Jason Whitlock says MU bball has a low BBall IQ

[fjg44]

I lose more and more respect for this hack every article I read of his.

http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/forget-sexy-sleeper-picks-this-year


7. This isn't much of a first-round upset, but it's the only one I like: No. 11 Washington over No. 6 Marquette in the East Region.

Again, I'm staying away from upsets this year. This matchup could be interesting, the worst-BCS conference vs. the best one. I'm not big on the Golden Eagles. They play a lot of close games because their collective basketball IQ is low. They could do just enough dumb stuff to let Washington hang around.

[damuts222]

 Its Fox, he's just trying to raise a stink. Because MU's team does not have a low basketball IQ, Jason Whitlock does.

[Oldgym]

Everybody wants to be a sportswriter.  With a zillion columnists and bloggers all vying for somebody's attention, they have to sound off or risk going unnoticed.  Exhibit A. 

His might have a point if we had been consistently blown out by high quality opponents, but undersized teams who are also dumb don't get 11 wins in the Big East.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Whitlock was clearly being racist and would not have made such an IQ statement about Wisconsin-Madison or Duke

[Moonboots]

Whitlock making a statement about low IQ is about as ironic as it gets. Anyone ever follow this tool on Twitter?

EDIT: And just to be clear, this post isn't piling on because Whitlock knocked MU. I've been on the "Whitlock is an idiot" bandwagon forever.

[MerrittsMustache]

Whitlock has long been a blow-hard. My guess is that he watched the last 10 minutes of the Georgetown game (arguably MU's worst 10-minute stretch of the season), saw a frantic, out-of-sorts team and assumes that's how MU plays all the time.

Teams with low basketball IQs who are successful, generally win based largely on pure talent and athleticism (see: Cincy in the Huggins years or UConn, Memphis more recently). Marquette definitely would NOT be where they are now with a low IQ.

EDIT: Grammar

[Henry Sugar]

I happen to like Whitlock, but not enough to read his stuff regularly.  I find he generally has 1-2 columns a year that are really interesting, and his take is unique.

I also think there is an element of truth in what he says.  Marquette struggles to put teams away.  In the BET, we didn't put away St. Johns or Nova.  We had a seven point lead on ND.  at home.  on Senior Day.  DePaul.  WVU.

Now, I do not think that the team's collective BB IQ is low.  But MU could certainly get up by 7-8 points and then let UW hang around with some sloppy play.  Wouldn't be the first time this season.

[Shack]

The way we've blown late game leads against Florida St., DePaul, Notre Dame and West Virginia it's hard to argue against Whitlock's statement.  Dumb stuff includes missing free throws late in the game I guess.   Or maybe he was reading the comments from some of the posters on this site after the games we lost.  Only one side of the equation though.  He forgets to mention the maturity this team has shown throughout the year and the ability to overachieve.  If we stay out of foul trouble we should beat Washington..imo.   

[Ready2Fly]

Low basketball IQ = unforced turnovers, stupid shots, head-scratching fouls, and general selfishness.

Don't see that much from this squad.

[mugrad99]

Top 10 in fewest turnovers, assist to turnover ratio does not equate to a low basketball IQ.

Someone needs to tell Mr Whitlock that Jerel McNeal is not walking through that door.

[MerrittsMustache]

For Marquette it all comes down to making their outside shots. When they're hitting, they look a well-oiled machine. When they're missing, they look like undisciplined chuckers.


PS - Since we're talking about his column, I think Whitlock wins.

[chapman]

Whitlock was clearly being racist and would not have made such an IQ statement about Wisconsin-Madison or Duke

Though he did rip UW-Madison a new one in that article.  Basically said they aren't any good, will lose to Temple or Cornell, and if they would happen to pull it out would not stand a chance against UK.  Not really giving a reason besides that they swept all the Big Ten's lower half, which should be a good thing.  Hate to disagree with the Bilas / Whitlock crowd that sees Cornell's chances of making the Sweet 16 as greater than UW-Madisons, but my bracket says otherwise.  

[ChicosBailBonds]

Though he did rip UW-Madison a new one in that article.  Basically said they aren't any good, will lose to Temple or Cornell, and if they would happen to pull it out would not stand a chance against UK.  Not really giving a reason besides that they swept all the Big Ten's lower half, which should be a good thing.  Hate to disagree with the Bilas / Whitlock crowd that sees Cornell's chances of making the Sweet 16 as greater than UW-Madisons, but my bracket says otherwise.  

