Shaka Smart Presser 2pm: LINK

[muwarrior97]

I thought this was an excellent presser.  If you don't like this guy as a human being you have some serious issues.  Of course this is about basketball and Wojo is a great person in his own right, but the wisdom and honesty on every level with Shaka permeated the room.  In particular his poignant words about his mother and his entire family.  Serious, serious, props to Mama-Shaka because she raised her son right.

Make no mistake about it, this guy gets it. That doesn't mean it won't be a process or easy in the slightest.  As Tower said we cannot get ahead ourselves as these situations often create unbridled enthusiasm.  But I'll tell you this:  I feel pretty damn good about the program moving forward and everything Shaka said regarding MU hoops expecatations was spot-on.  Call me crazy but after 30 mins of hearing Shaka I feel better about MU basketball than I have in a very, very. long time.  I feel strongly this is just the beginning but we will get there. 

We are Marquette!!  Welcome to the Smart family!!

+1

Agreed whole-heartily, guess it makes us Big-time Slurper Nation members but my big take-away was it sounded Authentic.....#LFG

Guess we will get the answer in next 3-5 years

[brewcity77]

Love this answer/spiel on defense.

He doesn't have one blue print. It's all about the philosophy of pressuring and making the offense uncomfortable

I really enjoyed this article on Havoc. Talked about the different press types, as well as the planned press adjustments to the counters they expected other teams to make. Shows how much thought goes into his defensive schemes, including planning the multiple adjustments to opponent adjustments.

https://www.burntorangenation.com/2015/4/3/8337897/shaka-smart-texas-longhorns-havoc-defense

[muwarrior69]

I'd like to see Diener on the sidelines during games.

He'll supply the keggs for the post game presser.

[Skatastrophy]

"I was born in 1977"

*applause*

lol

[Goose]

muwarrior97


#LFG

I'm all in. Did not hear the presser but sounds like Shaka did a very good job.

[MU24]

Today I learned being positive and choosing to be optimistic makes you a "slurper".

[NickelDimer]

"I was born in 1977"

*applause*

lol

I like how he said it and paused for applause 🤣

[Hards Alumni]

A couple of things that stood out to me.  Please don't take these as criticisms because they aren't.  I love the hire, and ecstatic to have Shaka on board.

1.  If you don't know who really runs Marquette athletics, now you do.  Name dropping is very important.  Scholl made the hire, but the only person that truly matters has a PHD in basketball. 

2.  Shaka did have some PR chops there playing with some non-answers, but I think he did a great job toeing the line on it.  He is obviously more genuine and refined than our previous coach was.

3.  I appreciate that the QA didn't seem to have limits... including the 7 years ago question.  I'm glad that question was asked today instead of being in the back of a lot of reporter's minds for years. 

4. Overall, if you're not impressed with Shaka Smart, you probably will never be happy as a Marquette fan.

[Mr. Nielsen]

No questions from John Dodds! WTH. 

[lessthannick11]

No questions from John Dodds! WTH. 

Due to Covid issues, he couldn't bring his blender into the AL

[NWarsh]

Due to Covid issues, he couldn't bring his blender into the AL

Dodds to Shaka: "If you were to put some coaches in a blender who would you put in to create yourself"

[panda]

Dodds to Shaka: "If you were to put some coaches in a blender who would you put in to create yourself"

-Dodds pats self on back

[MUpugnacity]

Dodds to Shaka: "If you dot dot dot were to put some dot dot dot coaches in a blender dot dot dot who would you dot dot dot put in to create yourself"

FIFY

[naginiF]

1.  If you don't know who really runs Marquette athletics, now you do.  Name dropping is very important.  Scholl made the hire, but the only person that truly matters has a PHD in basketball. 

This was crystal clear.

On the whole, I love the hire but I'm not a big hype guy so I thought the presser was about what it should've been i.e. it confirmed that this was the right decision.

One disappointing thing is that he had plenty of opportunity to call out that Marquette has "top 10" level talent on the team and didn't do it......he may be out of touch.

[MuggsyB]

I do have one very minor criticism regarding the MU beat writer.  Maybe it's me but I haven't been particularly impressed with his abilities.  And while it's fine if wants to wear a mask while social distancing inside, then he needs to speak up and have some conviction and or inflection in his voice.  Personally, I think we can do much better and actually have in recent years.  I know it's no biggie but believe we can step our game up on this front.  He also appeared crazy nervous to me.

[The Sultan]

Steele?  He's great.  Fun to follow on the Twitter.

[Nukem2]

I do have one very minor criticism regarding the MU beat writer.  Maybe it's me but I haven't been particularly impressed with his abilities.  And while it's fine if wants to wear a mask while social distancing inside, then he needs to speak up and have some conviction and or inflection in his voice.  Personally, I think we can do much better and actually have in recent years.  I know it's no biggie but believe we can step our game up on this front.  He also appeared crazy nervous to me.

He is a print/social media guy.  His work has been fine.  You must miss Mike Hunt and Tom Enlund.

[tower912]

Today I learned being positive and choosing to be optimistic makes you a "slurper".

You get used to it.   

[naginiF]

Steele?  He's great.  Fun to follow on the Twitter.

Was going to post the exact same thing. Matt V was good too, just not as funny on the twitter machine

[Silkk the Shaka]

Agreed, Steele is quite good and thought he asked good q's in this presser

[The Lens]

I do have one very minor criticism regarding the MU beat writer.  Maybe it's me but I haven't been particularly impressed with his abilities.  And while it's fine if wants to wear a mask while social distancing inside, then he needs to speak up and have some conviction and or inflection in his voice.  Personally, I think we can do much better and actually have in recent years.  I know it's no biggie but believe we can step our game up on this front.  He also appeared crazy nervous to me.

I think Ben has been great for the MU beat.  He seems to go above and beyond in his blogs and he engages with everyone on Twitter who tweets at him. 

[MuggsyB]

It could very well be me and I don't read his Twitter but I guess I preferred MV and TR. 

[Boone]

Wojo was never the answer to my prayers. Far from it

[Skatastrophy]

I'm catching up on the presser between meetings.

I'm not gonna lie, I'm excited about getting back to a deflection-oriented defense.

[Farley36]

It's so fantastic to be excited about MU basketball again.   There is finally reason for optimism.   So thankful the administration did what needed to be done rather than fall back on all the excuses they could have.