[Cracked Sidewalks] Marquette in the Big Apple

[CrackedSidewalksSays]

Marquette in the Big Apple

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

Today is the annual Big East media day in New York City, bringing us one step closer to the start of the season. Coach Buzz Williams will be joined by seniors Joseph Fulce, Dwight Buycks and Robert Frozena today for the event.  Senior Jimmy Butler suffered a concussion earlier this week and was unable to make the trip.

The Big East coaches selected Georgetown's Austin Freeman as the pre-season player of the year.   Jimmy Butler was named second-team All-Big East, while DJO was listed as honorable mention.  The coaches pick MU and Louisville to finish in a tie for 8th in the league this year, just ahead of UConn.   No respect from within the league, IMHO.

In anticipation of media day the beat reporters from around the league did their own pre-season poll and this year there's some respect for the Warriors. The Big East scribes pick MU as the league's sixth-best team.  Meanwhile ESPN picks MU to finish 11th in the Big East this season -- there's a discussion about that prediction on MU Scoop.

Not to be outdone the inimitable Pico Dulce from The East Coast Bias conducted his own strawpoll and pre-season preview with bloggers from around the league.  We chipped in and there was some healthy respect for MU, including a few folks picking Vander as Newcomer of the Year.  You can read this blogger preview here.  Nice work, Pico.

Last night Buzz Williams was the featured guest at the Marquette Circles event in New York City.  I live Tweeted the event so check our tweet stream for the details, including information on where to find the interview online in the coming days.

The latest episode of Marquette Basketball: Revealed is up.  Also, the Journal-Sentinel posted a complete transcript of Buzz at Marquette's media day.  The transcript is excellent.  Seriously, it's really interesting to read carefully and digest.

On the recruiting front one-time target Trey McDonald verbally committed to Ohio State earlier this week.  The 6'9" big man selected the Buckeyes over MU, DePaul and others.

Nick Faust, a 6'5" shooting guard, still lists MU as a possible destination and will announce his college choice on October 28.  Meanwhile, 6'8" Chicagoan Mike Shaw might wait until Spring to decide (he was at Marquette Madness).  MU fans are also watching for updates on 6'7" Rodney Hood, who will reportedly decide between FSU, Mississippi State, Alabama, Marquette and Louisville this week.

Despite all of the names Buzz is in on there's a legitimate chance that Marquette may whiff on all these players -- or chose to move on to other talent.  Rest assured, however, that when it's all said and done, the talent level Buzz brings in will be at least sufficient.  Don't be surprised if there is yet another JUCO player we've never heard of but will be great (see: Butler, J.F., DJO).

After Media Day, there are a few more events upcoming as we get closer to the first (exhibition) game on Nov 6th.  The Fish Fry / Haunted Hoops is taking place on Friday.  Plus, Marquette will host UVA in a closed-door scrimmage on Oct 30th.

http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2010/10/marquette-in-big-apple.html

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Phenomenal gesture by Buzz to bring Frozena to media day. It may seem minor, but I also believe it's an experience he, Fulce and Buycks can remember for the rest of their lives. Confidence, poise, dealing with questions, presenting yourself in a professional manner. Priceless experience, really. A reward for hard, hard work!

[willie warrior]

DJO only Honorable mention?
What a crock! He will likely burn the league up, and if he does not, I will certainly be disappointed.

[Blue Horseshoe]

Can anyone confirm if Butler is indeed concussed? I'm concerned 1) because concussions are serious business these days. 2) If this is come kind of cover story for not traveling to NYC.

[NYWarrior]

Can anyone confirm if Butler is indeed concussed? I'm concerned 1) because concussions are serious business these days. 2) If this is come kind of cover story for not traveling to NYC.

Butler sustained a concussion earlier this week.  Buzz discussed it last night at the Circles event.  Buzz also indicated the concussion is 'not life-altering'.  Jimmy recover but it was wise to leave him at home.

http://twitter.com/#!/CrackedSidewlks/status/27877435063

[MarkCharles]

Can anyone confirm if Butler is indeed concussed? I'm concerned 1) because concussions are serious business these days. 2) If this is come kind of cover story for not traveling to NYC.

