I'm Crushed

[HowardsWorld]

To those of you who interact with me on here I am a die-hard Marquette fan. My passion for Marquette basketball started in 2003 the year Marquette made the Final four.

I attended the Marquette basketball camps ran by Tom Crean. They were awesome week filled drills, games and practices with the players. I got to play against Steve Novak and actually beat him with a turnaround jump shot. Although the game was just to 1 it was one of the better moments in my time. I got to interact with Robert Jackson, Townsend and Diener as well. Interacting with the players is one of the coolest memories and why I fell in love with Marquette Basketball.

Moving forward to going to games. One of my better friends in grade school was a bigger fan than I was because his dad was an Alum with season tickets. I couldn't afford to go to the games but one Saturday in 2002 in the non-conference schedule I was able to go to the game with him and the blimp that used to fly around the Bradley Center dropped tickets around the inner lower bowl during warmups. I was able to get tickets for the following Saturday and ironically was able to get more from the blimp to go to the following Saturday. The matchups were not great, I believe it was some teams along the lines of Coppin State, Elon and Grambling. Nothing major but it was spending quality time with my then 13 yr old friend.

Fast forward through our good years with Buzz we get to Wojo and my passion for this team begins to slowly die. It's not that I didn't like him as a coach, he could recruit with the best of them but imo he could not actually coach, make adjustments or direct a team the way they needed to be, IE Markus Howard situation. Long story short, the past 9 years for MU basketball has been downright painful to be a part of. We have toughed it out because of our passion for this team.

Coming to the game yesterday, the reason I am crushed is that I wanted that win to be the #1 team just as much as the team, city and follow members of this board wanted it. It's been so long since I feel we have been relevant and we are there do not get me wrong, we are there. I just wanted it so bad for the team to be #1 and we had it in the palm of our hands. Despite the fact that we should be top 3 still after beating Kansas, it just feels wrong that we came up short. We should fear nobody moving forward, and I am so excited about the future of this team. A final four appearance wipes yesterday's game out of my mind.

[MU82]

Yesterday's game was just a mileage marker in a long journey that will lead to a great destination.

I was disappointed for a bit, sure. But then, keeping with the theme of today, thankful we have such a talented, entertaining, successful team to follow.

Long season, with many exhilarating moments to come!

We Are Marquette!

[tower912]

MU played a very good team with rhe retuning NPOY on a neutral floor in November.  They lost a one possession game.   

Today, I am thankful.

[Goose]

Howards

I wanted to see MU #1 very badly this coming Monday and disappointed it will not happen. That said, there is no anyone that watches college basketball that does not know MU is a legit NC contender. I received texts from many non MU fans over the past two days that could not say enough about the team.

Trust me, I wanted to see #1 in a very way, but for the first time in my adult life I know they can win a NC this year. Give me #1 in 4+ months and we will be happy fanbase.

[The Sultan]

Y'all not supposed to drink the cooking wine ya know.

[BLWarrior91]

For Thanksgiving I am thankful that only three years ago we were being coached into irrelevance by Wojo and now have Shaka and we were four points away from being the number one team in the country.    It is remarkable how quickly this happened.  The best is yet to come!

[Scoop Snoop]

Howards

I wanted to see MU #1 very badly this coming Monday and disappointed it will not happen. That said, there is no anyone that watches college basketball that does not know MU is a legit NC contender. I received texts from many non MU fans over the past two days that could not say enough about the team.

Trust me, I wanted to see #1 in a very way, but for the first time in my adult life I know they can win a NC this year. Give me #1 in 4+ months and we will be happy fanbase.

We missed a great opportunity to be a shoo-in for the #1 ranking, but that does not mean there will not be another opportunity this season. Purdue is not invincible.

Like many others, I first focused on the miracle 75' 3 as the reason we did not go into overtime, but any one of our errors/miscues/blown shots could be presented as the reason(s). There was nothing we could do about the 75" shot, but there were many things we could have done better. I am going to focus instead on the gutsy, never-say-die attitude of our team in nearly pulling a win out of that game. Contrast that with Kansas in the late second half. 

[Goose]

Snoop

Two things, #1 there was no time prior to the final 7 seconds that I did not think MU could or would win. #2 there is not a coach in the country sitting around thinking that they want to play because they are good matchup for them.
This team is build for the long haul and no one wants to play MU. Sure, teams and fans might have MU game circled on the calendar, but it will end in disappointment for them. I have circled a lot of games over the past 45 years and a lot more disappointment than celebration. That ends this year.

