Chicago Alumni Basketball thing last night

[KampusFoods]

If my math is right that puts him at 6"8 220. If he can play defense, then he should get a lot of minutes at the four.

Is he really that tall? I thought he was like 6'6"

[warriorchick]

Is he really that tall? I thought he was like 6'6"

6'7 1/2" per Wojo last night.  My guess is that is a true measurement as opposed to a "roster" height.

[79Warrior]

Well, he said our four new guys are our four best shooters.  He said that over the summer, Joey put on 20 pounds of muscle and grew a half-inch.  That Reinhart and Rowsey still need to learn how to play defense.  He talked about how incredibly smart Markus Howard was - knew he graduated a year early, but I didn't know he also graduated as valedictorian of his class - but that he is still a 17-year-old kid.

He also called out the sweater vests and fans in general for not showing more enthusiasm (in a very polite way, of course), and talked about the home game atmosphere being an important part of the team's success.

Overall, it was much better than the previous two years where he just did the boilerplate talking points about "winning every day" and "I am really excited about the upcoming season".

The enthusiasm will come with winning. The last few years have not been much to get the fans all wound up and excited.

[jsglow]

The enthusiasm will come with winning. The last few years have not been much to get the fans all wound up and excited.

I said the same thing to chick last night.  We've done our part averaging probably 18 home games each of the past 3 years from 100+ miles away.  The burden rests with the program at this point.

[barfolomew]

Students can be bribed with donuts.
Alumni must be bribed with wins.

[JerryWizig]

Travis told a good story up on the dais though.  Homer had asked everyone (Bo, Travis, Jimmy Mac) why they decided to go to Marquette.  Travis said he had just gotten back from an official visit to SLU and told his family he wanted to commit to them.  An hour later, his mom and sisters showed up at his bedroom door crying because they thought SLU was too far away and they would miss him too much.  "So that meant it had to be either Marquette or Wisconsin.  And no way was I going to Wisconsin."   That got some of the biggest applause of the night.

And then one of those sisters went to Saint Louis ....

[dgies9156]

I said the same thing to chick last night.  We've done our part averaging probably 18 home games each of the past 3 years from 100+ miles away.  The burden rests with the program at this point.

Glow, I'm with you. I have not been to quite as many games as you and Chick but six a year for a guy that's never home and has a Ms. Dgies who does not appreciate the finer elements of MU basketball ain't bad. She's been down on basketball ever since I took her to a game on her birthday (it was a home game in the McGuire era and who the heck would miss that -- even for a girlfriend's birthday).

Anyway, it's time for the program to step up. I don't think an NCAA berth this year is an unreasonable expectation.

Thanks to you and Chick for the report.

[JakeBarnes]

Glow, I'm with you. I have not been to quite as many games as you and Chick but six a year for a guy that's never home and has a Ms. Dgies who does not appreciate the finer elements of MU basketball ain't bad. She's been down on basketball ever since I took her to a game on her birthday (it was a home game in the McGuire era and who the heck would miss that -- even for a girlfriend's birthday).

Anyway, it's time for the program to step up. I don't think an NCAA berth this year is an unreasonable expectation.

Thanks to you and Chick for the report.

Somehow I have bamboozled the fiance (last week I can say this!) to love Marquette basketball. And even engage in Badger Hate Weeks (like when her Buckeyes were playing Bucky for B10 Champ during the Marquette/Bucky game). It's been pretty great...and she likes turning the trip from Chicago into an extended weekend.

That said, I'd sure like the team to win enough so I can convince her a March trip should be on the schedule...

[jsglow]

Glow, I'm with you. I have not been to quite as many games as you and Chick but six a year for a guy that's never home and has a Ms. Dgies who does not appreciate the finer elements of MU basketball ain't bad. She's been down on basketball ever since I took her to a game on her birthday (it was a home game in the McGuire era and who the heck would miss that -- even for a girlfriend's birthday).

Anyway, it's time for the program to step up. I don't think an NCAA berth this year is an unreasonable expectation.

Thanks to you and Chick for the report.

Just to be clear, I wasn't at the event last night.  I'm confident that Wojo probably talked about how important fan support is and didn't chastise anyone.  We've had discussions here about the dwindling attendance.  This year will certainly be worse.  And the way that gets fixed is winning.

[bilsu]

Well, he said our four new guys are our four best shooters.  He said that over the summer, Joey put on 20 pounds of muscle and grew a half-inch.  That Reinhart and Rowsey still need to learn how to play defense.  He talked about how incredibly smart Markus Howard was - knew he graduated a year early, but I didn't know he also graduated as valedictorian of his class - but that he is still a 17-year-old kid.

What do you guys think about having to learn about playing defense comment? Based on this he said it about Rowsey & Reinhardt and did not say it about the freshmen. Maybe he his just holding the more experience players to a higher standard, but I always had the impression that if you cannot play defense you do not play much.

[GGGG]

What do you guys think about having to learn about playing defense comment? Based on this he said it about Rowsey & Reinhardt and did not say it about the freshmen. Maybe he his just holding the more experience players to a higher standard, but I always had the impression that if you cannot play defense you do not play much.

I think you are correct.

