[Cracked Sidewalks] Say What?!

[CrackedSidewalksSays]

Say What?!

Written by: noreply@blogger.com (Tim Blair)

The off-season's career dissipation line is growing short, thank goodness.  Midnight madness is no longer a date on the other side of the horizon.   As we round the third turn of the off-season here's a look at what you need to check out from around the interwebs.

The second episode of Marquette's reality series "Marquette Basketball: Revealed" is now live.  In this segment Coach Buzz breaks down the Warriors' roster for the upcoming season.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/qLliZ78A0gA?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/qLliZ78A0gA?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US</a>

As a fan this series is enjoyable and since the series is designed to reach fans, potential recruits, donors and others with a natural affinity for MU, the criticism levied against the program in this blog is off the mark. The series is what it is...  sweet, tasty, kool-aid.

MUTV Sports will kick off the year in style by interviewing Dwyane Wade.  I wonder how Brad, Todd and the team there will top this much-anticipated opening salvo.  Nice job, team.

Jeff Eisenberg, the brains behind The Dagger -- Yahoo! Sports' terrific sports blog --- previews the upcoming Big East season slotting Marquette in as the league's 6th best squad.  The Dagger also scouts the league with former WVU player Mike Gansey.  Jimmy F. Butler makes Gansey's list as the most underrated player in the BE, and Buzz gets some high praise.  (Also, thanks for the shout-out, Jeff)

One of the more interesting bits in this piece is Jeff's selection of Austin Freeman as the Big East POY.  Jeff and I had a spirited discussion about this point on Twitter where I ultimately advocated for Jimmy Butler as the better POY candidate.  After all Butler was the conference's most efficient offensive player last year, he is the league's best clutch performer, and last year MU enjoyed a better regular season than the Hoyas.  Butler, Freeman, Ashton Gibbs, Kris Joseph, Fab Melo and Corey Fisher were just some of the names that were offered up in our back and forth.  Regardless of your preference for this accolade, this year promises to be one of the most wide open races for that title in recent memory.

The Hoops Report figures MU is the 42nd-best team in the nation.  That's pretty good considering the author has no idea that Jae Crowder and Junior Cadougan are on the team.  Read this at your own risk.

Rosiak steps up with a much-needed blog about Jae Crowder, perhaps the most critical newcomer in some time for the Marquette hoops program.  While we feel that expectations for Vander Blue may be a little bit high, there is nothing wrong with the view that Crowder should step in and contribute from day one.  Little publicized but worth repeating... Jae was named the Juco POY last year, and his team won the Juco National Championship.  He also has a 29" vertical leap and a father that played in the NBA.  Take a step back and think about all that.

With more on Father Pilarz, here is an article from the JS.  Also, Marquette's Dean of Education, Dr. William Henk, gives his own first impressions.  Both links are absolutely worth following.

Finally, Al McGuire's 82nd birthday was yesterday. Dick Enberg remembered him in this memorable podcast.  We miss you, Coach.

http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2010/09/say-what.html

[RawdogDX]

I love that they are doing this.  I just hope that at some point there is a bit more of the players on screen.

If MU would have put together this show for creen there would have been a pretty different reaction. Probably 7 pages of posts on how it was a obvious case of self promotion, from an egotistical maniac, who was clearly just trying to increase his own value to force the university to fork over more cash.

[Lennys Tap]

I love that they are doing this.  I just hope that at some point there is a bit more of the players on screen.

If MU would have put together this show for creen there would have been a pretty different reaction. Probably 7 pages of posts on how it was a obvious case of self promotion, from an egotistical maniac, who was clearly just trying to increase his own value to force the university to fork over more cash.

That might be because he was an egotistical self promoter who leveraged anything he could to increase his own value and force the university to fork over more cash.

[ChicosBailBonds]

That might be because he was an egotistical self promoter who leveraged anything he could to increase his own value and force the university to fork over more cash.

I wonder if Marquette and MU hoops benefited in any way from that?  Otherwise, one would suspect that MU wouldn't have paid and let him go.

[HoopsMalone]

Hopefully Jimmy gets a lot of time at the 3 this year as Buzz has him slotted there to start the year it looks like.  I have no doubt he will play a lot of 4 and maybe even some 5, but he can really help the team slashing from the wing. 

[Golden Avalanche]

That might be because he was an egotistical self promoter who leveraged anything he could to increase his own value and force the university to fork over more cash.

Sounds like you just described every "hard-working", "driven", "ambitious" employee in America. They may not be obvious about it (like a sports figure) but they sure think along these lines. And those who say they don't are either lying or too dumb to realize it.

[NersEllenson]

Sounds like you just described every "hard-working", "driven", "ambitious" employee in America. They may not be obvious about it (like a sports figure) but they sure think along these lines. And those who say they don't are either lying or too dumb to realize it.

Or they just aren't a complete ego maniac.  You can be successful, driven and ambitious..and not be totall self centered, and seek all the attention and adulation for rising in your professional ranks.  That said, most of us haven't ascended to the rare air that is Division Basketball Coach at a BCS school - and to get to that level you do have to have a lot of drive, ambition, and be very hard working..all of which Buzz and TC are.  That said, I doubt we'll see Buzz roll out on an ATV in a Karate Suit at Midnight Madness.  I don't think Buzz will ever make it about him..and not the kids.  In fact he said as much when he took the job..and I believe that he observed TC making things too much about himself..and was aware of that and saw it first hand..and felt it important to state that in his opening/introductory news conference.

[Lennys Tap]

Sounds like you just described every "hard-working", "driven", "ambitious" employee in America. They may not be obvious about it (like a sports figure) but they sure think along these lines. And those who say they don't are either lying or too dumb to realize it.

There are aspects of the American dream that Tom Crean embodies. He came from modest means and succeeded through hard work and ambition. I admire that side of him. Unfortunately along the way he crapped on anybody who couldn't help him or whom he perceived to be his inferior. He's way short on humanity, so ultimately he even better embodies the American tragedy.

[mklenn]

why does this always turn into something about TC? you guys really make these boards unenjoyable when we have to go through all your garbage about him to finally get to what we really care about, MU basketball

[NersEllenson]

why does this always turn into something about TC? you guys really make these boards unenjoyable when we have to go through all your garbage about him to finally get to what we really care about, MU basketball

1)Tom Crean is a part of Marquette Basketball history.
2)Two, we are in a slow news cycle for MU Hoops currrently - not as though we can talk about any games, new signed recruits, etc. 
3)It is fun to debate the differences between Buzz Williams and Tom Crean - they are quite different personalities.
4)While you are criticizing, why don't you add some input to the actual topic then - the complexion of the Marquette roster..which was the primary focus of the video clip.  Some of us have already commented on the Marquette Revealed video, in that respective thread.  There is also the Ignore button..and feel free to Ignore any of "us" that you like.