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Post by xtownfan on Dec 15, 2011 6:45:38 GMT -6
Don't discount those bad blood arguments in the past, as they did some harm to the UWM program. Before that, and since Bruce left and Bud retired, the animosity toward UWM on the part of Marquette fans has declined significantly. Go back to '03, when both teams played in the NCAA tournament in Indianapolis. A fair number of Marquette fans stuck around to cheer for UWM. It helped that you were playing Notre Dame, but nonetheless, for the most part, Marquette fans wanted UWM to win, or at least were neutral. Few if any wanted to see them lose.
This really isn't about wins and losses. Marquette fans gets some amusement out of the streak, but any intelligent fan knows that if the game is played often enough, UWM is going to win some. Hey, if we had played you last week instead of Green Bay, coming off a couple of tough wins with a short bench, you might have had a shot. But a loss is not going to be that big of a deal. As many of you recall, UWM beat Wisconsin one year. The Wisconsin program is doing just fine, and the next player UWM steals from Wisconsin will be the first. Similarly, UWM and Marquette are not even looking at the same recruits.
But here is the point. If you are going to take your ball and go elsewhere, where are you going to go? Keep in mind that the break in the series came when Bo Ryan was the coach. He didn't want to continue it without a home game. I know all the arguments. Home teams win all the time, it is unfair, yada, yada, yada. But the fact of the matter is, UWM would have been better served continuing the series on any terms. The result would have been continuing the series for another four years, or right into the Bruce Pearl era. So you would have gotten exactly what UWM fans were drooling for, a game when you were good. Instead, you got no games at all.
Similarly, you can as a matter of pride go play someone else. But I see little evidence that you can get good deals from someone else. Are Missouri and Cinci really waiting to sign contracts, or is that just wishful thinking? At present, you have the chance to play a major team. Usually, that team is going to be pretty good, and if you go across the street to play it, it is a no-cost road trip that is bound to boost your RPI. The current Marquette coach is willing to continue playing, and even doesn't mind an occasional road game, since it can benefit Marquette from an RPI standpoint. Put aside for a moment the question of what is "fair." Be it 2, 3, or 4 for 1, where are you getting a better deal? Playing Marquette on any terms does you more good than playing a home-and-home against SIU-Edwardsville.
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Rawls
Junior
Everyone's Entitled To My Opinion
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Post by Rawls on Dec 15, 2011 11:59:05 GMT -6
Not a fan of the SIUE set, but I could counter that by saying Milwaukee is better for MU then Mt. St. Mary's or Jacksonville, etc. Generally speaking, I'd like to see the series continue. But if 4:1 is the best MU/Bucky can go, it wouldn't hurt to pursue other interests. People have brought up the East Coast. I'd love to see an A-10/CAA 2:2 or home 'n home set up there, and it's reasonable to assume we'd find an acceptor. I also think the MVC has some interesting prospects. UNI (which as mentioned is in the middle of a 2:2 plan), Drake, Bradley, Mo State, Wichita, Creighton, etc. Oakland would be another plausible beneficial option.
As for the BCS schools, Mizzou/Cincy just don't really do it for me. How many fans do they draw when they come to the Cell? How good can we rely on them to be? This is another reason why a 4:1 isn't desirable for the Panthers. Would a win over MU/UW last year be enough to get Milwaukee an at-large spot in the dance? Ehhh...maybe, but it requires a lot of things to fall in place. Winning regularly against these teams will get us out of the ugly step sister role, but a 4:1 stacks the deck against us. Rivalries simply aren't that lopsided.
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Post by uwmplanner on Dec 15, 2011 12:39:36 GMT -6
Honestly I hope they keep the series alive no matter what. We got bills to pay so just make sure we get a good price for the "buy" games.
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Post by crazyfred on Dec 15, 2011 22:50:36 GMT -6
The time for MU to start playing Milwaukee again was the Bruce Pearl era. They ducked us until Pearl left and most of the players from the Sweet Sixteen squad had graduated and, thus, a true rivalry never generated. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't the least bit angry at Marquette for letting their arrogance make them too short sighted to see that an annual Milwaukee-Marquette game could've become a huge annual event in SE Wisconsin during a time of year when we have little going on. Selective memory. Bruce Pearl was cheating his ass off at UWM and MU wanted no part of it. You don't reward that kind of behavior. Nor do you reward Bud Haidet's public comments. Last year Marquette was the 10th place Big East team and struggled on the road most of the year. Nearly coughed up a double digit lead, but still won the game. The game did not sellout, even though UWM fans predicted it would. Fans of UWM continue to not support this game despite continued claims here and elsewhere that they will. The Mecca holds less than 11,000 people and yet UWM fans blame MU for not selling out the game there. Until UWM steps up to the plate and shows real support for their team and makes this game worthwhile, what is in it for MU? No benefit for winning. All the risk for losing to a team no one in the country has heard of or gives a damn about. Tough words, but the truthful nonetheless. |
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Post by nohopspanther on Dec 16, 2011 0:53:16 GMT -6
You wouldn't know the truth if it stood in front of you and kicked you in the balls.
