Saddest day of the year

[GGGG]

So you took time on a thread about selection Sunday and used it as a chance to take a shot at our program and one of our players. Got it

Not only that, a player that is done.

[willie warrior]

And Crean is in with a 10 seed...

That is BS.
31 teams made it with 10 or more losses. How did Ok. State make it at 18-13??

[willie warrior]

So you took time on a thread about selection Sunday and used it as a chance to take a shot at our program and one of our players. Got it

I tell it like it is. Unlike you who does take time out to spread lunacy at many chances. If criticism is taking a shot, then give everybody a gold star and let's all sing happiness and kumbaya. Unfortunately, that is not the real world, nor is it feasible.

[brewcity77]

That is BS.
31 teams made it with 10 or more losses. How did Ok. State make it at 18-13??

Three top-10 wins, 9 of their losses were against top-25 teams.

Though actually, for RPI purposes, they were 17-13. One of their games was against a non-D1 school, so it didn't count.

[willie warrior]

Not only that, a player that is done.

Yes Sultan, he is done. But My post was in response to another that stated that Derrick was a backup--which even you have recognized in the past. So I guess a number of people have stated that, so call them out also, including yourself, to at least prove you are consistent.

[4everwarriors]

Crean's won 4 games since the beginnin' of February. Some things never change, hey?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I tell it like it is. Unlike you who does take time out to spread lunacy at many chances. If criticism is taking a shot, then give everybody a gold star and let's all sing happiness and kumbaya. Unfortunately, that is not the real world, nor is it feasible.

By all means, criticize when appropriate. It just seems odd that we are talking about something that has nothing to do with Derrick or Wojo but you still feel the need to criticize. It's kind of...well...Ners-like

[tower912]

Davidson didn't choke.   MU took it from them.   Chico's needs it to be otherwise to buttress his tourney is a crapshoot line.    It can be.   But in the Davidson, it was more like reverting to the norm in a really big hurry.   Davidson scored 7 points in the last 70 seconds and didn't win.    They didn't lose the game, MU won it.   

To the OP, yeah, it is tough to even want to fill out a bracket this year.   Finally, Blue and McKay on the 13-14 team makes it a serious contender.   

[CTWarrior]

Davidson didn't choke.   MU took it from them.     

I tend to agree with Chico's more than most on this board., but I firmly agree with this, Tower.  Davidson made one turnover down the stretch, but we basically just made every shot we had to make to close out the game.

[mattyv1908]

I tend to agree with Chico's more than most on this board., but I firmly agree with this, Tower.  Davidson made one turnover down the stretch, but we basically just made every shot we had to make to close out the game.

You guys are both right.  Chicos makes it out to be like Davidson crapped the bed similar to us blowing that huge lead against Louisville.

[jesmu84]

SVP destroying the big east seeds on espn radio. Said committee feel in love with the conference

[Groin_pull]

So now beating up on the Big East is in vogue among all the as*holes in Bristol? God, who cares? So glad I avoid ESPN and sports radio. I get to avoid all this meaningless crap. These endless "debates" which are nothing more than boring time filler because everything operates 24/7.

Life is too short and sports just ain't that critical.

[MUfan12]

SVP destroying the big east seeds on espn radio. Said committee feel in love with the conference

Not surprising, he was irked by Maryland and Georgetown's respective seedings.

I'd argue GU/X were a line or two higher than they should have been.

[The Equalizer]

Okay.

Preseason top-10: http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/story/22036310
Preseason top-10: http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/9147684/very-early-top-25-2013-14-season-ncaa-men-college-basketball
Top-10 ranking, possibly best team since Wade: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger/way-too-early-look-college-basketball-best-teams-084159671--ncaab.html
Top-10 ranking, best since Wade: http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/09/the-way-too-early-preseason-top-25/

Listen...I get that after two sub-par seasons, it's kind of "cool to be negative". But it doesn't make you right. Less than 2 years ago, we were an Elite 8 team that was returning its top three scorers. We had a top-10 recruiting class that included the top JUCO player in the country. I don't know what your definition of "Final Four contender" is, but if EVERY site I'm looking at says we were a top-10 team, I'm pretty sure that covers it.

Even after Blue and Jameel left, we were still ranked in the top-20 and favored to win our conference. Lunardi had us as a 4-seed in his first bracketology. And now that I've disproven your inane comments, you can shut up.

So basically, two polls said we should have been elite eight repeaters, and two more thought we were only sweet 16.

