Xs and Os

[Lennys Tap]

We are being out-coached too often.  It's just a fact... You think a Calhoun would've let any of his teams lose at Depaul this year?!

Us hanging in games is a huge credit to Buzz and his recruiting... like I said he's done a wonderful job at keeping us in there after the amigos left...

1.It's not a "fact" that we are being outcoached "too often" this year. It's your (IMHO) extremely uninformed opinion. The writers and coaches both had Marquette slotted for 12th place this year BEFORE Cadougan and Otule got hurt and Maymon left. That we have been so competitive this year speaks to Buzz's ability as a coach and has little to do with his skill as a recruiter.
2.Jim Calhoun has bigger, better and much more highly rated players than us at every position this year but is 5-8 in conference and 15-11 overall. His team is BY FAR the most underachieving team in the conference and one of the biggest disappointments in all of college basketball. Using him as the gold standard for coaching excellence indicates a basic lack of knowledge of anything basketball related, especially Xs and Os.

[GoldenWarrior]

1.It's not a "fact" that we are being outcoached "too often" this year. It's your (IMHO) extremely uninformed opinion. The writers and coaches both had Marquette slotted for 12th place this year BEFORE Cadougan and Otule got hurt and Maymon left. That we have been so competitive this year speaks to Buzz's ability as a coach and has little to do with his skill as a recruiter.
2.Jim Calhoun has bigger, better and much more highly rated players than us at every position this year but is 5-8 in conference and 15-11 overall. His team is BY FAR the most underachieving team in the conference and one of the biggest disappointments in all of college basketball. Using him as the gold standard for coaching excellence indicates a basic lack of knowledge of anything basketball related, especially Xs and Os.

1. You are right it is my opinion, it is not factual and can't be proven.  Kudos.  I don't see how you don't think how we are doing this year has anything to do with Buzz's recruiting??  Makes no sense me to in any way.  You think we would have the same record if he had recruited the Marquette High bball team to play this year?? C'mon now, you can't tell me his recruiting has little to do with how we are performing.

2. Read the whole thread, I reverted on the comparison to Calhoun, however I will say that the skid they hit came at the same time Calhoun was hospitalized... ironic or just a show of how good of a coach he is??  Also, I never said he is a golden standard by any means, but being in the top 10 coaches wins of the all time is pretty indicative of a good coach regardless, lol.  How do you suppose I lack basic basketball knowledge??

[muhoops1]

I love to point out Buzz's shortcomings as a coach.  However, this loss boils down to execution.  Shots didn't fall, careless with the ball. 

When asked about his team's execution, Tampa Bay Bucaneer's Coach John McKay responded "I'm in favor of it".

[RawdogDX]

The games we lost by ft's i don't pin on him.  Even this last game would have played out completely different if Butler had hit his early.  I think he's done a great job this year, solid A.

Out of his many strengths there are a few weakness.  Like waiting too long to call a time out and inbounds plays after those time outs.  Both are things that I hope he works on and becomes better at.  He is inexperienced, and players aren't the only ones who develop.  Think it's a little early to get outraged over anything he's done.

[Pakuni]

I'm not just speaking to last night's loss particularly.  We lossed that game for a number of reasons (including Dixon having a great game plan and us not coming up with a reaction to it), but I was using that Butler play since it would be fresh in people's minds to demonstrate my point that often times it seems like Buzz doesn't draw up plays in timeouts or situations like that and this is just something I think our young coach needs to work on.

As has already been pointed out, Jimmy was having quite a bit of success last night either scoring or getting to the line when isolated against Pitt's big man.
It would seem to me that, contrary to your assertion that Buzz drew up no play, he drew up a play that put a player in the same position in which he was having success much of the evening.
Isn't that what a good coach is supposed to do?

Buzz, like any young coach, has areas where he needs to improve. But I don't see how you question that particular decision, unless you see it as going to the well one too many times.

[ChicosBailBonds]

+1

Truth is, MU nation is behind Buzz 100%.  Honestly, if we were in the bottom of the BE, I would be neither upset or surprised.  Being a bubble team is a very nice thing.  (No Crean bashing, but its the best comparison I have)  Last year, Indiana had the fewest returning players and minutes in the Big 10 and they got pooped on.  Even this year, they are getting pooped on.  We had the fewest returning minutes and points and we are competitive in a harder conference.  That fact just tells me our team is in good hands.  Even though we are losing three major contributors next season, I am confident that we will be a better team.  

Last, something all the critics should realize.  Buzz is the youngest coach in the Big East and I think we have a gem.  He is NOT JB or Calhoun.  He is learning too.  

Poor analogy....this year's MU team returns an all Big East first team selection plus a first team ALL Juco All American.

IU returned nothing of the kind this year.


Just saying.


All that being said, Buzz has done a nice job this year.  We will miss Hayward terribly next year. 

[The Pickle]

ridiculous thread. a team predicted to go nowhere has been in every game it has played this year and the argument is we are being out-coached?  please.

