I've officially put down the Kool-Aid

[MUAlum99]

This team really, really stinks.  They showed me absolutely NOTHING tonight.

This is the first game I've ever walked out early...I never thought I'd do it.  Once the lead hit 20 points I had seen enough.

With the rest of our schedule, I'd be happy with a .500 finish in the BIG EAST...maybe we can host a game or two in the NIT.  Hell, what am I saying?  Maybe we can host A game in the NIT.  A loss...to Western Michigan.  How fitting would that be?

Ugh...I'm absolutely sick to my stomach right now.  And not like Dominic was today...more like: one-of-my-kids-did-something-really-stupid-to-embarrass-me-in-public kind of sick.  Ugh.   

[4everwarriors]

still hasn't finished their pitcher of Blue and Gold Kool-Aid.

[MUAlum99]

still hasn't finished their pitcher of Blue and Gold Kool-Aid.

That's exactly why I came over here to vent.  There seem to actually be some realists over here...

[MUFanInGreenBay]

Put down the Kool-Aid. Maybe next year you can start drinking it again. It's time to pick-up the 40 ouncers if you're going to have any enjoyment watching MU play the rest of the year.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Well, to each his own.  I thought we sucked balls tonight.  I thought we sucked balls the last 3 games, yet we won two of those three.

I guess it all depends on people want to look at things.

Right now, we are playing like crap....yet we're 16-5 and 6-4 in the Big East.  We still have 4 games left against the bottom tier of the conference and one against Florida Gulf Coast.  Plus we have Pitt at home.  Get those and that's 22 wins.  Hell, get 5 or those 6 and we're 21 wins.

I won't hit the 40oz just yet, but we are not playing well that's for sure.

[mugrack]

Hey, it's hard to win at home in the Big East!

[mviale]

Here is some kool-aid:

1)Barro looked good
2) James was not his self tonight - a healthy James and Sosa doesnt have 18 and DJ gets 16. MU would have been closer

[mugrack]

If ifs and buts were candy and nuts it would be Christmas every day!

[Eye]

Agreed Alum. First game I've ever been at where I considered leaving at the 4-minute time out. I did get up to put my coat on with about 40 seconds remaining, which has to be the first time I've ever even done that. Starting walking down the aisle in the final minute. Frankly surprised there were as many people as there were there in the final four minutes. And why didn't Hazel get to play the last four minutes? A scholarship player in a game where MU is getting beat by 20?

As for the other board, I thought they were much more matter-of-fact than they normally are tonight.

[ecompt]

mviale--excellent points except for DJ. That was himself tonight. That's the DJ we've seen (mostly) for almost a full year now.

[nyg]

Eight BE games left.  Beat St. Johns and Rutgers.  Other games: at ND, at SH, at Vill and at Syr., Pitt at home and Geo at home, all possible losses. Or should I say probable the way this team has played. That would be 19-11 overall, 8-10 in BE play. If that happens, they must make a run in the BE tournament or NCAA bid is out, which would terrible. Need to win 4 out of remaining 8 BE games in order to get to 8-8 in regular BE play. 

[bilsu]

Let's wait to see how they respond to Notre Dame. Louisville is clearly a better than Marquette. They have size, balance, quickness and depth. Notre Dame has size and balance. I believe MU is better than Notre Dame and should win the game. If MU comes out flat they are in the tank and will lose the game and the season. If they come out with fire in their eyes they will win the game and we will be okay.

[nyg]

The last time we weren't down by 10 points or so in the first eight minutes was the ND game, at home.  That seems like a long, long, time ago doesn't it? I have some really bad vibes going on this morning.

[NateDoggMarq]

still hasn't finished their pitcher of Blue and Gold Kool-Aid.

No they have not.  They still say that the Kool-Aid is great, and they told me it even taste better accompanied by 900 other people in a Guyaneese Jungle.

