Brian Hamilton / The Athletic Article on MU

[Uncle Rico]

People that don't think any of Wojo's guys were tough are showing their backsides. 

[StillAWarrior]

People that don't think any of Wojo's guys were tough are showing their backsides.

I definitely would not say that Wojo didn't have any tough players. He did. The points made about Markus up-thread are true. And certainly there were others. But I don't think his teams had the reputation of being tough teams.

[MU82]

82

Give me Buzz success, Buzz quality players and entertainment value and I will sign up today.

Me too, Goose, me too.

I got a kick out of Al supposedly being a low-drama coach. He was big on drama ... and if he coached in the social media era, he would have been the ultimate high-drama coach.

If you win, all that ends up being OK.

Every Marquette coach since I've been a fan (mid-70s) has had plenty of tough players. I especially like what MUfan12 said about Markus, who basically got the shyte kicked out of him most days and never backed down, and what a few Scoopers have said about Wes.

But we're talking more about culture here, and there's little doubt that's what Buzz preached and, seemingly, what Shaka is preaching.

I am very much looking forward to seeing if Shaka can deliver. I think he will, but until we see a successful span of multiple years -- as we did with Al, Buzz and to a point Crean -- we can't be 100% certain.

[Dr. Blackheart]

People that don't think any of Wojo's guys were tough are showing their backsides.

Wojo played a finesse system. It's doesn't mean his players didn't play hard. Theo was tough. Katin shot the ball.

[Silkk the Shaka]

You're absolutely right, and Wes remains one of my favorite Marquette players. Admittedly, I was focusing more on Buzz's players, but Wes was definitely a warrior and tough as nails.

As were 'rel, 'nique, & 'zar, and the Cubillionaire

[panda]

Wojo played a finesse system. It's doesn't mean his players didn't play hard. Theo was tough. Katin shot the ball.

There were some tough players but man did his teams play soft.

[NCMUFan]

All the speculation ends November 9.
It will be interesting to see what Shaka delivers and if it is what the fans want.

[Jay Bee]

All the speculation ends November 9.
It will be interesting to see what Shaka delivers and if it is what the fans want.

November 9, 2026.

[avid1010]

Wojo played a finesse system. It's doesn't mean his players didn't play hard. Theo was tough. Katin shot the ball.

Theo was a dog...no one said they didn't play hard...but they weren't dogs.  Someone mentioned Howard.  No doubt he was in great shape and took a beating...he didn't have the same mentality as Diener. 

[Hards Alumni]

Theo was a dog...no one said they didn't play hard...but they weren't dogs.  Someone mentioned Howard.  No doubt he was in great shape and took a beating...he didn't have the same mentality as Diener.

babahahahhahahahhahahahahh

[Newsdreams]

November 9, 2026.

5 years, hey

[Viper]

Without the drama? Al tried to leave for the Bucks and publicly called out the president of the university. He punched a player in the locker room.

Bernard Toone, I think?  awesome!! And every game SRO!

[Newsdreams]

You're all soft

[The Lens]

Wojo; tough players, soft system.

Any MU coach would want Sam, Sacar, Theo & Markus, among others.

As for Mike Deane, like all MU coaches, he had some hits:

Wardle, Lovette, Cordell.  Plus role players like Bargen, Job Harris & Oloumna. And of course the Garbage Time Superstar: John Cliff.   

Mike just didn't have enough.  If anything Mike gave us our floor; 100 wins in 5 years. 

Also he gave us Turners.  We can never thank him enough for that.  And he closed down the Fieldhouse in epic fashion. 

[avid1010]

babahahahhahahahhahahahahh

Solid

[The Sultan]

Theo was a dog...no one said they didn't play hard...but they weren't dogs.  Someone mentioned Howard.  No doubt he was in great shape and took a beating...he didn't have the same mentality as Diener. 

I think that's kinda ridiculous.  What exactly determines a dog "mentality?"  That he hustles, jumps on the floor and screams a lot?

[MUfan12]

I think that's kinda ridiculous.  What exactly determines a dog "mentality?"  That he hustles, jumps on the floor and screams a lot?

No kidding. So Travis was a bit more demonstrative?

[Silkk the Shaka]

Travis was, is, and always will be a killer. When the moment gets big, his mind becomes even more clear & focused on the winning objective. He's a savant in that way. No knock on Markus, but neither he nor many other PGs have that killer trait that Travis has.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

As for Mike Deane, like all MU coaches, he had some hits:

Wardle, Lovette, Cordell.  Plus role players like Bargen, Job Harris & Oloumna. And of course the Garbage Time Superstar: John Cliff.   

A whale of a player.

[The Sultan]

Travis was, is, and always will be a killer. When the moment gets big, his mind becomes even more clear & focused on the winning objective. He's a savant in that way. No knock on Markus, but neither he nor many other PGs have that killer trait that Travis has.

I'm going to be honest, I have no idea what you are talking about.  I love Travis, but his last two years at MU were thoroughly mediocre.  He was great, but there wasn't much killer or winning objective to be had.

This sounds like a legend that grows over time and not actually reality.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I'm going to be honest, I have no idea what you are talking about.  I love Travis, but his last two years at MU were thoroughly mediocre.  He was great, but there wasn't much killer or winning objective to be had.

This sounds like a legend that grows over time and not actually reality.

I do have to give Diener credits for his TBT game winners.

[1318WWells]

I do have to give Diener credits for his TBT game winners.

Holy Cross was ALL Diener

[The Sultan]

Holy Cross was ALL Diener

Well sure.  There were games where he was fantastic.  There were also a lot of game where Markus was fantastic.

It's just this "Diener was a killer, attack dog but Markus wasn't" doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

[Galway Eagle]

I'm going to be honest, I have no idea what you are talking about.  I love Travis, but his last two years at MU were thoroughly mediocre.  He was great, but there wasn't much killer or winning objective to be had.

This sounds like a legend that grows over time and not actually reality.

Didn't he lead us to like a ridiculous record in 04 or 05 before injuring his knee?

[The Sultan]

Didn't he lead us to like a ridiculous record in 04 or 05 before injuring his knee?

They were 18-8 and about .500 in conference when he was injured.