I have given quite a bit of thought over the past week to the state of our program. When we returned to national prominence in the early 2000s, I was so incredibly proud of the program but I always had the feeling that it was a fragile state and could be taken away from us (see 2004 & 2005). During this period and the later Crean years, I both celebrated wins and grieved losses to probably an unhealthy level. Every big game felt like it was either a validation or indictment on our program. When we lost to Tulsa I was devastated. Subsequent tournament losses were also devastating. When Crean jumped shipped, it felt incredibly personal to me. Any sort of setback was a reminder that Marquette was not "big time"...just a small-time program enjoying their 15 minutes of fame.
With eight straight trips to the NCAAs and three consecutive Sweet Sixteens, my mindset has shifted. In fact, it shifted during the late second half of the Davidson game. At about the 3-minute mark, I gave myself an internal eulogy for the season. I thought about how when you go to the NCAAs each year, it is inevitable that some seasons will results in unexpected achievement (2010-11) and others will end prematurely. The important part is to continue to give yourself a chance to play postseason ball and compete for a title.
All that said, I am thrilled that we have a chance to advance to the Final Four tomorrow. While I will be a nervous wreck the whole time, I am confident we have solidified our place amongst the top teams in college basketball. I am proud of our program and know that one game will not define our place in college basketball. I am extremely proud of our team for what they have accomplished and regardless of outcome I will continue to be very bullish on the future MU hoops.
All that said, let's beat the living s#$@ out of the Orange and cut down some nets tomorrow!