[ATWizJr]

Like other out of state (RI) MU fans, it was a luxury to get an MU BB game on the tube.  For the first time ever, I stopped watching and took the dog for a walk.  Very disappointing.

[ecompt]

I figured going in, OK, we're back on track, playing at home against a hated rival, we'll win. When it was 5-0, I said to my wife, it's over. I stopped TIVO'ing it midway through the first half and erased it immediately. We cannot compete with the upper echelon of this league, but especially when it appears half the team has thrown in the towel. 

[Frozen Caveman Coach]

Dodds and a couple others seem to be on the MU payroll on the other board.  They will stop at no length to defend Tom Crean and bring up Wade, the Al Center, entry into the Big East or some other diversion as defense of the program. 

The team has never played great half court offense, other than the 2 Wade years, in Crean's entire tenure as coach.  Force them into a 1/2 court contest and MU is toast every time.

[🏀]

Dodds and a couple others seem to be on the MU payroll on the other board.  They will stop at no length to defend Tom Crean and bring up Wade, the Al Center, entry into the Big East or some other diversion as defense of the program. 

The team has never played great half court offense, other than the 2 Wade years, in Crean's entire tenure as coach.  Force them into a 1/2 court contest and MU is toast every time.

Dodds IS on MU's payroll.

[Frozen Caveman Coach]

Oh, thanks.  That explains his complete lack of objectivity.

[HarveysWallbangers]

Is that true? I recall a Facebook group where one of Dodds student writers was saying how members of the athletic dept. were complaining about MUScoop -- as if the posters here are not entitled to their opinions. But are they really on MU's payroll?

[bma725]

Is that true? I recall a Facebook group where one of Dodds student writers was saying how members of the athletic dept. were complaining about MUScoop -- as if the posters here are not entitled to their opinions. But are they really on MU's payroll?

"They" are not.  Dodds is, but it has nothing to do with his website.  He's been one of MU's statisticians for years, at least since the early 1990s, maybe before.

[NCMUFan]

Could Louisville been a really good team?  Am I on Kool-Aid?  I got to say this board wins the pessimist Marquette Board Award.  Check out all the negative threads.  You would of thought Louisville was the worst team in the country that beat us.

[79Warrior]

Eight BE games left.  Beat St. Johns and Rutgers.  Other games: at ND, at SH, at Vill and at Syr., Pitt at home and Geo at home, all possible losses. Or should I say probable the way this team has played. That would be 19-11 overall, 8-10 in BE play. If that happens, they must make a run in the BE tournament or NCAA bid is out, which would terrible. Need to win 4 out of remaining 8 BE games in order to get to 8-8 in regular BE play. 

8-10 in BE play and we are out unless we win BE tourney. We will NOT get in with a sub .500 BE record.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Eight BE games left.  Beat St. Johns and Rutgers.  Other games: at ND, at SH, at Vill and at Syr., Pitt at home and Geo at home, all possible losses. Or should I say probable the way this team has played. That would be 19-11 overall, 8-10 in BE play. If that happens, they must make a run in the BE tournament or NCAA bid is out, which would terrible. Need to win 4 out of remaining 8 BE games in order to get to 8-8 in regular BE play. 

I don't agree.  Why is at Villanova, at Syracuse and at SH probably losses?  They sure could be losses, but probable?  I'm not so sure.  We've lost 4 conference games, 3 of them on the road at tough tough tough places to play and the other at home to Louisville.  Our one "average" road game we won.  I see at SH, at Villanova and at Syracuse as definite winnable games.  50-50 games in my mind for 2 of those.

I think they will need 10 BIG EAST wins to get in, but 9 might do it.  Depends if one of the remaining ones is against G'Town, Pitt or ND...then that helps the cause that much more.

Still a TON of basketball to be played.

[Coobeys Oil Depot]

still hasn't finished their pitcher of Blue and Gold Kool-Aid.

That's exactly why I came over here to vent.  There seem to actually be some realists over here...

