Late 80s revisited

[Afroman]

Didn't we see this movie already?
In the 1989-90 season (the first for Kevin O'Neill), Marquette was led by an All-American and former NBA player in Tony Smith. Surrounded by average to below-average Division I talent, he basically carried the team to a 15-14 record and a first-round loss in the NIT. He averaged 17 field-goal attempts and 39(!) minutes per game. That was also Marquette's first season as a member of a conference (Midwestern Collegiate) and the Warriors finished fourth at 9-5. Obviously, that league was much weaker than the Big East. As an independent the previous season (Dukiet's last), Marquette went 13-15 while playing not-that-horrendous of a schedule.

The overall talent on this year's squad is average. It's just that simple.

[Cheeks]

Didn't we see this movie already?
In the 1989-90 season (the first for Kevin O'Neill), Marquette was led by an All-American and former NBA player in Tony Smith. Surrounded by average to below-average Division I talent, he basically carried the team to a 15-14 record and a first-round loss in the NIT. He averaged 17 field-goal attempts and 39(!) minutes per game. That was also Marquette's first season as a member of a conference (Midwestern Collegiate) and the Warriors finished fourth at 9-5. Obviously, that league was much weaker than the Big East. As an independent the previous season (Dukiet's last), Marquette went 13-15 while playing not-that-horrendous of a schedule.

The overall talent on this year's squad is average. It's just that simple.

A reminder that Afroman said this kind of stuff after Creighton, then was oddly quiet around Villanova...I expect more quietness coming up.

KO couldn't get us to beat anyone that year of note....we have already beat Purdue, top 10 Villanova, Kansas State, USC, etc....so was KO not a good coach?  Or are you undervaluing the talent?  Or is Wojo a master of getting massive gain out of this poor talent?

Pick one, because your argument and those of others is all over the place.  Do we have the talent?  If not, why are we winning as much as we are...must be the coaching.   We have great talent should win more? 

Here's what I think it is.  We have some great talent, and some decent talent in some positions..better than that 1980's team for sure. But we also play in a real conference, not the hack job that was the MCC back then...the #2 conference in the country.   Some days our decent talent really steps up,, and some days it doesn't.  BETTER talent is coming in, at least on paper than the on paper talent we have now.  Hopefully that translates into even more wins.

[Afroman]

In looking back, I had four posts the day of Villanova -- none negative.

I was just noting the similarities, chief. Both teams had/have one standout player and average supporting casts. I'm not comparing Theo John to John Leurck or Koby McEwen to Mark Anglavar or Jayce Johnson to Rod Grosse.

Marquette is probably right where it is supposed to be -- a bubble NCAA tourney team.

I have learned one thing, though. I don't get overly excited about incoming recruits anymore because of how many stars some random Joe gives him or how spectacular the kid's well-crafted highlight video is. I'll just wait and see.

 

[f/k/a humanlung]

Didn't we see this movie already?
In the 1989-90 season (the first for Kevin O'Neill), Marquette was led by an All-American and former NBA player in Tony Smith. Surrounded by average to below-average Division I talent, he basically carried the team to a 15-14 record and a first-round loss in the NIT. He averaged 17 field-goal attempts and 39(!) minutes per game. That was also Marquette's first season as a member of a conference (Midwestern Collegiate) and the Warriors finished fourth at 9-5. Obviously, that league was much weaker than the Big East. As an independent the previous season (Dukiet's last), Marquette went 13-15 while playing not-that-horrendous of a schedule.

The overall talent on this year's squad is average. It's just that simple.

We are nowhere near where we were in the late 1980s.  The program back then was on the brink of irrelevance.

This team in infinitely more talented and the program in a far stronger place in every imaginable way that in the 1980s.

Move along.  Nothing to see here.

[tower912]

Rod Strickland laughing at Anthony Candelino guarding him.    Yeah, losing in the road to a ranked team is waaaaaaaaay worse.

[Warrior1969]

Didn't we see this movie already?
In the 1989-90 season (the first for Kevin O'Neill), Marquette was led by an All-American and former NBA player in Tony Smith. Surrounded by average to below-average Division I talent, he basically carried the team to a 15-14 record and a first-round loss in the NIT. He averaged 17 field-goal attempts and 39(!) minutes per game. That was also Marquette's first season as a member of a conference (Midwestern Collegiate) and the Warriors finished fourth at 9-5. Obviously, that league was much weaker than the Big East. As an independent the previous season (Dukiet's last), Marquette went 13-15 while playing not-that-horrendous of a schedule.

The overall talent on this year's squad is average. It's just that simple.

How many threads can we have complaining about the team??

[Cheeks]

The overall talent on this year's squad is average. It's just that simple.

Since we are ahead of schools like Virginia, Xavier, etc in the rankings and beat schools like Purdue, Villanova, etc, I guess it must be the coaching then that is taking this average talent and producing these results.

[Nukem2]

Not to mention that our schedule may be a wee bit better than in the late 80s...……   

[Dawson Rental]

This is what happens when you bogart that joint Afroman!

[vogue65]

Since we are ahead of schools like Virginia, Xavier, etc in the rankings and beat schools like Purdue, Villanova, etc, I guess it must be the coaching then that is taking this average talent and producing these results.

When we have a good night, when we have good matchups (not too tall, not too fast, not too experienced) when the opponent is a little off, when the fouls go our way, we win.

[Markusquette]

I know it's beating a dead horse but it still really boils down to Sam when we talk about talent/experience. Sam was neck-and-neck with Markus as the team's best player. He leaves and Wojo is forced to replace him with a second year guy who has been away from basketball for a couple years...the drop off is inevitable. And Bailey is impressing this year. But the team could have his production as a backup. There is no longer a dynamic senior duo leading the squad. It's Markus.

When it comes to meaningful big game minutes there aren't a lot of guys who have been there before this season besides Sacar. And the 3 big men who have been a disappointment. Cain and Bailey were on the bench during conference games. Koby and Greg watched from the sidelines for a year. Torrence is a young freshman.

If it weren't for that clunker in OT I'd be very pleased with where the team stands. Right now I'm content when reviewing the wins/losses. MU has shown they can compete with some of the best but still have a lot of room to grow and problems to overcome. Experience plays just as big of a role as talent and coaching.

[Cheeks]

When we have a good night, when we have good matchups (not too tall, not too fast, not too experienced) when the opponent is a little off, when the fouls go our way, we win.

Yes, matchups matter...always has been the case and always will be in sports.  Very few teams are really tall, really experienced, really good shooters, not foul prone, etc.  Those are the elite of the elite and very few exist at the collegiate level.

[Afroman]

Rod Strickland laughing at Anthony Candelino guarding him.    Yeah, losing in the road to a ranked team is waaaaaaaaay worse.

Candelino wasn't on the 89-90 team.

Ja Morant and Murray State laughed when he posterized Marquette last year.

Nice try, though.

[tower912]

True.   I am talking about the 87-88 season.    Which I was there for.    I was not there for the 89-90 season either.  But it is part of a the longer saga of MU's decline in the late 80's.   

[Dr. Blackheart]

Rod Strickland laughing at Anthony Candelino guarding him.    Yeah, losing in the road to a ranked team is waaaaaaaaay worse.

Repressed Memory Syndrome