This Just In: Dwyane Wade Is An Elite NBA Player

• The National Post compares Dwyane's exploits to those of Michael Jordan.
• Detroit's Tayshaun Prince notes that guarding Wade 'is not working'.
• Despite the huge success of late, Wade remains true to his roots.
• Meanwhile, the Detroit News is calling for the Ghosts of Laimbeer and Mahorn to emerge and bring bodily harm to Wade.

All of this aside, I still think the Pistons take the series against the Heat. Shaq's injury and the every-other-day cadence might prove too grueling for the Diesel and the Heat to overcome. In effect, game three was a 'must win' for the Heat, considering the extra days of rest they enjoyed after the game two victory. Still, I hope I'm wrong.

Catholic World News column on the Warriors

Pretty good take on the Marquette Warriors nickname debate. A funny vanity to be sure (click here).


Catholics outraged everywhere by San Diego Padres overweight Franciscan.



.

As the voting commences, "Only one true choice"

The voting for Marquette's new nickname started on Tuesday. I received my voting card yesterday in California and cast my vote this morning for Warriors as a protest vote and Golden Knights (if a Knight isn't a Warrior, I don't know what it is). I know both will be defeated as one has already been told it cannot win. The other is a long, long, long shot to have any chance as one of the two finalists.

It is my firm belief that Golden Eagles will earn one of the final two spots because of the support it has among current students, it is the incumbant of 11 years, it has name recognition. The other finalist I believe will come from the small list of Golden Avalanche, Hilltoppers and perhaps a dark horse candidate.

In today's Holmen Courier, writer Craig Otto's column talks of "Only One Choice Truly Correct for Marquette."

Nickname Votes For Sale On Ebay

Capitalism at it's finest...I think. Click here to place your bids

Jean Prioleau Named Assistant Coach

Tom Crean moved quickly to fill Bo Elllis' retirement. On Wednesday, former Wichita State assistant Jean Prioleau was hired as an assistant coach. Prioleau, who prepped in New Jersey and starred in the backcourt at Fordham more than a decade ago (and led the Rams to a win over MU, if memory serves), fills a critical need for Crean's staff - - - familiarity with the East Coast. Also, with the influx of backcourt talent into the program, Prioleau should play a key role in player development.

Welcome to MU, Jean.

Ever wondered about the Dwyane Wade recruiting process

Here is a tremendous article on Dwyane Wade the person, his recruitment to Marquette University, his interactions with Tom Crean and his staff, and his burgeoning stardom in the NBA. A great read from the Oakland Press and author Keith Langlois.

Sharpshooter Bayer to take a look at Marquette

Sharpshooting junior guard, Paul Bayer, from Moline, IL, will take an official visit to Marquette on June 1st and 2nd to see if MU is a good fit for him. Bayer's top 3 choices at this point are Marquette, Stanford and Creighton, and Paul plans to visit all three schools before making a choice.

Something that might factor into this athlete's recruitment is the fact that Marquette currently has only two scholarships left to give in 2006. Anthony Green has already committed, and there are two spots left in the class to replace Steve Novak, Joe Chapman and Chris Grimm. Of course, the wildcard here is soon-to-be freshman, Matt Mortensen. It is anticipated that Mortensen may take his Mormon mission after his freshman or sophomore year. Of course, this would open up a guard spot and a scholarship for another player, possibly even Bayer.

Further complicating this situation is the fact that Bayer apparently would like to commit to one of his top 3 choices before the end of June. Considering Marquette is heavily involved with two of their top two choices, big men Bryce Webster and Jonathan Mitchell, it is unclear whether Marquette will be willing to offer Bayer a scholarship that early in the game. Then again, maybe MU knows that Mort is going on his mission???? Stay tuned.

Here is a great article by Mark Miller about Bayer's upcoming visit: http://www.wbby.com/cgi/scoopdisp.cgi?scoop_id=154

Dameon Mason granted release from Marquette

Head Coach Tom Crean and Marquette University granted Dameon Mason his release from his scholarship today. Crean had stated several weeks ago that he would not release Mason unless he performed well in the classroom. New rules handed down by the NCAA last month allow for the the withdrawl of scholarships if certain academic requirements are not met. Crean cited those new rules as a reason for holding up Mason's release. If Mason had decided to "mail it in" for the end of the semester his new school would likely have still taken him as a transfer, but the poor performance in the classroom would penalize Marquette under the new system.

We can assume by the release that Mr. Mason continued his academic progress at Marquette for the remainder of this past semester to the standards agreeable by all. We wish Mr. Mason luck at his new institution, wherever that may be.

Here is the complete article on Mason's release.

Goodbye, Bo Ellis......and Thank You

One of Marquette's greatest is moving on, as Bo Ellis announced his retirement from coaching yesterday. Bo, the only man in school history to play in two Final Fours, rejoined the MU coaching staff in 2003 after the tragic death of his daughter. Ellis previsouly coached on the Marquette staff from 1988 - 1998.

Per today's MJS article, Ellis cited family considerations for his retirement - - Bo's had plenty to deal with in the last several years. Ellis will relocate back to his Chicago, where his wife and youngest daughter reside, and work in a youth outreach program for the Chicago Public Schools.

Bo played briefly in the NBA, and his accomplishments have placed him in six different Halls of Fame.