So being real is quitting as a fan because your team lost a game? Being real is quitting on a team and then having an avatar that displays a picture of James and Matthews? Sounds more like being childish and hypocritical.

In my mind, Marquette has played 2 good Big East games. The rest have been battles between absolute awesomeness and absolute awfulness. But since fan is short for fanatic I'm going to take the 6-4 record through ten games knowing that in 8 of those games they've looked downright putrid at times.

There are 8 games left. And games against teams they can beat without playing their best game: St. John's, Rutgers, Villanova. Hell, even Pittsburgh and Seton Hall are great match-ups for Marquette.

[MUAlum99]

So being real is quitting as a fan because your team lost a game? Being real is quitting on a team and then having an avatar that displays a picture of James and Matthews?

Listen "Coobey" - you don't know me at all.  Childish and hypocritical?  Coming from a guy with a name "Coobeys Oil Depot" that really hurts.      You want to talk about childish?  How about name calling?  I think I gave that up in 5th grade.  Grow up. 

Did you miss your Hooked on Phonics lesson this morning?  Where in my original quote did I EVER say that I had quit?

I'll use my parenting reference again - if my kid embarrasses me in public, I don't quit on them.  I'm disappointed for a few days, but deep down, I still love them.  My relationship with this team is much the same.  It's just too bad that they keep disappointing me - so I've been pretty upset with them since the WVU loss. 

More often than not since the BE season started, this team has played like a pile of fresh, stinky poo.  I'm not going to sit here and pretend (like you and many others) that everything is "OK" with this team.  NEWS FLASH: This team is terrible right now.  So what if they make the NCAA's with a 10-8 record?  Do you really, honestly feel like we can do some damage limping into the tourney that way?

For a team that was supposed to challenge Georgetown and Louisville for the conference title, I really haven't seen much to back that up...please correct me if I'm wrong, since you seem to be an expert in all things.

That being said, I'm traveling 3 hours to South Bend to watch them this weekend.  I'm going to sit in my seats wearing blue and gold for the rest of the home games.  Is that quitting?  I just want to make sure before I do anything drastic.   

[Coobeys Oil Depot]

So being real is quitting as a fan because your team lost a game? Being real is quitting on a team and then having an avatar that displays a picture of James and Matthews?

Listen "Coobey" - you don't know me at all.  Childish and hypocritical?  Coming from a guy with a name "Coobeys Oil Depot" that really hurts.      You want to talk about childish?  How about name calling?  I think I gave that up in 5th grade.  Grow up. 

Did you miss your Hooked on Phonics lesson this morning?  Where in my original quote did I EVER say that I had quit?

I'll use my parenting reference again - if my kid embarrasses me in public, I don't quit on them.  I'm disappointed for a few days, but deep down, I still love them.  My relationship with this team is much the same.  It's just too bad that they keep disappointing me - so I've been pretty upset with them since the WVU loss. 

More often than not since the BE season started, this team has played like a pile of fresh, stinky poo.  I'm not going to sit here and pretend (like you and many others) that everything is "OK" with this team.  NEWS FLASH: This team is terrible right now.  So what if they make the NCAA's with a 10-8 record?  Do you really, honestly feel like we can do some damage limping into the tourney that way?

For a team that was supposed to challenge Georgetown and Louisville for the conference title, I really haven't seen much to back that up...please correct me if I'm wrong, since you seem to be an expert in all things.

That being said, I'm traveling 3 hours to South Bend to watch them this weekend.  I'm going to sit in my seats wearing blue and gold for the rest of the home games.  Is that quitting?  I just want to make sure before I do anything drastic.   

Wow.

When you write that you've left the game early, or "hoping" they can get a NIT game, and write how embarrassed you were by the team to some that can be considered quitting. I didn't see the connection between slamming the team and being a realist. There's an area between realist and optimist we all can stay in. Sorry I misinterpreted your comments.

