Marquette's "Chosen One"

   I am going to pull a Richard Sherman and straight up tell you the truth; this Marquette basketball team stinks. This is as obvious as the fact that I have a Latina fetish. Why is this so obvious? Well, I walk around screaming to the heavens my love for women of Latina…oh you were talking about the basketball team.
   Watch one game of Marquette basketball and you will see a team in disarray. Point guard Derrick Wilson is as apprehensive to shoot the ball as I am approaching a woman without downing some Fireball, while chasing it with Coke Zero, beforehand. Side note: if you chase anything with Coke Zero, let me know. I need to find someone else that loves Coke Zero as much as me.
   Anyways, Jamil Wilson is as inconsistent as they come. One game he is shooting lights out and other games he makes Dylan Flood come across as an All-American.
   Todd Mayo is well, Todd Mayo. Somebody please tell me why players like Mayo are blanketed by the “violation of team rules” narrative. Mayo has all the talent in the world, but has never committed himself to the program.    
   God bless you Davante Gardner. Your back must hurt from carrying the team all season. Gardner alone will not lead this team to the NCAA tournament. Another go to scorer must come out of the woodwork and show up game in and game out in order for this team to succeed. Even if it might be too late to savage this season, I think I have found "the guy" for the future.
   I was unable to watch the Butler-Marquette game this Saturday. While Derrick Wilson had a rare offensive outburst in the loss (13 points), I was busy stuffing my face with cheesesteak in Philadelphia.
   After hearing what happened in the game, I became infuriated with one thing that happened. Was it that Marquette lost? Heck no. I partially enjoy that the Golden Eagles are struggling this year. This provides me and my co-host DJ Vogt ample material to rant about on our radio show, The Sports ReKap.
   What I was upset about, was that Deonte “The Chosen One” Burton played exactly four minutes. While it may come out that Burton was injured and Buzz wanted him to rest, as of right now it appears that Burton was indeed healthy.
   This leads to two questions. First, why did Buzz have him sit? Second, why did Burton sitting upset me so much? I can only give you an answer to the second question.
   I love Deonte Burton. In my eyes, he is the future. All I care about right now in regards to Marquette basketball, is the future.
  The Golden Eagles, now 10-8 (2-3 in the Big East), are not going to the NCAA tournament and may not make the NIT. Say good-bye to the seniors and just move on.
  Ok, so back to my admiration for Burton. It is rare for me to have positive feelings towards a basketball player. This is no secret. Does this rub people the wrong way? Absolutely. If you ever want to find me at a Marquette home game, just listen for the Italian accented voice screaming “You should have transferred (insert player name here)”.
   With Burton it is different. He gives me hope. Burton has shown play making ability since the beginning. He creates his own shot and slashes to the basket in ways not seen by most freshmen.
   Burton has exceeded the hype unlike some of his teammates. His dunk against Samford was on every high-light reel. He does not have Derrick Wilson’s apprehensive tendencies or Jamil Wilson’s inconsistency. Burton does not have Todd Mayo’s desire to get in trouble off the court. Most importantly,  he (and John Dawson) came to a party that me and my buds hosted. To sum it up, he is everything the upperclassmen on this team are not.
   It is time to start getting the terrible taste of this season out of our mouths. Thankfully, “The Chosen One” most likely has three more years at Marquette. This gives him plenty of time to continue to impress fans, while cementing himself as one of my man crushes.

Agree or disagree with Nick's take on "The Chosen One"? Leave a comment below the link
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Nick hosts The Sports ReKap (@SaidOnTheReKap) with co-host DJ Vogt (@dvj14) on MarquetteRadio.org.
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All Hail "The Answer"

  

