Who we are now

[tower912]

At the moment, we are a team with 4 high major players on our team.   We are a team with 9 scholarship players.   Our first big man off of the bench played 40 minutes all last season.   Our second big man off of the bench was a JUCO shooting guard a year ago.    Our first guard off of the bench is 5'8".   Our second guard off of the bench had surgery in BOTH shoulders during the offseason.   Our starting center, who we stole from East Carolina,  has more fouls than points.   Trevor Mbakwe and Damian Saunders would go a long way toward addressing our needs, but for various reasons they are elsewhere.  We are now reaping what Crean has sown.  When Fulce and Otule return, we will at least be able to scrimmage full court with scholarship players.    They will at least provide options other than Frozena when Buzz looks down his bench.
    We lost a game we thought we should have won.   See Winthrop, NDSU.   These things happen.   Our weaknesses that we all knew about were exposed.  We are weak inside and have no depth and no game changers coming off of the bench.   Theoretically, both of those problems are going to be addressed in the next few days.    Everybody knew we were walking a tightrope with this team.   We have no margin for error and sometimes that bites you in the Abe.     
    Give Buzz a chance.   Many of our weaknesses our being addressed with his recruiting classes.   Let him get a couple of classes in and experienced before we toss him under a bus.    Could Smith, Knight, K, Tark, Roy, Pitino, Calhoun, Lute win a championship with the 9 schollie players we have been playing lately?   Ummm, no.   Give the guy a couple of years.

[StillWarriors]

Well put, and also very accurate....unfortunately.

[MU B2002]

So are you saying we are who we thought we were?


Sorry.

[RedWebster]

Nobody objects to Buzz personally, but the point is that Marquette was in a position to hire somebody a lot more experienced and they, instead, chose to take advice from his predecessor...a guy whose entire personality was gleemed from leadership books...and from a booster who is now sitting in seats behind the Indiana bench.

We have heard that several experienced coaches were interested in talking to us. Again, this is the highest profile job at Marquette University. Buzz is essentially the face of Marquette for people not living in Milwaukee.

So, with that said, what does "Give Buzz a chance" mean? We shouldn't have been put in a position where we are simply hoping that our inexperienced coach gets it figured out before facing the likes of Bo Ryan, Bruce Pearl, Rick Pitino, Jim Calhoun, Jim Boeheim, John Thompson, etc. We have the most experienced team in the country this year. We decided to ignore that and try to develop this guy.

We could have had a BMW, but we choose to go with the Kia...but paid the Beemer's sticker price.

Give the Kia a chance, though.

[muwarrior87]

The only people I remember hearing mentioned had little interest in taking the job.  Who was genuinely interested, Webster?

[MU gimp ONE]

i agree that i don't think any coach in the country could be doing more with what we have.  thin benches are thin benches regardless of who is at the helm. 

Redwebster, please tell me what "BMW" type coaches were interested in the job.  believe it or not, but I'm starting to enjoy murf's post a lot more than yours.  i hope you are able to pull the stick out of your you-know-what before the end of the season... or this is going to get very old.

[RedWebster]

The only people I remember hearing mentioned had little interest in taking the job.  Who was genuinely interested, Webster?

According to IWB on the other board, at least one of Tony Bennett, Sean Miller and, I believe Mark Few (?...not sure of the third name, but it was one of the many bandied about, maybe the guy from Southern Illinois) were interested.

The point is...if we had hired, for instance, the coach of Wright State would Wright State have turned around and even given Buzz Williams and interview? Of course not. Why, then, was he qualifed for Marquette? It's absolutely insane that we hired him.

He wouldn't have been qualified for our job even if he had stayed at New Orleans and made the NCAA with them last year. We wouldn't have even thought twice about him.

I'm telling you, this is a disaster of Dukiet-like proportions. He's way out over his skiis.

[pbiflyer]

According to IWB on the other board, at least one of Tony Bennett, Sean Miller and, I believe Mark Few (?...not sure of the third name, but it was one of the many bandied about, maybe the guy from Southern Illinois) were interested.

While we may have been interested in those folks, they did not reciprocate. To say otherwise is inaccurate.

[Big Papi]

According to IWB on the other board, at least one of Tony Bennett, Sean Miller and, I believe Mark Few (?...not sure of the third name, but it was one of the many bandied about, maybe the guy from Southern Illinois) were interested.

The point is...if we had hired, for instance, the coach of Wright State would Wright State have turned around and even given Buzz Williams and interview? Of course not. Why, then, was he qualifed for Marquette? It's absolutely insane that we hired him.

He wouldn't have been qualified for our job even if he had stayed at New Orleans and made the NCAA with them last year. We wouldn't have even thought twice about him.

I'm telling you, this is a disaster of Dukiet-like proportions. He's way out over his skiis.

