Just once, JUST ONCE, it would be great to see …

[MU Avenue]

... Marquette blast out of the gate and not have to play catch-up, panicky basketball the entire game.

As we watched the starts of the Seton Hall, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh games, others in my family, including the youngest, observed that Marquette almost always starts slowly and then must dig itself out of holes -- sometimes deep ones.

Marquette starts slowly because it relies almost exclusively on guards to nail long-distance jump shots or to take crazy, spinning, off-balance shots after driving through three or four of the opponent's players.

When those shots are not falling, MU's big men have not the skills or strengths to help keep Marquette in the game.

It is disturbing to see the number of games where Marquette has fallen behind early by 10, 12, 14 points or more and then been behind the entire game.

A large part of the problem seems to be that MU has no discernable offensive plan or strategy, other than: Pass the ball, pass the ball some more and then, when there is little time remaining on the shot clock, have whomever has the ball toss up a shot from wherever he happens to be.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Why does everybody always credit Crean with having these full intensity, full contact practices before games and never point out that we almost always fall behind early in games?

[downtown85]

i recall the first ND and first Pitt game were like that.  perhaps you can include the OSU game as well.  we usually win when that happens. 

[mug644]

Something I heard or read the other day (was is in another thread here?) talked about the idea that when two teams are fairly evenly matched and one goes out to a big lead early, the other often comes back to make it at least close. That's what I kept thinking last night. Pitt and MU are comparable teams and knowing that Pitt was coming off an OT game and has a shorter bench, I kept hoping that they weren't going to be able to keep up the energy they had at the beginning. (I'll also admit that--given Pitt's shooting % at the start--I thought of the Villanova-G'town NCAA championship, when Villanova was hitting lights out).

Anyway, we did make the comeback, but it just couldn't be sustained, not with our highest energy guy, McNeal, either on the bench or playing too tentatively because of foul trouble.

[MUSF]

Why does everybody always credit Crean with having these full intensity, full contact practices before games and never point out that we almost always fall behind early in games?

Because nobody but you thinks they are related.

[NavinRJohnson]

I give Pitt (as well as their accomplices in the striped shirts) a lot of credit. During the day yesterday, I posted that I was hoping Pitt would get off to somewhat of a fast start, because I thought eventually their lack of depth coupled with the energy and emotion they expended doing so would catch up to them, and over the course of the game, MU would wear them down and blow right by them. It sort of played out that way, but the problem is, Pitt just never ran out of gas, and we were not able overcome them (or the officiating).

[77ncaachamps]

Why does everybody always credit Crean with having these full intensity, full contact practices before games and never point out that we almost always fall behind early in games?

You're right because they're both related.

When a coach hangs a sign over a urinal that says, ""Fatigue is never an excuse" and has instituted "a rule in practice that there are no whistles on tie-ups...No jump balls, no alternating possessions -- the players just fight on the floor until someone comes out with the rock," that pretty much tells you the kids might be a little worn out before the game to shoot OR defend.

[ChicosBailBonds]

So if I understand this correctly, we were not too fatigued 24 times this year but we were too fatigued the other times?

Uhm, ok.

[77ncaachamps]

So if I understand this correctly, we were not too fatigued 24 times this year but we were too fatigued the other times?

Uhm, ok.

I think the poster was pointing out the connection between full-on practices and early game performance. I agreed that it may be a contributing factor.

With regards to the Pitt game, I think MU ran out of gas and luck. They played pretty hard vs SH, then very hard vs ND. To play a physical team like Pitt, it seemed like they didn't have enough in the tank to pull it through.

And that's especially hard when you have to play consecutive games even without a day's break (that you get in the NCAAs).

[MUSF]

Why does everybody always credit Crean with having these full intensity, full contact practices before games and never point out that we almost always fall behind early in games?

You're right because they're both related.

When a coach hangs a sign over a urinal that says, ""Fatigue is never an excuse" and has instituted "a rule in practice that there are no whistles on tie-ups...No jump balls, no alternating possessions -- the players just fight on the floor until someone comes out with the rock," that pretty much tells you the kids might be a little worn out before the game to shoot OR defend.

If that is true, then wouldn't we be more likely to burn out at the end of a game than start slow?

Has this practice philosophy hurt the Spartans and their 3 final fours under Izzo?

