What would make you show Shaka the door in March?

[Hards Alumni]

The Otz talk is the same reason Campbell left, NIL and Rev Share resources.  Iowa State is having major issues with it right now.  Otz was ready to leave due to it last offseason.

I'm not saying Otz would come home, but he has the Milwaukee connections so it makes sense.  And he'd have more resources here to work with.  He would be the first call.

TJO would have his bags packed Friday night if offered the Marquette job Friday afternoon.

[Hards Alumni]

Not taking transfers would be one way.

I see you're picking up what I'm putting down.

[MU82]

Yep, no doubt MU fans should have the same expectations as those fans at Kentucky, UNC, or Kansas. 

So you think at non-blueblood schools like MU, that "the program and university" are what make it a winner, and NOT who the head coach of the university and program are?  Why could Buzz Williams turnaround a Virginia Tech program that was floundering?  Why is St. John's good again? Why couldn't Wojo win an NCAA tournament game in 7 years at MU?

This isn't about arrogance, its about leverage.  Both parties, in the case of MU, have leverage due to MU generally spending a lot on basketball, and having a large fanbase - and Shaka has the leverage of MU struggling as a program for 10 years prior to his arrival.

My view is simply that Shaka has more leverage.  Should MU can him if he has another bad season next year, I suspect there is more downside risk on the MU side of not getting a better coach.

You're the one who thinks Shaka could leave Marquette after two disastrous seasons (if next season is similar to this one) and hand-pick the next job that he wants, even with a blueblood.

Like most Scoopers, I really like Shaka. Like most Scoopers, I want it to work out fantastically for him at Marquette. But like most Scoopers, I believe he has to produce. He has had some great past accomplishments here, and I loved them, and I traveled great distances to experience many of them in person, and I appreciate them to this day.

In investing, what a stock did over the last year, 3 years, 5 years is swell, but it's all about what you think the stock will do over the next year, 3 years, 5 years. Same with college coaching.

I had high hopes for the recruit-develop-retain philosophy, and I was really rooting for it to succeed. But we now see it cannot succeed at Marquette with the caliber of athlete that the coach has been able to bring in. If he can't or won't realize that and make the necessary changes, as much as the vast majority of Scoopers like him and despite his past accomplishments, he has to go. That's College Coaching 101, from bluebloods all the way down to MAAC schools.

And if it came down to it, Marquette obviously could find a coach who does as well as or better than what Shaka has done at our alma mater. The two coaches we had from 1999-2014 combined for one Final Four, one Elite Eight, two Sweet Sixteens, nine NCAA tournament appearances, and two conference titles. There's every reason to believe that the person or people who coach Marquette from, say, 2027-2042 - whoever he or they might be, including Shaka - could do similar. Especially since it's much easier today to build a winner quickly than it was in 1999.

[MuggsyB]

Yep, no doubt MU fans should have the same expectations as those fans at Kentucky, UNC, or Kansas. 

So you think at non-blueblood schools like MU, that "the program and university" are what make it a winner, and NOT who the head coach of the university and program are?  Why could Buzz Williams turnaround a Virginia Tech program that was floundering?  Why is St. John's good again? Why couldn't Wojo win an NCAA tournament game in 7 years at MU?

This isn't about arrogance, its about leverage.  Both parties, in the case of MU, have leverage due to MU generally spending a lot on basketball, and having a large fanbase - and Shaka has the leverage of MU struggling as a program for 10 years prior to his arrival.

My view is simply that Shaka has more leverage.  Should MU can him if he has another bad season next year, I suspect there is more downside risk on the MU side of not getting a better coach.

Elon,

This isn't your average bad season.  It's not a lot of fun as a fan to know that your season is over at the end of Thanksgiving weekend.  If we are a total non-factor next year, there is a zero percent chance Shaka is here in '27-28.  We literally can't be worse this year, especially with our pedigree.  Again, no one would be this depressed/upset if we were in the mix for an NIT berth.  This situation is entirely different and it just can't happen.  Regardless of our last 3 years of success. 

