MU hires two assistants
Written by: Todd Rosiak
After a lengthy search process, Buzz Williams has filled two of the three spots on his coaching staff.
Tony Benford, a veteran Division I assistant who spent the last two seasons at Nebraska, and Aki Williams, a native New Yorker who spent the past two seasons at Fairfield, have been hired. Williams arrives in town early this afternoon and Benford later in the evening, and both are expected to jump right into their new positions.
"Real excited to have both of them here," said Buzz Williams. "I think that they're both dominant pieces in regards to the future of our program, but I don't think I won't say the same thing about anybody else that I will hire."
I'll be updating this story throughout the afternoon.
(http://blogs.jsonline.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=176651)
http://blogs.jsonline.com/muhoops/archive/2008/04/24/mu-hires-two-assistants.aspx
Tony Benford info:
http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=21&SPID=24&DB_OEM_ID=100&ATCLID=563759&Q_SEASON=2006
Here is a good link for Benford - looks like a good recruiter, although covers the Big 12 and west.
http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=100&ATCLID=563759&Q_SEASON=2007
Tony Benford
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d88/kenwoodla/Picture1-10.png)
One of the nation's top young assistant coaches, Tony Benford returns for his second season on the bench in Lincoln in 2007-08. He is a veteran Division I assistant coach with strong coaching and recruiting ties throughout the Big 12 and Pac-10 geographic regions as well as in his native state of New Mexico.
Benford spent eight seasons in the Pac-10 Conference at Arizona State before joining Coach Doc Sadler's first staff at Nebraska for the 2006-07 season. Benford also spent a brief stint in El Paso, Texas, on Sadler's UTEP staff in the summer of 2006 before he followed Sadler to Lincoln.
During his first campaign in Lincoln, Benford helped the Huskers to 17 wins while just missing out on an upper-division finish in the conference standings. Benford spent significant time working with Husker center Aleks Maric, the leading returning scorer and rebounder in the Big 12 in 2007-08 after posting 18.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game as a junior.
Off the court, Benford helped the Huskers make significant strides on the recruiting trail. Nebraska's eight-man recruiting class for 2007 was ranked among the top 25 in the nation by at least three major recruiting services, including ESPN.com's Bob Gibbons (21st), CSTV.com's Van Coleman (12th) and HoopScoopOnline.com's Clark Francis (5th).
Following the 2006-07 season, Benford earned well-deserved recognition as he was ranked No. 31 on a list of the top assistant coaches in the nation by Basketball Times magazine and Hoop Scoop. The list compiled the 100 top assistant coaches among the 331 basketball schools at the Division I level.
In his previous stint, Benford served on the Arizona State bench as an assistant coach for his first six years in Tempe. He was then named associate head coach for his last two seasons with the Sun Devils.
During his time at Arizona State (1999 to 2006), Benford recruited and coached Pac-10 Players of the Year Ike Diogu (2005) and Eddie House (2000), and also brought in all-freshman team performer Jeff Pendergraph in 2006. Benford helped the Sun Devils to four postseason appearances during his tenure, including gaining a spot in the second round of the 2003 NCAA Tournament.
Before joining the ASU staff, Benford spent six seasons as an assistant coach at New Mexico (1993 to 1998). He helped New Mexico to five NCAA Tournament bids while winning 73.2 percent of its games (139-51 record). New Mexico picked up a pair of Western Athletic Conference tournament titles (1993 and 1996) and a regular-season championship (1994) with Benford on the sideline. During his stint with the Lobos, Benford coached the top four scorers in program history, including all-time leading scorer Kenny Thomas, who Benford recruited to New Mexico.
Benford started his career coaching youth teams, including spending four years at All Saints School in Lubbock, Texas, where he served as head coach of the junior high squad.
