(Article Written by Roberto Ruiz, facebook.com/papiruiz33, twitter @RobertoRuiz33)
The Milwaukee Brewers and Ryan Braun have agreed to a five-year $105 million dollar contract extension on top of the current agreement; this was a deal that will ultimately lock up Braun until 2020.
This move is conjuring up criticism from across the nation, mainly because many believe that the Brewers could have waited a few years to make the deal, but now instead leave themselves open to Braun suffering a catastrophic injury.
The majority of the criticism is coming from Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and Boston, all major cities. Fortunately for them, their hometown baseball teams have the luxury of waiting until players hit the open market to throw money at them. The Brewers, a small-market team, do not have this luxury. The Brewers can not rely on a player liking Milwaukee enough to stay here when millions more dollars are being shoved in his face by another city. C.C. Sabathia said that he really liked Milwaukee, until he saw how much New York was offering. Prince Fielder has confessed his love for Milwaukee, but is not willing to pass up the huge payday awaiting him in a bigger city if he leaves.
The contract will make Braun the second-highest paid outfielder in the history of the league, but that is not as extreme as it sounds. By the time that contract kicks in, there are almost certainly going to be bigger contracts handed to outfielders by other teams. The price for a starting outfielder goes up every year, and Braun's contract involves only a slightly higher guaranteed salary than the other big contracts handed out this past winter. As mentioned though, those contracts also started this year, while this contract will not start until after the 2014 season. To be fair, Braun's numbers and popularity do suggest that he should be one of the top paid outfielders in the league. He has been an all-star in every full season he has played, and he has won the Silver Slugger award as the best slugger at his position.
As a franchise, the Brewers are throwing themselves on Braun's shoulders. Braun has been an excellent producer on the offensive side of the ball, and fans flock to get a glimpse of him. With the core group of Yovani Gallardo, Rickie Weeks, Corey Hart, and Braun locked up for years to come, the Brewers should be in good shape.
One potential downside to this contract is that it cripples the likelihood that Fielder will be staying around beyond this season. Though this seems like a big blow, the Brewers had already come to terms with the fact that Fielder was not going to stay around. The Brewers did not have enough money to throw at Fielder, so why keep it laying around in hopes that he changes his mind and wants to be a Brewer for life? This scenario was as likely to happen as me getting a job as Sports Editor for the Journal Sentinel tomorrow. Fielder is as good as gone, but Braun wanted to stay.
Fans have been showing up to Brewers games more than ever the past few years, and inking the fan favorite for nine total years isn't such a bad move. The Brewers did not drastically overpay Braun, if at all. Nor did they make the mistake of making the negotiations public (like so many teams have been doing recently).
At the end of the day, the main reason the Brewers and Braun agreed to this deal is because they both liked their future if the other was in the picture. This contract was a reward to Braun, and a showing of appreciation for his love of Milwaukee (and his agreeing to a very team friendly contract after his breakout rookie season).
Friday, April 22, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Von Wafer's Missed Opportunity
(Article Written by Roberto Ruiz, facebook.com/papiruiz33, twitter @RobertoRuiz33)
On Monday night, Von Wafer made one of the most boneheaded moves ever seen in the NBA. In overtime, Wafer went up for a dunk against the Washington Wizards, but missed the dunk. Not realizing that he missed, he celebrated facing the crowd before turning and running up-court. Upon turning, Wafer ran into Jermaine O’Neal, who had rebounded Wafer’s miss and was attempting to go up for a shot, forcing O’Neal to double dribble and turn the ball over. Wafer is receiving criticism from every direction, but we should all take a step back and assess the situation.
Wafer is a seldom used bench player who was getting extended playing time and he was trying to make the most of it. As a fan of basketball, I see missed dunks several times every year, but this one was different. Missed dunks are excusable, causing turnovers are not. Wafer should not have been celebrating a dunk during such a crucial time because the points would have put Boston up by four with three minutes left to play.
Wafer is known as a hard worker, and has been a spark off the bench when called upon. Yes we can snicker at an NBA athlete missing a dunk, but it is not fair to ridicule him for celebrating what he thought was a crucial basket. If it had gone in, the dunk would have emotionally charged the Celtics and they surely would have gone on to close out the lowly Wizards. This ended up being a crucial play, because Boston ended up losing by one, and this in reality was a four-point swing.
After looking at the game, lets look at the bigger picture: Boston was not playing to win the game, they were not fighting for playoff positioning because they rested four of their starters for this game. They were already in the third seed for the playoffs, so in reality what Wafer did was nothing more than a meaningless mistake. It is not fair to criticize a third year player when he is just trying to make a name for himself. Besides, Wafer obviously felt bad (and perhaps a little dumb) for what transpired, just watch his reaction to the play. He has learned from his mistake, I am sure it won't happen again.
Mistakes happen, and this is what the public needs to understand. If you were given an opportunity to show your talents in your workplace, wouldn’t you attempt to make a name for yourself? You might fall on your face in the process, but at least you tried. There will always be more opportunities, and I promise you that Wafer is not sitting in his condo crying about what could have been. He knows that an NBA team won’t look at that play and decide not to give him a roster spot.
On Monday night, Von Wafer made one of the most boneheaded moves ever seen in the NBA. In overtime, Wafer went up for a dunk against the Washington Wizards, but missed the dunk. Not realizing that he missed, he celebrated facing the crowd before turning and running up-court. Upon turning, Wafer ran into Jermaine O’Neal, who had rebounded Wafer’s miss and was attempting to go up for a shot, forcing O’Neal to double dribble and turn the ball over. Wafer is receiving criticism from every direction, but we should all take a step back and assess the situation.
Wafer is a seldom used bench player who was getting extended playing time and he was trying to make the most of it. As a fan of basketball, I see missed dunks several times every year, but this one was different. Missed dunks are excusable, causing turnovers are not. Wafer should not have been celebrating a dunk during such a crucial time because the points would have put Boston up by four with three minutes left to play.
