Marq'd Men: Episode 63 – The Return of Kevin O'Neill

[silverback]

It’s a hippity hoppity happy Easter Day as the MarqdMen podcast returns with former Marquette star and radio color man Jim McIlvaine joining MU alum and journalist John Scott Lewinski to interview former Marquette Basketball head coach, Kevin O’Neill.

(Hide the children. #NSFW. Parental warning. No pets. Sorry, Jesus. Etc.)

The rigors of technology linking three separate locations led to occasional instances of talking over each other between coach and player, but I think all of the Queen's English otherwise comes through with crystal clarity.

Enjoy! Won't you?

Visit http://www.marqdmen.com or subscribe wherever you pick up your podcasts.

[Daniel]

This was a fun podcast and KO just says exactly what he feels - wow!  Very entertaining!  Ty guys

[WarriorFan]

If everyone in the world was as clear and honest and direct as KO, the world would be a much better place.

[MUEng92]

I was picturing this being a network interview and the producer in the control passing out 15 minutes into it

[MUfan12]

KO on coachspeak guys: "They can all kiss my ass... Go f*ck yourself, just win."

He's a treasure. He's a crazy person, but a treasure.

[NorthernDancerColt]

KO on coachspeak guys: "They can all kiss my ass... Go f*ck yourself, just win."

He's a treasure. He's a crazy person, but a treasure.

This.

When I cued up the Podcast I wondered why I was about to give up an hour of my life.

Halfway in, I realized why I hit Play to begin with. In Orwellian, robotic PC 2021, if blood-type transfusion vials were labeled via personality traits, KO is about as close to “purely anachronistic” and “ refreshingly vile, blunt degeneracy” as could be.

[NorthernDancerColt]

I was wondering if any of the Analytics guys here took umbrage with KO’s rant against their hoops worldview. I see the point he was trying to make, but I also understand the value of analytics.

He kind of echoed AL’s famous line that a good coach starts a “party on the court” and keeps it going. Great team play, it’s something anyone can see.

When are analytics helpful? When are they not?

Not taking sides here on Analytics, just trying to understand how college coaches today should use them. 

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

I love Kevin O'Neill.  But he's only 64 years old and hasn't coached anywhere in 8 years - and wasn't terribly successful toward the end.

So what I am saying is, I wouldn't take a lot of coaching advice on the modern college game from Kevin O'Neill.

[f/k/a humanlung]

I love Kevin O'Neill.  But he's only 64 years old and hasn't coached anywhere in 8 years - and wasn't terribly successful toward the end.

So what I am saying is, I wouldn't take a lot of coaching advice on the modern college game from Kevin O'Neill.

The guy saved MU basketball.

On that alone I will listen to what he has to say.

[Uncle Rico]

I was wondering if any of the Analytics guys here took umbrage with KO’s rant against their hoops worldview. I see the point he was trying to make, but I also understand the value of analytics.

He kind of echoed AL’s famous line that a good coach starts a “party on the court” and keeps it going. Great team play, it’s something anyone can see.

When are analytics helpful? When are they not?

Not taking sides here on Analytics, just trying to understand how college coaches today should use them.

Nope.  Wojo didn’t use analytics at all.  Buzz used them quite a bit.  One was successful, the other wasn’t.  Ultimately, talent wins out in basketball but analytics can help even things out and give you an extra edge. 

[NCMUFan]

Foolish not to use every tool available to you.

[Herman Cain]

My view is Eye Test combined with Analytics is the winning approach. Helps prevent overly analytical  and overly emotional approaches.

KO saved MU so he always has a place in the history of the school. Things didn't work out for the rest of his career and that happens in sports sometimes.

[WarriorFan]

My view is Eye Test combined with Analytics is the winning approach. Helps prevent overly analytical  and overly emotional approaches.

KO saved MU so he always has a place in the history of the school. Things didn't work out for the rest of his career and that happens in sports sometimes.

... and he's refreshingly honest about it.

[Herman Cain]

I listened to the Podcast and enjoyed it. KO has some excellent unvarnished points.

[Viper]

My view is Eye Test combined with Analytics is the winning approach. Helps prevent overly analytical  and overly emotional approaches.

KO saved MU so he always has a place in the history of the school. Things didn't work out for the rest of his career and that happens in sports sometimes.

i guarantee KO’s bank account says things worked out ok. btw, he was hilarious at the MU centennial!

[dgies9156]

My view is Eye Test combined with Analytics is the winning approach. Helps prevent overly analytical  and overly emotional approaches.

KO saved MU so he always has a place in the history of the school. Things didn't work out for the rest of his career and that happens in sports sometimes.

The biggest mistake Coach O'Neill made was leaving Marquette. He had a really good opportunity here. I'd think he'd even admit it.