How about Nolan Richardson at Arkansas and his infamous practices?

These guys are elite athletes. Crean is 100% right, fatigue is never an excuse.

Maybe we should hire Steve Fisher and he can just roll the balls out on the court and walk away during practice like he did at UM. After all, he really steered that program in the right direction.

I know that it is always about winning at this level but college coaches are also makers of men. TC is not just teaching basketball, he is teaching life lessons.  And guess what, in life, fatigue is never an excuse.

[Big Papi]

Why does everybody always credit Crean with having these full intensity, full contact practices before games and never point out that we almost always fall behind early in games?

You're right because they're both related.

When a coach hangs a sign over a urinal that says, ""Fatigue is never an excuse" and has instituted "a rule in practice that there are no whistles on tie-ups...No jump balls, no alternating possessions -- the players just fight on the floor until someone comes out with the rock," that pretty much tells you the kids might be a little worn out before the game to shoot OR defend.

No way that is a contributing factor.  We are better conditioned than most teams.  The no whistles on tie-ups and etc is designed and used to value the ball and give 100% effort.  I love the fact that whenever there is a loose ball you never see us standing around.  Even our big guys go after the ball hard.  Loved the hustle from Barro against ND when he went flying out of bounds and still managed to get us the ball.

Of course both teams were going to be a little tired last night, 3 games in 3 days is a lot of basketball.  Pitt attacked the hoop early and hit some tough shots with their tired legs.  With ours, we missed bunnies and than our lack of freshness in our legs dragged down our shooting from outside as we really need to step into our shots to hit them.  We don't have shooter who can fling it in.  Add all that to the fact that Pitt just wanted it a bit more because it was NYC and they have 5 players from there and the revenge factor and there you have a significant reason why we were down big.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

TC is not just teaching basketball, he is teaching life lessons.  And guess what, in life, fatigue is never an excuse.

What a load of crap!! What life experience is Crean drawing upon? He's a freaking basketball coach!

[MUSF]

TC is not just teaching basketball, he is teaching life lessons.  And guess what, in life, fatigue is never an excuse.

What a load of crap!! What life experience is Crean drawing upon? He's a freaking basketball coach!

You're right coaches have no impact on their players lives. Have you ever played an organized sport? I learned as much about life from my bball and football coaches as anybody else. In team sports you learn things like responsibility, accountability, teamwork, leadership, and work ethic. You learn these things in tangible ways that you could never get from a classroom or a parental lecture. You see with your own eyes that what you do and fail to do directly impacts the person to your left and right. The life lessons I learned in sports have probably had more impact on my career than anything else.

If you truly beleive that that is, "a load of crap," then, in my eyes, you have zero credibility on the issue of how a coach should or should not conduct himself or his practice.

[ChicosBailBonds]

TC is not just teaching basketball, he is teaching life lessons.  And guess what, in life, fatigue is never an excuse.

What a load of crap!! What life experience is Crean drawing upon? He's a freaking basketball coach!

He typically brings in some of the brightest minds from some of the best industries, gov't, military etc to talk to the team about life experiences throughout the year.  That's part of the entire deal of our program.

Just because he's a "freaking basketball coach" doesn't mean he doesn't have the ability to mold or shape these kids more than most people will in their lifetimes. 

We get it, you don't like the guy.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

TC is not just teaching basketball, he is teaching life lessons.  And guess what, in life, fatigue is never an excuse.

What a load of crap!! What life experience is Crean drawing upon? He's a freaking basketball coach!

You're right coaches have no impact on their players lives. Have you ever played an organized sport? I learned as much about life from my bball and football coaches as anybody else. In team sports you learn things like responsibility, accountability, teamwork, leadership, and work ethic. You learn these things in tangible ways that you could never get from a classroom or a parental lecture. You see with your own eyes that what you do and fail to do directly impacts the person to your left and right. The life lessons I learned in sports have probably had more impact on my career than anything else.

If you truly beleive that that is, "a load of crap," then, in my eyes, you have zero credibility on the issue of how a coach should or should not conduct himself or his practice.

And you read that cliche where? I'm not just talking about Crean. This idea that coaches are some great molder of minds is absolute nonsense.

But if you think Tom Crean is some wise old sage pointing his finger and doling out life lessons like a Pepsi-swelling Yoda then it's you who has zero credibility. But knock yourself out.

