Fitting End

I’m in a place where I can talk about it. There was some hard core denial, to be sure; by 11 pm Saturday I was still perched in front of the TV waiting for Lazar and Co. to come bounding onto some court . . . somewhere. But now I realize what a fitting end last Thursday evening’s loss was for the 2009-2010 Golden Eagles.

All year long the second half was a different story from the first for MU. The kinds of errors they made during the second half of many games this season are the kinds of mistakes you chalk up to youth. “Aw, they’re young, they’ll be more mature and composed next season.” Only problem is that this team was made up of seasoned vets; most of the rotation were upperclassmen and three of MU’s starting five were seniors. Still, the turnovers, missed free throws and surrendered leads happened time after time.

I hate to blame DJO for fumbling the ball out of bounds on Marquette’s second to last (and potentially game-winning) possession. Doing so would be like blaming Favre for Minny’s Championship Game loss – yes, he committed the final error, helped the opposition drive the last nail into the coffin – but too many other variables before that played into the team’s demise. DJO (who is young and can grow to be a better player next year) is as much at fault as every other Eagle who took the floor (including, unfortunately, Buzz).

Maybe if the team hadn’t spent so much time at the barbershop (did you see those crazy cuts?) and more time practicing free throws, the outcome would have been different. OK, I liked seeing the guys do something different for the tourney; it meant they knew how special it was. If only their play had reflected that, too. I digress. Simply put, MU let a 15-point lead disappear. Yes, it’s March Madness and that happens; but this team that prepared itself by pulling out close games all year should not have had to do the same last Thursday.

What’s worse is how badly MU could have potentially pummeled New Mexico. Sure, it’s all speculation, but one of my brackets had MU in the Elite Eight (one of many, may I note). My mouth watered at the prospect of knocking off Big East foe West Virginia, thus avenging an early season beating and making an underrated team one of the last 8 standing.

Again, that’s all a waste of time to consider now. It was a good ride. And, hey, Marquette has some young kids coming up and still on the roster. They’ll be better next year.