Chasing Ghosts: DePaul's sad journey from name brand to also-ran

[DFW HOYA]

Bottom line, is if DePaul can win , Wintrust becomes a decent asset to their program. They should be able to get 7-8,000 people in the seats regularly which would make for a loud environment.

Five of DePaul's first nine home games in 2018-19 drew fewer than 1,000.

https://depauliaonline.com/38569/sports/feeling-emptier-non-conference-attendance-drops-in-wintrusts-2nd-year/

[LloydsLegs]

Haha that's a good guess though it's rare I leave O'Sullivans if someone manages to drag me down to Madison St. Only been to exit strategy once, I'll have to give it another shot. Have you checked out One Lake yet? Heard it looks awesome

O'Sullivans! 

One Lake is a beautiful spot-did a really great job with the inside; the deck up top is nice, though the view is not what I would have thought (b/c the view east is blocked by part of the structure).  And it is a nice anchor for that corner of town.

Food was above average pub, beers are good, and it is a nice place for wife and daughter bc they prefer beers on the wheatier, lighter and lower abv side, and those are points of emphasis.

My favorite FP dive bar currently is the bar at Circle Lanes-we are in a once a month bowling league that runs other than the summer.

[GooooMarquette]

A broken clock is correct twice a day and DePaul made the right move by turning down United Center.

So people are wrong when they use "playing in an NBA arena" as an asset for MU? Because I have seen it hundreds of times, here on Scoop and elsewhere.

[The Sultan]

So people are wrong when they use "playing in an NBA arena" as an asset for MU? Because I have seen it hundreds of times, here on Scoop and elsewhere.

No they are not wrong.  Playing in an NBA arena would be a positive for DePaul as well, but not under the conditions of what the UC was offering and the state of the DePaul program.

[Herman Cain]

So people are wrong when they use "playing in an NBA arena" as an asset for MU? Because I have seen it hundreds of times, here on Scoop and elsewhere.

Our NBA arena is within walking distance of campus and we have 11,300 season ticket holders. We also win the vast majority of our games. This dates back to the days at the Milwaukee Arena. The tradition and culture is a nice advantage for us. Also many of the NBA teams will practice at The Al .  In some respects, we might be the only University with this kind of set up. The others that play in NBA arenas  are not as  proximate to the school.

The only school I am aware of that has anything even close to what we are is Creighton, where they play in what I would call an NBA style arena, that is withing sight-line of their campus. They too fill it up. Which I think partially explains their respectable basketball tradition.

Our set up allows us to compete with the P5 schools that have large on campus arenas.

[Galway Eagle]

O'Sullivans! 

One Lake is a beautiful spot-did a really great job with the inside; the deck up top is nice, though the view is not what I would have thought (b/c the view east is blocked by part of the structure).  And it is a nice anchor for that corner of town.

Food was above average pub, beers are good, and it is a nice place for wife and daughter bc they prefer beers on the wheatier, lighter and lower abv side, and those are points of emphasis.

My favorite FP dive bar currently is the bar at Circle Lanes-we are in a once a month bowling league that runs other than the summer.

Nice, thanks for the info. I'll have to check it out now that I'm back for the time being. Still skeptical about the location and think it will be a detriment but who knows maybe it opens up that part of town a bit more.

Can't even remember the last time I was down at circle lanes!

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

This is false.  MU only requires freshmen and sophomores to live on campus, and only if they aren't living with a parent or legal guardian.

So ur agreeing they do have requirements.

[warriorchick]

So ur agreeing they do have requirements.

But not for "most kids" as Herman claimed.

[Herman Cain]

But not for "most kids" as Herman claimed.

Once again conflating things. I said rather than go through the details I just said most. Here is the exact rule
Marquette University Residency Requirement
All unmarried first and second year students regardless of their academic classifications are
required to live in university residence halls. Exceptions are made only for those students
residing with a parent at their permanent address within a 35-mile radius of campus, students who
are 21 years of age, or those who graduated from high school at least two years prior to the start of
the semester.
All students who are required to live on campus and do not select a housing assignment will be
assigned one unless they have received an official written exemption from the requirement.



