Hello Marq Fan

[CrimsonNCrean]

3 senior guards, who can also play will make any coach look pretty damn good.   Just ask Mike Davis (Coverdale, Fife, Hornsby)

But I like Buzz, he is a very good recruiter and I think this is the season MU fans will see truly how good a coach he really is.  And I think he will do fine....  Like I stated earlier I want to see a home and home....  I would travel to Milwaukee in a heartbeat for that....  I bet it would be a dam hot ticket....LOL

What are all of your expectations for the Warriors this season?

[ChicosBailBonds]

Everyone was pissed at how TC left. Now that the dust has settled, the vast majority of fans have moved on......Buzz helps. After one season with Buzz, I can honestly say I am glad TC left. They are both great recruiters, but Buzz is totally dominant as far as game-coaching. TC is well below average in that department and that is a pretty critical area. Now that I think about it, he wasn't just well below average there.......he was downright awful. 

 


So after one year you've determined that Buzz is an above average coach and Crean was downright awful, so awful he got hired by one of the top 5 programs of all time. 

[wadesworld]

...about his in game coaching.  You might get top 10 talent because the name on your jersey, but then that talent will come in and your offense will be 300 different variations of a 3 man weave on top of the key until there are 7 seconds left in the shot clock, at which point 1 person will unsuccessfully try to drive to the hoop, only to have to chuck up a desperation 3 with 2 on the shot clock.  And he was the most clueless coach ever when it came to attacking a zone.  We just had to pray to God that our shots were falling that night, because the ball never got into the middle of the zone and inside the paint (which also brings up the point that he could not recruit a big to save his life).  And you would think that the zone would be a problem because of the players on this team, but as we saw, Buzz knows how to coach an offensive team and we loved to play against a zone this year.  Lit them up quite often.  Makes me wonder what it would have been like the last 4 years with our studs had Buzz been coaching us instead of a guy who was as clueless as I am (actually probably more clueless) when it comes to in game adjustments.  I'll give him that he was a great motivator (although he usually had somebody else do the motivating by calling his "friends" to speak to his teams) and was good at preparation, but wow could he not coach during a game.

His defensive scheme is also to play defense all with your hands.  Don't move your feet, just go for deflections.  What a joke.  Other teams with FAR less athletic ability/quickness routinely outshot us from the freethrow line by a WIDE margin with Crean because the team was not taught how to move their feet and stay in front of an offensive player.

And when you have the ball with 10 seconds left down 2, 1, or tied, don't plan on scoring.  He'll have somebody slowly jog up the court, get double teamed once they cross half court, and that person will try to dribble away from the defenders as the buzzer sounds, 29 feet from the hoop.  AT BEST he will have somebody set a high screen 26 feet from the hoop and the dribbler will be forced way out to the sideline to chuck up a desperate 3 at the buzzer.  Clueless

[Marquette84]

His defensive scheme is also to play defense all with your hands.  Don't move your feet, just go for deflections.  What a joke.  Other teams with FAR less athletic ability/quickness routinely outshot us from the freethrow line by a WIDE margin with Crean because the team was not taught how to move their feet and stay in front of an offensive player.

You're cherry picking stats. 

If you want to compare defensive approaches, you have to consider the entire story--not just FT attempts:

I see seven defense stats worth considering.
1.  FG% defense
2.  3FG% defense
3.  Fouls committed
4.  Steals
5.  Opponent FTs attempted.
6.  Opponent Points per shot attempt
7.  Blocks

Of the seven, we were better in 2008 in FG% defense, 3FG% defense, Steals, Opp PPS, and Blocks
We were better in 2009 in Fouls committed and Oppenents FTs attempted.

1. & 2.  MU held opponents to a lower FG%  and 3FT% in 2008 than in 2009:
2008:  Opposition FG% .432, 3FG% .295
2009:  Opposition FG% .449, 3FG% .347

3.  MU committed 110 more fouls in 2008:
2008:  MU Fouls:  733
2009:  MU Fouls:  623

4.  MU made 50 more steals in 2008
2008 steals:  325
2009 steals:  275

5.  MU's opponents attempted 167 more FTs in 2007.
2008:  MU Opp FTA:  767
2009:  MU Opp FTA:  600

6.  Opponent's Points per shot (PPS) were damn near equal--albeit slightly better in 2008:
2008:  MU opp PPS: 1.1995
2009:  MU opp PPS: 1.2215

7.  MU blocks were down
2008:  132
2009:  100

Conclusion:  You are correct that Buzz managed to lower the number fouls and FT attempts by the opposition. 

BUT, it came at the expense of slightly worse FG% defense overall (and significantly worse on 3 point attempts), and a significant dropoff in the number of steals and blocks.

To sum it up, on a points per shot attempt basis, 2008 was very slightly better--but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and call it a wash.

