Buzz Rumors Question

[chapman]

Rumor I have been hearing from other alum is that the current President at St. Joes is the guy most believe will be Wild's replacement. St. Joe's has always been a decent basketball school and part of that crazy Philly area basketball scene. If true, we should be okay.

They also just renovated/basically built a nice on campus arena.  

[ChicosBailBonds]

Fans -- Buzz has repeatedly made a definitive statement on the issue.  Heck he just repeated it on Rome's show yesterday.  "I will be the Marquette coach as long as they want me."  He has made that statement everytime he has been asked and many times he has made the comment even when he isn't asked.

I believe him and expect that there will be a Buzz Williams statue next to Al McGuire's someday.

Never trust what a coach says.  I can give you 20 examples just in the last 5 years of coaches saying almost the same thing and they went elsewhere.   That doesn't mean I think Buzz is going anywhere, but those cliches by coaches mean nothing

[Marquette84]

Really?
Then Ben Howland and Bruce Pearl are among the top contenders for the Iowa job.
Must be true. I read it on a message board.
And Bobby Knight and Lute Olsen are among the candidates at Seton Hall. So sayeth a message board.

Are you honestly this clueless, or is this just another attempt at being smug and condescending?

As I said, there are outliers.   For example, in 2008 there were people on this board that put forth Bobby Knight's name as a candidate for the MU job, right alongside Sean Miller and Tony Bennett.   I don't think anybody took that as a serious suggestion.

*MOST* people here understood the difference between the serious names (Bennett, Miller, Lowrey, Brownell, Les, Williams, etc.) and those names thrown out either as a joke or by the clueless (Knight, Deane, O'Neill, Calipari).

I'd be happy to explain further, but I suspect you already understand that fact.

In the meantime, I think its highly believable that Buzz would be on Iowa's short list, just as MU fans had Bennett and Miller on MU's list. 

[Lennys Tap]

Never trust what a coach says.  I can give you 20 examples just in the last 5 years of coaches saying almost the same thing and they went elsewhere.   That doesn't mean I think Buzz is going anywhere, but those cliches by coaches mean nothing

Almost never trust a post that begins with never. Because many coaches are not trustworthy does not mean Buzz is a liar.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Nor did anyone call him a liar or even hint at that.  Instead, what was said is to trust what comes out of a coaches mouth about their happiness at school A is a fool's errand.  Believe at your own risk.

The coaching landscape is littered with coaches who said they were happy as clams and would be staying only to have themselves in a different locker room 24 hours later in some cases.  It happens all the time and each time the fan base is sitting their with their thumb up their rear end saying "but he promised"..."but he said he would never leave"..."but he said he was so happy"

Personally, I think Buzz isn't going anywhere, but I don't believe in these comments that come out of their mouths because historically they have been proven to be so wrong for that occupation.

[Shooter Flatch]

It's Iowa!  It's Iowa!

[BrewCity83]

Almost never trust a post that begins with never. Because many coaches are not trustworthy does not mean Buzz is a liar.

That was clever how you did that...adding the "almost" on there at the beginning.

[The Lens]

If Jeff Goodman or Gary Parrish start mentioning Buzz's name, we'll know Buzz is looking.  Just as we knew TC was looking when Katz dropped his name.

[Benny B]

The Big Ten Network brings in a boatload of money...

Have the numbers actually been released to the public?  And I'm talking third-party audited numbers, not chicken scratches on a piece of paper that says: "From the Desk of Jim Delany."

I'm not 100% on this, but I recall that there was some question or controversy over the pro-forma numbers that were used to sell the schools on the network.  Regardless, I remain skeptical on whether the BTN is the goldmine that the AD's are making it out to be.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Have the numbers actually been released to the public?  And I'm talking third-party audited numbers, not chicken scratches on a piece of paper that says: "From the Desk of Jim Delany."

I'm not 100% on this, but I recall that there was some question or controversy over the pro-forma numbers that were used to sell the schools on the network.  Regardless, I remain skeptical on whether the BTN is the goldmine that the AD's are making it out to be.

Trust me, it brings in a ton of money....for now. 

