Aged Whine

We welcome back another guest post by Dr. Blackheart.  In this version, he looks at the role experience plays in winning percentage, analyzes the experience of the Big East in comparison to previous years, and then peeks at MU (and the rest of the league) using experience.  It's yet another great writeup.

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There has been a lot of fan and media attention around the down year for Big East basketball this season.  Pretty much every rating service, whether Pomeroy, Nolan, Real Time RPI, Colley or others, has the Big East Conference as only the third best conference overall.  “The Fall of the Mighty Big East” seems to be a popular theme for the critics and pundits with all the surprise outcomes and the up and down games.  Adding to the hype is all the drama around conference defections and realignment, and talk about the end of an era.

Likewise, MU fandom is equally perplexed about the team’s major scoring droughts at the start of games or halves.  Last season was about the incredible number of nail biter games decided in the last possession(s).  This season, the theme seems to be digging out of a hole to China.  Fan sentiment is equally as uneasy, despite a great Big East start for Marquette, and now major injuries are creeping in to an already limited depth team to add to the “Golden Eagle Angst Rating” (or GEAR).

As a result, I decided to put on the scuba GEAR and take a deep statistical dive to find out exactly what the heck is going on.  Chaos can be modeled after all.

“In almost everything, experience is more valuable than precept”.

Looking at various factors in Pomeroy going back in time, the one factor that stood out was “Experience”.  Pomeroy (who started measuring “Experience” in the 2006-07 season) defines this measure as:  “Uses eligibility class, weighted by minutes played.  A freshman has no years of experience, a sophomore has one year of experience, etc.”  Here is what I initially found in terms of on-court performance over the past six Big East seasons based upon segments of experience:

• More experienced teams win more in Big East play by fifteen-plus percentage points, and by ten-plus percentage points for the total season.  This just confirms in numbers a pretty obvious fan conventional wisdom, especially in the tough grinder that is the Big East.
• Sixty-nine percent of the inexperienced teams had .500 or less BE seasons, confirming that experience can trump young potential.
• Only six of the average to more experienced teams had overall losing total season records.
• While the correlation of experience to winning is positive, it isn’t universally conclusive.  The 2010-11 National and Big East Tournament Champion, UConn, was the 322th most experienced team, but they did finish just .500 in BE play.  Talent like Kemba Walker helps to settle the young troops as they become more big game experienced, but the lack of the experienced Walker this season has resulted in a UConn slide to date.  Last season’s UConn’s finish was the exception though (although not rare, as talent can triumph).

Historical Conference Perspective

After verifying the overall value of experience, the next step was to provide historical context to confirm or deny current fan and media sentiment around the Big East Conference.  The following table looks at the average Big East… 1) Pomeroy conference ranking, 2) KPom’s average BE team’s experience level, 3) the average BE team’s national experience ranking, and 4) the number of BE’s teams at or above the national average in terms of experience.

• To debunk a myth, the Big East has historically been ranked as the third best overall conference, mainly because of the statistical limitations with its large number of teams.  This season is no different.
• What’s very different, which is the crux of this piece, is that the Big East has always been known for its elite top teams.  However, if experience is indeed one of a handful of success factors, then the BE is indeed down this year.
• There is only one team, Louisville, who has more experience than the average national team.  Last season there were 11 teams high on experience who knew and had played in the Big East wash cycle.  That explains a lot.
• More so, the average BE team level of experience is the lowest ever measured, basically in virgin territory — or about 17% less experienced than the previous low and 41% less experienced than last season.  Wow!

Old Man Marquette?


The outlook for Marquette based on experience helps explain their success to date, in that they are tied with Syracuse as the second most experienced team in the Big East.  However, this is also Marquette’s second youngest Big East team in measured times -- with only the 2006-07 team being younger.  This relative inexperience can help explain the scoring droughts as the team struggles to gather its offensive sea legs during game spurts this season.

• The inconsistent struggles of teams like UCONN, West Virginia and Seton Hall are easily seen in the lower experience levels.  
• You can also see that teams like Notre Dame and South Florida are rising to the top of the middle parity group and have chances at more favorable than expected seasons.  
• Villanova, Providence, Rutgers and St. Johns will continue to struggle despite their young talent, but will continue to show the signs of their upside.  
• Pittsburgh, with the return of their point guard, has the opportunity to continue their recent run after a horrid BE start.  Louisville has been hampered by injuries but an observer can easily see why they are playing more consistently as players return.  Georgetown has a blend of young and old, but that can explain also their highs and lows.

The outlook is for more parity within the conference, making the Big East the NFL of college basketball.  While the more experienced teams like Marquette and Syracuse may have bumps in the road as they are still very young  (and may also be hampered by injuries and other factors like Melo with academics), they are the ones who will be the winners because of upperclass leadership and overall match-up depth.  Watch out for Pittsburgh and Louisville to make season end runs as they get healthy.  The Big East is down in experience, but the wild ride seen every year will continue—just in different ways.  And, like fine wine, if given the right conditions and time, the teams of the Big East will be full-bodied by season’s end just like UConn last season.

Is Marquette Unlucky?

The Marquette Warriors enter finals week with a perfect 9-0 record, and despite the winning streak this break in the action was perfectly timed.  After losing starting center Chris Otule for an indefinite period of time due to a knee injury he sustained in the Washinton game, the Ghosts of Tom Crean Tackling Dummies re-emerged at The Al, sending Juan Anderson (3-4 weeks, shoulder) and Jamil Wilson (day-to-day, ankle) into the infirmary. Just when fans were getting jazzed about the Warriors' prospects this season!  The news of the week prompted frequent guest contributor, Dr. Blackheart, to dance on the keyboard once more .... and now he asks, Is Marquette Unlucky?

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Jimmy Chones leaving for the ABA in the midst of an undefeated season…Dean Marquardt’s car accident… Bob “I Like to Watch” Dukiet losing star recruits to academics…Will Gates' blown out knee in “Hoop Dreams”…Travis Diener and the tackling dummy,…Jerel McNeil and the HIPPA finger…Trevor Mbwake, Dom James and the sinking feeling of the fans and the OrthoPods. And, now, in a matter of hours, the (possibly) torn ACL of our Defensive Stud Chris Otule, the shoulder of top rated freshman Juan Anderson, and the ankle of high potential Jamil Wilson. And, many more over the years.

