A question for the Scoop elders

[WhiteTrash]

This is just so odd with a good head coach and proven track record.

Agreed.  I don't have any inside info, but I'm really getting a vibe that there is something much bigger going on that is causing this

I can't believe that 1. Shaka has lost his ability to coach, 2. These players don't have even mid-major level of skill and/or 3. That the coaches and players dislike and distrust each so much that they can't work together.

Purely a guess,  but I think Shaka is leaving by his choice.

[ATL MU Warrior]

This is Dukiet part 2. It is a Dukiet Do Over. Only thing different is that the talent .right now is allegedly better.
I used to send letters to the AD back then, and one day I actually got a responding letter saying a change had been made.
This is easily the worst team since then, although in fairness, the competition is significantly better now.
MU has devolved into a low major and is now becoming a cupcake on opponents schedule. There is no question about that

I would give just about anything to see one of these letters.

[muwarrior69]

Living here on the East Coast Marquette Basketball during the 80s and 90s was a black hole as there was little TV or even print coverage of the team. So I only got to see them when they were playing well.

I was a Senior in HS for Al's worst year. I was a casual fan of college basketball at the time and followed Bill Bradly at Princeton. MU was really trying to generate interest in the team so they offered incoming freshman 8 dollar/reserved seat season tickets grand fathered in for each season. We know Al's history. The team got progressively better each season, though our title team was not his best but they won a title.

Even the first 4 years Shaka's team always faded at the end of the season and regressed instead of progressing. Yes, this is the worst team I have ever seen them play so far. I also get the Buzz final year vibe though I could be wrong as it is not only Shaka but the Administration dug in on RGV. Should be an interesting April Fool's Day. I don't think they know how to approach this new landscape of college basketball.

[HutchwasClutch]

Living here on the East Coast Marquette Basketball during the 80s and 90s was a black hole as there was little TV or even print coverage of the team. So I only got to see them when they were playing well.

I was a Senior in HS for Al's worst year. I was a casual fan of college basketball at the time and followed Bill Bradly at Princeton. MU was really trying to generate interest in the team so they offered incoming freshman 8 dollar/reserved seat season tickets grand fathered in for each season. We know Al's history. The team got progressively better each season, though our title team was not his best but they won a title.

Even the first 4 years Shaka's team always faded at the end of the season and regressed instead of progressing. Yes, this is the worst team I have ever seen them play so far. I also get the Buzz final year vibe though I could be wrong as it is not only Shaka but the Administration dug in on RGV. Should be an interesting April Fool's Day. I don't think they know how to approach this new landscape of college basketball.

Well they're the only ones then.  This is pretty easy to see the model needed. 

[Richie]

Is this the worst MU team in our history?  I've heard nightmares about Dukiet. 

I lived the last three years of Dukiet, graduated 1989. This is bad, but this team has talent and hope. Therefore, not as bad as Dukiet, in my view.

[Billy Hoyle]

I've only been affiliated with MU since 1994, so this is by far the worst team in my fandom. What makes it worse is that this wasn't expected. In Deane's last year, we all knew the program was slipping and we didn't have the level of talent to compete for the tourney.  Nobody was pumping up the recruiting rankings and pro potential of John Cliff, John Mueller, Greg Clausen, and Bart Miller. This was not what we were sold by Shaka, Broeker, or President Kimo.

[PointWarrior]

Dukiet years were my college years.  That was miserable.  What makes this worse is that it appears Shaka has talent but refuses to have coherent rotations or an offense that takes advantage of the talent they have. 

I lived the last three years of Dukiet, graduated 1989. This is bad, but this team has talent and hope. Therefore, not as bad as Dukiet, in my view.

[HutchwasClutch]

I lived the last three years of Dukiet, graduated 1989. This is bad, but this team has talent and hope. Therefore, not as bad as Dukiet, in my view.

The last three years of Dukiet were his only three at MU. 

A little hard to compare this year and Dukiet's final team.  We were still an independent, started MCC play in 89-90, O'Neill's first season.  So apples and oranges the competition then and now. 

I wouldn't rate this team quite as bad as Dukiet's 88-89 team.  Other than Tony Smith, cupboard was really bare.  There were no good freshmen and Trevor Powell out of Milwaukee Washington HS was the only sophomore who was anything. 

[Richie]

The last three years of Dukiet were his only three at MU. 

. 
 I am aware, I was there for all of it. Rick's last year was our first

[HutchwasClutch]

The last three years of Dukiet were his only three at MU. 

. 
 I am aware, I was there for all of it. Rick's last year was our first

I didn't intend to be nitpicking your post.  The way it was worded gives the impression to those not around then his tenure at MU was longer than 3 years. 

[Warrior of Law]

Pat Foley, Mark Anglavar, Trevor Powell and Tony Smith are all better than any of current team members with the only exception is Nigel James.

[WhiteTrash]

Pat Foley, Mark Anglavar, Trevor Powell and Tony Smith are all better than any of current team members with the only exception is Nigel James.
[/quote

Pat Foley, Mark Anglavar, Trevor Powell and Tony Smith are all better than any of current team members with the only exception is Nigel James.

