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Next up: A long offseason

Marquette
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Dr. Blackheart

The Savior to some (as he raised MU from the dead)...Rasputin to others (as Cords continuously wanted to rehire him). Was fired or moved along as a nomad at every stop after MU. Wayne Watts, MU grad and former NU Champlain, said Kevin kept him busy with a new vocabulary. A great recruiter and developer whose MU players said they had a hate-love relationship with. Personal issues galore, but that Kentucky game breathed life back into MU and Milwaukee. Chicos?

http://www.insidenu.com/2013/1/14/3877266/kevin-oneill-fired-usc-northwestern


The Lens

There is not Marquette basketball today, without KO.  That's just a fact. 
The Teal Train has left the station and Lens is day drinking in the bar car.    ---- Dr. Blackheart

History is so valuable if you have the humility to learn from it.    ---- Shaka Smart

warriorfred

#3
That Kevin O'Neill is not widely recognized as the "savior" of Marquette basketball is disappointing*.

There are almost no words to describe glumly walking into the Bradley Center at the start of the 1988-89 season and realizing during warm-ups, before the tip-off of the pre-season game against Athletes in Action, that there was absolutely no hope. 

A 13-15 record, with a home loss to Austin Peay (by 10), and 2 losses to a Badger team that couldn't make the NIT . . . whew, it was bad.  We envied the success of the Evansville Purple Aces.  Think about that for a moment, Marquette was in the Midwest Collegiate Conference, looking up to the mighty Evansville Purple Aces.

The Buzz-Wojo transition years were disappointing because there was something to Marquette basketball (Big East, recent Elite 8, top 10 recruit, etc...).  In 1988, Marquette was a bottom-dweller in the MCC, and it seemed like Marquette basketball was headed to Division III.

But one man changed all that. 

*  I am open to argument about Al being the savior of Marquette Basketball, but my impression was that Al built from a solid foundation.  O'Neill started his tenure from the smoldering crater left by Dukiet.

warriorfred

Yes, yes, horrible human being, but he somehow saved Marquette basketball from irrelevance.

rocket surgeon

i don't believe ko was a "horrible human being" by any stretch of the imagination.  he was his own dude.  A-1 recruiter, motivator and coach.  if not for some having difficulties with his on court antics, those within hearing distance anyway, he would have been here a few more, but what affect would that have had on MU hoops as well? 
felz Houston ate uncle boozie's hands

bilsu

Quote from: The Lens link=topic=54285.msg929247#msg929247 =1495000559
There is not Marquette basketball today, without KO.  That's just a fact.
This statement would only apply to Al McGuire.

Galway Eagle

Quote from: bilsu on May 17, 2017, 07:11:42 AM
This statement would only apply to Al McGuire.

Eddie hickie and Jack Nagle might disagree with that statement.
Retire Terry Rand's jersey!

GGGG

I have heard people speculate on what would have been had O'Neill stayed.  Maybe he would have put roots down here and been a long term success.  Or maybe he becomes the bitter guy he turned into anyway.  Or maybe he was never meant to put roots down anywhere.

lurch91

#9
In person, KO just had amazing charisma.  But he was self-destructive, at least back then.

We could be Loyola, DePaul, University of Detroit or Evansville.  But Cords had a vision, and KO helped make that vision come into focus.  Without both of them, MU basketball would be playing in a half filled MECCA today (or worse, to 3,000 - 4,000 fans in the Bradley Center).

Galway Eagle

Quote from: Sultan of Slap O' Fivin' on May 17, 2017, 07:16:09 AM
I have heard people speculate on what would have been had O'Neill stayed.  Maybe he would have put roots down here and been a long term success.  Or maybe he becomes the bitter guy he turned into anyway.  Or maybe he was never meant to put roots down anywhere.

I think it would've been a trade for better 90s but ultimately a worse 2000s. But I'm just assuming he'd have done better with the 95 team than deane did and probably couldve gotten some solid recruits from the sweet 16
Retire Terry Rand's jersey!

4everwarriors

Kevin jogged past my crib every day in The Quon. Often my son (probably around age 5) and I would be on the driveway shootin' hoops. KO said he'd schollie my kid. Da bastard never did so fook 'em, hey?
"Give 'Em Hell, Al"

MU Fan in Connecticut

Quote from: warriorfred on May 17, 2017, 02:30:23 AM
That Kevin O'Neill is not widely recognized as the "savior" of Marquette basketball is disappointing*.

There are almost no words to describe glumly walking into the Bradley Center at the start of the 1988-89 season and realizing during warm-ups, before the tip-off of the pre-season game against Athletes in Action, that there was absolutely no hope. 

A 13-15 record, with a home loss to Austin Peay (by 10), and 2 losses to a Badger team that couldn't make the NIT . . . whew, it was bad.  We envied the success of the Evansville Purple Aces.  Think about that for a moment, Marquette was in the Midwest Collegiate Conference, looking up to the mighty Evansville Purple Aces.

The Buzz-Wojo transition years were disappointing because there was something to Marquette basketball (Big East, recent Elite 8, top 10 recruit, etc...).  In 1988, Marquette was a bottom-dweller in the MCC, and it seemed like Marquette basketball was headed to Division III.

But one man changed all that. 