Thanks for your wonderful commitment to Marquette, Bo. Good luck in Chicago.

Mud Puppies, Chilipeppers, Flying Turkeys, Suds don't make cut

If you are looking for a little "pick me up", take a look at all of the submissions Marquette received for the new nickname. Over 1000 names were submitted, many of them captured here in this pdf document.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has released it's first article on the ten names as well. Click here.

The Nickname Voting Process: Items to Consider

With the release of the final list of candidates, MU will open up the polls tomorrow to help select a new nickname for the university. During phase one of the voting, the community will select from 10 names plus a write-in option. The top two nicknames from this first vote will then face off in a second vote to decide the new nickname. Here's a breakdown of what to expect:

• Students, faculty and staff will use their unique MU IDs to access the survey beginning on May 24. Each individual will be eligible to cast two votes in the first segment of this process. Next month, when the two finalists are revealed, these individuals will use their MU IDs to vote once again. Votes may also be cast via the telephone (which will be indicated on the email).
• Alumni and season ticket holders will receive their unique PIN code via a first-class mailing from MU. The items were mailed today. Alums need to keep that mailer for both voting opportunities - - - this PIN code will be required for each round of voting. If a PIN code is lost, the Office of Alumni Relations can help to recover it. Votes may also be cast via the telephone (which will be indicated on the mailer). The voting process will not take place on MU Connect.

Voting on the first ballot will close on Sunday, June 5. The final vote will begin on June 7. A new nickname will be in place by July 1.

During each voting cycle, the ballot totals will be held in confidence until the voting process is complete. Note that during the first round of voting, MU will discard write-in votes for Warriors or any derivation of the term 'war'. MU will also eliminate votes that are meant to offend the university. While these write-in will be discarded, the other vote cast will be counted.

All official information can be found at the Nickname Decision site.

The Official List is Out

Marquette Unviersity has released the official ten nickname beauty contestants to replace the Gold...err the Golden Eagles...well maybe. Golden Eagles is one of the ten choices and as the incumbant and 11 years under it's belt, do not be surprised if it makes it as one of the two finalists.

For the complete press release, click here.

Marquette Needs An Identity

Michael Hunt's favorite topic of late...the Marquette nickname. His third column of late on the subject appears here in the Journal Sentinel.

Yes, this whole "stakeholders" vote is a sham if a majority of the people want Warriors but all Warriors will get you is an invalidated ballot. And yes, Marquette would've hit a PR home run had it reinstated Warriors with the logo of a Roman Warrior, American Warrior, Carthaginian Warrior, whatever. But whom are we kidding? That would've rousted the professional malcontents as well.

Ken Pomeroy: The State of the Game

OK, its time for the basketball stat-a-holics to fall off the wagon. Ken Pomeroy's post from earlier this month was extraordinary - - mid-season form in May!

I can't even summarize his analysis to my liking, but encourage you to read his post - - its all you ever wanted to know about shooting the basketball. Here is the link.

Dwyane Wade Desktop Wallpaper

It's here,courtesy of DreamKast and the Westcoast Remix guys. A sample is shown below, but you can download the full size version for your computer screen to have as desktop wallpaper of Marquette's own Dwyane Wade.





To download the larger full screen 1024 X 768 for your computer, just click here. When it appears on your screen just right click with your mouse and do SAVE IMAGE AS to your computer. Once you have it on your computer, go to your control panel and select Appearances and Themes. Select the file you just downloaded and it's now your wallpaper.

Now the Gray Lady Speaketh

Today's New York Times with a two page article on the Marquette nickname....I guess this is where one says "any publicity is good publicity"....which is nice.

Click here for the entire article

Marquette's own Steve Rushin (Sports Illustrated) on the nickname

For those of you not aware, Steve Rushin of Sports Illustrated fame is a Marquette graduate. He also happens to be married to the former Rebecca Lobo of UCONN basketball and WNBA fame. I have been waiting for his input on the nickname front as he is one of the better sports writers in the country. The wait was worth it as his column is out in this week's SI. Click here to read.

A Look Around the Big East

A quick look at recent happenings around the Big East Conference:

• At Marquette, Travis Diener will work out for MU grad Lawrence Frank and the New Jersey Nets. Meanwhile, point guard Rob Hanley blew out his knee, and center Mike Kinsella's feet remain a problem. At least promising recruit Jonathan Mitchell offers a positive take on his recent visit.
• Cincinnati has decided not to renew the contract of successful yet controversial head coach Bob Huggins. Huggins has two more years left on his contract. Time for a beer, Bob.
• Per the guys at the Pitt Sports Blather, the Big East Conference is having trouble maintaining its BCS bowl tie-ins.
• Georgetown is losing two players via the well-worn transfer route. Freshman Cornelio Guibunda and sophomore Ray Reed. Reed played in 31 of 32 games last season for the Hoyas.
• The rebuilding continues at St. Johns. Head coach Norm Roberts secured a verbal commitment from Qa-rraan Calhoun, one of the top PFs from the class of 2007. Calhoun hails from Raritan, NJ.
• Seton Hall is enduring a rough off-season, with three players leaving the program. Sophomore Jamar Nutter is the latest to walk the plank, joining JR Morris and Justin Cerasoli. Cerasoli was a high school teammate of Dameon Mason's.
• Jim Boeheim signed a contract extension at Syracuse.
• UConn recruit Andrew Bynum will test the NBA waters in the coming weeks, but will not hire an agent.
• Dennis Latimore ended his disappointing run at Notre Dame one year early.
• Wilson Chandler will honor his commitment and enroll at DePaul this fall.
• Louisville could lose three players. Louisville's top recruit, Amir Johnson, will go to the NBA if he does not meet NCAA eligibility requirements. Lorenzo Wade is already gone -- he transferred to the University of Washington. Meanwhile, incoming big man Clarence Holloway will go to a prep school if he fails to make the grade.