Sadler and Benford have a long-standing friendship that dates back to their time together at Texas Tech. Sadler served three years as an assistant coach for the Red Raiders, recruiting several players that helped TTU to a conference title and NCAA Tournament appearance in 1993. Benford returned to the Lubbock, Texas, school to complete his degree in 1992.
Benford finished his playing career at Tech in 1986 and during his playing days, he helped Texas Tech to two Southwest Conference Tournament titles (1985, 1986) and the SWC regular-season championship in 1985. He was an all-conference pick as a senior and was the league tournament most valuable player.
A native of Hobbs, N.M., Benford was a 1986 fourth-round NBA Draft selection by the Boston Celtics. He played professionally in Holland during the 1986-87 season.
As a prep all-star, Benford was a Converse All-American and the New Mexico Player of the Year after pouring in 27.5 points per game as a senior. He led Hobbs to the state title in his final season, earning MVP honors of the state championship tournament after posting 29 points in the title game.
Benford and his wife, Deborah, have two daughters, Audriana (18) and Milena (10), and one son, Tony Jr. (15). Benford also has a son, Jeremy (25). Audriana is in her first year as as a student at UNL in 2007-08.
Is there are rule about number of assistants allowed? Just wondering why it has to be 3 assistants and not 4 if that's what the coach wanted.
Believe Todd has a typo... the asst coach is probably Aki Collins, not Williams.
http://www.fairfieldstags.com/sports/m-baskbl/coaches/index
David "Aki" Collins joined Head Coach Ed Cooley's staff in May, 2006 after serving three seasons as an assistant coach at Marshall University. Collins has a proven ability to recruit student-athletes who achieve success both on the basketball court as well as in the classroom.
Collins played an instrumental role in Marshall's success on the basketball court over the past three seasons. During his stay, the Thundering Herd placed several student-athletes on Conference USA all-conference teams, including Mark Patton and Markel Humphrey last season.
The Brooklyn native came to Marshall after three seasons as an assistant coach at Howard University where he served under head coach Frankie Allen.
During his tenure, Collins was part of a coaching staff that turned the team into a highly-successful program. Before his arrival at Howard, the program posted just three victories in the previous two seasons. After winning 10 games during the 2000-01 season, the Bison won 18 games in 2001-02 and advanced to the conference championship game. In three years at Howard, Collins was part of a coaching staff that averaged nearly 14 wins per season (41-48).
Collins brought in two pre-season MEAC player of the year candidates in Aki Thomas (2002) and Kyle Williams (2003), both of whom transferred to Howard from the University of Colorado, following Collins when he made the trip back east. He also helped recruit the 2003 MEAC Player of the Year Ronnie Williams.
Before making the move to Howard, Collins spent three seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Colorado, one as a volunteer and two as a full-time assistant. His responsibilities with the Buffalos included supervising the team managers, coordinating film exchange, and participating in on-campus recruiting activities. He coached Jaquay Walls while in Boulder. Walls went on to become a second-round draft pick by the Indiana Pacers in 2000.
He began his collegiate career at Morehouse College, before transferring to Clark University for his sophomore year. He attended LaSalle Academy in New York, where he led his team to a 26-1 record and the New York City championship as a sophomore. LaSalle earned a Top 20 pre-season ranking prior to his senior campaign.
Collins is married to the former Ina Taylor.
Must be Collins... has the requisite bald head.
Benford spent significant time working with Husker center Aleks Maric, the leading returning scorer and rebounder in the Big 12 in 2007-08 after posting 18.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game as a junior.
This is encouraging, given the prior staff's difficulties developing big men.
Quote from: wardle2wade on April 24, 2008, 01:10:41 PM
Believe Todd has a typo... the asst coach is probably Aki Collins, not Williams.
Correct.
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d88/kenwoodla/Picture2-2.png)
Benford is a great hire.......a very experienced assistant coach with a strong pedigree. nicely done
Benford sounds promising. Here is hoping we hired assistant coach number 2 and number 3 in the pecking order. Would really love to see a Howard from Illinois or Pastner as the top assistant.