Wafer is known as a hard worker, and has been a spark off the bench when called upon. Yes we can snicker at an NBA athlete missing a dunk, but it is not fair to ridicule him for celebrating what he thought was a crucial basket. If it had gone in, the dunk would have emotionally charged the Celtics and they surely would have gone on to close out the lowly Wizards. This ended up being a crucial play, because Boston ended up losing by one, and this in reality was a four-point swing.
After looking at the game, lets look at the bigger picture: Boston was not playing to win the game, they were not fighting for playoff positioning because they rested four of their starters for this game. They were already in the third seed for the playoffs, so in reality what Wafer did was nothing more than a meaningless mistake. It is not fair to criticize a third year player when he is just trying to make a name for himself. Besides, Wafer obviously felt bad (and perhaps a little dumb) for what transpired, just watch his reaction to the play. He has learned from his mistake, I am sure it won't happen again.
Mistakes happen, and this is what the public needs to understand. If you were given an opportunity to show your talents in your workplace, wouldn’t you attempt to make a name for yourself? You might fall on your face in the process, but at least you tried. There will always be more opportunities, and I promise you that Wafer is not sitting in his condo crying about what could have been. He knows that an NBA team won’t look at that play and decide not to give him a roster spot.
Year of the (Under)Dog
(Article Written by Roberto Ruiz, facebook.com/papiruiz33, twitter @RobertoRuiz33)
Overview
Nobody could have seen this NCAA men’s tournament unfolding the way it did. The University of Connecticut Huskies (UConn) won the national championship game, beating the Butler Bulldogs 53-41 in Houston, Texas. Though third seeded UConn winning was not an absolute surprise, the rest of the tournament was tossed in a blender from the very beginning. Eleventh seeded Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) made a run to the Final Four, and eighth seeded Butler made it to the championship game. Predicting an NCAA men’s tournament is nearly impossible most years, but this year it was even more difficult. Seeding did not seem to matter as no number one or two seeded team made it to the Final Four, and upset after upset busted brackets everywhere.
Championship Game
UConn won an ugly basketball game Monday night, holding Butler to 18.8% shooting for the game, the lowest shooting percentage in championship history. UConn’s defense was not that great, but instead the Bulldogs just missed open shot after open shot. Even layups were rolling out for the Bulldogs, who were obviously bothered by the length of Jim Calhoun’s squad. Coach Calhoun, now the oldest coach to win the national championship (68 years old), won his third championship and did so by feeding the ball to Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb.
Lamb took over the end of the game for the Huskies, beating Butler with his length and athleticism. While Walker scored more points and led the team with his attitude and fearlessness, Lamb was there when it mattered, soaring over the Bulldogs for layups and dunks.
Connecticut blocked ten shots, a championship game record, and even disrupted three point shots by putting their hands in the faces of the Butler shooters. The blocks led to UConn dominating the paint,
allowing Butler to make only one basket in the paint.
For the second consecutive year, coach Brad Stevens’ team will be heading home after the championship game as losers. This has been an incredible two years for Butler, a mid major school that had never made a sustained run in the NCAA tournament until Stevens showed up. At the tender age of 34, Stevens seemed to be caught in the headlights the game, and his team showed it. Playing zone for the first time in the tournament because nothing else was working, Butler seemed out of sorts for the entire second half. Though there was probably little that Stevens could do, it was an ugly performance nonetheless.
Marquette’s Surprising Run
Marquette was the last Big East team (Connecticut was the second-to-last) to be admitted into the tournament, and they made the second longest run out of the ten Big East teams out of the eleventh seed. While few picked Marquette to upset Xavier, even fewer picked them to get past third ranked Syracuse. Led by the gritty play of Jimmy Butler and Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette made a run to the Sweet 16 for the first time since Dwyane Wade could be seen roaming the Marquette campus.
Coach Buzz Williams put himself in line for an extension with his excellent coaching during the tournament. Williams was thrust onto the national stage with his post-game antics after the Xavier and Syracuse games. Williams could be seen screaming into the stands, giving band members high fives, pounding on the scorers table, and stomping on the ground with full force. While his antics got him on the national stage, his savvy coaching got him the extension. Many Marquette fans questioned Williams’ coaching abilities over the last two years, but many of those questions have been answered after he obviously out-coached Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim.
Jimmy Butler was Marquette’s most valuable player of the tournament. Butler shot nearly 50% from the field, while playing stingy defense, getting six steals in the two games Marquette won. Playing in his final games for Marquette, Butler led his team and showed why he is considered the heart of this basketball team. Butler will most likely go undrafted in the upcoming NBA draft, but expect him to latch on with a contending team solely because of his work ethic and quick hands.
Marquette struggled during the regular season, but this season has to be considered an overall success. Marquette was one of the last sixteen teams standing, and this season will impact the future years of Marquette basketball. When Wade led Marquette to the Final Four, it put Marquette on the map for recruits such as Dominic James, Wesley Matthews, and Jerel McNeal. We will know the true impact of this run when recruits come to Marquette when they otherwise would not have considered it.
Upsets Galore
Richmond (12), VCU (11), Morehead State (13), Marquette (11), Florida State (10), Butler (8), and Arizona (5) all beat teams that were seeded considerably higher than they were, and five of the teams made it to the Sweet 16. VCU was the true cinderella of the tournament, beating Georgetown, Purdue, Florida State, and Kansas to reach the Final Four. Butler beat the number one, two, and four seeded teams in their bracket. Florida State made it to the Sweet 16 after beating Texas A&M and Notre Dame. Morehead State beat fourth seeded Louisville in the first round before succumbing to Richmond. Richmond beat fifth seeded Vanderbilt and Morehead State before falling to Kansas. Arizona beat number one overall seed Ohio State.
Looking back on the tournament, every game felt like a toss-up. There were no dominating teams in the tournament, and that led to one of the most exciting NCAA tournaments of all time. There is no fun in a favored team going in every night and dominating their opponent. The overall lack of talent in the college pool may be frightening to fans, but it does lead to a more exciting tournament. At least fans have that to be thankful for.