That's enough for one near-roundup of the expanded Big East!

Resurrection of the Warriors Nickname - Video

With the dawn of personal computers, digital cameras, digital video camcorders and the like, fans have become their own production studio.

Case in point, here is the latest video about Resurrecting the Warriors Tradition (click here).


The "Great Warrior" sketch at the end appears to be that done in 2003 by Cameron Smith. The sketch is of Pope John Paul II, truly a "Great Warrior".

"THE GREAT WARRIOR"

Why did Ray DePerry flip flop on Warriors?

In today's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article by Dale Hofmann, he has the following excerpt from a meeting with Marquette officals and Ray DePerry (President of the Great Lakes Inter-tribal Council).


"If it's some vicious dog, and the dog's name is Warrior, I have no problem," he said. "If it's a people thing, now we're talking about something different. . . . No people. No ethnic group. If it's Warriors, let's be creative and see what we can come up with."

A week later when Marquette officials met again with DePerry he had done a 180 and said nothing was acceptable. Why? DePerry was "not available for comment."

For the complete article, click here

Dwyane Wade: NBA's Playoff Best

Dont' take our biased word for it, but take a look at the column by David Aldridge in today's Philadelphia Inquirer.

"So much was made at the start of the playoffs about how there was no Kobe, no Garnett, no LeBron. But there's a lot of Wade, and if people can't see that Wade's game is as lustrous and sunny as any superstar's in the NBA, that's their problem.

And if it's heretical to suggest that Wade may be just as good as James, just as prolific as Carmelo Anthony - that the Miami Heat guard might be a better pro than either of those two bigger names - we all may need to spend more time in church."

All of that and Wade made People magazine's list of the Most Beautiful People in 2005.

A break from the Gold: Jonathan Mitchell visits Marquette

Although the buzz around Marquette lately has primarily revolved around the nickname controversy, there are other much more positive events happening around Marquette at this time. Jonathan Mitchell, a 6'6", 235 pound junior bruiser from Mt. Vernon High School in New York is on campus on Thursday and Friday for an official visit.

Mitchell has been unanimously considered a top 100 prospect in the 2006 class by every major ranking service. Some big names have expressed interest in Mitchell, including Kentucky, Kansas, and Georgia Tech. Mitchell is a versatile southpaw who can play both inside and outside, and he already appears to have the brawn needed to compete in the new Big East.

Another interesting angle here is that Marquette legend and recent jersey retiree, Earl Tatum, is putting the full court pressure on Mitchell. Tatum is one of the most famous alums from Mt. Vernon High, and of course, Earl would love to see Jonathan in the blue and gold next season. Certainly, making recruiting inroads at a NYC power like Mt. Vernon would be a wonderful move by Marquette as it joins the Big East Conference.

Please see Mark Miller's article below for more details:

http://www.wbby.com

Journal-Sentinel Personifies Old Media

Maybe the editorial board at the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel should learn about the Internet one of these days. Perhaps they should learn about different means of monitoring and gauging public opinion within their own community. Based on the paper's editorials on Marquette's nickname selection, these scribes have no clue about the community in which they reside.

First, lets jump into the WayBack Machine and take a look at what these folks coughed up in an editorial on 'Gold' from May 5:

"The change has also drawn much criticism from fans who believe Gold is an inadequate nickname. Keep in mind, however, that Golden Eagles drew similar criticism.

Gold is not an unreasonable choice. It is, of course, not just a color but a precious mineral and a symbol of high value. What's more, gold has had a historical presence at Marquette. Its colors are blue and gold; its former nicknames include the Golden Avalanche; and the student section of the Bradley Center during MU games is the Gold Rush.....

......So, though we believe the trustees should have left well enough alone, we don't believe the choice of Gold should at all prompt the blues or, actually, much furor at all."

This is laugh out loud funny. Could the MJS editorial board have misread the pulse of its community more dramatically on this issue?

Well, today they launched a new editorial stating that MU is finally doing the right thing by opening " the naming process to the entire Marquette community - grads, staff members, students."

What a load of crap from the MJS editorial board. This same point was at issue on May 5 when their last editorial on this matter appeared, yet these sages declined to bring it up then.

Now this sanctimonious bunch is taking MU to task because it "foolishly failed to leave matters there or, in the alternative, to bring to the entire MU community the issue of switching from Golden Eagles."

Please.

The MJS editorial board was foolish to ignore this point in the first place, using the majority of its May 5 editorial to pontificate on matters related to the Native American connotation of Warriors. To suit their limited, selfish agenda, the MJS editorial board missed the real issue: Marquette disengaged its community by unilaterally amending the nickname process to suit its own desired outcome.