   Allow me to introduce you to Luke "The Answer" Fischer. News broke out on Sunday that "The Answer" will be transferring from Indiana University to Marquette.
   I do understand it is unfair, and probably incredibly stupid of me, to label a man that has not played one game for Marquette "The Answer". I am just that optimistic about all things Marquette basketball, unless we are talking about Derrick Wilson. I am ready to write him off as a starting point guard just like I am ready to write off my New Year's resolutions to eat less junk food, and walk properly instead of waddling.
   Fischer, a freshman center, did not come out and state his reasoning for decision, but speculation has trickled out about why he is leaving. According to a source (yes I do have sources) Fischer did not see himself fitting in Tom Crean's program and wanted to enroll somewhere closer to his hometown of Germantown, Wisconsin.
   Fischer thought that Marquette would be a better fit for him. Now this might be because he enjoys Marquette's relaxed party scene rather than the Animal House like ragers Indiana features, but this is just my speculation. What I do know, is what Fischer will bring to Marquette on the court.
   Conflicting media reports came out about when Fischer will be able to start playing for the Golden Eagles. A majority of the reports speculate that it will be next winter. By then, Fischer must become more assertive when crashing the boards and bulk up in the gym. If he is able to eliminate the "soft" label that has been placed on him, he could see significant minutes for Marquette right away.
   Do not judge "The Answer" on his numbers based on a small sample size at Indiana (2.8PPG and 2.1 RPG). A unanimous top one hundred recruit out of high school, Fischer has the raw talent to match up against the best big men in the country. If Buzz Williams can help Fischer add a plethora of post moves to his arsenal, he can become a go to scoring threat in the post.
   This should be music to the ears of Marquette fans. After this season, with the departure of Chris Otule, Davante Gardner, and Jamil Wilson, the Golden Eagles will be in desperate need of depth in their frontcourt. This is especially true given that Chief Keef look alike Jameel McKay has officially transferred to Iowa State.
   One thing is for certain about Fischer; he is not Garret Swanson. You remember Swanson right? He had similar numbers as Fischer when he transferred from Idaho State, sat out a year, infested the heaven on earth that is Dog House, then left to become a student athlete at powerhouse Casper College.
   Marquette fans, welcome Luke Fischer to Thrillwaukee. Show him around town. Take him to Victors in an attempt to be best friends with him, like I intend on doing. "The Answer" may eventually be the next big thing on campus.

Comment below the link if you are ready to start labeling Fischer as "The Answer" or if you think Nick is a chach
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Cutty Does It

   

   While watching Jay Cutler get through a terrible first half on Sunday against the Browns, I was pondering what Marc Trestman's postgame press conference would be like if his quarterback continued to struggle. Would Trestman channel his inner Lovie Smith and repeatedly say "Jay is our quarterback" in monotone as Smith did years ago when talking about Rex Grossman? How would the coach defend his decision to start a rusty quarterback when Josh McCown clearly had the hot hand?

   Twitter exploded in outrage as Cuter's first half passes were as bad as Pablo Sanchez's in Backyard Football. Fortunately for Bears fans either Cutler shook off the rust or the almighty power of Ditka intervened and Chicago beat Cleveland 38-31. 

   Even after Cutler's impressive fourth quarter some Bears fans are calling for McCown to start the next game against the Eagles. Their reasoning: Cutler got lucky. This is true. Cutler was incredibly lucky with two passes that Alshon Jeffery reeled in. Jeffery is proving himself to be an excellent complement to Brandon Marshall. However, McCown also relied on luck while he picked apart the Cowboys pathetic defense, which was ranked last against the pass. 

   Some of McCown's passes were lofty and required his receivers to make highlight reel catches. Just look back at the touchdown pass McCown threw to Jeffery in the corner of the end zone against the Cowboys.

   Don't get me wrong. McCown has proven that he can still play at the NFL level. He has certainly deserved a contract next season that pays him more than the league minimum that he is being paid now. I credit McCown's success more to Trestman's offensive system than the quarterback's skill level. Trestman's offensive play calling could transform former LSU QB and current McDonald's enthusiast JaMarcus Russell into a quality quarterback. 

   At the age of 34, Josh McCown is not an elite quarterback. In the coming years he will never develop into an elite quarterback in Trestman's system. You know who might turn into an elite quarterback running Trestman's offense? Jay Cutler.

   No, Cutler is not an elite quarterback now. Yes, sometimes his cockiness makes people want to punch him in the face. However, the Bears have a major decision to make this offseason. They must decide if they want to sign Cutler to a long term deal, officially labeling him as their franchise quarterback. In a city where the greatest quarterback in the past twenty years to line up under center has been Rex Grossman, they need to make the right choice. 

