Did Tom Crean hold us back?

[The Lens]

In 1998 MU was coming off a stretch of 4 NCAAs in 5 years + a NIT Runner Up.  Mike Deane was about to ink the class that would be the foundation of Tom Crean's 1st NCAA appearance (Harris, Henry, Diggs, Olouma).  Freshmen Brian Wardle was a all-league talent.  MU decided to hire Tom Crean who ended up going to just 2 NCAAs in 6 years, before he turned his recruiting over to Jason Rabadeaux and landed the 3 amigos followed by Lazar.

You really have to wonder, were we poised for great things after KO resurected the program and TC just slowed it all down until Buzz was hired?  At least TC hired Buzz, he'll always have that on his resume.

[Ellenson Guerrero]

Thats just dumb. TC may be a dbag, but he took us to a Final Four. Signed the greatest player in MU history, then compiled an underrated class that turned out to be one of the best in MU's history. Beyond that he got us into the BEast which IMHO was the biggest step forward in the program in the last quarter century. You don't have to like TC but you should realize the immense good he did in his time here.

[Jam Chowder]

Thats just dumb. TC may be a dbag, but he took us to a Final Four. Signed the greatest player in MU history, then compiled an underrated class that turned out to be one of the best in MU's history. Beyond that he got us into the BEast which IMHO was the biggest step forward in the program in the last quarter century. You don't have to like TC but you should realize the immense good he did in his time here.

+1. Not to start this instant pissing match, but TC made MU a brand name. Case closed. I think that to suggest TC held us back is borderline folly. I'm not saying I like the guy, but show some appreciation. The dude put us back on the map.

[cheebs09]

I don't think Tom Crean held us back at all. He did a lot of great things for the University and made Marquette a lot more nationally known. He has a gift when it comes to promoting a University, we've seen that with Indiana as well. I do think maybe he thought that Marquette was holding him back a little bit. However, it could be argued that he took this program as far as he could and now hopefully Buzz can raise it even further.

I'm not a huge Crean fan anymore due to how he left, and honestly I'm not rooting for him to do well at Indiana. I've heard stories of how hard he was to work for and was a jerk, and there are many things about his recruiting and coaching that could be better, but the main reason I don't like him is how he made it seem like MU was his destination school and how he would be in it for the long haul, like a Coach K. Looking back I can see that it seemed like he badly wanted to move to a big state school and I understand the obvious advantages that came with being at a school the whole state cheered for and what it could do to recruiting.

However, even with his name floating around I heard him talk like he wanted to build MU into a school like Indiana or Kentucky that will be in the hunt for national titles. So I guess it got my hopes up and don't necessarily blame him leaving for Indiana (which I can understand, they are crazy about bball there and have a great tradition). However I really felt that he would work hard to be the one to put MU at that level.

Hopefully we have a guy like that in Buzz. I know he said that he would stay here as long as MU kept him, but after what happened with Crean you have to take it with a grain of salt. Although this place seems to fit Buzz, I don't know if he could preach religion like he does, and say a prayer before practice at a big state school. So I have some hope Buzz will be here awhile, and hope he keeps up the momentum because his first year and a half have the program set up VERY well for the future. Sorry for it being so long.

EDIT: to space out, sorry looked a little different when I typed it.

[JimmyBIToldYa]

please find the enter button. i cannot read that

[ChicosBailBonds]

This may be the dumbest thread ever.   The only thing you forgot to mention was going from 10-4, to 9-5, to 8-8, to 6-10 those last 4 years and handing off a LOSING program.  A program that was PUBLICLY stated to strive for NIT appearances first and then if we made the NCAA, great.  A program who's mantra was to tell it's alums it was foolish to ever think the program could go to the Final Four again....yet it happened only 4 years later after that regime.

Other than that, spot on.

[4everwarriors]

He was like an albatross around MU's neck and an anchor at it's ankles.

[NavinRJohnson]

In general, no he did not hold MU back, but I'll repeat what I have said of Crean all along...He was good for MU, built the program back up, and did many, many good things, but it was time. He had taken MU as far as he was going to, so in that respect it is possible that he was holding MU back somewhat.  That is not to say, Buzz will necessarily do better, but that's the question, isn't it? Early returns would certainly seem to indicate that the recruiting has taken a step forward, but much remains to be seen.

[Blackhat]

This is pretty much the dumbest thread headline I've seen in awhile.   TC pretty much delivered us to the Big East and brought some pride back to the program.  We owe TC our appreciation(and he owed us his respect when leaving but that's another story).  

[madtownwarrior]

dumb thread - who cares, Buzz is our coach now, we are in great shape, move on...

[Golden Avalanche]

Agree with others. Taking the Blue commitment waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too far with something like this thread. Last night was an unbelievable step toward continuing our impressive Big East run and to even suggest Tom Crean didn't provide forward momentum for our program is foolish.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Wow.

Vander Blue is so good that he went back in time and erased the Final Four and made Tom Crean into a losing coach.

I can't wait to see this kid play! He must be better than Teen Wolf.

Lens... 

[Nukem2]

He was like an albatross around MU's neck and an anchor at it's ankles.

Come on 4ever, you may not like the guy; but, he was good for MU.

[bma725]

In 1998 MU was coming off a stretch of 4 NCAAs in 5 years + a NIT Runner Up.  Mike Deane was about to ink the class that would be the foundation of Tom Crean's 1st NCAA appearance (Harris, Henry, Diggs, Olouma).  Freshmen Brian Wardle was a all-league talent.  MU decided to hire Tom Crean who ended up going to just 2 NCAAs in 6 years, before he turned his recruiting over to Jason Rabadeaux and landed the 3 amigos followed by Lazar.

You really have to wonder, were we poised for great things after KO resurected the program and TC just slowed it all down until Buzz was hired?  At least TC hired Buzz, he'll always have that on his resume.

That's ridiculous, even for you.

[The Lens]

That's ridiculous, even for you.

Did you see what I did there (to quote John Madden)?

I strung together a few facts to create a paragraph that while compiled of facts, made no sense.  Very SJS of me, wouldn't you say?

It's kind of like just throwing out that Steve Lavin had 3 top 5 recruiting classes and then saying: "What? What? Who me? I'm not negative"

[mu-rara]

Wow.

Vander Blue is so good that he went back in time and erased the Final Four and made Tom Crean into a losing coach.

I can't wait to see this kid play! He must be better than Teen Wolf.

Lens... 

Are you sure your not Joanie?? or Riley??

[tower912]

Not just no, but hell no.    TC did a very nice job of building up the program and his own resume.   But, it was probably time for him to go.    He is at a legendary program, and we have a recruiter that may actually be able to take us to the mythical 'next level'.