The Athletic Early Big East Rankings

[The Sultan]

Old Big East 8 Years 8 Tourneys 9 Big Dance Wins. New Big East 8 Years 2 Tourneys 0 Big Dance Wins. Why is this

Primarily a poor coach.  Let's not overthink this.

[Skip Intro]

Old Big East 8 Years 8 Tourneys 9 Big Dance Wins. New Big East 8 Years 2 Tourneys 0 Big Dance Wins. Why is this

"Old" vs. "New" Big East wasn't the cause of only 2 tourney trips in 8 years.  If anything, it should be easier to get into the tourney now. 

Now, you could make an argument that the Old BE was such a tough conference that all teams entered the tourney well-primed for competition.  Then again the recent sample size (for MU, at least) is so small that I don't know if that theory would hold up, particularly with Nova's success. 

I suspect the true answer to "Why is this" has a lot more to do with one man's system than conference membership.

[Galway Eagle]

Old Big East 8 Years 8 Tourneys 9 Big Dance Wins. New Big East 8 Years 2 Tourneys 0 Big Dance Wins. Why is this

Top Reasons for 2/8 years

1.  Bad coach hire, had high floor but low ceiling.

2. RPI & Covid, the 2018 year we would've been in using NET & Covid took a year we were a lock. 4/8 is much better.

3. Not getting old, Burton leaves, Duane leaves, Henry leaves, Haani leaves, both Hausers leave, Bailey leaves, everyone expected to be a key player left before we could get to the next tier.

[Dawson Rental]

All true, but I as referring specifically to this coming season at Marquette. A season saver transfer would, I think, be probably be looking at only one year. Once Shaka has established MU as a solid, competitive team sure, he can sell players on his success of getting players into the NBA. My point is simply that this is probably not the best year for his helping a player getting into the NBA.

When is there a better opportunity than with a young team?  Great chance to lead the way.

[MarquetteMike1977]

Old Big East 8 Years 8 Tourneys 9 Big Dance Wins. New Big East 8 Years 2 Tourneys 0 Big Dance Wins. Why is this

Our Coaching Job was not as in demand when we joined the New Big East. But our Marquette Coaching job is in Demand now.

[MarquetteMike1977]

Old Big East 8 Years 8 Tourneys 9 Big Dance Wins. New Big East 8 Years 2 Tourneys 0 Big Dance Wins. Why is this

We should not change or switch conferences. Am not blaming it on the conference, am saying the only other option would have been to accept and not decline ESPN's crappy deal to remain with CUSE , UConn, Cincy eight to ten years ago in a hybrid conference. Add some crappy football teams. Agree It would have been a crappier conference but "We would of had more power within it" Agree  that ship has sailed and agree we should remain in the New Big East.

[MarquetteMike1977]

Old Big East 8 Years 8 Tourneys 9 Big Dance Wins. New Big East 8 Years 2 Tourneys 0 Big Dance Wins. Why is this

Alright it had nothing to do with the conference change.

[fjm]

Alright it had nothing to do with the conference change.

You crack me up man. Haha.
Responded to your own question 3 different times in 4 minutes. Haha. Keep it up.

[MU82]

We should not change or switch conferences. Am not blaming it on the conference, am saying the only other option would have been to accept and not decline ESPN's crappy deal to remain with CUSE , UConn, Cincy eight to ten years ago in a hybrid conference. Add some crappy football teams. Agree It would have been a crappier conference but "We would of had more power within it" Agree  that ship has sailed and agree we should remain in the New Big East.

Dribble.

[Scoop Snoop]

When is there a better opportunity than with a young team?  Great chance to lead the way.

Agree with the being the star on a young team, but I think Shaka will be too busy getting the team to understand his system and also with 5 freshman coming in, he's got his hands full. That's all I'm saying. Season #2 for Shaka he should be well positioned to both have his system in place and feature a star, NBA grade player in it. Possible this year? Sure, but to repeat- I do not think this is the best year for an NBA bound player on Marquette's team to raise his profile.

[NCMUFan]

IMHO it seemed Buzz was let down with the breakup of the old BEAST and the formation of the new.  Maybe not up to what it needed to be to get Buzz motivated to perform at the level he had in the old BEAST.  Perhaps one of the reasons he bolted to Virginia Tech and the ACC?  In Buzz's eyes, at VT back in the premier college BB conference and a major spot light?

[The Lens]

IMHO it seemed Buzz was let down with the breakup of the old BEAST and the formation of the new.  Maybe not up to what it needed to be get Buzz motivated to perform at the level he had in the old BEAST.  Perhaps one of the reasons he bolted to Virginia Tech and the ACC?  In Buzz's eyes, at VT back in the premier college BB conference and a major spot light?

I don't really blame him.  He had just gone 14-4, 14-4 in the SEC Football of college hoops.  Can't fault him for worrying that he was headed to JV.  Let's face it Nova was not Nova in 2013 and the cream of the Big East was leaving and being back filled with solid programs from the A-10 & Mo Valley.  It has turned out great (despite Gtown and St. John's struggles) but I think we all probably had some doubts. 

[MU82]

I don't really blame him.  He had just gone 14-4, 14-4 in the SEC Football of college hoops.  Can't fault him for worrying that he was headed to JV.  Let's face it Nova was not Nova in 2013 and the cream of the Big East was leaving and being back filled with solid programs from the A-10 & Mo Valley.  It has turned out great (despite Gtown and St. John's struggles) but I think we all probably had some doubts.