Quote from: TJ on April 24, 2008, 01:09:33 PM
Is there are rule about number of assistants allowed? Just wondering why it has to be 3 assistants and not 4 if that's what the coach wanted.
What about Monarch?
OK,at least Buzz has started hiring his staff. But, one from Fairfield and one from Nebraska? Not really college basketball hotbeds here.
An assistant who worked under Dave Bliss. Comforting.
Quote from: nyg on April 24, 2008, 01:23:58 PM
OK,at least Buzz has started hiring his staff. But, one from Fairfield and one from Nebraska? Not really college basketball hotbeds here.
Well at least he's getting someone from the east coast...
On the surface this seems underwhelming, hope these are good hires but given the ASU, UN background and Fairfield, Marshall background would not say these are the typical places where the hot assistants are.
ASU Has had some talented people to include Dio, House, and Pendergraph is a talented guard. His bio states he was involved with each player's recruitment so that's promising.
Quote from: muarmy81 on April 24, 2008, 01:43:45 PM
Well at least he's getting someone from the east coast...
And used to the Jesuit experience:
Fairfield University is a Jesuit institution that prepares undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education students for leadership and service in a constantly changing world. Approximately 5,000 students from 35 states, 46 countries, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico are enrolled at the University's six schools. The University was founded in 1942 in the scenic shoreline community of Fairfield, Connecticut.
Didn't/Doesn't Maurice Creek go to a prep school in Connecticut? Hopefully Collins has some ties there.
Quote from: tonyreeder on April 24, 2008, 01:42:56 PM
An assistant who worked under Dave Bliss. Comforting.
How many average MU fans will ever know of that?
Interesting.
Quote from: tonyreeder on April 24, 2008, 01:42:56 PM
An assistant who worked under Dave Bliss. Comforting.
Bliss never got into trouble with the NCAA while at New Mexico (where Benford was with him).
Wasn't Tony Bennett at UW when they went on probation? Good thing MU didn't hire that guy.
Quote from: Pakuni on April 24, 2008, 02:35:46 PM
Wasn't Tony Bennett at UW when they went on probation? Good thing MU didn't hire that guy.
And of course Bennie Seltzer worked for Kelvin Sampson at OU when that mess was going down.
With a high profile staff like this, I'm sure recruits will be climbing over themselves to enroll.
Holy cripes. Isn't there somebody from Gillespie's old staff that's willing to come on board?
MU hires two assistants
Written by: Todd Rosiak
After a lengthy search process, Buzz Williams now has filled two of the three spots on his coaching staff.
Tony Benford, a Division I veteran who spent the last two seasons at Nebraska, and Aki Collins, a native New Yorker who spent the past two seasons at Fairfield, have been hired. Collins arrives in town early this afternoon and Benford later in the evening, and both are expected to jump right into their new positions.
"Real excited to have both of them here," said Williams. "I think that they're both dominant pieces in regards to the future of our program, but I don't think I won't say the same thing about anybody else that I will hire."
Benford, 44, has 16 seasons of Division I experience as an assistant. Prior to his stint at Nebraska he spent eight seasons at Arizona State, including the last two as an associate head coach, and six seasons at New Mexico.
A fourth-round pick of the Boston Celtics in 1986, Benford has known Williams since Williams first broke into the coaching business.
"He was already a full-time assistant at New Mexico when I started at UT-Arlington," Williams said. "Since the BCS has been formed he's been in a BCS league the entire time. Has great relationships in the Midwest. His next move will be as a head coach -- that's my opinion."
Benford said he wasn't necessarily looking at leaving Nebraska until he sat down and began discussing the possibilities at MU with Williams. Benford had been working at Nebraska with coach Doc Sadler, a former assistant of Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie -- one of Williams' mentors.
