Web Exclusive

Mac is back

By Tim Cigelske, Comm ’04

Jim McIlvaine wearing his home game, "Classy Pants."

In 1994, Jim McIlvaine’s on-court performance helped lead Marquette to a rare appearance in the Sweet 16, the team’s first trip to that round in 15 years.

Now the team has achieved back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances, the first time that has happened in 35 years.

“The people who cheer for Duke or Kansas probably take it for granted, but it’s a pretty special thing when you get to the second weekend of the tournament,” McIlvaine says. “I look forward to the day I take that for granted.”

Today, McIlvaine’s off-court presence provides a type of consistency for Marquette's program that shouldn’t be taken for granted.

After a seven-year career in the NBA, McIlvaine returned to Wisconsin to raise a family and once again become a part of the Marquette tradition he helped build.  

The 7-foot-1-inch McIlvaine — or Mac, as he’s often called — is most noticeable on the sideline at games as the color commentator on ESPN 540, where he joined Steve “The Homer” True in 2008. Since then, Marquette has never missed an NCAA tournament.

McIlvaine hopes to follow in the footsteps of his radio predecessor George Thompson, another Marquette basketball from the late 1960s, who later spent 27 years in the broadcast booth.

“One of the things that was very under-appreciated with George’s work was that he was a constant for the program for decades – everyone knew him,” McIlvaine says. “Now I feel a sense of obligation to carry on the same thing.”

McIlvaine fulfills that duty far beyond press row. In addition to wearing his self-described bright blue-and-gold "Big Papa Pants" and "Classy Pants," he often can be found joining the Marquette band for a number – wearing his own blue-and-gold striped shirt.

“People stare at me anyway,” McIlvaine says, “so I might as well give them something to stare at.”

Social media enables McIlvaine to extend his reach. He actively connects with fans and former teammates, like Tony Smith, Marquette guard from 1986-87 through 1989-90, on Twitter and Facebook. He often interacts with listeners, even taking requests on Twitter for movie quotes and song lyrics to drop into his broadcast as a wink and nod to his followers.   

His social media following, McIlvaine says, “confirms what we already know, that people are really passionate about Marquette basketball.”

McIlvaine’s height still provides an advantage. During his playing days, his imposing stature led to the most blocks in Marquette basketball history. Today, his height allows him to capture YouTube video angles that few others can replicate.

And from his unique perspective, he is enjoying this year’s run as much as ever.

 “The team this year has been such a joy to watch,” he says.