Player of the Tournament
Kemba Walker is the obvious choice. Walker was the prototypical leader of the Huskies in every way imaginable. Walker was the closer for the team, often playing his best during crunch time, he also led by example when it came to walking the line of showing emotion. He never let the moment get the best of him, and often got in teammates faces when he felt they needed to be woken up. Walker, a senior, played like there truly was no tomorrow for him, and he brought a championship to Connecticut in his final game as a Husky.
Coach of the Tournament
Brad Stevens has a bright future ahead of him, despite his poor coaching performance in the last game. Butler lost two starters from last years squad, and they did not enjoy the stellar regular season that they did last year, but Butler ended up in the same position that it did a year ago. Butler regressed from last season, but Stevens found a way to maximize the talent available to him and once again consistently beat the bigger, richer schools in the tournament. Stevens’ star will only continue to rise, but let’s hope that we will see him out-coaching higher paid coaches again next year.
Overview
Nobody could have seen this NCAA men’s tournament unfolding the way it did. The University of Connecticut Huskies (UConn) won the national championship game, beating the Butler Bulldogs 53-41 in Houston, Texas. Though third seeded UConn winning was not an absolute surprise, the rest of the tournament was tossed in a blender from the very beginning. Eleventh seeded Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) made a run to the Final Four, and eighth seeded Butler made it to the championship game. Predicting an NCAA men’s tournament is nearly impossible most years, but this year it was even more difficult. Seeding did not seem to matter as no number one or two seeded team made it to the Final Four, and upset after upset busted brackets everywhere.
Championship Game
UConn won an ugly basketball game Monday night, holding Butler to 18.8% shooting for the game, the lowest shooting percentage in championship history. UConn’s defense was not that great, but instead the Bulldogs just missed open shot after open shot. Even layups were rolling out for the Bulldogs, who were obviously bothered by the length of Jim Calhoun’s squad. Coach Calhoun, now the oldest coach to win the national championship (68 years old), won his third championship and did so by feeding the ball to Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb.
Lamb took over the end of the game for the Huskies, beating Butler with his length and athleticism. While Walker scored more points and led the team with his attitude and fearlessness, Lamb was there when it mattered, soaring over the Bulldogs for layups and dunks.
Connecticut blocked ten shots, a championship game record, and even disrupted three point shots by putting their hands in the faces of the Butler shooters. The blocks led to UConn dominating the paint,
allowing Butler to make only one basket in the paint.
For the second consecutive year, coach Brad Stevens’ team will be heading home after the championship game as losers. This has been an incredible two years for Butler, a mid major school that had never made a sustained run in the NCAA tournament until Stevens showed up. At the tender age of 34, Stevens seemed to be caught in the headlights the game, and his team showed it. Playing zone for the first time in the tournament because nothing else was working, Butler seemed out of sorts for the entire second half. Though there was probably little that Stevens could do, it was an ugly performance nonetheless.
Marquette’s Surprising Run
Marquette was the last Big East team (Connecticut was the second-to-last) to be admitted into the tournament, and they made the second longest run out of the ten Big East teams out of the eleventh seed. While few picked Marquette to upset Xavier, even fewer picked them to get past third ranked Syracuse. Led by the gritty play of Jimmy Butler and Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette made a run to the Sweet 16 for the first time since Dwyane Wade could be seen roaming the Marquette campus.
Coach Buzz Williams put himself in line for an extension with his excellent coaching during the tournament. Williams was thrust onto the national stage with his post-game antics after the Xavier and Syracuse games. Williams could be seen screaming into the stands, giving band members high fives, pounding on the scorers table, and stomping on the ground with full force. While his antics got him on the national stage, his savvy coaching got him the extension. Many Marquette fans questioned Williams’ coaching abilities over the last two years, but many of those questions have been answered after he obviously out-coached Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim.
Jimmy Butler was Marquette’s most valuable player of the tournament. Butler shot nearly 50% from the field, while playing stingy defense, getting six steals in the two games Marquette won. Playing in his final games for Marquette, Butler led his team and showed why he is considered the heart of this basketball team. Butler will most likely go undrafted in the upcoming NBA draft, but expect him to latch on with a contending team solely because of his work ethic and quick hands.
Marquette struggled during the regular season, but this season has to be considered an overall success. Marquette was one of the last sixteen teams standing, and this season will impact the future years of Marquette basketball. When Wade led Marquette to the Final Four, it put Marquette on the map for recruits such as Dominic James, Wesley Matthews, and Jerel McNeal. We will know the true impact of this run when recruits come to Marquette when they otherwise would not have considered it.
Upsets Galore
Richmond (12), VCU (11), Morehead State (13), Marquette (11), Florida State (10), Butler (8), and Arizona (5) all beat teams that were seeded considerably higher than they were, and five of the teams made it to the Sweet 16. VCU was the true cinderella of the tournament, beating Georgetown, Purdue, Florida State, and Kansas to reach the Final Four. Butler beat the number one, two, and four seeded teams in their bracket. Florida State made it to the Sweet 16 after beating Texas A&M and Notre Dame. Morehead State beat fourth seeded Louisville in the first round before succumbing to Richmond. Richmond beat fifth seeded Vanderbilt and Morehead State before falling to Kansas. Arizona beat number one overall seed Ohio State.
Looking back on the tournament, every game felt like a toss-up. There were no dominating teams in the tournament, and that led to one of the most exciting NCAA tournaments of all time. There is no fun in a favored team going in every night and dominating their opponent. The overall lack of talent in the college pool may be frightening to fans, but it does lead to a more exciting tournament. At least fans have that to be thankful for.
Player of the Tournament
Kemba Walker is the obvious choice. Walker was the prototypical leader of the Huskies in every way imaginable. Walker was the closer for the team, often playing his best during crunch time, he also led by example when it came to walking the line of showing emotion. He never let the moment get the best of him, and often got in teammates faces when he felt they needed to be woken up. Walker, a senior, played like there truly was no tomorrow for him, and he brought a championship to Connecticut in his final game as a Husky.