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

I don't see the game on the 2016-2017 schedule?  Unless it's 2017-2018 season?

April 2, 2017


Dallas 

[warriorchick]

I think you are correct.

Thanks for the expert analysis, but since you guys weren't actually there  , I will provide a little more context.

He talked about each player separately.  He said,  "He is from the East Coast [for Rowsey]" and "He is from the West Coast [for Reinhardt]" and then in each case, he said, "He's learning to play the way we do in the middle".  Both times he said it smiling.  If they were actually there, I would have said that he was needling them a little bit in a light-hearted way.

I took it to mean that they are such great shooters, they weren't expected to contribute as much on the defensive side on their previous teams, but that the coaches were "retraining" them to play our way.  It wasn't in a stern way like, "Those guys better step up and play some D, or they are going to be riding the bench."

[warriorchick]

April 2, 2017


Dallas 

Exactly.

[Galway Eagle]

Just to be clear, I wasn't at the event last night.  I'm confident that Wojo probably talked about how important fan support is and didn't chastise anyone.  We've had discussions here about the dwindling attendance.  This year will certainly be worse.  And the way that gets fixed is winning.

I fear how bad student support will be. Think about this, the seniors this year have never seen Marquette make the postseason. The only other time since our first postseason that our seniors haven't seen a postseason was the 63-67 class and George Thompson isn't walking through the tunnel this year.

[GGGG]

Thanks for the expert analysis, but since you guys weren't actually there  , I will provide a little more context.

He talked about each player separately.  He said,  "He is from the East Coast [for Rowsey]" and "He is from the West Coast [for Reinhardt]" and then in each case, he said, "He's learning to play the way we do in the middle".  Both times he said it smiling.  If they were actually there, I would have said that he was needling them a little bit in a light-hearted way.

I took it to mean that they are such great shooters, they weren't expected to contribute as much on the defensive side on their previous teams, but that the coaches were "retraining" them to play our way.  It wasn't in a stern way like, "Those guys better step up and play some D, or they are going to be riding the bench."

Is the Midwest known for its defense?  Anyway I think the larger point is that I think Wojo wouldn't call out a freshman like that.

[warriorchick]

Is the Midwest known for its defense?  Anyway I think the larger point is that I think Wojo wouldn't call out a freshman like that.

True enough. 

And it sounds to me like Wojo is kind of creating a new paradigm with this (perhaps the college basketball version of the "West Coast Offense"?).  After all, he's from Maryland and went to school in North Carolina, and as I recall, his defensive skills were decent enough.   

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

What do you guys think about having to learn about playing defense comment? Based on this he said it about Rowsey & Reinhardt and did not say it about the freshmen. Maybe he his just holding the more experience players to a higher standard, but I always had the impression that if you cannot play defense you do not play much.

It wouldn't surprise me if Rowsey needed work on defense. But if be surprised if Katin was that far behind. I've been lead to believe that he is a three and D type player.

[jsglow]

I fear how bad student support will be. Think about this, the seniors this year have never seen Marquette make the postseason. The only other time since our first postseason that our seniors haven't seen a postseason was the 63-67 class and George Thompson isn't walking through the tunnel this year.

It might not be as terrible as one might think.  MU started pushing and selling season tickets to the new Frosh at Preview and again at Orientation.  This is a new 'early marketing' program.  We also have a modestly larger Frosh class compared to last year that also might help.  We'll see.

[Jay Bee]

Sam is listed at 6'7", 225 on gomarquette.com

[muwarrior69]

I fear how bad student support will be. Think about this, the seniors this year have never seen Marquette make the postseason. The only other time since our first postseason that our seniors haven't seen a postseason was the 63-67 class and George Thompson isn't walking through the tunnel this year.

Hmm. Did not make the NCAAs, but lost to Southern Illinois in the '67 NIT final by a guy named Walt Frazier.

[Galway Eagle]

It might not be as terrible as one might think.  MU started pushing and selling season tickets to the new Frosh at Preview and again at Orientation.  This is a new 'early marketing' program.  We also have a modestly larger Frosh class compared to last year that also might help.  We'll see.

Interesting well hope it works. I'm surprised I haven't gotten emailed about the young alumni tickets do you know if they're doing those again?

[cheebs09]

Interesting well hope it works. I'm surprised I haven't gotten emailed about the young alumni tickets do you know if they're doing those again?

I re-upped mine.

[Galway Eagle]

Hmm. Did not make the NCAAs, but lost to Southern Illinois in the '67 NIT final by a guy named Walt Frazier.

Reread what I wrote "the only other time our seniors haven't seen us make the postseason..." As of this moment our seniors have not seen us make the postseason, no different than this moment in 1967. Now if March comes around it'll be the first time since before 1955 that a class has graduated without seeing a postseason

[muwarrior69]

It might not be as terrible as one might think.  MU started pushing and selling season tickets to the new Frosh at Preview and again at Orientation.  This is a new 'early marketing' program.  We also have a modestly larger Frosh class compared to last year that also might help.  We'll see.

My Freshman year we were not good either. I bought 2 season tickets (reserved first row corner seats in the MECCA) for 16 dollars. Because of that I was grand fathered and paid 16 dollars for those seats my entire time at MU each year which by my senior years was a hot item.