Hard to maintain interest

[The Sultan]

Schools paying their players just started this July 1. A few G-League players are now returning to play "college" ball. In a few years Zog may be right about schools who advertise their "G-League" team. Time will tell if this is how college athletics will look. I am not so sure Marquette will be able to financially compete with the larger alumni base schools which is why the emphasis is on retention. So, I am not sure what Zog posted was odd, other than if we were winning he would be fine with a Marquette G-League team.

What's odd is that player compensation has anything to do with one's interest as a fan.

[hawk]

I think this is a truly sad group of people.  I have been an MU fan since 1966 and I've seen worse teams than this.  For my part I thought the team would be someting like 8 and 3 in nonconference and maybe 12 and 8 in conference.  I'm fairly certain that this team will finish well short of those numbers.  It is upsettiong that Gold has not stepped up to be a 14 and 7 kind of guy and that Hamilton is not a monster on the baseline or that Parham has not settled in yet, all that said the teams T rank is 65  and not abyssmal.  My take on this is that this is a real young team and is still trying to find the connectivity of more recent teams, give them some time.  The big east is a mess, it is entirely possible that MU could woin 10 games in conference and make the NIT field.  The people who think that winning a national chamionship is or should be the goal I would suggest getting a life.  Winning is hard and the fact that the last four years have been successful and entertaining should not be dismissed.  This team could yet pull itsef together and have some success but even if that is not the case,  next year looks like the potential begining of another 4 or 5 year run.  It is the job of the fan to believe in the team and certainly, the burden of RGV while distastful, is no reason to jup ship.  Shaka has earned some consideration for past performance.  Be fans, hope for the best and look for a turn of fate next season, afer all it is still only a game and if you really want to worry about something look at your government.

[Billy Hoyle]

I remember catching a Rio Grande Valley Vipers game long ago when visiting my snowbird parents.  Jerel McNeal was playing.

my buddy coached at UT-RGV (go Vaqueros). While he wanted out of there every day he said the city had the best Tex-Mex food he's ever had.

[Shooter McGavin]

I like it Hawk.  Good post.  They won't be losing my support anytime soon.  I agree the fans need to wait this out without being asses about it.  Have to let this play out a little more and see what leaders step up and take control.  They have to know three wins were left on the table.  At some point Gold may say WTF and play without fear of making a mistake.  At some point Stevens or Parham will say WTF and fill a leadership void.  Maybe Owens will come out of his coma.  They need one or two more players to join James and Ross and this could be a mid tier Big East team.  That IMO would be the arrow pointing up and would be an encouraging sign going into next year.

[Billy Hoyle]

I agree that the RGV stuff is awful...

It was annoying and eye roll inducing before, but given that lack of Vs it really needs to go. But it won't. Shaka
and MU ( Broeker and Kimo ) are WAY too invested in it 

ya think? 61 different products for sale at the Spirit Shop with the RGV brand on it:

https://spiritshop.marquette.edu/rgv/

I've said it before, I'm afraid RGV is going to be come what "our academic standards are too high" has been to schools like Bucky in the 80s, Northwestern, etc.

I do appreciate that we have a roster of guys who are making a commitment to MU as an institution but we act like we're the only school doing this and everyone else has complete roster turnover every year.

[Class71]

"It not hard" to imagine more than 6 BE wins. Also, I assure you we will
not be 4-6 heading into conference play. Sounds like you probably don't really watch much ever, hey??

How about 5-6? Will we do better than that?

[BCHoopster]

Remember, schools get 20.5M a year to pay athletes and MU does not have football so that should help you think?

[DoctorV]

How about 5-6? Will we do better than that?

If they beat Wisconsin they will.

I'd be pretty surprised if that game wasn't competitive.

Unfortunately, even 6-5 in the OOC is so rough that the team would need 15-5 type of record in the BE, with a win versus UConn/StJ to have at large hopes.

[NCMUFan]

Funny having this conversation.
RGV wouldn't have held for Crean, Buzz, Wojo.
Now Ws and Ls aren't important, but RGV is?

[MarquetteMike1977]

When the team is losing, stuff like "Get Lost in the Fight" sounds like something a two-bit inspirational speaker would say at an insurance convention in Sioux Falls.

Agree and they are lost somewhere alright but maybe not in the fight. It is like they are fighting with 2 hands behind their backs with no transfers.

