Big East Non-Con Talk

[WhiteTrash]

I did not realize how insane UConn's OOC schedule is.

Already played #16 Michigan last week and still have:

Ohio St.
#5 Arizona
#2 Duke
#3 Illinois
#17 Kansas
#9 Virginia

Sheesh.

Until UCONN can get an invite to the A10, this is the only path to a decent strength of schedule.

[MuggsyB]

Until UCONN can get an invite to the A10, this is the only path to a decent strength of schedule.

I only got to watch a bit of UCONN because it was during the MU game, but they don't look anywhere near as good a Virginia.

[Uncle Rico]

Butler down 20 late in the first half at Boise State.

[The Sultan]

Butler down 20 late in the first half at Boise State.

I mean, I know his career is just starting, but hiring Nored for the sake of staying in the Butler family, is probably going to be considered a bad idea when all is said and done.

[MuggsyB]

Butler down 20 late in the first half at Boise State.

Good grief!!

[Johnny B]

I mean, I know his career is just starting, but hiring Nored for the sake of staying in the Butler family, is probably going to be considered a bad idea when all is said and done.

The programs dead in the water. bottom feeder for the foreseeable future. DePaul is in a better position to achieve at least mediocrity imo.

[Uncle Rico]

I mean, I know his career is just starting, but hiring Nored for the sake of staying in the Butler family, is probably going to be considered a bad idea when all is said and done.

Hasn't been in the college game in over a decade and was only at Northern Kentucky back then for one season.  Not doubting his bona fides after being an NBA assistant for a decade since, but think you're correct.  Butler needs a fresh start outside the family.

[WhiteTrash]

Butler down 20 late in the first half at Boise State.

Is Butler a "buy" game now? Or are they priming the pump for Idaho talent?

[MU82]

In the short term, I think Buzz. In the long term, no doubt Crean.

When Tom left, it came out of nowhere. He'd already turned down bigger jobs like Illinois, had a truly elite team (going into Amigos' senior year), and was the icon of not just program rebirth but after nearly a decade here, stability. Everyone from the students to fans to boosters to the team themselves learned Crean was leaving on a SportsCenter crawl that seemed like it had to be an April Fool's joke. The feelings of betrayal, the "It's Indiana, it's Indiana," that stuff didn't fade for a long time. Crean was booed in the game day intro for a decade before they removed it.

With Buzz, the program was coming off its worst season in about 15 years (didn't even make the NIT) and he went to a clearly inferior program in Virginia Tech. Losing a coach you like always sucks, but it was clear this was a Buzz thing. In addition, he had generally succeeded in turning the fanbase against the Scott Pilarz/Larry Williams administration, so there were Buzz apologists who thought the problem was in Marquette's admin, not Buzz himself.

But over time, Crean came back for the 100-year basketball celebration, spoke glowingly of his time here, and indicated that jumping the proverbial fence doesn't always lead to greener pastures. He's been back a few more times since and always spoken of Marquette favorably in his media hits. At this point, I think Crean is more revered than reviled.

Buzz, on the other hand, has really embodied his own "character revealed" mantra. When he left Va Tech, he sowed the same administrative discord and played the Buzz's Bunch card again, trying to get national recognition for the local charity he sponsored. He ignored Marquette as though his time here was incidental and not a part of his later success. And leaving Texas A&M for Maryland, of all places, just cements that he's kind of a weirdo who doesn't give a rip about anyone other than himself. Add in the postmortems on the player academics, the sexual assault case, the NCAA violations, and the general light his tenure cast on Marquette, and losing Buzz feels like it was Marquette that was better for that situation, because he as a person just sucked.

Ultimately, Crean was a showman, but a showman in service of Marquette who took his shot at a blue blood when that stuff mattered more. Buzz was a used car salesman who cut corners and played the victim, and has repeatedly shown he can't be trusted to lead any program long term.

I respect Crean, even though I was truly hurt when he left. I don't respect Buzz, even though he successfully pulled the wool over many of our eyes in the last years and shortly beyond.

Perfectly summarized, brew.

[GB Warrior]

Devastating loss for the conference https://x.com/gbphoenixmbb/status/2119538416379445295?a=HV9qvDScCoOSlWVF_HQ&s=46

[MU82]

Devastating loss for the conference https://x.com/gbphoenixmbb/status/2119538416379445295?a=HV9qvDScCoOSlWVF_HQ&s=46

Yeah, but the fact that we already beat UWGB will go a long way toward improving our seed.

[willie warrior]

Great question, and I know you are not just trolling since you've contributed to MUScoop over recent years.

Crean's departure was surprising because us fans felt that he had brought MU back to relevance and, well, why would he leave? That said, his "It's IU, IU" goodbye was a blow.

Buzz's departure seemed unlikely given his "I'll be here as long as they'll have me" mentality and his success on the court. Then, his final year seemed liked tanking, and his departing words about the future of the Big East were hurtful.

Back to your question, "who got more slack?" I think it has to be Crean. He rejuvenated the program more than Buzz, and his contributions to MU b-ball are more significant than those of Buzz.

Well Crean did have Wade, so those were significant contributions.