Hardest Playing Team in College Basketball

[Lennys Tap]

While doing the color for DePaul/S Florida, color man Fran Frischella (sp?) called MU the hardest playing team in college basketball. Nice to get those kind of props on national tv.

[VegasWarrior77]

Did he call DJO a "junkyard dog"?

[wyoMUfan]

I loved the "junk-yard dog" moniker during the OldSpiceClassic
I hope it comes back during the BET

[MUFan42]

I like the quote that Jim Calhoun used in explaining why he benched his 3 seniors.Dyson,Robinson, and Edwards he said, "I keep pointing to Marquette, who continues to prove that game after game after game. Yes, they have some pretty good players, but they're not the 5th best team in this league. But they finished 5th because they play hard every minute. We're going to have to do that in this tournament. If we don'tm we're coming home. I don't want to come home early"

[Benny B]

They just flashed Calhoun's quote during a whistle in the UCONN/StJ game.

The buzz continues (pun intended).

[NavinRJohnson]

Really a testament to Buzz and the players how much people have taken notice. I (and plenty of others) have been saying this for several months now, obviously having the opportunity to see most games, but its great how so many others outside of the MU community have caught on.

[ecompt]

Give Buzz UCONN's talent this year and they wouldn't be playing in this tournament until Thursday.

[Skatastrophy]

I loved the "junk-yard dog" moniker during the OldSpiceClassic
I hope it comes back during the BET

I'm glad that DJO is doing well, but every time that I hear "junkyard dog" I have flashbacks to the MU v Missouri NCAA game and DeMarre Carroll... *shudder*

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

I agree with FF and I love this team. But I don't think we played as hard against ND or Pitt as we did again, for instance SH or St John's or even in our Villanova losses . To me, both those games were very disappointing...not so much in the outcomes (they sucked) but in the performance. I just hope we don't have another one of those stinkers here in the next couple weeks.

[LON]

I'm excited to see how these guys play with the threat of single elimination looming from here on out.

[GGGG]

Give Buzz UCONN's talent this year and they wouldn't be playing in this tournament until Thursday.

So...you are saying that Buzz Williams is a better coach than Jim Calhoun???

[Clam Crowder]

Calhoun is at the end of his run Sultan, and Buzz is up and coming and getting us attention nationally. Calhoun's new contract is a bunch of bull to keep recruits no way is he there for more for 5 more years

[Ready2Fly]

Give Buzz UCONN's talent this year and they wouldn't be playing in this tournament until Thursday.

Maybe, maybe not.  There aren't any prima donnas on our roster (COUGH after Maymon left COUGH).  If those guys tune out Calhoun, what makes you think they wouldn't tune out Buzz?  They might have bought in, who knows, but it certainly helps that Hayward led by example and bought in completely.  A lot of times under the radar players like Jimmy Butler (high ceiling, humble hard working team player) are better than egomaniacal 5 stars.  Other times the talent it so overwhelming it's worth it - see Wall and Cousins at UK.

[ecompt]

No, Sultan, I hope Buzz winds up with the same Hall of Fame credentials as Calhoun. I'm just saying Buzz has done more with his talent this year than Calhoun has with his. UCONN has severely underacheived this season. I don't think Jim's heart is in it. I think he recruited too many head cases and he just doesn't want to deal with them.

[GGGG]

No, Sultan, I hope Buzz winds up with the same Hall of Fame credentials as Calhoun. I'm just saying Buzz has done more with his talent this year than Calhoun has with his. UCONN has severely underacheived this season. I don't think Jim's heart is in it. I think he recruited too many head cases and he just doesn't want to deal with them.

OK...can't really argue with any of that.

[PGsHeroes32]

Lets work hard tomorrow and start a BET run.

[GoldenWarrior]

OK...can't really argue with any of that.

I think it essentially comes down to: Buzz has been able to get way more out of his players than what Calhoun was able to do... more heart, passion, etc.

[leglegle]

It speaks volumes that Coach Calhoun would mention MU in his statement to his team regarding how to play the game.

[goodgreatgrand]

It speaks volumes that Coach Calhoun would mention MU in his statement to his team regarding how to play the game.

Hanging out at bars around MSG. Struck up a conversation about Calhoun with UConn students and alums and reasons for why he took his leave. It was unanimous (about 12 people) that stress, fatigue and (more than likely)  drinking forced him out. Think he was sober when he made those comments?

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I agree with FF and I love this team. But I don't think we played as hard against ND or Pitt as we did again, for instance SH or St John's or even in our Villanova losses . To me, both those games were very disappointing...not so much in the outcomes (they sucked) but in the performance. I just hope we don't have another one of those stinkers here in the next couple weeks.

Since we're quoting Fran Frashilla, I'll quote him again from something he said during a Marquette game sometime this season.  He said he used to tell his players "Over the season we're going to have 5 games we play over our head and 5 games that are stinkers and the remainder will be our true team."