"Without Kevin O'Neill Marquette could have become Loyola of Chicago"

[Goose]

Real

Only addition would have been KO posting his gripes on Scoop. He never shied away from voicing his thoughts. Could see his posts now, calling everyone a frickin idiot and how next job offer he is gone.

[Knight Commission]

I appreciate what KO did but I am pretty sure Tony Barone, Bob Huggins, Molinari, etc would have as well had they been chosen over KO. The Great Midwest conference affiliation helped recruiting.

[77ncaachamps]

Let us also not forget we'll also be playing against a former NBA head coach in KO (Raptors).

The dude has a good gig if he can catch the breaks at SC.

Injuries to Fontan and lack of big name recruits don't fly well when most of Hollywood's producers, directors, et al help bankroll the SC athletic department.

[Pakuni]

I appreciate what KO did but I am pretty sure Tony Barone, Bob Huggins etc would have as well had they been chosen over KO. The Great Midwest conference affiliation helped recruiting.

KO's best class was McIlvaine-Key-Brakes-Logtermann (and Curry and Stewart as transfers), which he landed before the formation of the Great Midwest.

What in Tony Barone's tenure at Texas A&M convinces you he would have done as well as KO?

[The Lens]

KO not only recruited Mac, Damon and Logtermann but also recruited well enough that MU made the NIT finals and 2 more NCAAs after those guys left, without much help from Deane's recruits (save for early Lovette).

And KO didn't leave because of this or that, he left because he's KO.  Look at his career.  It's who he is.

We owe him a huge debt of gratitude.  Huge.

[Goose]

Best part of that recruiting class was none of the kids had any interest in MU prior to KO arrival. I would say that was one of the single best recruiting efforts I have ever seen. Other classes might have been better but those three kids turned things around quickly. From opening thrashing from Duke at Duke to S16 those kids and KO lived a ton of life.

[dgies9156]

I appreciate what KO did but I am pretty sure Tony Barone, Bob Huggins, Molinari, etc would have as well had they been chosen over KO. The Great Midwest conference affiliation helped recruiting.

My God, could you imagine the Huggy Bear at Marquette?????!!!!!!

You mean, I would have to LIKE Huggy?????

[real chili 83]

Best part of that recruiting class was none of the kids had any interest in MU prior to KO arrival. I would say that was one of the single best recruiting efforts I have ever seen. Other classes might have been better but those three kids turned things around quickly. From opening thrashing from Duke at Duke to S16 those kids and KO lived a ton of life.

Speaking of his recruiting, I recall from Hoop Dreams how KO would use a Bob Bach voice over with the recruit's name inserted into the recording....the recording being a play by play done by Bach where the recruit would make the last second shot to beat ND.  Priceless.

Was that KO's idea, or was that in play before KO's time?

[Goose]

Real

Not sure if used before but that definitely was some trick. He knew all the right buttons to push. I loved he named first kid Sean after Sean Elliot who he was recruiting for AZ.

[4everwarriors]

Bubblegum in the recruit's envelope="stick with me"

[ChicosBailBonds]

I think people were willing to put up with him.  He simply thought MU hit its ceiling and that Tennessee was a better program....the problem is that he had no problem saying that to everyone including the local media.

Agree.   KO kept us relevant in a time where we weren't.  That's a plus.  It was also time for him to move on before he could damage the good that he brought. Thought the way he left and trashed the program was not in good taste.  Others have left the program in ways that were not well done, but I don't recall anyone trashing us upon departure.


Glad he came to MU, I enjoyed interning in the department with him at the helm, thankful for his accomplishments.   He has admitted himself on many occasions how out of control he was off the court and that could have turned very ugly for MU.

Can't wait to see our guys kick his team's ass today.   

[ringout]

KO added a lot of color. In game his language would make a harlot blush. Afterwards, his antics were renowned for their ingenuity and ferocity  

Many did not like KO while at MU for what they thought boorish behavior. Despite his obvious recruiting and coaching talent his acerbic personality and fondness for drink made him the target of increasing criticism by many MU faithful. As Ners points, however, he is singularly responsible for salvaging Marquette's sinking program.

"Ron (Curry), take the ball to the hole you f*cking kitten".  

KO, against Memphis State w/ Penny Hardaway

PS, KO did NOT say kitten, but you already knew that.

[Zar Zar Binks]

Agree.   KO kept us relevant in a time where we weren't.  That's a plus.  It was also time for him to move on before he could damage the good that he brought. Thought the way he left and trashed the program was not in good taste.  Others have left the program in ways that were not well done, but I don't recall anyone trashing us upon departure.


Glad he came to MU, I enjoyed interning in the department with him at the helm, thankful for his accomplishments.   He has admitted himself on many occasions how out of control he was off the court and that could have turned very ugly for MU.

Can't wait to see our guys kick his team's ass today.   

The KO era was a little before my time. Could you give me a little history lesson and elaborate on the "trashing us upon departure" remark?

Thanks

[Pakuni]

"Ron (Curry), take the ball to the hole you f*cking kitten". 