I didn't name call you. I just entered my opinion that your words seemed childish (NIT home game?) and hypocritical. This is a message board. We're here for opinions. Mine didn't jive with yours, just like your opinions didn't jive with others that you called out, but no reason to claim name calling (especially considering you made fun of my screen name -- isn't that name calling?).

Speaking of Hooked on Phonics (name calling again from you) perhaps you should actually read my posts before claiming I think everything is "okay". Hell, in the post you lifted from I wrote that MU has only played 2 good games in the Big East and at times has looked downright putrid. How could you have missed that, Hooked on Phonics? (That's name calling).

[ATWizJr]

For those of us who are new to this board, what is the "other board" to which reference is being made?

Thanks.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

For those of us who are new to this board, what is the "other board" to which reference is being made?

Thanks.

There is another Marquette message board on the Scout network.

On that board, they attribute our loss to Michigan State last year to the fact that Izzo was extremely familiar with MU. This reasoning does not take into account that Crean worked for Michigan State for at least 5 years and, you would assume, knew even more about how Izzo runs practices.

They also attribute our loss to Alabama to the fact that we were shaken after a bomb scare before the NCAA two years ago. Apparently, the bomb scare had no effect on our opponent, who raced to a huge halftime lead.

You should check it out!!

[spiral97]

you can find the scout board at: http://marquette.scout.com/

you can also find lots of other good blogs, boards, and related sites in general by navigating through the "RESOURCES" entry in the menu at the top left of this site.

[4everwarriors]

don't waste your time over there. You'll be banned if you post that Crean breaks wind.

[🏀]

dont't waste your time over there. You'll be banned if you post that Crean breaks wind.

Not so sure about that... Crean can break wind, but if he doesn't claim it, it becomes your responsibility to take the fall for the methane level in the room.

[tower912]

We have had losing streaks before, we have teams that under-achieved before.   The Ville game sucked and I turned it off with 10 minutes to go to keep from breaking something.    The sun came up.   Who knew?  I straddled the Majerus/Dukiet era, so I guess 16-5 (6-4) is not what I was hoping for from this team, but I am not feeling a need to bury a razor blade in my wrist.   Our lack of inside production and our inconsistent shooting can only be hidden so long.   Eventually, everyone is going to know the secret to beating MU is to pound the ball inside and zone us.    We will struggle against every team that effectively does those things.   
We have a solid class coming in.   Hell, if the internet rumors started on this board are to be believed, we may even have another schollie or two available.      So, yeah, everybody should be frustrated.   We may well be one and done again, which will suck.    Is this going to keep anyone from rooting for us next year?   Only one team's fans per sport end the season happy.

[NateDoggMarq]

For those of us who are new to this board, what is the "other board" to which reference is being made?

Thanks.

Just so you know the Scout board has an answer for everything.
Let me give you an example.  I will ask general questions and Dodds will give you the answer.


 Q:"Why did Marquette lay such an Egg against Alabama and Michigan State?"
Dodds A: "Well that is because their was a bomb threat against Alabama that really through off our team, but you know what we played a hell of a game and probably would have won if Trevor Mbakwe was Elligible.  Against Michigan state, our best player was injured with the Typhoid Fever (Perhaps he was playing to much Oregon Trail), We were placed in the State of North Carolina, and Crean didnt have enough time to prepare

Q: "Why do we struggle so much this year"
Dodds A: Well this year would have been totally different if a Freshman who I have never seen play a college game wasnt injured, also Dominick James has a bad case of Vaginitis but I think it is the stomach flu.  But come on nobody expected this team to improve"

They have an excuse for everything.
The only people on that board who are smart are Murrfies, Gomarquette, and IWB.  Everyone else would give Crean a Blumpkin

[Coobeys Oil Depot]

They have an excuse for everything.
The only people on that board who are smart are Murrfies, Gomarquette, and IWB.  Everyone else would give Crean a Blumpkin

Do you feel that way because people make fun of you over the whole Kansas State thing?

