Next step

[Aircraftcarrier]

Can MU basketball program take the next step without cheating?

[goldeneagle91114]

Can MU basketball program take the next step without cheating?

The first step is retaining a core group of players, specifically starters.

[Aircraftcarrier]

Of course the first response is a snide remark and does not answer the question.Scoop never disappoints

[Uncle Rico]

Can MU basketball program take the next step without cheating?

It's a tall task IMO.  I think they can be consistently good, occasionally great

[tower912]

More clearly define your terms.  Did Villanova cheat?  Virginia?  UNC?    Who is cheating and how much are they cheating?  Next level...blue blood level?  Nova?  MSU?

I think that if the powers had to choose between being good and clean or great and dirty, they would choose good and clean.

[NCMUFan]

TBD

[goldeneagle91114]

Sorry for being snide.

I'll give you my opinion to your question - No, not with Wojo running the show. He's had 5 years. He has not cheated (that we know of to-date) which is a great thing. However, He also has not brought the program back to consistent top 25 status, which is what I believe you're referencing when you say "next step".

back in December, I thought he had finally put all the puzzle pieces together. However, The epic collapse down the stretch looked like a coach who struggled with X's and O's, losing to  teams that did even make the tournament, let alone weren't ranked in the top 25. He needed to find a way to stop the slide and couldn't.

Add insult to injury, He lost control of his locker room, and now we're replacing 2 starters on last years team.

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

Lets try to get over the loss of Joey.  Kid will be an better than average college player, of which we have others of those on the roster.

Not sure how anyone could truly argue that a roster next year of mh, kobe, greg, bailey, sam, theo and possibly ed were not all better than joey.  So we lost arguably our 7-8th man, wgaf??

[rocket surgeon]

Can MU basketball program take the next step without cheating?

this sounds like an assumption has been made that MU has been "cheating".   i don't mean to assume that's what you meant, but if MU has been cheating to get to where we are now, they ain't very good at it

[goldeneagle91114]

Lets try to get over the loss of Joey.  Kid will be an better than average college player, of which we have others of those on the roster.

Not sure how anyone could truly argue that a roster next year of mh, kobe, greg, bailey, sam, theo and possibly ed were not all better than joey.  So we lost arguably our 7-8th man, wgaf??

You're forgetting Sam

[79Warrior]

Lets try to get over the loss of Joey.  Kid will be an better than average college player, of which we have others of those on the roster.

Not sure how anyone could truly argue that a roster next year of mh, kobe, greg, bailey, sam, theo and possibly ed were not all better than joey.  So we lost arguably our 7-8th man, wgaf??

Agree time to get over it. But, you underestimate they type of player he will develop into. He started as a Freshman for MU. That's awfully impressive for a better than average player. Joey will be a very good player.

[GoldenEagle323]

Wait joey and sam are transferring??? when did we hear about this???

[PBRme]

More clearly define your terms.  Did Villanova cheat?  Virginia?  UNC?    Who is cheating and how much are they cheating?  Next level...blue blood level?  Nova?  MSU?

I think that if the powers had to choose between being good and clean or great and dirty, they would choose good and clean.

VU-Don't know ... UVA-Don't know....UNC-Absolutely YES

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

VU-Don't know ... UVA-Don't know....UNC-Absolutely YES

If Arizona pays their players and you steal a player originally committed to Arizona....does that mean anything.

[4everwarriors]

Won feats in front of da udder feats, hey?

[Cheeks]

If Arizona pays their players and you steal a player originally committed to Arizona....does that mean anything.

Is Arizona paying all their players? 

[MU82]

My realistic (albeit super lofty) goal is for Marquette to become the same type of program that Nova and Gonzaga are.

I don't know if Wright and Few cheat but given the little I know about them I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and say they don't.

Not sure if Wojo can get us to that level; his inability to manage egos leads me to believe probably not. Maybe he'll prove me wrong, or maybe the next coach will be able to accomplish this. Or the coach after that.

One thing Wright and Few have in common: They stayed for years and years and years at programs that some might have considered "stepping stone" type situations despite receiving big-money offers from other schools. In Wright's case, he was allowed to stay even though he didn't have great success early on.

But to answer the OP question, yes, if Nova and Gonzaga can win big without cheating -- and again, for the sake of argument, I'll say they do -- so can Marquette.

[GooooMarquette]

Yes, and I think Wojo is the coach who can get us there. We have gotten better slowly but surely...and if you look at  a guy like Wright, that's exactly how he did it. He turned Drexel around in the course of a few seasons, and then he turned Nova from an NIT-level school to a National Champion.

Yes, he started winning at Nova in March sooner than Wojo has...but Jay started with seven years' HC experience at Drexel, so he was more seasoned when he hit the BE.

And 82 hit on a key for guys like Wright and Few - longevity at a single school. If we're patient with Wojo, we may get comparable results.

[MU82]

Yes, and I think Wojo is the coach who can get us there. We have gotten better slowly but surely...and if you look at  a guy like Wright, that's exactly how he did it. He turned Drexel around in the course of a few seasons, and then he turned Nova from an NIT-level school to a National Champion.

Yes, he started winning at Nova in March sooner than Wojo has...but Jay started with seven years' HC experience at Drexel, so he was more seasoned when he hit the BE.

And 82 hit on a key for guys like Wright and Few - longevity at a single school. If we're patient with Wojo, we may get comparable results.

I like how you think, Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[KampusFoods]

Yes, and I think Wojo is the coach who can get us there. We have gotten better slowly but surely...and if you look at  a guy like Wright, that's exactly how he did it. He turned Drexel around in the course of a few seasons, and then he turned Nova from an NIT-level school to a National Champion.

Yes, he started winning at Nova in March sooner than Wojo has...but Jay started with seven years' HC experience at Drexel, so he was more seasoned when he hit the BE.

And 82 hit on a key for guys like Wright and Few - longevity at a single school. If we're patient with Wojo, we may get comparable results.

Hofstra not Drexel. Your point stands, though.

[willie warrior]

Is Arizona paying all their players?

Nah, probably just the real studs.

[NorthernDancerColt]

Can MU basketball program take the next step without cheating?

It's beyond sad that any program aspiring to rise to another level has to ask that question.

That is the brutal reality of college basketball right now.

[Uncle Rico]

It's beyond sad that any program aspiring to rise to another level has to ask that question.

That is the brutal reality of college basketball right now.

As long as college basketball is a big money operation and the players aren't getting paid, it will continue being the reality. 

[Benny B]

As long as college basketball is a big money operation and the players aren't getting paid, it will continue being the reality.

But they are being paid.  At least at the big money schools.

[Uncle Rico]

But they are being paid.  At least at the big money schools.

Smart kids