Markus Howard Injury - What it shows about the team

[MU82]

Oh good grief... again!

Brother Glasses,  here's the issue about last night. Our team just lost its leading scorer. They were playing in a hostile arena on the road and the defense of Xavier was really tough.

WE FOUND A WAY TO WIN.

For all you Nojos out there, think about it. How many teams would have folded up and called it a moral victory when Xavier held on to win by 6 or 8?

Quite a few IMHO. Quite a few.

What kept us going last night was coaching and motivation. Period. Wojo pushed. Our guys pushed. We didn't play a great game and, yes, Xavier missed a bushel full of free throws. But we found a way to win.

Rather than looking for yet another way to bash our head coach and the team, let's celebrate what happened. Sure, we made mistakes and the game went longer than it should have lasted, but boy we played tough and hard and we won! They'll be enough time for bashing later.

Given the way we played defense, a certain Irishman is looking down from heaven and screaming, "attaboy!"

Why can't folks just celebrate a job well done, dg? You know why. Because for a small but vocal cadre of Scoopers, there will be no joy allowed until this coach is gone.

Since we were on the brink of Scoopageddon 3 weeks ago, our heroes have won 4 of 5, with the one loss in OT on the road against a ranked team, yet even this stretch there is strictly a No Joy Allowed rule.

I am convinced that it doesn't matter even if our Warriors reach the Sweet 16 or Elite 8 this season. Until the evil Wojo is gone, these pitiable mopes will not let themselves experience any Marquette basketball joy. And even if Wojo leaves for another job, and takes several (maybe all?) of his recruits with him, and we get another coach ... the new MU coach will have been the "wrong" hire, too.

Sad to go through life unable to celebrate the journey, always desperately searching for a destination at which they probably never will arrive.

[MUBBau]

Lol, it further underlines my point.  There's a total lack of continuity on offense.  It should be much more dynamic than it is.....

Is this on top of their, as you say, lack of defensive identity? How have they been able to win a single game being so poor on each end? This team continues to win just to spite Wojo I bet.

[tower912]

I said this would be a good team after the Hausers left.   There is talent.  Jayce transferred in and Symir reclassified and I looked at the team and said similar record.  Markus missed a game with a concussion.  Win.  Missed the last 22 minutes of a road game.  Win.   This team is more than Markus and always has been.   May be Wojo's finest coaching job so far. 

[4everwarriors]

Why can't folks just celebrate a job well done, dg? You know why. Because for a small but vocal cadre of Scoopers, there will be no joy allowed until this coach is gone.

Since we were on the brink of Scoopageddon 3 weeks ago, our heroes have won 4 of 5, with the one loss in OT on the road against a ranked team, yet even this stretch there is strictly a No Joy Allowed rule.

I am convinced that it doesn't matter even if our Warriors reach the Sweet 16 or Elite 8 this season. Until the evil Wojo is gone, these pitiable mopes will not let themselves experience any Marquette basketball joy. And even if Wojo leaves for another job, and takes several (maybe all?) of his recruits with him, and we get another coach ... the new MU coach will have been the "wrong" hire, too.

Sad to go through life unable to celebrate the journey, always desperately searching for a destination at which they probably never will arrive.

Your monologue sounds so much like the "P" word we're not allowed to post about here. Only, your role is reversed, aina?

[Pakuni]

Speaking of Markus' injury, I see the Twitter doctors are out in full force this morning.

[tower912]

Your monologue sounds so much like the "P" word we're not allowed to post about here. Only, your role is reversed, aina?

Politics?    Where?

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Will he wear one of those clear face masks?

[Stretchdeltsig]

Hope Markus is okay. Does anyone know his status?

[MU82]

Your monologue sounds so much like the "P" word we're not allowed to post about here. Only, your role is reversed, aina?

Really? Please point out even the faintest political reference there and I will apologize.

I mean come on, Doc, call a spade a spade, OK?

[StillWarriors]

Why can't folks just celebrate a job well done, dg? You know why. Because for a small but vocal cadre of Scoopers, there will be no joy allowed until this coach is gone.

Since we were on the brink of Scoopageddon 3 weeks ago, our heroes have won 4 of 5, with the one loss in OT on the road against a ranked team, yet even this stretch there is strictly a No Joy Allowed rule.

