Buzz Rumors Question

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

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. 

I hope you're right.

I'm probably just too jaded to put much stock in that kind of stuff.

[BrewCity83]

With Buzz, his character will be revealed.

[HoopsMalone]

Leaving would not be a good idea for Buzz anyway.  The guy has paid his dues with hard work, but he did skip a big step.  Usually coaches have to coach at a mid-major or take a down program like Iowa for a few years.  Buzz was lucky to walk right into a program on the rise with NBA-caliber players on the team when he starts coaching.  

With one year as a head coach, Buzz was coaching a top 10 team against hall of famer Jim Calhoun for first place in the Big East.  That is a big, big jump.  I think Buzz knows that.

Buzz may leave some day, but he would be smarter to learn a lot like Crean did.  There are not many jobs better than Marquette, but one may open up some day for Buzz.  I doubt he will be considered for those top jobs for a while to come.  I just don't think that he will continue to bounce around.  He is not leaving any time soon.  He does owe Marquette something for taking a chance on him, and he knows that.  He will be here for 5-10 more years, and maybe when he is closer to 50 he might take Coach K's job or something.  Or else maybe he will be here for 30 years and retire.  

[Hards Alumni]

I hope you're right.

I'm probably just too jaded to put much stock in that kind of stuff.

wait, you put stock in anything?

I am interested.

[Marquette84]

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.

Sorry--I overreacted. 

However, if you believe that most message board fans aren't thinking on the same wavelength as the powers that be at any major school, then we'll simply disagree.   

As we saw in 2008, its not that difficult for the fans to collectively identify virtually every likely candidate--and they do so within the first 24 hours. 

I gave you the example of Marquette--most (if not all) of the names MU actually considered were also among those mentioned on this message board, and the preference expressed by fans was roughly equal to that of the AD's office.  The biggest difference is that some fans (myself excluded) preferred a mid-major head coach over Buzz once the top choices of Miller and Bennett turned us down.

So maybe, based on your precise defintion of "rumor", you are technically correct. 

My point is simply this:  if Iowa fans are as good a proxy for their AD's thinking as MU fans were for ours in 2008, then Buzz Williams name is written on a legal pad or whiteboard somewhere in the Iowa AD's office. 

[Ready2Fly]

Sorry--I overreacted.  

However, if you believe that most message board fans aren't thinking on the same wavelength as the powers that be at any major school, then we'll simply disagree.  

As we saw in 2008, its not that difficult for the fans to collectively identify virtually every likely candidate--and they do so within the first 24 hours.  

I gave you the example of Marquette--most (if not all) of the names MU actually considered were also among those mentioned on this message board, and the preference expressed by fans was roughly equal to that of the AD's office.  The biggest difference is that some fans (myself excluded) preferred a mid-major head coach over Buzz once the top choices of Miller and Bennett turned us down.

So maybe, based on your precise defintion of "rumor", you are technically correct.  

My point is simply this:  if Iowa fans are as good a proxy for their AD's thinking as MU fans were for ours in 2008, then Buzz Williams name is written on a legal pad or whiteboard somewhere in the Iowa AD's office.  

Iowa or Depaul considering Dixon, Howland, Jay Wright or Buzz Williams as candidates is entirely different than any of those coaches considering either of those jobs longer than it takes them to stop laughing.  Who cares if Buzz' name is on Iowa's whiteboard?

[GOO]

Iowa or Depaul considering Dixon, Howland, Jay Wright or Buzz Williams as candidates is entirely different than any of those coaches considering either of those jobs longer than it takes them to stop laughing.  Who cares if Buzz' name is on Iowa's whiteboard?

Ready2fly is dead on.  Right now we have Iowa basically creating a wish list.  Most of these coaches are not considering Iowa, so it is just a wish list.  If there is no mutual interest, it means nothing!!

Just like if Crean were interested in the Kansas or Kentucky job, but they had no interest in Crean, it would just be Crean's wish list, with no mutual interest.  It goes both ways.  But unless Buzz is interested, which I believe he is not, then it means zip as far as we are concerned. 

[HoopsMalone]

Well said.

  On the Iowa board right now there is a poster saying Buzz has sent feelers.  Yeah, right.

Where is this?  I could not find it?

[Marquette84]

Buzz was lucky to walk right into a program on the rise with NBA-caliber players on the team when he starts coaching.  

NBA players?  Can't be.
I keep hearing that the cupboard was bare when Buzz took over.

Finally, I think that DePaul actually getting a coach who can recruit players will help us.  

