Here's how the Sporting News (formerly Street & Smith's) College Basketball Preview magazine started its commentary on Marquette this year.
"Marquette and Pitt are the only two teams to win 10 Big East games or more in each of the past four seasons. If the Golden Eagles reach 10 victories again in 2009-10, Buzz Williams should be the national Coach of the Year."
And that statement was based on the assumption "... if incoming freshman Junior Cadougan is ready to assume the playmaker duties. Cadougan is one of the highest-rated point guards to come out of the high school ranks last season. Another top-100 recruit, 6-6 forward Jeronne Maymon, will have an opportunity to play right away as well, maybe as a starter."
Given the challenges this team has faced (Otule & Cadougan's injuries and the defection of Maymon) and it's performance to a legitimately high standard set by an independent third-party, it is about time to give the players, the staff and especially Buzz, a resounding THANK YOU from everyone who considers themselves a fan of MU BB.
Buzz has done one heck of a good job. The seniors have done well too.
Buzz has been stellar this year.
Here's to hoping he can exceed expectations next year!
If MU wins out and finishes 12-6 I don't know how you couldn't give BE COY to Buzz especially after his team started 2-5 and faced some serious adversity. But Boeheim will get it no matter what with 'Cuse being the #1 team and BE champs. Boeheim, in Buzz words "has more equity" with the media and other coaches around the league as well.
Will MU make a move to sweeten the contract, both length and amount, for Buzz if they make the NCAA this year?
Nice pull, AlphaDelt.
Buzz has done an outstanding job and should be rewarded with a nice contract extension following the season. I don't recall how long his original deal was but after 2 good years he deserves a very nice raise.
Extra money is nice. But contracts don't mean stink.
Maybe I'm naive, but I really think Buzz likes it at MU and appreciates the school gave him the opportunity. Unless Texas comes calling, I'd bet he'd be here awhile. Of course, I was stupid enough to believe Crean would stay.
Not sure why people believe Buzz will be "slighted" if he doesn't win BE Coach of the Year. Boeheim is just far more deserving on so many fronts. Fair is fair. Assuming JB wins, it will have NOTHING to do with his "equity in the media."
Quote from: goodgreatgrand on February 28, 2010, 08:38:51 PM
Not sure why people believe Buzz will be "slighted" if he doesn't win BE Coach of the Year. Boeheim is just far more deserving on so many fronts. Fair is fair. Assuming JB wins, it will have NOTHING to do with his "equity in the media."
Please enlighten us regarding the "so many fronts" on which Boeheim is "far more deserving".
If Buzz doesnt get BE COY if we finish 12-6 it would be the biggest travesty since Chris Daughtry was voted off American Idol for 4th place.
Quote from: Lennys Tap on February 28, 2010, 08:44:00 PM
Please enlighten us regarding the "so many fronts" on which Boeheim is "far more deserving".
Boeheim lost 4 of his top 6 players from last year. Lost more talent. His team this year is playing far better basketball than his team did at any point last season. His team was expected to finish 6th in the conf., I believe. With 2 games to go, he has clinched the BE and are one of the best teams in the country.
Yes, Buzz has exceeded expectations but Boeheim has just done a lot more.
Quote from: Brewtown Andy on February 28, 2010, 07:55:24 PM
Nice pull, AlphaDelt.
One of the best "first posts" in quite a while...
Yet Registered and has been following since the early days of 'scoop. Thanks for finally posting AlphaDelt :)
Syracuse has exceeded expectations, as said above, too. And that team is rolling. So, whether Buzz gets BE COY or not, Buzz has done an outstanding job with the MU team this year - beyond lots of expectiations.
We still have two games to finish well. One at a time. . . let's beat Louisville on Tuesday . . .
GO MARQUETTE!!!!
Quote from: goodgreatgrand on February 28, 2010, 09:01:35 PM
Boeheim lost 4 of his top 6 players from last year. Lost more talent. His team this year is playing far better basketball than his team did at any point last season. His team was expected to finish 6th in the conf., I believe. With 2 games to go, he has clinched the BE and are one of the best teams in the country.
Yes, Buzz has exceeded expectations but Boeheim has just done a lot more.
Dick Vitale had 'Cuse #17 overall and 4th in the Big East. They have exceeded expectations but not to the point MU has. They are WAY bigger and better than Marquette. And transfer Wesley Johnson is a likely 1st team All American.
Excellent job by Boeheim with an uber-talented team. IMHO even better job by Buzz with a pretty ordinary (talent-wise) team that's among the nation's smallest.
That said, I'd be very surprised if Boeheim doesn't win both the national and BE COY.
Quote from: goodgreatgrand on February 28, 2010, 09:01:35 PM
Boeheim lost 4 of his top 6 players from last year. Lost more talent. His team this year is playing far better basketball than his team did at any point last season. His team was expected to finish 6th in the conf., I believe. With 2 games to go, he has clinched the BE and are one of the best teams in the country.
Yes, Buzz has exceeded expectations but Boeheim has just done a lot more.
Don't mind that you think Boeheim deserves coach of year, considering Syracuse likely finishes regular season Ranked #1 in the country...BUT..to say he lost more talent than MU losing 3 of its Top 4 players who were Top 5 in School scoring history? Plus, Somehow I find it hard that a team who returns Rautins, Jackson, Onawauku, and adds stud Wes Johnson, and traditionally lands McDonalds All-Americans or at very least Top 10 recruiting classes year in and year out - "lost so much last year."
Yes, but we didn't lose a lottery pick at the end of last season. Come to think of it, after we lost the last lottery pick, the team sucked sewer water. But then again, Crean is no Boeheim.
