It's Time for All Marquette Fans to Appreciate Tom Crean

As Marquette honored the 2003 Final Four team, some great memories resurfaced for me. That was my senior year at Marquette, and following that team and watching them make it to New Orleans was one of the great thrills of my college life. Heck, take "college" out of that last sentence. It was just awesome.

I appreciated every coach and player who made it happen, especially then-head coach Tom Crean. Some MU fans still boo when his name is mentioned or when he is shown in the pregame video at Marquette games. I think it's time to let it go.

Crean had a very classy message to Marquette fans before Saturday's game with Pitt.

Was I upset when Crean left for Indiana? Sure, we all were. That's the business of sports, though. Coaches do well, get better opportunities, and they move on.

The simple question I ask is: did Tom Crean leave Marquette basketball in better shape than he found it? The answer is a resounding yes. I think any Marquette fan, no matter how bitter, can admit that.

If not, let me break it down a little more.

When Tom Crean took over the Marquette program in 1999, it was a bubble team... for the NIT. I remember one preseason magazine called Marquette one of the least athletic teams in the country. The team wasn't exciting, and the fans had a hard time getting excited about it.

Imagine if Marquette basketball had stayed that way for another decade. Maybe when the Big East expanded it 2005, it would not have wanted Marquette. MU could still be in Conference USA trying to get excited about battles with Tulane and Houston. All the financial benefits and exposure Marquette has enjoyed from the Big East over the last eight years may be significantly less.

That part is speculation, of course. Here are some facts:

Crean led Marquette to its first Final Four since Al McGuire won it all in 1977. The impact of that accomplishment cannot be understated. It's only the third in the school's history. The exposure from that success and the impact on recruiting have been huge.

Tom Crean coached six of Marquette's top 10 all-time leading scorers: Jerel McNeal (1st), Lazar Hayward (2nd), Dominic James (4th), Travis Diener (6th), Brian Wardle (7th), and Wesley Matthews (10th). Wardle is the only one not signed by Crean. The talent that Crean brought to Milwaukee totally changed the program.

Where would Marquette be now if these guys had
never been a part of the program?

You notice that list doesn't even include Dwyane Wade. With all due respect to Maurice Lucas and other past MU greats, Wade is the best NBA player Marquette has ever produced. Tom Crean rolled the dice on him, and he hit the jackpot.

There are five Marquette players currently on NBA rosters: Wade, Matthews, Steve Novak, Jimmy Butler and Jae Crowder. Crean signed the first three in addition to McNeal and Hayward, who are both in the D-League. Several more Crean signees like Diener, Joe Chapman, Scott Merritt, and Dan Fitzgerald are playing professionally overseas.

And for those who like Buzz Williams better, that's totally acceptable. Buzz is Marquette's coach now, and we should like him more. However, don't forget who brought Buzz to Milwaukee. Had Crean not hired him as an assistant in the 2007-08 season, I highly doubt an unknown coach at a struggling University of New Orleans program would have been able to land the Marquette job.

Looking back on it, Crean left at the perfect time. The strong core of James, McNeal, Matthews and Hayward was there to help Buzz Williams get off to a great start and continue building on the success Crean had enjoyed. The program has not dropped off a bit since Crean left. It may even be a little better, and that's because Crean left a solid foundation for Buzz.

Beyond the numbers and the recruits, Crean did a great job engaging the fans and letting them know they are appreciated to drum up interest in the program. He's doing the same at Indiana. I remember Crean walking out on senior night in 2003 and holding up a big sign that said "Thank You Seniors." He always came over to the student section after the games and applauded to thank us for being loud.

I remember on my graduation day in 2003 when Crean was in the lobby of the Bradley Center shaking hands with random seniors and saying congratulations. He shook my hand and my roommate's, and he said congratulations and good luck. It made a great day even better.

The bottom line: Crean made Marquette better, and we should thank him. I'm not saying we all need to become Indiana fans. We'll always be Marquette fans. I don't expect the MU campus to be crimson and cream if Indiana makes it to the Final Four this year. We don't have to cheer for IU to do well (unless, of course, they're playing Louisville, Wisconsin, or Notre Dame). We can still make little jokes about Crean's tan or maybe even smirk a little when Indiana loses. I just don't root for the guy to fail - because at this point, it's pretty obvious that he's going to be successful.

All I'm saying is respect the man and what he did for Marquette. Don't boo when people mention his name. The program didn't build itself. Crean put a lot of work in, and it paid off. Enough time has passed, and most bitterness should be gone. Crean still respects and speaks well of Marquette, and I think all MU fans should return the favor.