Malaise

[tower912]

I decided to start a new thread where we can hash this out rather than continuing to pollute the recruiting thread with another tangent.

Why do some posters seem to revel more in Wojo's recruiting misses than his successes?

Why do so few care about Markus being a preseason first team AA?

Why do some hope Wojo does just well enough to be hired away?

Why do some continue to defend those who left while being derogatory to those who stayed? 

We are just a few weeks from the start of the season and we are busier parsing LeBron's thoughts on China than we are discussing potential rotations, who starts at the 4, who starts at the 5, zone options.  Why?

This is a fringe   top 25 preseason team with a high ceiling.  All some posters care about is a game against an unknown opponent 6 months away?

Is it Wojo? 
Are we tired of each other and scoop?   
Have all the basketball discussions been done before?   
Is it reflective of society around us?   
Even though we officially don't talk politics, is it bleeding through in our opinions about sports, each other, scoop?

Is it the years, the Crean vs. Buzz vs. Wojo debates having a cumulative effect?

Is it a couple of posters?

To me, this is becoming a joyless place.   Will winning change that?  24 wins didn't.  It made it worse.

A frustrating malaise.   

What is your complaint about MU hoops? 
What is your solution? 
Do you honestly believe there is a coach out there that is markedly better who would come to MU?   Name names.

But keep it here.   Let the recruiting thread be about recruiting.

[Jockey]

I decided to start a new thread where we can hash this out rather than continuing to pollute the recruiting thread with another tangent.

Why do some posters seem to revel more in Wojo's recruiting misses than his successes?

Why do so few care about Markus being a preseason first team AA?

Why do some hope Wojo does just well enough to be hired away?

Why do some continue to defend those who left while being derogatory to those who stayed? 

We are just a few weeks from the start of the season and we are busier parsing LeBron's thoughts on China than we are discussing potential rotations, who starts at the 4, who starts at the 5, zone options.  Why?

This is a fringe   top 25 preseason team with a high ceiling.  All some posters care about is a game against an unknown opponent 6 months away?

Is it Wojo? 
Are we tired of each other and scoop?   
Have all the basketball discussions been done before?   
Is it reflective of society around us?   
Even though we officially don't talk politics, is it bleeding through in our opinions about sports, each other, scoop?

To me, this is becoming a joyless place.   Will winning change that?  24 wins didn't.  It made it worse.

A frustrating malaise.   

What is your complaint about MU hoops? 
What is your solution? 
Do you honestly believe there is a coach out there that is markedly better who would come to MU?   Name names.

But keep it here.   Let the recruiting thread be about recruiting.

I have no complaints against MU basketball. I agree they should be a top 25 team. I think recruiting for next year is progressing well. I don't care that the Hausers left. No doubt they had talent - but I'm glad their entitled attitude left with them. I think we will be better off for that happening.

There is both malaise and anger. We all known who is the driver for that (I don't mean chico). It carries over to almost every aspect of our lives - including sports and personal interactions. My entire life, personal politics had a 0% effect on my personal relationships. That has completely changed.

I will not let it ruin sports for me. If others want to do that, I want no part of it.


On a sporting level, it is a great, great time to be a sports fan in Wisconsin.
1) Marquette should be a top 25 team.
2) GB will be one of the Super Bowl favorites as the season goes on.
3) Bucks have a very good chance for an NBA title.
4) Brewers made the playoffs again.
5) Wisconsin has a very realistic chance for the football playoff.
6) We have Rodgers - not Trubiskey or Cousins.
7) We don't have the Cubs, White Sox, Bulls, Blackhawks, Illini, Northwestern, etc.

[Galway Eagle]

Because people are getting older and crotchety

Because it's preseason and expected after being an AA last year. I care more that he wasn't preseason BE POY

This thought process is idiotic

Because the Hausers were two players WI brothers and I think a lot of people instinctively feel Howard and Wojo wronged them since it's the only reason they would've left.

