MU Coaching Candidates

[The Sultan]

Does the administration care whether the men's basketball program is relevant or not, hey?

Of course.  Because they didn't fire him when exactly?

[LAZER]

Agree, It's only a story if your team is relevant in the college basketball landscape. Our BPI is 85, next to schools like UAB, Grand Canyon, UNC Greensboro, Belmont, Duquesne and Liberty.

In addition, Marquette isn't in a Power 5 conference, doesn't have a contract with ESPN, Doesn't have Markus Howard (or another POW candidate) and hasn't won a NCAA tournament game since 2013.

We're about as irrelevant as it gets

Not sure being a Power 5 or having a contract with ESPN makes you more relevant.  I'd bet MU has more nationally televised games than most P5 schools.

[Herman Cain]

Zaretti's on the east side is great. Can't imagine Milwaukee's situation is worse than Louisville.

I have always enjoyed Calderone Club before MU games

[Galway Eagle]

Agree, It's only a story if your team is relevant in the college basketball landscape. Our BPI is 85, next to schools like UAB, Grand Canyon, UNC Greensboro, Belmont, Duquesne and Liberty.

In addition, Marquette isn't in a Power 5 conference, doesn't have a contract with ESPN, Doesn't have Markus Howard (or another POW candidate) and hasn't won a NCAA tournament game since 2013.

We're about as irrelevant as it gets

How many schools have POW candidates? Obviously West Point Annapolis and Air Force Academy, probably Citadel. I don't think many ROTC guys play D1 Basketball so as of now probably not many POW candidates in the country but maybe if we start a draft?

[Billy Hoyle]

And a good way to test this theory is to ask random people where Marquette is.  You're spot on.

you could do the same with Gonzaga and Villanova. Point?

Hell, many fans can't even pronounce "Gonzaga" correctly.

Agree, It's only a story if your team is relevant in the college basketball landscape. Our BPI is 85, next to schools like UAB, Grand Canyon, UNC Greensboro, Belmont, Duquesne and Liberty.

In addition, Marquette isn't in a Power 5 conference, doesn't have a contract with ESPN, Doesn't have Markus Howard (or another POW candidate) and hasn't won a NCAA tournament game since 2013.

We're about as irrelevant as it gets

We're struggling this year but hardly "irrelevant." We're on FS1 and Fox frequently. All of our conference games are broadcast somewhere for national viewing. The A-10's primary broadcast network is shutting down. That's closer to irrelevant than MU will ever be.

[Mr. Nielsen]

you could do the same with Gonzaga and Villanova. Point?

Hell, many fans can't even pronounce "Gonzaga" correctly.

We're struggling this year but hardly "irrelevant." We're on FS1 and Fox frequently. All of our conference games are broadcast somewhere for national viewing. The A-10's primary broadcast network is shutting down. That's closer to irrelevant than MU will ever be.

Or the AAC, that most games are behind a paywall.

[MU82]

I also think writers are pretty cautious about suggesting someone should be fired or on the hot seat. I'm guessing coaches are one of their primary sources of info, so wouldn't want to burn that bridge.

Nah. Every year, every major national media outlet keeps a running list of "coaches on the hot seat," and regularly writes articles about them. In another thread, I quoted from one such article in The Athletic just a couple days ago. Wojo wasn't mentioned; he very well could be before and during next season if this season ends poorly.

There might be a writer here or there who doesn't want to "burn" one or two coaches, but I disagree they would leave such coaches out of these kinds of discussions. There will always be the next coach. I mean, I really liked Tim Floyd and Craig Hartsburg and Bruce Weber, but it was pretty obvious they had to go, and I said so.

I also disagree that there would be a "shrug" if Marquette fired Wojo. He is a big name in college basketball, and Marquette is still a relevant program.

Many folks here are too close to the situation, and too upset/frustrated/disappointed/apathetic to understand the national perspective. I agree with Sultan that the national media would be surprised if he got fired.

[goldeneagle91114]

you could do the same with Gonzaga and Villanova. Point?

Hell, many fans can't even pronounce "Gonzaga" correctly.

We're struggling this year but hardly "irrelevant." We're on FS1 and Fox frequently. All of our conference games are broadcast somewhere for national viewing. The A-10's primary broadcast network is shutting down. That's closer to irrelevant than MU will ever be.

