What Buzz actually said

[Hards Alumni]

When KO was here, and even when Deane was here, MU *was* a stepping stone.  And TC left MU for a storied program...one of the college basketball bluebloods.  You can't really blame him for taking that gig.

It's different now.  MU is a BE contender and a regular NCAA participant.  When you look at Oklahoma, it is closer to home and close to his "recruiting grounds," but does that make it more attractive to him?  MU can match pretty much any salary that OU throws at him so I don't think that would be his motivation.

And IMO Arkansas is a *MUCH* better gig than Oklahoma.  The SEC West is filled with weak basketball schools.  It has more of a devotion to basketball and much better facilities.

+1  exactly what I was going to say.

[NavinRJohnson]

don't be shocked if he's gone by next Monday.

Why would he leave before MU's season is over? 

[Masterr73]

I wouldnt be surprised if Buzz leaves at all. Vander looks like a miss, Jimmy is gone, the team could seriously struggle next year. Buzz's stock will never be higher than it is now

[Niv Berkowitz]

I think you're way off. Buzz' stock could be infinitely higher next year by a few things happening. First, by having the team improve next year upon this year's team, proving that he can coach-up his own guys. By then, Crean will be a full four-years removed from the program and you could point to MU being Williams' program. Second, by winning one or two games this year in the NCAA.

[GGGG]

Niv...don't mess with him...he's a realist. 

[Masterr73]

Buzz's records
year one: 25-10
year two:22-12
year three:20-14

You know how good a college coach is in his third year since most of the players are his. And they are obviously not improving. I say that if he wants to go somewhere else, fine leave, his stock wont be higher. If not I guess I will settle for mediocrity for a few years till he's gone. Marquette made 14M in revenue this season, one of the best in the Big East, I think MU could pry away a Mark Few for some of that money.

[Pakuni]

Jay Wright...been to the Final Four...thus he is a FINAL FOUR coach.  That would fit the Texas image.  It's called the accomplishment resume.  Jim Calhoun...several Final Fours and two national titles.

Please, use some common sense.  All three of those examples did something to earn their stripes.  For most Texas fans and probably the Texas AD, they're going to want someone that has done something over the long haul on the grand stage.  Buzz simply hasn't done that...yet.  Maybe he will, but those three examples are beyond ridiculous. 

Oh, geez. Even you know that I wasn't comparing Buzz to Calhoun and Wright. Rather, I was illustrating the utter folly of labeling Buzz as "the 9th place Big East coach" ... as if that were the sum and substance of his entire career and accomplishments. It's a true statement. Just as it would be a true statement for Wright and Calhoun. It's also ridiculous. Just as it would be ridiculous for Wright and Calhoun. The fact that you recognize this for the latter two coaches, yet believe it's entirely accurate and appropriate for Buzz pretty well sums up where you're coming from in regards to MU's current coach.

[MUBurrow]

I am totally uninformed and have zero evidence to back this up, but my feeling about the fact that Cottingham has not told Buzz about any contacts from other schools is that it doesnt give me any comfort.  Either 1) Cottingham told schools he would not forward that kind of talk until the season is over or even more likely 2) the schools know the kind of loyal guy Buzz is and wouldn't want to anger him by approaching him during the most important part of his season with another school.  Just a hunch - but if Buzz is still saying he's gotten no word about other jobs from Cottingham a week after we're out of the tournament, it'll mean a lot more to me.

[Benny B]

I heard Buzz is in talks with the Milwaukee 7 to build a production facility for his new line of packaged sweet teas - seeing as how Milwaukee has good, cheap water, I can see how that's plausible.  So that obviously means that UWM is his fallback plan if MU doesn't work out.  So somebody please add that one to the list of Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Arkansas, TAMU-CC, etc.

While you're at it, start adding Bo Ryan's name to Villanova, Penn State, Indiana of Pennsylvania, Drexel, Lehigh, Robert Morris, etc.  After all, he's from Philly and I hear that he has family there, and would feel more at home, and he can get a good cheese steak anytime, and Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have no extradition agreements, and UW isn't offering him a contract extension, and UW has digressed this year, etc.

Hell... let's just start a grid with every Big Six D-I basketball coach showing where they're from and what their next "destination" will be based upon that.

[GGGG]

You know how good a college coach is in his third year since most of the players are his. And they are obviously not improving. I say that if he wants to go somewhere else, fine leave, his stock wont be higher. If not I guess I will settle for mediocrity for a few years till he's gone. Marquette made 14M in revenue this season, one of the best in the Big East, I think MU could pry away a Mark Few for some of that money.

Mark Few???  Oh please.  Stick Gonzaga in the BE and they'd be at about MU's level.  There is a reason they under-perform every year in the NCAA tournament you know.