Don't even have a theory on this one

I think people are placing too much emphasis on Tournament than the whole picture

Wojo isn't mr media personality. I'm sure that's a factor especially with the Al groupies.
Yes we are
Yes they have

Yes it yes
Yes it bleeds in way too much

People are too stuck in the past

There are a few posters that do make this place bad. Say what you want about guru and his opinions that don't make sense at least you can feel his passion. Guys like 4ever drive apathy

No it won't not till we have a sweet 16

My complaint is that we aren't as open to the media anymore.
Another documentary
No I do not. 

[Galway Eagle]

I have no complaints against MU basketball. I agree they should be a top 25 team. I think recruiting for next year is progressing well. I don't care that the Hausers left. No doubt they had talent - but I'm glad their entitled attitude left with them. I think we will be better off for that happening.

There is both malaise and anger. We all known who is the driver for that (I don't mean chico). It carries over to almost every aspect of our lives - including sports and personal interactions. My entire life, personal politics had a 0% effect on my personal relationships. That has completely changed.

I will not let it ruin sports for me. If others want to do that, I want no part of it.


On a sporting level, it is a great, great time to be a sports fan in Wisconsin.
1) Marquette should be a top 25 team.
2) GB will be one of the Super Bowl favorites as the season goes on.
3) Bucks have a very good chance for an NBA title.
4) Brewers made the playoffs again.
5) Wisconsin has a very realistic chance for the football playoff.
6) We have Rodgers - not Trubiskey or Cousins.
7) We don't have the Cubs, White Sox, Bulls, Blackhawks, Illini, Northwestern, etc.

Why you gotta hate the Hawks they have no impact on a WI team?!

[Jockey]

Why you gotta hate the Hawks they have no impact on a WI team?!

Actually, when it comes to the Hawks, I will admit to being a bandwagon fan. If they are doing well, I'm there. If not, I'm gone.

[Its DJOver]

I think that there are a number of positive posters that either take the entire off-season off, or cut way back, and it leads to the negative Nancy's being more prevalent.  I also don't think it's a coincidence that it has aligned with the return of a number of (in)famous posters from hiatus.  Getting threads off topic is no big deal, but when certain posters do it, you automatically know that there is 0% chance of it being salvaged, and 100% chance that it ends up as a pissing match (which I just then don't even bother keeping up with).

[mu_hilltopper]

These are really good questions. 

I think the summary is .. yes, there is a malaise.   

As I wrote in another thread .. I dropped my season tickets that I had for 19 years, due to the many factors that generated this malaise, where all I really wanted to see was 3-4 games a year. 

Crean built up the "family" character, then left.  Buzz did the same, then left.  Wojo's time will end similarly, with the constant mantra of how "special" Marquette is, but he will absolutely leave when given a good opportunity.  And frankly, Wojo is patient zero on the malaise plague, fair or not.

Besides Wisconsin, MU doesn't have any other real "rivalries."  We can enjoy a game against Nova, but they are just flat better than us.     Gosh, I can't wait to play Butler and Creighton this year.

Players good and bad leave the program all the time.   Recruiting is interesting, but we've had plenty of good guys before without success.   MU hasn't won a NCAA game in 2,395 days.   Expectations are high, but it's also entirely possible MU flops this year.

Marquette is in the Arby's phase of its existence. 

[#UnleashSean]

I think hilltopper sums this up pretty good. The new big east is not that of the old.

[muwarrior69]

I have no complaints against MU basketball. I agree they should be a top 25 team. I think recruiting for next year is progressing well. I don't care that the Hausers left. No doubt they had talent - but I'm glad their entitled attitude left with them. I think we will be better off for that happening.

There is both malaise and anger. We all known who is the driver for that (I don't mean chico). It carries over to almost every aspect of our lives - including sports and personal interactions. My entire life, personal politics had a 0% effect on my personal relationships. That has completely changed.

I will not let it ruin sports for me. If others want to do that, I want no part of it.


