SI.com article on Steve

[barfolomew]

Seth Davis' astute and timely take on the state of MU basketball:

http://www.si.com/college-basketball/2014/08/19/steve-wojciechowski-marquette-golden-eagles-big-east

BTW, I will never tire of that picture of Steve and the chicken.
The look on his face says, "WTF are you supposed to be?"

[patso]

Moribund is a bit overstated.

[Aughnanure]

Moribund is a bit overstated.

a bit? ya think?

[77ncaachamps]

"This program is on shaky footing."

Then he follows it up with a Buzz-led debacle but never pins it on Buzz.
Later, top recruits leaving MU for VT and Buzz but never mentions that happens everywhere else in D-1 when there's a coaching change.

But this is why we support Wojo: he's actively leading the program's direction.

""I'm not looking for Band-Aids. I want guys who will fit the program. We'll play with the guys we have and we'll see what we're made of.""

We know it's going to be a growing year but I believe our patience will pay off.

Overall, a fair article with some of my gripes mentioned above.
But if lowering the expectations worked for Buzz, it should also work the same magic for Wojo.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Solid interview. Sounds like Wojo has a good idea of the direction he wants to take the program. It also sounds like he really expects a down year this year. Hopefully it's the only one.

In Wojo we trust

[GGGG]

"This program is on shaky footing."

Then he follows it up with a Buzz-led debacle but never pins it on Buzz.

No national writer is going to do that.

[mr.MUskie]

"Wojciechowski was especially enticed by the idea of living in Milwaukee"

Really?  That's what made it a DoneDeal?

[Silkk the Shaka]

Moribund is a bit overstated.

Honestly, I don't care what Seth Davis or anyone writes, but that one was egregious. Two definitions are "at the point of death" and "in terminal decline." Are you sh!tting me? He either a.) doesn't know the meaning of the word, or b.) is completely clueless re: MU hoops. The only one that looks bad there is Seth.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Seth Davis' astute and timely take on the state of MU basketball:

http://www.si.com/college-basketball/2014/08/19/steve-wojciechowski-marquette-golden-eagles-big-east

BTW, I will never tire of that picture of Steve and the chicken.
The look on his face says, "WTF are you supposed to be?"

His look to me says "you are a pathetic mascot, certainly not a warrior and I demand warriors on my team.  Go support another school and don't let me ever catch you hear again"

[ChicosBailBonds]

"This program is on shaky footing."

Then he follows it up with a Buzz-led debacle but never pins it on Buzz.
Later, top recruits leaving MU for VT and Buzz but never mentions that happens everywhere else in D-1 when there's a coaching change.

But this is why we support Wojo: he's actively leading the program's direction.

""I'm not looking for Band-Aids. I want guys who will fit the program. We'll play with the guys we have and we'll see what we're made of.""

We know it's going to be a growing year but I believe our patience will pay off.

Overall, a fair article with some of my gripes mentioned above.
But if lowering the expectations worked for Buzz, it should also work the same magic for Wojo.

This was exactly my point the other day....perception and reality.  Many people view it as Buzz leaving for a crappier program and they aren't blaming Buzz for that.  That's the perception and that's the reality. 

79Warrior can disagree, but that was my point.  http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=44608.msg643601#msg643601

[MU82]

Agree on all of the above. Very good article, very fair assessment, poor use of "moribund."

More on moribund: As a fellow writer who (regrettably) has used a word thinking it meant something only to find out later it meant something else, I'm guessing that's exactly what we have here. I can accept hyperbole as a writing mechanism, but moribund goes beyond that. DePaul, Northwestern and TCU are moribund programs; Marquette has made the NCAAs 9 of the last 10 years, has some talent coming back and more talent coming in, and has a strong university-wide commitment toward excellence.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

This team is going to surprise a lot of people. I may be an optimist, but I'd be shocked if we don't improve on last years 17-15 record.

[barfolomew]

"Our fan base and our program have a lot of pride. They tend to remember things."

I take this as clear proof Wojo follows Scoop closely.

[tower912]

An open, honest assessment of where the program is.   Wojo continues to say the right things.

