Is this now Buzz's team?

[RawdogDX]

Anyone who says that last year's team which stated 4 sr and a jr was the first year's head coaches team is ridiculous.  Anyone who says that next years team isn't is also ridiculous.  I think it's a bad idea going into the year planning on 'judging' Buzz.  We aren't going to win a ton of games, we'll lose some close ones, and will look completely uncompetitive in a few.  It won't necessarily be his fault, just comes with a lack of experience.

[Nukem2]

Anyone who says that last year's team which stated 4 sr and a jr was the first year's head coaches team is ridiculous.  Anyone who says that next years team isn't is also ridiculous.  I think it's a bad idea going into the year planning on 'judging' Buzz.  We aren't going to win a ton of games, we'll lose some close ones, and will look completely uncompetitive in a few.  It won't necessarily be his fault, just comes with a lack of experience.

Buzz did well with the team he inherited.  Often times a new coach is like oil and water and the results are not so good..  So, the past season is a positive in the first chapter of Buzz's career as we evaluate his body of work over time at MU, especially considering the circumstances.  Now, next season there will be a ton of talent.  Unfortunately, almost as much inexperience (and lack of time together with the new guys for the returnees) to go with that talent.  Should be an interesting roller coaster ride.

[T-Bone]

Consider the main holdovers from Crean. 

Matthews - Under Buzz's system a possible NBA future, under Crean's his talents were stifled.  Crean's system gave him a specific role on the court, with little freedom.  Buzz's gave him the ability to be in any one of the 1-2-3 roles on the same possession. 
James - I think he knew what he needed to do in order to get drafted and realized that toward the end of last year.  Be a PG, get assists, low TOs, and play good defense.  As a result, the amazing D and solid play at PG this season.  He would have done it regardless of who was coaching. 
McNeal - In some ways he seemed to regress to his high turnover days, but in others was a machine.  It's possible a more structured Crean offense would cut down on the TOs, but who knows.  I think Buzz could have handled him a little better after James went down - in that perhaps the right words about "playing in control" and "not having to do this all yourself" may have helped (I'm sure he said something like this, but I have zero insight).  Regardless, he could have been coached by anyone and the results would have been similar. 
Lazar - Talented, smart kid that would excel in just about any program.  And selfless I might add.  His game was progressing as one would expect from Soph to Junior seasons.  I think his work-ethic and smarts will be a huge asset to the kids coming in. 
Burke - Towards the end it was interesting to see his confidence build.  He started taking baby-hooks (I covered my eyes) and contributing more across the board.  I think that's Buzz's faith in him. 

So, the way I see it, Buzz had a positive aspect on 2 of the 5 starters with neutral on the remaining 3.  Which seems pretty good.  This is only speaking about game performance.  His impact on these kids is much bigger than the game. 

[bilsu]

Buzz had them playing together and playing at a high level. The effect of Jame's injury at the time we were hitting the crutial part of our schedule really has taken away the ability to truly evaluate how good of a season MU was having. We do not know if MU would have won any more games with a healthy James. We all assume we would have, which means this years team would have exceded last years team. It is also possible we would not have done any better with James. There would would have been a lot of griping if we finished the way we did without an injury to James. Did James injury ruin Buzz's first season or did it save him from a lot of criticism if we had faultered down the stretch with James. I am pleased with how this team fought to the end and I believe we would have beat Missouri with a healthy James. However, James injury gives Buzz a free pass into next year.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Buzz did well with the team he inherited.  Often times a new coach is like oil and water and the results are not so good..  So, the past season is a positive in the first chapter of Buzz's career as we evaluate his body of work over time at MU, especially considering the circumstances.  Now, next season there will be a ton of talent.  Unfortunately, almost as much inexperience (and lack of time together with the new guys for the returnees) to go with that talent.  Should be an interesting roller coaster ride.

True, but often times a new coach is great in the first year also with players that are not his.  Works both ways and plenty of examples for both situations.

I don't think we will be void of talent next year, that is for sure.  Experience, that's another thing.  One break we get is the Big East conference loses a ton for next season.

[VegasWarrior77]

What a pessimistic way to view things!

That is a realistic way to view things.  I like to think the glass is half full.

[bamamarquettefan]

Speaking of 2003, Wade put up another 55 today.

I do agree I thought this team was even more exciting to watch than 2002-03 just because we always were the "David vs. Goliath" team that was so mismatched in size that we had almost no margin for error and yet we just kept winning almost every time out until DJ went down.  We did have a margin for error in a lot of games in 2003 because we had Jackson on the inside.  However, the Kentucky game in 2003 was the most fun game to watch for simply dominating a No. 1 team - the only time MU has beaten a No. 1 in history.

Obviously the Final Four was a much bigger accomplishment, even with the embarrassing ending.  But I do think it was quite an accomplishment to come back to drub Missouri for a half and almost pull out the game, just as it was a huge accomplishment to hold the Lopez twins even through 4:58 of an overtime.  As painful as it was, it was absolutely exciting until the end, "worth the price of admission" as they say, and give them some love for taking it to the wire.  When you take it to the wire, you never know how far you could have gone, you relive the game because just one extra break, like Butler's three pointer grazing the rim to allow the stickback, then you never know how far we could have gone.

In 2003, we earned the Final Four for one of only three times ever - can't replace that - but for pure excitement, the last two years were awesome.

[ChicosBailBonds]

In 2003, we earned the Final Four for one of only three times ever - can't replace that - but for pure excitement, the last two years were awesome.

In my mind, pure excitement is winning and advancing.  Nothing more exciting then that.  Getting close, well that's exciting, noble, and overall great but not as exciting as winning, advancing, exponentially adding to more excitement as you go.  2003 was euphoric with excitement.  I can't describe 2008 as euphoric.  It was certainly a very proud year, but not euphoric.

[CTWarrior]

WE will always remember the "bloodbath"...


Nationally, people dont care too much about what happened in that game. It is all about Marquette + D Wade going to the Final 4...that is what will be remembered.

Mike Francesa on WFAN in NY was talking about the tournament last week and was talking about the lack of close games in this year's tournament and how UNC rolled in it's two final four games, and said something along the lines of, "It wasn't as bad as that game where, - who was it that killed Marquette? - that's right, that game the Syracuse year where Kansas destroyed Marquette.  That was the worst beating I ever saw in a Final Four, that and when Penn lost to Magic's Michigan State team."  This is a guy who just about never talks about college basketball (New Yorkers really don't care much about college sports).  So there are some people who remember it.  And the sad thing was he remembered clearly who lost the blowout, but had to get help to remember who won.