Question on Lovell

[forgetful]

I bumped into Father Wild a few times when I was on campus and he was always down to talk hoops.

If Lovell doesn't understand or care about how big basketball is for MU that is a major problem.

There is a difference between actively watching and following the team, and understanding and caring about how big basketball is for MU and its alumni.

[JWags85]

I bumped into Father Wild a few times when I was on campus and he was always down to talk hoops.

If Lovell doesn't understand or care about how big basketball is for MU that is a major problem.

FWIW, I didn't go to Marquette but my undergrad, at the time, had a very strong mid major basketball program and non-P5 football team that actually finished top 10 my freshman year. The President at the time was a stereotypical elitist academic type who was standoffish and routinely acted like any student interaction was a droll inconvenience. Never saw him at games or sporting events, but everything with the athletic department and funding was on point and thriving.

A year or two later, he retired and a new President arrived. Super outgoing, vocal sports fans. Loved by students, always had time to chat.   He brought on a new AD and oversaw multiple coaching searches for football and BB. Results were disastrous, both teams have floundered for years and while a new President has since arrived, neither team has really rebounded.  Also refreshes are very much needed for both the football stadium and basketball arena and he wasn't able to push anything forward, but did get a new baseball field 

Now not saying this is the case with Lovell given the Wojo stuff, and I've heard enough to suggest he's struggling all over, but just a direct empirical Devils advocate example to show a reticence to chat Marquette hoops or even lack of active and enthused fanship of the team doesn't necessarily mean he's ill equipped to do what's best for the program.

[Gato78]

1. Lovell is/was at all home and mostly every away game before this year.  Not sure about this season. He is actively involved and loves #mubb.
2. Lovell funds the #mubb program in his job and MU is without want--they get whatever they need with Lovell's blessing. The construction of the Athletics facility across the street from the Al (I call it the Joe True Center) was a big priority just to assist #mubb by creating more space in the Al for Men's hoops.
3. Lovell has not only made Joan of Arc Chapel the focus of campus but he has added, with the help of donors, the Shrine to Mary. Masses are available all weekend for students as well as the weekly campus mass at Joan of Arc and the 6pm Sunday Mass at Gesu--formerly the last chance Mass for Milwaukeeans, now a Campus Ministry Mass.
4. When Lovell took the job, one of his selling points was his Catholicity.

I have no problem criticizing Lovell for some of his decisions but the criticism needs to be tempered by the facts. Perhaps the curriculum is "less Catholic" but Lovell has pushed the Catholic and Jesuit identity of the University and the need to live up to AMDG and "persons for others" espoused by the Jesuits. I, too, have criticisms but some of those espoused in this string are not fair criticisms.

[panda]

1. Lovell is/was at all home and mostly every away game before this year.  Not sure about this season. He is actively involved and loves #mubb.
2. Lovell funds the #mubb program in his job and MU is without want--they get whatever they need with Lovell's blessing. The construction of the Athletics facility across the street from the Al (I call it the Joe True Center) was a big priority just to assist #mubb by creating more space in the Al for Men's hoops.
3. Lovell has not only made Joan of Arc Chapel the focus of campus but he has added, with the help of donors, the Shrine to Mary. Masses are available all weekend for students as well as the weekly campus mass at Joan of Arc and the 6pm Sunday Mass at Gesu--formerly the last chance Mass for Milwaukeeans, now a Campus Ministry Mass.
4. When Lovell took the job, one of his selling points was his Catholicity.

I have no problem criticizing Lovell for some of his decisions but the criticism needs to be tempered by the facts. Perhaps the curriculum is "less Catholic" but Lovell has pushed the Catholic and Jesuit identity of the University and the need to live up to AMDG and "persons for others" espoused by the Jesuits. I, too, have criticisms but some of those espoused in this string are not fair criticisms.

Giving a very coach friendly extension to Wojo after his first sign of success is turning into a black eye on his tenure.

[Gato78]

Giving a very coach friendly extension to Wojo after his first sign of success is turning into a black eye on his tenure.

That is a fair criticism, provided you know how the contract was extended.

[The Sultan]

Giving a very coach friendly extension to Wojo after his first sign of success is turning into a black eye on his tenure.

Dude seriously...

[The Sultan]

1. Lovell is/was at all home and mostly every away game before this year.  Not sure about this season. He is actively involved and loves #mubb.
2. Lovell funds the #mubb program in his job and MU is without want--they get whatever they need with Lovell's blessing. The construction of the Athletics facility across the street from the Al (I call it the Joe True Center) was a big priority just to assist #mubb by creating more space in the Al for Men's hoops.
3. Lovell has not only made Joan of Arc Chapel the focus of campus but he has added, with the help of donors, the Shrine to Mary. Masses are available all weekend for students as well as the weekly campus mass at Joan of Arc and the 6pm Sunday Mass at Gesu--formerly the last chance Mass for Milwaukeeans, now a Campus Ministry Mass.
4. When Lovell took the job, one of his selling points was his Catholicity.

I have no problem criticizing Lovell for some of his decisions but the criticism needs to be tempered by the facts. Perhaps the curriculum is "less Catholic" but Lovell has pushed the Catholic and Jesuit identity of the University and the need to live up to AMDG and "persons for others" espoused by the Jesuits. I, too, have criticisms but some of those espoused in this string are not fair criticisms.

Excellent points.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Giving a very coach friendly extension to Wojo after his first sign of success is turning into a black eye on his tenure.

You have to give coaches extensions for recruiting purposes.

This isn't a Marquette only issue.

[panda]

Dude seriously...

Yes.

