New article on Buzz and OU (don't read if you don't like rumors)

[Skatastrophy]

Both of these articles have better comments than the articles themselves.

[HoopsMalone]

I wonder where the guy got the rumor that Texas is Buzz's dream job

[GGGG]

In the end, i'm thinking it's about 75/25 that Buzz stays, but if he does choose to leave because he wants to coach in the south, so be it even if i'll be bummed for awhile. Marquette will then have to make another good hire.

See I hate to say this, but I think OU is obviously interested in Buzz and is going to make him a big offer.  They know the buy-out figure and they know that it'll take $2M to get him there, but that hasn't deterred them.  We are going to have to pay-up if we want to keep him, and even then that might not be enough if his family wants to be closer to home.  (And the whole idea that the "Christian thing won't play at a public university" line is a false one...ever been to Oklahoma?  That'll go over big-time there.)

I would still put money on that he stays, but honestly I think it might be a coin flip at this point.

[NersEllenson]

I'd say it is 80/20 that Buzz stays.  Got to take him at his word when he said:  I'll be at MU as long as they'll have me.

He's built this program up, laid the groundwork, the hardest part is out of the way - he can start to reap some of the fruits of his labor in the recruiting game.  This run has been great for exposure.  All of our players continually speak of how great Buzz is as a coach and life lesson coach.  The one negative of the MU job is that you have to probably work a lot harder to get kids to MKE than some other locations..now..it is only going to get easier.

Last thought - Buzz is a people person in so many ways...just can't see him leaving a DJO, Jae, Vander, et al...to go coach at Oklahoma.  Oklahoma is not a talent hot bed with regard to recruiting...he'd have to work awful hard there to get recruits as well.  So long as wife and kids are happy in MKE...I'm confident he stays -and see that as the only reason he'd ever leave..

[Avenue Commons]

I'll bet* you all $100.00 that Buzz doesn't leave Marquette.

(*Payable to Al's Run Fundraising efforts.)

[Pakuni]

See I hate to say this, but I think OU is obviously interested in Buzz and is going to make him a big offer.  They know the buy-out figure and they know that it'll take $2M to get him there, but that hasn't deterred them.  We are going to have to pay-up if we want to keep him, and even then that might not be enough if his family wants to be closer to home.  (And the whole idea that the "Christian thing won't play at a public university" line is a false one...ever been to Oklahoma?  That'll go over big-time there.)

I would still put money on that he stays, but honestly I think it might be a coin flip at this point.

I'm not all that convinced the buyout hasn't deterred them. It may not have deterred some fans and mediacalling for Buzz, but there's a reason the OU athletic department is leaking the buyout figure. And the most likely reason is justification for not getting Buzz. Their AD, or his backers, can argue "In this economy, after paying Jeff Capel more than $2 million to go away, we couldn't justify spending another $4 million, on top of a $2+ million annual contract, to land a coach with just four years experience" or something to that effect. It seems that's what they're already doing (see: recent Tulsa World column).
Of course, there may be another reason they're leaking it ... maybe to show fans how committed they are to the program, how much they're willing to invest, etc. But the most obvious would be to justify a decision/result that ends with Buzz not in Norman.

[Goose]

Ners---I hope you are right. Hoping the NCAA run works in our favor and not against us. My feeling is probably 60-40 he stays, but it changes daily.

[GGGG]

Pakuni...I hear what you are saying, but I would feel a lot better if some other names were coming out of Norman right now.  If anything, over the past few days, interest seems to have zeroed in on Buzz.  They got rid of Capel over a week ago, and there has been seemingly zero movement in their search.

[MU B2002]

and there has been seemingly zero movement in their search.

Maybe they are good at keeping things quiet.  Doubtful nowadays I know.

[Ellenson Guerrero]

If you know the Oklahoma/Texas rivalry it's just something that won't happen. If this was professional sports different story, but it's collegiate athletics.

Pitino, L'Ville then Kentucky. It would probably be pretty awkward to go directly from OU to Texas and OU fans would hate you with an undying passion but it might not be unthinkable.

[Goose]

The Pitinio thing came to my mind but he did have a stop in between. Was a ballsy move by UL and I loved it because UK fans had to be hot.

[Pakuni]

Pakuni...I hear what you are saying, but I would feel a lot better if some other names were coming out of Norman right now.  If anything, over the past few days, interest seems to have zeroed in on Buzz.  They got rid of Capel over a week ago, and there has been seemingly zero movement in their search.

Fair point, but it's worth noting that several other names being mentioned - Tad Boyle, Shaka Smart, Chris Mooney, Cuonzo Martin, even Brad Stevens - are coaching their current teams in postseason tournaments (or in Martin's case, had been as of Monday night).

[Goose]

Pakuni---We are still playing and Buzz's name is out there. Not sure if your point gives a ton of confidence to those of us who are concerned. Hear a lot of Buzz chatter and not much else out of Norman.

[MountainCreekHouse]

OU would just be such a downgrade of a program from Marquette, the only reason anyone would take that terrible job would be money. Cash rules everything around me...

[dwaderoy2004]

The only job that would be an upgrade for Buzz would be Arkansas.  Stellar recruiting class coming in, the security of the SEC, tradition, etc.  But while Arkansas is in the south, it isn't really closer to home for Buzz, per se.  And Buzz is doing just fine recruiting the south to Milwaukee.  Money won't (shouldn't?) be the issue.

I just don't see Oklahoma as an upgrade.  It's closer to home, yes.  But if people are pointing to the instability of the Big East as a reason to leave MU, how can anyone think that the Big 12 is stable after what happened last offseason?  Not to mention the current state of the program.