No they weren't.  The only big name coach that had serious interest was Bruce Weber.  The others were mid-major and it was hard to determine what was real and what was not.  McKillop was one.  I believe the Dayton coach was another that might or might not have expressed interest but Bennett, Miller and Few were not interested.  Those were no brainers and would have been hired over Buzz.

[StillWarriors]

him.

I'm telling you, this is a disaster of Dukiet-like proportions. He's way out over his skiis.

I'm concerned about Buzz, but comparing him to Dukiet at this point is going a little far. Dukiet couldn't have recruited a class like we have coming next year if his life depended on it. Certainly, Buzz will have a lot more to work with. He also faces far stiffer competition. We are in a different league now, literally and figuratively.

[RedWebster]

Dukiet landed commitments from some decent players, but could not get some (or keep some) in school...a problem Crean and Williams do not seem be burdened with.

[MUBasketball]

Some of you guys are hilarious.

Yeah, Brad Brownell would have been a home run for sure! The same Wright State coach who's team is 0-4 right now. Brownell is now in his 3rd year...mostly a team of his recruits and they are regressing.

Oh, maybe Anthony Grant was a home run hire? His VCU Rams are 3-3 right now. He's also in his 3rd season. Hmmmm, as more and more of Capel's players graduate, they aren't doing as well.

How about Chris Lowery? Well, SIU is 2-3 right now, and they've given up 52, 73, 85, 77, and 79 points this season!!!!! Lowery must have no idea how to coach defense!!!!

A lot of you are inexplicably freaking out over ONE STINKING LOSS. If a coach is graded on W's and L's, these three guys sure as hell aren't any better.

My God people, take a freaking pill. Some of you jokers must have thought this team was going undefeated. It's sports...win some, lose some. Settle the F down and go have a beer.

[MUfan2]

Some of you guys are hilarious.

Yeah, Brad Brownell would have been a home run for sure! The same Wright State coach who's team is 0-4 right now. Brownell is now in his 3rd year...mostly a team of his recruits and they are regressing.

Oh, maybe Anthony Grant was a home run hire? His VCU Rams are 3-3 right now. He's also in his 3rd season. Hmmmm, as more and more of Capel's players graduate, they aren't doing as well.

How about Chris Lowery? Well, SIU is 2-3 right now, and they've given up 52, 73, 85, 77, and 79 points this season!!!!! Lowery must have no idea how to coach defense!!!!

A lot of you are inexplicably freaking out over ONE STINKING LOSS. If a coach is graded on W's and L's, these three guys sure as hell aren't any better.

My God people, take a freaking pill. Some of you jokers must have thought this team was going undefeated. It's sports...win some, lose some. Settle the F down and go have a beer.

+1k

[RawdogDX]

His recruiting of a top class in his first few months, on the job, have earned him a bit more slack than one game. 

[MUfan12]

That post was a grand slam, MUBasketball. Well done.

[Daniel]

"who we are now?"

We ARE MARQUETTE - that's who we are.

Let's get on with it. . .next game!

[nola03]

Everyone knows that Buzz has not bought me 100% but to equate him to a Dukiet-type disaster is irrational six games into his tenure.

I think the people who flat out hate Buzz as our coach and see no positives have misdirected anger about having to follow another coach who is learning on the job. IMO, for some reason they feel that is beneath their fanhood.

[Marquette84]

Some of you guys are hilarious.

Yeah, Brad Brownell would have been a home run for sure! The same Wright State coach who's team is 0-4 right now. Brownell is now in his 3rd year...mostly a team of his recruits and they are regressing.

Oh, maybe Anthony Grant was a home run hire? His VCU Rams are 3-3 right now. He's also in his 3rd season. Hmmmm, as more and more of Capel's players graduate, they aren't doing as well.

How about Chris Lowery? Well, SIU is 2-3 right now, and they've given up 52, 73, 85, 77, and 79 points this season!!!!! Lowery must have no idea how to coach defense!!!!

A lot of you are inexplicably freaking out over ONE STINKING LOSS. If a coach is graded on W's and L's, these three guys sure as hell aren't any better.

My God people, take a freaking pill. Some of you jokers must have thought this team was going undefeated. It's sports...win some, lose some. Settle the F down and go have a beer.

Don't forget about "National Coach of the Year" Keno Davis, currently leading a junior- and senior-laden team that returned 83% of it's scoring and 92% of it's rebounding to an underwhelming 4-3 record.


 

[ChicosBailBonds]

Some of you guys are hilarious.

Yeah, Brad Brownell would have been a home run for sure! The same Wright State coach who's team is 0-4 right now. Brownell is now in his 3rd year...mostly a team of his recruits and they are regressing.

Oh, maybe Anthony Grant was a home run hire? His VCU Rams are 3-3 right now. He's also in his 3rd season. Hmmmm, as more and more of Capel's players graduate, they aren't doing as well.

