4. Which bandwagon is worth hopping a ride on?
Experiencing Marquette begins long before the whistle blows. It might begin with the garden gnome dubbed "Little Nugget" who watches over the team from the bench, always looking at the goal the team is shooting at. On a cold postseason day, it might be the sight of coach Markus Roeders wearing shorts. Not soccer shorts, mind you, just regular, khaki shorts.
Superstition dictates he continue wearing the shorts; plus, as he puts it, he's "warm by nature."
It's a little left of normal, but what else would you expect from someone who grew up with parents who were puppeteers from the German version of Sesame Street?
"It was probably a little bit of different type of upbringing," Roeders conceded after recalling a childhood meeting with Kermit Love, the late American puppeteer who created Big Bird.
Or as the clock ticks toward kickoff, it might be the team's penchant for dancing that catches your eye. Stretching, waiting in line for a drill, standing on the sideline, it really doesn't matter; if there is music playing -- and at times it feels like even that might be optional -- Marquette will be dancing.
On a roster with three sets of actual sisters, the sense of family is not just genetic.
"Enjoy the moment," Roeders said of his philosophy. "Work hard at what we do now, but down the road, what you're going to remember more than anything is not the result, not that certain game; you're going to remember what you went through and the people you had next to you. The tears and the joy that you had along the way, you're going to remember that a lot more. So in some ways, it's a lot like a family. We do so much together, and we stress that."
Lest you worry about the actual game, Marquette has plenty to offer beyond good vibes. With its unique 3-5-2 formation, the Warriors pose a tactical challenge for opponents.
"It's really all based on supporting angles and getting players back behind the ball," Roeders said of a system his team used to allow just 12 goals in 22 games this season. "I think it's just, in some ways, our unique style and system which is a little bit different."
From gnomes to puppeteers to a rotation of players that goes almost 20 deep, Marquette is itself a little bit different.
"We have some odd quirks, just like every family, so to speak," Roeders said.
The fun continues Friday against host Dayton in the first round.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/columns/story?columnist=hays_graham&id=4640285Unfortunately, no home game for the team as they travel to face an undefeated Dayton squad.
