The Phone That Won't Ring

[keefe]

Right. I agree.

I do think NCAA schools should be doing more to provide athletes financial literacy, job skills for a post NBA career, etc. more real world education. I didn't mean advanced calculus.

Well, if today's college athlete leaves campus unable to solve differential equations then his college has failed him in ways beyond how to gauge when to pull up for a jumper on a fast break

[dgies9156]

That season concluded with the Western Michigan debacle. Perhaps the most shameful moment in Marquette history.

Wrong-o Crusader-Boy. You spent too much time buzzing around battlefields if you think Western Michigan was the low point in our history.

The most shameful moment in Marquette history was in March 1978, when we lost to Miami of Ohio. We were defending national champions!

[Coleman]

Wrong-o Crusader-Boy. You spent too much time buzzing around battlefields if you think Western Michigan was the low point in our history.

The most shameful moment in Marquette history was in March 1978, when we lost to Miami of Ohio. We were defending national champions!

Disagree. The most shameful moment was a 19-12 loss to Lawrence in Appleton WI in 1917, we only got the ball in the peach basket six times. I was so angry, I remember starting a thread on Scoop calling for Ralph Risch's head. The beat writer for the Sentinel was so bad that year we only got coverage when there was no news from the Western front in the Great War.

[willie warrior]

We may be over analyzing this season and Buzz.   We needed better guard play and didn't have it. Period.   Still got 9 wins in conference and improved until we sort of gave in at the end.

I'll say! "Sort of giving in at the end?"  Four losses in a row to finish says a lot.

[keefe]

Wrong-o Crusader-Boy. You spent too much time buzzing around battlefields if you think Western Michigan was the low point in our history.

The most shameful moment in Marquette history was in March 1978, when we lost to Miami of Ohio. We were defending national champions!

Miami of Ohio. That wasn't the most shameful moment. But it was a defining moment. And I think most of us knew that our doubts about Hank succeeding Al were confirmed that day.

Denny Crum wanted the job but loyalty to the trusted lieutenant won out over cold rational logic. Crum went on to win two National Titles. Marquette began a death spiral that ended in Great Midwest. Marquette could have sustained the tradition of national prominence established by Al. Moral courage manifests itself in many ways.

[dgies9156]

Miami of Ohio. That wasn't the most shameful moment. But it was a defining moment. And I think most of us knew that our doubts about Hank succeeding Al were confirmed that day.

Denny Crum wanted the job but loyalty to the trusted lieutenant won out over cold rational logic. Crum went on to win two National Titles. Marquette began a death spiral that ended in Great Midwest. Marquette could have sustained the tradition of national prominence established by Al. Moral courage manifests itself in many ways.

I don't want to get started on this again, but I agree totally with you. I was there when it happened and the Hank decision was a poor one. Like North Carolina letting Bill Gutheridge follow Dean. Neither worked.

Miami was shameful because we should have known better and we lost to what today would be a 16 seed.

Ny the way, what year did you graduate?

[Eldon]

Mark Few has gone to as many Sweet 16s in his career as Buzz had consecutively until tonight. He also has less Elite Eights than Buzz Williams, and Buzz Williams has been coaching for a much shorter time (and never had a 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament because his team plays absolutely nobody worth noting in the regular season).

People here are absolutely silly. If this were a Kentucky board everyone here would be asking to have Shaka Smart take over for John Calipari.

Buzz has had one bad year in his 6 so far. Shucks. Kentucky, UCLA, Indiana, and North Carolina have all had down years in that time. And we sure as sh!t aren't a blue blood program like those programs are. Roy Williams and John Calipari can't recruit talent and can't coach kids up. Allowing a team to fall to NIT level for one year? Unacceptable.

Who on this team has talent? (I get that it's on Buzz to recruit the talent, I'm just wondering what talent you see, because clearly you see more than I do.) Juan had some cool mix tapes from high school. Todd has an older brother who plays in the NBA. Jamil is athletic. Jake can hit an uncontested 3 pointer. Deonte can put the ball in the basket. Chris is 24 years old. Davante has a vertical of almost 7 inches. Dawson makes a few highlight real plays sometimes. JuJuan was ranked highly. Steve went to Simeon. Derrick can throw a football.

There are a *couple* of players on the roster that have talent. A couple doesn't get you into the dance (unless you play in the Horizon League). Everyone on the roster can do *one or two aspects* of basketball well. Some of our younger guys ooze with *potential.* But where is the current talent? What 5 man lineup plus 3 bench guys can you put together and say "these guys should beat Villinova, Creighton, San Diego State, New Mexico, Ohio State?" Maybe if we can take JJJ, Burton, Duane Wilson, and Dawson of 3 years from now and Todd of a year from now and Davante and healthy Steve from 2 years from now. But this year's roster? The fact of the matter is "We ain't no good."

