The Unofficial "Buzz to ______" Archive

[Litehouse]

This fits nicely with Potrykous' puff piece on the front page of the Sports section today about how the Big Teen is "Hanging Tough", and yesterday's inspirational story on Dekker's desire to improve and be a leader.  Becky fans clearly need something to make them feel better about themselves.

[keefe]

Conversely, I NEVER hear about Few being on these lists.  Is it because he basically said 'Im not going anywhere' and he's been there since 99 (00?), so people now believe him?  Anyone remember if Few was always being speculated for blue-blood/higher profile schools in, say, 2004/05?

Few has been there since '89. And yes, Few's name was always on these lists.

[keefe]

That's bullsh.t Chicos.   UCLA does not have strict academic restrictions for basketball or football.  

It is Bull Sh1t. Proof? Two words: Rick Neuheisel.

Neuheisel wasn't fired by UDub because of an NCAA Bracket Pool...

[keefe]

Actually it is anything but BS.  You don't know what you are talking about.  I have a number of friends in the UCLA athletic department and compared to MU's, they are much stricter.  I've spoken to Dan several times over the years about his challenges as an AD in that conference with the academic requirements they have.  The culture at UCLA is that Stanford can win with high academic standards, so can we.  There is no escaping it.  There have been many So. Cal recruits they don't get involved in because the kids won't make it.

This is such BS. Don't ever compare Stanford standards with UCLA's. UDub has higher standards than UCLA and I don't see a lot of Rhodes Scholars on Romar's roster.

[Niv Berkowitz]

NIV, that's EXACTLY my point.  The anti-LW, anti-Pilarz, leave Buzz alone, let him do whatever he wants crowd doesn't realize that they are allowing Buzz a ton of wiggle room which has resulted in great on the court success, great recruiting class.  But there are people here that will say Buzz has been restricted too much on who he can go after.  I say nonsense, I'm in agreement with you.   Despite the "friction", the program and university are better off for it.  The off the court BS has stopped, the team is doing better than ever and the talent coming in next year the best in years.  Everyone wins and the "anti LW" crowd can pound sound as far as I'm concerned.

I'm hoping Buzz is here for at least 5 more years...it would be nice to have a coach here for 10 years.....it's been since Al McGuire.

I'm starting to view Larry Williams as a Ted Thompson-like figure. He speaks softly (or very little to the media) and carries a huge stick. Instead of being critical of him (LW), I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt that he really does know what he's doing. Just because he hasn't spoken to us (fans) through the media does not mean he hates Buzz and the hoops program and the Big East, etc.

And as a guy that has been very critical of LW in the past, I'm trying to do just what I say here, which would be to stop reacting to every dog/reporter that yells "Squirrel!" and instead focus on what I do know....which is that Buzz is the coach and all is well until I hear otherwise from a proven, known, respectable souce w/in MU.

[keefe]

Really? Majerus (great future coach who wasn't ready), Dukiet (disaster), KO, Deane (mediocre), TC and Buzz. That's one grand slam (Buzz), a couple of doubles (KO and TC) two misses (Rick and Deane) and one disaster (Dukiet). You're a much easier grader than me.

Wrong, Lenny. Crean was more of a "Fielder's Choice."

[keefe]

And please, I saw all your commentary over there on the Badger board. 

Do you guys really visit the Badger Board? WTF for?

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

I'm starting to view Larry Williams as a Ted Thompson-like figure. He speaks softly (or very little to the media) and carries a huge stick. Instead of being critical of him (LW), I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt that he really does know what he's doing. Just because he hasn't spoken to us (fans) through the media does not mean he hates Buzz and the hoops program and the Big East, etc.

And as a guy that has been very critical of LW in the past, I'm trying to do just what I say here, which would be to stop reacting to every dog/reporter that yells "Squirrel!" and instead focus on what I do know....which is that Buzz is the coach and all is well until I hear otherwise from a proven, known, respectable souce w/in MU.

I'm with you 100%.

[Warrior_2002]

I don't think Buzz is a fit for UCLA. I read an article on tmj4 website talking about how religion means to much to Buzz and he can express that at MU but couldn't if he were at UCLA.  Makes sense to me.  However, ifBuzz does happen to leave for any school this year, Howland would be at the top of my list to replace him here.  

[keefe]

Graduation rates are tied also to the difficulty of the school, the majors offered, etc.  UCLA also has had far more kids leave to go to the pros early than MU has, that brings down the graduation rates.

HBS has a graduation rate in excess of 99%. Does that make is less difficult than some of the "Executive MBA" programs that graduate in the 50% range?

[Windyplayer]

if your main goal as a coach is a National championship, there are places where you are more likely to achieve that goal than MU, UCLA being one of them.