[DJO's Pump Fake]

My vote for best screen name...

Thank you sir.....yours has to be in the running tho!

[GOMU1104]

Have the numbers actually been released to the public?  And I'm talking third-party audited numbers, not chicken scratches on a piece of paper that says: "From the Desk of Jim Delany."

I'm not 100% on this, but I recall that there was some question or controversy over the pro-forma numbers that were used to sell the schools on the network.  Regardless, I remain skeptical on whether the BTN is the goldmine that the AD's are making it out to be.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/stewart_mandel/07/24/tv-deals/index.html

[M@RQUETTEW@RRIORS]

cmon fellas.

Crean to Indiana, you cant really blame him.  You can be upset about how he went about it but it was one of the top programs in america.

Buzz to texas, maybe who knows?  Could hardly blame him for that.

But Iowa?  cmon, thats ridiculous.  

[The Lens]

Trust me, it brings in a ton of money....for now. 

Put it this way, Northwestern has a better TV deal than Texas.  The BTN is genius.  

[Pakuni]

Are you honestly this clueless, or is this just another attempt at being smug and condescending?

I'm only condescending to my inferiors.  

And, really, someone who states there is a "strong correlation" between what is said on message board and what is happening in reality sees fit to label others as clueless?
Hmmm.
I guess that explains all the Crean to Indiana reports before April 1, 2008.

Anyhow, methinks you don't understand the meaning of rumor.
Me stating "I'd like to go home and find Brooklyn Decker waiting for me in my bed. Naked." is not a rumor that she actually was seen undressing in the vicinity of my bedroom. It is not a rumor that she made plans to visit me. It is not a rumor that she has a thing for me.
It is me stating a wish.

Likewise, some guy on an Iowa message board stating that Buzz Williams is someone he'd like his team to consider for its head coaching vacancy is not a rumor. It does not mean there are reports of Iowa's AD contacting Marquette for permission to interview. Or that Buzz is on the AD's short list. Or that either party even has any interest in the other.
It is that particular fan stating a wish.

[Litehouse]

Just curious what the  "for now" is.  I'm guessing it's proposed a la carte channel line-ups, or is it when the initial contracts expire with providers.

[kmwtrucks]

The Rumor that worries me would be Texas A&M's coach to OU.  I guess he was an assitant for a bunch of years.  If that job opened I would worry a little. If the Texas job opened I would drive Buzz to Austin myself, Luckily Barnes is going no where.

[GOMU1104]

As longs as were throwing our scenarios out there...heres mine:

Coach K retires
Jeff Capel to Duke
Buzz to Oklahoma

[Benny B]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/stewart_mandel/07/24/tv-deals/index.html

Yes I saw that link previously... and this is exactly what I'm saying: the numbers they're quoting are not contractual (like they are with CBS, ESPN, etc.), those are projected income figures.  I can tell you that 99% of projections are inflated, the question is how inflated.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Almost never trust a post that begins with never. Because many coaches are not trustworthy does not mean Buzz is a liar.

I agree with you.

BUT... to be fair, if UT came calling tomorrow, I have think Buzz would consider it, and I wouldn't blame him.

Soooo, I don't think Buzz is a liar (far from it), but situations can change in a minute, and I think that's what turns a lot of coaches into "liars".

I don't say this as a knock on Buzz at all, I just say this because eventually 1 of 2 things is going to happen: Buzz is going to fired or Buzz is going to take another job. Those are really the only 2 options with a coach his age. I don't expect him to be at MU for 30 years and retire.

[Pakuni]

I agree with you.

BUT... to be fair, if UT came calling tomorrow, I have think Buzz would consider it, and I wouldn't blame him.

Soooo, I don't think Buzz is a liar (far from it), but situations can change in a minute, and I think that's what turns a lot of coaches into "liars".

I don't say this as a knock on Buzz at all, I just say this because eventually 1 of 2 things is going to happen: Buzz is going to fired or Buzz is going to take another job. Those are really the only 2 options with a coach his age. I don't expect him to be at MU for 30 years and retire.