[MuggsyB]

I think this is a truly sad group of people.  I have been an MU fan since 1966 and I've seen worse teams than this.  For my part I thought the team would be someting like 8 and 3 in nonconference and maybe 12 and 8 in conference.  I'm fairly certain that this team will finish well short of those numbers.  It is upsettiong that Gold has not stepped up to be a 14 and 7 kind of guy and that Hamilton is not a monster on the baseline or that Parham has not settled in yet, all that said the teams T rank is 65  and not abyssmal.  My take on this is that this is a real young team and is still trying to find the connectivity of more recent teams, give them some time.  The big east is a mess, it is entirely possible that MU could woin 10 games in conference and make the NIT field.  The people who think that winning a national chamionship is or should be the goal I would suggest getting a life.  Winning is hard and the fact that the last four years have been successful and entertaining should not be dismissed.  This team could yet pull itsef together and have some success but even if that is not the case,  next year looks like the potential begining of another 4 or 5 year run.  It is the job of the fan to believe in the team and certainly, the burden of RGV while distastful, is no reason to jup ship.  Shaka has earned some consideration for past performance.  Be fans, hope for the best and look for a turn of fate next season, afer all it is still only a game and if you really want to worry about something look at your government.

Thank you for your thoughts, Hawk.  People should not give up and no longer be fans of this team or MU basketball.  Now, there are a plethora of concerns, and many fans here have shared them quite extensively.  There is a lot of merit with what I'm reading from everyone and the anger, frustration, and mostly depression jumps off the scoop site like a kangaroo. 

I'm in the camp that things are pretty dire, but I will give Shaka the benefit of the doubt at this moment. Especially after several very good seasons.  At the same time, I don't think his model is going to work moving forward and therefore he has to adapt and change his thinking.  As others have stated, when you whiff on a recruit or many recruits, it's a monumental problem if you don't take transfers.  This is indisputable. 
I think fans are pissed, and depressed, because realistically we haven't seen anything to suggest we have much potential at all to beat quality teams. 

[Billy Hoyle]

Remember, schools get 20.5M a year to pay athletes and MU does not have football so that should help you think?

No, they can spend up to $20.5 million in revenue share, but outside of the Power 4 conferences schools aren't making that kind of revenue.

MU should have a over $5 million to distribute but as a private school we'll never know how much exactly. VCU is doing $4 to $5 million.

Press Box: VCU men's basketball players are set to make six figures The Commonwealth Times https://share.google/eYpKt5FU2aMOy1X5P

[Newsdreams]

If MU had lost to 3 top 25 teams (as opposed to 4 unaranked ones) maybe you could make the case that we are comparable to St. Johns.

Extremely lost

[WhiteTrash]

No, they can spend up to $20.5 million in revenue share, but outside of the Power 4 conferences schools aren't making that kind of revenue.

MU should have a over $5 million to distribute but as a private school we'll never know how much exactly. VCU is doing $4 to $5 million.

Press Box: VCU men's basketball players are set to make six figures The Commonwealth Times https://share.google/eYpKt5FU2aMOy1X5P

Keep in mind the new TV deal for the BE is on par with the BB portion of the P4 TV deals. It is 4X + A10 money.

[BCHoopster]

MU is spending 6 this year

[YoungMUFan4]

MU is spending 6 this year

Yikes

[Zog from Margo]

What's odd is that player compensation has anything to do with one's interest as a fan.

When players play for a paycheck instead of a school, it's not the same game to me.

When you see that UK has a roster receiving over $20 million (https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/mens-basketball/2025/10/16/kentucky-wildcats-basketball-roster-cost-20-million/86732570007/), what is your expectation for MU? Shouldn't one's expectations be commensurate with the team's payroll?

[K1 Lover]

ya think? 61 different products for sale at the Spirit Shop with the RGV brand on it:

https://spiritshop.marquette.edu/rgv/

I've said it before, I'm afraid RGV is going to be come what "our academic standards are too high" has been to schools like Bucky in the 80s, Northwestern, etc.

I do appreciate that we have a roster of guys who are making a commitment to MU as an institution but we act like we're the only school doing this and everyone else has complete roster turnover every year.

Holy sh*t. I didn't realize this was how far it's gone. Does anyone actually buy this stuff?

Tees and shot glasses are one thing. But a $105 dress shirt with a giant RGV logo might be one of the most hilariously unserious things I've ever seen them sell.

[Pakuni]

When players play for a paycheck instead of a school, it's not the same game to me.

When you see that UK has a roster receiving over $20 million (https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/mens-basketball/2025/10/16/kentucky-wildcats-basketball-roster-cost-20-million/86732570007/), what is your expectation for MU? Shouldn't one's expectations be commensurate with the team's payroll?

When has Marquette basketball ever been on an even footing with Kentucky?

[Norm]

Holy sh*t. I didn't realize this was how far it's gone. Does anyone actually buy this stuff?

Tees and shot glasses are one thing. But a $105 dress shirt with a giant RGV logo might be one of the most hilariously unserious things I've ever seen them sell.

This is like all the "Row the Boat" stuff that Univ of Minnesota sells using PJ Fleck's motto.