Marquette players not participating in Summer Pro-Am

[GGGG]

Marquette has no obligation to participate in the Pro-Am. Marquette does have an obligation to the organizer and the sponsors to let them know of their players non participation more than a few days before the event starts. It is really irresponsible. And Marquette knew of the schedule a long time ago.

[GooooMarquette]

Marquette knew the start date back in June. The Italy trip has been known about since February. They could have easily said something weeks ago. I realize that's not months, but it makes a big difference for everyone involved with the MPA.

I get that they knew the schedules.  I was asking whether they might only recently have made the decision not to participate.  Might have been that there were people for and against, and it took them a while to come to a conclusion.

[brewcity77]

I get that they knew the schedules.  I was asking whether they might only recently have made the decision not to participate.  Might have been that there were people for and against, and it took them a while to come to a conclusion.

I suppose it depends on your definition of recently. I highly doubt they only made the decision 4 days before the event.

[MUfan12]

The CEO of the Pro Am's main sponsor has the practice gym named after him.

Someone from the program should have let them know far sooner.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

I'll give it to you, you are correct they are not obligated to tell anyone anything. However, If am a MU alum, and a current sponsor of the Milwaukee Pro-am I would be pretty pissed right now, its poor business on Marquette's part. (And in the current atmosphere, College athletics is a "business".)

  All Marquette had to do was say a few months ago that they were not going to participate in they years pro-am, they didn't even need to say why.  Instead they kept quiet, everyone thought it was business as usual. Now, from the few (and I do mean few, i am definitely not in the know like others on this board) boosters I know, they are upset.

Oops missed this response thanks....

[GooooMarquette]

I suppose it depends on your definition of recently. I highly doubt they only made the decision 4 days before the event.

Didn't they just start individual workouts in preparation for the Italian trip?  If so, perhaps Wojo saw something that caused him not to want the kids playing in the unstructured environment of the Pro-am.

[muwarrior69]

The CEO of the Pro Am's main sponsor has the practice gym named after him.

Someone from the program should have let them know far sooner.

The "Italy" trip has been known for months now. If I were a "sponsor" I would have asked. So I am asking did the "sponsors" even ask if the MU players would participate?

Not playing in the Pro-AM is no big loss.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

The "Italy" trip has been known for months now. If I were a "sponsor" I would have asked. So I am asking did the "sponsors" even ask if the MU players would participate?

Not playing in the Pro-AM is no big loss.

+1 This thing always was last minute and questionable if it was going to go even when MU was fully committed (seem to remember a ton of no-shows as well).  So unless MU told someone they were in and reneged I find it hard to get too upset.

[goldeneagle91114]

The "Italy" trip has been known for months now. If I were a "sponsor" I would have asked. So I am asking did the "sponsors" even ask if the MU players would participate?

Not playing in the Pro-AM is no big loss.

MU players have been playing in the Pro-am for awhile now. I know a lot of sponsors had questions after Buzz left. But the players participated last year and that answered the questions. This year no one had any reason to question if MU players would be involved, everything pointed to the answer being yes.

While not playing the Pro-Am may not be a big loss for the players. I would argue this is becoming a bigger issue for the MU administration.

They seem to have put themselves on a pedestal and do not feel the need to answer to anyone. While this is true, they don't NEED to answer to anyone, They need to start thinking about keeping their relationships in tacked. They already chased Strong away, who's next?

[keefe]

Who could that be, hey?

Ganzer and his Toadie who posts here??

[wadesworld]

Shocking that we'd make a mountain out of a molehill on another topic here.

[GGGG]

Shocking that we'd make a mountain out of a molehill on another topic here.

In the grand scheme of things it's not that big of a deal. However it is something that could have been dealt with better. I very much disagree that they didn't owe Ganzer any explanation. They did and it should have been weeks ago.

[wadesworld]

In the grand scheme of things it's not that big of a deal. However it is something that could have been dealt with better. I very much disagree that they didn't owe Ganzer any explanation. They did and it should have been weeks ago.

Fair enough.  I agree it could've been handled better, but I do not think there is some issue with the administration and that things like this are putting the program in danger of losing significant boosters.

In my opinion, it's better to have told them even late and not had us participate than to "participate" and have 2 guys show up from the team on any given week.

[GGGG]

Shocking that we'd make a mountain out of a molehill on another topic here.

In the grand scheme of things it's not that big of a deal. However it is something that could have been dealt with better. I very much disagree that they didn't owe Ganzer any explanation. They did and it should have been weeks ago.

[Pakuni]

I'll give it to you, you are correct they are not obligated to tell anyone anything. However, If am a MU alum, and a current sponsor of the Milwaukee Pro-am I would be pretty pissed right now, its poor business on Marquette's part. (And in the current atmosphere, College athletics is a "business".)

No, it would be poor business on your part to sign up to sponsor an event based on the participation of MU players without bothering to find out if MU players are participating, or at least making your sponsorship contingent on that. MU owes nothing to either the sponsors or the organizers of this tournament.

All Marquette had to do was say a few months ago that they were not going to participate in they years pro-am, they didn't even need to say why.  Instead they kept quiet, everyone thought it was business as usual. Now, from the few (and I do mean few, i am definitely not in the know like others on this board) boosters I know, they are upset.

So wait, now it's Marquette's job to inform people of events they're not participating in?

