It only gets worse for Bucky

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Gard's postgame comments.  Lots of excuses - inexperience, injuries, etc. 

Injuries: Yes, they've had two guys injured.  One a freshman that wasn't starting (but admittedly with perhaps the most upside potential) and one a sophomore that had a ceiling of mediocre B10 point guard.  If they were counting on those two to turn them from an 18+ loss to team to an NCAA tourney team they are delusional.

Inexperience: Not really.  They have 5 juniors, at least one (possibly 2?) who are actually fourth year redshirts.  It's just that outside of Happ they are all really terrible.  It isn't that they are inexperienced, its that they have a five man class that is mostly a complete washout, and the sophs aren't much to pin any hopes on.  And they have zero help coming in next year from HS.  In fact, the expectation from many vadger fans is that those recruits were likely to themselves redshirt.

Amazingly, even excluding the incoming freshmen, they will still have 6 redshirt players on their roster.  Historically, that was one key to their success--being a very mature team.  Well, they still are, they just don't have very good players.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Pretty sure he is a strong Duke lean.

Someone should tell him that Duke lost the guy that used to coach their big men

[Earl Tatum]

Yep! What happened to the great potential of the great Charlie Thomas and Alex Illikanen, and we can't forget Andy VanVleit. Iverson
is a good athlete who can't shoot, Pritzl is a head case. Feel sorry for
Happ. But, How sweet it is.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Yep! What happened to the great potential of the great Charlie Thomas and Alex Illikanen, and we can't forget Andy VanVleit. Iverson
is a good athlete who can't shoot, Pritzl is a head case. Feel sorry for
Happ. But, How sweet it is.

Happ went 10-19 at the line last night.  I'm pretty sure I could do better than that I haven't played competitive basketball since I was like 6. 

[GooooMarquette]

Pretty sure he is a strong Duke lean.

Affirmative. I live in Rochester, and the local news often shows K in the stands at his games. Doubt K would be showing up if it wasn't pretty serious.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Where is Hurt projected to go?  Just watched a special on him on FSN.  Solid big guy.

Heard he will be a Dookie. Was told that there's no chance he ends up following his brother to Minnesota, definitely going to a blue blood but you never know.

[BrewCity83]

Happ went 10-19 at the line last night.  I'm pretty sure I could do better than that I haven't played competitive basketball since I was like 6.

Actually he was 8 for 19.  Happless.

[Bad_Reporter]

Just watched a replay of the Nebraska game.

I forgot how ugly pritzl is, f***.

[Dr. Blackheart]

NM

[Dr. Blackheart]

Who looks more beat down?

[dgies9156]

With good recruiting, I think we could be looking at another tournament streak that could rival and surpass the one that I experienced when I was a student.

Brother TAMU, I'm looking forward to another tournament streak that rivals and surpasses the one that I experienced when I was a student (the 1970s).

[MU82]

Brother TAMU, I'm looking forward to another tournament streak that rivals and surpasses the one that I experienced when I was a student (the 1970s).

All we have to do is convince dozens of top-tier teams to not go into the inner cities and recruit black kids, and we can  get back to where we were in the Al Era.

[dgies9156]

All we have to do is convince dozens of top-tier teams to not go into the inner cities and recruit black kids, and we can  get back to where we were in the Al Era.

Or be better at recruiting the best ballplayers in the nation, regardless of ethnicity, than any of those dozens of top teams. I'm convinced we can do that -- and will!

[MU82]

Or be better at recruiting the best ballplayers in the nation, regardless of ethnicity, than any of those dozens of top teams. I'm convinced we can do that -- and will!

I hope you are right.

It's not realistic to believe we can be the next Duke or Kentucky or Kansas. But I do think that those of us (including me) who think it's possible that Marquette can replicate what Villanova and Gonzaga have done are not being too pollyannaish.

All I was saying in my earlier comment (as you surely know) is that the recruiting landscape was vastly different when we were a "blueblood" ourselves. Al was smart enough and good enough to take advantage of it.

[dgies9156]

I hope you are right.

It's not realistic to believe we can be the next Duke or Kentucky or Kansas. But I do think that those of us (including me) who think it's possible that Marquette can replicate what Villanova and Gonzaga have done are not being too pollyannaish.

