[MJS Blog] John Thompson III named Big East Coach of the Year

[The Equalizer]

Ok, when you're constantly drawing in talent like GU is, you're going to lose your top scorers quite a bit.  See also: Kentucky.  When the talent does well together and meets the high expectations, does that warrant a coach like Cal being in the discussion (and ultimately winning) coach of the year?  Absolutely.  Should JT3 have been in the discussion for COTY in the Big East this year?  Absolutely.  Should the fact that GU has more overall talent than MU yet had the same conference record have been a mitigating factor against JT3?  Absolutely.  I'm not saying JT3 is undeserving - I'm leaving that distinction to Bo in the B1G However Many Teams They Have for finishing tied for fourth - but I am saying that Buzz was more deserving.

BTW -you had a really cool avatar when you first started posting.  I wish you'd go back to the old Equalizer one.

Edit: The Kentucky reference is for last season, not this one. I hope it was obvious given how Kentucky may be lucky to make the tourney this year, but you never know.

I'm not sure the "more talent" argument holds, either.  Using RSCI data for each coach's standard rotation:

Georgetown Porter: 34th Smith-Rivera: 37th Lubick: 42nd Starks: 94th Hopkins: 98th Whittington: Unranked Trawick: Unranked Ayegba: Unranked

Marquette Wilson - 40th Cadougan - 47th Blue - 48th Anderson - 80th Taylor - 82nd Gardner - Unranked Mayo - Unranked Otule - Unranked Lockett - Unranked Wison - Unranked

I mean, that seems pretty close. 

I don't know you can make a big deal that Porter ranked six places ahead of Jamil Wilson or Anderson ranked 12 places ahead of Starks.   Overall, talent levels appear pretty close--in fact one could argue that Buzz had a deeper roster.

[Bocephys]

I'm not sure the "more talent" argument holds, either.  Using RSCI data for each coach's standard rotation:

Georgetown Porter: 34th Smith-Rivera: 37th Lubick: 42nd Starks: 94th Hopkins: 98th Whittington: Unranked Trawick: Unranked Ayegba: Unranked

Marquette Wilson - 40th Cadougan - 47th Blue - 48th Anderson - 80th Taylor - 82nd Gardner - Unranked Mayo - Unranked Otule - Unranked Lockett - Unranked Wison - Unranked

I mean, that seems pretty close. 

I don't know you can make a big deal that Porter ranked six places ahead of Jamil Wilson or Anderson ranked 12 places ahead of Starks.   Overall, talent levels appear pretty close--in fact one could argue that Buzz had a deeper roster.

Whoa whoa whoa, let's not let facts get in the way of a good story here.  Everyone who didn't vote Buzz as COY clearly has an anti-Marquette bias and it's not fair.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Ok, this constant "woe is me" attitude about how Marquette pulls in one and two star recruits while Georgetown's roster is chock full of top-ranked HS recruits is getting a bit old, not to mention it's inaccurate.

Thank you for saying that...you are correct

[keefe]

Thank you for saying that...you are correct

Correct. Too many Marquette people love to wallow in self pity. Fact is, since Buzz took over, we have been getting consistently superior recruiting classes. This fall is simply the best of 5 superior years.

What I appreciate is that Buzz not only gets recognized Top 100 talent but even his unranked and JUCOs turn out to be extremely pleasant surprises.