[keefe]

Marquette knew the start date back in June. The Italy trip has been known about since February. They could have easily said something weeks ago. I realize that's not months, but it makes a big difference for everyone involved with the MPA.

Marquette has no obligation to the Milwaukee Pro Am. Zero.

[Pakuni]

In the grand scheme of things it's not that big of a deal. However it is something that could have been dealt with better. I very much disagree that they didn't owe Ganzer any explanation. They did and it should have been weeks ago.

Why do they owe Ganzer an explanation? It's incumbent on him, as tournament organizer, to confirm their participation.
Now, if they had told him they were taking part, only to later pull the rug out from under him, that's another matter. But I haven't yet seen anything to indicate that's the case. Unless that is what occurred, this is all on Ganzer. He shouldn't assume their participation just because they took part in past events.

Maybe this is all just revenge for "Done deal." Wojo plays the long con.

[GGGG]

So Marquette holds no responsibility to the sponsors and organizer to let them know that their players would not be participating even though Marquette's previous coach is the one that encouraged its creation and even though there was no question about its players participation in previous years?

That is a very poor way to work with sponsors and donors. Very poor.

[GGGG]

Marquette has no obligation to the Milwaukee Pro Am. Zero.

"Hey Jim. Just so you know, Wojo doesn't want to have the players in the Pro-am this summer due to the Italy trip.  And we aren't sure about future participation either."

Not hard. An email that takes 20 seconds to send.

[GooooMarquette]

I still want to know how everyone decided that MU made this decision weeks ago.  For all we know, the decision was made yesterday.  Maybe there was internal debate and it took until now to finalize the plan.

In an ideal world, decisions may be made instantly.  In the real world, decisions are often made at the last minute.

[keefe]

"Hey Jim. Just so you know, Wojo doesn't want to have the players in the Pro-am this summer due to the Italy trip.  And we aren't sure about future participation either."

Not hard. An email that takes 20 seconds to send.

While I see your point, and don't necessarily disagree that it isn't that hard, I would further submit that there is more to this than just the Pro Am.

Ganzer isn't necessarily the most welcome fellow with the new regime (this is not supposition on my part, by the way.) It's not that he is 'unwelcome' but the new regime has built their risk:reward matrix and hangers on need to demonstrate real value to get access. And access will in no way come close to what Bert offered.

Wojo runs a very tight ship and controls content. Just watch any of his interviews to understand his policy. If Tanned Tommy was tight lipped Wojo's sphincter can open beer bottles.

Frankly, I appreciate Wojo's approach. It might frustrate Scoop readers and infuriate people like Ganzer who are trying to monetize their links with MU hoops but Wojo's policy makes for a more disciplined, professional enterprise.

[DienerTime34]

Wojo turning down the Pro-Am and destroying Marquette basketball credibility and turning away donors is the new Larry Williams destroying Marquette basketball credibility and turning away donors.

In reality, nobody gave a crap about the Pro-Am, it was open gym garbage. How much time do you think the freakin' CEOs of companies spent deliberating over their Pro-Am sponsorships? No time or less than no time? 

Marquette is better off.

[goldeneagle91114]

No, it would be poor business on your part to sign up to sponsor an event based on the participation of MU players without bothering to find out if MU players are participating, or at least making your sponsorship contingent on that. MU owes nothing to either the sponsors or the organizers of this tournament.


So wait, now it's Marquette's job to inform people of events they're not participating in?

In a vacuum you are 100%. But the second you start upsetting Boosters, such as strong, and giving convoluted answers to people like IWB, its time to re-think your PR strategy.

[goldeneagle91114]

While I see your point, and don't necessarily disagree that it isn't that hard, I would further submit that there is more to this than just the Pro Am.

Ganzer isn't necessarily the most welcome fellow with the new regime (this is not supposition on my part, by the way.) It's not that he is 'unwelcome' but the new regime has built their risk:reward matrix and hangers on need to demonstrate real value to get access. And access will in no way come close to what Bert offered.

Wojo runs a very tight ship and controls content. Just watch any of his interviews to understand his policy. If Tanned Tommy was tight lipped Wojo's sphincter can open beer bottles.

Frankly, I appreciate Wojo's approach. It might frustrate Scoop readers and infuriate people like Ganzer who are trying to monetize their links with MU hoops but Wojo's policy makes for a more disciplined, professional enterprise.

I suppose Strong must have been a "hanger on" as well, right? they did need to keep him informed on the coaching search? None of this makes for a more disciplined, professional enterprise.

[GGGG]

While I see your point, and don't necessarily disagree that it isn't that hard, I would further submit that there is more to this than just the Pro Am.

Ganzer isn't necessarily the most welcome fellow with the new regime (this is not supposition on my part, by the way.) It's not that he is 'unwelcome' but the new regime has built their risk:reward matrix and hangers on need to demonstrate real value to get access. And access will in no way come close to what Bert offered.

Wojo runs a very tight ship and controls content. Just watch any of his interviews to understand his policy. If Tanned Tommy was tight lipped Wojo's sphincter can open beer bottles.

Frankly, I appreciate Wojo's approach. It might frustrate Scoop readers and infuriate people like Ganzer who are trying to monetize their links with MU hoops but Wojo's policy makes for a more disciplined, professional enterprise.

I don't disagree with you. It seems like Jim is viewed as you suggest.

But that doesn't mean that he doesn't need to be treated with some respect with regards to this issue. They don't owe him a detailed explanation. They don't owe him access.  They simply should have given him a heads up.