“Why Marquette?” “Why always the big men?” ”Why Me?”… are the overriding fan questions ringing around our ears. How much bad luck can one fan absorb, never mind a diehard Cubs fan who is a Brewers season ticket holder, as dysfunctional as that is on the surface? In perhaps the best and earliest Marquette outlook in 30+ years, why do all the great feelings of the past week come to a crushing end? Isn’t it Marquette’s time, as ordained by our new President and AD?

The answer , of course, is “leave it to fate”. However, Pomeroy has a measure of “Luck” that, as a stat geek, I like to turn to in order to balance the emotional side of my brain with the rational. Pomeroy defines “Luck” as such: “The easiest one to understand is Luck, which is the deviation in winning percentage between a team’s actual record and their expected record using the correlated gaussian method. The luck factor has nothing to do with the rating calculation, but a team that is very lucky (positive numbers) will tend to be rated lower by my system than their record would suggest.” In other Poemroy analyses, “Luck” is most correlated to “Experience”, and Buzz has experienced guards.

Lucky Number?

Over the past ten Pomeroy seasons, Marquette has been “Lucky” in only 3 of them, including this season to date, pre-injuries. Buzz, on the other hand, has been as unlucky as it gets. MU has set school and Big East records in the number of close games that his teams have played in. Yet, MU seems to always overachieve its talent and “Luck” at year’s end. However, to date, MU 2011 is Final Four” Lucky” with an exact rating of the DW3 year at the Triple Snake Eyes rank. Until Tuesday, MU was that “Lucky”! But, things change quickly as we know and MU is now as lucky  as .

So, Where Does This Lead Us Irrationales?

To drink? Maybe…but time seems to be on our side. MU is waiting the Otule ACL sprain out to see its severity, Juan’s shoulder is seen to put him out until only the start of the Big East season, and Jamil’s ankle seems to be chronic but day to day, pending recovery time and Xmas practice/therapy time. Meanwhile, MU beat one of the most talented and perhaps the season’s-end best Pac 10/12 teams in Washington, without Chris Otule. His replacement, Gardner, is an offensive dynamo in the limited minutes he can offer—Pomeroy Offensive Efficiency Rating for the Ox of 124.4 vs. CO’s 92.2. Anderson, while showing flashes and providing height depth, still has only seen a few minutes. Is this unlucky? Yes, with Chris’s defense but not with his O, so DG has time to work on his game extensively, while Juice gets his chance to showcase his skills. In the end, this provides minutes to those that Buzz has had no qualms about playing in the Out of Conference anyway, making MU a stronger season’s- end team, waiting for the hopeful return of the injured. LSU and Vandy will give MU height problems, but MU’s experience will carry the day into the Big East, as my irrational mind tells me as I wish upon on northern star. MU buries the tortured artist, Judeo-Christian, Martyr syndromes, and assumes its rightful place as #1 in the country (says a fingers-crossed Cubs fan in a full body cast, but looking good it his Man Uggs). Go MU (I hope)! Regardless, I am playing my lucky 19 and 77 at the Potto Bingo Boat, but I sure wish Andre Walker picked MU over Xavier right about now.

Wisconsin: Point-Counterpoint

Welcome to Point-Counterpoint, featuring Rob Lowe and Dr. Blackheart.

Doc, you Pompous Ass.  We Are Doomed.  

Marquette is screwed on Saturday.  Here's why:

• Wisconsin will dictate tempo - Marquette likes to run, but consider this.  North Carolina is the fifth fastest team in the nation at 75 possessions per game.  However, on the road, UW shut down the Tarheel's transition game to a snail's pace of 61 possessions. 
• The Badgers don't foul or turn the ball over - Marquette has been making a living by forcing turnovers and getting out in transition, where the end result is either a high percentage two-pointer (MU is #2) or a foul (MU is #28).  Too bad Wisconsin never turns the ball over (#4) and doesn't foul (#28), which will also shut down the fast-paced attack offense.
• They are the #1 defensive eFG% team in the nation - And since we all know by now that defensive eFG% is (at least) two times more important than any of the other four factors, that's important.  MU's offense is going to be 2H Norfolk State ugly.
• UW's bigs are mobile and play away from the basket - marginalizing DG/CO.  How good are the postup players that get pulled away from the basket on the most important end of the court? 
• It's at the Kohl Center - UW@Madison literally uses a different ball at the Kohl Center.  Think about that.  Then think about handcheck fouls being called quick and early on Marquette players, or non-calls against our guys when they are seemingly mauled headed to the basket.  UNC beat Wisconsin the other night thanks to a second half free throw rate advantage of 82% to 12% (hello home cooking)!  Does anyone really think MU is going to get that kind of advantage at the Kohl Center?

I'd love to be wrong, but my big fear is that this game will never really be close.  I expect some ticky tack fouls that limit MU's aggressiveness, while UW's defense makes Marquette look stagnant.  UW leads by 10+ points most of the game.  In other news, I'll have to buy a new TV to replace the one that will shatter tomorrow, and the kids will have learned some new words.  -Rob

Rob, you Ignorant Slut.  You underrate Marquette.

I don't see anyone asking how UW matches up to MU.  You have scared yourself into looking into how good UW is, how they are playing at home (with the officials' calls), how great of a system coach Bo is--which are all true.  However...

• Who is going to stop DJO and Crowder?  Harrison Barnes burned Evans; will Evans be able to stop Jae?  Junior is a distributor PG who can find CO or DG in spells...so who stops a post-up?  And, if they do with their pack defense, who is left open on the perimeter.  DJO? Todd? Jamil can play the 5 and can guard the perimeter, and his rebounding rate is very good.  UW has no depth and UNC got them into foul trouble with their depth and quickness, just like MU.
• Any points off or on the board against the Slo-Mo –O matter (Despite Rob’s proclamations that Free Throw Rate is meaningless).  Bucky has the second lowest FTR in the nation, averaging only nine charity tosses per game.  Compare this to the 33 and 25 attempts per game the last two MU trips to Madison.  According to Pomeroy, opponent FTR is the second highest correlate to MU’s Defensive Efficiency rating. 
• The Swingers love the menage a trois this season being #1 in the nation in the percent of their points from “America’s Treyland” with 46.1% on 24 attempts per game.  Interestingly, UNC opted to keep the ball in Taylor Jordan’s hands, which severely restricted the ball movement to the long-range shooters and forced their worst shooter (39% on FG) to launch late.  Bucky only had 6 assists vs. UNC as a result. 
• MU fits a zone footprint according to Pomeroy, which plays into three important factors for MU.  Zone the perimeter to restrict Taylor’s penetration and the ball movement to the trey shooters, and limit the precious number of possessions via long rebounds that the overreliance on treys results in.  An opportunistic zone press also helps speed up the tempo of the game.  Will Buzz play more zone?
• Patience is a virtue.  Wisconsin is #1 in the nation in eFG% defense and #2 in Opponent Offensive Rebounding Rate with their pack the line defensive scheme.  I think MU’s high powered offense and shooters can conquer the day on eFG%.  I also think Jamil Wilson comes of age in this game to limit Evans on the boards.  Unlike, UNC, MU needs to be very patient on half-court offense to win.

