Becoming HIM | The Hakeem Marion Story

[chosenone58]

Well damn, Coach, tell the kid how you really feel??

If Hakeem hits the portal, Shrewsberry’s days are numbered.

[The JZA]

Well damn, Coach, tell the kid how you really feel??

If Hakeem hits the portal, Shrewsberry’s days are numbered.

Somebody better let him know

[The JZA]

[The JZA]

[The JZA]

[The JZA]

[The JZA]

Sub-Chapter: A Broader View

Michael: And welcome back to another episode of "A Broader View". If you're just tuning in, I am your host, the photogenic immaculate, Michael "The Highwind" Hyland, and I'm here with my long-time buddy and co-host, the one and only, Scranton's finest, Mr. Terrell Johnson. And we're moving on into our next topic, the state of March Madness.

Terrell: Oh yes, definitely some things going on on the college scene, let's get right to it!

Michael: Oh, for sure. So, conference games are finally wrapped up, and we are moving into the conference tournament phase of the season. But let's look ahead a bit, cause this season has been full of surprises and dominance. Even though a dominant season, don't mean squat in single-game eliminations, you can almost feel some teams are going to go deep into March and make it to April. So I got to ask you, who's your Mt. Rushmore for this year?

Terrell: My man, my man, I thought you'd never ask.

Michael: Well, I actually have been asking you, pretty much throughout the season, and you've been switching up your follows every time [laughs].

Terrell: I mean, come on, some of them didn't pan out, so I had to give those teams the boot and make space for some new squads that's been making noise. I know I'm not the only one fickle.

Michael: So with the season in a more definite state, I think the listeners and I want to know who you really got from here on out.

Terrell: Aight, so I'ma go with Louisville, who just stole the #1 spot from Penn State. My second will be, Vermont, they've been putting a lot of programs on notice, making waves of late. My third, Penn State, of course. Hakeem Marion, need I say more? Lastly, I got to roll with the dark horse, Elon.

Michael: Elon? They doing it big over there?

Terrell: Not big, big, but big enough. For a team that's never been to the big dance on a Division-I level, they've been building towards it apparently. They sit with the current 6th best of conference wins this season, and that's above Michigan State, Connecticut, and Kansas.

Michael: Wow, and Kansas is #2. Like I said before, surprises and dominance.

Terrell: Aight, so who's your top four Mike?

Michael: Well, it's Penn State, they've been rolling though the Big Ten, having only lose one conference game to Michigan. Uhh, Kansas. Number three will be the #3 North Carolina. Despite them not having an above-stellar conference season, they're still a team to reckon with. My fourth... I'ma go with a dark horse too, Loyola of Maryland. Either them or Florida A&M. They both went 15-3 for their conference games, but Loyola won a few more over the course of the season, having a 22-9 record, so I'ma go with them.

Terrell: Okay, okay, so some real nice storytellers for the underdogs out there.

Michael: So, poll reads. With the weekend here, the poll has officialized and now we have Saint Louis and Kansas State entering the chat.

Terrell: Hello, Saint Louis and Kansas State. So, with two new teams making the top 25, who're the ones that got bounced?

Michael: With Saint Louis taking #23, former #21 Arkansas takes a leave and the former #25 Baylor gets replaced the new #25, Kansas State.

Terrell: I thought Arkansas had a pretty decent season to round out the bottom #20-25. I wonder what happened there.

Michael: Saint Louis apparently. After defeating Alabama, 94-76-

Terrell: Whoa! Saint Louis gave Alabama the business???

Michael: Nah, this is Arkansas that did. They beat them 94-76 back on the 21st of February. Since then, they took a three-game skid to Vanderbilt, Ole Miss and Auburn. Saint Louis on the other hand, they've been hot. They beat Fordham, Saint Joseph's and Duquesne among a seven-game streak. So, Saint Louis isn't messing around with A-10. But now, we have to address the elephant in the room.

Terrell: I see what you did there...

Michael: The Penn State Nittany Lions have played their last two games, both being accounted for victories, led by Jalen Pickett, without Hakeem Marion.

Terrell: Dun-dun-duuuunnnn!!

Michael: Seriously. What's going on other there?

Terrell: Who knows? Could it be load management? Is that or should that be a thing in college basketball? Giving the season is 20-30-ish games, plus extra if you make the tournament?

Michael: If that's the case, they should have done so earlier in the season, not so close to the tournaments.

Terrell: True, but wait, have you spoken to your cousin Hakeem about what's happening?

Michael: Nah, I haven't. I haven't been to a game since their win over Princeton. I've been extremely busy with my own thing, setting this podcast up, getting stuff in order. I know I'm supposed to be there at his home games, taking pictures and what not for his social media, but hands been tied. He understands that part and has taken more control over that aspect for the meanwhile. So, though I've been following, I haven't been talking to him, so I don't know what's going on there. I just hope... It's not something that can't be quickly resolved, or anything in the realm of that nature.

Terrell: Right, cause Penn State has been on fire since day one, granted losing two games, only one being a conference game, they have shown no mercy to other teams. Hakeem has been the focal point of it. He's literally been that guy to take the Nittany Lions from obscurity to #1 and maintain it, well, that is until recently.

Michael: Yeah, Louisville just been killing it the last ten games. Some big wins over there.

Terrell: But Penn State as a whole has been a big problem for the Big Ten, they can't figure them out, even with Sam Sessom having that unfortunate season-ending injury, Penn State hasn't stopped rolling.

Michael: Facts. And it's not like it's something flying under the radar, the media has caught wind of it, ESPN has questions, First Take, Stephen A. alone has questions. Like, the people want to know why is Hakeem Marion not playing these last couple games?

Terrell: Well, here's hoping we get answers soon, and more importantly, we see him in the Big Ten tournament next week. Penn State awaits their opponent from the Michigan v Ohio State game.

Michael: And you know if Michigan wins, that adds another layer to this little rivalry between them and Penn State. They both came away with a win apiece, but the story that's developing there is Elgin Jordan vs Hakeem Marion. Both guys tore it up at their respective home games. So, to see those two go at it on neutral grounds, it'll be a banger for sure.

Terrell: Aye, you know what else is a banger? Scranton's own Cooper's Seafood House. Nah, this ain't a plug, I was just there earlier today with ol' girl. And man, every time it gets me. See, people identify Pennsylvania with the Philly cheese steaks, cool. But you come for the cheese steaks, but you stay for gem places like Cooper's. Yeah, it's a bit out of the way, north of Philly, but I promise you, the Brazilian lobster tail there? That's cloud nine, better than any cheese steak on this planet.

Michael: Damn, I might have to pull up one day.

Terrell: Shid, we can go later this weekend, say less.

Michael: Let's do it. Give us another discussion for our next episode.

Terrell: Yes sirrrr!

Michael: But for now, we like to bid you all a temporary farewell as we wrap this episode up. We want to thank all of our listeners who tuned in, and to those who'll check in at a later date. Y'all just make sure to hit that subscribe button wherever you get your podcast listening pleasures from. Until then, stay open-minded for "A Broader View".

Terrell: We out...

[The JZA]

[Scars]

Hakeem coming out of the tunnel in a Michigan jersey to take down Shrewsberry

[Agent]

Hakeem leading the entire NCAA in scoring as a freshman is he should be a projected top-3 pick imho. I only compare his freshman run to that of the great michael beasley who went #2 as one of the leading scorers in college basketball. Marion's statline has eclipsed his. Will be interesting what the lotto looks like.


Marion to the Hawks (random guess)