Then in the Junior years there are lotteries for the available on campus apartments, which typically sell out . Some students elect to live off campus.

Again the point being made is Marquette is not a commuter school.

[Billy Hoyle]

Once again conflating things. I said rather than go through the details I just said most. Here is the exact rule
Marquette University Residency Requirement
All unmarried first and second year students regardless of their academic classifications are
required to live in university residence halls. Exceptions are made only for those students
residing with a parent at their permanent address within a 35-mile radius of campus, students who
are 21 years of age, or those who graduated from high school at least two years prior to the start of
the semester.
All students who are required to live on campus and do not select a housing assignment will be
assigned one unless they have received an official written exemption from the requirement.

I had a few classmates who tried to scam that exception, using "relatives" within the radius (35 miles seems rather arbitrary) to get out of the on-campus housing requirement during sophomore year.

[GooooMarquette]

Our NBA arena is within walking distance of campus and we have 11,300 season ticket holders. We also win the vast majority of our games. This dates back to the days at the Milwaukee Arena. The tradition and culture is a nice advantage for us. Also many of the NBA teams will practice at The Al .  In some respects, we might be the only University with this kind of set up. The others that play in NBA arenas  are not as  proximate to the school.

So to paraphrase: MU's advantages really come from a superior fan base and fortunate geography, and the NBA factor is just a red herring?

[Herman Cain]

So to paraphrase: MU's advantages really come from a superior fan base and fortunate geography, and the NBA factor is just a red herring?

I think the first point is correct for sure.  I think relative to your second point, the NBA in a vacuum is not a huge factor, however , taken in combination with point one and the historical relationship between the the organizations it adds a certain appeal into the equation. Makes for a longer list of good points at a minimum.

[MuMark]

https://twitter.com/evandaniels/status/1166870008548515846?s=21

https://twitter.com/draftexpress/status/1166852687863803904?s=21

[Skatastrophy]

He's a basket case

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

DePaul playing in the UC would have been laughable. They can't even fill half the seats in Wintrust. At least the thought of a home court advantage is at least plausible at Wintrust.

I attended mu depaul games at the UC.  Granted it was during the kennedy years and they had good teams but the crowds were no laughable

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

https://twitter.com/evandaniels/status/1166870008548515846?s=21

https://twitter.com/draftexpress/status/1166852687863803904?s=21

That is a hige loss for duhpaul

[Galway Eagle]

is anyone else surprised we didn't end up on this list? I mean they had UCLA, IU and UNC. We're chasing ghosts much more so than them

[Dr. Blackheart]

is anyone else surprised we didn't end up on this list? I mean they had UCLA, IU and UNC. We're chasing ghosts much more so than them

[kryza]

This.

It has been said that DePaul either couldn't or wouldn't acquire land in Lincoln Park, but the obviously smart thing to have done would have been to acquire enough to build a nice 7,000-seat arena on campus. Then, if the program gets on solid footing again to where it is drawing lots of fans, they could play select games at the U.C.

That's the model of BEast teams such as St. John's, Nova and UConn.

This is not true, they were offered the Finkl Steelyards area which is walking distance from campus. It was a once in a generation opportunity to buy a large chunk of prime real estate on the river, with amazing views of the city, and walking distance to campus and they declined. DePaul is the worst run school in the country if you ask me and I graduated there with my Master's.

[T-Bone]

That is an option, but I would guess Doc's! 
Currently I  am partial  to exit strategy.

Good beer, especially the special brews. Food has always been hit or miss. More consistent at Wild Onion.  Need to try One Lake, but agree with later comments the location might be tough with some OPers.