Incredibly, the MJS misread the pending 'universal revolt over the athletic handle Gold'.

To people that actually participate in the community, it was not difficult to see this revolt coming.

Many editorial boards remain vital parts of their communities, offering thoughtful perspective and arguments that challenge convention and drive change. Others, like those at the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, are content to disengage from their audience and rely on tired themes, further distancing themselves from the pulse of their community.

Milwaukee needs an alternative.

Gold killed...the power of today's communications

Seven days ago Marquette thrust a new nickname on to its sports teams - now it is dead. Seven days. A mere 168 hours. Welcome to the power of the "new media". It took Pajama Warriors (bloggers) a day to kill the CBS story on the National Guard and George Bush. It took MU's alumni, fans, students to overturn what just a few days ago was "It's GOLD! PERIOD!" statement from the Board of Trustees.

The age of emails, bloggers, talk radio, instant polls is here and here to stay. Is it not ironic that the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel editorial applauded the decision of GOLD...they are old media. The heat to change GOLD, however, came from new media and new communications mediums. Without it, this never would have happened. Instantly thousands of alumni were able to communicate and provide feedback directly to the decision makers.

Power to the fans.


"Bricky"

The artistic talents of Will Kelly


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"We were not winning hearts and minds"

"The decision to go back to the drawing board also was a big victory for the legions of alumni, students and faculty who vigorously protested through e-mails, letters and angry phone calls - and on Internet blogs, online forums and chat rooms."

Father Wild admitted today "we were not winning hearts and minds" with this decision. Further sentiments captured in Don Walker's article today on the Journal Sentinel website..."Marquette To Start Over"

The Associated Press files on the news.

'Gold' Sleeps With the Fishes

Here is the MU Email with the latest.......Bravo to the BOT for opening this back up and giving the community a chance to get it right.

Second Marquette University News Briefs for May 11, 2005

Marquette Trustees announce new nickname selection process, reaffirm position not to reinstate Warriors nickname

Marquette’s Board of Trustees today unanimously reaffirmed its position not to reinstate the Warriors nickname and announced that it would establish a process for stakeholders to select the new Marquette athletics nickname.

The Trustees made the decision after reviewing feedback received in the past week from students, alumni and fans expressing surprise and frustration that their voices were not adequately heard in the decision to change from Golden Eagles to Marquette Gold.

“We have spent the past week listening. We heard you,” said John Bergstrom, chairman of the Board of Trustees. “The decision to change the nickname to Marquette Gold generated a response that we did not expect from Marquette stakeholders. We regret that we disappointed them and we want to respond to those concerns. We’ve established a new process today so that your voices can be heard. It’s transparent, it’s inclusive and it’s easy.”

The Board unanimously reaffirmed its position not to reinstate the Warriors nickname. As stewards of the university’s mission, the Trustees believe Marquette must adhere to the highest possible standards of its Catholic, Jesuit mission, which include recognizing and appreciating the dignity of every member of our human family.

“While I recognize that some people are disappointed that we are not reinstating the Warriors nickname, we cannot teach one principle about respect for human dignity in our classrooms and then fail to act by that same principle when making decisions,” President Robert Wild, S.J., said. “The Warriors nickname will always be part of our proud athletics tradition, and we will honor that tradition. But we live in a different era than when the Warriors nickname was selected in 1954. The perspective of time has shown us that our actions, intended or not, can offend others. We must not knowingly act in a way that others will believe, based on their experience, to be an attack on their dignity as fellow human beings.”

The Board of Trustees announced a new process by which a new athletics nickname will be chosen and also announced the formation of the Marquette Nickname Advisory Committee made up of representative students, alumni, faculty and staff.

The process will include:
1. Within the next two weeks, a list of as many as 10 names will be presented to the Marquette community. All the names presented will be selected from the hundreds of names suggested by the Marquette community during either the 1994 or 2004 nickname processes. While the final list has not been decided, the list will certainly include some of the obvious names given Marquette’s athletics history, including Blue and Gold, Golden Avalanche, Hilltoppers and Golden Eagles.There will also be a write-in option, presented with the parameters that votes for Warriors will not be counted, and that all write-in’s must be consistent with both our Jesuit, Catholic mission and the Board resolution on Native American imagery.

2. All members of the Marquette community, including students, alumni, faculty and staff, will be asked to choose two nicknames from the list, or can offer a write-in option.

3. The two options receiving the most support from the first vote will be presented to the Marquette community for a second vote. The nickname with the most support in the second vote will then be presented to the president to be announced as Marquette’s new athletics nickname going into the Big East Conference.

Both votes will be binding, and will be conducted on the Web with provisions made for those who do not have Internet access. Members of the Marquette community will be notified via mail and e-mail in the coming weeks about steps for participating in the voting process.

More information about the voting process will also be available at http://marquette.edu/nickname.

The Marquette Nickname Advisory Committee will oversee the voting process and will advise the university in the development of the look of the new nickname, following its selection after the second vote.

Marquette has preliminarily planned that the timing for the nickname process will be as follows:

Week of May 23: List of nickname options will be presented to the Marquette community for the first vote. The Marquette community (students, alumni, faculty and staff) will choose two names from the list, or offer a write-in.

Mid-June: Second vote will be conducted with the top-two vote getters.

By July 1: The winning nickname will be announced.