KO, against Memphis State w/ Penny Hardaway

"You give my team an 'F'? I give your f*cking paper a f*cking 'Z'."

KO, to MU Tribune sports reporters when team given a game grade of 'F' after blowing 20-point lead in loss to Notre Dame.

[Pakuni]

The KO era was a little before my time. Could you give me a little history lesson and elaborate on the "trashing us upon departure" remark?

Thanks

Trashing is a bit harsh.
Essentially, O'Neill said that under circumstances as they were at MU when he departed (i.e. mid-major conference, crappy facilities, lacking financial investment by university) that getting to an occasional Sweet Sixteen was the best the school could hope for and alums who expected a return to the glory days of Al McGuire were out of their f*cking gourd.
Remember, these comments were made at a time when O'Neill was upset (justifiably, one could argue) MU wouldn't give him a significant raise given the near miracle he performed with the program, nor would they commit to over improvements for the program.

[ringout]

Trashing is a bit harsh.
Essentially, O'Neill said that under circumstances as they were at MU when he departed (i.e. mid-major conference, crappy facilities, lacking financial investment by university) that getting to an occasional Sweet Sixteen was the best the school could hopeful and alums who expected a return to the glory days of Al McGuire were out of their f*cking gourd.
Remember, these comments were made at a time when O'Neill was upset (justifiably, one could argue) MU wouldn't give him a significant raise given the near miracle he performed with the program, nor would they commit to over improvements for the program.

Was Dick Strong involved at that time?  I'm pretty sure that did not support Deane, but was he tired of KO's antics, also?

[bilsu]

Good recruiting ? He signed a center that may of not even started for his high school team and averaged only 4 points. Imagine Buzz doing that. Of couse Amal turned out to be pretty good and even made the pros. He also signed Crawford who turned out to be a pro.

[TallTitan34]

Does this mean in 15 years, Scoop will finally appreciate everything Tom Crean did for Marquette even though he was a giant a$$hole?

Can you imagine if Scoop was around when and directly after KO left?

[Groin_pull]

100% true. Those who are old enough, think back to what a mess MU hoops was when KO showed up. It was a joke. A fading, dusty relic. KO came in and turned the entire program around. Yes, he was arrogant and could be very crude, but he had endless energy...which MU badly needed.

Frankly, how he got any top recruits to consider MU is beyond me. Let's be honest...he didn't have a whole lot to sell.

[GGGG]

It did help that there was a blip in in-state recruits and UW was an absolute mess at the time.  And O'Neill at the time had the reputation as a fantastic recruiter when he was Lute's assistant at Arizona.

[ringout]

100% true. Those who are old enough, think back to what a mess MU hoops was when KO showed up. It was a joke. A fading, dusty relic. KO came in and turned the entire program around. Yes, he was arrogant and could be very crude, but he had endless energy...which MU badly needed.

Frankly, how he got any top recruits to consider MU is beyond me. Let's be honest...he didn't have a whole lot to sell.

Amen brother.  We were so demoralized after Dukiet.

Remember the 1st ND game.  We beat the NotreHomos in KO's first try, after 8? straight losses.  I wanted to name a building O'Neill Hall after that. 

[GGGG]

Amen brother.  We were so demoralized after Dukiet.

Remember the 1st ND game.  We beat the NotreHomos in KO's first try, after 8? straight losses.  I wanted to name a building O'Neill Hall after that. 

That was my senior year at Marquette.  I can honestly say that I have never gotten more drunk, and partied later into the night, than after that game.  (And that was the Saturday before final exams.)

Of course, I came real close the next Saturday, when finals were over, when we played a real good game against a top-10 Michigan team.

[ringout]

Does this mean in 15 years, Scoop will finally appreciate everything Tom Crean did for Marquette even though he was a giant a$$hole?

Can you imagine if Scoop was around when and directly after KO left?

Big difference.  Crean had everything that KO did not...facilities, upper management support, fan adolation, BIG $$ 10 year f*cking contract, etc.

I still love KO, I still hold a grudge against TC (because he signed a 10 yr contract and left after 2).

[jsglow]

The KO era was a little before my time. Could you give me a little history lesson and elaborate on the "trashing us upon departure" remark?

Thanks

I find it so ironic that I consider KO to be 'after my time' and that my kids ask why they are supposed to boo Crean during the highlight film prior to gametime.  Getting old just sucks.

[Goose]

TallTitan

If Scoop was around when KO left many would have been thankful and supportive of him. He took a program off life support and did it with style...some good and some bad. Anyone who loved the program understood his role in our history early on in his time here.


As for TC, I am not an anti TC guy at all, but he pales in comparison to KO's work IMO. TC did well and I appreciate his efforts but it took a complete nut to do what KO did. To this day I still do not know why he took the job in the first place. It was beyond bad and not looking very promising. Fortunately KO was arrogant enough and talented enough to turn things around.

It a twisted way it would not break my heart if USC won today and aside from Dukiet era I never wanted us to lose one game.