[MUDPT]

This is not true, they were offered the Finkl Steelyards area which is walking distance from campus. It was a once in a generation opportunity to buy a large chunk of prime real estate on the river, with amazing views of the city, and walking distance to campus and they declined. DePaul is the worst run school in the country if you ask me and I graduated there with my Master's.

Didn't know this. Obviously closer, but that's still a long walk, especially in winter. Bonus though, get to walk by Sweet Mandy B's to the game.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Left unsaid...DU already has a big South Loop presence.  If Chicago got the Summer Olympics, they would have also taken over the Olympic Village with UIC.

[Goatherder]

DePaul had the opportunity to use the United Center rent free, and turned it down for a smaller arena further from campus. Granted, neither is as close to campus as the BC/FF to Marquette, but DePaul turned down a closer NBA arena for a more distant, lower profile venue. That's on JLP.

And while Milwaukee per se doesn't have an NFL team, the Packers are every bit as big a deal in Milwaukee (arguably even bigger) as the Bears are in Chicago. I recall MU games that coincided with Packer playoff games, and the BC was half empty...and many of the fans who did attend were watching the Packers in the concourse.

Yes, every situation is unique, but I don't think all of MU's "built in" advantages are as great as you think.

Chicago is way different.  Distance is often not the point.  One of the things I love about Milwaukee is that everything is a half-hour away from where you are.  In Chicago, it takes that long to cross the street.  And even if it was across the street, nobody from DePaul would walk to the United Center.  Or take the bus there.  Or want to park there.  It is in the middle of the ghetto. 

WinTrust Arena is about twenty minutes drive right down Lake Shore Drive from the DePaul campus.  It takes about the same to get there on the El, which stops a couple blocks away.  There i parking available, albeit expensive, and when the arena is not full, you can park on the street.  And DePaul owns part of it, so they get to set the policies on it, get it when they want it, etc.  It is a nice arena really.  Great sight lines.  Looks clean and bright.  Nice graphics.  And it can be a very nice place to watch a college game.  Five thousand people in WinTrust looks and sounds much better than that many at the UC.  if DePaul gets good enough to fill the place, it will be a good home court.  And it is such a huge improvement on the Allstate Arena.  People who had tickets in the past often did not use them because it was too much effort.  Now they are showing up.  it will take a while, but DePaul is on to something good. 

[Goatherder]

https://twitter.com/evandaniels/status/1166870008548515846?s=21

https://twitter.com/draftexpress/status/1166852687863803904?s=21

Addition by subtraction.  Good enough player for a team like DePaul to take a flyer on.  Good for them that they found out so quickly that it did not work.

[Jon]

Do you mean thanks to Al leaving MU? DePaul took off and began dominating Chicago recruiting as soon as McGuire retired from coaching.

Goddamn Hank.

Let me have your attention for a moment:

Bitching about that Chicago recruit you lost...

Nice guy? I don't give a sh1t.

Good father? F#ck you, go home and play with your kids.

You know what it takes to coach elite Div I basketball? It takes brass balls to win championships.



Hank was handed one of the top 4 or 5 programs in college basketball. And he pissed it away.

Marquette was at an inflection point. Denny Crum said he would crawl on his belly to take over for Al. Digger begged for the job. Instead, Marquette chose Hank.

Marquette had the entire team coming back and Hank couldn't get past the first round against Miami of F#cking Ohio.

It's not that Hank didn't know basketball. The problem is that he didn't resonate with the recruits. He wasn't Al. Hell, he wasn't even Dick Vitale.

Into the void stepped Ray Meyer who started signing the Aguirres, Corbins, Cummings, and Garlands - guys who had been locks for Marquette (meanwhile, Denny Crum was signing the Darrell Griffiths, Derek Smiths, Milt Wagners, the McCrays, and Milt Thompsons on his way to ringing up championships.)

Biggest decision in Marquette's history and they chose Plan B: Caspar Milquetoast. Just a terrible decision.