My overall point is that there are coaches who have had the same level of success (or more) as we have had with as much or less talent than we have had. 

If we are recruiting guys with no talent, then that's a problem.  Lack of talent is an excuse, IMO.  A bad excuse.  A cop out.

[keefe]

Like North Carolina letting Bill Gutheridge follow Dean. Neither worked.

Miami was shameful because we should have known better and we lost to what today would be a 16 seed.

Which they compounded by bringing in Doherty.

Despite apologists who want to blame the officiating Miami should not have been within sniffing distance of Marquette. That loss was stunning in its magnitude, impact, and for what it foretold.

Will the real Matt Doherty please stand up!

[bilsu]

Buzz needs to be a better team builder, which means recruitting the right player and cutting down on transfers. However, people have got to realize how hard it is to be consistantly good. Two years ago Villanova was not in the NCAA tournament. Georgetown missed the tournament three years ago and again this year. This was a very odd year. Losing Blue easily costs us 6 games. The loss would not have hurt as much, if Duane had not got hurt. I am thinking Duane injury cost us 4 of the 6 games we would of won, if Blue stayed. I am not sure if McKay would of made a differnce, but his transfer was a bad omen. Throw in Taylor's slow recovery and there are plenty of uncontrollable things that hurt this team. We played 6 overtime games and I may be wrong, but I think we rallied to send all 6 into overtime. We would be on the bubble today, if we had went 4-2 in overtime vs 2-4. 5-1 and we would definately be in. As bad as the ending was, we really were not that far away. We probably would have been in the NCAA tournament this year, if our free throw shooting had improved over last year instead of getting worse. Gardner's percentage drop 7% and he often missed a free throw in the close games we lost. Jamil's free throw shooting also dropped. Somethimes seasons are lucky and sometimes they are not. In past year's Buzz always won a game or two on last second shots. This year MU hits two 3/4 court shots that do not count. I think that sums up how the year  went.

[MU82]

Buzz needs to be a better team builder, which means recruitting the right player and cutting down on transfers. However, people have got to realize how hard it is to be consistantly good. Two years ago Villanova was not in the NCAA tournament. Georgetown missed the tournament three years ago and again this year. This was a very odd year. Losing Blue easily costs us 6 games. The loss would not have hurt as much, if Duane had not got hurt. I am thinking Duane injury cost us 4 of the 6 games we would of won, if Blue stayed. I am not sure if McKay would of made a differnce, but his transfer was a bad omen. Throw in Taylor's slow recovery and there are plenty of uncontrollable things that hurt this team. We played 6 overtime games and I may be wrong, but I think we rallied to send all 6 into overtime. We would be on the bubble today, if we had went 4-2 in overtime vs 2-4. 5-1 and we would definately be in. As bad as the ending was, we really were not that far away. We probably would have been in the NCAA tournament this year, if our free throw shooting had improved over last year instead of getting worse. Gardner's percentage drop 7% and he often missed a free throw in the close games we lost. Jamil's free throw shooting also dropped. Somethimes seasons are lucky and sometimes they are not. In past year's Buzz always won a game or two on last second shots. This year MU hits two 3/4 court shots that do not count. I think that sums up how the year  went.

There are a lot of excuses in this paragraph.

But there also are a lot of facts.

Pessimists see the excuses, optimists see the facts. Pragmatists -- which is what I like to think I am -- see some of both. Several shades of gray, rather than black and white.

How do we know if Buzz would have played Duane any more than he played JJJ, Dawson and even (most of the season) Deonte? Blue leaving was a surprise, but good programs lose players early; if we want to sign 5-stars, we are going to lose some of them before their 4 years are up. If the "basketball gods" reacted differently, why would we have a better chance to win the four OT games we lost than to have lost the two OT games we won? Jamil's FT shooting was only a small part of his lack of contribution this season; many assumed he'd take over the Novak-Lazar-Jimmy-Jae leadership role, but he was a poser and that really killed us.

In the end, as is almost always the case, our record is what it should have been.

[keefe]

In the end, as is almost always the case, our record is what it should have been.

Actually, perhaps the most concise summary of this season. We ended where we belonged. Sitting home is justified.

[MUHoopsFan2]

Now that it is over...can someone do me a favor and tell me what are the titles of the two rap songs it seems that MU trots out to to start the home games and at the beginning of the second half?...I enjoyed them.

Nice beat and a ring to them...I want to get them on my iphone.

Thanks in advance  for a reply.

[Benny B]

Now that it is over...can someone do me a favor and tell me what are the titles of the two rap songs it seems that MU trots out to to start the home games and at the beginning of the second half?...I enjoyed them.

