Why was Wojo's relationship with the students/alumni so bad?

[rocky_warrior]

I've been told via PM from another poster that we aren't supposed to reference his old name...

I mean, he kind of gave up the ghost a couple posts up, eh?

And if you see the thread I linked. quote blocks retain the name of the person you quoted.

[JWags85]

Buzz was only fake/phony in his whole aww shucks I’m just a lucky yokel who is getting by. He was an extremely shrewd operator and manager of his career and coaching image.  And there was clearly no love lost with him and the administration/athletic department by the end.

That being said, I’ve never heard a bad random interaction with him outside of the arena/Al.  And that’s probably a dozen examples, including a couple from people I know who aren’t even Marquette fans or basketball people.  He literally approached an old coworker of mine, out of the blue, in an airport who is an A&M alum and was wearing a hat and ended up chatting about data analytics for 10 min. He was well liked in the Big East coaching circles and the media. He’s an engaging entertaining dude.  Buzz’s Bunch was a very real and impactful, that wasn’t some PR fluff to get him a better job.

[Goose]

I had a fair amount of communication with Buzz and found it interesting and for the most part truthful. During his last two seasons there were multiple times were we emailed back and forth 6-7 times in a night. Now, I did point out to him that for the money he was getting paid he should have better things to do than emailing with Goose, which he did not argue. He could have been completely full of crap with me, but our conversations always were about recruiting, money or MU brass.

I had three interactions with Wojo and it was quite clear his interest in talking with me matched my interest in talking with him. Will add that one of the three conversations (while brief) was about the lack of success on the court. I was not the jag that started that short conversation and he opened the door for me thoughts. Pretty sure that ended chances of me being invited to pickup ball.

[DegenerateDish]

I’ve mentioned this before on here, but Wojo reached out to me when my son got sick. I still remember a North Carolina number calling us while we were in the hospital and it was the day after MU lost Woj’s opener at Ohio State.

He was/is a legit nice guy. He would call and text periodically to see how we were doing, and his admin Barbara sent us a sweet care package. Things tailed off as far as contact goes, but I never thought that was a big deal. He was a coach in his first year on the job, and I thought it was great he took the time that he did to offer support. I still have his number in my phone (assuming he didn’t change it).

[Goose]

Dish

To follow up your post, Wojo did my family well during a time of crisis. He provided several great gestures to a couple of young family members of mine and that was greatly appreciated. I have no doubt he probably is a very solid guy, just not much of a basketball coach.

[warriorchick]

As I have repeatedly said the phony downhome lonesome cowboy.

I wonder how many of those Buzz's Bunch kids he still keeps in touch with.  When he was secretly looking for another job, he had CBS do that very self-serving piece where kids cried while trying to describe what he meant to them - and then Buzz hightailed it to VaTech a week after it aired.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

we had a big alumni event in NYC with Buzz as the draw. Over 300 showed up. Buzz stayed isolated before the event, did an incredibly self-serving interview on stage with a MU grad Ben Tracy of CBS News (in which Buzz backtracked on the statement about not wanting to leave MU), then he couldn't get out of there fast enough.

Around athletics, after a few years people would have taken the Creans back (yes, even Joni) than put up with Buzz and his wife anymore.

Wojo just wasn't a shameless self-promoter, he was there to coach.

That's exactly how I remember the Buzz event.  He literally ran off.

They had a similar event in NYC with Coach Wojo and Amplo interviewing each other.
I did get a "Nice tie." out of him as I was wearing an identical blue and gold stripe one.

[🏀]

There’s a difference between Buzz and the Buzz Williams brand. The latter doesn’t do the former any favors.

[Billy Hoyle]

That's exactly how I remember the Buzz event.  He literally ran off.

They had a similar event in NYC with Coach Wojo and Amplo interviewing each other.
I did get a "Nice tie." out of him as I was wearing an identical blue and gold stripe one.

the following year Larry Williams came to the alumni event held at the Yacht Club. He was late due to flight delays but stayed the entire time and took some serious abuse from people afterward.  My buddy went after him HARD. Rony Eford were standing next to each other, looked at one other, laughed, left to grab a drink. LOL.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

the following year Larry Williams came to the alumni event held at the Yacht Club. He was late due to flight delays but stayed the entire time and took some serious abuse from people afterward.  My buddy went after him HARD. Rony Eford were standing next to each other, looked at one other, laughed, left to grab a drink. LOL.

I was there also.  I sat next to Steve Rushing who did the impromptu event for 20 minutes while evwryone waited for Larry to show up.  Steve was very funny.

[MU82]

I was there also.  I sat next to Steve Rushing who did the impromptu event for 20 minutes while evwryone waited for Larry to show up.  Steve was very funny.

