version of Marquette basketball needs him on the court to win because he is the only interior defender capable of defending the interior.