Crean Taking Credit For Beating MU In A Tweet

[Pakuni]

Larry Williams comments in the Journal Sentinel absolutely pissed Buzz off...and I'd be shocked if any of us, given the argument Lenny's just made - wouldn't be pissed off too - whereby a guy 59 days on the job tells the press he is going to help a guy be a better coach..who has 4 years in and some skins on the wall.

Did Buzz tell you this?

[lab_warrior]

Sorry Lab - but Buzz earns the right to reprimand the guys he recruits, who choose to sign with MU and play for Buzz.  The relationship between player and coach often times is one that involved different motivational tactics.  Buzz didn't sign up to be "coached" by Larry Williams.  Buzz has gotten MU its best back to back NCAA tourney appearances since the days of Al McGuire - and some guy 59 days on the job who has never coached at the Division 1 Level is going to help him be a better coach...not too mention that he ties his tie too tight and will irrevocably offend someone??  Please.

Again, please point me to where Buzz was quoted, or spoken on record, as saying he was "pissed" about this, rather than the usual tea leaf reading and bulls*** conjecture that have wafted around on this board for the last two months.  

[lab_warrior]

Did Buzz tell you this?

I would feel pissed off about this, therefore Buzz would, too, therefore, Buzz was pissed off. 

Tennis balls are yellow, and so are lemons.  Therefore, I'm going to bite into this tennis ball, and let the citrussy goodness FLOOD MY TASTEBUDS.

IRONCLAD LOGIC.

[NersEllenson]

Again, please point me to where Buzz was quoted, or spoken on record, as saying he was "pissed" about this, rather than the usual tea leaf reading and bulls*** conjecture that have wafted around on this board for the last two months.  

Did Buzz tell you this?

I consider it a confidential e-mail, so I cannot share...

[Pakuni]

I consider it a confidential e-mail, so I cannot share...

Convenient.

[NersEllenson]

Convenient.

Pak - As you and many here know...I am one of Buzz's biggest fans....think it is possible I might have sent an e-mail of support to him during the whole SMU flirtation?  You can choose to believe what you want, what I've shared is not a lie.

[GGGG]

Pak - As you and many here know...I am one of Buzz's biggest fans....think it is possible I might have sent an e-mail of support to him during the whole SMU flirtation?  You can choose to believe what you want, what I've shared is not a lie.

So this confidential email to you was sent by Buzz?

Did you print it out and have him autograph it too?

[Lennys Tap]

1. Do you believe Buzz doesn't need to grow as a coach, that's he's somehow attained coaching perfection?
2. Where did LW say he was THE guy to help Buzz grow?
3. Dire? I'm going to assume here that LW wasn't speaking literally when he said Buzz would explode. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe he truly believes Buzz will spontaneously combust.
4. Nice spin, but I doubt very much that LW called up Don Walker and said "Hey, Don, let's discuss Buzz's shortcomings. And while we're at it, could you publicize them?"

1 and 2. C'mon. The point isn't that Buzz is perfect or whether Larry would be the guy or a guy. The point is what kind of ego does it take for a guy that's just been hired to talk publicly on the record like that about a guy a whole lot more established than himself?
3.No, Mr Literal, I don't think Larry meant that Buzz was going to explode. That was the either part that was meant, I guess, to be funny. The "or" part dealt with irrevocably offending somebody which could obviously have dire consequences.
4.No, I don't think that's what happened. I think Don called Larry. And when Don asked Larry his impressions of Buzz, Larry was obviously okay with sharing what he felt to be some of Buzz's shortcomings.

[Pakuni]

Pak - As you and many here know...I am one of Buzz's biggest fans....think it is possible I might have sent an e-mail of support to him during the whole SMU flirtation?  You can choose to believe what you want, what I've shared is not a lie.

Yes, lots of people sent Buzz letters of support during the SMU brouhaha. And received essentially automated responses, which was kind of Buzz to send along.

