Assuming true Blue

[classof70]

Assuming it is true about Blue, will those who have questioned 1:  hiring of Williams, 2: that he comes in second or third on recruits, adjust their views?! 

[JimmyBIToldYa]

trust me, its 100% true. there are now numerous pictures on facebook of blue posing in an MU uniform

[texaswarrior74]

Telep, Rivals, Scout and Badger Nation have all confirmed.

He will sign in the November early period.

[GGGG]

Assuming it is true about Blue, will those who have questioned 1:  hiring of Williams, 2: that he comes in second or third on recruits, adjust their views?! 

He's got to win...but I must admit he is off to a hell of a first 18 months.

[Paco Jimenez]

I think it's now safe to say that Buzz can recruit.  We'll know within a few months how good he is with X's and O's. While I would like to give Buzz the benefit of the doubt for last year, it was difficult to judge considering he had three four-year starters carrying the team.

[Lennys Tap]

Assuming it is true about Blue, will those who have questioned 1:  hiring of Williams, 2: that he comes in second or third on recruits, adjust their views?! 

Believe it or not, there are still MU fans out there angered about the "process" and/or the fact that we didn't hire a "proven winner" from some mid major like SIU, Wright State or Davidson. The fact that Buzz has proven to be an outstanding coach, a top notch recruiter and a wonderful and inspirational representative of MU has managed to move some of the more strident into a so far, so good position. But even as they say it they caution that it will be YEARS before his merits (but not his mistakes or shortcomings) can be debated. So I guess the short answer is, sadly, no.

[RawdogDX]

If i went to a used car dealership, hit a golf ball on towards the lot, and bought whatever car it hit I would not have a good car selection process.  The fact that my process was crappy would not change if i ended up with an amazing car.  That is something that some people have a hard time grasping.
No one is mad about the results.  But these same people hate to hear criticism of a process that turned out well in the end because they have a hard time separating the two. 
It reminds me of donkey tourists who play crap poker and get lucky.

[avid1010]

If i went to a used car dealership, hit a golf ball on towards the lot, and bought whatever car it hit I would not have a good car selection process.  The fact that my process was crappy would not change if i ended up with an amazing car.  That is something that some people have a hard time grasping.
No one is mad about the results.  But these same people hate to hear criticism of a process that turned out well in the end because they have a hard time separating the two. 
It reminds me of donkey tourists who play crap poker and get lucky.

Unless you were on the selection committee I don't think your analogy holds up.  I surely don't know what all went on behind the scenes, but I'm willing to bet they weren't throwing darts at a picture board. 

[RawdogDX]

Unless you were on the selection committee I don't think your analogy holds up.  I surely don't know what all went on behind the scenes, but I'm willing to bet they weren't throwing darts at a picture board. 

I wasn't saying they were.  I was just saying that a bad process is a bad process and that results don't change that.  Thus people who use buzz's successes to bash people who bashed the process a year ago are being obtuse.  I'd also like to see a list of these people who are 'still angry'.

[MarquetteDano]

There are four facets that matter to me regarding the MU coaching job.  These are not in any order:

Recruiting- I think we can all agree Buzz and his current staff can recruit

Player Development- No one knows the answer to this question yet.  He will need 2-3 years minimum to know this answer

X and O's-  Early signs are encouraging but he is young and will make mis-steps.  I am most willing to let this one slide (to some degree) because he is so young

Integrity/Program's Integrity- Unlike the X and O's, this one should have little tolerance.  I think he was fine in this area until the Clark debacle.  People will say it is not his fault and Clark wasn't even on campus yet but Marquette has not had someone associated with the program with this kind of serious felony in a long time.  I am concerned but will withhold judgment for now.  If this becomes a pattern, that is a problem.

[Goatherder]

I wasn't saying they were.  I was just saying that a bad process is a bad process and that results don't change that.  Thus people who use buzz's successes to bash people who bashed the process a year ago are being obtuse.  I'd also like to see a list of these people who are 'still angry'.