All I was saying in my earlier comment (as you surely know) is that the recruiting landscape was vastly different when we were a "blueblood" ourselves. Al was smart enough and good enough to take advantage of it.

Of course. Marquette was open minded about who attended our university both as ballplayers and as students much earlier than most NCAA schools. There's a reason UCLA, Marquette, North Carolina et al were really good back then. People knew that if they went to one of these schools, they'd be treated fairly. Our reputation, along with UCLA's and Coach Wooden's, spoke for itself.

The mid-1960s to the mid-1970s was a time when too many of our brothers and sisters didn't get a fair shake in many parts of the country. We're  generally passed that (although far from not completely) and I acknowledge that becoming a blue blood today is different. If the Blessed Al were still alive, he'd say the same thing.

I would call your attention to the fact that Michigan State, often considered a blue blood, was not always a blue blood. Likewise, I believe Villanova  either is a blue blood or is on the way to blue blood status. So long as Coach Wright stays at Villanova, I see nothing not colored blue and gold that will slow them down one iota. Keeping a good coach around, as North Carolina, Duke, Michigan State and Kansas shows, is critical.

The hardest part of "getting there" to blue blood status is patience. Coach Wojo inherited a dumpster fire and by all measures has cleaned it up, removed the toxins and started us on our way. It remains to be seen how he leverages what we has and will have over the next few years. But, if the talent gels and he gets our team to play as a unit, I'm confident Coach Wojo has a chance to move us into elite status.

[Dawson Rental]

Of course. Marquette was open minded about who attended our university both as ballplayers and as students much earlier than most NCAA schools. There's a reason UCLA, Marquette, North Carolina et al were really good back then. People knew that if they went to one of these schools, they'd be treated fairly. Our reputation, along with UCLA's and Coach Wooden's, spoke for itself.

The mid-1960s to the mid-1970s was a time when too many of our brothers and sisters didn't get a fair shake in many parts of the country. We're  generally passed that (although far from not completely) and I acknowledge that becoming a blue blood today is different. If the Blessed Al were still alive, he'd say the same thing.

I would call your attention to the fact that Michigan State, often considered a blue blood, was not always a blue blood. Likewise, I believe Villanova  either is a blue blood or is on the way to blue blood status. So long as Coach Wright stays at Villanova, I see nothing not colored blue and gold that will slow them down one iota. Keeping a good coach around, as North Carolina, Duke, Michigan State and Kansas shows, is critical.

The hardest part of "getting there" to blue blood status is patience. Coach Wojo inherited a dumpster fire and by all measures has cleaned it up, removed the toxins and started us on our way. It remains to be seen how he leverages what we has and will have over the next few years. But, if the talent gels and he gets our team to play as a unit, I'm confident Coach Wojo has a chance to move us into elite status.

I've heard that Al saw the changes that were coming and it had a lot to do with his resignation.

[BrewCity83]

All we have to do is convince dozens of top-tier teams to not go into the inner cities and recruit black kids, and we can  get back to where we were in the Al Era.

Gard already got the message...

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Gard already got the message...

Yes, but did he get the massage?

[Dawson Rental]

Who looks more beat down?

Izzo - higher expectations, perhaps.

[Stretchdeltsig]

Hope Barry gives Gard 5 more years.

[BrewCity83]

#Gard4Life

[Tugg Speedman]

Hope Barry gives Gard 5 more years.

I'm conflicted ...

My instinct is to hope that Bucky's nose gets rubbed into it and they lose their last 8 straight and have 21 losses going into the B1G tourney.

But ... I want Gard to stick around.  So should I root for a couple of upsets?

What should I do????

[The Lens]

I've heard that Al saw the changes that were coming and it had a lot to do with his resignation.

Nope.  Al wanted to make some cash.  He was 47, he knew it was getting past time to earn.

[GooooMarquette]

I'm conflicted ...

My instinct is to hope that Bucky's nose gets rubbed into it and they lose their last 8 straight and have 21 losses going into the B1G tourney.

But ... I want Gard to stick around.  So should I root for a couple of upsets?

What should I do????

I root for them to keep on losing, and for Gard to get a long extension.  Call me greedy....

[Mu2323]

We are staying neck and neck for 5 losses between the programs NICE!