Coach of the Tournament
Brad Stevens has a bright future ahead of him, despite his poor coaching performance in the last game. Butler lost two starters from last years squad, and they did not enjoy the stellar regular season that they did last year, but Butler ended up in the same position that it did a year ago. Butler regressed from last season, but Stevens found a way to maximize the talent available to him and once again consistently beat the bigger, richer schools in the tournament. Stevens’ star will only continue to rise, but let’s hope that we will see him out-coaching higher paid coaches again next year.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Marquette Fanatics/Student Section Season Recap
Article Written By: Ryan Ellerbusch (Twitter: @MUWarriorBBall and @RyanEllerbusch5)
Another season has come and gone for the Marquette men’s basketball team as the Golden Eagles’ Sweet 16 appearance and 22-15 overall record (9-9 in Big East) exceeded many preseason expectations.
Not only did Darius Johnson-Odom and Jimmy Butler earn all-Big East honors along with a new contract for head coach Buzz Williams, but the Marquette student section comprised of nearly 8,000 Fanatics on any given gameday turned in an impressive season-long performance too.
The 2nd oldest active arena in the NBA, The Bradley Center, hosted 18 Marquette home games this past year that brought 280,545 total fans through the turnstiles or an average of 15,586 per contest. In the most hyped rivalry game of the season that saw Marquette fall to the Wisconsin Badgers 69-64 on Saturday December 11th, a sellout crowd of 19,074 fans were in attendance. Despite the early season setback, fans stayed committed through the ups and downs of a rugged Big East conference schedule and on Saturday January 29th, the Golden Eagles captured a quality win at home by a score of 76-70 against Syracuse in front of 19,032 blue and gold supporters on National Marquette Day, marking the second largest home crowd of the season.
Newcomer and former National JUCO Player of the Year Jae Crowder, who averaged 16.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game this season for Marquette, had only positive things to say regarding what he likes about playing in The Bradley Center.
“I like that it’s an NBA court,” said Crowder. “It gives you a different atmosphere from a college basketball standpoint. You get a different vibe and feeling as you walk into the Bradley Center.”
Freshman Fanatic Spencer Bonahoom, who on average waits three hours outside of The Bradley Center prior to a game, believes that the Marquette players do feed off the energy and atmosphere of the home crowd on gamedays.
“I think the home games definitely give them a lot more energy,” said Bonahoom. “There’s not a lot of teams that have this many seats for the crowd so playing in this NBA arena definitely helps the noise level go up when we have a sellout. You can tell that the intensity picks up when the stadium starts to get loud and that all starts with the student section.”
Crowder also added, “That is when everything is at your best. You play hard and you feed off the crowd when you’re tired. That’s real college basketball when the crowd gets involved.”
And that one player who Bonahoom believes is the heart and soul of the Marquette team, none other than junior forward Jae Crowder.
“Crowder has been a huge addition,” states Bonahoom. “He always brings the intensity, he seems to get the key rebounds when we really need them, and of course he has been quite the scorer for us.”
Bonahoom, who can often be seen in the front row of the Marquette student section leading the cheers and wearing a gold shirt, gold shorts, wristbands, long socks, and his infamous We Are Marquette bandana, has truly enjoyed his first full season as a Marquette Basketball Fanatic and the unique benefits and entertainment at the games.
“I like a lot of the pregame stuff” admits Bonahoom. “Turning around when they introduce the opposing team, clapping back and forth right before the tip-off, and just all the chants and the yelling. It definitely gives it the great atmosphere that you have here.”
An assortment of giveaways including each a yellow and baby blue Marquette basketball shirt as well as a special Father Wild shirt and bobblehead have surely kept students coming back to games too thanks to a fabulous effort by the Marquette promotions staff.
Buzz Williams, who will enter his fourth season as head coach with the Marquette Golden Eagles next year making in excess of $2 million annually, is also very thankful and appreciative of the encouragement that the student section and fans give to his program. Prior to home games at The Bradley Center this past season, Williams has made it a priority to enter the court through the tunnel near the Marquette student section and either clap or shake the hands of the front row of fans and waving to the remainder as he proceeds towards walking to his team’s bench. In addition, Buzz has periodically bought and hand-delivered donuts and pizza to the crowds of students waiting in line hours before the doors to the arena had even opened.
The dedication of the Marquette University freshman class in particular at the basketball games this winter has been nothing short of spectacular and the passionate Fanatics have even made the extra effort over Christmas break to show their support as they cheered on the Golden Eagles to a 73-65 victory over Rutgers at The RAC in Piscataway, New Jersey back on January 5th. Two Yonkers natives and Marquette freshmen, Joe Naber and Kevin Dolan, both saw the game in-person and had great experiences in doing so.
“Since I’m from New York, I know a lot of kids from the area and one friend was able to get me a ticket there,” said Dolan. “He brought a few of our friends from high school and he wore some of his Rutgers stuff, but I of course went with my trademarked Marquette t-shirt that the Fanatics get. I was actually sitting in their student section with a Marquette shirt on and it was kind of funny because Joe Naber, another fellow Fanatic who is from the same area, was also there and he got a picture of me on the other side and you can see this one little speck of gold sitting in the student section and it was me.
Although the game was not nationally televised, during halftime locally on Time Warner Cable Sports 32, the camera zoomed in on Naber and his autographed Marquette hard-helmet by the entire Golden Eagles’ basketball team that he wears to every game.
“I was sitting exactly across from the student section and their student section is behind the hoop as well,” said Naber. “Their student section was pretty packed. It was during break, but Rutgers is a state school so they had students who do live in the area. It was definitely a fun game to be at.”
When comparing Marquette’s student section to Rutgers, both Naber and Dolan were shocked at how different the gameday experience was.
“I was probably one of maybe 20 or 30 Marquette fans there so I was definitely the minority, but that athletic facility is very nice and it’s really small,” said Naber. “It definitely is a different experience from The Bradley Center and that place did get loud, but it’s still a lot louder here.” Simply put, “their student section is nothing like the Marquette student section,” stated Dolan.
