Buzz Comments

[willie warrior]

Like I said, he has not landed one. Injuries, legal troubles and one left are excuses.

[NavinRJohnson]

Like I said, he has not landed one. Injuries, legal troubles and one left are excuses.

That's a stupid comment even for a board filled with stupid comments. Players have gotten hurt, so in your odd basketball world that means that he hasn't landed them? So who were those guys in suits or warmups on the MU bench during games? Greg Oden left school after only one year....did he ever actually go to Ohio State?

[GOMU1104]

Like I said, he has not landed one. Injuries, legal troubles and one left are excuses.

You dont get it.  He has landed size, but things have happened, like:

-A life threatening heart issue
-2 broken feet in 2 years
-A mid season transfer

What about that dont you get?

[tower912]

He's willie warrior.   Ergo, everything sucks.

[Marquette84]

You dont get it.  He has landed size, but things have happened, like:

-A life threatening heart issue
-2 broken feet in 2 years
-A mid season transfer

What about that dont you get?

Buzz knew before the spring signing period that McMorrow wasn't going to play.  Here's what Buzz was facing:

--Our projected starting center was never going to play because of health issues.
--The next biggest returning player with size played in just 9 games the previous year and averaged 1.3 ppg. 
--The third biggest returning inside player just announced his transfer.
--We have two other players who could play up front--one of them is a star player and class guy who really deserves not to be forced to play out of position again.  The other has a head case for a father who may well go postal if he perceives that his son is forced to play inside.
--A 6'9" player we signed in the fall who spent his senior season proving that he is not a D1 talent.
--A verbal from solid 6'10" player (albeit with baggage), but won't be eligible until 2010-11

Even putting aside that Otule hadn't been injured yet, Buzz had to know going into to the spring signing period that he had HUGE gaps up front.

What does he do? 
He signs DJO (a guard) and Mbao (a project).

[NavinRJohnson]

What does he do? 
He signs DJO (a guard) and Mbao (a project).

And his alternatives were....?

[Marquette84]

And his alternatives were....?

For each of the two scholarships available, I see five options:

A.  A ready to contribute guard
B.  A ready to contribute wing
C.  A ready to contribute big
D.  A project at any position
E.  Banking the scholarship

The only thing we really needed this past spring was B. 

Buzz picked A and C.

[bma725]

Going into last spring Buzz also knew that there was a very high probability that Acker would not be back given what was going on behind the scenes.  That would have left him with only 3 guards on the roster, none of whom are scoring guards.  He needed to use one of those scholarships on a guard, and he did.

[GOMU1104]

MU84...so do you not like the DJO signing?

At the time, Buzz was ready to go into battle with Maymon and Otule down low. We would have been able to survive if those to would have been available.

[Boone]

What an asinine post! DJO is probably the 2nd best player we have.

[Marquette84]

MU84...so do you not like the DJO signing?

He's a nice player and I'm happy to have him.  But he wasn't what we needed most at the time.  There was a much bigger and more obvious hole in the lineup.

That having been said, I would have been happy using the two scholarships on DJO and a big who could come in and give some minutes right away. 

If we wanted to take a chance on Mbao, then I would suggest the other scholarship should have been used on that ready-to-play big.

At the time, Buzz was ready to go into battle with Maymon and Otule down low. We would have been able to survive if those to would have been available.

I think you're guilty of 20/20 hindsight.  At the time, Otule looked completely lost a full 3 1/2 months after he returned from his injury. Don't forget, he had the benefit of all of the preseason practices--he wasn't injured until 11/14.
http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2008/11/chris-otule-out-one-month-with-foot.html

And he returned to action about a month later--by 12/19
http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2008/12/mu-blasts-wcu-otule-and-fulce-see-first.html

He didn't miss that much time or practice.  And looked completely unready at the end of the season.

Going into last spring Buzz also knew that there was a very high probability that Acker would not be back given what was going on behind the scenes.  That would have left him with only 3 guards on the roster, none of whom are scoring guards.  He needed to use one of those scholarships on a guard, and he did.

That's a bit misleading as the wings tend to be more or less interchangeable in Buzz's offense.  Going into spring, he thought he had Cadougan and Cubillan--both pure point guards.  With Roseboro, Buycks, Butler, Hayward, Fulce, Mamon & Willams available to play 2/3/4, what we really needed was someone to share time with OTule at the 5.

Even at that, its probably fair to suggest that one of the two scholarships should have been used on a guard--its whether we needed to use the other on a project.     

[NavinRJohnson]

That having been said, I would have been happy using the two scholarships on DJO and a big who could come in and give some minutes right away. 