True.

[vogue65]

I go back to '61, now that's a long time ago and we were bad, but we had fun. 
What goes around comes around.
Players committing burglaries, bar owners getting arrested for taking book, we were unaffiliated and played one game at a time. 
We got dressed up, had dates and sat mid court.
Now it's a BIG business. 
Wasn't Peacock fun last night?

[ATL MU Warrior]

I agree that Nigel is the best we have, but I'm not really convinced he's all that great.  He's crafty in 1x1 iso ball but the only outcomes from him doing that are either a shot or a turnover.  He doesn't really have passing skills out of it.  His 3 point shot looks like an old guy at the Y.

I'm super down on the team and have been for nearly a year so maybe that's my overall negativity shining through. 

[willie warrior]

I would give just about anything to see one of these letters.

I should have saved the response I finally got from the AD then. Some scooper would buy it. Priceless.

[79Warrior]

I agree that Nigel is the best we have, but I'm not really convinced he's all that great.  He's crafty in 1x1 iso ball but the only outcomes from him doing that are either a shot or a turnover.  He doesn't really have passing skills out of it.  His 3 point shot looks like an old guy at the Y.

I'm super down on the team and have been for nearly a year so maybe that's my overall negativity shining through. 

Nigel's skillset is there. He may not be "great", but he is a baller. I really like what I see from him. I really hope he stays.

[Sir Lawrence]

I started at MU in 1976.  Little did I know that season would be the apex of my fandom (although my three older siblings all went to MU so I was prepped properly--so close in 1974). In Deane's last year he was 14-15 and yet the AD received pleas to keep him.  Crean lost to Western Michigan in the first round of the NIT in 2005, 54-40.  It looked like there were 3,000 fans attending that train wreck of a game at the Bradley Center, yet he lasted three more seasons at Marquette. Dukiet, as noted, was awful, yet I kept season tickets and annually maintained a strong interest until now.

This season just feels different than any other. I went to the game against the Badgers in Madison (I've gone to every game there since 1995/ twice at the Field House), and while it's anecdotal, there were fewer Marquette fans at the Kohl hole this year than ever before. It was pitiful. I've checked out.

[drbob]

go back to 1968.  the Dukiet era was bad but for a single team i think this is the worst.  no cohesion, no offensive flow and no D

[muwarrior69]

I go back to '61, now that's a long time ago and we were bad, but we had fun. 
What goes around comes around.
Players committing burglaries, bar owners getting arrested for taking book, we were unaffiliated and played one game at a time. 
We got dressed up, had dates and sat mid court.
Now it's a BIG business. 
Wasn't Peacock fun last night?

You're right. It's not a game anymore where an athlete can just get a free education. The Coaches and ADs don't have as much control over the players as in the past. Their all free agents and expect to be treated as such.

[muwarrior69]

I lived the last three years of Dukiet, graduated 1989. This is bad, but this team has talent and hope. Therefore, not as bad as Dukiet, in my view.

Your just a kid, not an elder. An elder is an alum who graduated at least 45-50 years ago and on SS.

[MuggsyB]

Dukiet years were my college years.  That was miserable.  What makes this worse is that it appears Shaka has talent but refuses to have coherent rotations or an offense that takes advantage of the talent they have. 

Interesting.

Ty.

[GBPhoenix1993]

Your just a kid, not an elder. An elder is an alum who graduated at least 45-50 years ago and on SS.

I'm even younger than Richie and I'm not an alum of MU.  That said considering the first Marquette game I ever watched was in 1978, I do feel somewhat "elderly" compared to many fans. 😀

Where I really truly cemented my fandom was during the Majerus years.  Sadly I missed all the great MU teams under McGwire in the '70s as I began casually following them in the '77-'78 season when  I was an 8 year old.

This season has been a shocker to me after the very good job Shaka had done the first 4 years. I think even he has to be stunned at how poorly his sophomore thru senior classes has played. Hopefully he figures it out but so far it feels like things seem to be getting worse instead of better.

[MarquetteMike1977]

We have all made mistakes and our team is an embarrassing disgrace but love Marquette Basketball

[MarquetteMike1977]

Vaguely remember George Thompson but have vivid memories of seeing Dean Meminger playing. This is one of the worst Marquette Teams. If not the worst Marquette team but we will see

[hawk]

to be sure ths is the worst team going back to the Dukiet era.  There is more hear than meeets the eye I fear.  Gold and Ross havre combined for like 10 points in big east play.  Gold never grew into a bigger role but the collapse of Ross's game has to indicate something bigger.This whole RGV stuff is clearly a fiction if you look at the seniors and juniors on this team, not much G at all.  It is also clear that Shaka doen't have a clue what to do about it and I can't say I blame him.  Any parent who ever had a kid who for whatever reason just refused to grow and evolve into what was envisioned for them knows what Shaka is dealing with times 5 or 6 players. I'm sure Shaka will go into the portal if players leae the program because he has lost all his leverage to stay smug and pristine but if you think this problem is because he doesn't know what talent looks like What difference would it make?  To me tjhis is a discipline and chemistry issue.  Might be time for a new alchemist but  it is too soon to tell