I think its a stretch to translate those rankings as being proof that others thought we "should have been a Final Four contender" as you claimed. 

Outside shot at making a final four?  Sure, maybe.  But nobody actually picked us as a final four contender.

[GGGG]

Any team that is ranked in the pre-season top 20 is a legitimate contender to be in the Final Four.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Davidson didn't choke.   MU took it from them.   Chico's needs it to be otherwise to buttress his tourney is a crapshoot line.    It can be.   But in the Davidson, it was more like reverting to the norm in a really big hurry.   Davidson scored 7 points in the last 70 seconds and didn't win.    They didn't lose the game, MU won it.   

To the OP, yeah, it is tough to even want to fill out a bracket this year.   Finally, Blue and McKay on the 13-14 team makes it a serious contender.   

Well, most of America doesn't agree with you on that game.  That's ok, most of America has been wrong at times.  Davidson choking and the crapshoot have nothing to do with each other.  They just didn't perform like they should have to win the game.  MU was very much part of making that happen, that's always the case with a choke.  You tighten up because of what the other team is doing.   I'm glad they did, it made for a nice run and good memories for MU.  Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good, as Buzz would say.  That was absolutely the case there.

[tower912]

What does what 'most of America' thinks about the MU-Davidson game from 2 years ago have to do with anything?   And how much of 'most of America' even watched it?     Those who watched the game know that Davidson made one mistake in the last 70 seconds.   They made their shots, made their free throws.   MU just beat them.     

[GooooMarquette]

Before this thread veers too far off topic, I just want to reiterate:  Doug Gottlieb is a moron.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Any team that is ranked in the pre-season top 20 is a legitimate contender to be in the Final Four.

Broad definition....sounds like how some people might define crapshoot. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

What does what 'most of America' thinks about the MU-Davidson game from 2 years ago have to do with anything?   And how much of 'most of America' even watched it?     Those who watched the game know that Davidson made one mistake in the last 70 seconds.   They made their shots, made their free throws.   MU just beat them.     

Actually, they made a number of mistakes, some of which MU made possible, some because they just made them.  Happens.   Including missing a free throw with 70 seconds left. 

A game is made up of many plays, not just one.  If the only thing that can beat you is 3's, you defend 3's.  Huge mistake by them.  Make your free throws.  Don't throw the ball away at the end of the game.  Don't shoot 64% from the line when the team's average was 80% that year, etc, etc.  I guess MU's free throw percentage defense did the trick.  LOL

[BM1090]

Actually, they made a number of mistakes, some of which MU made possible, some because they just made them.  Happens.   Including missing a free throw with 70 seconds left. 

A game is made up of many plays, not just one.  If the only thing that can beat you is 3's, you defend 3's.  Huge mistake by them.  Make your free throws.  Don't throw the ball away at the end of the game.  Don't shoot 64% from the line when the team's average was 80% that year, etc, etc.  I guess MU's free throw percentage defense did the trick.  LOL

Davidson scored 5 points during Marquette's comeback which spanned the final 4 possessions. That comes out to 1.25 PPP. To put that in perspective, the best offense in the country this year (Notre Dame) scored 1.188 PPP. If that's a choke then I'm misunderstanding the definition of the word.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Gottlieb has always been a Big East hater. I remember when it was Miami vs MU in the sweet 16 and he just smirked and said Miami by a sizable margin.  Didnt really say anything post game after the whipping we gave them.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Before this thread veers too far off topic, I just want to reiterate:  Doug Gottlieb is a moron.

Yep, total tool. Just seems like a dickhead too. His hate for the BE is silly, when conferences virtually all of the "Power 5" conferences have several horrible teams.

[Lennys Tap]

Davidson scored 5 points during Marquette's comeback which spanned the final 4 possessions. That comes out to 1.25 PPP. To put that in perspective, the best offense in the country this year (Notre Dame) scored 1.188 PPP. If that's a choke then I'm misunderstanding the definition of the word.

100% correct. This has been pointed out to Chico on numerous occasions. He's not interested in facts, only in denigrating MU teams from 2009-2014 as much as possible. Just another iteration of his "choking dogs pee themselves" rant.

[Dawson Rental]

We were 1 second away from being 1 and done as well and Davidson crapped the bed.  Crapshoot.  It is a very thin line.

The yang to the yin that was the 2013 NCAA Tournament results.  In the 1977 tournament, Marquette won a one point game and a two point game on the way to the 8 point victory in the final.  In hindsight, the true precariousness of a result can easily be lost amid excitement over the final result.