How about Chris Lowery? Well, SIU is 2-3 right now, and they've given up 52, 73, 85, 77, and 79 points this season!!!!! Lowery must have no idea how to coach defense!!!!

A lot of you are inexplicably freaking out over ONE STINKING LOSS. If a coach is graded on W's and L's, these three guys sure as hell aren't any better.

My God people, take a freaking pill. Some of you jokers must have thought this team was going undefeated. It's sports...win some, lose some. Settle the F down and go have a beer.

Largely agree.  Definitely on Lowery and Grant.   Buzz will lose plenty and he'll win plenty.  Like peace, let's give him a chance.  Not much else one can do.  He's going to get his three years minimum and deservedly so.

PS  I still don't like the hiring process, however.   

[4everwarriors]

Largely agree.  Definitely on Lowery and Grant.   Buzz will lose plenty and he'll win plenty.  Like peace, let's give him a chance.  Not much else one can do.  He's going to get his three years minimum and deservedly so.

PS  I still don't like the hiring process, however.   

Hiring process? You mean where Crean convinces Strong that Buzz is the man for the job and Dick dictates that to Cottingham and its a done deal. That process?

[mviale]

Nobody objects to Buzz personally, but the point is that Marquette was in a position to hire somebody a lot more experienced and they, instead, chose to take advice from his predecessor...a guy whose entire personality was gleemed from leadership books...and from a booster who is now sitting in seats behind the Indiana bench.

We have heard that several experienced coaches were interested in talking to us. Again, this is the highest profile job at Marquette University. Buzz is essentially the face of Marquette for people not living in Milwaukee.

So, with that said, what does "Give Buzz a chance" mean? We shouldn't have been put in a position where we are simply hoping that our inexperienced coach gets it figured out before facing the likes of Bo Ryan, Bruce Pearl, Rick Pitino, Jim Calhoun, Jim Boeheim, John Thompson, etc. We have the most experienced team in the country this year. We decided to ignore that and try to develop this guy.

We could have had a BMW, but we choose to go with the Kia...but paid the Beemer's sticker price.

Give the Kia a chance, though.

Very well put, but I also think Buzz brought in a top 20 recruiting class and we have one to two more years of dealing with Crean's mess.  This years team will be fine, but it is severely short handed and this will make dayton type games tough ones.

[mviale]

 Trevor Mbakwe and Damian Saunders would go a long way toward addressing our needs, but for various reasons they are elsewhere. 

I really dont think these guys could amount to much in the Big East. Saunders made a good choice and Trevor may have a tough time at Minn.  I think Fulce and Otule have way more upside and I look forward to their return.

[muarmy81]

Some of you guys are hilarious.

Yeah, Brad Brownell would have been a home run for sure! The same Wright State coach who's team is 0-4 right now. Brownell is now in his 3rd year...mostly a team of his recruits and they are regressing.

Oh, maybe Anthony Grant was a home run hire? His VCU Rams are 3-3 right now. He's also in his 3rd season. Hmmmm, as more and more of Capel's players graduate, they aren't doing as well.

How about Chris Lowery? Well, SIU is 2-3 right now, and they've given up 52, 73, 85, 77, and 79 points this season!!!!! Lowery must have no idea how to coach defense!!!!

A lot of you are inexplicably freaking out over ONE STINKING LOSS. If a coach is graded on W's and L's, these three guys sure as hell aren't any better.

My God people, take a freaking pill. Some of you jokers must have thought this team was going undefeated. It's sports...win some, lose some. Settle the F down and go have a beer.

Out-f'n-standing.  Great post, the grass is always greener until you take a good hard look at what that potential grass is currently doing.  To add more to your post, I think only Brownell was possibly considering MU as an option.  I know Anthony Grant never showed any interest or desire to come up North. 
With Buzz's incoming recruiting class and the potential to land more  talent, I think the program is pointed in the right direction.  Blaming Buzz for not having a balanced line-up is ridiculous.  I think it shows something when he recognizes this and makes a change in his first recruiting class.  With that recruiting philosophy change I think we'll also see that he's capable of developing and making smart moves on the coaching side.  I may be proven wrong but honestly, I never thought Crean was a good X's and O's guy either.

[RedWebster]

If you follow the other board, you'll see that IWB has proven me correct.

To quote:

I can't confirm all on that list but I will say 'most' were interested...

...that being said, I can say that I do believe that "unofficial contact was made with every one of those names...

...the list of names that contacted MU is long and distinguished...some backed off for one reaon or another, some were eliminated by MU, but at the end of the day, the Administration decided to end the search with Buzz not because he was a better financial option, not because they panicked and not because they couldn't get anyone else - they ended it because Buzz was the guy they believed in...

...Crean had told me on a number of occasions that Buzz was a high major coach...

So, what we have it confirmation from an "inside" source that other coaches were interested, but we went with the guy Crean liked.

[🏀]

Are we really using the other board as a source?