This is not last year's MU team...nor is it Bucky's.  Fast forward to tip-off.  -Doc

Autumn Sole-stice

We'd like to welcome back Dr. Blackheart with another high-quality contribution.  Please read it, and then go donate to Al's Run.  Also, we had a number of folks that were having credit card contribution errors, but we're hoping the firstgiving system is fixed today.  Help our community make it to the front page of the leaderboard! 

Seriously, if you have any interest whatsoever in college basketball recruiting, this may be the most original and important article you read all month.  It's that good.  Thanks, Dr. Blackheart!

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With about a month to go before the start of the “Hoops Season”, Marquette will be hosting at least one prime recruiting target this weekend for the Al’s Run festivities--6’9”, Zach Auguste of the New Hampton School (Todd Townsend’s Prep school) and member of the Albany Rocks AAU team--in a push to close off Marquette’s 2012 class.  Building off the Sweet 16 run, the coaching staff has filled in MU’s basketball future very nicely, creating a deep and balanced team outlook with Top 100+ talent for both the 2012 and 2013 classes.  With a continuous focus on recruiting, staff continuity, a broadened national scope, roots within the JUCO ranks, and with Buzz’s now established prominence on the court, it appears that MU will put together five highly rated recruiting classes in a row.  But, there is one area that Buzz has worked hard to reestablish for Marquette, due primarily to strong legwork by Associate Head Coach Tony Benford, and that is the grassroots/AAU basketball pipeline.

Top 50 Hit Parade

While recruiting is a crapshoot, with success highly dependent on the maturity and development of teens into men, the overwhelming fact is that programs who consistently land Top 50 rated talent win national championships:  UConn, Duke, UNC (2), Kansas, Florida (2), and Syracuse of note over the past decade.  Each of these programs and a select group of competitive others (the Caliparis, the Pitinos, the Izzos) have established coaches at the helm--all known as long-time proven winners and gatekeepers for future NBA talent—which is obviously very appealing to highly rated recruits.  However, in reality, the number of Top 50 recruits over four years is just a small percentage of the 4485 Division 1 scholarships available last season to the 345 programs (maybe 4% tops, accounting for NBA and drop-out attrition).  

This scarcity of talent creates a Meat Market mentality as hundreds of teams go hard after this disproportionate pool of highly valued talent.  It is big business for the schools at the top:  for their enrollments and endowments, NCAA shares, for the coaches, for the players with NBA aspirations, for their athletic department budgets, and for their conferences and the NCAA.  It is also big business for their apparel sponsors and media partners.  With this can come the dirty underside of grassroots/AAU basketball (which has justly many overwhelmingly positive benefits)--the street agents, the posses, the pull of apparel/shoe merchandisers on their sponsored AAU teams and players, and the unscrupulous college coaches trying to grab an edge—all trying to influence and covet the riches that the Top 50 talent can yield.

The books Sole Influence, by Dan Wetzel, and Dead Coach Walking, the autobiography of retired coach Tom Penders, both delved into the influences in grassroots/AAU basketball.  As a result of this, I decided to take a deep dive into the 2011 Scout Top 100 recruit list to study the correlation of apparel/shoe associations to AAU and college teams to see what could be learned (despite the smaller sample sizes).  (Note:  I used the Scout revised ratings as the final summer RSCI weighted ratings did not include the late reclassified Andre Drummond to the 2011 class.  His late commitment to UCONN is a case study in itself.  Also, on a note of personal disclosure: I am not a recruiting guru by any means, just a fan and observer of the game—there are many more who can add to this discussion based on their experience and knowledge).

Tightening the Laces

Percentage of recruits that signed with a school that share AAU affiliation by recruit level

• 76% of the Top 25 recruits signed with college teams that shared sponsors with their AAU team.  While there are misses in ratings at this level, this is usually the group where early entrants into the NBA are found.  There are usually some very strong suggestions of outside influence at this level (but allowable), and the reality is that most of these kids need close advisors to help them through the grinder. 
• The direct connection of sponsorship to commitment waned to 50% for the Bottom 50, as the outside influence attention seemingly goes to the Top 50 and swings back to the parents, high school coaches, and lean-in potential seen by the recruiting school. 
• The main exceptions to the sponsor to recruit connection are the great coaches who can draw across sponsorships (think the Coach K peer set).  
• The other exceptions appear to be driven by close proximity to the recruiting college, Prep school sponsor affiliation, and past AAU roots to a recruiter on staff (think Faust).   Still the sponsor and AAU pull is very prevalent in most of these cases, although not as direct, it would appear. 
•  The only Top 100 recruit not involved in AAU ball is #29 Otto Porter to Georgetown. 
• Only a handful of independent AAU clubs (3) had recruits in the Top 100. 
• Nike affiliated AAU team recruits comprised 58% of the Top 100, while Adidas had 34%.  But Nike’s conversion pull was much stronger.  Those teams converted 76% of the recruits within network vs. 34% for the Adidas sponsored colleges.  Jordan-Kobe-Wade-James vs. Howard-Rose-Garnett-Duncan (Sonny Vaccaro knew that guards sell shoes, not big men).

Conference Call

AAU / School affiliation by Conference

• The sponsorship ties for the major conferences hover around the 60% conversion mark, and 50% or below for the dissolving Big 12 and the mids. 
• The Big 10 conversion ties were the strongest at 67%, followed by the Big East at 61% and SEC at 60%.  This matches the geographies these schools recruit (urban or south where AAU is strongest), and the strong college media and sponsorship deals that help drive conversion.  
• Coaches Self, Barnes, K, Roy, Calhoun, and Pitino were able to recruit beyond their shoe network with their strong pull and histories of success.  This is elite.