On a sporting level, it is a great, great time to be a sports fan in Wisconsin.
1) Marquette should be a top 25 team.
2) GB will be one of the Super Bowl favorites as the season goes on.
3) Bucks have a very good chance for an NBA title.
4) Brewers made the playoffs again.
5) Wisconsin has a very realistic chance for the football playoff.
6) We have Rodgers - not Trubiskey or Cousins.
7) We don't have the Cubs, White Sox, Bulls, Blackhawks, Illini, Northwestern, etc.

I could not agree with you more, however, when the institution I love gets political it is hard to avoid it. Primary example changing our mascot from Warriors to Golden Eagles was a political statement which still does not sit well with many and I concede older alumni.  I hope the Golden Eagles do us proud this season.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

I blame Chicos, because why not.

[Benny B]

I don't call it malaise... I call it "Wisconsin Hedge Syndrome."  It's when someone rags and rags and rags on their team whether they have a reason to or not... that way if their team has an amazing year, they feel good because it was an amazing year;but if it's a terrible year, they still feel good because they "were right all along."

It's actually quite depressing to see the lengths people will go to in order to avoid depression.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

[MUfan12]

This is the least excited I've been about a season since I can remember. Last year did a number on me. Wojo lost control of the locker room, the chemistry went to sh*t, and the team tanked when it matters. There's blame all around, but to say Wojo misjudged the depth of the Hausers displeasure is drastically understating it.

We have a guy who was great assistant coach, and is likely out of his depth as a head coach. And publicly is about as exciting as unbuttered toast most of the time. If the results are gonna be mediocre, at least be someone we like. That's probably why people have been harder on him than Crean/Buzz.

It's great Markus is a preseason AA. Let's see if it leads to something greater than a f*ckload of attempts and points.

[muwarrior69]

These are really good questions. 

I think the summary is .. yes, there is a malaise.   

As I wrote in another thread .. I dropped my season tickets that I had for 19 years, due to the many factors that generated this malaise, where all I really wanted to see was 3-4 games a year. 

Crean built up the "family" character, then left.  Buzz did the same, then left.  Wojo's time will end similarly, with the constant mantra of how "special" Marquette is, but he will absolutely leave when given a good opportunity.  And frankly, Wojo is patient zero on the malaise plague, fair or not.

Besides Wisconsin, MU doesn't have any other real "rivalries." We can enjoy a game against Nova, but they are just flat better than us.     Gosh, I can't wait to play Butler and Creighton this year.

Players good and bad leave the program all the time.   Recruiting is interesting, but we've had plenty of good guys before without success.   MU hasn't won a NCAA game in 2,395 days.   Expectations are high, but it's also entirely possible MU flops this year.

Marquette is in the Arby's phase of its existence.

It never did! Name one other on a regular basis as Wisconsin that we actually looked forward to over the last 50 years.

[Galway Eagle]

It never did! Name one other on a regular basis as Wisconsin that we actually looked forward to over the last 50 years.

Notre Dame. I know there were a couple missed years but in 50yrs I'd put them at a close number two.

[Golden Avalanche]

Most adult Americans are generally unhappy with their lives and as you age it's only a matter of time until Marquette basketball goes from useful distraction of their tepid existence to swallowed whole into the ether of their pointlessness.

Given the atmosphere, it's no shock the last six to 18 months has seen many Scoopers make this transition. Thus, malaise.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

It never did! Name one other on a regular basis as Wisconsin that we actually looked forward to over the last 50 years.

For a long period of time, I looked forward to the annual games against Cincy & Louisville.  Those were always dog-fights.

I would say that I am very interested in SHU this year.  That one has always been chipy, but starting to feel more like the Cincy games of old.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I think it's understandable. We've been in a slow rebuild and patience wears thin. Then we start winning and winning a lot. On February 26th we were on the verge of being a top 10 team, winning the Big East, and earning a top 3 seed in the NCAA tournament (meaning a very good chance at Wojo's first tourney victory). People started to hope after years of nothing special. Then the wheels came off. Smashed any and all hope in spectacular fashion, culminating in the embarrassment against Murray State.