[JTJ3]

TJO would have his bags packed Friday night if offered the Marquette job Friday afternoon.

I'm not that confident, but he would definitely pick up our call.  I have no doubts about that.

[WhiteTrash]

Elon,

This isn't your average bad season.  It's not a lot of fun as a fan to know that your season is over at the end of Thanksgiving weekend.  If we are a total non-factor next year, there is a zero percent chance Shaka is here in '27-28.  We literally can't be worse this year, especially with our pedigree.  Again, no one would be this depressed/upset if we were in the mix for an NIT berth.  This situation is entirely different and it just can't happen.  Regardless of our last 3 years of success.

It is becoming obvious that Elon is primarily just trying to push people's buttons.

Shaka has no idea or interest in the average fan's opinions. You don't become a P5 coach by reading message boards or listening to sports radio, maybe at all.

Shaka and the players all know this is results based professional sports. The concept that they are all oblivious to jobs being at risk is laughable. And, Shaka and his agent are 10X more aware of what this season is doing to his marketability than we do.

IMHO, I'd be shocked if Shaka doesn't change his strategy and is back to winning at MU.

[tower912]

It is becoming obvious that Elon is primarily just trying to push people's buttons.

Shaka has no idea or interest in the average fan's opinions. You don't become a P5 coach by reading message boards or listening to sports radio, maybe at all.

Shaka and the players all know this is results based professional sports. The concept that they are all oblivious to jobs being at risk is laughable. And, Shaka and his agent are 10X more aware of what this season is doing to his marketability than we do.

IMHO, I'd be shocked if Shaka doesn't change his strategy and is back to winning at MU.

That is probably why he said he wishes his players would all throw their phones in the lake.

[MuggsyB]

It is becoming obvious that Elon is primarily just trying to push people's buttons.

Shaka has no idea or interest in the average fan's opinions. You don't become a P5 coach by reading message boards or listening to sports radio, maybe at all.

Shaka and the players all know this is results based professional sports. The concept that they are all oblivious to jobs being at risk is laughable. And, Shaka and his agent are 10X more aware of what this season is doing to his marketability than we do.

IMHO, I'd be shocked if Shaka doesn't change his strategy and is back to winning at MU.

I generally agree.  But I think we clearly need a major roster upgrade, which includes immediate impact portal guys.  I have no doubt Shaka will alter his strategy, but it would mean a bunch of guys essentially being dismissed.  This is the part that could be tricky. 

We can build around Nigel and Adrien.  I'd like to see them play heavy mins with few restrictions.  After that I like Phillips' J and perhaps Owens can turn the corner.  Royce is a total enigma to me.  I think we have to see how he progresses the rest of the year.  The tiny bit of good news is we have ZERO pressure on us to win games now.  I would probably play Clark a lot more as well.  We have Gargantuan/Mammoth probs right now.  But we all know things can change quickly with added ballers/pieces. 

[WhiteTrash]

I generally agree.  But I think we clearly need a major roster upgrade, which includes immediate impact portal guys.  I have no doubt Shaka will alter his strategy, but it would mean a bunch of guys essentially being dismissed.  This is the part that could be tricky. 

We can build around Nigel and Adrien.  I'd like to see them play heavy mins with few restrictions.  After that I like Phillips' J and perhaps Owens can turn the corner.  Royce is a total enigma to me.  I think we have to see how he progresses the rest of the year.  The tiny bit of good news is we have ZERO pressure on us to win games now.  I would probably play Clark a lot more as well.  We have Gargantuan/Mammoth probs right now.  But we all know things can change quickly with added ballers/pieces.

I agree the roster needs a major upgrade, so I think the most encouraging sign Shaka is back in the game will be his success in retaining the best young players. I think it will be a real test of his recruiting chops.