Tying It All Up (and looking at Marquette)

• While scandals are sensational news stories, and there are documented bad apples, this AAU-Sponsorship dance is allowable and legal in the vast majority of cases, despite the many whispers.  Handler involvement is very heavy for the Top 25 especially it would appear.  The NCAA would be better off spending most of their time monitoring the recruitment of this group rather than focusing on the other 4385. 
• Even the legends get caught in the trap of NCAA violations, whether the Izzo one game suspension over the Dawson recruitment or Calhoun’s recent violations.  
• Whether Bo at Wisconsin (a roster of Adidas AAU players) or Marquette (Nike), AAU connections matter at this level.  So does Top 50 talent if high achievement is the game.  
• Buzz is developing his AAU network to get in the game with these Top 50 recruits.  Burton allowed him to break-through a barrier, showing yet again that Buzz is building on MU’s Sweet 16 success (unlike Crean with the 2003 Final Four and the Larry Butler fall-out over Odartey Blankson).  Buzz clearly needs to hit the higher level of sustained on-court success to break-through to the Top 25 Burger Boys like the legends.  This will take time. 
• Benford has been nailing it for Marquette, opening his AAU networks as he did with Burton and Taylor.   
• Let’s see if Buzz can keep the momentum going against a strong list of finalists for Auguste (West Virginia, Florida, and Georgia Tech—two Nike and one Russell sponsor).  Zach has developing potential and is a great missing piece for the Marquette 2012 class.  Here is to a great visit!

Warrior Travels: Road Warrior Best of ...

“You know how you see a place and it’s just right, and you’re just tired enough. I guess you can’t help stopping.”

The gathering places are where travelers go to find and tell their stories. They are there to shake off the loneliness of the road. These places, in particular, were gravitational for various reasons during my roadtrip across “Marquette America”. These are not travel recommendations per se, but those places of oddity or specialness of the moment that stood out.
Best Honky Tonk: Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, Nashville—The back door of the original Grand ‘Ole Opry (now Ryman Auditorium) empties here. “Holler ‘n swaller, and don’t forget to tip the band a dollar”.
Best Roadie Bar: Champion’s Sports Bar & Grill, Louisville—Sports agents, reporters and athletic department swags, Bill Raftery holding court, UL donor events, Falls City yards.
Best MU Pep Rally: Renaissance Hotel, Newark—Food Network filming, band, cheerleaders, late Buzz entrance, Fr. Wild hoops swan song, full ballroom of fans, player parade, MU bus caravan to ‘The Rock”.
Best Meal: Cleveland Chop House & Brewery—Great steak and beer, afternoon of HD NCAA viewing, Jimmy the Bartender celebrating his previous night’s engagement with regulars and strangers.
Best Monument or Statue: World War II Memorial, Washington DC—Subtle but fitting monument to the fighting men of the “Great Generation”. Connecting the Mall bowtie in the middle via design.
Best Lunch: Rocky’s, Little Italy NYC--$10 glass of wine or an $18 bottle? Cozy, full sensed, Italian leisure lunch amidst the bustle of a spring day.
Best Attraction: College Basketball Experience, Kansas City—Three MU coaches in, hands-on, poignant start to the travels.
Oddest Attraction: Parthenon, Nashville—Why is Athens in Nashville?
Best Entertainment District: Power & Light District, Kansas City—Great outdoor stage area, Sprint Center and hotel proximity, vibrant, 9 blocks of variety.
Best Arena Bar: Local Heroes Grill & Bar, Cleveland—Sweet 16 MU Celebration, high fiving MU alums, eyes bugging out of my head.
Best BBQ: Jack’s, Nashville—No, not KC BBQ to the haters, but the sampler from around the US was the kicker and apropos for the hoops adventure to come.
Best MU Alumni Gathering: Johnny’s, Kansas City—Full turnouts, young and old, MU committed true and blue, welcoming to out-of-towners.
Best Hotel: Marriott, Louisville—Modern, big-lobbied public hall, points room upgraded, convenient, contained.
Best Pub: Barley House, Cleveland--A Warehouse District hot spot. School-girl kilted Barley Girls, urinal photo billboards, Bloody’s, Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese.
Best Desserts: Gigi’s Cupcakes, Nashville—Red Velvet, Chocolate and Banana Cream Pie. Mmmcupcakes.
Best Group Dinner: Ping Pong, Washington DC—Chinatown, nouveau dim sum for post-game. Family and friends
Best Arena: KFC Yum! Center, Louisville—University of Louisville Hall of Fame, printed stats at half and game end, glass palace, live stats projected on the overhangs.
Best Park: Bryant Park, NYC—Semi-hidden, private jewel, chess and ping pong in the park. Bordered by the NYC Public Library.
Best City to Visit: Washington DC—Always great to come back to. An amalgamation of the blends of the US: Politics, culture and social awareness are always the topics of the day. History among us, but reality elsewhere.
Best Army: Devil’s Army, Newark—The Newark police need a tricked-out tank and Uzi’s for arena check-in lines.
Best Craft Beer: Great Lakes, Cleveland—Yes, Cleveland is the home of my favorite road craft. I hope the water in the “Burning River Pale Ale” wasn’t really from the Cuyahoga.
Best Roadside Attraction: Fair Oaks Farms, Indiana—A stop for gas leads to a cheese making tour, birthing barn and live milking demonstration in a giant complex. In a weird twist, Bears and ND safety, Dave Duerson, former owner, kills himself one month later. Odd America in the middle of nowhere. I just needed gas, but wound up with a cow udder apron.
Best Dive Bar: Broadway Brewhouse & Mojo Grill, Nashville—Vandy college crowd meets southern pick-up truck. A 72 beers on tap dank joint with Lanche-like accoutrements that is melded somehow with the new age, food court, Soul-Mexican-Healthy-BBQ menued, eclectic Mojo Grill. Huh? As mixed up as Lindsey Lohan.
Friendliest City: Nashville—A genuine politeness. Cleveland is a close second. Newark, a dead last, mainly because the jughandles.
Best Body of Water: Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Central Park Reservoir, NYC—A Spring walk around in the quiet solace of the Big Apple.
Best Fan Experience: Buzz stands-bound, Cleveland—Where “Walk It Out” meets “Jump Around”. High fiving press row. Sweat hugging the fam and Fr. Wild.

