Some Thoughts On Recruiting

[MulliganMusings]

I've watched, with a combination of amusement and annoyance, as some have posted negative comments on the recent signing of Marial Shayock. Clearly, this signing was a debacle. I mean who needs a 6-7, 4-star player who has only begun to scratch his potential. I too would like to see us sign a post player but the fact of the matter remains that great post players are difficult to procure. We have two on our current roster (Chris and Davante) neither of which were highly recruited out of high school. Both, thanks to their own ability and strong coaching, have become good players. However, the fact remains that the truly great post players, if your program is fortunate enough to sign one, are likely to only be around for a season. I am very hopeful that young Mr. Stone will select his hometown school and re-team with Duane Wilson to provide Marquette fans with some great moments. Apparently, we seem to be in good shape but only time will tell.

That said many Marquette fans have become very jaded and somewhat ridiculous in the critical comments regarding the program and more specifically the recruiting efforts. This class now features four 4-star recruits (although some may speculate the Mr. Harris might no longer be a member) and comes on the heels on a top 10 class (Mr. McKay's disappointing departure notwithstanding). This is a golden era in Marquette basketball. Coach Williams has elevated the program to the point where we are seriously considered by many of the nation's best players. I have complete faith in Buzz, and his staff, to secure not only players that can perform exceptionally well on the court, but also possess the character and intellectual capacity to achieve success socially and academically.

I was struck yesterday with the announcement that Matt Farrell, a point guard from New Jersey, had verbally committed to Boston College. Apparently, young Mr. Farrell selected BC over offers from Dartmouth and Monmouth. Clearly, Mr. Farrell must be a very bright young man to attract the interest of such demanding academic schools as BC and Dartmouth but it's also clear that BC's basketball program has clearly fallen upon lean times when they are reduced to beating out the aforementioned schools for talent. I'm not taking a shot at Mr. Farrell as I'm sure he's a fine young man and a good basketball player. However, I can only imagine the meltdown, throughout Marquette nation, if we beat out similar schools for a recruit. The fact is there was a time (which many of us lived through) where we had a great X & O coach (much like Donahue at BC) whose recruiting skills were equally questionable. We would routinely beat out such powers as Evansville and Loyola for recruits with the hopes that Coach Deane would be able to "coach them up." The results were occasional breakthrough recruits (Wardle, Henry) but more often then not less than stellar results. So let's give this staff the credit they deserve and trust that they will find the right student/athletes to sustain and even improve upon the success they have achieved. Will there be bumps (McKay being the latest)? Sure, but all in all I have to say the results speak for themselves and those results have been outstanding!

[MUMac]

Did I miss something? Are you speaking about comments on this board or elsewhere? I had not seen negative comments here regarding Shayock's commitment (can't sign yet). Only recall positive comments here. I am excited to see him commit!

[KMWTRUCKS]

If you remove the blue bloods. KENT, KAN, DUKE, NC and look at the next 10-11 or so programs, IU, UCLA, UCONN, MEM, AZ, OSU, FL, CUSE, VIlle, MSU, MICH. Those schools all seem to have Roster's with more Bigs then us consistently.IE 6-9 PF and Center's. I thnk if we want to move to the next level. Meaning having good shots at NC, we are going to need more size year in and year out. I'm escatic where the program is at and feel we are now if the next batch of 10 teams 15-25 consistently, But if we want to make the next jump I think we need to recruit more size.

[TheSultan]

Did I miss something? Are you speaking about comments on this board or elsewhere? I had not seen negative comments here regarding Shayock's commitment (can't sign yet). Only recall positive comments here. I am excited to see him commit!

He pasted the same thing on Scoop. There are some people over there who get upset over anyone who isn't rated high enough or isn't tall enough.

[TulsaWarrior]

Some posters on Scoop are spoiled and showing their maturity. This is indeed the third golden age of Marquette Basketball.

[MulliganMusings]

Tulsa, forgive me, didn't want to imply that there had been negativity from this board. Frankly, I think the negativity is confined to a very small percentage of Marquette Nation (that said it does seem that more of them are present on Scoop than any of the other forums). I just think, beyond negativity, people need to reflect and realize, as you said, that we are in a golden age (no pun on the nickname intended) of Marquette basketball and the trajectory seems to be going upward.

[2013UnleashTheBeast]

Some posters on Scoop are spoiled and showing their maturity. This is indeed the third golden age of Marquette Basketball.

Out of curiosity, what was the second? Two years of Wade?

[TulsaWarrior]

The three Golden Ages of Marquette Basketball:

(1) The 1954-55 Jack Nagle's team that reached the Elite 8 of the NCAA (alright perhaps half a Golden Era)

(2) Al McGuire

(3) Buzz Williams

The Crean Era had one truly high level season plus 2 years of Dwyane Wade (another 1/2 a Golden Era) and Kevin O'Neill had one Sweet 16. Good coaches but booked early and didn't reach Al of Buzz's level of consistency.

OK, I talked myself out of it ;-) -- Marquette has had two Golden Era's not three -- Al and Buzz.

[KalkBird]

Some posters on Scoop are spoiled and showing their maturity. This is indeed the third golden age of Marquette Basketball.

This is the second Golden Age. The first was under Al McGuire.

[Phantom Warrior]

You people are kidding, right? Second Golden Age? Third Golden Age? What a bunch of hyperbolic foolishness. There has been one Golden Age of MU basketball - the McGuire Era.

In the 70s MU had either the second or third most successful program in the country behind UCLA and maybe North Carolina. We were a blue blood. MU played in two national championship games in four years, winning one NC. I don't think we were out of the Top 10 for seven straight years. We landed the 5-star recruits: Dean the Dream, Chones, Butch, Toone and a bunch more just a notch below in Luke, Tatum, Bo. We had an 81 (83?) game home winning streak.

What Buzz has accomplished is certainly impressive, but it pales in comparison to MU circa 70s. Buzz may get close to that level some day, but at this point, I think Buzz has MU in the early stages of the Silver Era. We are not presently a blue blood; we are not Kentucky or Kansas or Duke or UNC or Louisville for that matter. We do not land 5-star recruits.

If Al's era was the Golden Age and Buzz so far in on the cusp of entering the Silver Age, then Crean and O'Neill can both be viewed as ushering in a Bronze Age in MU hoops.

At the other end of the spectrum we have Dukiett as being the Cardboard Age.

Let's be honest. MU will never again achieve the level of success it saw under Al in the 70s. Buzz may get us pretty close, and I certainly respect and admire what he has accomplished so far, and I am optimistic about the future. But a second Golden Age? Please!