Why in the world would you think:

They would make up a concussion story?

There would be some issue with Butler that they would need to punish him for by leaving him home? Jimmy is a great guy, never heard a single word negative about his character.

[Blue Horseshoe]

The team practices hard, so the chance to sustain an injury is not out of the question. I never hope that a player is injured, however, I would prefer an injury in this case as opposed to covering up some sort of disciplinary issue.

I remember hearing both Butler and Acker were in Buzz's dog house for the same reason during the off season after the 08-09 season.

[T-Bone]

St. John's got a 1st place vote?
Lavin voting for himself?  I get that there's a lot of talent coming in, and a lot of current experience, but...  1st place?

[MuMark]

Can't vote for your own team.

I think that vote came from Pitino. He said something in an earlier article thta he thought ST Johns would win the league.......

[copious1218]

Can't vote for your own team.

I think that vote came from Pitino. He said something in an earlier article thta he thought ST Johns would win the league.......

I remember this too - anyone know where that was from?

[HoopsMalone]

What is everyone's basis for picking St. John's?   

I remember cleaning their clocks in the Big East tourney in 2009 without DJ and then cleaning their clocks for a half in 2010, only to have them make it close at the end.  From what I remember of the 2010 game, though, it was more our live or die by jumper that cost us.  I just checked the score and it was 57-55 MU.  We just couldn't knock down shots, more than anything they did. 

I also remember beating them on the road in a tough stretch of OT games while only playing 7 guys in all of those games.

Are people overestimating them based on blowing out UConn in the BE tourney during the play-in round?  UConn gave up by then. 

There 2011 class is REALLY nice.  But their 2010 class does not suggest a huge jump:  http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/recruiting/school/_/id/2599/class/2010

Nor does their 2009 class who now have one year under their belts suggest anything about them: http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/recruiting/school/_/id/2599/class/2009


What gives?  What is all of the fuss about?  When I look at MU's schedule, I put the St. John's game down as a win.  Am I missing something?

[4everwarriors]

Phenomenal gesture by Buzz to bring Frozena to media day. It may seem minor, but I also believe it's an experience he, Fulce and Buycks can remember for the rest of their lives. Confidence, poise, dealing with questions, presenting yourself in a professional manner. Priceless experience, really. A reward for hard, hard work!

Surely Crean did the same for his walk-ons during his tenure here.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Surely Crean did the same for his walk-ons during his tenure here.

If you didn't realize he was a tool before leaving Joe Chapman at home to bring 3 freshmen (leaving a 4th freshman at home, too), you should have known at that point.

I'm sure that kind of thing really helped recruiting, too.

[SalsaMan]

If you didn't realize he was a tool before leaving Joe Chapman at home to bring 3 freshmen (leaving a 4th freshman at home, too), you should have known at that point.

I'm sure that kind of thing really helped recruiting, too.

The man was devoid of class. I cannot imagine how Chapman felt. Probably worse that his yeoman's performance against SLU when, stricken with a flu, he came out of the game to vomit only to get right back into the game. And how did Crean repay him?

[HoopsMalone]

Also, getting three 4-star, top 100 recruits is nice.  But compared to the programs there, it is nothing special.  I wonder what the other coaches thought of that.  Stop traffic, you recruited 4-stars.  Glad we have moved on as a program. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

What is everyone's basis for picking St. John's?   

What gives?  What is all of the fuss about?  When I look at MU's schedule, I put the St. John's game down as a win.  Am I missing something?

The reason I think St. John's will do well (not win the league, but has a good shot to make the NCAA tournament) is as follows:

New coach, new lease on life
Veteran leadership, not a ton of turnover at key spots.  10 Seniors this year.  That is HUGE
Good talent

Last year  they lost to us 63-61 in overtime and in the Big East tournament 57-55.   They also beat Lousville, Notre Dame, Temple, Siena (four NCAA teams) and played Duke fairly tough.  Wins over UCONN, Cincinnati, South Florida, Georgia aren't great but not easy.....they managed to beat DePaul twice.      

In the NIT, they lost to Memphis by 2 points with 0 seconds on the clock at Memphis.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wo2rAoJh4s