Following the choice of a new nickname, Marquette will further engage the Marquette community, through focus groups and other forums, in the design of a visual identity for the new nickname, with a new logo to be chosen by the start of the school year. Students will be asked to give input on design and name the mascot (the costumed character appearing at games) in the fall.

The Board agreed that any nickname selected must be consistent with the university’s mission and adhere to the resolution passed last September banning use of any Native American imagery or references in Marquette’s athletics nickname, logo or mascot.

In addition, the new nickname must be selected by Marquette’s official entry into the Big East Conference on July 1.

The Golden Eagles will remain Marquette’s athletics nickname until July 1.

Father Wild concluded, “We must remember that Marquette University is first and foremost an academic institution. We have great momentum resulting from the accomplishments of our students, faculty and alumni over the past several years. Just last week, we received the largest single donation in university history with a gift of $28 million that will transform our College of Communication. For the third consecutive year, we celebrate the fact that students are applying to Marquette in record numbers. Marquette has risen in national academic rankings. The campus has undergone a physical transformation, and Marquette has enjoyed the most successful fund-raising period in its history, raising more than $300 million during the current comprehensive campaign. These are the true measures of a great university.”

McAdams: MU announcement pending

Per John McAdams' blog

Also, the Associated Press jumps in on today's BOT meeting here.

Emergency Meeting of the Board of Trustees: Is Gold Gone?

The Marquette University Board of Trustees will meet later today, an emergency session to consider the reaction to 'Gold' and possibly more. The meeting was called in response to the incredible, unprecedented out cry against the new nickname by most of the Marquette community.

Per the J-S: According to Rana Altenberg, the BOT is meeting "because they want to review the communications from students, alumni, faculty and other stakeholders regarding the decision."

"All of the individuals on our board have a very strong commitment to this institution," Altenburg said. "Our trustees feel very deeply about Marquette. As part of that commitment, they want to pay careful attention to the concerns of all Marquette stakeholders."

Bravo, BOT! It takes guts to jump back into the fire -- but can you finish the job? There is room for a graceful reconsideration of the nickname, one that the MU community would heartily embrace and appreciate. Now, take the next step: a quick, thorough process to reconsider the nickname with the MU community would put this speedbump in the rearview mirror and re-engage the community as never before.

At this point, it is clear that Warriors will not return. That's disappointing but understandable. MU is a Jesuit institution and they run the show; I respect their judgment. However, countless nickname alternatives must have been suggested over the years to MU - - - likely hundreds in 1994 when Golden Eagles landed, and surely dozens during the extensive survey submitted by more than 9,000 alums on this matter last year. That'd be a very good place to start, IMHO.

Go, go BOT.

For your records, here is a list of the Marquette University Board of Trustees.

Keeping it loose...GOLD mascot ideas by MU fans

"Bricky" submitted by MU_Chi-Il




"Gold Kegger" submitted by MUfan_12



"Golden Retriever"

Cracks With the Board of Trustees?

Some interesting developments with John Stollenwerk the last few days. Stollenwerk is a Board of Trustees member and the founder of Allen Edmonds shoes. It was first reported on Monday that he had sent an email to a friend saying he did not agree with the GOLD decision. The email was read on the Mark Belling show.

The episode is captured on Dr. John McAdams blog here as heard on the Mark Belling show (click here)

Today, John Stollenwerk emailed Belling and recanted his email. Stollenwerk's email today was also read on Belling's show.

Excerpt.....

I fully support and voted yes on the Marquette University Board of Trustees’ decision to:

1. Not go back to the name “Warriors”
2. Change the name from “Golden Eagles”
3. Change the name to “Gold”


Today's full recant email can also be found on the McAdams blog by clicking here.

Interesting developments to be sure.

Nationally Syndicated Sports Host Suggests Chingy and Blingy

Steve Czaben, host of the FIRST TEAM ON FOX which runs daily on XM Radio channel 142 and on many Fox Affiliates has chimed in with a suggestion for the Marquette mascots....Chingy and Blingy. Czaben is popular in Milwaukee for his frequent appearances over the years on the Bob and Brian Show on Lazer 103.



Click here for the Czabe's explanation of Chingy and Blingy.

At this point I figure we are about 2 more weeks worth of ridicule on the nickname...at least until the school year starts again next Fall.

We're Given 500-1 Odds

Andy Baggot of the Wisconsin State Journal gives us 500-1 odds we change our nickname to the Marquette McGuires.

For the complete article, click here.


This morning's Chicago Sun-Times has an article entitled "Nickname Not Exactly Golden" which includes many quotes from Rana Altenburg.

Enterprising Clothing Spawned From Nickname Change

Don't Go For The Gold



I'm glad someone is profiting from this mess, because doesn't look like Marquette University will be.

Marquette's Dwyane Wade on the cover EA Sports NBA LIVE '06

Excerpt....EA SPORTS announced today that NBA All-Star Dwyane Wade will serve as cover athlete and spokesman for NBA LIVE 06. Wade is in his second season with the Miami HEAT, where he set single-season franchise records for points per game (24.1) and total points scored (1854) in helping to lead the HEAT to the top seed in the NBA Playoffs.

