Author Topic: I hope we have run out of Cool Aid (Read 4622 times)

MU NY · « **on:** February 18, 2007, 10:47:07 AM »

Our team is spoiled. Presumptuous and complacent even. They get almost 19,000 in the buiding home and don't defend their house. They are not playing for anything right now and it shows. FG%, FT%, turnovers, protecting a lead at end of the game...it goes on and on and on. They are facing rivals that have it all on the line and can't wait to shove it down our throats...and we let them. GU embarrased us, DePaul out-hussled us and Louisville out-executed us!

There are three "cool aid" comments I see on this board too often:
1. We can play with anybody...
2. We beat ourselves tonight...
3. We are a lock for the NCAA Tourney...

WAKE UP MARQUETTE! WAKE UP!!!
We are getting steam-rolled down the stretch. Where is the leadership on this team? Bottom line is we need to execute well and not be afraid to get to the line as a result of good old fashioned in your face penetration hoops...Big East style hoops.

We may be playing like the season is over but it is a long way from over...we can play our way right to the top or play our way out of the Tourney at this critical juncture. Where's the chip on our shoulder? Where's the pride?

Despite it all...I am a loyal fan and believe as the saying goes..."It is darkest before the dawn." It's pitch black right now...time to kick it into the big gear.

Canned Goods n Ammo · « **Reply #1 on:** February 18, 2007, 10:55:08 AM »

Quote from: MU NY on February 18, 2007, 10:47:07 AM

Our team is spoiled. Presumptuous and complacent even. They get almost 19,000 in the buiding home and don't defend their house. They are not playing for anything right now and it shows. FG%, FT%, turnovers, protecting a lead at end of the game...it goes on and on and on. They are facing rivals that have it all on the line and can't wait to shove it down our throats...and we let them. GU embarrased us, DePaul out-hussled us and Louisville out-executed us!

There are three "cool aid" comments I see on this board too often:
1. We can play with anybody...
2. We beat ourselves tonight...
3. We are a lock for the NCAA Tourney...

WAKE UP MARQUETTE! WAKE UP!!!
We are getting steam-rolled down the stretch. Where is the leadership on this team? Bottom line is we need to execute well and not be afraid to get to the line as a result of good old fashioned in your face penetration hoops...Big East style hoops.

We may be playing like the season is over but it is a long way from over...we can play our way right to the top or play our way out of the Tourney at this critical juncture. Where's the chip on our shoulder? Where's the pride?

Despite it all...I am a loyal fan and believe as the saying goes..."It is darkest before the dawn." It's pitch black right now...time to kick it into the big gear.

I don't disagree that it looks dark right now, and/or that the team is lacking some leadership.

But, to be fair, I think the BEast is a very balanced conference right now, and MU is just about as good as everybody else. I mean, look at the games. A couple of free throws or make a couple more lay-ups and MU is sitting at 10-3. I think MU couldve/shouldve won both of those games, but winning close games in conference is a tough thing to do.

The BEast is kind of like the NFL right now, lots of parity amoungst the teams, so winning comes down to the details which MU can't seem to get together.

MU NY · « **Reply #2 on:** February 18, 2007, 11:05:26 AM »

Something missing on this team in those close losses...and with all of the so called parity in the Big East, we are not getting it done on our end. We're not winning close ones at home. Leadership down the stretch is missing bigtime. Did you see James only shot the ball six times or so from the field and was 3-6 at the line? Gar-baajje!

lab_warrior · « **Reply #3 on:** February 18, 2007, 11:16:47 AM »

Apparently the KoolAid is still flowing--we've got people on this board talking about 3 losses in a row as "no big deal", people saying that this crumbling pathetic excuse for a basketball team is a "lock" for the tournament, and somebody else using the time honored "character building" cliche, as if playing no defense the last possession and missing important shots and FTs builds "character".

MU NY · « **Reply #4 on:** February 18, 2007, 11:29:24 AM »

Right...I wish we had the character to step in front of Sosa as he goes coast to freaking coast on our home floor! Nobody took the blame for that and nobody stepped up to put him on his butt. Hey TEAM...You've got 19,000 in your building and shame on you for not sending the message that we don't allow that! Would somebody pleeeeeeeaaasssseee step up???

mviale · « **Reply #5 on:** February 18, 2007, 11:31:01 AM »

we got beat by a kid that at best is a 40% 3 pt shooter. He threw in 3 in a row and we lose by 2. That beats most teams in the nation.

3 losses in a row are very tough to swollow, but I still believe we have a sweet 16 team.

Big Papi · « **Reply #6 on:** February 18, 2007, 11:44:08 AM »

Quote from: MU NY on February 18, 2007, 11:05:26 AM

Something missing on this team in those close losses...and with all of the so called parity in the Big East, we are not getting it done on our end. We're not winning close ones at home. Leadership down the stretch is missing bigtime. Did you see James only shot the ball six times or so from the field and was 3-6 at the line? Gar-baajje!

First of all, this is only the 2nd conference game we lost at home so I am not quite sure how that translates into we're not winning close ones at home.

Second, it seems like James can do nothing right. He gets bashed for taking too many shots and now he is getting bashed for not taking enough. Which is it? It is obvious he is in a funk. In a way I hope James leaves, not that it is going to make us better next year as that is just foolish talk but I am sick of the James bashing. (sarcasm on)Okay he sucks, good riddance! (sarcasm off).