These were two different approaches, with very similar overall results. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

...about his in game coaching.  You might get top 10 talent because the name on your jersey, but then that talent will come in and your offense will be 300 different variations of a 3 man weave on top of the key until there are 7 seconds left in the shot clock, at which point 1 person will unsuccessfully try to drive to the hoop, only to have to chuck up a desperation 3 with 2 on the shot clock.  And he was the most clueless coach ever when it came to attacking a zone.  We just had to pray to God that our shots were falling that night, because the ball never got into the middle of the zone and inside the paint (which also brings up the point that he could not recruit a big to save his life).  And you would think that the zone would be a problem because of the players on this team, but as we saw, Buzz knows how to coach an offensive team and we loved to play against a zone this year.  Lit them up quite often.  Makes me wonder what it would have been like the last 4 years with our studs had Buzz been coaching us instead of a guy who was as clueless as I am (actually probably more clueless) when it comes to in game adjustments.  I'll give him that he was a great motivator (although he usually had somebody else do the motivating by calling his "friends" to speak to his teams) and was good at preparation, but wow could he not coach during a game.

His defensive scheme is also to play defense all with your hands.  Don't move your feet, just go for deflections.  What a joke.  Other teams with FAR less athletic ability/quickness routinely outshot us from the freethrow line by a WIDE margin with Crean because the team was not taught how to move their feet and stay in front of an offensive player.

And when you have the ball with 10 seconds left down 2, 1, or tied, don't plan on scoring.  He'll have somebody slowly jog up the court, get double teamed once they cross half court, and that person will try to dribble away from the defenders as the buzzer sounds, 29 feet from the hoop.  AT BEST he will have somebody set a high screen 26 feet from the hoop and the dribbler will be forced way out to the sideline to chuck up a desperate 3 at the buzzer.  Clueless

All true, and damn were we HORRIBLE when he was here.  An absolute joke.  Our defense really sucked and our offense was worse.   

[Brewtown Andy]

If Rivers had been eligible last season he would have gotten us into double digit wins.

Jeremiah Rivers is not winning you 4 games on his own.

[Brewtown Andy]

  We got college Gameday,

And Crean's "Show us an example of what you do out there, coach" segment was the longest TV segment I have ever seen.  That just went on FOREVER, and I have no idea what he was talking about.

[texaswarrior74]

If he can just land the big fish in state he will be fine, and it appears he is well on his way towards doing just that.  Teague, Ferguson, Patterson, Zeller, Plumlee, and DSV....

Zeller will join his brother and commit to UNC, count on it. Zeller was quoted in an Indianapolis newspaper saying (paraphrasing here) that Indiana basketball pales in comparison to Carolina basketball. Plumlee has strong ties to Duke with his brothers playing there.

Crean is not going to out-recruit Roy or K and also has Self and Matta (and now Calipari) heavily recruiting in his backyard.....he won't consistently land the top players in the state let alone the country like Roy and K do and if he does, they'll leave just like Williams is doing after one year at IU.

Enjoy the honeymoon.....

[ChicosBailBonds]

Zeller will join his brother and commit to UNC, count on it. Zeller was quoted in an Indianapolis newspaper saying (paraphrasing here) that Indiana basketball pales in comparison to Carolina basketball. Plumlee has strong ties to Duke with his brothers playing there.

Crean is not going to out-recruit Roy or K and also has Self and Matta (and now Calipari) heavily recruiting in his backyard.....he won't consistently land the top players in the state let alone the country like Roy and K do and if he does, they'll leave just like Williams is doing after one year at IU.

Enjoy the honeymoon.....

Marquis Teague is a 5 star player from Indiana.  He's an absolute stud.  He's been offered by Matta at OSU, Purdue, Wake, Louisville, etc, etc.

I would be surprised if he doesn't sign with Indiana and Crean (despite the fact that Teague's dad played for Pitino decades ago).  He should announce in the next few weeks at the latest.    It's basically between Louisville and IU right now and I think Crean lands him.  Number 2 player in the country by some services.

If Crean gets Plumlee, 6-11 kid that he's recruiting again UNC, Duke and Purdue, well that will really be something.  Considered a top 10 player nationally as well (but he's from North Carolina so it's a long shot).

Crean is going head to head against us for Kyle Irving for the 2010 class.  He's in good with about 8 of the top 25 kids.  All he needs to do is land 1 or 2 of them and he'll have another very good class.

[Tugg Speedman]

Jeremiah Rivers is not winning you 4 games on his own.

I agree.  You are way overestimating Rivers ability.  He wasn't an impact player at Georgetown and they were an early exit NIT team this peast season.

[BrewCity83]

CNC, you want personality issues?  Let's talk about the youth basketball camps.  Has 10-year-old Riley Crean won all of the awards at the Tom Crean IU Basketball Camp yet?  

[MR.HAYWARD]

Marquis Teague is a 5 star player from Indiana.  He's an absolute stud.  He's been offered by Matta at OSU, Purdue, Wake, Louisville, etc, etc.