*  I am open to argument about Al being the savior of Marquette Basketball, but my impression was that Al built from a solid foundation.  O'Neill started his tenure from the smoldering crater left by Dukiet.

Don't remind me!

Goose

My thoughts:
1. He saved the MU Men's Basketball Program
2. Average, at best, basketball coach.
3. Someone I very much enjoyed spending time with over the years, especially after games
4. Probably stayed the proper length time at MU, based off his personality.
5. Someone I still hope knocks out of the park
6. He save the MU Men's Basketball Program

A flawed man in many ways, but a kind heart as well. In recent years he showed some real class and compassion for a family member and that will not be forgotten.

TSmith34, Inc.

Quote from: Goose on May 17, 2017, 12:27:06 PM
My thoughts:
1. He saved the MU Men's Basketball Program
2. Average, at best, basketball coach.
3. Someone I very much enjoyed spending time with over the years, especially after games
4. Probably stayed the proper length time at MU, based off his personality.
5. Someone I still hope knocks out of the park
6. He save the MU Men's Basketball Program

A flawed man in many ways, but a kind heart as well. In recent years he showed some real class and compassion for a family member and that will not be forgotten.
Interesting perspective, Goose, thanks for sharing.

Having experienced the Piano Man years in person, the return to respectability under KO was a godsend IMO
If you think for one second that I am comparing the USA to China you have bumped your hard.

MU82

Quote from: The Lens on May 17, 2017, 12:55:59 AM
There is not Marquette basketball today, without KO.  That's just a fact.

Well, actually, that's an opinion.

Many others share that opinion, but a fact is totally provable and what you say here isn't.

The sun rose in Milwaukee at 5:26 a.m. is a fact.

I really like Goose's take, which he began with "My thoughts." Many (even most) of us agree with many (even most) of Goose's thoughts ... but that doesn't make those facts, either!

Glad we had KO. Program needed him at the time. I agree with Goose that his length of time with the Warriors was probably just about right.
"It's not how white men fight." - Tucker Carlson

"Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism." - George Washington

"In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." - George Orwell

bilsu

Quote from: bilsu on May 17, 2017, 07:11:42 AM
This statement would only apply to Al McGuire.
You could ask the average basketball fan across the country where Kevin O'Neal coached, were Eddie Hickey coached or where Jack Nagle coached and I expect almost everyone would not know the answer. Ask the same fans where Al McGuire coached and a good percentage of them would know the answer. Crean did just as much or more than O'Neal did. They were successful coaches, who came in as assistants. One could argue MU made them and not the other way around. I sure both used the McGuire legacy when they were recruiting. I am not downplaying what O'Neal did at MU, just the idea that he made us where we are today. No one compares to Al McGuire. There are plenty of coaches that could of done what O'Neal did and very few if any that could have the impact that Al had.

Goose

bilsu

I have never had a discussion that included KO and Al in the same sentence or even paragraph. That said, I did tell KO countless times that "I knew Al and he was no Al". Talking about them is apples and oranges, IMO.

4everwarriors

"Give 'Em Hell, Al"

RubyWiscy

QuoteThere is no Marquette basketball today, without KO.  That's just a fact.

Remember Loyola, Bradley, Detroit Mercy?  Yeah, didn't think so.

He was the right man, at the right time, for the right job at MU. Pulled MU kicking and screaming from an independent to a conference school.

After that, his "creative" tendencies didn't seem to fit in anywhere.

Dr. Blackheart

KO was a mercenary who did his job. Like other ex-coaches, MU was their high water mark. That said, Dukiet left MU for dead and KO revived us...and he gave Deane a running head start.

naginiF

Quote from: Ruby on May 17, 2017, 03:52:29 PM

He was the right man, at the right time, for the right job at MU.
This is the salient point. 

KO deserves a ton of respect for what he did with the program/we should all be grateful.  But the credit also goes to the AD/BOT/President for being dedicated to the cause.  If it wasn't KO it would've been another coach that would've done the same thing for the program and if it wasn't Marquette KO would've had an equally good opportunity.

A lot like marriage - an honest understanding of your strengths, weaknesses, and what you are trying to accomplish will net the right partner (hopefully one is a more long lasting relationship).  Divine intervention didn't bring MU & KO together, a mutual need did.  Congrats to both for recognizing it.

MU82

Quote from: bilsu on May 17, 2017, 02:04:29 PM
I sure both used the McGuire legacy when they were recruiting.

I remember that one scene in Hoop Dreams where KO brings William Gates to the Bradley Center, points to the MU's national title banner and retired numbers, and says something like, "This is the place where it all happened."

Which, of course, it wasn't!

But that's OK.
"It's not how white men fight." - Tucker Carlson

"Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism." - George Washington

"In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." - George Orwell

TrevorCandelino

I have no perspective on the inner workings of Wojo's staff but O'Neill on the staff coaching defense would be fun to see. 

GGGG

Quote from: TrevorCandelino on May 17, 2017, 07:57:18 PM
I have no perspective on the inner workings of Wojo's staff but O'Neill on the staff coaching defense would be fun to see. 

As would a unicorn pooping rainbows out its a$$. Which is more likely to happen than O'Neill ever joining Wojo's staff.

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