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[Zombie45]

http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/photo/2013/1021/grant_g_Gardner_Davante_640.jpg&w=640&h=360

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9859284/mark-titus-previews-2013-14-ncaa-basketball-season-starting-big-east

2013-14 NCAA Basketball Preview: The Big East
Why a walk-on may end up winning the Naismith this season
By Mark Titus on October 22, 2013

Leads in with a huge section about Marquette not getting the respect we deserve

[Skatastrophy]

In case people miss it:

[mu03eng]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9859284/mark-titus-previews-2013-14-ncaa-basketball-season-starting-big-east

Love the photo 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Loved everything about that article

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Nvm, mods fixed it

[keefe]

The author, Mark Titus, had one of the more clever College Basketball Blogs, Club Trillion (a reference to his spot on the bench as an Ohio State walk-on.) My estimation of him rose considerably today:

My reason for bringing this up is to mention that Buzz Williams is turning Marquette into a consistent winner, and he's doing it rather quietly. As someone who never passes up an opportunity to crap on Tom Crean, it should be noted that Crean's best Big East record was 11-7, which is a mark that Williams has eclipsed in three of his five seasons.


http://clubtrillion.blogspot.com/

[TallTitan34]

As someone who never passes up an opportunity to crap on Tom Crean, it should be noted that Crean's best Big East record was 11-7, which is a mark that Williams has eclipsed in three of his five seasons.

Onions!

[ceh]

The author, Mark Titus, had one of the more clever College Basketball Blogs, Club Trillion (a reference to his spot on the bench as an Ohio State walk-on.) My estimation of him rose considerably today:

My reason for bringing this up is to mention that Buzz Williams is turning Marquette into a consistent winner, and he's doing it rather quietly. As someone who never passes up an opportunity to crap on Tom Crean, it should be noted that Crean's best Big East record was 11-7, which is a mark that Williams has eclipsed in three of his five seasons.


http://clubtrillion.blogspot.com/

His footnote is priceless...

1. "With Crean's first mention of the season, it seems like a good time to say that I spent all offseason deleting from the Internet every instance of me claiming Crean was a good hire for Indiana in 2008. If we could just pretend that I've always been anti-Crean (and if you could point out any of my pro-Crean comments that haven't been deleted), that'd be great. Thanks."

[WI inferiority Complexes]

His choice of analogy leaves a bit to be desired:

"The point is this: Think of the new Big East as a reboot of a show like, say, Whose Line Is It Anyway? Sure, the U.S. run with Drew Carey peeing his pants every five minutes was better than the current show, but that doesn't mean the reboot isn't worth watching."

[WellsstreetWanderer]

Don't school employees get a break on tuition for their offspring?

[wadesworld]

His choice of analogy leaves a bit to be desired:

"The point is this: Think of the new Big East as a reboot of a show like, say, Whose Line Is It Anyway? Sure, the U.S. run with Drew Carey peeing his pants every five minutes was better than the current show, but that doesn't mean the reboot isn't worth watching."

I think it's exactly what everyone is saying about the new Big East.  Do you really believe that it's going to be as good as the Big East we were in since leaving CUSA?  Pretty easy to see there is a drop off.  But it's still a strong conference that is worth watching.

[jesmu84]

If you ask me, and I know you aren't, but the first three paragraphs about Marquette perfectly portray why I believe some mu fans feel we are slighted or overlooked compared to others at our level in college bball.

[CAGASS24]

Pretty good, save for the cadougan was our second best player last year.

[4everwarriors]

Especially liked the part 'bout takin' opportunities "to crap on Crean."

[The Lens]

I found Titus to be the best CBB read online last season.  He is refreshingly and brutally honest.  Seems very agenda free unlike a Bilas, Gottlieb type etc who may share an agent with a coach or do on air favors for extra access etc.  He's just an ex player commenting without much regard for the repercussions.      

[tower912]

Especially liked the part 'bout takin' opportunities "to crap on Crean."

I'm sure he is prepared for 15k posts defending the coach. 