Would you consider Pitt a relevant basketball program? I wouldn't. they happen to be ahead of right now in BPI and they're a state school in a P5 conference

[MU82]

Would you consider Pitt a relevant basketball program? I wouldn't. they happen to be ahead of right now in BPI and they're a state school in a P5 conference

And Colgate is ahead of Kentucky. And Davidson is ahead of Louisville. And St. Bonaventure is ahead of Michigan State.

And Wojo at Marquette is way ahead of Crean at Georgia and Buzz at Texas A&M.

Does that mean Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan State, Crean and Buzz aren't "relevant"?

[MU82]

Maybe after firing Wojo, we can hire former state basketball hero Terry Porter. He's available!

Portland fired coach Terry Porter on Friday midway through his fifth season with the program.

Porter, a former NBA All-Star, will be replaced by assistant Ben Johnson through the rest of the year. The Pilots are 6-11 this season and are set to host Pepperdine on Saturday.

"Ultimately, it was decided that it was best to move forward now and focus on the future of the program and the search for the next head coach," Portland vice president for athletics Scott Leykam said in a statement.

Porter, hired at Portland in 2016, never compiled a winning season. He finished 43-103, and never won more than four West Coast Conference games in a single season. The Pilots have won only one conference game in the past three seasons.

Porter, 57, was in the NBA for 17 seasons from 1985-2002. He spent 10 seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, who took him in the first round of the 1985 draft, and then finished with stints in Minnesota, Miami and San Antonio. The two-time All-Star averaged 12.2 points and 5.6 assists per game throughout his career.

Porter coached briefly in the NBA, too, spending two seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks and almost a full season with the Phoenix Suns. He also worked as an assistant with the Sacramento Kings and Timberwolves.

Now THAT is a failure.

It's also an example of a university making a change in the middle of the season, something I think Marquette should do right now. Today.

[Viper]

Maybe after firing Wojo, we can hire former state basketball hero Terry Porter. He's available!

Portland fired coach Terry Porter on Friday midway through his fifth season with the program.

Porter, a former NBA All-Star, will be replaced by assistant Ben Johnson through the rest of the year. The Pilots are 6-11 this season and are set to host Pepperdine on Saturday.

"Ultimately, it was decided that it was best to move forward now and focus on the future of the program and the search for the next head coach," Portland vice president for athletics Scott Leykam said in a statement.

Porter, hired at Portland in 2016, never compiled a winning season. He finished 43-103, and never won more than four West Coast Conference games in a single season. The Pilots have won only one conference game in the past three seasons.

Porter, 57, was in the NBA for 17 seasons from 1985-2002. He spent 10 seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, who took him in the first round of the 1985 draft, and then finished with stints in Minnesota, Miami and San Antonio. The two-time All-Star averaged 12.2 points and 5.6 assists per game throughout his career.

Porter coached briefly in the NBA, too, spending two seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks and almost a full season with the Phoenix Suns. He also worked as an assistant with the Sacramento Kings and Timberwolves.

Now THAT is a failure.

It's also an example of a university making a change in the middle of the season, something I think Marquette should do right now. Today.

porter was a great high school baller out of Milwaukee and D-III champ under Dick Bennett at UW-Stevens Point. Wondering if DeVries from Drake might be lured to MU? He's an Iowa guy through & through, but 18-0 on this season, 62 wins in less than 3 seasons is impressive, to say the least. I would hope MU makes a call. Would be derelict not to. Another guy? UW-Milwaukee coach Pat Baldwin. He's a good coach keeping a lousy program afloat, and who knows, maybe his son would follow Dad.

[CTWarrior]

In 2018-2019, Shamorie Ponds was the Pre-Season POY and St. John's went on to a sub-.500 record and he still got votes in March for POY. October selection had no effect in March? No built-in bias for voters?

In fact, Marquette famously didn't win the title that year and yet Markus Howard was the POY. How do we explain the winner not getting the spoils in that season?

Booth wasn't as close to Markus as Powell was by the numbers, and we were a close second in 2018-19, while having a losiing record in 19-20.  I'd have voted for Markus in 19 and Powell in 20.