The amount of support that the Marquette basketball players receive from the fans cheering on the team in the stands and off the court by sending encouraging messages via Facebook or Twitter is yet another benefit of being a student-athlete at a unique university in Marquette that is built around the tradition of basketball and the 1977 NCAA Championship won by legendary head coach Al McGuire.
“It’s big” said Crowder. “Marquette really evolves around basketball and you can tell from a player’s standpoint as you play here that everyone notices you, everyone knows you, everyone looks up to you, they speak to you, and they’re behind you, so just being here at Marquette I love it.”
And that support continued all throughout the NCAA Tournament as the team was welcomed back to campus by approximately 25 fans and members of the media at The Al McGuire Center at 2 a.m. following their 66-62 win over Syracuse to advance and clinch a Sweet 16 berth. Numerous team send-offs, viewing parties, and the upcoming postseason banquet on Wednesday, April 13th to honor the success of this past season and the graduating seniors are just a few instances to describe the loyal fan base that Marquette basketball is happy to be apart of.
“I love the team and I love when we win” said Bonahoom. So at the end of the game when you know that we got the game in hand and everyone starts chanting We Are Marquette, nothing beats that feeling. The place is rocking, the We Are Marquette chant is going, and that’s the best feeling there is.”
**Thank you everyone for reading. If you have any suggestions on future stories or players that I should writes articles on, please tweet at me. The Warrior Sports Staff is anxious to hear your feedback and interests.**
Another season has come and gone for the Marquette men’s basketball team as the Golden Eagles’ Sweet 16 appearance and 22-15 overall record (9-9 in Big East) exceeded many preseason expectations.
Not only did Darius Johnson-Odom and Jimmy Butler earn all-Big East honors along with a new contract for head coach Buzz Williams, but the Marquette student section comprised of nearly 8,000 Fanatics on any given gameday turned in an impressive season-long performance too.
The 2nd oldest active arena in the NBA, The Bradley Center, hosted 18 Marquette home games this past year that brought 280,545 total fans through the turnstiles or an average of 15,586 per contest. In the most hyped rivalry game of the season that saw Marquette fall to the Wisconsin Badgers 69-64 on Saturday December 11th, a sellout crowd of 19,074 fans were in attendance. Despite the early season setback, fans stayed committed through the ups and downs of a rugged Big East conference schedule and on Saturday January 29th, the Golden Eagles captured a quality win at home by a score of 76-70 against Syracuse in front of 19,032 blue and gold supporters on National Marquette Day, marking the second largest home crowd of the season.
Newcomer and former National JUCO Player of the Year Jae Crowder, who averaged 16.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game this season for Marquette, had only positive things to say regarding what he likes about playing in The Bradley Center.
“I like that it’s an NBA court,” said Crowder. “It gives you a different atmosphere from a college basketball standpoint. You get a different vibe and feeling as you walk into the Bradley Center.”
Freshman Fanatic Spencer Bonahoom, who on average waits three hours outside of The Bradley Center prior to a game, believes that the Marquette players do feed off the energy and atmosphere of the home crowd on gamedays.
“I think the home games definitely give them a lot more energy,” said Bonahoom. “There’s not a lot of teams that have this many seats for the crowd so playing in this NBA arena definitely helps the noise level go up when we have a sellout. You can tell that the intensity picks up when the stadium starts to get loud and that all starts with the student section.”
Crowder also added, “That is when everything is at your best. You play hard and you feed off the crowd when you’re tired. That’s real college basketball when the crowd gets involved.”
And that one player who Bonahoom believes is the heart and soul of the Marquette team, none other than junior forward Jae Crowder.
“Crowder has been a huge addition,” states Bonahoom. “He always brings the intensity, he seems to get the key rebounds when we really need them, and of course he has been quite the scorer for us.”
Bonahoom, who can often be seen in the front row of the Marquette student section leading the cheers and wearing a gold shirt, gold shorts, wristbands, long socks, and his infamous We Are Marquette bandana, has truly enjoyed his first full season as a Marquette Basketball Fanatic and the unique benefits and entertainment at the games.
“I like a lot of the pregame stuff” admits Bonahoom. “Turning around when they introduce the opposing team, clapping back and forth right before the tip-off, and just all the chants and the yelling. It definitely gives it the great atmosphere that you have here.”
An assortment of giveaways including each a yellow and baby blue Marquette basketball shirt as well as a special Father Wild shirt and bobblehead have surely kept students coming back to games too thanks to a fabulous effort by the Marquette promotions staff.
Buzz Williams, who will enter his fourth season as head coach with the Marquette Golden Eagles next year making in excess of $2 million annually, is also very thankful and appreciative of the encouragement that the student section and fans give to his program. Prior to home games at The Bradley Center this past season, Williams has made it a priority to enter the court through the tunnel near the Marquette student section and either clap or shake the hands of the front row of fans and waving to the remainder as he proceeds towards walking to his team’s bench. In addition, Buzz has periodically bought and hand-delivered donuts and pizza to the crowds of students waiting in line hours before the doors to the arena had even opened.
The dedication of the Marquette University freshman class in particular at the basketball games this winter has been nothing short of spectacular and the passionate Fanatics have even made the extra effort over Christmas break to show their support as they cheered on the Golden Eagles to a 73-65 victory over Rutgers at The RAC in Piscataway, New Jersey back on January 5th. Two Yonkers natives and Marquette freshmen, Joe Naber and Kevin Dolan, both saw the game in-person and had great experiences in doing so.
“Since I’m from New York, I know a lot of kids from the area and one friend was able to get me a ticket there,” said Dolan. “He brought a few of our friends from high school and he wore some of his Rutgers stuff, but I of course went with my trademarked Marquette t-shirt that the Fanatics get. I was actually sitting in their student section with a Marquette shirt on and it was kind of funny because Joe Naber, another fellow Fanatic who is from the same area, was also there and he got a picture of me on the other side and you can see this one little speck of gold sitting in the student section and it was me.