Are you talking about the SI writer who is married to Rebecca Lobo? That's Steve Rushin. He ain't rushing anywhere!

And yes, he's a funny guy. He writes superbly and tells great stories. He also loves Marquette very much. It was his SI piece on how ridiculous "The Gold" was that led the school to ditch it.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Doused in brown liquor and read poetry?

Post of the century

[Avenue Commons]

Great recruiter. Players love him. That’s gotta count for a lot of you ask me.

Met him a few times in passing. I found him very likeable. He is close with Jesse Itzler (entrepreneur, husband of Sarah Blakley and part owner of Atlanta Hawks) who is one of the most personable people on the planet. Wojo can’t be as dull as some of you are saying.

[The Lens]

Buzz and I ended up across from each other in a double sided buffet line at a B&G Halloween tip off event.  It was same weekend as a Texas-Texas Tech game (the year that UT, Tech and OU were all good).  So I asked him who would win.  He went on for 5-7 minutes about the game, the weather, everything.  Finally I was like: hey coach that's great but I have 3 plates of food (for me, my wife and our hen 1 year old) and I need to get back to my seat.  The dude could talk.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Are you talking about the SI writer who is married to Rebecca Lobo? That's Steve Rushin. He ain't rushing anywhere!

And yes, he's a funny guy. He writes superbly and tells great stories. He also loves Marquette very much. It was his SI piece on how ridiculous "The Gold" was that led the school to ditch it.

Yes!  Talked him about living in Connecticut as Mr. Rebecca Lobo.

[mcderjim]

1). Al was legendary.  Hank was endearing. Majerus had history. Deane had bball knowledge. Dukiet: pass. O’Neill recruited and was passionate. Cream recruited and had a good sales pitch. Buzz won. Wojo was generic bologna.

2). Wojo was a product of successful corporate college bball. He always acted as if he took classes on how to be a bball program leader. He rarely loosened up. He needed Majerus as a mentor. In the Midwest, we don’t warm up to this.

3).  He had an air about him. Duke pedigree made him think this MU step was in his way to an ACC job.

4).  The problem was that he couldn’t coach, couldn’t adjust mid game, had no overall plan, couldn’t develop players... and simply couldn’t win consistently.

Wojo, enjoy the $10+ million you basically stole from Marquette. The program will be below average for another half decade as the new coach cleans up your mess ! I’m sure you will BS another AD. Let the door hit you in the ass on the way out ...

[JWags85]

Met him a few times in passing. I found him very likeable. He is close with Jesse Itzler (entrepreneur, husband of Sarah Blakley and part owner of Atlanta Hawks) who is one of the most personable people on the planet. Wojo can’t be as dull as some of you are saying.

Seriously? I know he’s talked about Coach K’s camp a decent amount, so that connection makes sense, but seems like an odd friendship outside of keeping in touch. Wildly different personalities and life approaches IMO.

[Blackhat]

Buzz didn’t seem like a Yacht Club kind of guy. 

[The Lens]

I wonder how many of those Buzz's Bunch kids he still keeps in touch with.  When he was secretly looking for another job, he had CBS do that very self-serving piece where kids cried while trying to describe what he meant to them - and then Buzz hightailed it to VaTech a week after it aired.

Then he started a Buzz's Bunch in Blacksburg and then he started one in College Station.  Maybe a CBS producer had been pitching the story for 3 years and someone finally gave the green light. 

I've heard from people in MU Athletics that Buzz was at his best and most comfortable during Buzz's Bunch events.  But I'm sure it was all self serving.  I mean the guy only went to 3 straight S16s and an E8, coached a BE POY and won a share of Conf...definitely needed a puff piece to get hired away. 

FFS.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Buzz didn’t seem like a Yacht Club kind of guy.

Ahoy, paloy.

[Judge Smails]

Ahoy, paloy.

Since my name is Judge Smails I feel like I have to reply.  Buzz would be the type of guy to put his foot on the boat, like Spaulding.

[Galway Eagle]

My fiancé met him twice through a very well connected family and says he seemed decent but could see how he might be "stiff"

[Galway Eagle]

I mean, he kind of gave up the ghost a couple posts up, eh?

And if you see the thread I linked. quote blocks retain the name of the person you quoted.

I agree with you. that's why I was surprised to receive the message I did when I mentioned his old profession to another poster. Just passing along the info to you.

[keefe]

His lack of 4 wheeling and karate skills was very concerning.

His lack of a tan was the more concerning. Frankly, I can't trust a man with pasty white thighs.

[keefe]

a prick ... Left a real sour taste in my mouth.

He must have had asparagus for dinner