If we wanted to take a chance on Mbao, then I would suggest the other scholarship should have been used on that ready-to-play big.
   

Where exactly was this Big East ready big man supposed to come from, Costco? You make it sound as if Buzz chose between the two, and chose DJO.

[bma725]

Cubillan is not and has never been a pure point guard.   Anyone who's watched him the last four years knows that, and both Crean and Buzz have said that repeatedly.  He's a shooting guard in a PG's body. 

[GOMU1104]

When did Cubillian become a pure PG?  Joanie...you are embarrassing yourself. Quit while you are behind.

[NavinRJohnson]

When did Cubillian become a pure PG?  Joanie...you are embarrassing yourself. Quit while you are behind.

Agreed. SJS has come up with some doosies over the years, but that one ranks right up there (for the sake of his typically flawed argument).

[ChicosBailBonds]

The only thing where I think people are getting ahead of themselves is that none of us know if any of the bigs that were signed were going to do anything.  I think some of you believe they would have stepped in and given us 10 and 10 out of the box.  Maybe they would of, but I don't know.  Big men are a bit of a stretch in terms of reaching solid level of play early on.

[NavinRJohnson]

The only thing where I think people are getting ahead of themselves is that none of us know if any of the bigs that were signed were going to do anything.  I think some of you believe they would have stepped in and given us 10 and 10 out of the box.  Maybe they would of, but I don't know.  Big men are a bit of a stretch in terms of reaching solid level of play early on.

Whether they do/would have or not is completely irrelevant. It (almost) necessarily prevented them from signing others...most recruits can count, and there are only so many scholarships and so many minutes to go around.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Whether they do/would have or not is completely irrelevant. It (almost) necessarily prevented them from signing others...most recruits can count, and there are only so many scholarships and so many minutes to go around.

I concur with you on that front, it's the other posts suggesting these guys were going to light it up that I think are reaching.  They may have, but they just as easily could not have as well.

[avid1010]

Where exactly was this Big East ready big man supposed to come from, Costco? You make it sound as if Buzz chose between the two, and chose DJO.

+1....Did I miss on a blue light special on BEAST ready big men???

[NavinRJohnson]

+1....Did I miss on a blue light special on BEAST ready big men???

In SJS's odd little basketball world, anything is possible.

[Lennys Tap]

Cubillan is not and has never been a pure point guard.   Anyone who's watched him the last four years knows that, and both Crean and Buzz have said that repeatedly.  He's a shooting guard in a PG's body. 

+1. Anyone who has watched Cubillan play for 5 minutes and describes him as a "pure point guard" should recuse himself from any discussion of college basketball.

[Boone]

That said, I think it's time for Buzz to bench Cooby and start either Buycks or DJO at the 2. The Acker and Cooby backcourt is doomed from the start and need not be revisited. Ever.

[Marquette84]

+1. Anyone who has watched Cubillan play for 5 minutes and describes him as a "pure point guard" should recuse himself from any discussion of college basketball.

Agreed. SJS has come up with some doosies over the years, but that one ranks right up there (for the sake of his typically flawed argument).

When did Cubillian become a pure PG?  Joanie...you are embarrassing yourself. Quit while you are behind.

Cubillan is not and has never been a pure point guard.   Anyone who's watched him the last four years knows that, and both Crean and Buzz have said that repeatedly.  He's a shooting guard in a PG's body. 

Nice job, guys.  You do a fantastic job taking something completely out of context, and returning with nothing but personal attacks.

With Acker dismissed, Cadougan slotted to start, (and I think would have played 32 to 35 minutes at the point), Cubillan absolutely, positively been his backup for those 5 to 8 minutes a game. 

Is there anyone who is going to offer any type of rational argument or disagreement with that?  No--you guys don't know how to respond with anything rational.  Name calling and insults--thats all you guy know how to offer.

What were the other options? Serously.  What options were there?  Do you think that DJO or Buycks would have played the point?  Hell, they can't beat out Cuby or Acker NOW without Cadougan playing big minutes!  You think they would have a chance with even fewer minutes to go around.

I'll repeat to give you a chance to respond with something that makes sense:  I described was the plan for the point for this year.  In Buzz's offense, with the roster we had coming back, Cadougan and Cuby were the pure point guards--nobody else on the roster was going to play that role.  If you disagree, then make the case that somebody else is more qualified for that role.   

If you can't, then shut up.

Where exactly was this Big East ready big man supposed to come from, Costco? You make it sound as if Buzz chose between the two, and chose DJO.