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Warrior Travels: Epilogue

“We find that after years of struggle we do not take a journey, but rather a journey takes us”

The journey was long and exhausting, starting with the optimism of the unseasonably, warm weather at the steps of winter and ending with the promise of a new, budding spring—booking-ending a bitter, harsh winter of discontent. The path took me to places that will continue to live this same journey well after NCAA fans’ departures from them. Each city visited was filled with a vibrancy built on its own local civic pride despite the toughest of economic circumstances. Each was fueled by a “stick-to-itiveness” not shown on the dour national news, each scratching the ground for a few pieces of grain to feed off of until conditions improve. And NCAA basketball gave them that hope—where there was little to be found--to keep on keeping on. It is the kind of hope that our large corporations and big governments have lost—afraid to journey out of their boardrooms and caucuses, only talking to and about themselves.

I enjoyed discovering “Marquette America”, finding it to be in a very different place than I thought back in September. The extreme ups and downs of the season matched the cities that hosted the Golden Eagles—getting knocked down and picking themselves up time after time, lost and looking for their identity, finding a way. I met multiple generations of Warriors, each with a different story and passion built on faith and lifetimes of basketball memories—loyal to their school to the bitter end, yet critical to the standard that they want upheld. Donors who give plenty, but get much more in return. A committed and friendly athletics department, the families and friends of the players so prideful, and wearing their emotions on their sleeves…and the tremendous devotion of the players and basketball staff, who give it their all for their school so that the fans can escape reality for a few memorable game moments that will be stretched a lifetime.

The old steelworks of Steinbeck’s day have been replaced by the glass and aluminum arenas--each being the cornerstone of an urban rebirth, the wishbone of a fallen city’s future. Entertainment districts, museums and hotels rely on these new-aged, painted ladies for their livelihoods. Somehow, some way these cities have been able to keep their original uniqueness and heritage, rebuilding with hope from within: The Kansas City BBQ, the Nashville two-step, the Louisville Sluggers, the Washington Monuments, the Cleveland Rock ‘n Roll Reinvention and the Newark Hustle. As Steinbeck found in his travels, each place I visited has its differentiating qualities. Likewise, each has a hard-edge that makes it tough to love. However, it is the people and their unsinkable spirit of hope that is the basis of their endearment.

After the soul crushing loss in Louisville, one born of a total collapse of Chernobyl proportions, our coach, Buzz Williams, like Barkeep Jen and Mayor Booker and so many others I met along the way, stepped out and found a way to gather the day with a message of hope and optimism when there wasn’t any to be visibly found (as relayed in the Louisville Courier-Journal):

“...And then there was Patrick Bouldin. The die-hard U of L fan always watched Marquette games with his friend and MU alum Doug Burchett, until Burchett died of brain cancer in 2009 at age 38. On Sunday, Bouldin was in the KFC Yum! Center with Burchett's 7-year-old son, Ryan.

Bouldin has seen all the U of L-Marquette thrillers, the Jerry Smith, Reece Gaines and Francisco Garcia last-second heroics, as well as those of Dameon Mason. He watched Steve Novak and Dwyane Wade break his heart. But he had never experienced anything like watching his beloved Cardinals come back, with a 7-year-old beside him tearing up. Bouldin had a confession to make. As much as he loves U of L, he wasn't cheering the comeback. “I was cheering for MU for Ryan's sake, telling him things like Terrence Jennings was a bad free-throw shooter (as he then did his best Milt Wagner impression),” Bouldin wrote. “Ryan quietly hid his face in the sleeve of his jacket and cried as U of L won and the crowd went nuts.” The story has a nice ending, though. Bouldin had arranged for Marquette coach Buzz Williams to meet Ryan after the game, and after such a heartbreaking loss, he worried that there was no way that would happen. But afterward, despite it all, here came Williams to shake Ryan's hand, smiling and talking to the two, even arranging for him to have pictures made with Marquette players.”

Anyone who thinks that college basketball is just a game that starts and ends with a horn blast needs to pack up their hobo bindle and hop the next box car out of town to experience the hope of the New Americans, to put the “Age of Instant Criticism” behind them, to rediscover their Warrior self. It is about love stories, friendships, hobbies, livelihoods, parent pride, families, stewardship, civics, emotions, competition, faith, memories, care giving, connectivity, community, laughter, anger, tears and tattooed-faced smiles of a child. “Marquette America” is alive and well, leaving a drop of Warrior hope at every stop along the way. We are Marquette! And, I thank you all for every minute of it.

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"Epilogue" is the latest in a series chronicling the 2010-2011 Marquette hoops season from a fan's unique perspective. If you missed the first entries click on the tags below for earlier installments.

Warrior Travels, Chapter 6, Brick City

"A sad soul can kill you quicker, far quicker, than a germ."

Newark is a hardened, shattered city. It is nicknamed the Brick City after the many brick homes, although urban lore says this moniker came from an infestation of crack bricks. Mayor Cory Booker is utilizing unending optimism to try to reverse a decades-long urban slide (as shown in the Sundance Channel’s documentary series by the city’s nickname). Its one asset is land-locked Manhattan: the alternative airport, the transportation infrastructure, and the available real estate give the politicians something to build on. The Rock has been the cornerstone of these efforts, trying to draw in entertainment dollars from the metropolitan area and beyond. The NCAA East Regional would be another national showcase opportunity. Sadly, Newark’s nickname would foreshadow things to come for Marquette, however.

It is too easy to be a critic today, everyone has a digital voice to immediately pronounce to the world what is wrong, myself included. A videogame mentality is a major part of the “New America”. This is the “Age of Instant Criticism”. However, tweeting or blogging about Newark’s or Buzz Williams’ problems only gets you so far toward solving the actual problems, as all it does is add more angst to the discussion. The tough part is to stir the pot of optimism and hope to “Be the Difference”.

