Next Step to Becoming Elite

[TallTitan34]

Congrats MU fans!  We've just taken the next step towards becoming an elite team.

We now have to worry about our players leaving early for the NBA.

[lab_warrior]

Best. Back-handed. Compliment. Ever.

[frozena pizza]

Congrats MU fans!  We've just taken the next step towards becoming an elite team.

We now have to worry about our players leaving early for the NBA.

Yep.  Since my wife went to LSU I root for them in football.  I loved the comment by John Chavis about having so many early departures for the NFL.

"We don't recruit guys to redshirt. ... If you've recruited the right kind of people, they're not going to be here for four years anyway."

[CAGASS24]

Best. Back-handed. Compliment. Ever.

Is this a product of your hitting double space on your Iphone or is this supposed to emphasize something that wasn't already conveyed in a normal sentence of "Best backhanded compliment ever."  Honest question..

[MUCrew]

Yep.  Since my wife went to LSU I root for them in football.  I loved the comment by John Chavis about having so many early departures for the NFL.

"We don't recruit guys to redshirt. ... If you've recruited the right kind of people, they're not going to be here for four years anyway."

And thus begins the balance of graduation and getting top tier (1/2 and done) players.  

Although is it safe to assume that those who have left early, went on to get their degree?

[KenoshaWarrior]

Congrats MU fans!  We've just taken the next step towards becoming an elite team.

We now have to worry about our players leaving early for the NBA.

I agree  this not a bad thing actually

[Dawson Rental]

Congrats MU fans!  We've just taken the next step towards becoming an elite team.

We now have to worry about our players leaving early for the NBA, again.

FIFY.  (See Al McGuire era)

[Litehouse]

Is this a product of your hitting double space on your Iphone or is this supposed to emphasize something that wasn't already conveyed in a normal sentence of "Best backhanded compliment ever."  Honest question..

"Best. ______. Ever."  is pretty common on message boards, mostly as a joke for emphasis like you mentioned.  Partial reference to the Simpson's Comic Book Guy.

[brewcity77]

Congrats MU fans!  We've just taken the next step towards becoming an elite team.

We now have to worry about our players leaving early for the NBA.

So should we celebrate even more if Vander isn't the only guy to declare today?

[CAGASS24]

Ah, got it, thank...Also got the Simpsons reference, one of my favorite characters in the early episodes, didn't like where they took him later on though

MU RAH

[ATL MU Warrior]

For the program to be considered "elite" I would think that the guys that declare early need to actually be drafted in lottery or at least 1st round and stand a chance to play meaningful NBA minutes in the near future? 

I think this means just the opposite actually.  It confirms that we are a good-not-elite program, where the best players on the team are probably not good enough to get drafted at all and most aren't going to make much of an impact. 

Maybe Vander will, maybe he won't.  The fact that nobody knows is what is so puzzling about his decision.  Him declaring doesn't mean squat about MU.  Him actually contributing at the next level would mean something. 

[Dawson Rental]

For the program to be considered "elite" I would think that the guys that declare early need to actually be drafted in lottery or at least 1st round and stand a chance to play meaningful NBA minutes in the near future? 

I think this means just the opposite actually.  It confirms that we are a good-not-elite program, where the best players on the team are probably not good enough to get drafted at all and most aren't going to make much of an impact. 

Maybe Vander will, maybe he won't.  The fact that nobody knows is what is so puzzling about his decision.  Him declaring doesn't mean squat about MU.  Him actually contributing at the next level would mean something. 

Then again, Blue's thinking that he has a chance to get drafted in the first round is almost certainly tied to the unexpected level of success that Wes, Jimmy and Jae have had, and how that will affect the thinking of NBA teams.

[g0lden3agle]

Best. Back-handed. Compliment. Ever.

Is this a product of your hitting double space on your Iphone or is this supposed to emphasize something that wasn't already conveyed in a normal sentence of "Best backhanded compliment ever."  Honest question..

I believe he was going for a "comic book guy" from Simpsons vibe

[ChicosBailBonds]

Interesting title of an article, considering the thread

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger/vander-blue-entering-draft-hurts-marquette-chances-being-192620741--ncaab.html

[Dr. Blackheart]

So, does the #31 Scout prospect (and rising) recruit in the country, the #7 shooting guard, commit to MU in November to replace Todd Mayo as the back-up shooting guard...or does he come to MU to replace the 2G who has plans to enter the NBA early?  At that level of a recruit, Trey J is coming to start.  That is also "1 and done" or "two and done" territory for a recruit.

[Pakuni]

Actually, elite programs don't worry all that much about players leaving early for the pros. They expect it and reload.

[77ncaachamps]

For this program to be elite, players see MU as a destination and stepping stone to the next level AND DISTANCE FROM HOME ISN'T A BOTHER. (Well, for a majority of them).

[Lennys Tap]

Actually, elite programs don't worry all that much about players leaving early for the pros. They expect it and reload.

Part of the cost of being elite.

[sarcastro]

Interesting title of an article, considering the thread

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger/vander-blue-entering-draft-hurts-marquette-chances-being-192620741--ncaab.html

An offseason article doubting Marquette?  Next you'll be telling me that in early March I'll be reading "why did we doubt Marquette" articles....

[Goose]

I hope every year we are discussing one of our guys jumping early. Part of the game today and IMO it is good problem to have.

[4everwarriors]

Steppin' stone for the Association. I'm good with that.

[Niv Berkowitz]

Congrats MU fans!  We've just taken the next step towards becoming an elite team.

We now have to worry about our players leaving early for the NBA.

The bottom-line is that if your program is consistently getting top-tier players to replace other top-tier players that are leaving to go pro, chances are you have a top-tier program.

[klyrish]

For the program to be considered "elite" I would think that the guys that declare early need to actually be drafted in lottery or at least 1st round and stand a chance to play meaningful NBA minutes in the near future? 

I think this means just the opposite actually.  It confirms that we are a good-not-elite program, where the best players on the team are probably not good enough to get drafted at all and most aren't going to make much of an impact. 

Maybe Vander will, maybe he won't.  The fact that nobody knows is what is so puzzling about his decision.  Him declaring doesn't mean squat about MU.  Him actually contributing at the next level would mean something. 

...I think this thread was supposed to be about 60/40 joke/serious at the most.