But the hope smashing wasn't over. We could at least take comfort in most of the roster coming back and every national pundit pegging us as a preseason top 10 team.....until Hausergate. More hope destroyed. Yeah we are still a preseason top 25 team, but that rings a little hollow after starting the offseason as a preseason top 10 team. It's still good...but you can't help and think about what you were before.

Long story short, it will take a lot of winning and finishing a season strong before people start to hope again.

[Galway Eagle]

Am I the only one who thinks the team that was best set up at the right time to win a tournament game was the NIT team unfortunately?

[Spotcheck Billy]

Notre Dame. I know there were a couple missed years but in 50yrs I'd put them at a close number two.

But do domers think it was a rivalry the same as MU fans? Has to work both ways to be a real rival.

[Galway Eagle]

But do domers think it was a rivalry the same as MU fans? Has to work both ways to be a real rival.

Seemed like it when I was there for the games and my friend would come to MU. But small sample size

[shoothoops]

My perspective:

Message boards, the internet, are inherently neutral. However, they provide an immediate 24/7 outlet to anyone. This includes negative, impulsive responses. Those people have always existed. They just didn't have the vehicle.

These same people are often the same way with their other fandoms and life happenings. For some having a scapegoat allows them to not blame themselves for whatever else is going on in their lives.

There are people here who get riled by Bucky, ND, MU coaches, other sports teams, you name it for different reasons but many as some form of rejection.

Some want to see MU succeed at Buzz' postseason levels. Wojo hasn't yet done that. For some it is that simple.

With regards to recruiting, some get way too caught up in who MU targets, and their ranking, as if they needed others to decide who can and can't succeed at this level. It's also the off season.

As for individual awards, not sure. I've never personally been interested in individual awards in sports, movies, music, anything. I know who and what I like. I am all for the positive promotion of all things MU. So go Markus! and anything else.

I have said before, I'd like MU to be consistent top 25 team, annually. That is goal one. Goal two is be a 2nd weekend team. Compete for league titles, be strong in big games and with rivals.

But back to the original point, people can laugh all they want but fear of abandonment, rejection etc...are in my opinion some reasons for the tons of posts from certain posters that are negative Nancy or Debbie downer if you will. Much of it is anticipatory fear which often doesn't come to fruition. But when it does.....here are also some excessive defending positive paul's too.

No recruit is a must get in anything.

[Jockey]

I could not agree with you more, however, when the institution I love gets political it is hard to avoid it. Primary example changing our mascot from Warriors to Golden Eagles was a political statement which still does not sit well with many and I concede older alumni.  I hope the Golden Eagles do us proud this season.

Good post, 69. Maybe drawing too fine of a line, but I think it was political correctness run amok rather than politics.

Warriors, with an Indian mascot, has no place in modern society. We don't need team names that reflect race. Warriors, in a generic sense though, is 100% appropriate.

I don't want this thread turn into another battle over the name, though.

[shoothoops]

With regards to why isn't there more perceived buzz for this year's team.

1) Lack of NCAA success for many years turns to frustration, which turns to apathy.

2) Two players who had significant roles left after a season in which MU peaked early and faded late. MU had the regular season Big East Title in the bag and blew it. They were absolutely throttled in NCAA first round.  Expectations went from deep NCAA run this season to let's make it first.

3) The league isn't coming off of one of its better seasons. It was a big blow when league changed to what it is now. As long as many league teams are NCAA teams, that can be overcome somewhat.

In my opinion, a strong season with a 2nd weekend NCAA appearance will get some people excited again.

I believe MU can be very good. The keys for me are shooting the basketball, in particular from 3 and from the FT line. I don't see much FT discussion. It is easily one of my biggest concerns.

[GooooMarquette]

To me, this is becoming a joyless place.   Will winning change that?  24 wins didn't.  It made it worse.

A frustrating malaise.   

What is your complaint about MU hoops? 
What is your solution? 
Do you honestly believe there is a coach out there that is markedly better who would come to MU?   Name names.

But keep it here.   Let the recruiting thread be about recruiting.

You gotta start posting in the NM thread. Pure, unmitigated joy.