Arriving via a LaGuardia shuttle at the Newark Liberty Airport on Thursday, March 24th, my mood was very upbeat about Marquette’s chances against North Carolina. MU was hot, playing on a familiar Big East court against a team that was not as good on the road/at neutral sites. However, the Tar Heels had the clear match-up advantage, especially on the frontline—which usually comes more into play on the second weekend of the tournament. That said, figuring out the match-ups in this game was much easier than figuring out the New Jersey jug handles. I fly into Newark about ten times a year, but I somehow wind up lost at the Newark Port after exiting the airport 100% of the time—and GPS is of no help.

After the LaGuardia airport shuttle, with a transfer to the Newark airport tram, to the hotel shuttle terminal, to the hotel bus, to the hotel, I checked into my room. Welcome to Newark! After I unpacked, I headed to the lobby bar to grab some dinner and a few beers while I watched the Thursday night NCAA games. Some Kentucky Boys were lined up on the back wall drinking their Buds and looking uncomfortably out of place in the big city—their team did not in the end.

Game Day Friday rose in the East. After some work and a late breakfast, I headed to the team hotel to meet a friend for lunch followed by the MU Pep Rally. The East Coast alumni and their families were out en masse as the entire hotel ballroom was ablaze in blue and gold. The Rachael Ray Show was there to film a segment called “The Final Fork”, featuring Famous Marquette Potters Beans by the superb MU Jamie. The fans then set up a two-sided spirit tunnel in the hallway to send off the players as they boarded the bus. Amidst rumors of other suitors, there was no Buzz with the team. Frankly, it was an odd situation as all the conversation was on the coach and not the game. As we waited for the bus caravan to load, I made a stop in the men’s room. Upon exit, there was Buzz right next to me as he popped off the elevator, with Steve Cottingham lingering. Hmmm…I wonder who was doing the talking?

The MU bus caravan was long and spirited. MU’s pre-game meeting place was the Brick City Bar & Grill, right next to the arena. The turnout was massive, making it nearly impossible to get a pre-game drink. And, with the NCAA’s self-imposed dry dock inside the arena, I would have to watch tonight’s games uneuthanized. More so, we had to go through a tight security ring to even get into the arena: A tank, Uzi’s, a hand wand and a full metal detector before I even gave an usher my ticket. Strange days indeed.

For the first seven+ minutes, the Warriors hung tough with the #2 seed Tar Heels, but then Marquette went stone cold. The resulting debacle, while bad, was to be eventually surpassed by Butler in the National Championship game. However, at that point in time, the emotional high of Cleveland felt decades away. The fans were Northeast Corridor brutal, screaming for scholarships to be revoked and coaches to be fired. Frankly, it was harsh and some alum parents bravely shouted for these few to calm down in front of their young kids as the bad spell continued. I was hoping there were no prideful student-athlete parents within earshot. The optimism of the pep rally was fleeting, replaced by the arid team shooting. I took it all in with silence, my soul sinking with every possession. Brick City it was.

MU won the 2nd half, but UNC’s dimmer was lowered after the break. I stuck around for the Ohio State vs. Kentucky match-up, which Kentucky won on a last second shot. Although this was a great game, I was still half into it after the earlier flat tire, sitting there in the down MU section. To quote Eeyore: "It's bad enough being miserable, but it is even worse when everyone else claims to be miserable, too.”

I woke up the next morning to a sunny spring day. It was off to NYC on New Jersey Transit to meet a business associate for lunch at Rocky’s in Little Italy. The Big Apple was alive, and vibrancy was being celebrated on every corner. We had a nice, long Italian lunch at Rocky’s, savoring all the five senses that Little Italy has to offer: the leisurely table talk, the garlic smells, the blended tastes, the people watching and the feel of a glass of Chianti. Perfetto!

After lunch, it was time to walk and subway around Manhattan. We did the tourist thing to check out the bustle of Times Square. Then we grabbed some coffee at Bryant Park, a beautiful urban enclave. Then it was over to Central Park to walk the jogging trail at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, taking in all the early spring day had to offer.

On the train ride back, my soul felt refurbished. The UNC Cold Winter 1st half had been forgotten. In its place were the sweet, surprising memories of Cleveland—where the fanbase came totally together, and the critics among us were quieted. It was a phenomenal up and down run, and the indefatigable spirit of post-911 New York was a great ending point to this Marquette journey.

Back in Newark, I watched Kentucky finish off UNC to earn Coach Cal’s first legitimate Final 4 the next night. These two basketball royalty schools expect to be in this spot every year, something that the Buzz Generation Warriors aspire to achieve--in a Rising Phoenix resolve similar to the host city’s mayor: “Newark is still showing signs of hope and promise and quite frankly doing some things other cities don't do," Booker said. Hope springs eternal, even in Newark, as my Warrior outlook now turned to the promise of next season.

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"Brick City" is the latest in a series chronicling the 2010-2011 Marquette hoops season from a fan's unique perspective. If you missed the first entries click on the tags below for earlier installments.

Warrior Travels: Chapter 5, The Forest City

"And I am sure that, as all pendulums reverse their swing, so eventually will the swollen cities rupture like dehiscent wombs and disperse their children back to the countryside. This prophecy is underwritten by the tendency of the rich to do this already. Where the rich lead, the poor will follow, or try to."

In the most recent census, Cleveland’s population had dropped 17% since 2000, putting its size at a level not seen since the turn of two centuries past. Even LeBron James decided to hightail it out of town, choosing to kick the city in the proverbial nuts with his national TV denouncement on his way to SoBe. The “Forest City” cannot seem to catch a break, but somehow those holding out for “The Last Stand” are hanging hopefully on. Jen, the hotel barkeep, wants to take a leave to do charity work in Africa, but is afraid her job won’t be here when she returns. Between Great Lakes pints and a surge of St. Patrick’s Day revelers, I try to tell her a bartender’s job can be found anywhere, but she seems oblivious to this reasoning as she moves down the bar rail. She has roots it seems and doesn’t want to give up a career with this national hotel chain. She has a dream, and it involves this city.