Totally agreed.  Bottom line of that game, we couldn't make sh*t, it wasn't our night.  The only way coaching could be involved here is if better coaching improved field goal percentage...

[The Pickle]

We are being out-coached too often.  It's just a fact... You think a Calhoun would've let any of his teams lose at Depaul this year?!

Us hanging in games is a huge credit to Buzz and his recruiting... like I said he's done a wonderful job at keeping us in there after the amigos left...

I am trying to understand what you are saying here; Buzz is a bad bench coach but a good recruitor?

[GoldenWarrior]

I wanted to go back to my post here and just say that I have seen some very solid coaching by Buzz these past two games in particular.  I think we are seeing him learn and improve right before our eyes and it's simply making me even more optimistic about the future of this program and team.  I still would like to see more scoring coming out of time outs, but I now fully expect that to come in time as well... it's starting to show up a bit more now.

So, kudos to you Mr. Buzz Williams, you've been doing a great job... keep it up!!

[6746jonesr]

What a horrible coach Buzz is.  I am confident that it was his fault that Lazar missed the open 3 at the end of regulation yesterday.

[GoldenWarrior]

What a horrible coach Buzz is.  I am confident that it was his fault that Lazar missed the open 3 at the end of regulation yesterday.

I am confused by this post??  Welcome to the boards though

[The Pickle]

I am confused by this post??  Welcome to the boards though

Pretty sure his comment was meant to be sarcastic...

[Lighthouse 84]

I am confused by this post??  Welcome to the boards though

My guess is he meant to put it in teal.

[muwarrior69]

I know this has been discussed adnauseum as one of Buzz's weaknesses, but has Rosiak or anyone else asked him why he doesn't fowl the opposing team's players with a 3 pt or greater lead with less than 30 seconds to play.

[NersEllenson]

I wanted to go back to my post here and just say that I have seen some very solid coaching by Buzz these past two games in particular.  I think we are seeing him learn and improve right before our eyes and it's simply making me even more optimistic about the future of this program and team.  I still would like to see more scoring coming out of time outs, but I now fully expect that to come in time as well... it's starting to show up a bit more now.

So, kudos to you Mr. Buzz Williams, you've been doing a great job... keep it up!!

+1 for re-visiting this thread and your analysis.  I predicted DePaul would win a total of 4 Big East wins after MU lost to them...only to have that thread recycled (yesterday)by Chicos 6 weeks after starting the thread - which proved me wrong.  Better to own up to our own opinions not being proven out, rather than waiting for some member here to recycle your thread/opinion to illustrate you were wrong!!

[NotAnAlum]

I know this has been discussed adnauseum as one of Buzz's weaknesses, but has Rosiak or anyone else asked him why he doesn't fowl the opposing team's players with a 3 pt or greater lead with less than 30 seconds to play.

Yes I believe he should goose them 

[ErickJD08]

Poor analogy....this year's MU team returns an all Big East first team selection plus a first team ALL Juco All American.

IU returned nothing of the kind this year.


Just saying.


All that being said, Buzz has done a nice job this year.  We will miss Hayward terribly next year. 

Poor analogy???  OK, no analogy is perfect, especially with sports but both teams returned the fewest points and minutes.  If Marquette returned these GREAT players, why did most people project us to be at the bottom of the Big East?  

I am not dogging Crean.  Two seasons ago, alot of players and talent left IU.  It was going to be a struggle and if I were an IU fan, I would be fine with last season.  Its just the same for Buzz in that if we were in the bottom of the Big East this season, I would be OK with it.  So my point is that when a team loses a bunch of contributors, it's a very difficult handicap for a coach to overcome.  And if they can't overcome that handicap, it doesn't necessarily prove that the coach is bad.  But when a coach does overcome that handicap, it shows alot about what the coach is able to do.  And for me, other than the increase in Matthews's production, nothing about last season "proved" to me anything about Buzz's coaching ability... for the most part, he did have his moments.  This year, Buzz has showed everyone that he actually can teach a team to play good basketball.  So now, I look at Buzz and think "So we got a guy who can recruit AND coach."  That's a combination that all the greats have.  And that leaves MU nation hopeful for the future.

[GoldenWarrior]

+1 for revisiting this thread and your analysis.  I predicted DePaul would win a total of 4 Big East wins after MU lost to them...only to have that thread recycled (yesterday)by Chicos 6 weeks after starting the thread - which proved me wrong.  Better to own up to our own opinions not being proven out, rather than waiting for some member here to recycle your thread/opinion to illustrate you were wrong!!

Thanks.  I figured if I'm going to be on here being mad about something I see wrong, I might as well be up for admitting if I was incorrect.

[NersEllenson]

Thanks.  I figured if I'm going to be on here being mad about something I see wrong, I might as well be up for admitting if I was incorrect.

I'm learning that lesson as well, though most of my opinions tend to be optimistic or a kool-aid drinker variety...which annoys the realists of this board..but..ultimately it is probably a good thing to have the optimist and realist or even pessimist viewpoint to balance things out.  This statement does not apply to Gumbey and Pokey, however.