First bullet dodged

[tower912]

With Oregon apparently hiring Altman (assuming he doesn't have another change of heart), it means that the first 'Buzz-to' rumor has come and gone.   Is this something we are going to have to hear every year?   If he keeps saying the same things about not leaving MU, how long until other schools start believing it?   Should MU sign him to a long-term extension? (I absolutely think we should)    How big a raise should he get?   How big a raise as he actually earned?

[savwa]

I don't think it's the first bullet that was dodged with another available coaching opportunity.  If you are successful at all in college sports as a coach rumors spread about any opening.

I don't see Buzz going anywhere for a long time but I'm a realist and understand that anything can happen.  Just be happy while we have him and hope he has a good run as coach and they have some deep runs in the tourney.

Coaches are vagabonds so I don't put much creedence in any of the sh*t they spout out about how happy they are where they are coaching at the time or whatever.  Granted, I want to believe Buzz is truly honest but wasting time thinking about is useless.

I just want MU to get a serviceable big so they can really have a shot at doing some damage in the tourney.

Say hi to your mother for me.

[Lennys Tap]

With Oregon apparently hiring Altman (assuming he doesn't have another change of heart), it means that the first 'Buzz-to' rumor has come and gone.   Is this something we are going to have to hear every year?   If he keeps saying the same things about not leaving MU, how long until other schools start believing it?   Should MU sign him to a long-term extension? (I absolutely think we should)    How big a raise should he get?   How big a raise as he actually earned?

Rumors are the price Marquette fans (and most other college basketball fans) pay for success. If Jamie Dixon and Ben Howland can be mentioned for such a piss poor job as DePaul and if Mark Few can be rumored for every opening available there's no way to stop speculation in the media about Buzz. I'm not naive enough to think that there are no circumstances under which he'll leave, but I believe him when he he says he's happy at MU and wants to stay for the forseeable future. I'm either hopelessly gullible or a good judge of character - time will tell. In the meantime I'm not going to worry about it.

[Dawson Rental]

First blank dodged.  Two more years of success for Buzz and the rumors will be real and frequent.

[bma725]

First rumor was Iowa.  This is the second.

[VegasWarrior77]

First rumor was Iowa.  This is the second.

+1

[NCMUFan]

So when does "Marquette" become the job?

[Skatastrophy]

So when does "Marquette" become the job?

In the minds of the media it will be once we're a state school. 

[Lennys Tap]

So when does "Marquette" become the job?

If Pitt and UCLA aren't "the job" (see Dixon and Howland rumored to lowly DePaul) Marquette won't be anytime soon. Maybe only KU, UK, UNC and Duke are.

[Tugg Speedman]

So when does "Marquette" become the job?

Right now we are a decent but not great BE team (two consecutive 5th place finishes).  Maybe a top 25 program in the country (out of >300).  To advance to the next level, we need to win in a big way and recruit in a big way at the same time.

When we are a year removed from a final four, with three McDonald's AA on the team and a top 5 recruiting class coming in, then we become "the job."  (I just described 'nova)

[Daniel]

When Marquette consistently performs in the top 15 teams in the nation, year after year, and gets some deep penetration into the tourney (with elite 8s and a final 4 or better), then we can look at Marquette and say we can compete with any team in the nation.  At that point, we are one of "the jobs" that will be coveted.

We are on the way - we just have to get better and better.  We need to bring in and develop some bigs to take us to the next level - maybe we need an assistant who is known for developing bigs on staff to land and develop.  I'm just thinking out loud, but Marquette can be one of "the jobs" if we continue to move in the right direction.

[4everwarriors]

If Pitt and UCLA aren't "the job" (see Dixon and Howland rumored to lowly DePaul) Marquette won't be anytime soon. Maybe only KU, UK, UNC and Duke are.

Don't forget to include IU.

[GOMU1104]

As long as MU is having success under Buzz, his name will continue to get mentioned for jobs. 

If we go in the tank, his name wont be mentioned.

Which scenario would you rather have?

[Lennys Tap]

Don't forget to include IU.

IU fell off that list (appropriately) on April Fools Day, 2008.

[mu_hilltopper]

So when does "Marquette" become the job?

And is Wisconsin "the job"?  When's the last time you heard Bo Ryan to X?

[GOMU1104]

And is Wisconsin "the job"?  When's the last time you heard Bo Ryan to X?

That's because to Bo, it is "the job."  For him, UW was a destination job.

[HoopsMalone]

That's because to Bo, it is "the job."  For him, UW was a destination job.

Bo Ryan also is not necessarily a coach who can rescue a program, or at least perceived that way.  He has had some success and is a good coach, but I think his "genius" is very over-hyped.  Bo was finishing towards the top of the Big Ten with 5-star players like Butch and Krabbenhoft.  He also has had a lot of 4-star level players.  With tons of talent, Bo gets a team into the tourney and the top of the Big Ten.  Stop traffic.

Bo Ryan is not taking 3-star players like Acker and Cubillan and Butler and making them into Big East contenders and NCAA tournament team.  He takes NBA players to the tournament.

Bo Ryan also does not have Tom Crean's CEO abilities that would be attractive to a team trying to rebuild its program. 