Although the game was not nationally televised, during halftime locally on Time Warner Cable Sports 32, the camera zoomed in on Naber and his autographed Marquette hard-helmet by the entire Golden Eagles’ basketball team that he wears to every game.
“I was sitting exactly across from the student section and their student section is behind the hoop as well,” said Naber. “Their student section was pretty packed. It was during break, but Rutgers is a state school so they had students who do live in the area. It was definitely a fun game to be at.”
When comparing Marquette’s student section to Rutgers, both Naber and Dolan were shocked at how different the gameday experience was.
“I was probably one of maybe 20 or 30 Marquette fans there so I was definitely the minority, but that athletic facility is very nice and it’s really small,” said Naber. “It definitely is a different experience from The Bradley Center and that place did get loud, but it’s still a lot louder here.” Simply put, “their student section is nothing like the Marquette student section,” stated Dolan.
The amount of support that the Marquette basketball players receive from the fans cheering on the team in the stands and off the court by sending encouraging messages via Facebook or Twitter is yet another benefit of being a student-athlete at a unique university in Marquette that is built around the tradition of basketball and the 1977 NCAA Championship won by legendary head coach Al McGuire.
“It’s big” said Crowder. “Marquette really evolves around basketball and you can tell from a player’s standpoint as you play here that everyone notices you, everyone knows you, everyone looks up to you, they speak to you, and they’re behind you, so just being here at Marquette I love it.”
And that support continued all throughout the NCAA Tournament as the team was welcomed back to campus by approximately 25 fans and members of the media at The Al McGuire Center at 2 a.m. following their 66-62 win over Syracuse to advance and clinch a Sweet 16 berth. Numerous team send-offs, viewing parties, and the upcoming postseason banquet on Wednesday, April 13th to honor the success of this past season and the graduating seniors are just a few instances to describe the loyal fan base that Marquette basketball is happy to be apart of.
“I love the team and I love when we win” said Bonahoom. So at the end of the game when you know that we got the game in hand and everyone starts chanting We Are Marquette, nothing beats that feeling. The place is rocking, the We Are Marquette chant is going, and that’s the best feeling there is.”
**Thank you everyone for reading. If you have any suggestions on future stories or players that I should writes articles on, please tweet at me. The Warrior Sports Staff is anxious to hear your feedback and interests.**
Friday, March 18, 2011
Marquette vs Xavier
Roberto Ruiz-Maki
Xavier is a formidable foe; Marquette has been facing elite teams all year, and this game will be no different. Jimmy Butler and Darius Johnson-Odom have got to be on top of their games to beat Tu Holloway and the Musketeers. Holloway has been the driving force of Xavier, averaging over 20 points and 5 assists per game, while being the veteran influence on the court. The big difference between these two teams is that Marquette has beaten quality opponents on several occasions this year, while Xavier lacks a big time win.
Five Keys:
1. Jimmy Butler over 2.5 steals
This is my biggest key, although it seems kind of inconsequential. Butler has to create turnovers by utilizing his long arms and quickness. Marquette can not win this game by running around Xavier, they must instead outsmart them. Butler has to play well on the offensive side as well, but Marquette's defense will be key and Butler is the main thief on defense.
2. Quality Defense
This seems like a given, but this is twice as important against a team like Xavier. The Musketeers have shot 46.3% this season, and if they shoot anywhere near that then this game will be over quickly. Marquette has to overwhelm them with their quickness, and never allow an open shot. Having a hand in the shooters face will be key.
3. Offensive Rebounds
Kenny Frease, Xavier's center, is a 7-foot, 269 pound behemoth, and he will be crashing the boards all night. Team rebounding will be essential to combating with Frease's size, since Chris Otule only plays about 20 minutes a game and is not nearly as muscular. Keep in mind, though, that defensive positioning and boxing out will beat size and strength to every rebound, so if Marquette is playing disciplined basketball then they should be fine.
4. Buzz Williams' Coaching
I like Buzz as much as the next guy, but his coaching style has hardly worked in big games. It is easy to pick apart, especially by a veteran team. Marquette may be one of the best conditioned teams in the tournament, and this would be the perfect time to use that as an advantage. Go ten-deep in the rotation, and keep a full-court press going for most of the game. This will allow Marquette's point guards to flourish, and may even bring Marquette to infinity, and beyond.
5. Run, Run, Run
Anybody who watches Marquette knows that the half-court offense is not their specialty, so Marquette has to push the tempo as much as possible. Vander Blue and Junior Cadougan can run the Musketeers into the ground, so why not let them.
I am going to be honest here, Marquette doesn't stand much of a chance. Xavier has made it to the sweet sixteen each of the last three years, including one trip to the elite eight. Xavier has the been there done that swagger, and that is necessary for this tournament; the shell shocked teams never make it far. This could be Marquette's last stand, but I hope it's not. If it is though, I hope they go down swinging.
Predicted score: Xavier 75 Marquette 69.
Xavier is a formidable foe; Marquette has been facing elite teams all year, and this game will be no different. Jimmy Butler and Darius Johnson-Odom have got to be on top of their games to beat Tu Holloway and the Musketeers. Holloway has been the driving force of Xavier, averaging over 20 points and 5 assists per game, while being the veteran influence on the court. The big difference between these two teams is that Marquette has beaten quality opponents on several occasions this year, while Xavier lacks a big time win.
Five Keys:
1. Jimmy Butler over 2.5 steals
This is my biggest key, although it seems kind of inconsequential. Butler has to create turnovers by utilizing his long arms and quickness. Marquette can not win this game by running around Xavier, they must instead outsmart them. Butler has to play well on the offensive side as well, but Marquette's defense will be key and Butler is the main thief on defense.
2. Quality Defense
This seems like a given, but this is twice as important against a team like Xavier. The Musketeers have shot 46.3% this season, and if they shoot anywhere near that then this game will be over quickly. Marquette has to overwhelm them with their quickness, and never allow an open shot. Having a hand in the shooters face will be key.