So are you making the absolute argument that there were no bigs better than Mbao in the spring signing period?  Garbage.  Absolute Garbage

It doesn't take much searching to find players who signed in the spring with mid- to high-major teams that would have made an impact

• How about Cliff Dixon--juco signed 4/27 with WKU--15 mintues with 5 points 5 boards.
  http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/western-kentucky/cliff-dixon
• How about Jarrid Famous--juco signed with USF on 4/20--31 mpg, 11 points, 8 boards
  http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/south-florida/jarrid-famous
• How about Charles Garcia - verbaled 6/30 to Seattle when he wasn't admitted to Washington
  http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/seattle/charles-garcia
• How about Kyryl Natyazhko - verballed 4/11 to Arizona
  http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/arizona/kyryl-natyazhko
• How about Jared Cunningham of Cleveland State - verbaled 3/30 to Cleveland state 16 mpt, 7 ppg, 4 rpg
  http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/cleveland-state/jared-cunningham
• How about Maurice McNeil of Houston - verballed 4/21 - 24 mpg, 8 ppg, 8rpg
  http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/houston/maurice-mcneil

You think maybe of Buzz and Marquette expressed interest in someone like McNeil or Cunningham or Dixon, that maybe they would have held off signing with Houston or Cleveland State or Western Kentucky? 

Yeah, chances are they won't become all-conference players, but any of them would be better than what we have now--which is NOTHING.

I'm not suggesting that we would have found the 2nd coming of Greg Monroe or Luke Harangody.  But players who could have filled up space, put a body on someone, outreach someone for a board, alter a shot--they certainly are are out there--your jokes about Costo or the Mens Store at Mayfair nothwithstanding.


 

[bma725]

You're right it doesn't take much effort to look up some dates and some stats, but it does take some effort to look up what was going on in their recruiting, which you clearly didn't do.

How about Cliff Dixon--juco signed 4/27 with WKU--15 mintues with 5 points 5 boards.

Dixon was dismissed from his first JUCO and suspended twice last season for conduct detrimental to the team at his second JUCO before committing and then reneging on Seton Hall.  He went to Hutchinson CC, same place as DJO, and Buzz watched him play and practice.  After talking with the coaches and the players on his team, he wasn't a guy Buzz wanted around MU's locker room.

How about Jarrid Famous--juco signed with USF on 4/20--31 mpg, 11 points, 8 boards

MU recruited and offered Famous.  He turned them down.

How about Charles Garcia - verbaled 6/30 to Seattle when he wasn't admitted to Washington

Convenient how you don't mention when his admittance was denied.  Garcia signed a valid LOI in the fall period.  That agreement was still binding during the spring period, which would mean any recruiting of him by another institution would be a NCAA violation.  He wasn't denied admittance and released from his LOI until June 25th, after MU had already filled the roster.  I hope you're not suggesting that Buzz keep a scholarship open through the spring period on the off chance that someone they don't yet know about might get denied admittance to their original university yet still be able to qualify at MU.

How about Kyryl Natyazhko - verballed 4/11 to Arizona

MU recruited him, very hard.  Offered him a scholarship back in 2008 right after Buzz took over, tried to set up visits multiple times, each time he canceled on MU before eventually eliminating them from consideration.

How about Jared Cunningham of Cleveland State - verbaled 3/30 to Cleveland state 16 mpt, 7 ppg, 4 rpg

Actually he committed on 3/5, not 3/30, a full two weeks before McMorrow's condition was discovered and at a time MU still had McMorrow, Otule and Roseboro as the expected bigs. 

How about Maurice McNeil of Houston - verballed 4/21 - 24 mpg, 8 ppg, 8rpg

The only one you might have an argument on in terms of availability, though that is not the date he verballed, that's the date he signed.  They knew all about him.  He played against Fulce and Butler when they were at Tyler.  Buzz and Monarch had seen him play on more than one occasion and felt it wasn't worth it. 

[GGGG]

I'll repeat to give you a chance to respond with something that makes sense:  I described was the plan for the point for this year.  In Buzz's offense, with the roster we had coming back, Cadougan and Cuby were the pure point guards--nobody else on the roster was going to play that role.  If you disagree, then make the case that somebody else is more qualified for that role.   

The problem is, you are using a definition of "pure point guard" that no one else is using.  Pure point guard means that their game is naturally suited to the position.  That is entire accurate when it comes to Junior...not so when it comes to Cubillan.  No one doubts that Buzz's plan for this year was to have Cubillan serve in that role when Junior got hurt, it is just a role that he is ill-suited to play...and that is hurting us right now.