Dana O'Neil feature on Buzz on ESPN.com

[keefe]

Yup...he's done great...of course he isn't here without '03 or without Crean...he's coaching somewhere else not named MU.  How many of our players that we have landed in the last 10 years have mentioned Dwade as one of the reasons for coming to MU?  80%? 

Bar None, the single most important thing to happen to MU basketball in the last 20 if not 30 years was Wade and the Final Four.  Period.  Without that event, unlikely the events that follow are at the same level.  Certainly, Brent Williams isn't at MU.

Because history is a journey that continues to be written I would say the single most important event of Marquette hoops in the past 30 years was the day Tanned Tommy left for Bloomington. Buzz Williams is the legacy of that moment and he has only just begun to write his apologue.   

[Lennys Tap]

In the last four years, maybe 2.

Must have been 150% of the guys in the previous 6 years. LOL.

[keefe]

Must have been 150% of the guys in the previous 6 years. LOL.

Is that with or without Manchild Matthews?

[keefe]

Yup...he's done great...of course he isn't here without '03 or without Crean...he's coaching somewhere else not named MU.  How many of our players that we have landed in the last 10 years have mentioned Dwade as one of the reasons for coming to MU?  80%? 

Bar None, the single most important thing to happen to MU basketball in the last 20 if not 30 years was Wade and the Final Four.  Period.  Without that event, unlikely the events that follow are at the same level.  Certainly, Brent Williams isn't at MU.

[Dr. Blackheart]

There are seminal moments for many programs, turning point moments.  Some are subtle like a hire (Coach K. at Duke), some are based on an epic moment or moments that people of all walks remember (Laetner shot, Valvano running around, USA beating Russia, Gibson home run).

For MU, that seminal moment used to be Al McGuire crying on the sidelines as we won the championship along with sustained top 10 teams over the long haul in an era where only 5 to 10 teams were dominant (MU, UCLA, IU, UK, UNC, NC State, UL, Syracuse, Penn).  That was a long time ago, and in an era when there were only 3 networks, no ESPN, no internet, etc.  We are fortunate enough to have been able to get to the well a second time and have another major seminal moment for the program with a player that continues to perform with a MU attachment.  It's going to be a bummer when Wade retires, need to ride that horse as long as we can.


Incidentally, to put things in perspective, folks may not know but we have only finished in the top 20 one time in a decade for winning percentage in our history...the decade of the 1970's.  Even the current decade, we are not in the top 20.

I think you meant crowning moment....the seminal moment for Marquette was when Al and George Thompson beat the Racist Rupp in Madison or when Gary Brell cut down the NIT nets with a switchblade or when Al supported but didn't agree with Goose in regards to his stance on the Vietnam War and the National Anthem...or when Al acted as Jim Chones agent when he left MU at season's end so his mom could feed her kids.

You see Chicos, here is the problem with your position with Crean, it was only about the F4 and him, not about the Warrior brand.  Buzz gets that as seen by the recognition of George by the university, versus Crean who used his position to "unretire" #24 because he badmouthed him during play-by-play.

In reality, it is not how you enter a room, it is how you leave it.  Crean deserves his due, but he will never get it, and he has no one to blame but his ego and how he left the room.

[keefe]

I think you meant crowning moment....the seminal moment for Marquette was when Al and George Thompson beat the Racist Rupp in Madison or when Gary Brell cut down the NIT nets with a switchblade or when Al supported but didn't agree with Goose in regards to his stance on the Vietnam War and the National Anthem...or when Al acted as Jim Chones agent when he left MU at season's end so his mom could feed her kids.

You see Chicos, here is the problem with your position with Crean, it was only about the F4 and him, not about the Warrior brand.  Buzz gets that as seen by the recognition of George by the university, versus Crean who used his position to "unretire" #24 because he badmouthed him during play-by-play.

In reality, it is not how you enter a room, it is how you leave it.  Crean deserves his due, but he will never get it, and he has no one to blame but his ego and how he left the room.

[4everwarriors]

Evil hits it outta the park 'cept the climax for MU continues from April 1, 2008 forward as the Mofo left the room and the building. The dude just isn't made from the right fabric or cut from a fine piece of cloth.

[Lennys Tap]

I think you meant crowning moment....the seminal moment for Marquette was when Al and George Thompson beat the Racist Rupp in Madison or when Gary Brell cut down the NIT nets with a switchblade or when Al supported but didn't agree with Goose in regards to his stance on the Vietnam War and the National Anthem...or when Al acted as Jim Chones agent when he left MU at season's end so his mom could feed her kids.

You see Chicos, here is the problem with your position with Crean, it was only about the F4 and him, not about the Warrior brand.  Buzz gets that as seen by the recognition of George by the university, versus Crean who used his position to "unretire" #24 because he badmouthed him during play-by-play.

In reality, it is not how you enter a room, it is how you leave it.  Crean deserves his due, but he will never get it, and he has no one to blame but his ego and how he left the room.

+ several billion. Seminal moments are ones that define a program. You've selected some excellent ones during Al's tenure, my favorite being that modern day good vs evil win vs Kentucky (the photo of GT with his arms raised as the clock strikes midnight for the Baron of Bigotry is the best ever). If there was a seminal moment in the championship season it probably was the fistfight between Al and Bernard Toone at halftime of that 1st (or was it 2nd?) round tournament game.

Crean had a once in a lifetime player, one magical season and eight that ranged from mediocre to very good. No seminal moment, though, unless it's how he left town.

[LloydMooresLegs]

I think you meant crowning moment....the seminal moment for Marquette was when Al and George Thompson beat the Racist Rupp in Madison or when Gary Brell cut down the NIT nets with a switchblade or when Al supported but didn't agree with Goose in regards to his stance on the Vietnam War and the National Anthem...or when Al acted as Jim Chones agent when he left MU at season's end so his mom could feed her kids.

You see Chicos, here is the problem with your position with Crean, it was only about the F4 and him, not about the Warrior brand.  Buzz gets that as seen by the recognition of George by the university, versus Crean who used his position to "unretire" #24 because he badmouthed him during play-by-play.

In reality, it is not how you enter a room, it is how you leave it.  Crean deserves his due, but he will never get it, and he has no one to blame but his ego and how he left the room.

Most succinct and persuasive argument on this issue to date.  Well done.

[MUfan12]

+ several billion. Seminal moments are ones that define a program. You've selected some excellent ones during Al's tenure, my favorite being that modern day good vs evil win vs Kentucky (the photo of GT with his arms raised as the clock strikes midnight for the Baron of Bigotry is the best ever).

I would love to see this photo. GT is the best.

[Lennys Tap]

I would love to see this photo. GT is the best.

IIRC, the photo was from the Journal. Al has thrown his coat into the air as George stands proudly with arms raised to the sky. I think a blown up version of the original hung on the wall at the Gym Bar.

[keefe]

IIRC, the photo was from the Journal. Al has thrown his coat into the air as George stands proudly with arms raised to the sky. I think a blown up version of the original hung on the wall at the Gym Bar.

You are correct, Lenny. That photo was on the wall of the Gym.

[Goose]

Dr. Blackheart

Right on!!