[Spotcheck Billy]

I thought it was going to be with Steve Taylor Jr.

[MU82]

I thought it was going to be with Steve Taylor Jr.

Gotta admit ... when I saw the headline I thought the exact same thing ... and wondered why in the world Seth Davis would be writing about SJT!

[Aughnanure]

This team is going to surprise a lot of people. I may be an optimist, but I'd be shocked if we don't improve on last years 17-15 record.

This. May take till the second half of the season (Fischer!), but we will be better.

[tower912]

This. May take till the second half of the season (Fischer!), but we will be better.

The damage may be done before he gets back.   It may take winning the Big East to get to 17 wins. 

[swoopem]

   
The damage may be done before he gets back.   It may take winning the Big East to get to 17 wins. 

I'm not so sure. I think we'll only lose 3 games during out of conference, if that. The 3 might be Ohio St, either Michigan St or Kansas (can't lose to both the way the bracket is setup), and Wisconsin. I'm confident we'll beat GA Tech in the first round of the Orlando Classic and then we'll beat ASU at home in Luke's first game that he's eligible. After that it's all cupcakes who we should destroy.

If it were to play out like this I would be pretty happy. Yes, we don't get that great out of conference win, but we go into the Big East with only 3 loses, wins over GA Tech, ASU, and who ever we beat in the consolation final of the Orlando Classic (if we lose beforehand).

[Aughnanure]

   
The damage may be done before he gets back.   It may take winning the Big East to get to 17 wins.  

We're not going to lose every big non-con game. This is basketball, not football, we'll pick up a game we didn't think we would. I think 9-4/8-5 would be the worst possible non-con (out of 13 games right, we got 3 in Orlando?). Win one of the Mich St, ASU, Wiscy, Ohio St, Ga Tech games and don't completely crap the bed in Orlando and we should be okay.

If we're sitting with 8 wins out of non-con, it only takes .500 in BE to equal 17 wins. And we've never finished below .500 in the Big East. And that's like the worst possible scenario for the non-con. So I see room for optimism because I believe we're going to be better than that worst-case scenario.

[MU82]

I'm not so sure. I think we'll only lose 3 games during out of conference, if that. The 3 might be Ohio St, either Michigan St or Kansas (can't lose to both the way the bracket is setup), and Wisconsin. I'm confident we'll beat GA Tech in the first round of the Orlando Classic and then we'll beat ASU at home in Luke's first game that he's eligible. After that it's all cupcakes who we should destroy.

If it were to play out like this I would be pretty happy. Yes, we don't get that great out of conference win, but we go into the Big East with only 3 loses, wins over GA Tech, ASU, and who ever we beat in the consolation final of the Orlando Classic (if we lose beforehand).

Love the optimism.

And hope you're right.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Some of you are overvaluing Fischer at this stage in his career.  He has work to do.  He'll be a nice, solid add, but he has some strides he needs to make that he hasn't yet.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Some of you are overvaluing Fischer at this stage in his career.  He has work to do.  He'll be a nice, solid add, but he has some strides he needs to make that he hasn't yet.

How much Luke Fischer have you watched since his departure from IU last year? My guess is none.

[tower912]

We're not going to lose every big non-con game. This is basketball, not football, we'll pick up a game we didn't think we would. I think 9-4/8-5 would be the worst possible non-con (out of 13 games right, we got 3 in Orlando?). Win one of the Mich St, ASU, Wiscy, Ohio St, Ga Tech games and don't completely crap the bed in Orlando and we should be okay.

If we're sitting with 8 wins out of non-con, it only takes .500 in BE to equal 17 wins. And we've never finished below .500 in the Big East. And that's like the worst possible scenario for the non-con. So I see room for optimism because I believe we're going to be better than that worst-case scenario.

I fervently hope that I am wrong.   I just have a feeling that there are going to be a couple of injuries/academic issues/transfers and there will be games where there are only 7 scholarship players dressed.   So Wojo gets a pass this year.   I am much more interested in the process and not the outcomes.

[Aughnanure]

I fervently hope that I am wrong.   

Ditto.