Look at DePaul's period of success.  It coincides with MU's worst era in the last 50 years.
Look at MU's periods of success.  They coincide with the stretches where DePaul has been terrible.

Compare the two team's NCAA performances--how many times do you think we've both been in the tourney at the same time?  My guess is you will be surprised at how small the number is.

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.

If Milwaukee isn't excited about the Big East by now, they never will be.  

5 straight NCAA appearances.  Five straight finishes in the upper echelon.  Five straight 10+ win seasons.  If that doesn't do it, I seriously doubt that a successful DePaul is going to do it.




 

[WellsstreetWanderer]

DePaul needs more than a big name coach. Start with new facilities and support from administration. without either it will always be considered a commuter school.

[rocky_warrior]

NBA players?  Can't be.
I keep hearing that the cupboard was bare when Buzz took over.

Perhaps someone needs to teach you the difference between the dining table and the cupboard...

[ChicosBailBonds]

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.

They could, but it's not that easy.  The SEC went down that path, then ESPN gave them a $1billion to not form their own network.  The Mountain West did create their own network (The Mountain) and it's been a mixed deal for them.  They had tremendous trouble getting carriage from television distributors.

The Big Ten Network also had major troubles for a long time getting everyone on board.  When the new contracts come up, it shall be interesting to see what happens.  The advantage the Big Ten has is the size of their schools.  The largest public universities in the country (sans Northwestern) with huge alumni bases.  That means eyeballs and $$$.  Of course, the disadvantage is that it's the Big Ten.  For all the predictions that the conference would be rolling in basketball and football national titles as a result, well that hasn't happened.  Nor has Notre Dame become a top ten program with their NBC deal for football.  The more you're on tv is great for exposure, but it can also "expose" teams, too.  Show how bad they are, how cold the weather is, how S L O W the athletes are, etc, etc.

The only other leagues that could pull off what the Big Ten did and do it well is probably the Big 12 and the SEC.  We already know the SEC is in bed with ESPN.  The Pac Ten is looking to do their own network, but they won't have anywhere close to the carriage that the Big Ten does.  The Big East problem is that they are dominated in many "pro" markets where they have eyeballs, but pro sports comes first.  I think the Big East is attached to ESPN for many years as their own network is highly unlikely due to the startup costs, etc.

The ACC may try also, but they are more niche regionally then they will admit.  The television numbers don't lie, especially in football.

[ChicosBailBonds]

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. 

They all say this.  Again, doesn't make Buzz a liar or wrong or whatever, but they all say the same thing.  "My family is happy here, my wife is active in the community, my kids love the schools, etc, etc"

It's all about opportunity.   I have no reason to believe he won't be here for a decade if we choose to have him, but I also have no reason to believe anything any coaches in football or basketball say on this matter because they all say exact same thing....because they are trained to do so. 

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

wait, you put stock in anything?

I am interested.

Wellllll...

I really like Buzz, and I like what he says about coaching at MU.

Buuuuuuutttttttt....

If he keeps winning (for a number of years) he's going to be a candidate for a highly attractive job. If he loses, he's going to be a candidate to get fired.

These are the stone cold facts in modern college hoops. No avoiding that, no matter who the coach is.

I like that Buzz says things like "I'll coach here as long as they will have me", but realistically I think that's just "coach speak". I'm not calling him a liar, I'm just saying that situations are going to change and evolve as the seasons go by, and I won't blame him if he chooses to move on at some point.

With all of this said, I would be thrilled to be wrong and have Buzz coach at MU for 25 years.

[Marquette84]

Perhaps someone needs to teach you the difference between the dining table and the cupboard...

There has to be something in the cupboard in order to put it on the dining table . . .

[Tugg Speedman]

Why can't the other major conferences duplicate whatever the Big Ten Network is doing to drive revenues? 

Maybe Chicos can set me straight .... I thought the Big East had its own network, it's called ESPN.  Seriously, the original purpose of ESPN was to televise Uconn bball games.  Its headquartered in Bristol CT and stocked full of BE graduates.  When it comes to basketball, what conference gets a better billing than the BE on ESPN? (away from Duke, how much attention does the rest of ACC really get on ESPN?)

It is my understanding that they also get a lot of money from ESPN.  More than they would if they pulled their product off ESPN and put it on channel 685, the BE network.

[Avenue Commons]

Am I getting tired or did I just read that there is a strong correlation between what is on a message board and what actually happens when coaches are hired? I hope not.

a Little English/Logic/Critical Thinking Skills Lesson for you kids: What is discussed on a message board and reality is not a correlation, it's COINCIDENCE.