Finally you mention that "we can play with anyone" as a CoolAid comment. If that is true than the expectations for the rest of the year should be that we maybe win 1 more game. Season over. Right? We have no chance of beating Pitt. Notre Dame on the road will be near impossible and Villanova at home is a toss-up. Plus that would put us at about 8/9 seed or so in the tourny and we will have a first round opponent of Syracuse, DePaul, Notre Dame, Villanova or maybe Providence. All teams we have lost to or probably will lose to in Notre Dame. Yup season over. Guess I don't need to go to tomorrow nights game.

mviale · « **Reply #7 on:** February 18, 2007, 11:48:35 AM »

MU Fan ~ most of our friends posting these negative replies prefer cupcake city and cannot handle competitive college bball. I bet they cant even watch when it gets too close. Crean cant win, if we play cupcakes and dominate, he loses. If we play top talent and win 8/13, we suck.

MU NY · « **Reply #8 on:** February 18, 2007, 12:00:01 PM »

look...the theme here is they play with no urgency...not that they suck. Certain obvious areas they suck badly but not overall. This team has no heart or purpose. No urgency. We can play with anyone, we beat ourselves, we are in the tourney yourself to death! Meanwhile, I am more concerned that McNeil would leave and James would stay!!!

Big Papi · « **Reply #9 on:** February 18, 2007, 12:19:23 PM »

Quote from: MU NY on February 18, 2007, 12:00:01 PM

look...the theme here is they play with no urgency...not that they suck. Certain obvious areas they suck badly but not overall. This team has no heart or purpose. No urgency. We can play with anyone, we beat ourselves, we are in the tourney yourself to death! Meanwhile, I am more concerned that McNeil would leave and James would stay!!!

Worry all you want but McNeal is not declaring for the draft after this year or next for that matter unless he makes some great strides in limiting turnovers and starts shooting 40% from 3 point land.

I personally am not deathifying (not a real word but you get the point) myself over anything. This team has some major weaknesses(free throw shooting, 3point shooting, no inside threat) that are magnified against good teams. We have overcome them in the past and i think we will overcome them again in the very near future.

My only concern right now is making the tourny. We have at least 4 games left. Need to win 2. Any 2. Than it is all about the matchup but we will cross that bridge when we get there.

In order to win we really need 2 areas of improvement. Number 1 is that we need to do a better job of defending like we did earlier in the year. i really think one of our bigs needs to step it up on the defensive end. Hayward, Lott, Burke, someone to help out Barro. Number 2 we need James to get his confidence back. You get those two things to improve and we win these close loses become wins because we are not going to improve our free throw shooting, 3point shooting or magically get an offensive threat in the post.

MU NY · « **Reply #10 on:** February 18, 2007, 12:30:56 PM »

They will be missed...but I still think it is a huge mistake to declare this early for BOTH McNeil and James. As to the Urgency and leadership thing, it can happen on the Defensive end FIRST, as you indicated. Unselfish play starts on the defensive end and somebody has to use the villanova game as the example

Collegecard · « **Reply #11 on:** February 18, 2007, 03:31:15 PM »

Quote from: mviale on February 18, 2007, 11:31:01 AM

we got beat by a kid that at best is a 40% 3 pt shooter. He threw in 3 in a row and we lose by 2. That beats most teams in the nation.

Smith is actually hitting at 49% on the season (48 of 98). That's tops in the Big East among eligible players (1 minimum made per game to qualify). Obviously most of those attempts are not from the distance the last shot was from so you can't really call that shot a 50/50 tossup, but overall he's very accurate.

MU NY · « **Reply #12 on:** February 18, 2007, 03:41:24 PM »

Give the Freshman credit...he got a good look at the basket and nailed it...never would have been meaningful accept for the three missed front ends at the line and the "right this way, sir" defense on Sosa that preceded it. They wanted it more...we had 19,000 in the stands and all but they wanted it more. WE USED TO WIN GAMES JUST LIKE THIS ONE!!! Can we rally or do we just tuck it in...stay tuned.

MarquetteVol · « **Reply #13 on:** February 18, 2007, 11:59:54 PM »

Quote from: MU NY on February 18, 2007, 10:47:07 AM

Our team is spoiled.

Who's spoiled? Look in the mirror.

Warriors Forever · « **Reply #14 on:** February 19, 2007, 12:48:58 PM »

It's pitch black? Oh man, forget the Cool (sic) Aid, get off the crack!!! Obviously you have no idea what pitch black looks like. The packers in the 80's, UW football in the 80's, the Chicago Bears sooperbowl fiasco, the current Bearcats BB program....

I hope we have complaining year after year about 20+ win seasons at this point in February.

tonyreeder · « **Reply #15 on:** February 19, 2007, 12:57:18 PM »

we're also a couple bounces away from being 6-7. South Florida game and the game at Pitt could have been losses. MU's a strange team this year. I really thought they'd come out and take it to Louisville Saturday. Coming off 2 losses and back at home with a full house-they should have come out and took it to the Cards. They aren't as good as that 8 game streak led us to believe and I'm starting to be swayed over to the line of thinking that this team lacks leadership. Have to get this one tonight.

MUFan07 · « **Reply #16 on:** February 19, 2007, 01:13:07 PM »

Quote from: tonyreeder on February 19, 2007, 12:57:18 PM

we're also a couple bounces away from being 6-7. South Florida game and the game at Pitt could have been losses.

We're also a couple bounces away from being 10-3. DePaul and Louisville could easliy have been wins. This is a good but inconsistent team that is 8-5 right now (not 6-7 and not 10-3). I think tonight's game will show a lot about TC. It's a tough turn around after losing the way they did, and its up to TC to get them ready to play tonight.

milkbone · « **Reply #17 on:** February 19, 2007, 01:53:26 PM »

Yes it is pitch black for MU They are ONLY ranked 16th in both polls out today

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Author Topic: I hope we have run out of Cool Aid (Read 4622 times)

tonyreeder