I am convinced that it doesn't matter even if our Warriors reach the Sweet 16 or Elite 8 this season. Until the evil Wojo is gone, these pitiable mopes will not let themselves experience any Marquette basketball joy. And even if Wojo leaves for another job, and takes several (maybe all?) of his recruits with him, and we get another coach ... the new MU coach will have been the "wrong" hire, too.

Sad to go through life unable to celebrate the journey, always desperately searching for a destination at which they probably never will arrive.

Amen.

[ErickJD08]

I said this would be a good team after the Hausers left.   There is talent.  Jayce transferred in and Symir reclassified and I looked at the team and said similar record.  Markus missed a game with a concussion.  Win.  Missed the last 22 minutes of a road game.  Win.   This team is more than Markus and always has been.   May be Wojo's finest coaching job so far.

Agreed. If you remember, we were clawing back into the game against Maryland when Howard got into foul trouble. Love Howard but for whatever reason, I think don't think he makes the players around him better when he is on the court. Or the players get timid when he is playing. Not sure what it is but I agree, there is some solid players on this team that seem to play better without him

[dgies9156]

About 90% of the posters in here have no clue what I'm even talking about.  They're comfortable with their participation ribbons for "winning" even though there's a breakdown on offense.  It's so sad how mediocrity has permeated American culture.  Nonetheless, I will continue my symposium on pointing out the poor coaching methods of Wojo and eventually bring the "less fortunate" into the information age.

Brother Glasses:

Baloney. We are not idiots.

Many of us have forgotten more basketball than you've seen. We've probably screamed louder when failing occurred (i.e., Providence and Butler) than your Gen X voice will ever generate. We know what's lacking in this team and we're hopeful, as Brother Goose has repeatedly pointed out, that the weaknesses will be fixed. We admit, we're not always sure.

But we refuse to not enjoy what the guys are doing. First of all, they're our guys and we celebrate their successes when they happen. They make us happy when they play hard and they win. They really do. For many of us, it's a diversion from real life and certainly a diversion for those of us Scoop Brothers and Sisters who have to deal with the dreariness of Midwestern life in winter. We're critical when they fail but we don't forget that we're dealing with 18-23 year old young men and, yes, we remember what it was like to be 18-23 and still learning.

Yeah, for us who remember 1977, or much of the 1970s for that matter, we want to get back there. We have frustrations because we don't get there fast enough. We want Wojo to succeed because rebuilding will make our next few winters even more miserable. We know Wojo is getting better and we hope the curve gets steeper faster!

Most importantly, we like to maintain a sense of perspective.

[Mods, Delete me please. 8/26/2020]

Agreed. If you remember, we were clawing back into the game against Maryland when Howard got into foul trouble. Love Howard but for whatever reason, I think don't think he makes the players around him better when he is on the court. Or the players get timid when he is playing. Not sure what it is but I agree, there is some solid players on this team that seem to play better without him

Yes, you can tell that those guys are all of a different mindset when MH is on the floor.  Howard is a great scorer but he does not make his teammates better.  If Wojo (and Howard to a lesser extent) can figure out how to get all these guys involved and firing at the same time then I would be a strong proJo.  It may be too late.   

[WhoaJoe2020]

This is a team that had two key defections, another player walked away, multiple players playing through injuries, down a player to injury, and lost its star player to injury. They were also on the road playing against a team fighting for its tournament life.

The OP expects people to dismiss all these relevant factors and only focus on the things he/she thinks are important.

Nobody can be that stupid without doing it on purpose.

[The Sultan]

Yes, you can tell that those guys are all of a different mindset when MH is on the floor.  Howard is a great scorer but he does not make his teammates better.  If Wojo (and Howard to a lesser extent) can figure out how to get all these guys involved and firing at the same time then I would be a strong proJo.  It may be too late.   

Sorry but this isn't really the case.  He does make his teammates better.  Yes the result turned out fine last night, but they scored 22 points in the second half, most of which was played without Markus on the floor.  Despite that, he still lead the team in assists. 

Yes he can be a ball stop.  And yes he can get tunnell vision.  No one would accuse him of being a fantastic point guard.  But to say he doesn't make the other players better, I don't think is accurate.

[monkeyman34]

I don't understand why people dismiss this. He ain't wrong. This game was similar to the one at Georgetown last year.

Howard is a great scorer. He's also the reason two starters walked away from the team after last season.

The rest of the team works just as hard as #0.

Agree with this, seems as though there is no coaching.

