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I'll let the Shaka to Marquette thread die and start a new one.

From ESPN:

Marquette officials met Sunday with Tennessee coach Cuonzo Martin, and there is significant interest from the Golden Eagles in hiring Martin away from the Vols, multiple sources told ESPN.com.

Sources told ESPN.com that discussions are underway between the two parties, but Tennessee still has an opportunity to keep Martin.

I don't know much about Martin, but my understanding is that Tennessee fans don't seem to think he is that great. So...I dont know.

36,000 people apparently signed a petition to fire him about a month ago before the sweet 16 run. This would be a so-so hire IMO. Should be able to keep most of the recruits though I would think.

Allow me to preface with the fact that nobody knows anything for sure, and long-trusted sources are being largely distrusted these days after the Smart incident.

Here's where the Marquette boards stand as of this moment:

Ben Howland-appears to be a peripheral candidate, at the moment. A lot of people are not happy about that. Apparently the MU administration doesn't like something about his time at UCLA. It may also have something to do with our biggest booster not liking him, but that is pure conjecture at this point.

Cuonzo Martin-looks to be in talks with the administration. No one is sure how serious or how far along these talks are. There is some apprehension since, without the late season run, it looked like he was on the hot seat. He did improve both Missouri State and Tennessee over his tenures there. Looking like a very strong candidate at the moment.

Steve Wojciechowski-current assistant at Duke. Seems to be a great recruiter. I don't know much about his X's and O's ability. Not sure how serious of a candidate he is but his name is being brought up a lot.

Those are the 3 that are still being discussed a lot on the boards. Take it or leave. Nobody trusts anybody over there at the moment.

marquette wrote:Allow me to preface with the fact that nobody knows anything for sure, and long-trusted sources are being largely distrusted these days after the Smart incident.

Here's where the Marquette boards stand as of this moment:

Ben Howland-appears to be a peripheral candidate, at the moment. A lot of people are not happy about that. Apparently the MU administration doesn't like something about his time at UCLA. It may also have something to do with our biggest booster not liking him, but that is pure conjecture at this point.

Cuonzo Martin-looks to be in talks with the administration. No one is sure how serious or how far along these talks are. There is some apprehension since, without the late season run, it looked like he was on the hot seat. He did improve both Missouri State and Tennessee over his tenures there. Looking like a very strong candidate at the moment.

Steve Wojciechowski-current assistant at Duke. Seems to be a great recruiter. I don't know much about his X's and O's ability. Not sure how serious of a candidate he is but his name is being brought up a lot.

Those are the 3 that are still being discussed a lot on the boards. Take it or leave. Nobody trusts anybody over there at the moment.

Wojo I could really see being it. Know reading this weekend Marquette was supposedly very impressed with Collins at Northwestern just down the road.

marquette wrote:Allow me to preface with the fact that nobody knows anything for sure, and long-trusted sources are being largely distrusted these days after the Smart incident.

Here's where the Marquette boards stand as of this moment:

Ben Howland-appears to be a peripheral candidate, at the moment. A lot of people are not happy about that. Apparently the MU administration doesn't like something about his time at UCLA. It may also have something to do with our biggest booster not liking him, but that is pure conjecture at this point.

Cuonzo Martin-looks to be in talks with the administration. No one is sure how serious or how far along these talks are. There is some apprehension since, without the late season run, it looked like he was on the hot seat. He did improve both Missouri State and Tennessee over his tenures there. Looking like a very strong candidate at the moment.

Steve Wojciechowski-current assistant at Duke. Seems to be a great recruiter. I don't know much about his X's and O's ability. Not sure how serious of a candidate he is but his name is being brought up a lot.

Those are the 3 that are still being discussed a lot on the boards. Take it or leave. Nobody trusts anybody over there at the moment.

I like Wojo the best of these three. But I discount the 'great recruiter' item. You don't have to recruit at Duke. You "invite" at Duke. Duke, Florida (weather, recent success and coeds) and KY (one and doner's) are probably the three easiest recruiting jobs in the NCAA.

Missouri State grad here. Cuonzo took the Bears from the bottom of the Valley to the top in two years and he left us heartbroken when he left. Recruited players that were tough and disciplined. I think he would be a great hire for Marquette.

What a difference a year makes.

March 2013
Marquette beats Notre Dame at home on Senior Day
A week later, MU wins its first Big East title in overtime at the buzzer at Madison Square Garden, in the final year of the old Big East's structure, on a shot from a kid who originally committed to go to Madison.
MU pulls off a miraculous escape against Davidson in the first round
MU beats Butler in one of the better basketball games I'd ever seen to reach its third straight Sweet 16
MU knocks off the ACC regular season and tournament champion to reach its first Elite 8 in 10 years.

March 2014
Marquette loses its last 4 games to limp to its worst season since 2001.
Marquette earns neither an NCAA nor NIT bid for the first time since 2001.
Buzz leaves for Virginia Tech.
Shaka turns down MU.
Wisconsin goes to the Final Four (including two wins at the Bradley Center)
And now there seems to be a good chance the future is either Cuonzo freakin' Martin or Brian freakin' Wardle.

I'd be very careful about hiring a guy nobody (including the school he's currently at) wanted until he won a couple of NCAA games. He beats slumping Iowa, absurdly overrated UMass and little ol' Mercer and that propels him into a new job? We're just going to ignore everything that came before, this season and past seasons? Be careful.

I'd also be careful about hiring someone who's never been a head coach. You never know what you're gonna get. Some of these hot assistants pan out. Many flame out in spectacular fashion. And of course as a Seton Hall fan I have an ingrained distrust and dislike for coaches coming from Duke.

If it were me I would've hired Howland 5 minutes after Buzz left but that ship seems to have sailed. Might want to go chase that ship down if you still can.

shupirate98 wrote:I'd be very careful about hiring a guy nobody (including the school he's currently at) wanted until he won a couple of NCAA games. He beats slumping Iowa, absurdly overrated UMass and little ol' Mercer and that propels him into a new job? We're just going to ignore everything that came before, this season and past seasons? Be careful.

I'd also be careful about hiring someone who's never been a head coach. You never know what you're gonna get. Some of these hot assistants pan out. Many flame out in spectacular fashion. And of course as a Seton Hall fan I have an ingrained distrust and dislike for coaches coming from Duke.

If it were me I would've hired Howland 5 minutes after Buzz left but that ship seems to have sailed. Might want to go chase that ship down if you still can.

Some higher ups or donors seem not to like Howland for one reason or the other. I agree though, hire Howland now.