Jamil Senior Day speech

[injuryBug]

I thought his speech was very telling.  Years past after a tough loss on senior day every player had said they have a lot more ball to play.  Not one said anything about going to NYC and winning the BET.  Jamil even said it has been a long season. 
It has been a long season for us fans cannot even imagine how frustrating it has been for the players and coaches.

[Tugg Speedman]

Why is this telling?  17-14 for the preseason no.1 in conference better be frustrating for all.

[WarriorHal]

Why is this telling?  17-14 for the preseason no.1 in conference better be frustrating for all.

Who voted MU as the preseason favorite...was it a poll of BE conference coaches? If so, I assume you can't vote for your own team, which gets Buzz off the hook. But it doesn't say much for the other BE coaches.

[mu_hilltopper]

Who voted MU as the preseason favorite...was it a poll of BE conference coaches? If so, I assume you can't vote for your own team, which gets Buzz off the hook. But it doesn't say much for the other BE coaches.

MU was ranked #17 in the country in the AP and Coaches poll before the season started.  So .. it wasn't just BE coaches who got it wrong.  Pretty much everyone and their sister WAY over-estimated Marquette this year.

[Dawson Rental]

MU was ranked #17 in the country in the AP and Coaches poll before the season started.  So .. it wasn't just BE coaches who got it wrong.  Pretty much everyone and their sister WAY over-estimated Marquette this year.

I wonder why Marquette failed to live up to the preseason prognostications.  Hey Ners, any ideas?

[NersEllenson]

I wonder why Marquette failed to live up to the preseason prognostications.  Hey Ners, any ideas?

Yes...terrible coaching this year.  Period.

[Stretchdeltsig]

Agree with Ners... the coaching was simply awful this year.  Buzz failed the team and players and fans. This team should have done much better.

[willie warrior]

Definitely terrible coaching. Pre-season #16, and picked to win the conference. Buzz makes 2.5 million per, has the 8th largest basketball budget, etc. and this is what we get? His players, his rotations, his strategies. One poor coaching job given the talent and expectations.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Who voted MU as the preseason favorite...was it a poll of BE conference coaches? If so, I assume you can't vote for your own team, which gets Buzz off the hook. But it doesn't say much for the other BE coaches.

Yes, by Big East coaches. Why is it a knock against BE coaches?   I guess it comes down to whether people believe there is talent on this team or not.  Other BE coaches did.  I know in reading this board in October, most of the fans here did as well.  There was talk of Final Four on this board, and it wasn't dream talk.

[Golden Avalanche]

While on the topic of the senior spreches, how terrible was Davante's? Good player, but very childish and immature. Buzz basically called him an idiot. I'm pretty sure he isn't even graduating.

Elaboration?

[forgetful]

MU was ranked #17 in the country in the AP and Coaches poll before the season started.  So .. it wasn't just BE coaches who got it wrong.  Pretty much everyone and their sister WAY over-estimated Marquette this year.

We were ranked 17 because year after year we had been doubted and Buzz took teams that on paper were not very good and made them quite great.  We have over performed because of Buzz's coaching for several years.  This year the media/coaches figured Buzz would do it again.

This year though the pieces just didn't fit right and we were a dozen buckets away from making the tournament again.  We were over-rated because of Buzz's reputation.

[Norm]

While on the topic of the senior spreches, how terrible was Davante's? Good player, but very childish and immature. Buzz basically called him an idiot. I'm pretty sure he isn't even graduating.

Except for the fact the Buzz mentioned on his show the other day that Davante is graduating in May.

Maybe next year the players should run their speeches by you for approval?

[Coleman]

Tough crowd here. This year did show some of Buzzs weaknesses but he has over performed every other year here. Hopefully he learns some lessons from this year, and this is a bump in the road of a very long career at MU. There is not another coach I'd rather have at MU right now

[ChicosBailBonds]

We were ranked 17 because year after year we had been doubted and Buzz took teams that on paper were not very good and made them quite great.  We have over performed because of Buzz's coaching for several years.  This year the media/coaches figured Buzz would do it again.

This year though the pieces just didn't fit right and we were a dozen buckets away from making the tournament again.  We were over-rated because of Buzz's reputation.

That's a bit too simplistic.   Those last few years there has been an NBA player (or two) on these teams, or at least all Big East players.  I'm not sure where you think past year's teams were not very good on paper?  This year, for whatever reason, the guys that were supposed to be All Big East didn't play as well as they should have.  Perhaps this year, on paper, we were better than on the court.  It happens.

I think we were also picked highly because the conference is so much worse than the last few years. 

[Nukem2]

That's a bit too simplistic.   Those last few years there has been an NBA player (or two) on these teams, or at least all Big East players.  I'm not sure where you think past year's teams were not very good on paper?  This year, for whatever reason, the guys that were supposed to be All Big East didn't play as well as they should have.  Perhaps this year, on paper, we were better than on the court.  It happens.

