Tom Crean and Dominic James to M Club HOF

[Herman Cain]

Dom was an enjoyable player to watch . Was a great representative of MU basketball . I like all the things he is doing with his family these days as well.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Wes should have been in there first.

[GooooMarquette]

I'm not either, in between on him like you.

But exactly right why he clearly belongs - the only coach not named McGuire in our history to reach a Final Four. Then to top it off, one of the greatest diamond in the rough findings ever in Dwyane, our greatest player ever. 

Throw out everything else good, bad, and in between during his tenure, FF and  bringing in Dwyane were easily enough for him to earn this.

Agree. Crean is totally deserving.

Contrats to him, Dominic and the other inductees.

[Herman Cain]

Wes should have been in there first.

Wes is still playing in The Association.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Wes is still playing in The Association.

So is Jae Crowder

[augoman]

So?

Crean brought in Wade, who to this day rarely fails to mention Crean when he talks about his fond Marquette memories.

If Wade was primarily responsible for the Final Four run -- and he was, though Diener saved his bacon against Holy Cross -- then Crean was 100% responsible for Wade being a Warrior.

Y'know, 82, I keep hearing that Crean was responsible for Wade at MU.  However, I remember that Odarty Blankson told Crean to offer him and Crean had no idea who he was.  Blankson knew him and his ability and insisted.  Crean was more surprised than we were.

I loved the 2003 team, as did most of us, and that team's coach absolutely deserves to be honored like this.

[1SE]

I always thought TC was a bit greasy and a very average game coach, but the team he put together in 2003 was outstanding. If ODB wouldn't have bolted it would have been in contention for best MU roster ever and  I wonder if we wouldn't have won it all (although KU was such a buzzsaw that night).

If we see a team that's anywhere close to as complete as that (I know it would be a different style) under Shaka I'll consider it a great success.

[Galway Eagle]

What was Creans second best team? 08? 02?

[swoopem]

I'd say 07-08

How the hell has Wes not been inducted? That's ridiculous

[The Sultan]

Because based on college production, Wes was the clear #3 of the amigos.

[Billy Hoyle]

Dom was an enjoyable player to watch . Was a great representative of MU basketball . I like all the things he is doing with his family these days as well.

he could have so much better had he worked on shooting at FT's. 60% career FT shooter for a PG?  Though his FT's against Pitt in 2007 were clutch.

So?

Crean brought in Wade, who to this day rarely fails to mention Crean when he talks about his fond Marquette memories.

If Wade was primarily responsible for the Final Four run -- and he was, though Diener saved his bacon against Holy Cross -- then Crean was 100% responsible for Wade being a Golden Eagle.

I loved the 2003 team, as did most of us, and that team's coach absolutely deserves to be honored like this.

Travis and Scott Merritt in the first two games saved us from losses. And the Merritt commitment (Crean's first) was big because he was able to get a highly rated local kid to stay home.

[wadesworld]

he could have so much better had he worked on shooting at FT's. 60% career FT shooter for a PG?  Though his FT's against Pitt in 2007 were clutch.

Travis and Scott Merritt in the first two games saved us from losses. And the Merritt commitment (Crean's first) was big because he was able to get a highly rated local kid to stay home.

I'm guessing he worked on his free throws quite a bit.  Just like I'm very confident Giannis works on his free throws a lot.  Neither have a fluid shooting stroke.  They just aren't good shooters.  From the perimeter or from the stripe.  And it's hard to remake your shooting form when you've been playing the sport for 10+ years.

[Billy Hoyle]

I'm guessing he worked on his free throws quite a bit.  Just like I'm very confident Giannis works on his free throws a lot.  Neither have a fluid shooting stroke.  They just aren't good shooters.  From the perimeter or from the stripe.  And it's hard to remake your shooting form when you've been playing the sport for 10+ years.

Maybe, but his FT shooting got worse (46% as a senior) as did his three point shooting.

[MuggsyB]

I agree with the sentiment that Crean shouldn't have gotten in now but probably down the road.  Very happy for Dominic. Total legend and class act in addition to what he brought to the basketball court.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

he could have so much better had he worked on shooting at FT's. 60% career FT shooter for a PG?  Though his FT's against Pitt in 2007 were clutch.

He shot 62%. If he had shot 75% he would have scored 69 more points in his career or .5 per game.

[Uncle Rico]

He shot 62%. If he had shot 75% he would have scored 69 more points in his career or .5 per game.