For the complete press release click here

Dwyane Wade Says "I gotta call"

UPDATED SECOND VERSION NOW OUT THERE BY MUFARSI

If you haven't seen the clip of Dwyane Wade responding to the GOLD nickname, do not fret for we have found it on the internet. I believe that is Shaq off camera at the end saying "the Gold?" just prior to Dwyane looking to him with a puzzled look.

The Gold? No I'm gonna make a phone call to to Marquette after we get off this.
-Dwyane Wade

DUE TO OVERWHELMING DEMAND, our FTP server may be maxed out but keep trying.


Click Here to view the original video



A group called MUFARSI (Marquette University Fans Against Really Stupid Ideas) has come out with their own version and a new ending.


To view the MUFARSI version click here



.

Searching for GOLD finally pays off

Significant hours have been spent searching the newspapers and media outlets of this country for articles this week on the Marquette Gold nickname change. Most of them have been linked to our blog. What has been non-existant is an article in favor of the name change. Well look no further, one has been found in the OshKosh Northwestern by John Casper.

To read John's article "Gold best ties in Marquette's past with the present" click here.


Of course, the same newspaper has a contridictory article as well by John Archibald. Click here to read his "MU abandons it's principles by choosing Gold".

Letters to the Editor are not Golden

Letters to the Editor in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel continued to point almost unanimously in one direction - embarrassment.

Click here for this weeks letters

Marquette Lays A Giant Egg - Six new articles

Michael Hunt's article today in the Journal-Sentinel really takes the Board of Trustees to the woodshed.

Congratulations, Marquette. You've managed to offend just about all your people now.

For the complete Michael Hunt article, click here.

Marquette graduate Bob Wolfley, writer for the Journal-Sentinel also has chimed in with his thoughts on the GOLD. More of the same, but again nails his target. Click here for a Golden Dose of Wolfley.

Don Walker of the Journal Sentinel writes that both Father Wild and John Bergstrom (Board of Trustees) wanted Warriors but it carried too much baggage. Apparently the Indian tribes of Wisconsin have total exclusivity now on what a warrior is....who knew. They continue to site the line that alums and fans cannot separate the imagery of Indians with Warriors. This seems odd since the Philadelphia / Golden State Warriors was also originally based on Indian imagery and no one ever associates Indians with that basketball team or their logo. Click here for Walker's complete article.

And finally, from the Chicago Tribune, Mike Downey pens "New Nickname Is Soon To Become Gold Standard" a sarcastic look at MU's decision and what dominoes may fall next.


Added May 8th: "Not Much Glimmer in Gold" (Madison Cap Times)


ADDED MAY 9th "The Gold Standard in PC" from the Beloit Daily News


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Word on the Web

Let's take a look at what the Blogosphere and other parts of the Web are saying about the Marquette Gold. I'm sure The Onion, Letterman, Leno and others aren't far behind.

The Kool-Aid report posits that "Just because a team is in the Big East doesn't mean it's a Big East team"

The Kool-Aid report follows-up with a dozen nicknames that would have been better.

JJ's Rambling Garbage offers a familiar refrain: "how embarassing"

WisOpinion.Com says its "hard to believe Marquette was able to compromise on a new nickname that absolutely nobody likes."

A Day In The Life reports that "Marquette sucks"

A Merrier World spans the web for heavy sarcasm

The MULS Federalists are having a field day

The American Mind asks: "Gold: Pan or Dig It?"

Rex Blog thinks MU pulled off the biggest scam of all time!

Georgetown's blog clobbers MU as well, while letting St John's fans off the hook for their silly name change.

The Libertarian Librarian simply says, W.T.F.

MU's own John McAdams shares some 'fan mail' on the topic here.

Want a message board's take on this? MU is the laughingstock of the CUSA message boards (pretty funny stuff here, actually)

eBay is getting in on the action too.

Ladies and Gentelmen, please welcome your Marquette Gold!

The Embarrassment of Being an Alum

Earlier today at a youth soccer event in New York, a man darted across the field and struck up a conversation with me. Here's roughly how it went:

Soccer dude: "Are you a Marquette guy? I noticed your hat"
MU Blogger: "Yes, I am an MU grad."
Soccer dude: "That new nickname. What a joke."
MU Blogger: "It makes no sense. I was shocked."
Soccer dude: "I grew up in Whitefish Bay, my folks had season tickets for decades, though I didn't go to Marquette. We used to go to games at the old MECCA together during the glory years. Gold. Can you believe that?"
MU Blogger: "Golden Eagles was bad enough, now this"
Soccer dude: "They'll always be Warriors to me. Sorry about 'Gold'. What were they thinking?"
MU Blogger: "I don't know."

I must admit that before leaving the house this morning I thought about which hat to wear - - I opted for the MU gear, believing that nobody here would care much about the new nickname.

Wrong answer.

Now, everytime I wear my MU gear, I guess I should expect to be drawn into a conversation about 'Gold', and try to explain what the university was thinking. That's sick. I am sure I'm not alone, however. I am now part of the Global MU Nickname Explanation Team. I was 'volunteered' for this assignment.

In a real sense, the BOT unified the entire MU community with this nickname selection. Rather than offending some with Warriors or many with Golden Eagles, they chose to offend everybody with the autocratic, self-righteous selection of a 'nickname'.