I think we were also picked highly because the conference is so much worse than the last few years. 

Well, perceived to be worse.  Actually, I thought the league was quite good.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Well, perceived to be worse.  Actually, I thought the league was quite good.

No argument, it was quite good, but not as good as the Big East of the last few years.  I don't think anyone would ever say that.

[forgetful]

That's a bit too simplistic.   Those last few years there has been an NBA player (or two) on these teams, or at least all Big East players.  I'm not sure where you think past year's teams were not very good on paper?  This year, for whatever reason, the guys that were supposed to be All Big East didn't play as well as they should have.  Perhaps this year, on paper, we were better than on the court.  It happens.

I think we were also picked highly because the conference is so much worse than the last few years. 

Crowder was not believed to be a NBA player or BE player of the year.  Butler was not expected to be an NBA caliber player…none of those teams started with NBA talent.  Only Vander was remotely considered an NBA player and even there they figured he was a year or two away.

[KenoshaWarrior]

Team needs some JUCO players stat. If JJJ wants to transfer than let him

[ChicosBailBonds]

Crowder was not believed to be a NBA player or BE player of the year.  Butler was not expected to be an NBA caliber player…none of those teams started with NBA talent.  Only Vander was remotely considered an NBA player and even there they figured he was a year or two away.

I also said ALL Big East.

In 10-11
Butler was a preseason All Big East 2nd team player.  DJO was preseason All Big East honorable mention.  Those teams were hardly devoid of talent, on paper or otherwise.

In 11-12
DJO was first team All Big East preseason.  Crowder was All Big East Honorable Mention preseason. 


All those guys performed

This year, not sure our preseason All Big East guys performed as well as their expectations.  DG was first team all Big East preseason.  Jamil Wilson was second team All Big East preseason.  It will be interesting to see if DG makes first team...though he should be no worse than 2nd team. JWill will not make all Big East if I had to guess.

[NotAnAlum]

No argument, it was quite good, but not as good as the Big East of the last few years.  I don't think anyone would ever say that.

Ken Pomeroy basically did say that.  You should go back and read his February 17th blog.

Forgetful's point was pretty much spot on.  No need to take a shot at the conference.   

[forgetful]

I also said ALL Big East.

In 10-11
Butler was a preseason All Big East 2nd team player.  DJO was preseason All Big East honorable mention.  Those teams were hardly devoid of talent, on paper or otherwise.

In 11-12
DJO was first team All Big East preseason.  Crowder was All Big East Honorable Mention preseason. 


All those guys performed

This year, not sure our preseason All Big East guys performed as well as their expectations.  DG was first team all Big East preseason.  Jamil Wilson was second team All Big East preseason.  It will be interesting to see if DG makes first team...though he should be no worse than 2nd team. JWill will not make all Big East if I had to guess.

And in those years we were predicted to be:

9th in the BE (2010-2011)
6th in the BE (2011-2012)
7th in the BE (2012-2013)

And in all those years we went S16, S16, E8 and over performed due to Buzz's coaching.  You are trying to rewrite history here and I don't know why.  Those performances and coaching finally got respect and we were over-rated to start out the season.

I also like how for last years team you neglect the fact that we had no one on any BE preseason list, yet still made the E8.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Ken Pomeroy basically did say that.  You should go back and read his February 17th blog.

Forgetful's point was pretty much spot on.  No need to take a shot at the conference.   

I don't think I'm taking a shot at the conference when I've said repeatedly this year its a top 4 conference and in this thread alone said it is quite good.  I just don't find it as good as years past.  He is right that there were more good teams in the past and more bad teams in the past, which balanced out essentially and makes the top to bottom comparisons close to a wash.  No disagreement there, though let's also note he is only comparing it to last year's Big East and not the years prior to that with WVU and a UCONN that was sensational, etc, etc.

That being said, in comparing this year's conference to other conferences we are 4th in most ranking systems.  Comparing years past Big East, we typically ranked either 1st, 2nd or 3rd.  I don't think the Big East is bad at all, nor did I say that.  I just don't think it is as good as year's past.  The top is not as good, but the bottom is better.  The number of elite teams reduced, the number of horrific teams also reduced, thus you get what Pomeroy is talking about.

[muwarrior69]

Yes...terrible coaching this year.  Period.

I guess if you mean a good coach wins and a bad coach looses your right. Then there are a heck of  a lot poor coaches out there in D1 ball.

[Windyplayer]

Good coaches can have bad years. Buzz didn't have a great year. It happens. That takes nothing away from his excellent coaching jobs over the last 5-6 years. I still love Buzz and hope he stays forever, but you can't paint lipstick on this season by brining up seasons in the past.

That being said, the season is not over. Buzz may right this ship in the nick of time and turn it into an excellent season. The odds are stacked against us, but not insurmountable.