Sweet Sixteen

[nola03]

No idea which forum is read on a daily basis so I figured to put this on both.

People have misperceived my feelings toward Wisconsin-Milwaukee and I'm fine with that. So often on message boards, fans latch on to a perception of a poster and they never let it go.

Anyway, congratulations on making the Sweet Sixteen. Certainly unchartered territory for your school. Drew a tough assignment on Thursday but you never know what will happen.

Hopefully, the incessant rallying cry of wanting to play Marquette will diminish. The Panthers should make their own reputation rather than use Marquette as a crutch. They are on their way to creating something special over the next couple of seasons and if things bounce the right way, Wisconsin-Milwaukee could become a Butler-type program that no one wants to face in the post-season.

Again, congrats on the 2 wins. Enjoy the next couple of days. Good luck getting tickets for the game.

[Ron Mexico]

Marquette's not big enough to eat at the table.

[mikeb]

nola03 said:

. The Panthers should make their own reputation rather than use Marquette as a crutch. .

when have we ever used marquette as a crutch. i guess the only time is when we say. "hey were better than marquette" and your right we probably shouldnt play you after you lost to WESTERN MICHIGAN in the NIT. later fool

[n8]

Marquette is a step backwards. it could be a fun in-city rivalry, but theres no need anymore. but still, as our intro song says "you want some? come get some."

-n8

[Panther 106]

If they want to play us, I guess they will have to make it to the tourney again... Big East= Fat chance anytime soon.

[PANTHERfan]

thanks for the props nola03. i doubt you'll hear much whining about getting that MU game anymore. it's true, we did that for a while but why not? it's a game that should be played but who really cares now? it's funny how the "nothing to gain" argument is essentially flipping around.

i hope we surpass the Butler-type level in terms of our program. hard to say right now what will happen. Butler failed to reload after their success and as a result didn't capitalize like they could/should have. i hope we do this right and reach a SIU or Gonzaga-like level. may as well dream big.

[admin]

Butler's problem was that they lost their coach and nearly their ENTIRE TEAM! They all graduated. However, we bring back almost our entire team and add a great recruiting class (Ricky Franklin! We'll find out soon ;D).

Imagine next year when Big Man Waters is available in the post. Now where do you beat us?

Later,
UWMfreak

[nola03]

See, the first 4 responses would make me wonder why I even bothered to write a Congratulations post. Then PANTHERfan responds and it's all good.

The bottom line, whether you like it or not, was that over the past 2 years the UWM faithful would constantly beg for a game between Marquette/UWM while they had great teams playing on the floor.

Now, with a Sweet Sixteen birth I hope all the talk comes off that and on the Panther program for the level of play rather than the fact that Marquette and UWM don't play.

FYI, look for a game between Marquette/UWM to happen as early as 2007-2008. Things will change before then and it could be a good situation. Will the faithful still call for the game with such fervor at that time? It remains to be seen.

Again, congratulations on the Sweet Sixteen birth.

[nohopspanther]

Nola,
You dished out some rather backhanded love bringing up the tired game argument. You got snapped on by some people. I didn't waste my time until you had to reply again since this is the exact type of bullsh*t response I get when I post on the Marquette board which I do not flame.

[nola03]

I didn't intend the "backhanded love". You have to admit that many Panther fans had flamed on Marquette boards about "why Marquette won't play the Panthers".
Hell, I've run into Panther fans in Milwaukee who let me away from them when it becomes known that I'm a Marquette supporter.


All I meant was that this shouldn't be a focus of the Panther fan base. With the Sweet Sixteen birth the focus should be on the players and the team on the floor. I have nothing against Wisconsin-Milwaukee--hell, my best friend attends school there--I just don't think Marquette should be forced to play a game against the Panthers. That is all I was saying.

Should I go back and edited the post so it simply says "Congratulations"? I don't mean to dis anybody and if it came/comes off that way then I apologize profusely.

[Hack]

I don't think there is any disrespect meant, nola. I think fans of both schools are guilty of painting with a broad brush.

Negative comments from both sides are easier to remember ... that's human nature.

Your comments may be considered "backhanded" by some, but yours are nowhere close to chicos' comments of praise toward UWM and "The Necklace."

Anyway, thanks for the congrats. I think we'll all agree it was fun in 2003 when both city teams were thriving ... hopefully it'll happen again soon.

[nohopspanther]

Nola,

I'm not digging on you, it was a normal basketball post and that's cool. The thing that irked me was if you have been reading our board no one talked about marquette must give us a game, all of that crap was confined to trolls on ahoya and that sucks for you guys.

[BBFran]

You are like an eruptive rash.

It wasn't enough to spew your drivel on Dodds, ahoya and Badgernation, so you had to come here?

Don't you have better things to do, like help Bill and Tom build the sub-sub-sub-sub-sub basement where they can hide from all the media asking them why they won't play the Panthers?

[nola03]

That's cool, nohops. Trolls are everywhere. It just seems like I get asked that question about the game a lot so I figured that most of the people felt that way.

Anyway, good luck again this Thursday.