"I think it's going to be a situation where I'm working with Buzz, and not for him," Benford said. "We're working together for the same goal, which is to win a national championship. I think I can bring a lot to the table to help Buzz and help the program continue to be at an elite level.
"Buzz said, 'I need a coach -- not just a recruiter. Someone who will help me in all aspects of the program.' And I know that with my experience through the years...I know what to do and what not to do, and I think it's going to be a great fit."
Collins, 36, has 10 seasons of Division I experience as an assistant. Prior to his stint at Fairfield he spent three seasons at Marshall, three seasons at Howard and two at Colorado.
A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Collins' recruiting ties to the East Coast played a role in his addition to Williams' staff. The middle man in introducing Williams and Collins was Gillispie.
"I think it's important we have a presence where we play," said Williams. "I think any coach will tell you that, that it's important to be able to recruit where you play. Obviously he's from New York, went to high school in New York, has great relationships up and down the East Coast, and he will be able to help us continue to recruit where we play. He has great relationships with coaches in the East, in the Mid-Atlantic area."
Collins said Thursday afternoon, en route to MU, that he's already been working his connections.
"I started making some phone calls and letting my contacts on the East Coast know I'm taking this job at Marquette, and now it's time for them to help me out," Collins said. "We need some players, and we have to compete with Syracuse and Georgetown and Notre Dame, which goes into New York strong. The New York schools are trying to protect their home turf.
"We have to be able to get in there and get some players that can help us compete at a high level. And we also have to be able to recruit up and down the East Coast, as well as the country. There's players all over the place that can play; it's our job as assistant coaches to go out and find those players and sell Marquette."
Williams now has one spot on his staff left to fill.
"I think that as you put together a staff, it's like recruiting, putting your team together," he said. "I did not make a move with Aki or Tony until I had complete peace that they were exactly what we needed, where we needed and how we needed. I'm going to hire the other coach -- it could be today, it could be next week, it could be 10 days from now - when I have complete peace that they are the absolute right piece to the puzzle in regards to making sure we have the best staff in the country.
"I'm not going to rush to do that."
(http://blogs.jsonline.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=176651)
http://blogs.jsonline.com/muhoops/archive/2008/04/24/mu-hires-two-assistants.aspx
Quote from: mr.muskie on April 24, 2008, 02:10:27 PM
And used to the Jesuit experience:
Fairfield University is a Jesuit institution that prepares undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education students for leadership and service in a constantly changing world. Approximately 5,000 students from 35 states, 46 countries, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico are enrolled at the University's six schools. The University was founded in 1942 in the scenic shoreline community of Fairfield, Connecticut.
Fairfield is a great school. I have a brother and a sister who graduated from there. I go to 5-10 of their games a year, since they and Sacred Heart are the closest D-I schools around me. Fairfield is not, however, a good basketball school, even for the level at which it competes. It is at best a middle of the pack school in a poor conference, and has been almost forever (a brief spike in 80's when Mitch Buonaguro succeeded Terry O'Connor, which was a perfect storm of a good coach/horrible recruiter following a good recruiter/horrible coach). Haven't noticed a huge spike in incoming talent since Cooley/Collins arrived, either.
Was there this much griping when Tom Crean hired his original assistants from the powerhouse programs of Oakland University, Morehead State and Ball State?
Quote from: PuertoRicanNightmare on April 24, 2008, 02:44:46 PM
With a high profile staff like this, I'm sure recruits will be climbing over themselves to enroll.
As opposed to a staff of assistants (and ops folks) anchored by a guy who was canned from his only head coaching gig, another who learned his craft from a habitual cheater, another who was run outta town under difficult circumstances in West Texas, another who was canned when Ill State cleaned house, and Buzz Williams?
Give these guys a chance.....Benford = very good hire IMHO. Aki - Jesuit university background and East Coast heritage that MU desperately needed.
Lets see what happens next.