He had yet to earn a contract extension like the one he received. 4-14, 8-10, 10-8 and 9-9 records previous to his 12-6. He wasn't being seriously courted by other programs. Why hand over the castle at that point? Where was he going to go?

[panda]

You have to give coaches extensions for recruiting purposes.

This isn't a Marquette only issue.

I agree. They also don't have to involve massive buyouts which in normal times would have been a tough pill to swallow if his one excellent season turned out to be a flash in the pan.

[4everwarriors]

You have to give coaches extensions for recruiting purposes.

This isn't a Marquette only issue.

Sew den, eye assume you ar inn favor if xtendin' again now, hey?

[The Sultan]

Just shaking my head that Scoop has come to the conclusion that Lovell isn't interested in basketball success because he didn't talk someone up while jogging.

🙄🙄🙄

[Nukem2]

I agree. They also don't have to involve massive buyouts which in normal times would have been a tough pill to swallow if his one excellent season turned out to be a flash in the pan.

Yep, an extension would certainly have to include a buyout revision.

[Gato78]

Yes.

He had yet to earn a contract extension like the one he received. 4-14, 8-10, 10-8 and 9-9 records previous to his 12-6. He wasn't being seriously courted by other programs. Why hand over the castle at that point? Where was he going to go?

What terms were changed, how long is the extension? What are the roll over provisions?

[Billy Hoyle]

Yep, an extension would certainly have to include a buyout revision.

Since we're a private school and we don't have access to the contract how do we know it doesn't?

[Nukem2]

Since we're a private school and we don't have access to the contract how do we know it doesn't?

I said "revision" not clause. Seriously doubt there has been a buyout revision to his contract, though you are right in that we don't know if such a revision was agreed to at some point though that's unlikely?

[WarriorFan]

From my admittedly distant perspective I don't see Lovell as the problem HOWEVER I also don't think he understands the role of Men's Basketball as part of the external persona of the university and how that relates to alumni satisfaction, fundraising, admissions, enrollment, etc.

Good sports = good publicity.  There is no other way to get so many eyeballs on your university logo.

[panda]

What terms were changed, how long is the extension? What are the roll over provisions?

Following the '19 season, he received two extra years on his contract. An extension for recruiting purposes. It is widely purported that the extension also included a buy out which has now bound the school to a coach who has underachieved significantly during his tenure here.   

If he receives an extension following this season for recruiting purposes, like has happened before, there is no requirement to up his buyout. Why would they have done that when he wasn't a hot coaching commodity and coming off of a brutal end to a season?

[Farley36]

LOL, and you are damning him because some poster tried to talk him up while jogging.  This place is hilarious.

It's embarrassing that you graduated from Marquette.  I don't care if Lovell discussed hoops with some random alum or not but the argument that as President he has too many other priorities to have knowledge of the basketball team is ridiculous.

[Farley36]

Just shaking my head that Scoop has come to the conclusion that Lovell isn't interested in basketball success because he didn't talk someone up while jogging.

🙄🙄🙄

Maybe Scoop had come to that conclusion because he seems content to let the program be a bottom Big East team.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Following the '19 season, he received two extra years on his contract. An extension for recruiting purposes. It is widely purported that the extension also included a buy out which has now bound the school to a coach who has underachieved significantly during his tenure here.   

If he receives an extension following this season for recruiting purposes, like has happened before, there is no requirement to up his buyout. Why would they have done that when he wasn't a hot coaching commodity and coming off of a brutal end to a season?

The extension was timed with this generous gift.

https://www.marquette.edu/news-center/2019/marquette-receives-2.5-million-gift-to-support-innovation-alley-and-basketball.php

[NickelDimer]

Following the '19 season, he received two extra years on his contract. An extension for recruiting purposes. It is widely purported that the extension also included a buy out which has now bound the school to a coach who has underachieved significantly during his tenure here.   

If he receives an extension following this season for recruiting purposes, like has happened before, there is no requirement to up his buyout. Why would they have done that when he wasn't a hot coaching commodity and coming off of a brutal end to a season?

Yep if the buyout he was given during his last extension is now prohibiting us from moving on from him, as has been speculated, that's absolutely Lovell's mistake. That's not even a controversial take.

[panda]

The extension was timed with this generous gift.

https://www.marquette.edu/news-center/2019/marquette-receives-2.5-million-gift-to-support-innovation-alley-and-basketball.php

" For 18 straight years, the Marquette men's basketball team finished among the top-25 teams in the nation in regular season average attendance thanks to the dedication and support of its tremendous fan base. The Swobodas have donated $1.5 million of the gift to support the program's continued growth."

Freezing cold takes?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Lovell's, hence MU's support of the BLM organization is one example. The organization BLM is pro-choice. Another has to do with LGBTQ.

They support the movement not the organization. Which is the Jesuit thing to do.

The Pope himself is moving the church in a more LGBTQ friendly direction. As the Jesuits have always historically been ahead of Rome on social justice issues, I think Marquette is exactly where a Jesuit university should be. If anything, they are taking too conservative of an approach for a Jesuit school.

My experience at Marquette was that the commitment to service and being men/women for others has never been higher. The curricula does require less THEO courses and whether or not that is a good thing is a good topic for discussion.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Yep if the buyout he was given during his last extension is now prohibiting us from moving on from him, as has been speculated, that's absolutely Lovell's mistake. That's not even a controversial take.

The buyout was already part of the contract and it was one in line with the market. Marquette could afford it in a normal year. It was unforseeable that a Global Pandemic would tank MU's finances and lead to a faculty revolt. Despite Jim Christian getting canned early at BC, movement on the coaching carousel has been slow so far. I think a lot of coaches are going to get saved by COVID. It's hardly an MU only issue.