[Scoop Snoop]

Snoop

Two things, #1 there was no time prior to the final 7 seconds that I did not think MU could or would win. #2 there is not a coach in the country sitting around thinking that they want to play because they are good matchup for them.
This team is build for the long haul and no one wants to play MU. Sure, teams and fans might have MU game circled on the calendar, but it will end in disappointment for them. I have circled a lot of games over the past 45 years and a lot more disappointment than celebration. That ends this year.

Oh, I was expecting a 3 to tie in the final 7 seconds. I just think that blaming the loss on one incredibly lucky shot is not being honest, although technically it is true (if that makes any sense). I prefer to focus on the positives in the aftermath- that was one Hell of a comeback against a team with a tree. We ARE the best team in the country, but the best team does not always win. Our chances of a natty are very high.

[rgoode57]

I take great pride in their second half comeback. Other teams would have just played the game out and lost by 20. But not these guys.

[Goose]

Snoop

I thought they would foul before getting off the three but was still hopeful. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

[JakeBarnes]

While #1 is nice, I am quite happy with the amount of attention Marquette is getting. It's been a long while, but Shaka has gotten us squarely in the national conversation.

Heck, my friends of other (big ten) teams are now following Marquette as much as I do. They love Shaka, they love the style of play, one is happy we took it out on Bill Self. Lots of people are locked in on this team.

[BCHoopster]

More importantly, recruits should love to play for Shaka, great style of play, fun team now and the future is very bright!

[Goose]

BC

Spot on. You would have to be a Badger fan to not appreciate the style of play, the fun atmosphere and having Shaka as a coach.

[RubyWiscy]

As Shaka keeps saying in the press conferences: It is only November. Many, many good things to come from this team. The season has barely started.

[Dr. Blackheart]

[MU82]

I take great pride in their second half comeback. Other teams would have just played the game out and lost by 20. But not these guys.

What other teams?

I also am happy with the way our guys rallied ... but, respectfully, most teams would have at least tried to rally; they wouldn't have "just played the game out" down 12 with an entire half to go.

[warriorchick]

Howard, we will be fine.  No team is going to get through this season undefeated.  Would I rather they won?  Of course.  But we proved this week that we can beat any team in the country. 

We had doubters last week.  Not now.  To me, that is the most important thing that happened during the tournament.

[JakeBarnes]

Howard, we will be fine.  No team is going to get through this season undefeated.  Would I rather they won?  Of course.  But we proved this week that we can beat any team in the country. 

We had doubters last week.  Not now.  To me, that is the most important thing that happened during the tournament.

100% agree.

[bilsu]

Number 1 Monday would have been nice. I rather be number 1 after the championship game. As long as we do not get in the same bracket with Purdue, I think we have a very good chance to make final 4.

[mugrad_89]

Number 1 Monday would have been nice. I rather be number 1 after the championship game. As long as we do not get in the same bracket with Purdue, I think we have a very good chance to make final 4.

We are better than Purdue - they got pretty much every break yesterday and still only won by three.  We can play with anyone.

[MU82]

Number 1 Monday would have been nice. I rather be number 1 after the championship game. As long as we do not get in the same bracket with Purdue, I think we have a very good chance to make final 4.

I think we'll both be #1 seeds, so we won't be in the same bracket. But if one of us ends up a 2 or 3, I'd be just as happy to have them in our bracket as any other Elite 8 team.

I mean, you watched that game, with us having numerous chances to tie or take the lead down the stretch and came away with: "Nope, they're impossible to beat"? I mean, Fairleigh Effen Dickinson didn't find 'em impossible to beat!

[PointWarrior]

Goose - even some of my die hard Badgers fans are turning.  They love Shaka and style of play / recruits he gets.   They are getting tired of watching paint dry and mediocre seasons in Madison. 

BC

Spot on. You would have to be a Badger fan to not appreciate the style of play, the fun atmosphere and having Shaka as a coach.

[Lennys Tap]

Yesterday's game was just a mileage marker in a long journey that will lead to a great destination.

Poetry, Mike. 100%.

[MuggsyB]

I'm still a little crushed. We have to get the three ball rolling.