Nice beat and a ring to them...I want to get them on my iphone.

Thanks in advance   for a reply.

Beginning of Game Playlist:

Alma Mater
Remember the Titans
Ring Out Ahoya
National Anthem
"Sandstorm" - Darude
"Where the Streets Have No Name" (Re-mix) - U2
"Thunderstruck" - AC/DC

[melissasmooth]

Beginning of Game Playlist:

Alma Mater
Remember the Titans
Ring Out Ahoya
National Anthem
"Sandstorm" - Darude
"Where the Streets Have No Name" (Re-mix) - U2
"Thunderstruck" - AC/DC

Benny B on the turntables

[Coleman]

Beginning of Game Playlist:

Alma Mater
Remember the Titans
Ring Out Ahoya
National Anthem
"Sandstorm" - Darude
"Where the Streets Have No Name" (Re-mix) - U2
"Thunderstruck" - AC/DC

Overtime tips, "Welcome to the Jungle" - Guns N Roses

[wadesworld]

Apparently Buzz's phone still works?

[keefe]

Apparently Buzz's phone still works?

Sure. His land lines to the has beens and never weres are just fine. I am guessing his connectivity to the masters of the universe has gone cold. There is a difference, of course.

[The Love House]

Beginning of Game Playlist:

Remember the Titans
"Sandstorm" - Darude
"Where the Streets Have No Name" (Re-mix) - U2
"Thunderstruck" - AC/DC

Who the hell picked these songs, Father DiUlio?

[keefe]

Who the hell picked these songs, Father DiUlio?

[wadesworld]

Sure. His land lines to the has beens and never weres are just fine. I am guessing his connectivity to the masters of the universe has gone cold. There is a difference, of course.

I guess that raises the question, has he ever been rumored to be going to anywhere other than the "has beens" and the "weres?"  I mean, he's been rumored with SMU who up until this year has been awful and still missed the NCAA Tournament this year, Oklahoma who at the time was awful and had been for a few years, Texas A&M who is Texas A&M, and anyone else really?  Kentucky, Duke, Syracuse, UCLA, heck, even Texas have yet to come calling.  I don't think the names we will hear this off season will be any different from the names we've heard coming off of consecutive Sweet 16s.

[wildbill sb]

I don't want to get started on this again, but I agree totally with you. I was there when it happened and the Hank decision was a poor one. Like North Carolina letting Bill Gutheridge follow Dean. Neither worked.

Miami was shameful because we should have known better and we lost to what today would be a 16 seed.

Ny the way, what year did you graduate?

I'm coming late to this party, but:  Al, then Hank;  Dean, then Bill;  Tom, then Buzz?  Hmmmmmm.

[keefe]

I guess that raises the question, has he ever been rumored to be going to anywhere other than the "has beens" and the "weres?"  I mean, he's been rumored with SMU who up until this year has been awful and still missed the NCAA Tournament this year, Oklahoma who at the time was awful and had been for a few years, Texas A&M who is Texas A&M, and anyone else really?  Kentucky, Duke, Syracuse, UCLA, heck, even Texas have yet to come calling.  I don't think the names we will hear this off season will be any different from the names we've heard coming off of consecutive Sweet 16s.

Frankly, I am not personally aware if any of the elites have offered in the past. Mike Hunt wrote that Buzz was offered by an NBA team so the man clearly has been an attractive commodity and there is no reason to think some of the top programs have not expressed interest. We do know UCLA had him on the list but then so was Stevens, et al. I just don't think he has the cachet of last March.

[Coleman]

Frankly, I am not personally aware if any of the elites have offered in the past. Mike Hunt wrote that Buzz was offered by an NBA team so the man clearly has been an attractive commodity and there is no reason to think some of the top programs have not expressed interest. We do know UCLA had him on the list but then so was Stevens, et al. I just don't think he has the cachet of last March.

You are correct, though I am fairly sure Texas, along with much of the Big 12 also has him on a short list, should they ever be in need. I could see Oklahoma and OK State also expressing interest.

Not elite programs, but prestigious enough for MU fans to worry.

[keefe]

You are correct, though I am fairly sure Texas, along with much of the Big 12 also has him on a short list, should they ever be in need. I could see Oklahoma and OK State also expressing interest.

Not elite programs, but prestigious enough for MU fans to worry.

I don't recall the details but OU offered Buzz after they let Capel go. Buzz tuning them down gave hope to a lot of tortured souls here.

While I wouldn't label them as elite in basketball but OU is a major force in college athletics. I remember when Wayman Tisdale considered Marquette long and hard before staying home and playing for Tubbs.