The second biggest mistake was leaving the University of Tennessee. I truly believe the best chance KO had to win a natty was at UT. He had a supportive administration, great facility and the potential to make Tennessee as basketball mad as North Carolina. Not sure why he left other than he wasn't top banana at UT. The hierarchy there is football, spring football, nothing, women's basketball and men's basketball. If the UT baseball team is good, it might surpass men's basketball. KO was going to change that via winning.

[shoothoops]

My view is Eye Test combined with Analytics is the winning approach. Helps prevent overly analytical  and overly emotional approaches.

KO saved MU so he always has a place in the history of the school. Things didn't work out for the rest of his career and that happens in sports sometimes.

I agree. It's like baseball. You need both analytics, and in person scouting to maximize effectiveness. Sometimes some people get too caught up in one as opposed to the other. They are both important, complimentary things of value.

It was definitely a different time for MUBB. K.O.'s success was ahead of MUBB's hoops commitment. And, K.O.'s daily approach would not be popular with some MUBB admin, alums etc...today. It would definitely be mixed views. He is well versed in the English Language.

[Dr. Blackheart]

KO's only winning period as a head coach, NCAA's or NBA, was during his MU tenure. In Maui when with USC, I got the impression he enjoyed seeing and hanging out more with the MU people. Same with the 100 year.

Fact is, KO was an intense gym rat who wasn't a very good head coach or program lead. He was a rebel who single-handedly willed MU back to life, though, and in many ways, his shadow overwhelmed Wojo more than Al's. Fans and alums didn't want to return to that low water mark from which KO returned us--even in today's BE terms. KO will forever remain the MUBB Prodigal Son.

[Goose]

Dr. B

I agree 1000% on your post regarding KO. He did will MU out of the gutter and has a great spot in the heart's of MU fans for saving the program. He is still one of my all time MU people and appreciate his time here a lot. On a side note, I spoke to him on his birthday (after a long period of no communication) and laughed the whole conversation. Had a lot of fun during the KO years.

[shoothoops]

I think K.O.'s Head Coaching opportunities post Marquette, were not a good fit for him at all. I think he could and perhaps would have had much better results at some other places. Tennessee has been a difficult place for many coaches to coach for a long time. K.O. was a fish out of water there. Northwestern has been a very difficult place to win for a long time.

[Galway Eagle]

I think K.O.'s Head Coaching opportunities post Marquette, were not a good fit for him at all. I think he could and perhaps would have had much better results at some other places. Tennessee has been a difficult place for many coaches to coach for a long time. K.O. was a fish out of water there. Northwestern has been a very difficult place to win for a long time.

Barnes Pearl and Martin all won at Tennessee. Wasn't going to be a contender but it's certainly winnable there. Same with USC. Northwestern I definitely agree, it's where coaches go to die.

[shoothoops]

Barnes Pearl and Martin all won at Tennessee. Wasn't going to be a contender but it's certainly winnable there. Same with USC. Northwestern I definitely agree, it's where coaches go to die.

Martin left because of the hostile environment there.

Bruce Pearl has an over top social personality that can and did win over a difficult crowd at Tennessee, just as he has done elsewhere. He also of course won games.

Rick Barnes had two decades of good experience prior to going there, and was a better fit there than K.O. for a variety of reasons. Barnes has received lots of criticism there by some fans and some boosters despite his success.

I don’t think Tennessee is a fit for everyone, and it certainly wasn’t for K.O.

[Galway Eagle]

Martin left because of the hostile environment there.

Bruce Pearl has an over top social personality that can and did win over a difficult crowd at Tennessee, just as he has done elsewhere. He also of course won games.

Rick Barnes had two decades of good experience prior to going there, and was a better fit there than K.O. for a variety of reasons. Barnes has received lots of criticism there by some fans and some boosters despite his success.

I don’t think Tennessee is a fit for everyone, and it certainly wasn’t for K.O.

Doesn't mean he didn't win there...

[shoothoops]

Doesn't mean he didn't win there...

No it doesn’t. In my opinion it is a more difficult place to be successful, and fit, for some. And I think K.O. was one of those.

I believe K.O. could have been more successful had he either stayed at MUBB longer or gone to a different place next. Not guaranteed but I believe his choices weren’t the best.

I am well aware of some of K.O.’s temperament challenges when talking with say a Robb Logterman vs a Tony Miller for example.

K.O. was a good fit for MUBB at a good time. I think fit mattered with him more than some others.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

No it doesn’t. In my opinion it is a more difficult place to be successful, and fit, for some. And I think K.O. was one of those.

Difficult compared to where?  Because since 1980, only two coaches have gone under .500 at Tennessee.  One of them was Kevin O'Neill.