   People will argue that the playoffs this year are more important than the future, and that McCown gives the Bears the best chance to lead them to the promise land. Yes, I understand that quarterbacks with less skill than McCown (Trent Dilfer) have won the Super Bowl. The problem is that those teams, like the 2000-2001 Ravens, had defenses that were lights out game after game. This year's Bears defense plays as poorly as my C level freshman team in high school. 

   The focus of the remaining games for the Bears should be on the future, rather than just the playoffs. Cutler needs to start the remaining games of the year so Bears' personnel can see if he truly is fully recovered from his injuries. 

   People might want the Bears to start McCown, while franchise tagging Cutler this offseason, delaying the evaluation process until next year. Sit back and think if Cutler would be okay with that. He will create more of a firestorm than I did when my local Dunkin' Donuts went out of business. 

   Why does Cutler get this special treatment and have all his needs catered to? The answer is because he is the best quarterback this city has seen in decades. 

   If the Bears want to make him the future of the franchise they have to get it right. While McCown will quite possibly be out of the league in three years, Cutler may be providing for the Cutlet (his child) with the millions the Bears give him. If they make this choice, let's hope it is the right decision. If it isn't, get the Chicago Police on speed dial because this city will riot.

Agree with Nick or do you think Josh McCown should be the starter? Comment below the link

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Wooden Legacy Championship Preview: Marquette vs. San Diego State

Marquette looks to make it three straight wins as they take on San Diego State on Sunday. The Golden Eagles are coming off a 76-60 win against George Washington led by Senior, Davante Gardner. 

Gardner came into the game early for Marquette, chipping in 20 points and nine rebounds in a career high 35 minutes.

"That was the highest number of minutes Davante has ever played, "Marquette Head Coach Buzz Williams said. " I thought he was playing at a really high clip"

Marquette has improved offensively since scoring only 35 points against Ohio State on November 16th. Much of the credit goes to Senior, Jake Thomas, who is now shooting 45 percent from the three-point arc and was only at 26 percent prior to the start of the Wooden Legacy Tournament. 

However, the three point shot has been a struggle for the Golden Eagles defensively, allowing 45 percent (10-22) to Arizona State and 42 percent (8-19) to Cal State Fullerton in their two games prior to defeating George Washington. Head Coach Buzz Williams made an adjustment defensively by playing less zone defense and putting an emphasis on contending the three point shot. The approach was successful as the Colonials only shot 21 percent (4-19) from three.

Marquette will have to use the same game plan on Sunday when they face the San Diego State Aztecs for the Wooden Legacy Championship Game. The Aztecs defeated the Golden Eagles future Big East rival, Creighton, on Friday 86-80, making 50 percent (8-16) of their three point attempts.

Marquette 

The Golden Eagles are developing into an all around balanced team with a lot of depth. Marquette struggled to score earlier in the season but seems to have found some perimeter ability in the hands of Jamil Wilson, Todd Mayo, Jake Thomas, and Jujuan Johnson to compliment the success in the paint. Look for the Golden Eagles to find their talented and experienced front court first, but also to be efficient on opportunities from the outside.

San Diego State 

It didn't take many attempts for the Aztecs to score points in their upset over
#20 Creighton. San Diego State is almost 50 percent from the field this season. Marquette has dominated rebounds in all of their games. In order for the Aztecs to win they need to keep their shooting percentage high and limit turnovers since they will most likely struggle with the boards.

This game is on a neutral court, but the San Diego State fans really made it feel like a home court advantage against Creighton. This may be a slight advantage, however Marquette is led by seven upperclassmen that are used to playing on the road.

Bottom Line

Marquette defense vs San Diego State offense

The Aztecs are not afraid to shoot, nor are they afraid to drive to the basket. San Diego State made 26 out of 31 free throw attempts against Creighton. Marquette has to play smart defense, limit fouls and force turnovers to win this game.

Prediction

The Golden Eagles identity is putting 100 percent into every aspect of the game. They accomplish this by taking the charge and out hustling their opponent, two things that Buzz Williams loves about his squad. This could be a huge factor on Sunday that should help Marquette take care of business in Orange County.

