[Rosiak's Blog] News conference highlights

[ToddRosiakSays]

News conference highlights

Written by: Todd Rosiak


Here is some of what was said at Wednesday afternoon's news conference at the Al McGuire Center, courtesy of MU's sports information department. AD Steve Cottingham made a statement and then took questions. The session closed with Dominic James, Wesley Matthews, Jerel McNeal and Lazar Hayward sharing their thoughts on what's transpired over the last 24 hours.

"Marquette is a much stronger place today for the work nine years ago when they arrived on campus," said Cottingham in opening. "Now it's time to move forward. We will build on Marquette's strong foundation and tradition and continue competing at the highest level nationally. We have much to offer a new coach: an outstanding game environment at the Bradley Center, proud alumni, an excellent practice facility here at the Al [McGuire Center], Big East affiliation, and terrific staff and student-athletes.

"We've already begun our search for an outstanding men's basketball coach. We're prepared and we're moving forward. We will find a coach that not only embraces the tradition of Al McGuire and Tom Crean, but who will continue our focus on excellence and will take us to the next level, on and off the basketball court. Above all, I want to emphasize the university commitment to a continuing standard of excellence and competition at the highest national level. From our trustees, our president, Fr. Wild, the senior vice president, and throughout the university, we're committed to bringing our students, alumni, and fans the level of basketball competition they have come to expect from Marquette University."

On the search process...

We've already begun the search.  We're out there aggressively. We have developed a short list of names.  We are not going to have a search committee. I think that the level that we're at, it is a management decision within the University. We've built a great tradition, we've built a great foundation, and we're looking to hire the right person.

On the status of the staff...

Tom has a great staff here. Obviously, we don't know how that will work out. All of them are here performing their duties as assistant coaches at Marquette University at this point.

On the incoming recruits and contact with them...

All of the recruits have been contacted and we're reaching out to them. They understand that this is a great University and a great basketball program.

On the timetable for hiring...

The timetable is as long as it takes to get the right person.  So we're not going to go by a particular clock. We're moving aggressively and we have already taken a number of steps to identify and search out and make contacts with the type of person we are looking for.

On a realistic expectation for success at Marquette University ...

I think what we expect in terms of the team's success is to look where we are and look beyond that. We have a great, young group of athletes...and we have a great program. It's still a great program today and we fully expect that we're going to catch our breath today, tomorrow, and for a few days, and then move forward. We're in the best conference in the country...and you look about how we've competed the last three years, and we have every expectation that we are going to get the person we are looking for.

On the expectations of the program ...

One of the great things about belonging to the BIG EAST and one of the reasons why it is a great fit for Marquette - it's the philosophy of the BIG EAST Conference, it's the conference season and conference championship, with the purpose of preparing your team to compete nationally. You can play with all those schools, you can play with anybody. So there's not an expectation, first, second, third, fourth, you expect to compete at a national level...which is on the way to compete for a national championship.

On a sense of urgency in the hiring process ...

We're moving aggressively. We want to do it quickly, aggressively.  There is no ‘we have to have somebody hired by a certain date.' The absolute wrong thing to do would be to say ‘this is the best person we can hire in the next two days, seven days, 10 days, so that's who we're going to hire,' because that's not the best person to take us forward next season and the season after.

Wesley Matthews on former Marquette head coach Tom Crean's departure...
There's a lot of emotions right now -- it's hard to put a stamp on one of them. You establish a relationship with somebody you've know since your sophomore year of high school, but I mean, I understand it. Indiana's a hard job to pass up. I know it's something he must have he really wanted to leave something like this, and good luck to him.
 
Wesley Matthews on hearing Monday's breaking news and subsequent team meeting...
It was a sad moment. We found out through ESPN, through the news, and it didn't settle in right away, not until we got to the meeting. It was sad. It was an upsetting meeting, because of all the closeness of this team and the coaching staff and everything. I'm sure it's probably not how he intended on us finding out, but you just have to move on.
 
Lazar Hayward's reaction following Monday's team meeting...
Our lives move on, you know what I mean. We just have to make sure we stay together. He basically told us why he made the decision. He made sure that he wanted us to know that he loved us and that he'll always have us in his heart -- and we will the same for him. I never would have thought it in a million years that I was going to get another coach, so it was tough for me, and I know it was tough for the rest of the guys, especially the guys that knew him for a long time.
 
Dominic James on hearing the news and the team's reaction...
I got a call from my mother asking about it and that kind of surprised me. That was the worst thing about the situation, is how we found out about it. [Today] was great. Just getting back into rhythm with the team and just the camaraderie - you know, everybody just being together and being there for each other. That's the best thing about the situation, knowing that you still have people that care about you and knowing that there still are people here that will make us work and get better.
 
To be honest, we really didn't talk about it a lot. It was just the sense of being around each other and remembering the good times and things like that.
 
Dominic James on moving forward...
I'm still a Marquette player. That's the way I feel. That's what I'm thinking about - I'm still thinking about next season and how good we can be. So obviously, I'm ready. My mind is still on Marquette.
 