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Post by Spirit of Bruce on Dec 16, 2011 1:04:10 GMT -6
The time for MU to start playing Milwaukee again was the Bruce Pearl era. They ducked us until Pearl left and most of the players from the Sweet Sixteen squad had graduated and, thus, a true rivalry never generated. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't the least bit angry at Marquette for letting their arrogance make them too short sighted to see that an annual Milwaukee-Marquette game could've become a huge annual event in SE Wisconsin during a time of year when we have little going on. Selective memory. Bruce Pearl was cheating his ass off at UWM and MU wanted no part of it. You don't reward that kind of behavior. Nor do you reward Bud Haidet's public comments. Last year Marquette was the 10th place Big East team and struggled on the road most of the year. Nearly coughed up a double digit lead, but still won the game. The game did not sellout, even though UWM fans predicted it would. Fans of UWM continue to not support this game despite continued claims here and elsewhere that they will. The Mecca holds less than 11,000 people and yet UWM fans blame MU for not selling out the game there. Until UWM steps up to the plate and shows real support for their team and makes this game worthwhile, what is in it for MU? No benefit for winning. All the risk for losing to a team no one in the country has heard of or gives a damn about. Tough words, but the truthful nonetheless. It's people like you who brew bad blood and add to the view that Marquette is little more than a boarding school for spoiled elitists from the Chicago suburbs. Don't get me wrong, I'm disappointed and embarassed with attendance at our games most of the time. The fact that UWM is having serious talks about building a 5,000 seat arena for a D1 school with 30,000 students is in my opinion ridiculous. But I digress. Jimmy is totally right in his article, if MU can give UWGB a 2 for 1, theres no reason on earth why we shouldn't get one. But that's right, Wardle is a Marquette boy, so that's why they got the deal. I would like to see the series continue, but I don't see it as a rivalry, and probably never will. But at the same time, if we never played MU again, so what? I'd rather play Madison. The atmosphere at the Cell tuesday night was awesome. |
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Post by BBFran on Dec 16, 2011 9:08:53 GMT -6
You wouldn't know the truth if it stood in front of you and kicked you in the balls. The truth would have to be very short to do that. |
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Post by ghostofdylan on Dec 16, 2011 9:22:27 GMT -6
"Other than that, UWM is just another sub-150 RPI team Marquette plays in the beginning of the season."
Sorry, can't let this response by "John" (Uncle John?) to Jimmy's blog slide.
Milwaukee has been outside the RPI top 150 just twice in the last 12 years ... and counting -- 2006-07 (243) and 07-08 (180).
You may resume your bickering.
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Post by Hack on Dec 16, 2011 11:30:27 GMT -6
You don't reward that kind of behavior. Like covering up sexual assaults, right? |
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Post by uwmfansince1997 on Dec 16, 2011 15:23:14 GMT -6
I'm tired of UW and MU getting there say in the deviation of home versus away deal. 2-1 or they can find some other chump to play...
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Post by PantherU on Dec 17, 2011 1:34:38 GMT -6
I will step up and say that I don't blame Marquette fans for the low attendance at last year's game. I blame the decision by the athletic department to not sell single-game tickets until the day before the game. They learned from that mistake, sold the UW tickets earlier this year, and look at the result.
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Post by PantherU on Dec 17, 2011 1:35:37 GMT -6
Something also tells me that if UWM sold out every game, your stance wouldn't change one iota.
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Post by nohopspanther on Dec 17, 2011 3:38:09 GMT -6
You wouldn't know the truth if it stood in front of you and kicked you in the balls. The truth would have to be very short to do that. Chicos has to have little man syndrome given he has been hated by fellow Gold fans for years. |
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Post by Pounce Needs Pals on Dec 17, 2011 6:51:32 GMT -6
I will step up and say that I don't blame Marquette fans for the low attendance at last year's game. I blame the decision by the athletic department to not sell single-game tickets until the day before the game. They learned from that mistake, sold the UW tickets earlier this year, and look at the result. The UWM ticket office in 2007 for the Wisconsin game, didn't sell single game tickets untill 24 hours before gametime and they had over 10,000. That move burned them versus Marquette last season, as they were trying to sell as many mini plans as they could. This season versus Wisconsin, single game tickets went on sale Nov. 1. |
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Post by uwmplanner on Dec 17, 2011 10:41:45 GMT -6
I will step up and say that I don't blame Marquette fans for the low attendance at last year's game. I blame the decision by the athletic department to not sell single-game tickets until the day before the game. They learned from that mistake, sold the UW tickets earlier this year, and look at the result. The interesting thing is that I recall that a few years back MU didn't make UW tickets available for single game purchase until the last minute as well. They did it to make money and prevent Wisconsin fans from showing up. I know this cause I was living in Milwaukee at the time and wanted to go to the game but didn't want to buy a 4 game pack. Quite frankly I think you follow your normal protocol for selling tickets no matter what the game is. |
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