[MUSF]

TC is not just teaching basketball, he is teaching life lessons.  And guess what, in life, fatigue is never an excuse.

What a load of crap!! What life experience is Crean drawing upon? He's a freaking basketball coach!

You're right coaches have no impact on their players lives. Have you ever played an organized sport? I learned as much about life from my bball and football coaches as anybody else. In team sports you learn things like responsibility, accountability, teamwork, leadership, and work ethic. You learn these things in tangible ways that you could never get from a classroom or a parental lecture. You see with your own eyes that what you do and fail to do directly impacts the person to your left and right. The life lessons I learned in sports have probably had more impact on my career than anything else.

If you truly beleive that that is, "a load of crap," then, in my eyes, you have zero credibility on the issue of how a coach should or should not conduct himself or his practice.

And you read that cliche where? I'm not just talking about Crean. This idea that coaches are some great molder of minds is absolute nonsense.

But if you think Tom Crean is some wise old sage pointing his finger and doling out life lessons like a Pepsi-swelling Yoda then it's you who has zero credibility. But knock yourself out.

No need to read it, I'm speaking of my own personal experience. I'm telling you that not a day goes by that I don't use something I learned on a football field or a basketball court. I know that sports and coaches have influenced my life. Believe what you want but maybe you should ask DWade, Novak, or Diener about TCs impact on their lives. I don't think I am too far off.

[Pakuni]

So if I understand this correctly, we were not too fatigued 24 times this year but we were too fatigued the other times?

Uhm, ok.

I think the poster was pointing out the connection between full-on practices and early game performance. I agreed that it may be a contributing factor.

So wait ... the theory you're espousing/defending here is that hard practices make the team so fatigued that they occasionally get off to slow starts, yet have no impact on their ability to finish strong, which they almost always do ... especially after slow starts?
On what planet is that logical and/or reasonable? If the team is fatigued, it's certainly more likely to reveal itself towards the end of games, not the beginning.

I swear, some of you guys will stoop to any cockamamie theory to blame everything on Tom Crean, no matter how illogical.

And anyone who doesn't believe that some coaches have a great deal of influence on the character of some players, for better or sometimes worse, is a silly, silly person.

[i know ousmane barro]

Pakuni makes a good point; fatigue isn't the problem. Now, a lack of motivation at the beginning of games, that is something you could possibly call out TC on. Overall though Tom has been coaching this team very well lately. I loved the technical- that's just what we needed.

[Pardner]

The unforced turnovers killed us early.  Pitt came out and schooled us from the start and it took us 3/4ths of the game to get our footing back.  The bigger problem is how we (again) end and start halves.  11 minutes from the end of the first and into the 2nd WITHOUT a FG--with only one starter scoring at half.  We were fatigued, but so was Pitt.

Wes and Lazar had poor BET's.  Lazar has been soft around the rim, doesn't protect the ball on his dribble, and gets too many dumb reach-in fouls.  He needs to go hard to the hoop.  Both need to hit their mid range jumpers and bunnies or we are toast.  JM was the only man out there in the BET.  Pitt wanted it more from the get-go--and that doesn't mean we didn't want it.  The good news is, we learned from it with our play at the end.--that showed a lot of heart.  I know we will take that bitterness to the NCAA's.

Lastly, I was blowing a gasket on the inconsistent and missed calls by the refs (horrible).  I have a major problem with the crew interjecting themselves into the game like they did.  The fact is, though, the crew called fouls like MU has earned them all year (ex the fouls we got at the end trying to extend the game).  And, put yourselves in Pitt's shoes.  Blair and Biggs where in trouble with touch fouls.  PU could hardly afford losing them with their short bench.  Each team made the same amount of FT's.  But, MU, with Biggs and Blair out, held a commanding rebounding edge.  Technically, JM deserved to be T'ed up (would have been his 5th).  If I am a Pitt fan, I would be p/oed.  You could even say that this aspect of the game went MU's way because of the rebounding edge.

I am a critic of officials, and will not defend the trio yesterday, but over time, Higgins and Driscoll (who both like to blow their whistles, granted) have called MU evenly.  Greenwood, however, is way out of norm with us for whatever reason.  That said, MU lost yesterday because we could not finish on easy shots in and around the rim.