Rosiak's article has gotten significantly longer since this thread started
Quotequoted from here (http://blogs.jsonline.com/muhoops/archive/2008/04/24/mu-hires-two-assistants.aspx)
After a lengthy search process, Buzz Williams now has filled two of the three spots on his coaching staff.
Tony Benford, a Division I veteran who spent the last two seasons at Nebraska, and Aki Collins, a native New Yorker who spent the past two seasons at Fairfield, have been hired. Collins arrives in town early this afternoon and Benford later in the evening, and both are expected to jump right into their new positions.
"Real excited to have both of them here," said Williams. "I think that they're both dominant pieces in regards to the future of our program, but I don't think I won't say the same thing about anybody else that I will hire."
Benford, 44, has 16 seasons of Division I experience as an assistant. Prior to his stint at Nebraska he spent eight seasons at Arizona State, including the last two as an associate head coach, and six seasons at New Mexico.
A fourth-round pick of the Boston Celtics in 1986, Benford has known Williams since Williams first broke into the coaching business.
"He was already a full-time assistant at New Mexico when I started at UT-Arlington," Williams said. "Since the BCS has been formed he's been in a BCS league the entire time. Has great relationships in the Midwest. His next move will be as a head coach -- that's my opinion."
Benford said he wasn't necessarily looking at leaving Nebraska until he sat down and began discussing the possibilities at MU with Williams. Benford had been working at Nebraska with coach Doc Sadler, a former assistant of Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie -- one of Williams' mentors.
"I think it's going to be a situation where I'm working with Buzz, and not for him," Benford said. "We're working together for the same goal, which is to win a national championship. I think I can bring a lot to the table to help Buzz and help the program continue to be at an elite level.
"Buzz said, 'I need a coach -- not just a recruiter. Someone who will help me in all aspects of the program.' And I know that with my experience through the years...I know what to do and what not to do, and I think it's going to be a great fit."
Collins, 36, has 10 seasons of Division I experience as an assistant. Prior to his stint at Fairfield he spent three seasons at Marshall, three seasons at Howard and two at Colorado.
A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Collins' recruiting ties to the East Coast played a role in his addition to Williams' staff. The middle man in introducing Williams and Collins was Gillispie.
"I think it's important we have a presence where we play," said Williams. "I think any coach will tell you that, that it's important to be able to recruit where you play. Obviously he's from New York, went to high school in New York, has great relationships up and down the East Coast, and he will be able to help us continue to recruit where we play. He has great relationships with coaches in the East, in the Mid-Atlantic area."
Collins said Thursday afternoon, en route to MU, that he's already been working his connections.
"I started making some phone calls and letting my contacts on the East Coast know I'm taking this job at Marquette, and now it's time for them to help me out," Collins said. "We need some players, and we have to compete with Syracuse and Georgetown and Notre Dame, which goes into New York strong. The New York schools are trying to protect their home turf.
"We have to be able to get in there and get some players that can help us compete at a high level. And we also have to be able to recruit up and down the East Coast, as well as the country. There's players all over the place that can play; it's our job as assistant coaches to go out and find those players and sell Marquette."
Williams now has one spot on his staff left to fill.
"I think that as you put together a staff, it's like recruiting, putting your team together," he said. "I did not make a move with Aki or Tony until I had complete peace that they were exactly what we needed, where we needed and how we needed. I'm going to hire the other coach -- it could be today, it could be next week, it could be 10 days from now - when I have complete peace that they are the absolute right piece to the puzzle in regards to making sure we have the best staff in the country.
"I'm not going to rush to do that."
Quote from: Pakuni on April 24, 2008, 03:11:49 PM
Was there this much griping when Tom Crean hired his original assistants from the powerhouse programs of Oakland University, Morehead State and Ball State?
Excellent Point...
Why is it that some people are going to piss and moan about everything the program does? We haven't even conducted 1 PRACTICE yet and we've already judged this staff...