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Game 6: The Kid Wonder vs The Experienced Papi

#WachaWachaWacha #Wachtober #WachaFlockaFlame #LukeSkyWacha

The 22-year-old rookie, Michael Wacha is trending not only by word of mouth, but also on social media after putting together spectacular starts in October.

With one start left, Wacha has already tied the Cardinals record set by Chris Carpenter in 2011 with 4-0 record in the postseason. In 27 postseason innings, the right-hander has a 1.00 ERA and a 0.70 WHIP, looks to tie Francisco Rodriguez and Randy Johnson by winning five times this postseason.

Yes, his numbers are spectacular and he doesn't seem to have shown any signs of nervousness to this point, but there is one thing that ticked him off and I'm sure its on the top of his mind. That is of course, David Ortiz.

In Game 2 of the World Series, "Big Papi" was ready to show the significance of being a veteran ballplayer, and in doing that, he exposed that Michael Wacha is human. On a three balls and two strike count, Wacha tossed a changeup right on the upper corner of the strike zone. "Papi" yanked the changeup over the Green Monster, giving the Red Sox a 2-1 in the sixth and knocking Wacha out of the game.

After the game, Ken Rosenthal caught up with Cardinals catcher, Yadier Molina. When Molina was asked about Wacha's performance, he said that besides a few walks, Wacha made one bad pitch (the homerun given up to Ortiz) all night.

The Redbird offense bailed Wacha out in Game Two, but looking at the lack of offense in Games Four and Five, Wacha may not be able to make any mistakes to the dangerous, David Ortiz.  Ortiz in the postseason is batting .733 right now. Yes, thats .733 with six RBI's and five runs.

In order for a Game Seven at Fenway, Wacha is going to have to limit "Big Papi". That is the key to success for the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 6. And if they can't, then the 2013 World Series should end Wednesday night in Boston.

A Letter To Vander

   As of October 27^th, 2013 Vander Blue is not on an NBA roster. The former Marquette basketball player was waived by the 76ers on October 24^th. About one month ago, when Blue was signed by Philadelphia I made a bet with one of my friends late on a Saturday night. Yes the bet was made after I was downing the extremely manly drink that is Red’s Apple Ale (hey anything is manly compared to my favorite drink, Four Loko). Slurring my words, and probably in between comments about my newfound fetish for Latina women, I proclaimed that if Vander made the 76ers I would type up an apology letter and send it to him on Twitter. See I openly bash Vander every time someone brings up his name. “But if he doesn’t make the team I’ll create a letter bashing him and send it to him on Twitter”. So here is that letter. I will happily be the voice of the upset Marquette basketball fan who is still mad at Blue’s departure. If you do not believe that I will send it to him, by all means follow me on Twitter(@KapN93) and see for yourself. Here we go folks. This should be fun!

Dear Vander Orange,

   Yeah that’s right I said Vander Orange. Do I still get free tuition if you punch me in the face? So what is up my man? Another team, another time you have been cut. Regretting that decision now are ya? I’m sure you are not. You never wanted to be here in the first place. 

   What boggles my mind is why you left? Were you not thinking rationally? You + Buzz + team he assembled= chance at Final Four. How hard is that to understand?

   “Aw man this is just another hater.” Yes sir (I have no idea why I called you sir) I am a hater. Your number one hater. See unlike you I am going to be up to my eyeballs in debt after leaving this school. Unlike you I will have a degree. You know what I probably won’t have, the ability to say that my team won a national championship while I was here. 

   I was eating Dogg Haus, you remember the place where you would find your…never mind. Anyways I was at Dogg Haus and I was thinking about what the celebration would have been like if you guys won a championship. Nobody would have to go to classes for like a week (not that you went to class anyways). You would be seen as a god for the rest of your life. Let me explain that in terms you would understand. Everybody would treat you like freshmen girls treated you.

   You are probably thinking that females will treat you like that for the rest of your life anyways. This is true, but the difference is that if you stayed it would be American women, not the European women you will surround yourself with for the rest of your playing career. Don’t worry I hear European basketball is just the same as the NBA. Just imagine, you can be known as the LeBron James of Luxembourg.