[tower912]

Agreed. If you remember, we were clawing back into the game against Maryland when Howard got into foul trouble. Love Howard but for whatever reason, I think don't think he makes the players around him better when he is on the court. Or the players get timid when he is playing. Not sure what it is but I agree, there is some solid players on this team that seem to play better without him

Sometimes they defer to the nation's leading scorer, returning BEPOY, preseason first team all american.   Perhaps more than they should occasionally.   Hard balance to find.   To I take this shot and miss it, or give it to Markus, particularly in god mode?   Which is actually better for the team, which gives the team a better chance of winning?

[WhoaJoe2020]

Yes, you can tell that those guys are all of a different mindset when MH is on the floor.  Howard is a great scorer but he does not make his teammates better.  If Wojo (and Howard to a lesser extent) can figure out how to get all these guys involved and firing at the same time then I would be a strong proJo.  It may be too late.   

Marquette crushed X with Markus on the floor and everyone else involved at home. Did you miss that game??

In this game Marquette was playing off Markus in the first half and letting others do their thing. Fortunately, when X made a run, Markus was there to answer and took the team into halftime with a six point lead.

How quickly people forget.

[WhoaJoe2020]

I don't understand why people dismiss this. He ain't wrong. This game was similar to the one at Georgetown last year.

Howard is a great scorer. He's also the reason two starters walked away from the team after last season.

The rest of the team works just as hard as #0.

Let me explain why people dismiss this.

The OP does nothing but trash the Coach and players.

Have you heard of people looking for a silver lining after losses??

Well this troll looks for a soiled depends lining after wins.

Hope that explains things for you.

[Elonsmusk]

This is a team that had two key defections, another player walked away, multiple players playing through injuries, down a player to injury, and lost its star player to injury. They were also on the road playing against a team fighting for its tournament life.

The OP expects people to dismiss all these relevant factors and only focus on the things he/she thinks are important.

Nobody can be that stupid without doing it on purpose.

This is also very true of you.

[Jockey]

Why can't folks just celebrate a job well done, dg? You know why. Because for a small but vocal cadre of Scoopers, there will be no joy allowed until this coach is gone.

Exactly what I was thinking last night after looking at Scoop. This is far from a perfect team. Wojo is nowhere near a perfect coach. But last night was a great win under difficult circumstances and many here not only can't enjoy it, but want to whine and cry over a victory and try to make everyone else miserable.

[WhoaJoe2020]

This is also very true of you.

I'm smart enough to see right through this post and people like its author.

I can tell that bothers you for some reason.

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

Exactly what I was thinking last night after looking at Scoop. This is far from a perfect team. Wojo is nowhere near a perfect coach. But last night was a great win under difficult circumstances and many here not only can't enjoy it, but want to whine and cry over a victory and try to make everyone else miserable.

If you're miserable that there's an opportunity for this team to improve then I'd say you're the one who has priorities out of order here.  Again, if you can't handle constructive criticism then go hang on a thread where everyone pats each other's glutes after every game.  I point out the flaws of where this team can improve and my underlying theme has always been that Wojo isn't a good coach for the following reasons:

A. Severe inconsistencies in offensive/defensive schemes
B. In game adjustments/execution are often lacking
C. Lack of fostering continuity on defense/offense
D. Reacts rather than being proactive
E. Relies on Howard too much, Gives Howard too much power which limits team offensive production
F. Player development has been shoddy

Every game I comment on, at least one of these issues rears it's ugly head.  The point being, that no matter who walks through that recruiting door, Wojo will never get the max potential out of his teams.  Something will always be left on the table, hence the ceiling is always limited here.  If we win by 3, we probably should have won by 7 or 8.   If we lose by 25, we should have lost by 15.   The margin of error is just too high with Wojo coaching and when it comes to the postseason, that becomes much more prominent. 

[Billy Hoyle]

I don't understand why people dismiss this. He ain't wrong. This game was similar to the one at Georgetown last year.

Howard is a great scorer. He's also the reason two starters walked away from the team after last season.

The rest of the team works just as hard as #0.

yes, this.  Markus goes down last year and Sam steps up and goes for 30+. Last night Koby and Sacar are able to step up and show what they have. Better ball movement, defense not able to key on one individual.  This is going to be a better team next year.

[jesmu84]

yes, this.  Markus goes down last year and Sam steps up and goes for 30+. Last night Koby and Sacar are able to step up and show what they have. Better ball movement, defense not able to key on one individual.  This is going to be a better team next year.

Last night was not an example of better ball movement without markus