M Club Dinner Recap

[TallTitan34]

Tom Crean has arrived!

EDIT:  Recap below in post 13!

[TallTitan34]

Father Wild just thanked every single 2003 member except Crean!

[MR.HAYWARD]

even the other coaches?

[4everwarriors]

Can you tell if he's packin'?

[TallTitan34]

Kevin O'Neil is in the house!

[4everwarriors]

Any sign of Mike Deane yet?

[MR.HAYWARD]

boo that f'er crean

[ChicosBailBonds]

Kevin O'Neil is in the house!

Hide the coed student athletes

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Kevin O'Neil is in the house!

Did they have a seat for his bodyguard?

[Tom Crean's Tanning Bed]

Any sign of Mike Deane yet?

Any trails of white powder?

[77ncaachamps]

On a scale of Burnt Sienna to Radiant Orange, describe Tommy's tan.

[ChicosBailBonds]

On a scale of Burnt Sienna to Radiant Orange, describe Tommy's tan.

I'm going to guess the same hue he's had since at least high school and probably since birth.

[Schoolyard]

Father Wild just thanked every single 2003 member except Crean!

Please take this down before SJS & Chicos start crying.

[TallTitan34]

Overall it was a really cool night.

The Bradley Center looked amazing.  They had the light off with a carpet on the floor.  Black curtains surrounded the floor with the upper deck curtained off as well.  On the video board that circles the arena they had sparkling blue and gold stars.  The ceiling had blue and gold lights moving everywhere as well.  By center court they set up a stage with a huge screen that looked like the titantron from wrestling.  On either side of the stage were curtains that would alternate color every few seconds between blue and gold.  The podium also had a screen on it which changed pictures throughout the night.

The non-basketball inductees had great speeches, especially Jim Allen who thanked Dwyane Wade for coming since it made sure his grandkids would show up to the event.  Bill Cords had a great speech as well.  I never realized he had polio as a kid!

When Dwyane spoke he thanked Crean and asked him to stand.  In my area I'd guess about 65% of people stood and clapped while 35% sat silently.  When the 2003 team was inducted, Diener, Novak, and Robert Jackson all spoke.  Crean didn't say a word.

Dwyane said he was sick and he looked pretty sick but he still stuck around and took pictures with people and signed stuff. 

Novak said the Clippers have offered him a contract but he hasn't signed yet.  Travis got married two weeks ago.  Grimm was leaving immediately to go back to Switzerland to play.

Kevin O'Neil and Gabrielle Union were both in attendance.  Scott Merritt was the only 2003 team member unable to attend.

[77ncaachamps]

Overall it was a really cool night.

The Bradley Center looked amazing.  They had the light off with a carpet on the floor.  Black curtains surrounded the floor with the upper deck curtained off as well.  On the video board that circles the arena they had sparkling blue and gold stars.  The ceiling had blue and gold lights moving everywhere as well.  By center court they set up a stage with a huge screen that looked like the titantron from wrestling.  On either side of the stage were curtains that would alternate color every few seconds between blue and gold.  The podium also had a screen on it which changed pictures throughout the night.

The non-basketball inductees had great speeches, especially Jim Allen who thanked Dwyane Wade for coming since it made sure his grandkids would show up to the event.  Bill Cords had a great speech as well.  I never realized he had polio as a kid!

When Dwyane spoke he thanked Crean and asked him to stand.  In my area I'd guess about 65% of people stood and clapped while 35% sat silently.  When the 2003 team was inducted, Diener, Novak, and Robert Jackson all spoke.  Crean didn't say a word.

Dwyane said he was sick and he looked pretty sick but he still stuck around and took pictures with people and signed stuff. 

Novak said the Clippers have offered him a contract but he hasn't signed yet.  Travis got married two weeks ago.  Grimm was leaving immediately to go back to Switzerland to play.

Kevin O'Neil and Gabrielle Union were both in attendance.  Scott Merritt was the only 2003 team member unable to attend.

Thanks for sharing!

So the pics of Crean at a podium were taken at a media event before the HOF dinner, I presume?

[TallTitan34]

Yeah those pictures weren't taken during the ceremony.