I would be pretty surprised if Buzz left.  But who knows?  I'm guessing Clemson never thought Purnell would leave for DePaul.  People have their own reasons for doing things, even if they don't make sense to others.

[GGGG]

The only job that would be an upgrade for Buzz would be Arkansas.  Stellar recruiting class coming in, the security of the SEC, tradition, etc.  But while Arkansas is in the south, it isn't really closer to home for Buzz, per se.

Normal to Van Alstyne: 170 miles
Fayetteville to Van Alstyne: 285 miles
Milwaukee to Van Alstyne: 920 miles

[Marquette84]

Normal to Van Alstyne: 170 miles
Fayetteville to Van Alstyne: 285 miles
Milwaukee to Van Alstyne: 920 miles

Buzz is a rumored candidate for the Illinois State job?

[dwaderoy2004]

Arkansas job appears to be closed.  Anderson to take it:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=6249515

[Pakuni]

Pakuni---We are still playing and Buzz's name is out there. Not sure if your point gives a ton of confidence to those of us who are concerned. Hear a lot of Buzz chatter and not much else out of Norman.

I think you missed the point. Sultan said the "zero movement" out of Norman lately may indicate they're entirely focused on Buzz, who they probably wouldn't move on while he's coaching in the tourney.
My point is, the same could be said for several other coaches who have been mentioned as OU candidates and, thus, we probably shouldn't read too much into the lack of movement.
Don't get me wrong .... I'm sure OU wants to speak with Buzz. But the fact that there's been no movement doesn't mean he's their only candidate, or that they're confident he'll take the job.

[GGGG]

Buzz is a rumored candidate for the Illinois State job?

Heh...I made the same mistake when typing it into mapquest.

[dwaderoy2004]

Normal to Van Alstyne: 170 miles
Fayetteville to Van Alstyne: 285 miles
Milwaukee to Van Alstyne: 920 miles

touche.  as buzz would say, i majored in engineering, not geography.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Last thought - Buzz is a people person in so many ways...just can't see him leaving a DJO, Jae, Vander, et al...to go coach at Oklahoma.  Oklahoma is not a talent hot bed with regard to recruiting...he'd have to work awful hard there to get recruits as well.  So long as wife and kids are happy in MKE...I'm confident he stays -and see that as the only reason he'd ever leave..

The only trouble I have with this viewpoint is that Buzz is always going to be a "people person" and by definition you're kind of saying he will never leave.  This year it's Jae, Vander, DJO....in 3 years it could be guys named Norm, Bobby, Denzel and Marcus....6 years it could be guys named Maurice, Tommy, Bill, and Mercedes.  In other words, there's always going to be a DJO, Jae, Vander, etc.  Coaches have to deal with this all the time when they leave for another job.   

[Benny B]

/begin rant

Seriously... the whole "close to home" and "return to his roots" thing needs to stop.

#1 - Buzz is either coaching or recruiting 95% of the time.  Do you think being "close to home" is really a consideration?  What, I suppose he's going to reconnect with all his old buddies, join the bowling league, cook dinner at Grandma's every weekend, and golf at the country club five days a week?

Moreover, his family has been in Milwaukee the last 4+ years... this is the only home at least two, maybe three, of them know.  So what if they only see Grandma on holidays... if Buzz is like most married men, he wants his mother-in-law as far away as possible. 

#2 - Buzz has a FREAKIN' JET at his disposal.  When you have a jet, Arkansas isn't any "closer to home" than Milwaukee.  Oklahoma is still nearly a 3 hour drive from Van Alstyne... with four kids, it's closer to 5 hours.

#3 - How many professional athletes and coaches can you name pulled a complete 180, left a playoff team, or left millions on the table because they wanted to be "close to home?"

#4 - WTF does "return to his roots" mean any way?  Buzz never played.  He didn't attend TX, AR, or OK or any other B12 school.  For all we know he may care less about those schools than he does UNO.  His basketball "roots" are in the JUCO ranks... his coaching "roots" are at Marquette.  Where in there does one find his roots to be OK/AR/TX/etc.?

#5 - Has anyone here been to Van Alstyne?  I haven't, but from the best I can gather, it is to Dallas what Beaver Dam is to Milwaukee.  I've been to Beaver Dam.  If I were from Beaver Dam, I wouldn't be going out of my way to get back there.  Not to mention... is OU or Arkansas in Dallas?  Last I checked they were in neighboring states, which brings me to:

#6 - Texas is the second largest state in the country.  It's big.  It's diverse.  No one part of it is similar to the other.  Believe me, if I'm from Chicago, I don't consider Carbondale "close to home."  If I'm from Milwaukee, I don't consider Red Wing, MN "close to home."  Van Alstyne to Austin isn't much closer than Milwaukee is to Bloomington, IN (not sure why that matters, but I figured I'd toss it in).

#7 - Living in the north being from the south isn't exactly like living in Tehran if you're Jewish.  The whole "carpetbagger" thing is overblown down there, and people up here couldn't care less about where you're from.  As long as you're a respectful neighbor, there are very few places in the US that will reject you simply because you're not a native.  Mequon isn't one of them.

#8 - We call it Iced Tea, but mix in a little sugar, and it's the same damn thing.  Nothing's different.  It's not like the Nestea up here is sourced from different plants.

All the conveniences of Texas are available in Wisconsin... if not, there's someone willing to overnight or same-day courier whatever it is your heart desires.  When you're making $2M/yr., you'd be surprised what's available to you on a moment's notice.

/end rant

[GGGG]

Benny...your values aren't his.  I most certainly wouldn't want to move to Norman, but don't project what he might find important.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Benny...your values aren't his.  I most certainly wouldn't want to move to Norman, but don't project what he might find important.

Agree