What makes this especially troubling is that all of the terrific folks who work in MU's alumni, advancement, and admissions offices have been deployed as part of the Global MU Nickname Explanation Team, forced to defend this whimsical decision. The BOT is largely unaccountable to the general alumni population - - so now the folks who toil daily for MU (and who had nothing to do with this mess) will take years worth of verbal abuse, cynicism, and disenchantment from the community they are paid to nurture. These folks don't deserve this mess. Here's hoping that the MU community rises to the occasion with these fine folks and speaks directly to BOT members.

Marquette Students Protest GOLD

Click here for the AP article currently on Fox Sports

MUSG Passes Resolution on Gold Nickname

MUSG passed this proposal by a margin of 20-5-2 last night:

Whereas: Marquette University Student Government’s primary responsibility is to represent the views and opinions of the student body, and;

Whereas: For the last year, the Marquette community has been engaged in dialogue over the university’s athletic nickname, and;

Whereas: Marquette University’s Board of Trustees gathered information regarding the nickname issue through focus groups, an online survey, and public forums, and;

Whereas: The Board of Trustees declined to select an athletic nickname at the December 2004 and March 2005 meetings in order to properly evaluate all this information and consult all stakeholder parties, and;

Whereas: At the May 4, 2005 meeting, the Board of Trustees declined to select either the Golden Eagles or Warriors name, and changed the university’s athletic nickname to the Gold, and;

Whereas: This decision was met with overwhelmingly negative reaction from students, faculty, staff, and alumni alike because of the overall removal of these parties’ opinions from the selection of this nickname, and;

Whereas: The MUSG senate, as the elected voice of the student body, feels the Board of Trustees made a misguided decision in selecting a nickname that is not reflective of the sentiments of the Marquette community in instituting the “Gold” nickname as an alternative to Golden Eagles and Warriors.

Therefore: We recommend that Marquette University reconsider its decision to enact the “Gold” athletic nickname before the July 1, 2005 entry into the Big East athletic conference.

Furthermore: We recommend an alternative nickname be selected that has previously been associated with Marquette University’s athletics tradition that is not the Warriors.

Furthermore: We support the creation and implementation of the new Marquette athletics monogram, and that the mascot to be selected by students in the fall of 2005 reflect a possible alternative nickname.

It's GOLD! PERIOD.

It is clear that this is the direction the university is going in and theywill not back down regardless of emails, letters, protests or anything else. Today's article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel pretty much sums it up. Click here for the article "It's Gold! Period."


Also this article by Jim Stingle of the Journal-Sentinel. "Little sparkle in choice of nickname"


Even the Tampa Tribune has weighed in today. "No Gold State for Marquette's New Nickname"

Father Wild Addresses Students at NOT GOLD Rally

Photo from Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel


Meanwhile Tom Oates, writer for the Wisconsin State Journal weighed in today and it's not pretty.


Marquette's Latest Identity Crisis A Color-Coated Joke (WSJ)

"Wisconsin Orange: Because Badgers athletes keep showing up on television at 6 and 10 wearing jail-issue orange jumpsuits."
-Tom Oates, Wisconsin State Journal on other possible college nicknames

Periodic Table Time - Gold Shirts For Sale on Ebay?

Sometimes a sense of humor is all that can help you get through the day with decisions like these. Be the first in your block (maybe your state) to have the Periodic Table version of the Marquette Gold T-Shirt.



Purchase now on Ebay for only $17.95 each

Taking it National

The National Media has now taken hold as well as MU's own Dwyane Wade. Pardon the Interuption (PTI) on ESPN had a small bit about. Host Michael Wilbon calls it (the GOLD) "the Dumbest Thing I've Ever Heard" which is saying a lot since he's a sports writer and sits across from Tony Kornheiser.

"The Dumbest Thing I've Ever Heard"
-Michael Wilbon of PTI


Dwyane Wade was interviewed by ESPNews about the Miami Heat's NBA playoff run and was completely caught off guard by the news. The transcript is below and we are trying to find video footage to link to the site. Dwyane's facial expression and words said it all.


TRANSCRIPT OF ESPN INTERVIEW WITH DWYANE WADE ON THE "GOLD" NICKNAME

ESPN News just had an interview with Wade, who apparently had not heard of the change:

ESPN: Your alma mater, Marquette, they've changed their nickname to the Gold. What do you think of that?

Wade: To that what?

ESPN: To the Gold. The Marquette Gold. That's what they're going with now.

Wade: [Pause. Furrows his brow.] Oh I gotta call. I gotta call in on that one. I don't know how that sounds.

ESPN: We're breaking some news here?

Wade: I heard they was trying to change it back to Warriors.

ESPN: No I guess they're going with Gold. I'm surprised they didn't call you to check if it was okay with you.

Wade: [Squints. Incredulous.] The Gold? [Beat.] No I'm gonna make a phone call to to Marquette after we get off this. [Laughs] I don't know about that one.

ESPN: So that might change.

Wade: The Gold? The Marquette Gold?

ESPN: All right Dwyane, so far so good, and I know your word carries a lot of weight at Marquette as well as Miami, so congratulations. Enjoy the rest of the playoffs.

THE DAY AFTER GOLD!!

UPDATED 5:58pm PST TO INCLUDE NEW POLL RESULTS AND MU TRIBUNE ARTICLES

Reaction has been strong to the new nickname announcement with online polls showing 90% + disapproval. Below are some of the reactions of shock in the form of images and video when the announcement was made.