[Wisco]

I was there tonight - Jim Allen is my grandfather.

Thanks for posting this recap. Overall, it was a great description. Like you said, the Bradley Center was amazing. If I didn't know it was a sports venue, I would have never guessed. The food was great and so was the entire event in general. Despite what my grandfather said I didn't go just to see Dwyane Wade though - all of the inductees were great in their own way. I caught D-Wade out in the parking lot after the event though and got his autograph. I also talked to Diener, Novak, and Jackson. What a great night!

[ChicosBailBonds]

I was there tonight - Jim Allen is my grandfather.

Thanks for posting this recap. Overall, it was a great description. Like you said, the Bradley Center was amazing. If I didn't know it was a sports venue, I would have never guessed. The food was great and so was the entire event in general. Despite what my grandfather said I didn't go just to see Dwyane Wade though - all of the inductees were great in their own way. I caught D-Wade out in the parking lot after the event though and got his autograph. I also talked to Diener, Novak, and Jackson. What a great night!

Your grandfather is a wonderful man.  I was fortunate to meet him several times.  You should be very proud.

Nice video from tonight    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoLXc1tFXM0

[Sir Lawrence]

Rosiak recap of the event:

The ride is well worth remembering

By Todd Rosiak of the Journal Sentinel

Posted: Aug. 22, 2009

Early Saturday night, more than six years after making their run to the Final Four in New Orleans, just about every member of the 2002-'03 Marquette Golden Eagles once again found himself in the building that helped serve as a springboard to one of the most memorable seasons in school history.

Walking the halls of the Bradley Center prior to being inducted into MU's M Club Hall of Fame as a team, the former players exchanged smiles, handshakes and hugs in advance of a dinner and ceremony attended by a crowd of more than 600 on hand to pay tribute to the school's former athletic greats.

Superstar Dwyane Wade was there, as were fellow NBA players Travis Diener and Steve Novak - the linchpins of that squad, along with big man Robert Jackson. So, too, were role players like Karon Bradley and Joe Chapman, each of whom hit some big shots on the NCAA tournament stage.

click link for more...

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/goldeneagles/54208477.html

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Need more evidence that Crean is a complete prick?

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4416664

This is absolutely, 100 percent a press release put together by a PR firm. Also picked up by SI.com and USA Today. If you think a reporter put this together, think again. Nobody but a PR firm would attend this and put all the focus on Crean.

It's all about him.

[bilsu]

Need more evidence that Crean is a complete prick?

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4416664

This is absolutely, 100 percent a press release put together by a PR firm. Also picked up by SI.com and USA Today. If you think a reporter put this together, think again. Nobody but a PR firm would attend this and put all the focus on Crean.

It's all about him.

To be a successful head coach in division 1 you need to promote yourself. Crean is good at that. Get overwith it. In todays world most division 1 coaches do not stay at a school for nine years. Heck a lot of marriages do not last nine years.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Need more evidence that Crean is a complete prick?

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4416664

This is absolutely, 100 percent a press release put together by a PR firm. Also picked up by SI.com and USA Today. If you think a reporter put this together, think again. Nobody but a PR firm would attend this and put all the focus on Crean.

It's all about him.

Does he have a big ego? Certainly.

Is an article/alleged "press release" a clear sign that Crean is a "prick"?

No.

Come on, dude. Come back to earth. Be reasonable.

[Marquette84]

Please take this down before SJS & Chicos start crying.

Why would I shed a tear over this?

My initial thought is that this was reported out of context. Frankly, I cannot imagine Fr. Wild being this petty.

[reinko]

Need more evidence that Crean is a complete prick?

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4416664

This is absolutely, 100 percent a press release put together by a PR firm. Also picked up by SI.com and USA Today. If you think a reporter put this together, think again. Nobody but a PR firm would attend this and put all the focus on Crean.

It's all about him.

So?  Really, no for reals. We don't care PRN.  Now run home and stop obsessing about Tommy.

[Murffieus]

Father Wild just thanked every single 2003 member except Crean!

More evidence that when Crean left in a "huff" there were hard feelings between he and Fr Wild on his choice of AD.