There might not be a worst feeling in sports than being the ‘sexy’ pick to do something before the season begins for your respective team. Like the Green Bay Packers will never be the ‘sexy’ team, too public. Bucks had that a little bit last year then fell down the stairs like a drunk early 90’s Brett Favre in Milwaukee (Thankfully, they recovered by jettisoning Jason Kidd). It’s much better to be under the radar, ask the Milwaukee Brewers. But the hype around Marquette Basketball keeps growing and growing before the season begins as many are calling the Golden Eagles a sleeper team to make a Final Four or even (*gulp*) win a National Championship.

I started to see the hype when Matt Norlander of CBS Sports wrote about the 16 teams that could win the National Championship. Marquette fit the ‘Wild Card’ portion as he broke it into four tiers. Norlander explained Marquette was the ‘Wildest of Wild Cards’ but they still had a chance. Sports Illustrated called them a ‘breakthrough team’ and a potential ‘Final Four’ team. There are others that are singing their platitudes to start the year. Don’t be surprised when they’re name comes up on ESPN next week.

The hype is warranted. If you’re an NBA fan, Marquette plays like a modern-day NbA team. They run and gun and take a ton of threes. Markus Howard and Sam Hauser are two of best three-point shooters I’ve ever watched in college. If anyone is getting slept on, it’s Hauser. People focus on Howard while forgetting Hauser is a goddamn beast. They also have size inside with transfer Ed Morrow, Matt Heldt, Marquette’s first Van Wilder team member in awhile. They have the makings of a being a wagon this season.

Let’s hope they live up to the hype when the season gets rolling next Tuesday.

Charlie.