Quote from: muarmy81 on April 24, 2008, 03:23:03 PM
Excellent Point...
Why is it that some people are going to piss and moan about everything the program does? We haven't even conducted 1 PRACTICE yet and we've already judged this staff...
Agreed. Remember that Buzz has to be first and foremost comfortable with the people he hires.
Quote from: Pakuni on April 24, 2008, 03:11:49 PM
Was there this much griping when Tom Crean hired his original assistants from the powerhouse programs of Oakland University, Morehead State and Ball State?
When Crean was hired, was Marquette in a position to hire one of several coaches with signicant Division 1 head coaching experience who presumably could have brought a strong staff -- with MIDWEST TIES -- with them?
Quote from: Pakuni on April 24, 2008, 02:35:46 PM
Bliss never got into trouble with the NCAA while at New Mexico (where Benford was with him).
Wasn't Tony Bennett at UW when they went on probation? Good thing MU didn't hire that guy.
That is true, Bliss was the picture of integrity when he was at UNM...Benford worked with the good Bliss, not the one that cracked at Baylor and sold out his soul. Bliss at that time had New Mexico playing pretty consistently at the top of the Mountain West...he was "let go" because UNM fans (myself included) felt he couldn't get the Lobos past the first round of the tourney. Then we sold our souls to that charlatan Fran Frachilla and he had the program in the toilet in 3 years.
I think Benford is a pretty good hire.
Kenny Thomas was actually a Texan (El Paso) before transferring to ABQ High and eventually on to UNM. Notice a trend happening here, that is right meet Marquette's new recruiting area of operations...Texas.
And didn't our former fearless leader, Sir Crean, loose at Nebraska not so long ago?
Bliss did a good job when he was at Oklahoma.
Quote from: Pakuni on April 24, 2008, 03:11:49 PM
Was there this much griping when Tom Crean hired his original assistants from the powerhouse programs of Oakland University, Morehead State and Ball State?
Coming off a losing season back then, no I don't think there was. People were just hoping like hell someone could turn around a losing team. Not sure 9 years later we're in the same boat as we were in 1999. That being said, it's Buzz's call and hopefully it works out.
Quote from: MUinCO on April 24, 2008, 03:50:15 PM
That is true, Bliss was the picture of integrity when he was at UNM...Benford worked with the good Bliss, not the one that cracked at Baylor and sold out his soul. Bliss at that time had New Mexico playing pretty consistently at the top of the Mountain West...he was "let go" because UNM fans (myself included) felt he couldn't get the Lobos past the first round of the tourney. Then we sold our souls to that charlatan Fran Frachilla and he had the program in the toilet in 3 years.
Bliss had problems at SMU before he got to New Mexico, though they weren't as bad as what he did at Baylor, he was never really a clean guy. Going to UNM he was really just staying one step ahead of the mob. Maybe he cleaned it up while there, but he doesn't seem like that kind of guy.
Quote from: bma725 on April 24, 2008, 04:11:37 PM
Bliss had problems at SMU before he got to New Mexico, though they weren't as bad as what he did at Baylor, he was never really a clean guy. Going to UNM he was really just staying one step ahead of the mob. Maybe he cleaned it up while there, but he doesn't seem like that kind of guy.
Bliss' problems at SMU were more institutional problems than his problems individually. At the time they had boosters, one in particular, buying and paying players for mostly football but also hoops. That's what landed the death penalty for the football program.
I'm not claiming that Bliss was unaware of what was happening, but I don't believe there were allegations that he personally was involved, which was not the case at Baylor.
Regardless, if we're going to the Bliss association against Benford, then it's a good thing MU didn't hire Tony Bennett for his obvious involvement in the Shoe Box scandal.
Quote from: PuertoRicanNightmare on April 24, 2008, 03:48:00 PM
When Crean was hired, was Marquette in a position to hire one of several coaches with signicant Division 1 head coaching experience who presumably could have brought a strong staff -- with MIDWEST TIES -- with them?