[Chili]

They have an excuse for everything.
The only people on that board who are smart are Murrfies, Gomarquette, and IWB.  Everyone else would give Crean a Blumpkin

Do you feel that way because people make fun of you over the whole Kansas State thing?

No, we make fun of Nate because he sucks at life - big difference.

[NateDoggMarq]

How so????

[Marquette84]

In my mind, Marquette has played 2 good Big East games. The rest have been battles between absolute awesomeness and absolute awfulness. But since fan is short for fanatic I'm going to take the 6-4 record through ten games knowing that in 8 of those games they've looked downright putrid at times.

Just curious, but which two?

I'd say Providence, Notre Dame, and Cincinnati were all excellent performances and DePaul and Seton Hall were good wins. 

And I'm not sure South Florida was all that bad--our eight point win compares reasonably well with Georgetown's 10 point win. With Gransbury, it's not as if they're devoid of talent. 

We have 4 losses--three of which are to likely buy teams in the Big East tournament.  Compare that record to Pitt, who has 2 losses to teams who likely won't even qualify for the BET.   

Compare our wins to Syracuse, who has six wins by virtue of beating the 11th, 12th, 13th 14th, 15th and 16th place teams. 



   

[ChicosBailBonds]

In my mind, Marquette has played 2 good Big East games. The rest have been battles between absolute awesomeness and absolute awfulness. But since fan is short for fanatic I'm going to take the 6-4 record through ten games knowing that in 8 of those games they've looked downright putrid at times.

Just curious, but which two?

I'd say Providence, Notre Dame, and Cincinnati were all excellent performances and DePaul and Seton Hall were good wins. 

And I'm not sure South Florida was all that bad--our eight point win compares reasonably well with Georgetown's 10 point win. With Gransbury, it's not as if they're devoid of talent. 

We have 4 losses--three of which are to likely buy teams in the Big East tournament.  Compare that record to Pitt, who has 2 losses to teams who likely won't even qualify for the BET.   

Compare our wins to Syracuse, who has six wins by virtue of beating the 11th, 12th, 13th 14th, 15th and 16th place teams. 
   

Shhh.....how dare you!

 

And tomorrow is another brutal game....we've had very few "breaks" in our conference season thus far.

[Coobeys Oil Depot]

In my mind, Marquette has played 2 good Big East games. The rest have been battles between absolute awesomeness and absolute awfulness. But since fan is short for fanatic I'm going to take the 6-4 record through ten games knowing that in 8 of those games they've looked downright putrid at times.

Just curious, but which two?

I'd say Providence, Notre Dame, and Cincinnati were all excellent performances and DePaul and Seton Hall were good wins. 

And I'm not sure South Florida was all that bad--our eight point win compares reasonably well with Georgetown's 10 point win. With Gransbury, it's not as if they're devoid of talent. 

We have 4 losses--three of which are to likely buy teams in the Big East tournament.  Compare that record to Pitt, who has 2 losses to teams who likely won't even qualify for the BET.   

Compare our wins to Syracuse, who has six wins by virtue of beating the 11th, 12th, 13th 14th, 15th and 16th place teams. 



   

For me, it's only Providence and Notre Dame. I'm talking full games. 40 minutes. The kind of performance we expected from this team. If you'll have read my other posts you'll know that I've given them credit for pockets of playing great but that doesn't overlay the pockets of poor performances.

I wouldn't call Cincinnati an excellent performance. They were pretty bad in the first half. Same with DePaul. They sucked in the first half and they let a 20 point win be whittled down to a 8 point win with a lack of focus at the end. South Florida and Seton Hall were simply brutal games by both teams.

I'm not in the business of comparing MU's wins with other teams' wins. Perhaps my standards are too high for what is a "good game" but considering the age and experience of our primary players I don't think that's too much to ask.