Yes, but they have a HIGH IQ

[emort]

Whitlock may be basing his low bb iq comment on MU's the inability to put teams away...especially if he watched the ND game. I came away from that scratching my head as to why they got to ot!!

[Skatastrophy]

Whitlock may be basing his low bb iq comment on MU's the inability to put teams away...especially if he watched the ND game. I came away from that scratching my head as to why they got to ot!!

Because we couldn't get a shot to drop to save our lives.

[MU1984]

Whitlock has entertaining columns about sports figures personal lives, but when it comes to, ya know, actually knowing sports - he is an idiot.  He likes to rile people up, and likes to be the contrarian.  When everyone was saying, wow, Marquette is tough because they play hard and won three straight OT games (see: mental toughness), Whitlock goes the other way and says they must be terrible because they can't put teams away.  That's all it is.  I set the o/u on Marquette games he actually watched at 1.5.

I'd take the under. 

[muPARTY]

Because we couldn't get a shot to drop to save our lives.

because we were up by 3 with under 15sec left and allowed them to take two 3 pt attempts.  it was said here after the game and demonstrated by Mike Brey and gang when MU was down by 3... you foul and put them on the line.  2 free throws can't = 3 points.  that's bball IQ

[redbirdwarrior]

Low basketball IQ = unforced turnovers, stupid shots, head-scratching fouls, and general selfishness.

Don't see that much from this squad.

+100000

You don't become dumb when shots aren't falling.  A team can perform poorly without having a low BB IQ.  Free throws missed is not low BB IQ.  Not boxing out, taking wild shots, fouling in dumb situations or easy +1 situations, etc. equals low BB IQ.  With the talent level of this years Warriors team, Marquette would have lost 22 with low basketball IQ.

[mugrad99]

because we were up by 3 with under 15sec left and allowed them to take two 3 pt attempts.  it was said here after the game and demonstrated by Mike Brey and gang when MU was down by 3... you foul and put them on the line.  2 free throws can't = 3 points.  that's bball IQ

Rick Stansbury would beg to differ.  

Although, I would still say the clock in that UK-Miss St game did not start on time. It was supposed to start when the ball hits the rim, not when the guy grabs the rebound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL8IWtESJaA

3:36

[damuts222]

 Thats why when it comes to championships or playoffs I try to stay away from sports journalists that write columns on sports they don't follow. Granted ESPN has some underlying alliances and kisses a$$ to some teams more times than not, the fact is they have writers dedicated not only to college basketball but to certain conferences.

If you look at predictions made by newspaper journalists across the country of course you will see bias, and a lack of knowledge on basketball (possibly) due to the fact that they must cover all of the areas teams, or multi-tasking with several sports at once. Jay Bilas to me is one of the most unbiased analysts in college basketball, unlike a Digger Phelps whose true colors show.

[jaygall31]

Top 10 in fewest turnovers, assist to turnover ratio does not equate to a low basketball IQ.

Someone needs to tell Mr Whitlock that Jerel McNeal is not walking through that door.

explain?

[d6]

I don't see the logic behind Whitlock's column.  We are an undersized, undermanned team that was picked to finish 12th in the Big East and certainly not end up in the Big Dance.  Whitlock's argument would have to be that Marquette has overachieved DESPITE their low BB IQ.  That simply doesn't follow........

[MerrittsMustache]

because we were up by 3 with under 15sec left and allowed them to take two 3 pt attempts.  it was said here after the game and demonstrated by Mike Brey and gang when MU was down by 3... you foul and put them on the line.  2 free throws can't = 3 points.  that's bball IQ

Marquette initially forced ND to take a terrible shot that had no chance of going in. Unfortunately, in a flukish turn of events the ball eventually made its way into the hands of an ND player for an open 3. Similarly, a flukish play after a missed FT allowed UK to tie their game.

Does everyone who gets burned by a fluke play have a low bball IQ?

[mugrad99]

explain?

Was paraphrasing Rick Pittino


Jerel used to make some of the most boneheaded plays I have ever seen. averaged 3 turnovers a game

[NotAnAlum]

I don't see the logic behind Whitlock's column.  We are an undersized, undermanned team that was picked to finish 12th in the Big East and certainly not end up in the Big Dance.  Whitlock's argument would have to be that Marquette has overachieved DESPITE their low BB IQ.  That simply doesn't follow........

Yea that's true we get by on our athletic talent.  We don't have to think much about what we're doing.  And of course our height advantage doesn't hurt either.
What an idiot!