   Oh Vander Vander Vander. I will never understand why a twenty one year old kid would leave school prematurely to see if he could make the NBA when he clearly is not talented enough.

   What’s sad is that in five years from now, that incoming freshman class will probably never know your miserable tale. Well maybe you could tell them if you come relive the glory days, lurking outside Dogg Haus. To be honest, I would not be surprised to hear that you did that. 

   Take care man. But before I finish I have a piece of advice for you.

Go to Walgreens to get your passport photo taken. I hear they have great deals on that stuff.

                                                                                                            Sincerely,

                                                                                                                         I Told You So

Have a love for Vander Blue and hate that Nick is bashing him? Leave a comment under the link on Facebook.
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Look for more blog posts coming soon. 

A Letter to The Incoming Freshman Class

Dear Incoming Freshmen,

   Welcome! You made it to college. Woohoo. Your parents must be so proud. I bet you think that you are prepared and your college years here at Marquette are going to be a walk in the park. Well that is where you are wrong young lady from some random small town in Wisconsin or wannabe frat bro that says he is from Chicago but is really from Peoria.

    I am about to give you a tutorial on all that you need to know about Marquette University. You may have had one of our fine tour guides lead you around and fill your mind with facts about campus life. They probably did a tremendous job, but they are paid to leave out what you really need to know.

   First off let us start with your dorm selection. If you are living in McCormick, get ready for one hell of a time. If you are someone that enjoys studying long hours on weekends in the comfort of your room, well you might as well transfer out now. If you live in any other dorm, I am sure they are swell, but they are not like McCorms.

   Next, lets dive into partying. “Oh I never party. I just find it wrong and want to keep my body away from the Freshman 15.” Easy there Gandhi. I guarantee you that every single person will party by the end of the year.

   You will be surprised who you see at parties. That quiet, librarian looking girl in your Philosophy class will be going to town on Jungle Juice every weekend. Staying in your dorm room every night will drive you crazy. You will know if you had the “freshman experience” if you can say that you have eaten pizza personally delivered to you by a man named Victor.

    This leads me into my next topic: the city. Milwaukee is definitely not like Chicago, but there are a plethora of activities to partake in. Just consider Water Street your new State Street. Cheese curds will be your best friend and downtown has an array of places to get them. Befriend the first cab driver you meet. This person will become your personal driver. Take his business card and call him whenever you are stranded on the streets of Thrillwaukee.
    In high school you may have used Facebook to play Farmville or whatever kids play nowadays. This is not the case anymore. Facebook is now your new Encyclopedia Britannica. Say you see a person that draws your eye at a party and want to know more about them. Go on Facebook and "research" the living crap out of them. Some say this might be creepy. You tell them to shove it and that you are getting your Albert Einstein on by researching. Anyone who tells you they have never done this is lying to your face.
   Finally, let me give you an overview on what you need to know to be a true Marquette sports fan. I want to make it clear to you now stop saying that Todd Mayo is going to be your “boy” or that you will praise Davante Gardner like he is Buddha. End that fantasy now of you chilling with Derrick Wilson outside Dog House.
   Invest in every Chris Otule item they have at the Spirit Shop. He will become your favorite player on the team. Guys, if you see ladies taking pictures with the ballers at the AMU, that does not mean you can do that too. Do not speak a word about Vander Blue. He is gone and quite frankly should never return to campus.
    Enjoy the basketball games but do not ask “where does Al sit" or "why does Otule wear glasses on the court?” Also, go check out some soccer, volleyball, and lacrosse games.

    Enjoy your freshman year because it will be one of the best years of your life. It will not go as you imagined, but that is the beauty of college. Follow the guidelines I laid out for you and you will have one heck of a year. Lastly, tune in to The Sports ReKap on Marquette Radio hosted by myself and my co-host Dave Vogt. We will continue to tell it like it is, whether you like it or not.

                                                                                               Sincerely,

                                                                                                  Juan Anderson’s number one fan
                                                                                                          Nick “Chach” Kapetan