Are you telling us Buzz made a special exception for you? And in this special exception, he detailed for you - who I'm assuming is a complete stranger to him - his innermost thoughts, his great angst and his deep hurt over vanilla comments made by the AD more than a month earlier?
What makes you so special?

lab is right .... if Buzz were the fragile soul you're portraying him as, the kind of guy who would quit a job, take lesser employment, break his word and move his family all because he didn't like a comment in a newspaper ... well, if he were that kind of guy, he probably wouldn't have gotten as far in life as he has.

[DienerTime34]

Buzz actually responsed to my letter about the Larry Williams situation and said he wasn't pissed at all.

My sources also say any perceived animosity is overblown.

Prove me wrong.

[Pakuni]

3.No, Mr Literal, I don't think Larry meant that Buzz was going to explode. That was the either part that was meant, I guess, to be funny. The "or" part dealt with irrevocably offending somebody which could obviously have dire consequences.
4.No, I don't think that's what happened. I think Don called Larry. And when Don asked Larry his impressions of Buzz, Larry was obviously okay with sharing what he felt to be some of Buzz's shortcomings.

So then, if Buzz were to make a habit of dancing on opposing team's floors after wins, do you not believe he will start offending people irrevocably?
Look, I loved the dance at WVU. Most people did. They did because it was an example of spontaneous exuberance, and not mean-spirited or taunting.
But if were to become a common occurrence, it's no longer spontaneous or harmless. It's insulting and it will offend people irrevocably. It will no longer be cute or funny.
Why is this even controversial? It's obvious.

What he felt to be some of Buzz's shortcomings? C'mon. If he wanted to discuss shortcomings, he'd discuss the lack of a big men or inconsistent defense. He was asked his opinion of Buzz's dance and gave an honest and obvious answer, both praising Buzz's passion (which you conveniently ignore) and pointing out that sometimes that passion can be channeled better.
Do you honestly disagree? Would you be happy to see those kinds of antics regularly?
Really, you guys are trying way too hard to be pissed off about something.

[Lennys Tap]

Guess we'll have to agree to disagree, but if I were in Larry Williams's shoes and a reporter asked me to share what I felt were my head coach's shortcomings I'd tell the reporter to F himself. And I'd make it clear that IF I had any such feelings they would be addressed in private.

[RawdogDX]

See the first two words of the tweet ... "we jumped"

He is the coach of the team and he can't use the word 'we'.  What was he supposed to say? 

[NersEllenson]

Yes, lots of people sent Buzz letters of support during the SMU brouhaha. And received essentially automated responses, which was kind of Buzz to send along.

Are you telling us Buzz made a special exception for you? And in this special exception, he detailed for you - who I'm assuming is a complete stranger to him - his innermost thoughts, his great angst and his deep hurt over vanilla comments made by the AD more than a month earlier?
What makes you so special?

lab is right .... if Buzz were the fragile soul you're portraying him as, the kind of guy who would quit a job, take lesser employment, break his word and move his family all because he didn't like a comment in a newspaper ... well, if he were that kind of guy, he probably wouldn't have gotten as far in life as he has.

So a guy who might decide:  A) I don't really care for my new boss, B) I'm highly employable elsewhere, where I can make more money, be 60 miles away from where I grew up, in a place that has a lot more of what I need to be successful (talented high school basketball players), at a school that at least has a football program....that makes him a fragile soul??  Very few highly successful/desired/employable people will put up with bull sh$t, particularly when that bull sh$t comes from a boss that doesn't have nearly the amount of skins on the wall.

To answer your question, yes, I did get a personal response - not the auto response many got, and like I said earlier...believe it or not.  Now to be clear, Buzz did not write explicitly "I don't really care for my new boss," in the e-mail he sent back to me..yet what was written gave me enough of an indication (and it would have you too) that his level of happiness at MU certainly is different now, than it was 1 year ago...some of which is also attributable to the way it seems the local media are trying to crucify his program/players.

[GGGG]

I agree with lab. If buzz is that upset by what his boss said, enough to insinuate as much in an email to a guy he has never met, then he has no business being the head coach at MU.

But I think you are reading too much into it. 