You're right, which is why coaches shouldn't make comments like that. I understand the need/desire to ... after all, it keeps administrators, fans and recruits happy ... but it comes back to bite these guys more often than not.
I have no doubt Buzz means it when he says it. But, like you said, situations change, people change, etc.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

You're right, which is why coaches shouldn't make comments like that. I understand the need/desire to ... after all, it keeps administrators, fans and recruits happy ... but it comes back to bite these guys more often than not.
I have no doubt Buzz means it when he says it. But, like you said, situations change, people change, etc.

Yea, I know people love the warm fuzzy feeling they get when he says it (I like it too), but at the end of the day this is big business and big money.

Wins and ultimately $ are going to determine a lot of fates.

[HoopsMalone]

Why can't the other major conferences duplicate whatever the Big Ten Network is doing to drive revenues?  There is nothing all that unique about the Big Ten compared to the other BCS conferences.  I would even imagine some of the western conferences who are crazy about their football would do well with a network. 

I just don't think that it is all that complicated of a thing.  I mean, wouldn't Texas be crazy to think that the Big 12 would not be able to duplicate those kinds of revenue streams from a Big 12 Network?

I really appreciate the MUTV coverage of our team.  Hopefully they can find a way to generate some advertising revenue from that.  Media is headed more towards internet viewing so that people can choose when to watch stuff like that rather than a coach's half hour show on the Big Ten Network.  Recruits can click on MUTV specials all they want rather than flip through the channels and find the Tom Izzo Show on channel 76.

Finally, I think that DePaul actually getting a coach who can recruit players will help us.  Marq, ND, and DePaul are designed to get Chicago (and Milwaukee to a lesser extent) excited about the Big East and the Big East Net.  As long as we can keep our tradition of one Chicago guard in the lineup (Wade, Chapman, McNeal, Acker, ?Smith?) let Chicago have a good team.  It could be good for our bottom line.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I agree with you.

BUT... to be fair, if UT came calling tomorrow, I have think Buzz would consider it, and I wouldn't blame him.

Soooo, I don't think Buzz is a liar (far from it), but situations can change in a minute, and I think that's what turns a lot of coaches into "liars".

I don't say this as a knock on Buzz at all, I just say this because eventually 1 of 2 things is going to happen: Buzz is going to fired or Buzz is going to take another job. Those are really the only 2 options with a coach his age. I don't expect him to be at MU for 30 years and retire.

Well said.


As for the message board argument, I think a little bit of both happens.  Obviously most of it is blather and conjecture based on pipe dreams and fantasies by fans that know nothing.  On the Iowa board right now there is a poster saying Buzz has sent feelers.  Yeah, right.

On the other hand, almost every board also has a few people that are close enough to their said program to have some kernels of truth when it comes to candidates, speculation, etc.  Those get floated out there sometimes as trial balloons as well as in the media.  Usually by an "unnamed" source so the athletic department can deny the candidate was ever on the list if the trial balloon goes over like a fart in church.

So it's a bit of both.  I'd lean to 75% of the conjecture to be in category 1.....that is totally baseless, dart throwing speculation.  Maybe even 90%, but there are also some legit threads on real candidates that are on most boards as well.

[GOO]

Buzz seems different than any other coach I have followed.  How many speak of and are religious (for real, not just acting like it).  How many say "i am the coach of X school" when asked about another job, or their current job?  Most.
Buzz says, very carefully, that he will stay at MU as long as MU will have him.  That is a strong statement from someone who has gone out of his way to be blunt and a truth teller.  For whatever reason, I believe him.  He doesn't operate nor does he try to operate like a smooth talker, two faced guy.  So many coaches are two faced.   
Can this change?  Sure.  But I don't expect it to change anytime soon, regardless of the position(s) that opens up.  I believe he is commite to MU at this time and a job opening won't change that.  I believe him to be a man of his word (and I wouldn't have said this about Crean or most coaches)  If he is telling recruits and players that he will be at MU, it seems that it should actually be believed coming from Buzz.

Maybe I'm crazy, but something about Buzz has me believing him, and believing that he will be at MU for a long time (and I think Buzz sees him winning at MU).  Plus, he did say that his wife said that she loves their life and now they finally have a place to call home.