Rab's latest

[Sir Lawrence]

I'm beat.
Gassed.
Tired.
Spent.
Operating on fumes.
What a journey.

Seven months of basketball...35 games...39 if you count Vancouver...countless practices, film sessions, sleepless nights, hotels, buses, shoot arounds, pre-game meals, scouting reports...we've been to Vancouver,  Madison, Philly, The Big Apple, Newark, West Virginia, Louisville, South Bend, Anaheim and back again to New York City.

Been to "The Pond", "The Garden", "The Rock"...

And all for what?

One of the most remarkable seasons in the history of Marquette Basketball...that's what.

I won't be long here...most stories are best when told straight and to the point.

Success on the basketball court is generally measured in wins...how about 25 wins...good for the 4th most in school history. Exposure? We were exposed...over 500,000 people attended Marquette basketball games at home and on the road...not to mention the millions that tuned in world wide on ESPN, CBS, ESPN2 and ABC. 

Oh yeah, and thanks to the Marquette faithful (THE BEST fans in college basketball), we set a new home average attendance record of 16,239 per game.

Want more records? How about a school record 325 steals. Or Ousmane Barro's school record of 127 games played.

And this little tid bit for the break room...Marquette was the only major Division 1 school in the country to field three 1,000 point career scorers on the court at the same time...and here is the kicker...they were all juniors...Jerel, Dominic and Wes...if that doesn't get you off the couch and over to the ticket office...

Coach Crean...ok, lets talk Coach Crean. Arguably his best coaching effort since he took the reigns at Marquette...190 career wins in 9 years at the helm of the Golden Eagles, that is 4 wins shy of 2nd all time at Marquette. Only 3 head coaches, Pitino, Dixon and our very own Tom Crean, have led their respective programs to 10 or more wins in the new, ruthless, "take no prisoners" 16 member BIG EAST Conference...this March Coach Crean led his squad to a 3-2 post season record, the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament and the semi-finals of the BIG EAST Tournament. 

But don't take my word for it. Take a look at what ESPN's Jay Bilas had to say about Coach after covering us in Anaheim last weekend...

Best Coaching Job, Overall: Tom Crean, Marquette. The Golden Eagles won 11 Big East games for the first time ever, and they reached the Big East semifinals for the first time ever. And Marquette should return its entire backcourt, Lazar Hayward and a healthier Trevor Mbakwe. Crean is always prepared and always dialed in, and his team responds to him. That guy can coach.

Couldn't have blogged it better Jay.

But alas...all good things must come to an end. Or as Coach Al used to say... "All love affairs end. Eventually the girl is gonna put curlers in her hair...."

Time to relax...kick your feet up...celebrate a fantastic season.

I've got an idea...let's "saddle up" and head on over to the "Isle of Rab"...I kid you NOT...

http://www.rab.hr/

Located just off the northern Croatian coast in the Adriatic Sea, The island of Rab is rich with cultural heritage and cultural-historical monuments which makes it a popular vacation and wellness oasis. Rab is also known as a pioneer of naturism after the visit of King Edward VIII and Lady Wallis Simpson...the two of which were huge basketball fans.
The island is nowadays very popular with tourists and families for its beautiful nature, beaches, heritage and many events, particularly the Rab arbalest (a late variation of the medieval European crossbow) tournament and Rab Medieval festival - Rapska Fjera...and I have spoke with the Rab Chamber of Commerce about starting a "Gus Macker" 3 on 3 tournament.

Nature, beaches and crossbows...a  vacation and wellness oasis...somebody call my travel agent, there has  gotta be a non-stop from Chicago.

Until next time, keep up the support on the outside...I'll keep you "blogged" on the inside.





Jason Rabedeaux

Marquette Basketball

The Al McGuire Center

[MUFanInGreenBay]

I really enjoy Rabs blog entries. He's a very creative writer. The more stuff I read the more signs I see that point to the three amigos all being back. Rosiak stated that he thought they would be back in his chat last week, I've heard Homer and Bilas make reference about MU getting back the three amigos next year, and now Rab makes a little reference to them there in the middle of that blog entry. From Rabs words it seems like he believes they're all coming back as well. Why would he say "if that doesn't get you off of your couch to get your tickets" in referring to the three amigos being 1,000 point career scorers as juniors. Sure, no one has said anything definate about all of them returning, however, it seems like the prevailing thought is that they will all be back for their senior years.

[rugbydrummer]

if that island of Rab is 2nd life . . i will throw a fit . . . ooh boy.


yeah, he's amusing, not a bad writing style, although he left us hanging for about a month in there.  doesn't really tell us much we don't already know about the season, i would say.  i wonder what he's like in person, though.