Jerel McNeal's reaction and the team's attitude regarding the future of Marquette basketball
We found out about it the way the rest of the nation found out about it. It was hard, because definitely you feel like once you're in the program you feel you should be given a heads up or forewarned before something that drastic happens. The main thing is we were all just shocked. We hadn't talked to Coach [Crean] in a couple of days.
 
At the end of the day, players play and coaches coach. You still got the core of our team coming back next year still and a lot of experience coming back and a lot of great players coming back. As far as that goes, it's on us now, you know. I think we have the experience and maturity now to handle something like this and not let it set us back.
 
It's a lot harder for some of the younger guys coming into it, because you really get the first hand view of things how sports is also a business, too. They feel betrayed. It's a sick feeling that they'll eventually get over and understand. It's just part of the game, it's part of the business. I think it hurt a lot of guys' feelings.



http://blogs.jsonline.com/muhoops/archive/2008/04/02/news-conference-highlights.aspx

[LastWarrior]

The quotes from the players deserve some talk.  Very encouraging... these guys are taking ownership of the program.  Proud to see these young men stepping up and assuming the leadership role. 

[Brew City]

After the tears dried from the Stanford game, I thought the MU team was going to be extremely motivated going into next season, and continue to carry that chip and swagger they seemed to carry when they were hot this past season.  Its tough to say that they will be able to hold that up with the coaching situation right now, but with the right leader, this will be a HUNGRY squad.

[Dish]

I love what the players had to say. I don't know, part of me still thinks/feels like some of these guys might not mind Crean being gone. Obviously have nothing to base this on, but after reading their quotes, it honestly wouldn't shock me if after the sense of surprise wears off, some of these guys don't mind it.

Of course, great to hear what a class act Crean was in letting everyone know through ESPN.

[drewm88]

Crean didn't choose to leak it. Who knows when he agreed with them. He's not going to tell the team before his mind is made up, he's not going to pull players out of class for a meeting. He didn't have options really. Now if Crean comes out and tells everyone he made up his mind Monday night, I will be pissed about this. But I would assume this was agreed to not long before it was leaked.

[MUfan12]

This would have been a convienent time for McNeal and James to leave, but it sounds like they're stepping up and taking the reigns. Those quotes made me feel much better about this whole thing- the big three and Lazar are fantastic leaders for this program. They gave very mature and reasoned responses in a difficult situation.

These men are fantastic representatives of Marquette, and I hope the next coach comes in realizing that this is their team.

[NavinRJohnson]

Crean didn't choose to leak it. Who knows when he agreed with them. He's not going to tell the team before his mind is made up, he's not going to pull players out of class for a meeting. He didn't have options really. Now if Crean comes out and tells everyone he made up his mind Monday night, I will be pissed about this. But I would assume this was agreed to not long before it was leaked.

Dude are you serious? What excuse are you going to provide him for not letting Cottingham or Wilde know he was even talking to them? He was on a flight to Colorado? That is one long flight. Izzo said today he knew about this a couple days ago, yet Crean lacked the professionism or decency to even clue MU in. BTW, how do you know he didn't choose to leak it? He had a friggin interview in front of his hotel on the 6:00 news.

[Sir Lawrence]

This is my favorite line from Rosiak's blog:  "We've already begun the search.  We're out there aggressively. We have developed a short list of names.  We are not going to have a search committee. I think that the level that we're at, it is a management decision within the University. We've built a great tradition, we've built a great foundation, and we're looking to hire the right person."

I find that to be very encouraging.

[MU NY]

Semper Fidelus!  These players are real Warriors.  Class acts each and every one.  Taking ownership acting as one and rising above the noise.  Their true character comes through not in good times but in difficult times, times of chaos and uncertainty.  This team was jelling bigtime at the end of the season.  They were very frustrated with the loss to Stanford and you get the feeling it has made them truly committed to one another to NOT LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN...Be warned Big East...if this team regroups, stays committed and embraces the mission to overcome the challenges they have been hit with, they will be a force to reckon with...I am a bigger fan of these guys now than in the years they have been wearing the Jerseys.

[Ahoya06]

I think the reaction shows that both James and McNeal are likely to be here next year. This is their team, and it sounds like this has made them even more hungry to come back next year.

[Brew City]

New nickname debate!  Marquette adopts the nickname "Phoenix" as the program rises out of its own ashes to kick ass!

[IAmMarquette]

New nickname debate!  Marquette adopts the nickname "Phoenix" as the program rises out of its own ashes to kick ass!

But then we'd be copying UW-Green Bay! Although, maybe that will entice Bennett? 

[Pardner]

We were wondering what was up?  We found out today.  The AD and the players are standup men...kept it to the positives.  Class Acts, just like DJ against Kentucky.  If anyone rips DJ again for milking an injury, you need to really question your sanity.  This kid proved to be a Warrior.

The other unnamed person proved to be classless and a wuss--choosing to screw the school and his players out of a common courtesy check in.  He completely erased nine years of his legacy off the map with just about every alumnus I talked to today.  I am glad we have our team and our AD as real stand-up men.  Can we erase that Jack Harbaugh video rant about family and men going to war now? 

[IAmMarquette]

No beef with Jack. That was a hell of a speech. Too bad his daughter seems to have married a jackass.