[JWags85]

porter was a great high school baller out of Milwaukee and D-III champ under Dick Bennett at UW-Stevens Point. Wondering if DeVries from Drake might be lured to MU? He's an Iowa guy through & through, but 18-0 on this season, 62 wins in less than 3 seasons is impressive, to say the least. I would hope MU makes a call. Would be derelict not to. Another guy? UW-Milwaukee coach Pat Baldwin. He's a good coach keeping a lousy program afloat, and who knows, maybe his son would follow Dad.

With all due respect, this is probably the worst suggestion in this thread. "Good coach"? Perhaps but nothing about his time at UWM suggests this.  He was a mid level assistant who has taken over a bad program and has had them finish in the top half of a BAD conference just once in 3 years and never even got to .500 in conference.  He wouldn't be on the radar if Marquette was a mid level team in the AAC, much less where we are now.  He would make hiring Wardle look like Bill Self in comparison

[dinger]

Maybe after firing Wojo, we can hire former state basketball hero Terry Porter. He's available!

Portland fired coach Terry Porter on Friday midway through his fifth season with the program.

Wojo to Portland?

[Gato78]

Wojo to Portland?

The reverse Larry?

[Billy Hoyle]

With all due respect, this is probably the worst suggestion in this thread. "Good coach"? Perhaps but nothing about his time at UWM suggests this.  He was a mid level assistant who has taken over a bad program and has had them finish in the top half of a BAD conference just once in 3 years and never even got to .500 in conference.  He wouldn't be on the radar if Marquette was a mid level team in the AAC, much less where we are now.  He would make hiring Wardle look like Bill Self in comparison

Hire him as an assistant to get his kid, but no further.

[Mr. Nielsen]

porter was a great high school baller out of Milwaukee and D-III champ under Dick Bennett at UW-Stevens Point. Wondering if DeVries from Drake might be lured to MU? He's an Iowa guy through & through, but 18-0 on this season, 62 wins in less than 3 seasons is impressive, to say the least. I would hope MU makes a call. Would be derelict not to. Another guy? UW-Milwaukee coach Pat Baldwin. He's a good coach keeping a lousy program afloat, and who knows, maybe his son would follow Dad.

Pat Baldwin! He needs to be fired at Milwaukee.

[Viper]

With all due respect, this is probably the worst suggestion in this thread. "Good coach"? Perhaps but nothing about his time at UWM suggests this.  He was a mid level assistant who has taken over a bad program and has had them finish in the top half of a BAD conference just once in 3 years and never even got to .500 in conference.  He wouldn't be on the radar if Marquette was a mid level team in the AAC, much less where we are now.  He would make hiring Wardle look like Bill Self in comparison

ok...how 'bout the guy at Drake? At least a phone call, yes?

[lessthannick11]

How soon after the season was Deane fired and how many years was left on his contract? Not sure if that's a known amount or not

[Silkk the Shaka]

ok...how 'bout the guy at Drake? At least a phone call, yes?

Moser over DeVries

[The Sultan]

Moser over DeVries

I would prefer the former BE assistant.

[shoothoops]

MVC Standings:

Loyola 12-1 (17-3)
Drake     9-1 (18-1)

Bradley 4-8 (10-11)

[Warrior_2002]

I have always enjoyed Calderone Club before MU games

Calderone Club beat restaurant downtown.  Have heard raving reviews by even national sports pundits on the radio.  San Giorgio pizza next door (same owner) also phenomenal.  Neopolitan style pizza. 
Oh and fire Wojo!  Please.

[The Lens]

Calderone Club beat restaurant downtown.  Have heard raving reviews by even national sports pundits on the radio.  San Giorgio pizza next door (same owner) also phenomenal.  Neopolitan style pizza. 
Oh and fire Wojo!  Please.

Calderone is fine.  It's fine, that's it, fine.  San Giorgio is pretty good but IMO, not as good as Carini's (east side).  The reason Calderone gets pub is bc Gino the owner hooks up Bill Michaels with free food.  Bill spreads the word...rinse, lather, repeat.

[BrewCity83]

Calderone is fine.  It's fine, that's it, fine.  San Giorgio is pretty good but IMO, not as good as Carini's (east side).  The reason Calderone gets pub is bc Gino the owner hooks up Bill Michaels with free food.  Bill spreads the word...rinse, lather, repeat.

Bill Michaels has a large eating capacity.  He's not called "The Big Unit" for nothin'.

Calderone is fine/good, but Zarletti has the best Italian food downtown IMO, and Zaffiro's has the best pizza.