Bo gets local talent to come to Wisco and does all right with that talent.  He already had players and a good program built for him.  Not much more than that.  Talent makes coaches look good, but I think Bo and his brilliant offensive schemes and coaches are overblown. 

[GOMU1104]

Thats fine...none of that changes the fact that Bo saw the UW coaching job as a "destination job," and will likely never coach anywhere else.

[wadefan#1]

I was never really worried about buzz leaving.

[GGGG]

Bo Ryan also is not necessarily a coach who can rescue a program, or at least perceived that way. 

First off, Bo Ryan most definately rescued UWM.  Secondly, if Bo were by UW fired today, he would be a head coach at a BCS-level program within a year.  I mean, yeah I don't think he is a great recruiter, but don't you think a school like Iowa, Penn State, etc. would want Bo Ryan if he were available???

Finally, I love Buzz, but at this point I think more ADs would want Bo versus Buzz.  Maybe that will change over the course of the next few years, but Bo is perceived as a good coach.

[Lennys Tap]

First off, Bo Ryan most definately rescued UWM.  Secondly, if Bo were by UW fired today, he would be a head coach at a BCS-level program within a year.  I mean, yeah I don't think he is a great recruiter, but don't you think a school like Iowa, Penn State, etc. would want Bo Ryan if he were available???

Finally, I love Buzz, but at this point I think more ADs would want Bo versus Buzz.  Maybe that will change over the course of the next few years, but Bo is perceived as a good coach.

Bo turns 63 this year. That makes him 67 before any of his initial recruiting class would graduate. His recruiting network is mostly limited to Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Any AD who would prefer that scenario to hiring a young and energetic up and comer like Buzz should be fired on the spot.

[Brewtown Andy]

(see Dixon and Howland rumored to lowly DePaul)

Sportswriters need to learn the difference between "DePaul's AD is an idiot and has no chance of landing these guys that she's calling" and "This guy took the phone call and listened to the offer."

[GGGG]

Bo turns 63 this year. That makes him 67 before any of his initial recruiting class would graduate. Any AD who would prefer that scenario to hiring an up and comer like Buzz should be fired on the spot.

Coach K is already 63.   I guess no AD should hire him over Buzz either.  

[HoopsMalone]

First off, Bo Ryan most definately rescued UWM.  Secondly, if Bo were by UW fired today, he would be a head coach at a BCS-level program within a year.  I mean, yeah I don't think he is a great recruiter, but don't you think a school like Iowa, Penn State, etc. would want Bo Ryan if he were available???

Finally, I love Buzz, but at this point I think more ADs would want Bo versus Buzz.  Maybe that will change over the course of the next few years, but Bo is perceived as a good coach.

I completely disagree.  Buzz is the better catch.  I appreciate Bo as a coach and it's not crazy to say you would want Bo over Buzz, but I just see it differently. Buzz has been a top assistant for Billy G and Tom Crean and has shown his teams can coach his teams to overachieve.  He also is a great recruiter with a knack for finding the best JUCOs and getting 4-stars to come to an upper middle tier Big East team.

Bo is definately perceived as a good coach, and I think he is a good coach.  He is a better recruiter than he gets credit for too.  But I think his genius is overblown.  People act like he runs this great offense and coaches mediocre talent and takes them all the way.  

He has had tons of talent and does well in the Big Ten who have had two great teams in my opinion, this decade in Oden's Ohio State team and Deron William's Illinois team.  Bo has not done that much to get the legendary treatment that he seems to get in the state of Wisconsin.  Throw 5-star recruits out there in the Big Ten and of course you are going to be in the top half and make the tourney.  

He still has an NBA talent this year in Jon Leuer, but we will see how this great swing offense works without multiple 4 and 5 star recruits out there like he has had in the past.  

Bo is definately a good BCS level coach, and someone would pick him up of course.  But I think he very much over rated in Wisconsin.

[GGGG]

I completely disagree.  Buzz is the better catch.  I appreciate Bo as a coach and it's not crazy to say you would want Bo over Buzz, but I just see it differently. Buzz has been a top assistant for Billy G and Tom Crean and has shown his teams can coach his teams to overachieve.  He also is a great recruiter with a knack for finding the best JUCOs and getting 4-stars to come to an upper middle tier Big East team.

Bo is definately perceived as a good coach, and I think he is a good coach.  He is a better recruiter than he gets credit for too.  But I think his genius is overblown.  People act like he runs this great offense and coaches mediocre talent and takes them all the way.  

He has had tons of talent and does well in the Big Ten who have had two great teams in my opinion, this decade in Oden's Ohio State team and Deron William's Illinois team.  Bo has not done that much to get the legendary treatment that he seems to get in the state of Wisconsin.  Throw 5-star recruits out there in the Big Ten and of course you are going to be in the top half and make the tourney.  

He still has an NBA talent this year in Jon Leuer, but we will see how this great swing offense works without multiple 4 and 5 star recruits out there like he has had in the past.  

Bo is definately a good BCS level coach, and someone would pick him up of course.  But I think he very much over rated in Wisconsin.

I am not disagreeing with you.  But both of us are biased.  I was just saying who I think most ADs would chose if given a choice between the two.