Yes. Perry Watson was among those who wanted the job, among others and MU could have made a push for Steve Alford.
Though I'm not sure what that has to do with who Williams chose as two of his assistants.
Perhaps you want a coaching staff capable of recruiting Illinois and Wisconsin only. You're entitled to that opinion. I, for one, am glad MU is willing and able to recruit nationally.
Quote from: bma725 on April 24, 2008, 04:11:37 PM
Bliss had problems at SMU before he got to New Mexico, though they weren't as bad as what he did at Baylor, he was never really a clean guy. Going to UNM he was really just staying one step ahead of the mob. Maybe he cleaned it up while there, but he doesn't seem like that kind of guy.
Pakini is right on and there were never any problems or investigations at UNM. After the Baylor fiasco UNM's admin (and the ABQ Journal) dipped back into the Bliss era just to check and make sure he didn't do the same things while at UNM.
All clean...though I have a feeling you are right and he was never really a "clean guy" so either he chose to be clean at UNM or was spectacular at hiding it when he was living in Albuquerque. Personally, I think he had enough resources at UNM that being dirty was not necessary...at smaller programs it appears he had a propensity to revert to his un-clean ways.
With respect to our new assistant coach Benford though, it appears he's never worked under a coach that was found to be dirty while he was in their employ. That's a good thing and his association with Bliss should be considered in that context.
Quote from: Pakuni on April 24, 2008, 04:27:10 PM
Perhaps you want a coaching staff capable of recruiting Illinois and Wisconsin only. You're entitled to that opinion. I, for one, am glad MU is willing and able to recruit nationally.
First and foremost, I'd like a coaching staff on which the chain of command is clear. Right now, we've got a newly hired assistant saying to a reporter that he doesn't really "work for" our head coach.
Did that happen on the day Crean hired his assistants?
Quote from: Pakuni on April 24, 2008, 04:27:10 PM
Yes. Perry Watson was among those who wanted the job, among others and MU could have made a push for Steve Alford.
I think Alford has a few more years of pennance in Albuquerque to perform before making another attempt at coaching in the B-10.
Quote from: PuertoRicanNightmare on April 24, 2008, 04:49:58 PM
First and foremost, I'd like a coaching staff on which the chain of command is clear. Right now, we've got a newly hired assistant saying to a reporter that he doesn't really "work for" our head coach.
Did that happen on the day Crean hired his assistants?
Oooh, I didn't catch that. Not good, though pretty much every assistant with the requisite experience necessary to be hired on at a program like MU will likely have considerably more experience than our 35 year-old newby.
Quote from: PuertoRicanNightmare on April 24, 2008, 04:49:58 PM
First and foremost, I'd like a coaching staff on which the chain of command is clear. Right now, we've got a newly hired assistant saying to a reporter that he doesn't really "work for" our head coach.
Did that happen on the day Crean hired his assistants?
I think the chain of command is clear. Buzz will retain the ability to hire and fire. On the other hand, Buzz certainly seems to have a different management style than our previous coach.
Buzz has said some things that indicate a different approach, at least publically. For example, during his first press conference he was going on about how it is all about the players. Now apparantly saying working with, not working for, etc. It seems Buzz is taking a much more team-oriented, less dictatorial approach. I am not sure it will be successful but hey, it's his management style.
Quote from: PuertoRicanNightmare on April 24, 2008, 04:49:58 PM
First and foremost, I'd like a coaching staff on which the chain of command is clear. Right now, we've got a newly hired assistant saying to a reporter that he doesn't really "work for" our head coach.
Did that happen on the day Crean hired his assistants?
PRN,
First you hate Crean because he runs his program with an iron fist (runs off players, coaches, markets himself over the program, etc) now you complain about Buzz because he has more of a "we" mentality? Are you bitter because you attended some other Milwaukee school? Did you attend MSOE?