Retrospect

[Marquette84]

I have never seen two more embarrassing games than the Kansas game

I have. 

Providence in 97.   Not only was it a blowout loss, but our coach managed to "distinguish" himself as the only guy in NCAA history to earn a suspension from the tournament. Its one thing to stand up for your players.  It's another to rant around the arena like a crazed lunatic.

I think the Kansas loss is easily balanced by the fact that a) we beat the #1 team to get there and b) it was in the Final Four. 

But that's besides the point.  The issue was the false claim that Crean has had more blowout losses than O'Neill and Deane combined.  He hasn't--he's actually had fewer. 

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

I have never seen two more embarrassing games than the Kansas game

I have. 

Providence in 97.   Not only was it a blowout loss, but our coach managed to "distinguish" himself as the only guy in NCAA history to earn a suspension from the tournament. Its one thing to stand up for your players.  It's another to rant around the arena like a crazed lunatic.

I think the Kansas loss is easily balanced by the fact that a) we beat the #1 team to get there and b) it was in the Final Four. 

But that's besides the point.  The issue was the false claim that Crean has had more blowout losses than O'Neill and Deane combined.  He hasn't--he's actually had fewer. 

Perhaps you should speak with witnesses to Crean's behavior both leading up to and during the Michigan State game.  Perhaps acting like a crazed lunatic grows alongside the MU coaching tree.

I'm curious, did any of Deane's coaches leave as a result of his behavior?

[tower912]

Perhaps you should ask yourself, did anybody else WANT Deane's coaches?   Mike Deane's great contribution to basketball was pulling whatever big guy gave up a basket, though not Hutchins or Wardle, scintillating 49-48 games, and the mind-set that MU should aspire to mid-major status.   Boo-yah. And getting back to midnight madness events, how about the Nnamaka bounce pass drill?

[Frozen Caveman Coach]

Who is more responsible for Marquette's astonishing run the past 8 years?  Crean or Wade?  Crean gets all the credit for Wade, but I believe that recruiting file was started by Deane.  Only DePaul and one other school, Ill St?, offered him a scholarship.  Marquette bought low and had a player blossom while at their program.  We've seen how driven Wade is, and that is not something that is coached.  I'll give Crean some credit for helping him along, but he would be where he is now with or w/o Crean.  Would Crean have even recruited him w/o Deane starting that file?  Who knows?  300+ other D1 coaches didn't.

I like to call Wade Crean's million dollar baby.  Marq was mediocre before Crean, got worse with him, had incredible success during Wade's two years and have been up and down since.  The Wade led run to the Final Four with his triple-double over UK, created a lot of pub that even the master of PR himself couldn't cook up.  That PR is largely responsible for the 4 or 5 talented players on the roster now.  Give him credit for using every possible asset to his credit.  He is nothing if not opportunistic.

Pre Big East, the Al Maguire Center and Wade, the success over the last 8 years would have been unimaginable, so would an MU coach having a salary near the top of all D1 coaches.  Neat stunts during midnight madness and having all the students wear yellow close to the floor are not criteria I measure a highly paid coach at what has become a high profile school.  Solid recruiting year in and out, preparing a team during practice and the 40 minutes on game day are my measuring sticks.  With his hefty salary and the talent they could draw with that salary, I will continue to closely scrutinize him on these 3 criteria.