[Tugg Speedman]

The Big Ten Network also had major troubles for a long time getting everyone on board. 

The BTN had a big fight with Comcast in Chicago.  The BTN wanted to be on the basic tier and Comcast wanted them on some upper tier and part of a ultra premium sports package,  Finally, the Big Ten pulled all their product off comcast.  As Chicos noted their are probably hundreds of thousands of Big Ten alumni in the Chicago area and it took two years of bitching (along with their competitors carrying the BTN on basic) before Comcast caved in.

So it not hat easy to start a network.  You will initially be put on channel 726 and subcribes will have to pay big premiums to get it.  To get anywhere near basic is hard.

Think about this .... The second largest BE market is Chicago.  For a BE network to happen (assuming they want to start one), it would really help if DePaul was a top 15 program.

[Lennys Tap]

There has to be something in the cupboard in order to put it on the dining table . . .

TC left enough for one very nice meal.

[CrimsonNCrean]

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

It will only get bigger, the Big 11 will expand into the east coast market...

I think Rutgers will be a lock, and the other 2 will be one of the fallowing...  
ND  (longshot)
Texas  (longshot)
Syracuse
Pitt
Mizzu

as far as Buzz...  The only way I can see him leaving for Iowa is "money"...  Iowa is a tough place to win consistently.   I think the folks at Iowa are delusional.  Dr. Tom was probably the most successful coach Iowa has ever had and they forced him out.  Alford won a little, and they forced him out.  In my opinion MU is a superior job.

But if Buzz keeps winning teams will come after him.

[Marquette84]

Am I getting tired or did I just read that there is a strong correlation between what is on a message board and what actually happens when coaches are hired? I hope not.

a Little English/Logic/Critical Thinking Skills Lesson for you kids: What is discussed on a message board and reality is not a correlation, it's COINCIDENCE.

So I guess what you're saying is that when MU fans identified Sean Miller and Tony Bennett as potential targets for MU's coaching search, I was giving them too much credit for actually thinking about it and making the same rational decision that MU's AD would make. 

You're saying it was pure coincidence that MU fans identified rather quickly the first two candidates that MU actually pursued.  I guess we'll just disagree--I think that a team's fans are probably thinking much the same way as a team's AD.

But let's force you into a little English/Logic/Critical Thinking Skills lesson of your own: 
If you were the Iowa AD right now, why would you NOT at least put out a feeler to Buzz Williams? You have the money.  You're the flagship campus in state.  You have an arguably more secure conference future.  A bigger fan base. One of the 15 largest university-owned facilities in the country, currently getting a renovation that will make its practice facilities among the best in the nation.

[HoopsMalone]

Coach K or Roy retiring will scare me, but they should probably coach a while longer I'd imagine.  Calipari, Self, and Ben Howland are going to be around for a while given their ages.  (I think either Cal goes to the Nets now, at a time Buzz isn't qualified for KY, or he stays there a while).  Indiana isn't coming back to MU if Crean doesn't work.  That's a wrap on the elite schools.  UConn, Cuse, and Gtown probably would not attract Buzz bc he would come back here all the time and its not a big enough step up to betray MU and come to the BC every other year to hear about it.  I am not worried about Buzz leaving for those in the next 5-10 years.

That just leaves the TX schools... Who knows what would happen.  I know if I were ever a college coach and Marquette or DePaul or another area school called, I would at least listen.  Bill Self even listed to OK State for a little while because that was his home. 

[CrimsonNCrean]

Coach K or Roy retiring will scare me, but they should probably coach a while longer I'd imagine.  Calipari, Self, and Ben Howland are going to be around for a while given their ages.  (I think either Cal goes to the Nets now, at a time Buzz isn't qualified for KY, or he stays there a while).  Indiana isn't coming back to MU if Crean doesn't work.  That's a wrap on the elite schools.  UConn, Cuse, and Gtown probably would not attract Buzz bc he would come back here all the time and its not a big enough step up to betray MU and come to the BC every other year to hear about it.  I am not worried about Buzz leaving for those in the next 5-10 years.

That just leaves the TX schools... Who knows what would happen.  I know if I were ever a college coach and Marquette or DePaul or another area school called, I would at least listen.  Bill Self even listed to OK State for a little while because that was his home. 

when T Boone Pickens calls you listen....  he pays top dollar...   

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Buzz Williams not going to get an interview with anybody for at least a couple years and if Marquette were to somehow discover he was sending out feelers they should fire him on the spot.

[texaswarrior74]

Coach K or Roy retiring will scare me,

No need to worry about either; both will replace their current coaches with someone from their "coaching families" when the time comes.