Marquette owns the Internet

Marquette University kicked off the 2010-2011 academic year this week bringing us ever closer to Midnight Madness next month and a new season of Warrior basketball soon after. Timed to the opening of classes MU delivered its first installment of "Marquette Basketball: Revealed," a new all-access look at the MU men's basketball program hosted online. The inside looks at the team off the court are tremendous and the series promises to be one of the highlights of the upcoming season.

Let's be clear, no university in the country - BCS or otherwise - executes a digital media strategy as well as the Marquette University Athletic Department. Whether its the new-look GoMarquette.com, the participation of the department's leadership on platforms like Twitter, MU Athletics' own Twitter ID, the participation of student-athletes within social media domains, or the array of video updates and highlights, the university's commitment to invest in and execute a successful digital media program is unparalleled.

"Marquette Basketball: Revealed,"the latest example of the department's vision, will be a boon Buzz Williams as he continues to build the program. By controlling the virtual printing presses and realizing it has access to its own best sources of information (no kidding), the Athletic Department is building brand value for the program that was not possible just a few years ago. To use an overused phrase from years past on MUScoop -- "this will help recruiting."

No doubt.

Other items of note for the Marquette hoops fan:

• Buzz Williams has a new boss. Ladies and gentlemen meet the 23rd president of Marquette University the Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J. Father Pilarz previously served as the President of the University of Scranton for seven years. Welcome to Marquette, Father. Kudos to the Board of Trustees for making a no-drama hire and for demonstrating that my Alma mater is near the top of the Jesuit university food chain.
• So you say that MU does not have a verbal for the class of 2011 just yet? Don't hit the panic button like some of these folks. For the first time in years Marquette is in a unique recruiting situation -- namely, the talent on-hand is decidedly upgraded from past years and there are fewer 'guaranteed' spots for early playing time at critical need positions. With that in mind it makes perfect sense that Coach Buzz is (perhaps) being more surgical in his pursuit of talent for the class of 2011.
• Buzz Williams is one of the 100 coolest people in Milwaukee.
• David Cubillan is playing basketball for a living back home in Venezuela.
• Marquette has the best unis in the nation, folks. It says so right here at Storming the Floor. (h/t Anonymous Eagle)
• Steve Novak is now on Twitter.
• Dwyane Wade was back on campus this week to, among other things, speak at the Student-Athlete Welcome Back Dinner. Here's the clip.

....for old times' sake