Comments on: Hoosier Coach?? Tom Crean jumps ship

By: Brian

Brian — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 18:51:54 +0000

Bill,

I agree that Crean hasn’t had a consistent, solid body of work, but you obviously do not know basic facts about the Marquette program. Marquette won the regular season championship of Conference USA in 2003.

By: 3rd way

3rd way — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:04:21 +0000

Getting to the final four is a big deal. After the embarrasing way Creans squad performed when they got there I wouldn’t be so quick to draw attention to MU and the final four. If there is any team in the last ten years of final four history that looked like they didn’t belong there it is MU.

By: Luke

Luke — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:02:46 +0000

I can agree that championships are key, but the final four is a huge factor. Also Final Four > Big Ten championships and anything at another level like Girls JV or Men’s DIII

By: Bill

Bill — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:55:45 +0000

Coaches are measured in championships…not almost championships.

By: Luke

Luke — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:42:24 +0000

in other news the postseason is not just another game. We are talking about a large body of work here. Since 2002 Bo Ryan has failed to reach the final four despite inheriting a program that had been there (pretty much a fluke) in 2002. In his 2 most storied runs (05 and this year) he made it all the way to the elite eight, but he played a slate of second rate talent (I will admit Davidson is the best 10 seed ever). In those two runs to the elite eight the best team he managed to beat was a 10 seeded NC State.

It is easy to be focused on Bo’s lack of Final Fours because everywhere else in the Country that is the agreed currency by which NCAA coaches are evaulated. Only in Wisconsin where Bo Ryan simply can’t get to one are these other things like DIII titles pushed into a place of prominence.

By: Bill

Bill — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:53:56 +0000

Luke,

This obsession Michigan State and Marquette fans have with Bo Ryan and Final Fours is really quite unhealthy. Hate to break it to everyone, but the Final Four is just another game. You get trophies for games that matter. Bo has 4 national titles at Plattville, 2 outright big ten regular season championships, 1 co-championship in the regular season, and 2 tournament championships, 2 sweet sixteens and an elite 8….in 7 years at UW. Tom Crean has never won even a conference USA championship and won 1 tourney game in the last 5 years, do you really want to compare the two?

The Final Four you reference for Crean ended in a 40point embarassing loss. Since Mr. Wade has left town Mr. Crean also managed to lose a home NIT game in front of 10 people at the Bradley Center to the Michigan School of the Blind.

By: 3rd way

3rd way — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 00:40:30 +0000

So far the only thing that has been proven is the MU coaching position is a great paying job. Before Crean your hoops program was abysmal. Wade and Crean stepped it up a notch, but you now find yourselves overmatched in an extremely tough conference.

I hope dangling millions in front of a hotshot coach can be the beginning of a new era for the program. Very good programs are built on the shoulders of coaches that spend a career (or at least half a career) with the same school. The salary MU offered Crean was intended as the foundation of such a program. For a while it looked like Crean was your savior, but his jumping ship is a definite set back.

Good luck against UWM next year.