Walking down the near-deserted streets the next morning, I notice there are few trees in the “Forest City”. The lakefront is “planes, trains and automobiles”. As I walk past the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” and the Browns Stadium, I hear the hopeful sound of jackhammers. A massive convention center is sprouting up. I continue my walk and come upon the historic Warehouse District, a rehabbed entertainment and living area that “resprung” up to replace the crumbling Flats. Heading away from the lake, I find The Q, the site of the NCAA Round 2 & 3 games. Abutting Quicken Arena is Progressive Field, home of the MLB Indians. This newer sports complex is buttressed by the East 4th Street Entertainment District. In another day, I swing by the Market District to check out the Great Lakes Brewery, and I hear and see of an attempted rebirth of another downtown neighborhood. It becomes clear to me that the “Forest” has now become a euphemism for the city planners’ attempt to nourish and grow Barkeep’s Jen’s roots she so passionately describes. As the NCAA fans stream into the city now, the pendulum of hope appears to be swinging back in Cleveland’s favor.

Later on Game Day Friday, I ran into a group of George Mason basketball fans at the hotel bar for lunch, many of whom I am now best friends with from the night before—although I cannot seem to remember their names, except for their unofficial mascot, Father Peter, the GMU priest who is also on Facebook and Twitter. They were definitely the most spirited fans in Cleveland, and certainly the bar friendliest. Barkeep Jen was raking in the quid today as the high priestess of the NCAA basketball TV viewing altar. The Masonites were about to head to The Q to witness their team’s upset of Villanova, and as it turned out, Coach Jim Larranaga’s last win with the Patriots.

For me, it was on to the Marquette pep rally at the team hotel where I picked up my tickets and mixed it up with the well-heeled alumni, school officials, and for the first time on the road, students, before sending the team off with some stylin’. Then, it was on to the Ohio State dominated bars to meet up with some in and out of town friends for a pre-game.

In the season’s third “Battle of the Jesuits”—all played on the road under my witness— it was my 11th seed Marquette Warriors versus the 6th seed Xavier Musketeers (again, with the violent Jesuit nicknames). To this point in the season, MU was 0-2 against Ignatians and 5-6 against the Catholics. I was ten “Our Father’s” optimistic on this one, though.

But, who did Jesus favor in this town called Purgatory? The answer: Jimmy F Butler carried the “Cross of Gold” by completely shutting down Tu Holloway, the Crean refugee and the A-10 Player of the Year. This game was Marquette’s best defensive performance of the year, and they won going away--perhaps putting some doubters to rest. It was Marquette’s first NCAA win since 2009, ending Xavier’s streak of three, straight Sweet 16’s.

In the last game of the night, Syracuse trampled Indiana State, setting up a Big East rematch. The cocksure Orange Julius fans were assuring a trollop over the 11th place conference foe in the Round of 32. MU fans were still a bit shaky, to tell the truth.

On Saturday, I did some sightseeing, and then met up with some friends at the Cleveland Chop House to watch the NCAA games on HDTV. I ordered the Top Sirloin and an Irish Red as we watched the games on the rail. Regulars kept coming in and toasting Mike the Bartender, but I could not quite figure out why. What I found interesting was that this was a national chain, a type of place locals don’t usually hang at—a place that normally blanches any remnant of personality out of a joint. As Mike served my meal, I asked him “what was the occasion?” He said, “thanks for asking, but I just got engaged last night after my shift”, and he went on to describe the whole proposal set-up with pride. Apparently, he “Facebooked” all this, and the Mike Regulars swarmed in to wish him well, share a toast, and hear his story live. The games, the company, the sirloin, the Irish Reds and Bartender Mike’s hope made my day…and many others. Cleveland was making me more Milwaukee confident…to tell the truth.

Sunday started off with the Father Peter “underdog mass” in the hotel ballroom. Brunch followed at the Barley House in the Warehouse District, where I again hooked up with my atheist friends. Besides the Barley Girls, the Bloody Mary’s and Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese were great post-Eucharist/pre-NCAA morning starters. The highlight, though, was, hmmm, the posters over the urinals: A model with a faux, split-fingered hand mask. Another had a model with a sly, doubting look on her face, overlooking the male guest at the porcelain monument. I chose, matter-of-factly, the low well under the model with a tape measure. Thank goodness for that liquid courage to set the record straight.

Mike Ditka often gets philosophical. When he does, it usually starts with: “Sometimes in life, gang”… or something like that in “tough-as-a fender” talk. Well, I was now “Mike Ditka” sure of a Marquette victory over the Orangemen as I met friends at the pep rally. Why? I don’t know…but it is usually something in the air, an intuition that just overcomes me. Normally, even against a “Wisconsin State Fair Creampuff”, I am a nervous wreck before a game. However, I was a very “detached confident” against Syracuse for some reason. I was just determined to enjoy the ride. It was a bit out-of-body.

Sitting amongst Marquette player families and girlfriends, I witnessed the nerves, parental pride, and the Marquette spiritual happy ending as the Warriors, emphasis on Warriors, clutched it out via the Jae and DJO treys to beat the Syracuse Metal Heads in a national, but not Milwaukee, stunner. Unfortunately, my GMU friends got the spanking machine in the opener, but Father Peter had done his Catholic duty for the good guys. The Sweet 16 Surprise provided the season-nightcap that the MU fans had expected, deep-down, all along. The Buzzer went stand-bounds to cap off one of the top highlights in Marquette’s basketball history. After high-fiving the Cleveland police force at the exit, it was on to Local Heroes to savor it all with the Marquette Faithful—at least those who didn’t drive back through the night. The pendulum had swung, baby!

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"The Forest City" is the latest in a series chronicling the 2010-2011 Marquette hoops season from a fan's unique perspective. If you missed the first entries click on the tags below for earlier installments.

Warrior Travels: Chapter 4, The Chocolate City

"I don't believe anyone is a nothing. There has to be something inside, if only to keep the skin from collapsing. This vacant eye, listless hand, this damask cheek dusted like a doughnut with plastic powder, had to have a memory or a dream."

Retiring Marquette President, Fr. Robert Wild, stressed in his farewell interview that the university was founded on the strongly held belief of “first chances”—for immigrants, for women, for minorities. This belief spread onto the basketball court as well as reflected by Ulice Payne in his funeral eulogy of legendary Warrior coach Al McGuire:

"Coach (Al) . . . is an Irish Catholic son of an immigrant. His whole perspective was that. It was like him against the establishment. When we played, it was us against the establishment.”

“He would talk about the fact that 95% of his players were black in the early '70s, in the '60s. You know, it was like a pride thing in the sense that it was what he felt, and he let us know that it was part of the mission. It goes back to where he never really changed. I think that's why he identified with so many people.”