[real chili 83]

I'm sure he is prepared for 15k posts defending the coach. 

Well said.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Especially liked the part 'bout takin' opportunities "to crap on Crean."

Why do I suspect Crean would be into a face cake or two?

[ChicosBailBonds]

I enjoy Titus stuff.

He is exactly right that no one remembers the Elite 8 nationally as I said a few months ago here.  Final Four or better for the avg Joe, just the way it is.

I remember last year when he said IU had very little depth and a certain few people here making it out like IU had 20 NBA players. 

"At the start of the season, Indiana was billed as one of the deepest teams in the country, but there was actually a huge drop-off in talent between the Hoosiers' starters and their second-string players." - Mark Titus

[Jay Bee]

I remember last year when he said IU had very little depth and a certain few people here making it out like IU had 20 NBA players. 

I don't remember that.

I do remember you saying that Indiana had "zero depth". I then pointed to Will Sheehey as reason why that claim was ridiculous.

Big Ten coaches would later vote Sheehey as the conference's Sixth Man of the Year.

(I'd go on further to say more could have been done with Hollowell, Creek, Abell and Perea -- of course Perea's season was set off course because he and PETER JURKIN were suspended for nearly a third of the team's regular season games after receiving improper benefits from I4 booster(s); Creek has had horrible luck with injuries, Abell was excellent off the bench - I think he avg'd 12+ mpg and posted a ORtg of > 115 if IIRC... and time will prove how good Hollowell is.)

[keefe]

Why do I suspect Crean would be into a face cake or two?

I'm thinkin' Tanned Tommy likes his corn fed...

[keefe]

Big Ten coaches would later vote Sheehey as the conference's Sixth Man of the Year.

Sheehey also received an Oscar for Best Dramatic Performance in a Supporting Role:


An art form demonstrated masterfully by Will Sheehey against Minnesota this past season. Who can forget CTC instructing his charges to "watch for the elbows" during the time out immediately before Sheehey's award winning performance? Sir Lawrence Olivier must have been proud.

Coach Tom Crean - Professor of Dramatics.



Professor Crean instructing players on how to "take an elbow" with full effect





Sheehey goes down after receiving a crushing blow to the jaw!





Sheehey crawls on the floor like a dog while writhing in intense agony! Is there not a God in Heaven??





Moments later, Sheehey is fully recovered from his Hollin's horrific assault. Sheehey's resilience and resolve in overcoming excruciating pain is a tribute to his mental toughness and physical conditioning. Only a warrior could absorb such pain and continue on. Coach Tom Crean accepts only the hardest steel and hones it to a razor's edge through proven hyperbaric technology.




Hollins is incredulous. The degree of punishment he inflicted on Sheehey would have destroyed a lesser man. Clearly, Will Sheehey is made of sterner stuff, most likely due to the intensive karate and jiu jitsu training he received from Coach Tom Crean.

[tower912]

I enjoy Titus stuff.

He is exactly right that no one remembers the Elite 8 nationally as I said a few months ago here.  Final Four or better for the avg Joe, just the way it is.

I remember last year when he said IU had very little depth and a certain few people here making it out like IU had 20 NBA players. 

"At the start of the season, Indiana was billed as one of the deepest teams in the country, but there was actually a huge drop-off in talent between the Hoosiers' starters and their second-string players." - Mark Titus

Do you agree with his assessment or not?    Because if you do, you are saying that a coach in his 5th year at a top tier school either can't recruit depth or can't develop talent.     If you don't agree, then you are saying that IU underperformed it's talent. 

[WI inferiority Complexes]

I think it's exactly what everyone is saying about the new Big East.  Do you really believe that it's going to be as good as the Big East we were in since leaving CUSA?  Pretty easy to see there is a drop off.  But it's still a strong conference that is worth watching.

I had no idea there was a new version of "Whose Line is it Anyway?"

[MerrittsMustache]

Titus is the perfect writer for Grantland. He's clever and has solid insights but is not nearly as clever or insightful as he thinks he is.