Video reaction from WTMJ's channel 4 newscast can be found by clicking here.


Journal Sentinel Online Poll as of 5:58pm PST

"So, do you like the nickname `GOLD'?"

Yes 5.7%

No 94.3%

30,110 Respondents


Marquette Tribune Online Poll as of 5:58pm PST

How do you feel about the decision by the Board of Trustees to make Marquette Gold the new school nickname?

I love it	21
No opinion / Undecided	15
I hate it	511

Marquette Hoops / Dodds On Sports Poll as of 5:58pm PST

"Do you favor the decision made by the Marquette Administration and by the Board of Trustees to change Marquette's nickname to 'Gold'...?"

Yes 9.1%

No 90.9%

132 Respondents



PRINT AND ONLINE REACTIONS (Updated 5:58pm PST)



Various newspaper outlets also captured some reactions and had several articles dedicated to the story (click on the various articles):

Oh, my Goodness (Journal-Sentinel Editorial) added 5:58pm PST

Name Gilds Problem (MU Tribune) added 1:25pm PST


Baffling nickname decision embarrasses university as laughingstock (MU Tribune) added 1:25pm PST


Board Announces Marquette Gold as New Nickname (MU Tribune) added 1:25pm PST


Students Shocked by Mascot Choice (MU Tribune) added 1:25pm PST


Alumni Express Shame and Embarrassment at Nickname (MU Tribune) added 1:25pm PST


This Alum Sees Red Over Gold (Chicago Tribune)


Marquette's New Nickname Isn't Golden (Sheboygan-Press)


Gold: Pan it or dig it? (Journal-Sentinel)


Reactions by of six MU students / faculty (Journal-Sentinel)


Dale Hoffman's take on the Gold (sarcasm heavy)


Reactions from people across the country on the JS Forums


Fools Gold? Marquette's new nickname does not sit well with local grads (Journal Times)


Marquette Changes Nickname to Gold (Business Journal)


Marquette Hopes New Moniker Strikes Golde (Chicago Tribune) - 30 of 38 Trustees Voted


Marquette Rejects Return to Warriors (Minneapolis Star-Tribune)

The Marquette GOLD?????

In a STUNNING announcement that left students, alumni and Milwaukeans in disbelief, the Board of Trustees decided not to bring back the Warriors nickname and not to retain Golden Eagles, but instead choose the Marquette GOLD. Respondents to the Journal Sentinel online poll currently runs at 98% against the new name. Phone calls are flooding into Steve "the Homer" True's call in show ridiculing the new decision. 11 years later, the nickname debate rages on at Marquette...perhaps made worse by a decision that truly has taken everyone by surprise.

The university also revealed a new logo with their announcement. Assuming the logo was not designed in the last 3 hours, it appears that the decision to go to the Marquette Gold was made prior to today (sarcasm off/)



What is even more puzzling (disheartening) are the results of the surveys given to Marquette students, alumni, and staff. Based on the information of those results, a decision like this is truly mindboggling. A complete link to the survey results can be found here.



The above comments are my opinion and not necessarily those of the other team members on this board.

Sincerely

MUWARRIOR92

The Journal-Times Weighs in on Warriors

Not to be outdone, the Racine Journal-Times has an article today on the pending Board of Trustee announcement on the nickname debate as well. Here is the complete article.

Marquette Board of Trustees to Reveal Decision

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reveals that the Marquette Board of Trustees is expected to make a decision on whether to retain the Golden Eagles nickname at MU or return to the Warriors. A third option may also be viable. Don Walker reports here....

A Return to the Warriors?

The Marquette Board of Trustees will make their long awaited decision this Wednesday, May 4th to announce if the MU athletic teams will return to the Warriors or remain the Golden Eagles. Of course, a third possibility might emerge...neither. Perhaps an entirely new nickname.

An email was sent out today from Father Robert Wild, President of Marquette. It reads:

Dear Marquette Community:

I know you have been patiently awaiting word on a decision regarding our athletics nickname. The Board of Trustees intends to announce a decision immediately following its meeting on Wednesday, May 4th.

The Board has spent several months deliberating on this issue, taking seriously the opinions of more than 9,000 alumni, students, faculty and staff who participated in focus group discussions and an online survey. In addition to gaining a better understanding of the perspectives of so many, the Trustees, themselves, have explored very carefully all the various ramifications of the decision they must make. Many of our trustees are alumni, so this decision has great significance to them, particularly in their role as stewards of our Catholic, Jesuit educational mission.

The question before the Board is whether or not Marquette should reinstate Warriors as the athletics nickname going forward or whether we should honor it as part of our past history. In either case, we must and will choose a course that does not compromise our values and respect for the dignity of all members of our human family.

Whatever the Board’s decision, I am satisfied that people of good conscience will agree we have given this issue thoughtful study and consideration.

I am thankful to all of you who participated in this discussion and played a role in helping Marquette to resolve this issue. Following the May 4th Board meeting, it is our intention to post a complete summary of the survey results and other information that has been gathered and studied during this process. Please look for these materials at http://www.marquette.edu/nickname.

May our good and gracious God bless each and every one of you.

Sincerely,
Robert A. Wild, S.J.
President