[NersEllenson]

Last thing I'm going to post on this - it was a difficult decision to decide to post what I did - and I'd hope everyone here can understand why I won't share/forward the specific e-mail/exchange.

I do not feel our coach responding to a die hard fan, who sent a note of support, has no business being the head coach at MU.  Actually I found it pretty remarkable to get a personal response from Coach..and out of respect I'd never repost what was specifically said.

At the end of the day, I can say that the notes of support Buzz got meant a lot to Buzz - and I suspect they played a role in his decision to stay.

[pbiflyer]

Buzz actually responsed to my letter about the Larry Williams situation and said he wasn't pissed at all.

My sources also say any perceived animosity is overblown.

Prove me wrong.

Well, I didn't want to do this, betraying a trust and all, but Buzz sent me one saying he wanted to leave becaue of Ners posting confidential info on bulletin boards.

(And I refuse to use teal. If you are too dumb to figure it out, you must be a Wisconsin grad......)

[ZiggysFryBoy]

I'd rather have Buzz's tie too tight than I4 using his tie as a cod piece.

[🏀]

(And I refuse to use teal. If you are too dumb to figure it out, you must be a Wisconsin grad......)

Or a Whitewater grad, amiright Warhawk?

[real chili 83]

The domer should have never made these comments publicly.  Period.  Shows a real lack of common sense.

Domer boy may, or may not be right about Buzz's development needs.  You just don't hang your laundry out on Wisconsin ave for all to see.  Tacky, and not well thought out. 

[Hoopaloop]

Maybe my recollection (I am old, after all) is wrong, but I don't think L Williams was asked a question about it. I thought he was asked a generic Buzz question and came back with the famous "I want to help make Buzz a better coach" reply and then added his thoughts on the WV celebration as an example of an area in which he thought Buzz was lacking. IIRC most here weren't struck by Larry's honesty, but rather by his ego or his clumsiness, whichever they felt were the basis for his statements. 

What would Jay Bilas say?

[Hoopaloop]

1. Do you believe Buzz doesn't need to grow as a coach, that's he's somehow attained coaching perfection?
2. Where did LW say he was THE guy to help Buzz grow?
3. Dire? I'm going to assume here that LW wasn't speaking literally when he said Buzz would explode. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe he truly believes Buzz will spontaneously combust.
4. Nice spin, but I doubt very much that LW called up Don Walker and said "Hey, Don, let's discuss Buzz's shortcomings. And while we're at it, could you publicize them?"

Stop using logic with these guys, the conspiracy hats are tightening on their scalps.

[Hoopaloop]

I consider it a confidential e-mail, so I cannot share...

Buzz Williams is going to send a person via an email that he is pissed off at his AD?  If Buzz did that, he is a very stupid man and I don't think he is a stupid man at all.  No one with an ounce of brains sends and email to someone they don't know they are pissed at their boss.  You may send that to your closest confidant, but no one is buying this claim.  As you often say, just admit it and set yourself free.

[Bocephys]

What would Jay Bilas say?

I've got to ask, why do you obsess over Jay Bilas?

[NersEllenson]

Buzz Williams is going to send a person via an email that he is pissed off at his AD?  If Buzz did that, he is a very stupid man and I don't think he is a stupid man at all.  No one with an ounce of brains sends and email to someone they don't know they are pissed at their boss.  You may send that to your closest confidant, but no one is buying this claim.  As you often say, just admit it and set yourself free.

Standard fare for you Chicos....take what someone has written, and then twist it in a way to completely change what was actually said.  Can you please share with everyone here how what I wrote below translates into what you've stated above??  

To answer your question, yes, I did get a personal response - not the auto response many got, and like I said earlier...believe it or not.  Now to be clear, Buzz did not write explicitly "I don't really care for my new boss," in the e-mail he sent back to me..yet what was written gave me enough of an indication (and it would have you too) that his level of happiness at MU certainly is different now, than it was 1 year ago...some of which is also attributable to the way it seems the local media are trying to crucify his program/players.