95-63

[Goose]

First, I want to say that I am disappointed and exhausted with how the season ended. I, like many fans, enjoyed the highs of the season and suffered the low points over the past month. I want to thank Shaka and this team for pumping energy into my fandom and it made my winter. When I was kid I my Dad always said MU basketball was his winter therapy and for the first time as an adult I felt the same. I looked forward to every game and I still believe this is was the start of rebuilding the program that I want to see at MU.

That said, I jumped on the Shaka train from day one and I stated a year ago that he gets zero pass or a five year to judge his program. I feel more strongly on both fronts today. Shaka and the team surprised, and disappointed, everyone this season and I applaud that. Starting today the 95-63 loss has to become the turning point of the program and not the defining moment of this season. It is 100% on Shaka to get better players, be a better coach and win in March.

My bar for Shaka and the program rises a great deal today. There is no rebuilding grace periods in college basketball anymore, especially for highly paid, experienced head coach. It is time to move forward and get better and a lot better. I will remember this drubbing for a long time and Shaka better remember far harder than an over zealous middle aged guy in Elm Grove, Wi..

Lastly, my biggest disappointment is that I am afraid the cynical or casual fan is back to the starting gate for the Shaka era. A ton of excitement goodwill has been lost by a faction of the fan base. I might be proven 100% wrong down the road, but I believe this year was a start of something. I still believe this will be the poorest talent level team we will see and my expectations are high moving forward. While I am beyond disappointed at the moment, I believe the program is in great hands.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

First, I want to say that I am disappointed and exhausted with how the season ended. I, like many fans, enjoyed the highs of the season and suffered the low points over the past month. I want to thank Shaka and this team for pumping energy into my fandom and it made my winter. When I was kid I my Dad always said MU basketball was his winter therapy and for the first time as an adult I felt the same. I looked forward to every game and I still believe this is was the start of rebuilding the program that I want to see at MU.

That said, I jumped on the Shaka train from day one and I stated a year ago that he gets zero pass or a five year to judge his program. I feel more strongly on both fronts today. Shaka and the team surprised, and disappointed, everyone this season and I applaud that. Starting today the 95-63 loss has to become the turning point of the program and not the defining moment of this season. It is 100% on Shaka to get better players, be a better coach and win in March.

My bar for Shaka and the program rises a great deal today. There is no rebuilding grace periods in college basketball anymore, especially for highly paid, experienced head coach. It is time to move forward and get better and a lot better. I will remember this drubbing for a long time and Shaka better remember far harder than an over zealous middle aged guy in Elm Grove, Wi..

Lastly, my biggest disappointment is that I am afraid the cynical or casual fan is back to the starting gate for the Shaka era. A ton of excitement goodwill has been lost by a faction of the fan base. I might be proven 100% wrong down the road, but I believe this year was a start of something. I still believe this will be the poorest talent level team we will see and my expectations are high moving forward. While I am beyond disappointed at the moment, I believe the program is in great hands.

Good post, Goose.  We haven't always agreed on topics here and there but you're a great fan and have had an excellent perspective since the Shaka hiring.

Today's loss, especially the complete domination, sucked.  But we shouldn't lose perspective about what was expected and what was achieved.

And yes, is there was any doubt in regards to what kind of talent and coaching is required to win at this level, it should be an eye-opener to our returning players and a reminder to Shaka.

I'm still all-in on what he's going to do for this program in the coming years. 

[Hards Alumni]

First, I want to say that I am disappointed and exhausted with how the season ended. I, like many fans, enjoyed the highs of the season and suffered the low points over the past month. I want to thank Shaka and this team for pumping energy into my fandom and it made my winter. When I was kid I my Dad always said MU basketball was his winter therapy and for the first time as an adult I felt the same. I looked forward to every game and I still believe this is was the start of rebuilding the program that I want to see at MU.

That said, I jumped on the Shaka train from day one and I stated a year ago that he gets zero pass or a five year to judge his program. I feel more strongly on both fronts today. Shaka and the team surprised, and disappointed, everyone this season and I applaud that. Starting today the 95-63 loss has to become the turning point of the program and not the defining moment of this season. It is 100% on Shaka to get better players, be a better coach and win in March.

My bar for Shaka and the program rises a great deal today. There is no rebuilding grace periods in college basketball anymore, especially for highly paid, experienced head coach. It is time to move forward and get better and a lot better. I will remember this drubbing for a long time and Shaka better remember far harder than an over zealous middle aged guy in Elm Grove, Wi..

Lastly, my biggest disappointment is that I am afraid the cynical or casual fan is back to the starting gate for the Shaka era. A ton of excitement goodwill has been lost by a faction of the fan base. I might be proven 100% wrong down the road, but I believe this year was a start of something. I still believe this will be the poorest talent level team we will see and my expectations are high moving forward. While I am beyond disappointed at the moment, I believe the program is in great hands.

I share some of your optimism.

[Boozemon Barro]

Win or lose it's just fun to watch Marquette play.

[Silent Verbal]

I think Shaka will get three more years to win an NCAA game.  If he hasn’t done it by then, Marquette will move on.  I’m good with that timeline.