“Some guys say it, and some guys live it. Coach, he lived it. He lived it."

It was good to be back in the Chocolate City to see family. Marquette’s Jesuit roots in Washington DC also go deep, starting with the Les Aspin Center and stretching to Marquette’s new president and to its brother school, Georgetown University. Basketball players Bo Ellis, Jim McIlvaine and Lazar Hayward were all drafted by the Washington NBA team, although only Jimmy Mac actually played here. While I was yearning to stop at the DC standby’s like Ben’s, I also wanted to take in the pulse of the city as reform Mayor Adrian Fenty was just ousted (mainly for losing touch with his African-American base), and the new mayor, Vincent Gray had just been sworn in. Metro unemployment rates were below the national average and the DC economy was in a boom period with the increased federal government spending and a change in administrations. However, change and transformation were causing problems with the long-time make-up of the city as well, and African-American voters were not pleased with Fenty.

With a weekend of family meals and visits interspersed, I decided to take in the American vs. Colgate basketball game at Bender Arena. The now 17-8 Eagles beat Colgate in a Patriot League showdown in the only unranked road game for me all season. Jeff Jones, former Virginia coach and player-teammate to Ralph Sampson and Rick Carlisle on their Final 4 team, has revitalized American’s hoops program, going to the NCAA tournament two out of the last three seasons, with Marquette opponent Bucknell the only team ahead of them for 2011. If Marquette fans want a reminder of what the Big East means, they may want to ask any of the 2083 fans who went through the turn styles to see this one. After an evening of more family, I went back to the hotel to call it a night as the Marquette game was an early afternoon affair the next day.

As we stood in line at the Verizon Center Will Call, it struck me how the Marquette supporter make-up for each road game was entirely different. This group’s composition was mainly African-American, reflective of the city, area and Marquette’s basketball roster. Davante Gardner’s family and friends from Suffolk, VA were in for the game, as were various alumni eager to get their first glance at the team. There was a lot of Warrior Pride being spread around.
Talking with the group in line, I was reminded of this Sports Illustrated story about Marquette “first chances” under Al, and was glad to see the same philosophy still lives on under Buzz Williams, in true Warrior fashion:

“The first player McGuire recruited for Marquette was 6'3" Pat Smith out of Harlem, a center who could not see and could not shoot but who used what talents he did have to acquire a distinguished nickname, The Evil Doctor Blackheart. "McGuire understands our background and environment, and he forces us to remember," says The Evil Doctor. "He keeps reminding us we have nothing to go back to and he's right. Men from the ghetto shape up here." Meminger says, "Al tells Lackey, 'Hey, you haven't passed to a white man in four days.' He tells Brell, 'Goose, don't you see any brothers open?' I mean, he comes out and lays it on the line. We try not to get into cliques. If we do, there's trouble."

A big Warrior road turnout saw Marquette again disappoint in the second half after losing a big first half lead against Georgetown. The season was slipping away, and the fans were definitely edgy. This story was getting old, and it was hard to see it unfold. As a result, I concentrated on the fan diversions: The live burrito toss, the student sections under both baskets, the politically correct GU Jesuits also rolling out their version of the Gatling gun t-shirt cannon beneath the Washington Bullet rafter banners, and the home alum saying, “tough one for the Golden Griffins”. The Hoya fans were definitely the least hoops-informed of all home fans on my trips, which made the game’s outcome even harder to take—although Davante Gardner scored 12 points in ten minutes to excite his group.

The Marquette Alumni Club of DC was hosting a post-game event at Penn Quarter Sports Tavern, ironically right across from the Temperance Fountain. We stopped in for a drink and mingled for a bit before walking over to the National Mall to see the World War II Memorial. For some reason, even though I had been back numerous times, I had not visited this monument, and it was a must for me. My dad had been involved in just about every battle in Western Europe, from D-Day to post-liberation Germany. I had been to most of his war sites in Europe, but this unbelievably late tribute to the “Greatest Generation” had escaped me…the beauty of this design did not. Afterward, it was on to Chinatown for some dim sum at Ping Pong with family and friends to cap off a great visit.

As I headed back down Wisconsin past the Friendship Heights Metro station in my golden Marquette gear, I walked past a group of homeless men looking for some change. As is the urban way all too often, a pedestrian in a hurry not to notice puts his head down and plods on to his destination, afraid to feed a drug habit or for receiving a mental illness diatribe, or whatever rationale one can put together to keep moving. With 16,000 homeless on Washington DC streets, it is hard not to fall into this line of thinking for even the most compassionate among us, with the thought of just writing a check to a social agency to cover any sense of guilt. It is tough not to be hardened to this scene as it is so commonplace, fed by the many tourists on the streets.

Continuing on, I sidestepped a small cluster of men asking the tourists for help and not vice versa, and a man of the street stepped out and began shouting “Marquette, National Champions” at me. I had been called out, so I had to stop to hear the spiel. Or, so I thought. Instead, I received a “life lesson” from Clarence Ellis, who identified himself as Bo’s cousin. Clarence talked of pride about Marquette’s national championship team, of how great his cousin was and how lucky he was to attend Marquette University, with an accented emphasis on “University” as Bo always stresses if you notice. How Marquette and Al opened doors and gave hope to African-Americans where there wasn’t much. He attended Long Island University to play basketball, but he was there for basketball and not supported with his studies. But, the academics at Marquette were “real good, real good”. He just kept talking of his memories, and he wished me well. As he left, he again said “yes, the academics at Marquette were real good, they gave a guy a chance. Bo was lucky.” And so it ended as I stood there in silence, thanking God for this “first chance” moment.

In his article about Al’s Night, MU alum and journalist Dan McGrath quoted Warrior great and cousin of Clarence—to put my street conversation into perspective:

“He never promised me anything, except that I’d get a degree if I stayed four years, and that’s what my mother wanted to hear,” said Bo Ellis, a four-year starter and team captain of the ’77 national champions. “He was always real with me. He said, ‘We’d love to have you and you can help us, but we’re going to win whether you come or not.’

“I loved Coach McGuire as a coach,” Ellis said, “but I loved him even more as a person.”

Amen, brother. Amen.

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"The Chocolate City" is the latest in a series chronicling the 2010-2011 Marquette hoops season from a fan's unique perspective. If you missed the first entries click on the tags below for earlier installments.