No, I am bashing the people who bashed the process last year without any idea of what the process was.  The analysis I have frequently seen has suggested that there was no process, because the critics did not hear about it, and their favorite candidates did not appear on campus for interviews.  From what I am told by people who know, far more candidates were considered and contacted than made the news.  Buzz Williams was a choice, not an accident.  While it does not prove it, the fact that he has turned out pretty well suggests that the process was not so bad after all.  Maybe Cottingham just hit a golf ball in a parking lot.  Probably not. 

[Henry Sugar]

Here's the story I heard...

Cottingham screwed up the initial contact to Bennett.  Wasn't prepared... totally messed it up and made a rotten impression.  In the mean-time, several feelers went out to candidates that were obvious non-calls in retrospect (Grant, Miller).  The administration even reached out to people like Hewitt and others that weren't mentioned, but MU was widely rebuffed.  Sometime during this part, Buzz was interviewed and really impressed.  After the Buzz interview, Marotta was enlisted to contact Bennett again on interest, but that ship had already sailed.  Then Buzz was checked out by Dick Strong, who provided his approval and the announcement was made.

Would I even prefer Bennett/Grant/Miller/etc over Buzz?  Probably not.  Do I believe this story?  Well... I trust the person that relayed it and they have legit connections.  

[classof70]

I wasn't saying they were.  I was just saying that a bad process is a bad process and that results don't change that.  Thus people who use buzz's successes to bash people who bashed the process a year ago are being obtuse.  I'd also like to see a list of these people who are 'still angry'.

What is the "bad" process to which you refer?    If a school hires an assistant coach who spends a year at the school and then the school hires that assistant as head coach because they know him, like him and think he'll be a good head coach despite a limited resume, is that be a bad process?  What if the school just simply decided that it liked an assistant and decided to elevate him/her to head coach without interviewing anyone else.  Is that a bad process simply because there are no other candidates interviewed?  I'm just not sure when the "process" goes from bad to good, especially since I wasn't there and have no ideas what "process" was followed.  So far, I'd say whatever process was used worked.  I like the guy.   

[thanooj]

There are four facets that matter to me regarding the MU coaching job.  These are not in any order:

Recruiting- I think we can all agree Buzz and his current staff can recruit

Player Development- No one knows the answer to this question yet.  He will need 2-3 years minimum to know this answer

X and O's-  Early signs are encouraging but he is young and will make mis-steps.  I am most willing to let this one slide (to some degree) because he is so young

Integrity/Program's Integrity- Unlike the X and O's, this one should have little tolerance.  I think he was fine in this area until the Clark debacle.  People will say it is not his fault and Clark wasn't even on campus yet but Marquette has not had someone associated with the program with this kind of serious felony in a long time.  I am concerned but will withhold judgment for now.  If this becomes a pattern, that is a problem.

This is a great post that I agree with 100%.  I would like to especially agree with the x's and o's point.  Buzz's learning curve as a head coach is still in play and I am hoping that he develops his preperation, practice and player developemnet and game coaching to a high level with this young team and influx of what I assume to be great talent.
Regarding the integrity of the progam I also was a bit worried after Clark.  But can anyone address the "fact" that Clark was on MU's radar long before Buzz even came in as an assistant?  I believe that Crean pursued himi in high school and might even have kept him on the hook as he went to JUCO.  If this is true Buzz is still culpable for offering a scholly to this young man, but some of this can be diverted to the previous regime.  Refardless, if MU washes it's hands of this, even though Clark will always be a "former marquette recruit" , Buzz should not have a blemish on his record.  He still must continue to be the upfront coach that holds himself and this program to the highest standards.

[ATWizJr]

I wasn't saying they were.  I was just saying that a bad process is a bad process and that results don't change that.  Thus people who use buzz's successes to bash people who bashed the process a year ago are being obtuse.  I'd also like to see a list of these people who are 'still angry'.

Thump.  Thump.  Thump.  Beat that dead horse.