Labeling an NIT season "terrible" is not quite right. This season, we may start slow and eliminate ourselves from NCAA at large consideration by mid-season. If that were to be the case and we rallied for an NIT birth and won a couple games in the NIT, it would hardly be considered "terrible."
Our previous NIT's were terrible because A) they were in consecutive years after the Final Four; B) they were years 6 and 7 of the previous regime and C) that rout in the Bradley Center to Western Michigan was absolutely putrid.
If Buzz is making back-to-back NIT appearances in years 6 and 7, it would be terrible. This year, not so much.
I guess since I have only been a Marquette fan since this decade, I do not have the perspective that others might have who have been rooting for Marquette in the years b/w Al leaving and Wade arriving, but I would still consider NIT a big disappointment.
If we start slow and then start playing better, make the NIT, and win a few games there I would not really consider it a great season still. If that happens this year and someone asks me about the 2010 season I would say "It was a down year, but we showed signs at the end." The general tone would be negative.
Making the NIT, in my opinion, means that we would not have lived up to our potential in luring quality players to MU and the players did not execute. You do make a good point that this is Buzz's second year and it's harder to make a case about recruits with a big gap in recruiting he is getting. Buzz will not be on the hotseat for making the NIT, but I am thinking the average MU fan will be dissapointed with the NIT no matter the context. I think it's good to expect a lot out of the program though because men's bball does a lot to promote name recognition of our school.