[MDMU04]

I sincerely hope that expectations from within the program are significantly higher than one NCAA win in 4 years.  You don't hire a guy like Shaka and pay him like they are for results like that.

[JakeBarnes]

Goose, I want to share your optimism. But I can't. Nothing in the past 8ish years has said any different than we will fail on the biggest stage.

I'm kinda done with MUBB for now. I shared the optimism with you at the start. I truly believed in a different result this year.

But there's something to be said about being embarrassed on a national stage. Tired of pretending to friends and family that it will somehow be not soul-crushingly bad. And it was somehow worse this year than Wojo years. I'm tapped out emotionally and financially from a Marquette basketball perspective. I genuinely have nothing

[MuggsyB]

First, I want to say that I am disappointed and exhausted with how the season ended. I, like many fans, enjoyed the highs of the season and suffered the low points over the past month. I want to thank Shaka and this team for pumping energy into my fandom and it made my winter. When I was kid I my Dad always said MU basketball was his winter therapy and for the first time as an adult I felt the same. I looked forward to every game and I still believe this is was the start of rebuilding the program that I want to see at MU.

That said, I jumped on the Shaka train from day one and I stated a year ago that he gets zero pass or a five year to judge his program. I feel more strongly on both fronts today. Shaka and the team surprised, and disappointed, everyone this season and I applaud that. Starting today the 95-63 loss has to become the turning point of the program and not the defining moment of this season. It is 100% on Shaka to get better players, be a better coach and win in March.

My bar for Shaka and the program rises a great deal today. There is no rebuilding grace periods in college basketball anymore, especially for highly paid, experienced head coach. It is time to move forward and get better and a lot better. I will remember this drubbing for a long time and Shaka better remember far harder than an over zealous middle aged guy in Elm Grove, Wi..

Lastly, my biggest disappointment is that I am afraid the cynical or casual fan is back to the starting gate for the Shaka era. A ton of excitement goodwill has been lost by a faction of the fan base. I might be proven 100% wrong down the road, but I believe this year was a start of something. I still believe this will be the poorest talent level team we will see and my expectations are high moving forward. While I am beyond disappointed at the moment, I believe the program is in great hands.

I'm really disappointed Goose.  It's not about losing, it's about how we lost games to close the season.  The tenacity and connectivity was just not there.  However, I agree that we will get back on track and increase our overall talent.  We will eventually turn the corner for sure.

[PointWarrior]

Goose - you know I love your perspective and I am a big Shaka fan. As a slight more than average fan, the Feb fade and blowout NCAA loss has wiped out this year from a casual fan perspective. Just too familiar to Wojo. 

The issue - they looked worse at the end of the year than the start of the year. 

Need a serious upgrade at PG and some bigs.  Can Shaka do that in the off-season or are we looking at a similar season next year? 

[4everwarriors]

Well said Goose. For me, it starts with an upgrade in talent. I am willing to be patient with Shaka. He came to MU late in last season's recruiting cycle. To me, the talent on this year's team, frankly, sucked. I have confidence that he will bring in the talent needed to be a major player in college hoops, going forward. If this season's result is the low water mark for MU, then we're goin' Uptown with Shaka, and not looking back, hey?

[Mu8891]

Point …
Good points ( lol )

How much of this can we take as MU fans ?  Shaka should be ashamed of that performance.  It was a total disgrace.

It was WOJO 2.0 .  A 32 point loss ??
Worst in team history. Worst ever in a
8/9 game ?? 

His “ lost in the fight “ stuff is a joke.
They threw in the towel about 8 mins into the game.  And .. this follows an AWFUL game in the BET.  Really sad.

[Goose]

Jake and Others,

First, Jake, I do not know you, but I enjoyed your enthusiasm level a great deal this year. You are the type of fan that Shaka and the program has to win over. I have watched a lot of MU ball, like many on here, and I am extremely disappointed with how the season concluded. That said, I believe we have a potentially program changing HC. I challenge those that love the program to try to not compare Shaka with previous HC's. Past performance late in the season is not on Shaka, this year is and no free pass. But I am not going to throw Shaka under the bus because of past failures.

I will remember 95-63 for a long time and that is o Shaka. Losing to Stanford, South Carolina or Kansas is not on Shaka. He was hired to win and he needs better player to win at the level I want them to win it. Time will tell if my excitement over the hiring was right or not, but I think this season was one I will remember. I said months ago I believed this team will be remembered for turning the corner and we will see it that is correct or not.

Again, guys like Jake and others on here, I hope you shake today off and look to the future. For the record, I want MU to win big for me pleasure, but more for the younger scoopers that have not seen a great program. Trust me I am selfish and want it a lot for me and I hope others keep the faith because I am still on the bandwagon.

[jesmu84]

I can accept a lack of talent on this roster and the subsequent disappointing results in the last 1/3 of the season. I can hope that improves.

But is there no concern that shaka may have some short-comings? Is it possible or likely that the disappointment in the last 1/3 is some on the talent and some on the coach?

[MU86NC]

That was  a disgraceful loss…. More than embarasesing… I don’t have words….