3. Offensive Rebounds
Kenny Frease, Xavier's center, is a 7-foot, 269 pound behemoth, and he will be crashing the boards all night. Team rebounding will be essential to combating with Frease's size, since Chris Otule only plays about 20 minutes a game and is not nearly as muscular. Keep in mind, though, that defensive positioning and boxing out will beat size and strength to every rebound, so if Marquette is playing disciplined basketball then they should be fine.
4. Buzz Williams' Coaching
I like Buzz as much as the next guy, but his coaching style has hardly worked in big games. It is easy to pick apart, especially by a veteran team. Marquette may be one of the best conditioned teams in the tournament, and this would be the perfect time to use that as an advantage. Go ten-deep in the rotation, and keep a full-court press going for most of the game. This will allow Marquette's point guards to flourish, and may even bring Marquette to infinity, and beyond.
5. Run, Run, Run
Anybody who watches Marquette knows that the half-court offense is not their specialty, so Marquette has to push the tempo as much as possible. Vander Blue and Junior Cadougan can run the Musketeers into the ground, so why not let them.
I am going to be honest here, Marquette doesn't stand much of a chance. Xavier has made it to the sweet sixteen each of the last three years, including one trip to the elite eight. Xavier has the been there done that swagger, and that is necessary for this tournament; the shell shocked teams never make it far. This could be Marquette's last stand, but I hope it's not. If it is though, I hope they go down swinging.
Predicted score: Xavier 75 Marquette 69.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
NFL vs NFLPA
Roberto Ruiz-Maki
I have had just about enough of this. The NFL and the NFLPA have been discussing a new collective bargaining agreement for a week now, and I am pissed. Football is the heart of America; it is our sport, and we show that by pouring billions of dollars into the industry every year. Billions. Now the players union and the team owners can't agree on a way to divide the money up? They had a CBA in place already, where the team owners got one billion off of the top of the total profits, and then the rest was split up 60-40 in favor of the players. The owners backed out of the agreement after the players started to make more money than the owners did every year.
This has the feel of two children squabbling over who gets to go first in the lunch line. Does it really matter who gets paid a little extra when it comes to billions of dollars? I am all for the players getting paid more than the owners anyway, since we watch football because of the players. I don't sit down every Sunday night to watch the NASDAQ stock rise and fall, nor do I enjoy watching a bunch of billionaires complain about who is getting paid more than them. I will, however, sit down and watch 106 highly trained athletes competing against one another.
The biggest argument I am hearing for the owners is that there is no other company where the workers get paid more than their bosses do. I agree, it would be ludicrous for a waiter to make more than the restaurant owner, just as it would be insane for a book editor to make more than the writer. This is not your run of the mill job, though, and we should not treat it like one. No other business is based on the popularity of the workers as much as the NFL is, and you can't just replace these guys with anybody. I would not watch football if the players were fatter, slower, and sloppier. The owners need to realize that they do not make a living off football, they are all owners of other companies that make them more money, but the majority of players make their money solely from football.
This is not a player strike, this is a lockout. If there is not football next year then billions of dollars will be thrown into the garbage by the owners. The players are not at fault here, and it is unfair to blame them for this. The agreement was drawn up several years ago, and the owners were the ones pushing for that specific format.
As kids, didn't we all hate that kid who complained when the class got cookies because his did not have as many chocolate chips as every other cookie? Shut up, kid, stop being a brat, go to the corner and think about what you are doing.
I have had just about enough of this. The NFL and the NFLPA have been discussing a new collective bargaining agreement for a week now, and I am pissed. Football is the heart of America; it is our sport, and we show that by pouring billions of dollars into the industry every year. Billions. Now the players union and the team owners can't agree on a way to divide the money up? They had a CBA in place already, where the team owners got one billion off of the top of the total profits, and then the rest was split up 60-40 in favor of the players. The owners backed out of the agreement after the players started to make more money than the owners did every year.
This has the feel of two children squabbling over who gets to go first in the lunch line. Does it really matter who gets paid a little extra when it comes to billions of dollars? I am all for the players getting paid more than the owners anyway, since we watch football because of the players. I don't sit down every Sunday night to watch the NASDAQ stock rise and fall, nor do I enjoy watching a bunch of billionaires complain about who is getting paid more than them. I will, however, sit down and watch 106 highly trained athletes competing against one another.
The biggest argument I am hearing for the owners is that there is no other company where the workers get paid more than their bosses do. I agree, it would be ludicrous for a waiter to make more than the restaurant owner, just as it would be insane for a book editor to make more than the writer. This is not your run of the mill job, though, and we should not treat it like one. No other business is based on the popularity of the workers as much as the NFL is, and you can't just replace these guys with anybody. I would not watch football if the players were fatter, slower, and sloppier. The owners need to realize that they do not make a living off football, they are all owners of other companies that make them more money, but the majority of players make their money solely from football.
This is not a player strike, this is a lockout. If there is not football next year then billions of dollars will be thrown into the garbage by the owners. The players are not at fault here, and it is unfair to blame them for this. The agreement was drawn up several years ago, and the owners were the ones pushing for that specific format.
As kids, didn't we all hate that kid who complained when the class got cookies because his did not have as many chocolate chips as every other cookie? Shut up, kid, stop being a brat, go to the corner and think about what you are doing.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Marquette Basketball Player Profile: Jamail Jones
Article Written By: Ryan Ellerbusch (Twitter: @MUWarriorBBall)
Perhaps overlooked in Marquette’s 2010 recruiting class, freshman Jamail Jones is confident that his time will eventually come to contribute to the Golden Eagles on a regular basis.
The 6’6” forward from Montverde Academy in Florida was ranked by ESPN as the 53rd top high school basketball prospect in the class of 2010. However, Jones hasn’t seen much meaningful playing time throughout the course of this season and has averaged just two minutes of action in five games during the Big East Conference portion of Marquette’s schedule.
“I always come into every game thinking I am going to play. Not playing is rough, but I just got to wait my turn. We’re in the best conference in America so you can never take a night off. You always have to bring your best game because you never know. Anyone can beat you on any given night.”