I would be surprised if he doesn't sign with Indiana and Crean (despite the fact that Teague's dad played for Pitino decades ago).  He should announce in the next few weeks at the latest.    It's basically between Louisville and IU right now and I think Crean lands him.  Number 2 player in the country by some services.

If Crean gets Plumlee, 6-11 kid that he's recruiting again UNC, Duke and Purdue, well that will really be something.  Considered a top 10 player nationally as well (but he's from North Carolina so it's a long shot).

Crean is going head to head against us for Kyle Irving for the 2010 class.  He's in good with about 8 of the top 25 kids.  All he needs to do is land 1 or 2 of them and he'll have another very good class.

once again  chicos coming off like he thinks he knows something.  if he actaully did he would realize Plumlee grew up in Indiana and his family is from there moved to NC so they could play in a program down there Christs school.  stick with little league politics chicos

[steff_mckee]

This is getting so tired...3 pages on Crean because some kid supposedly from Indiana posted a question. Here we go again with everyone in a lather.

[Robyrd5]

The profile of this "kid" says he's 42 years old. 

[lurch91]

You're cherry picking stats.............
 
[Stats, Stats and more Stats]

I think the team make-up has as much to do with those stats as the Coach.  Ooze had a HUGE impact on the defensive stats.

[wadesworld]

I think the team make-up has as much to do with those stats as the Coach.  Ooze had a HUGE impact on the defensive stats.

Exactly.  That and Jerel focusing more on the offensive end of his game and at times seemingly forgetting about the defensive end of his game.  Took way too many gambles and left so many open shots for opposing teams this past season.

[martyconlonontherun]

It wasn't just that Crean left us all of a sudden. After years of Crean actively trying to get a big time job, whether it was Florida or Illinios, we gave him HUGE contract one after another. It says something when an university is willing to invest 10 more years in a coach and he leaves in 2.

Include that with Crean not winning big games after Wade left and no big men recruits.

THAT said, how can you really say Buzz is that better of a coach. Buzz still had the big 3 and Lazar yet he didn't go that far into the tourney. Let's see how Buzz does with his own players until we anoint him the better of the coaches. As much as I think he is better than Crean, even Buzz didn't show the best class at the end of the season.

[MU B2002]

even Buzz didn't show the best class at the end of the season.

Care to expand upon this?

[TJ]

It says something when an university is willing to invest 10 more years in a coach and he leaves in 2.

wasn't it just 1 year?

[lurch91]

Care to expand upon this?

Only thing I remember was the Buzz and Mac story.  Buzz apologized to Mac personally, then went on the air/radio to apologize again. 

[martyconlonontherun]

Care to expand upon this?

Basically, the Mac situation and how he displayed himself on the court at the end of the year. I personally don't think it was a big deal, but some people were upset with both.

Yeah, these things slide, but it is the kind of stuff if he leaves like Crean does we will be looking back and using them as examples.

It was kind of like how Crean shunned Homer at a ton of events. You are talking about guys who were totally loyal to the program for years before they got on campus.

[ATWizJr]

It wasn't just that Crean left us all of a sudden. After years of Crean actively trying to get a big time job, whether it was Florida or Illinios, we gave him HUGE contract one after another. It says something when an university is willing to invest 10 more years in a coach and he leaves in 2.

Include that with Crean not winning big games after Wade left and no big men recruits.

THAT said, how can you really say Buzz is that better of a coach. Buzz still had the big 3 and Lazar yet he didn't go that far into the tourney. Let's see how Buzz does with his own players until we anoint him the better of the coaches. As much as I think he is better than Crean, even Buzz didn't show the best class at the end of the season.

you may recall that DJ was injured leaving Buzz with 2 of the big 3, Zar, and no big man.  Yet, he produced the same result as TC in the tourney.

[lurch91]

you may recall that DJ was injured leaving Buzz with 2 of the big 3, Zar, and no big man.  Yet, he produced the same result as TC in the tourney.

And he already had an incredibly short bench to begin with (lost OTule and Fulce as key reserves for portions of the season).

[NavinRJohnson]

I would simply ask why do you care? Give it a few years and judge for yourself. I think he did a great job while he was here, but I was not sad to see him go. It was time. I don't think he took MU as far as they could go, but I think he took MU as far as he could take them.

[Robyrd5]

I don't think he took MU as far as they could go, but I think he took MU as far as he could take them.

I really like that statement- it's a good way of looking at his time here. As an undergrad during Crean's era, I was blissfully unaware of his behind-the-scenes flaws but was turned off completely by how he left. If he were to come to a game this season, I'd probably be one to sit on my hands without booing or clapping. A few more years down the road, I'm sure I'd turn into a polite clapper, remembering the day he let us into the Bradley Center two hours early because of the extreme cold.