I honestly can't remember if I had doubts or not, but what I did know was that it was the only viable solution for Marquette, so I was all-in on it.

I think what a couple others have theorized about the Big East thing being a smokescreen for Buzz -- who actually bolted because he was p-o-ed at MU leadership -- makes a lot of sense.

[Galway Eagle]

I don't really blame him.  He had just gone 14-4, 14-4 in the SEC Football of college hoops.  Can't fault him for worrying that he was headed to JV.  Let's face it Nova was not Nova in 2013 and the cream of the Big East was leaving and being back filled with solid programs from the A-10 & Mo Valley.  It has turned out great (despite Gtown and St. John's struggles) but I think we all probably had some doubts.

Nova was 4 years from a final four and 3 years from a 2 seed. Georgetown had just been co big East champions, Xavier was a huge get that was more than solid from the A10, that's basically saying if we plugged in Gonzaga they'd be a solid program from the WCC, Butler was 2 years removed from back to back finals appearances (and had the top up and coming coach at the time). I had my doubts on Creighton once they'd lose Doug along with PC, SHU, SJU, DPU all struggling at the time but it was far from a conference for him to thumb his nose at, especially after struggling in his lone year at it.

[The Sultan]

I don't really blame him.  He had just gone 14-4, 14-4 in the SEC Football of college hoops.  Can't fault him for worrying that he was headed to JV.  Let's face it Nova was not Nova in 2013 and the cream of the Big East was leaving and being back filled with solid programs from the A-10 & Mo Valley.  It has turned out great (despite Gtown and St. John's struggles) but I think we all probably had some doubts. 

Is going from one of the top teams in the new Big East to a middling, also ran in the ACC really a good move though?  Conference affiliation is important, but it's not everything.

My guess is that if Buzz were happy with MU's leadership, he would have stayed.

[Dawson Rental]

Is going from one of the top teams in the new Big East to a middling, also ran in the ACC really a good move though?  Conference affiliation is important, but it's not everything.

My guess is that if Buzz were happy with MU's leadership, he would have stayed.

Agree.  If Virginia Tech was such a draw for Buzz, why would he have left there as well?  Particularly after they pretty much let him write his own contract with them.

[NCMUFan]

It probably wasn't a single factor but the sum of them all.

[Herman Cain]

Is going from one of the top teams in the new Big East to a middling, also ran in the ACC really a good move though?  Conference affiliation is important, but it's not everything.

My guess is that if Buzz were happy with MU's leadership, he would have stayed.

I agree with this analysis.

[NCMUFan]

So you don't believe Buzz felt any pressure regarding job security?
Do you believe the players that Buzz would of retained or gained would have provided him future success at MU?

[Galway Eagle]

So you don't believe Buzz felt any pressure regarding job security?
Do you believe the players that Buzz would of retained or gained would have provided him future success at MU?

Well idk who we would've added in the following classes but it comes down to could he have worked with Burton, JJJ, Duane and Fischer better than Wojo did. And would Shayok and Hill have both trended the same way? I tend to believe he would not have done better with the 13 class or Sandy. Shayok and Hill probably end up the same. Noskowiak (if he ends up here) becomes yet another insane Buzz recruit.

Who knows what Juco or transfer gems Buzz gets or if he closes the deal with Stone.

[Herman Cain]

Well idk who we would've added in the following classes but it comes down to could he have worked with Burton, JJJ, Duane and Fischer better than Wojo did. And would Shayok and Hill have both trended the same way? I tend to believe he would not have done better with the 13 class or Sandy. Shayok and Hill probably end up the same. Noskowiak (if he ends up here) becomes yet another insane Buzz recruit.

Who knows what Juco or transfer gems Buzz gets or if he closes the deal with Stone.

Lets say he does the same with the 13 class <and was able to keep McKay, and Shayok and Hill show up. That is a pretty good lineup.

[dad's couch]

Buzz wanted out. He used the break up of the Big East as an excuse. Remember he was connected with the S. Florida job. I thought it was crazy when I heard that but it turned out he was interested. He ended up at VT because Cronin is a good friend and the Cincy AD just got hired there. A con man.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Well idk who we would've added in the following classes but it comes down to could he have worked with Burton, JJJ, Duane and Fischer better than Wojo did. And would Shayok and Hill have both trended the same way? I tend to believe he would not have done better with the 13 class or Sandy. Shayok and Hill probably end up the same. Noskowiak (if he ends up here) becomes yet another insane Buzz recruit.

Who knows what Juco or transfer gems Buzz gets or if he closes the deal with Stone.

MU was also a finalist (and maybe a lean) with Charles Matthews who was a late February commit, supposedly due to getting his academics in order.

This is just me spitballing this one but I always thought this was the last straw for Buzz. With Pilarz and Larry Williams gone, Buzz supposedly went to Wild and Cords and asked a for a return to the previous academic standards, and they told him wait for the new regime. Cal swooped in with Streets and said Buzz is gone, the NBE is weak, etc.  I think this was actually when Buzz threw in the towel. Things that were bad, then went to worse within the program. MU didn't win a game after Matthews committed to UK.

[harryp]

I think that if Garcia was planning to return we would know by now.

[bilsu]

I think that if Garcia was planning to return we would know by now.

I felt he was not returning to college when he did not put his name in the transfer portal. I am not saying he would not return to MU in the end. It just makes sense that with a new coach, you would explore your options. In my mind Garcia coming back was never an option, because he is done with college.