I'm not so sure that's true. The basketball hierarchy is getting flatter and flatter--see Butler's back-to-back national championship runner-up appearances, VCU's Final Four run, George Mason's Final Four run. MU is trending in the right direction--see string of tourney appearances and back-back-back Sweet Sixteen appearances--and has a nasty recruiting class coming up in. If Blue stays, this team will be competing for a National Championship next year. With this success Buzz is going to come more access to blue chip recruits and we know that Buzz has the charisma to land a couple of the big fish. He has momentum right now after working his tail off to put the program in the position that it's in now. It's time to enjoy the fruits of his labor over the next four years and beyond. There's no reason why Marquette can't have the same amount of success as these other big-time programs. They all had to start from a much more humbling spot as well. I really feel MU is on the cusp of sustained success that can culminate in some Final Four runs and hopefully a championship.

Sure, Buzz could bolt to UCLA, but as the argument goes, he'd be a part of a long line of coaches that either merely carried the torch or more likely (due to impossible expectations) caused the program to take a step back. Buzz has a ducks in a row here at MU. He knows this. So, I suppose I concede the argument that RIGHT now, UCLA has a better shot to win a NC, however, MU is getting closer and closer to becoming a nationally recognized power (thanks in huge part to Buzz). Why not see it through and be the one that took the program to prominence--a prominence similar to that of UCLA.

[MileHigh]

Buzz isn't even mentioned in this ESPN article.

http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/mens-college-basketball/rumors/post?id=2559

[madtownwarrior]

you guys are forgetting something - it's not any "official" news until "IWB" tweets a link to go to his newly created website to read a paragraph of speculation...
 

[Benny B]

And, we've added UCLA.  Thank you, Gary Parrish.

[MUCam]

What's he supposed to do?  CBS is throwing out names, the local paper in MU's home town is supposed to ignore them?  One of the biggest jobs in all of college basketball is open, he's going to have to report something.  99.9% of Milwaukeans don't know MU Scoop exists and it will be news to them that his name is being tossed around but pundits.  That's all it is.

That is all fine and dandy until he wrote this line:

"There will be a handful of great candidates for one of college basketball's premier jobs, but if UCLA offered, I'm pretty certain Williams would go."

That's not "reporting" anything. Worse still, he does not give any reasons as to why he is "pretty certain Williams would go." If he was "pretty certain," you would think that certainty is based on articulable facts to support it. Obviously, those are lacking.

Again, if he was just reporting the speculation, I would agree with you. But, he isn't; instead he is fanning the speculation with unsupported opinions and speculation of his own. And that is not the answer to "what's he supposed to do?"

[🏀]

Buzz to USC was also added by Jeff Goodman in the same article.

[Benny B]

Buzz to USC was also added by Jeff Goodman in the same article.

Gracias.

[Litehouse]

But he's getting page hits on the blog, which is probably all they care about.

[Lennys Tap]

Wrong, Lenny. Crean was more of a "Fielder's Choice."

To me he was worse than that but I'm trying to be fair from a historical perspective.

[MUCam]

But he's getting page hits on the blog, which is probably all they care about.

That there is absolutely correct and a reason why the public has (or should have) such low confidence in the media. But, that is a discussion for another day and another board.

[tower912]

Mods, pin this one to the top, please. 

[Groin_pull]

This fits nicely with Potrykous' puff piece on the front page of the Sports section today about how the Big Teen is "Hanging Tough", and yesterday's inspirational story on Dekker's desire to improve and be a leader.  Becky fans clearly need something to make them feel better about themselves.

None of this should surprise anyone. The Urinal/Sentinal is desperate to keep the doors open. To do that, you run happy Becky articles...because 99% of the Wisconsin population supports good ol' State U.

[We R Final Four]

Mike Hunt was the one who nailed Buzz Williams as Beast COY. Oh wait.....oh well. Keep up the great work Mike Hunt.

[tower912]

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=12&f=1737

UCLA fans aren't naming Buzz.   As a matter of fact, they are all over the place.   Nobody is good enough, apparently, and the national media is the problem, not an entitled fanbase with inflated expectations.   Because they DESERVE to have high expectations. 

[Groin_pull]

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=12&f=1737

UCLA fans aren't naming Buzz.   As a matter of fact, they are all over the place.   Nobody is good enough, apparently, and the national media is the problem, not an entitled fanbase with inflated expectations.   Because they DESERVE to have high expectations. 

UCLA fans should know the drill by now. They start out with a ridiculous list (Coach K, Phil Jackson, Doc Rivers, Billy Donovan, Bill Self, etc)...then they start getting turned down and end up with their fourth or fifth choice. This has been going on since Larry Brown walked out.