[WellsstreetWanderer]

A first year cobbled together team played a team of 4th yr. players who know their system . The outcome was inevitable but not the blowout. I saw some quit out there today but also some promise as some of the younger players took up the challenge. Not enough horses today , Oso might be a contributor in his fourth season but right now he is a project

[Goose]

jesmu

A lot goes on Shaka and he needs to get better. He runs the program the buck stops with him. He needs better players and has to continue to improve as coach. I will remember 95-63 until the program gives us a meaningful March run. Again, my expectations go up a great deal beginning today.

[manny31]

The thing that hurts the most for me was that we were trending in the right direction and then just crapped the bed for the last 1/3 of the season. Hard to be optimistic after today’s loss. I am still on board but today was a tough day to be an MU fan. Onward!

[Farley36]

I can’t understand how someone can be optimistic about the future after today’s loss.  This wasn’t merely about a less talented team being beat.  This was a disaster of epic proportions.   If this team showed heart, hustle, determination, fight, then you could be optimistic.  If this team played tough defense you could be optimistic.  This was the pinnacle of what they strived for all year and they were utterly incompetent, showed no heart, and  looked like a low level high school team.  There is nothing to be excited about.  I was a big Shaka fan but I just don’t see it after today.   I’m afraid we’re past the point where MU basketball can be saved.  It seems to be broken beyond fixing.  Frankly I can’t find it in me to care much anymore.  It’s continual mediocrity and disappointment.

[mileskishnish72]

First, I want to say that I am disappointed and exhausted with how the season ended. I, like many fans, enjoyed the highs of the season and suffered the low points over the past month. I want to thank Shaka and this team for pumping energy into my fandom and it made my winter. When I was kid I my Dad always said MU basketball was his winter therapy and for the first time as an adult I felt the same. I looked forward to every game and I still believe this is was the start of rebuilding the program that I want to see at MU

 I might be proven 100% wrong down the road, but I believe this year was a start of something. I still believe this will be the poorest talent level team we will see and my expectations are high moving forward. While I am beyond disappointed at the moment, I believe the program is in great hands.

Goose, I appreciate you comments. I have to say that I was very optimistic when Shaka was hired. The downside to that is at the time I thought Wojo was a good hire.

Like you, I don't know how I would get through a winter without Marquette Bball. Today's performance makes me want to change my allegiance , but I just can't. There have been many times when MU has broken my heart (going back to Rick Mount, the mf), but I just can't, I'm hooked. I love MU basketball, and I can't get over it.

Overall, I think Shaka did a fine job this year. All he had coming back was one starter, one role player, and one gangly kid who saw only spot minutes a year ago. To do what he did was  impressive, but the timing was suboptimal. Still, a positive season, but with a disappointing ending.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

I can’t understand how someone can be optimistic about the future after today’s loss.  This wasn’t merely about a less talented team being beat.  This was a disaster of epic proportions.   If this team showed heart, hustle, determination, fight, then you could be optimistic.  If this team played tough defense you could be optimistic.  This was the pinnacle of what they strived for all year and they were utterly incompetent, showed no heart, and  looked like a low level high school team.  There is nothing to be excited about.  I was a big Shaka fan but I just don’t see it after today.   I’m afraid we’re past the point where MU basketball can be saved.  It seems to be broken beyond fixing.  Frankly I can’t find it in me to care much anymore.  It’s continual mediocrity and disappointment.

[dgies9156]

I'm a diehard loyalist and I died hard today. I got caught up in work and by the time I got wind of the score, I didn't even turn the game on. To the say the least, I was aggravated.

Where there is some redemption is that this is a rebuilding year. Shaka started from Ground Zero with a team that had very few returning ballplayers. Our seniors were effectively one-and-dones and built out of another program. That we got to the NCAA was neat but, of course, we flunked the final exam.

Badly.

No doubt, Shaka knows what he has to do. I was amazed that any quality ballplayers took a chance on Shaka given he was in a new school with a new team and unknown pedigree. As people realize who and what he is AT MARQUETTE, we'll get there. I hope it's next year and I'm a happy Warrior at a regional. But I'm willing to stick with the guy.

Al's first year was awful. So was Crean's. Shaka's first year eclipsed them and, given that Buzz was playing with Crean's recruits and Hank Raymonds was playing with Al's guys, Shaka passed them all.

Out of the ashes of defeat comes the roots of victory. We'll get there!

[Farley36]

Lol, call me a clown all you want but everything I said is right on.   You just don’t want to see the truth.

[NCMUFan]

They kept UNC under a 100.  I heard some folks hoping for that.

[Boone]

Hope today was Shaka wake-up call. We have so many holes that won’t necessarily be filled by attrition or our marginally talented incumbents (i.e. Kolek and Oso) growing a year older. Recruiting class still a work in progress. Why we wasted valuable scholarship on guy like Gold, I’ll never know

[Johnny B]

Lol, call me a clown all you want but everything I said is right on.   You just don’t want to see the truth.

youre mostly right but to say ur done caring after a tourney season is clownish. go ahead and be done. cya next yr