Despite averaging just 1.4 points and 0.9 rebounds this season, Jones has remained “Mellow,” a nickname that his teammates call him by because he is very relaxed and likes to chill in his off time and sleep a lot. Rightfully so, the Marquette basketball program under third-year head coach Buzz Williams is one that is very intense and requires a hard-working, tough, and a never give up mentality, which Jones admires.
“(Buzz) is a good coach. Intense, very intense, and just hard-nosed. He doesn’t really take any crap so you always got to be at your best all the time.”
As just a freshman with high expectations and a lot of hype being a four-star recruit, thus far, Jones has been doing his best to stand out by showing coach Williams his talents and not getting caught up in the fact that critics may expect more out of him.
“I played against a lot of highly ranked people coming out of high school so they (the rankings) don’t really mean much. It’s just another game on a different day.”
Jones can often be seen on the court during pregame warm-ups dazzling fans with his slam-dunks that have even received national attention back in high school when Jones played in the ESPN 2010 Rise National Championship Invitational and had two dunks in back-to-back days that made SportsCenter’s countdown of the Top 10 plays.
Marquette fans first caught a glimpse of what Jones might be able to bring to the squad in future years on December 18th vs. Centenary when he recorded a career-high 11 points for the Golden Eagles on 4-of-6 shooting from the field, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc in the victory.
“I felt good out there playing with my teammates just being able to do what I do best and not doing too much outside of my box.”
Jones, who dons the number 22 on his jersey in honor of his father who earned three letters playing college basketball (1984-86) at Alaska-Anchorage, has also been an energetic boost on the sidelines where he cheers on his teammates and hopes one day that he can bring energy, defense, scoring, and some wins to Marquette as the Golden Eagles hope to make a national championship run.
Jones strengths are shooting the basketball, particularly from his hotspots near the left and right wings where he can be deadly from 3-point range. In addition, Jones is also learning to put the ball on the floor more and is improving his defense, which will only get better as Jones gains more experience playing collegiate basketball.
Jones knows his role on the team as a young student-athlete and is aware that he must always be ready when given the opportunity to shine by coach Williams either in a game or in practice when Williams shuffles the lineups at a rapid pace as he been accustomed to doing recently.
“It’s kind of a mix because sometimes he (Buzz) splits the team up or he will go starters and then he will pick another five to go against the starters. Just depending on how he is feeling that day.”
In the upcoming years as Jones’ basketball career here at Marquette progresses, Golden Eagles basketball fans should have no problem recognizing and interacting with this “mellow” athlete because Jamail Jones wants Marquette Nation to know one thing about him.
“I am a real down to earth guy. I’m a people person so whenever you see me, you can talk to me. Don’t be afraid to talk to me. I will talk back. It’s that simple.”
Perhaps overlooked in Marquette’s 2010 recruiting class, freshman Jamail Jones is confident that his time will eventually come to contribute to the Golden Eagles on a regular basis.
The 6’6” forward from Montverde Academy in Florida was ranked by ESPN as the 53rd top high school basketball prospect in the class of 2010. However, Jones hasn’t seen much meaningful playing time throughout the course of this season and has averaged just two minutes of action in five games during the Big East Conference portion of Marquette’s schedule.
“I always come into every game thinking I am going to play. Not playing is rough, but I just got to wait my turn. We’re in the best conference in America so you can never take a night off. You always have to bring your best game because you never know. Anyone can beat you on any given night.”
Despite averaging just 1.4 points and 0.9 rebounds this season, Jones has remained “Mellow,” a nickname that his teammates call him by because he is very relaxed and likes to chill in his off time and sleep a lot. Rightfully so, the Marquette basketball program under third-year head coach Buzz Williams is one that is very intense and requires a hard-working, tough, and a never give up mentality, which Jones admires.
“(Buzz) is a good coach. Intense, very intense, and just hard-nosed. He doesn’t really take any crap so you always got to be at your best all the time.”
As just a freshman with high expectations and a lot of hype being a four-star recruit, thus far, Jones has been doing his best to stand out by showing coach Williams his talents and not getting caught up in the fact that critics may expect more out of him.
“I played against a lot of highly ranked people coming out of high school so they (the rankings) don’t really mean much. It’s just another game on a different day.”
Jones can often be seen on the court during pregame warm-ups dazzling fans with his slam-dunks that have even received national attention back in high school when Jones played in the ESPN 2010 Rise National Championship Invitational and had two dunks in back-to-back days that made SportsCenter’s countdown of the Top 10 plays.
Marquette fans first caught a glimpse of what Jones might be able to bring to the squad in future years on December 18th vs. Centenary when he recorded a career-high 11 points for the Golden Eagles on 4-of-6 shooting from the field, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc in the victory.
“I felt good out there playing with my teammates just being able to do what I do best and not doing too much outside of my box.”
Jones, who dons the number 22 on his jersey in honor of his father who earned three letters playing college basketball (1984-86) at Alaska-Anchorage, has also been an energetic boost on the sidelines where he cheers on his teammates and hopes one day that he can bring energy, defense, scoring, and some wins to Marquette as the Golden Eagles hope to make a national championship run.
Jones strengths are shooting the basketball, particularly from his hotspots near the left and right wings where he can be deadly from 3-point range. In addition, Jones is also learning to put the ball on the floor more and is improving his defense, which will only get better as Jones gains more experience playing collegiate basketball.
Jones knows his role on the team as a young student-athlete and is aware that he must always be ready when given the opportunity to shine by coach Williams either in a game or in practice when Williams shuffles the lineups at a rapid pace as he been accustomed to doing recently.
“It’s kind of a mix because sometimes he (Buzz) splits the team up or he will go starters and then he will pick another five to go against the starters. Just depending on how he is feeling that day.”
In the upcoming years as Jones’ basketball career here at Marquette progresses, Golden Eagles basketball fans should have no problem recognizing and interacting with this “mellow” athlete because Jamail Jones wants Marquette Nation to know one thing about him.
“I am a real down to earth guy. I’m a people person so whenever you see me, you can talk to me. Don’t be afraid to talk to me. I will talk back. It’s that simple.”
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