Quote from: Ners on February 28, 2010, 09:30:36 PM
Don't mind that you think Boeheim deserves coach of year, considering Syracuse likely finishes regular season Ranked #1 in the country...BUT..to say he lost more talent than MU losing 3 of its Top 4 players who were Top 5 in School scoring history? Plus, Somehow I find it hard that a team who returns Rautins, Jackson, Onawauku, and adds stud Wes Johnson, and traditionally lands McDonalds All-Americans or at very least Top 10 recruiting classes year in and year out - "lost so much last year."
Fair enough. But I think it's fair to say that recruiting is a major responsibility of a HC. I never heard of Wes Johnson until this year, though. Granted, I dont follow Iowa State but still... Also, their "backup" PG missed all of last year and the kid that starts is a freshman.
Plus, school records are all relative. And none of SU's players that left (Flynn, Devo, Harris) were All-Americans. Because Flynn was a lottery pick, I think they lost more.
If we finish 12-6 in the Big East Buzz Wiliams deserves COY. Look at the talent we play with compared to the top teams in the big east. I dont think maurice or cooby would start on any other big east team. Our two best recruits transfered and had season ending injury. We lost two 6'10+ big men to injuries, and I almost forgot... we graduated our 1st, 3rd, and 7th leading scorers from a year before! Buzz has squeezed every ounce of ability out of his players and he ABSOLUTLEY deserbes Big east COY (if we finish 12-6)
I don't see why it's a foregone conclusion that it's Boeheim's. If the fans on the Seton Hall board have a pretty good understanding of what Buzz has done with this team, I'm sure the guys who vote for COY know. It's no secret. Someone on ESPN.com wrote an article about Boeheim's inside track on that award--was it Forde?--but that's just one man's opinion. I think it's still to be determined. Buzz is putting together one very special season this year, and people know.
He sure is. As is Steve Alford. Quick: Name one player on New Mexico (I can't).
Quote from: goodgreatgrand on February 28, 2010, 09:39:07 PM
Fair enough. But I think it's fair to say that recruiting is a major responsibility of a HC. I never heard of Wes Johnson until this year, though. Granted, I dont follow Iowa State but still... Also, their "backup" PG missed all of last year and the kid that starts is a freshman.
Plus, school records are all relative. And none of SU's players that left (Flynn, Devo, Harris) were All-Americans. Because Flynn was a lottery pick, I think they lost more.
Good points..though Buzz was quite familiar with Wes Johnson..he recruited him out of high school..he's a Texan. The fact Boeheim brought Wes Johnson in as a transfer, says a lot about Johnson's talent, as Boeheim is notorious for not taking transfers. Also, Boeheim has the benefit of being at Cuse for what, 30 years, and a great track record? Buzz has recruited awfully well for not having a marquee name or much head coaching experience/track record he can demonstrate with recruits..plus he came into a pretty barren MU team with regard to talent after the Big 3 graduated...which was not really his responsibility - rather a challenge he inherited with Crean's sudden departure (and the subsequent transfers - Taylor and Nick Williams)
I bet if you asked Boeheim, he'd say Buzz deserves the award given what MU has done this year.
Quote from: muguru on February 28, 2010, 11:17:37 PM
I bet if you asked Boeheim, he'd say Buzz deserves the award given what MU has done this year.
Conversely, if you asked Buzz he'd say give it to Boeheim.
Quote from: HaywardsHeroes32 on February 28, 2010, 08:50:16 PM
If Buzz doesnt get BE COY if we finish 12-6 it would be the biggest travesty since Chris Daughtry was voted off American Idol for 4th place.
Teal???
Quote from: CrazyEcho on February 28, 2010, 11:39:48 PM
Conversely, if you asked Buzz he'd say give it to Boeheim.
I think he'd say something like "It's not about me, it's about our players, and not just who they are when they graduate from college, but who they are in 20 years."
:D
I think that in pro sports, the coach of the year should be the coach that got the most out of his players because he didn't bring the players to the team. That is not quite the same in the college ranks. The coach recruits, so I think that there is more to it than getting the best out of the talent that you have. You also bring in the talent. If the voters see it that way then it goes to the coach with the best team and some intangibles - in this case Boeheim. Nevertheless, Buzz has done a great job and I want him to win it.
The list below trends toward teams that were stacked, vice teams that overachieved, IMO.
Last year's finalists were:
•Mike Anderson, Missouri
•John Calipari, Memphis
•Jeff Capel, Oklahoma
•Jamie Dixon, Pitt
•Mike Montgomery, Cal
•Stew Morrill, Utah State
•Matt Painter, Purdue
•Oliver Purnell, Clemson
•Bill Self, Kansas
•Brad Stevens, Butler
Wooooooooot woooooooot! Go Buzz, Go Players, Go Fans, Go Marquette!
Quote from: CrazyEcho on February 28, 2010, 11:39:48 PM
Conversely, if you asked Buzz he'd say give it to Boeheim.
Yes - but Boeheim would be correct. Buzz would be diplomatic. ;D
Regardless of what happens. To even have Buzz's name bandied about is a plus.
Buzz, as a coaching youngster, should not even be considered with the likes of Boeheim, Calhoun and Pitino -- all coaching royalty due to long and successful careers.
Behind those three are the future of the conference -- Wright and Dixon. I would rather have Buzz in this conversation and I think he already is.
Quote from: goodgreatgrand on February 28, 2010, 10:15:29 PM
He sure is. As is Steve Alford. Quick: Name one player on New Mexico (I can't).
Steve Alford's a Tool. I don't care what Jonathan Tavernari said to him, Alford's a coach who should react differently than he did.