Nice

[Dr. Blackheart]

Because based on college production, Wes was the clear #3 of the amigos.

Based on old school stats or modern day stats?  Frankly, using modern day stats, it's not even close that Wes is #1, which Buzz saw and employed their senior years and TC didn't in years 1-3 (which may say something about CTC).

Btw, using old school stats, Wes is not too shabby either, coming in 10th all-time in points scored and is the school record holder in FTM.

[bilsu]

What's your point?  That our run was fluky like you described Shaka's?  We were a 3 seed that year. There was nothing fluky about our run.

Any coach can get lucky once.
At least Crean did it why he was at MU.

[milwaukee ex-pat]

"Any coach can get lucky once. At least Crean did it why he was at MU."  I don't get this sentiment. Crean didn't get lucky once and his accomplishments at MU weren't isolated to getting D Wade.  He molded that final four team through intense practices into a great team and as has been mentioned recruited a number of other great pieces to that team besides Wade.  But what was perhaps even more impressive was - after losing an entire recruiting class - he recruited the amigos and developed that team into an instant competitor in the Big East which was a huge surprise and accomplishment.  Looked like at the time DePaul might reassert itself when we both joined the Big East and instead we left the Blue Demons in the dust and were a top 4 team in the Big East from the moment we arrived (finished in top 4 with at least 10 wins for first 5 seasons or so in BE iirc).   Good stuff.  Not a great look when he bolted to IU but he didn't leave the cupboard empty and he was responsible for bringing on possibly the best prospective assistant coach in Buzz who turned out to be arguably the best MU coach since McGuire.  Not too shabby imo...

[Eye]

I'd say '02 was Crean's 2nd-best team at MU.

[Billy Hoyle]

I'd say '02 was Crean's 2nd-best team at MU.

agreed. I'm still haunted by that Steve Logan coast to coast lay up that saved Cincy in the finale against Memphis and cost us the title. Oh yeah, and Donald Little at the Shoe.

Crean did a great job melding his guys with Deane's guys to create such a special season. Yeah, the Tulsa lost was depressing as hell but it was such run ride.

Injuries killed the 2005 and 2007 seasons. If Travis doesn't get injured we probably make the tourney and if Jerel doesn't get injured we would have been a higher seed.  But, that's basketball. 2006 was incredibly fun too with Novak becoming a star and the freshman developing like they did.

I remember the old WISN talk show muppet Mark Belling making fun of MU for "fill the corners for Al night." He laughed at the idea MU would ever fill the BC or be relevant again. Some were advocating for us going back to the Arena. Crean embraced the challenge and proved him and many others wrong.

[JWags85]

I remember the old WISN talk show muppet Mark Belling making fun of MU for "fill the corners for Al night." He laughed at the idea MU would ever fill the BC or be relevant again. Some were advocating for us going back to the Arena. Crean embraced the challenge and proved him and many others wrong.

Politics aside, when it comes to sports (outside of maybe the Bucks), most 3rd graders I know have better and more informed takes than Belling.  If I had a dollar for every stupid thing Ive heard him say or read him saying about Marquette or college sports in general, I could have bought out Wojo myself.  And I don't even listen to him personally.

[GooooMarquette]

Travis and Scott Merritt in the first two games saved us from losses.

Totally agree. I would add clutch 3-point shooting by Novak and Chapman off the bench...especially Novak in overtime against Mizzou.

[The Equalizer]

Politics aside, when it comes to sports (outside of maybe the Bucks), most 3rd graders I know have better and more informed takes than Belling.  If I had a dollar for every stupid thing Ive heard him say or read him saying about Marquette or college sports in general, I could have bought out Wojo myself.  And I don't even listen to him personally.

To be fair, at the time--in the era of Mike "I think the NIT is more fun" Deane, and an average attendance of around 12K in a 19,000 seat facility, and the only sellouts coming when Wisconsin was the opponent, the notion of a new coach coming in with a goal of regularly filling the corners of the Bradley Center was laughable.

[Galway Eagle]

To be fair, at the time--in the era of Mike "I think the NIT is more fun" Deane, and an average attendance of around 12K in a 19,000 seat facility, and the only sellouts coming when Wisconsin was the opponent, the notion of a new coach coming in with a goal of regularly filling the corners of the Bradley Center was laughable.

Did he actually say that? Or is that a reference to his coaching?