[Masterr73]

Mark Few???  Oh please.  Stick Gonzaga in the BE and they'd be at about MU's level.  There is a reason they under-perform every year in the NCAA tournament you know.

more recruits would want to play for a proven coach in the Big East rather than an unproven coach in the big east or a proven coach in the west coast

[Hards Alumni]

more recruits would want to play for a proven coach in the Big East rather than an unproven coach in the big east or a proven coach in the west coast

Based on???

BTW, no one is prying Mark Few from Gonzaga.  Its been tried.

[GGGG]

Do you know how many "proven" mid-major coaches have gone on to major programs and failed completely?  (Including Few's predecessor...who took the Zags further than Few has???)  

[Lennys Tap]

Oh, geez. Even you know that I wasn't comparing Buzz to Calhoun and Wright. Rather, I was illustrating the utter folly of labeling Buzz as "the 9th place Big East coach" ... as if that were the sum and substance of his entire career and accomplishments. It's a true statement. Just as it would be a true statement for Wright and Calhoun. It's also ridiculous. Just as it would be ridiculous for Wright and Calhoun. The fact that you recognize this for the latter two coaches, yet believe it's entirely accurate and appropriate for Buzz pretty well sums up where you're coming from in regards to MU's current coach.

You are correct, sir.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Mark Few???  Oh please.  Stick Gonzaga in the BE and they'd be at about MU's level.  There is a reason they under-perform every year in the NCAA tournament you know.

I agree with the first part, but they have a pretty sweet draw in the NCAA's this year.  SJU without Kennedy, BYU without Davies....

[avid1010]

Buzz's records
year one: 25-10
year two:22-12
year three:20-14

You know how good a college coach is in his third year since most of the players are his. And they are obviously not improving. I say that if he wants to go somewhere else, fine leave, his stock wont be higher. If not I guess I will settle for mediocrity for a few years till he's gone. Marquette made 14M in revenue this season, one of the best in the Big East, I think MU could pry away a Mark Few for some of that money.

I'm no TC fan, but I bet years 4 and 5 are better than 3.  You know a fool when they think they can say things like, "You know how good a college coach is in his third year."  It's different in every situation.  I also don't think Few is interested in MU.  He's had a number of opportunities to leave for higher paying/profile jobs.  My hope is that Buzz has the same feelings for MU that Few has shown for Gonzaga.

[NersEllenson]

Buzz's records
year one: 25-10
year two:22-12
year three:20-14

You know how good a college coach is in his third year since most of the players are his. And they are obviously not improving. I say that if he wants to go somewhere else, fine leave, his stock wont be higher. If not I guess I will settle for mediocrity for a few years till he's gone. Marquette made 14M in revenue this season, one of the best in the Big East, I think MU could pry away a Mark Few for some of that money.

Hey genius - How many 4 year players of Buzz's are currently in the program??  None.  Wonder why St. John's was so good this year?  8, 4-year players on their roster this year.  How many 3 year guys of Buzz's are on the roster now?  1 - Jimmy.

So, basically you want Buzz to exceed the job Jay Wright and Jim Calhoun did...in just Year 3 of his tenure...whereby he has 1 player that has been in his program for 3 years??  Wow.  Get a clue.

[groove]

/

[Litehouse]

If Mark Few didn't go to Oregon (his alma mater) last year, he's not coming here.

[Skatastrophy]

Hey genius - How many 4 year players of Buzz's are currently in the program??  None.  Wonder why St. John's was so good this year?  8, 4-year players on their roster this year.  How many 3 year guys of Buzz's are on the roster now?  1 - Jimmy.

So, basically you want Buzz to exceed the job Jay Wright and Jim Calhoun did...in just Year 3 of his tenure...whereby he has 1 player that has been in his program for 3 years??  Wow.  Get a clue.

+1, well said.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Oh, geez. Even you know that I wasn't comparing Buzz to Calhoun and Wright. Rather, I was illustrating the utter folly of labeling Buzz as "the 9th place Big East coach" ... as if that were the sum and substance of his entire career and accomplishments. It's a true statement. Just as it would be a true statement for Wright and Calhoun. It's also ridiculous. Just as it would be ridiculous for Wright and Calhoun. The fact that you recognize this for the latter two coaches, yet believe it's entirely accurate and appropriate for Buzz pretty well sums up where you're coming from in regards to MU's current coach.

You're right, the Texas fans won't see less wins each year, less conference wins each year, a 9th place finish (worst in our history in Big East) and label him as such compared to Wright, Calhoun, Barnes, etc.  


That's why I stated the term ".... yet" in the paragraph because Buzz can get there eventually, but not today.  He doesn't have the resume for a place like UT which is clearly what I was pointing out.  The fans down there would view him as taking over a program and having results worsen each of the three years he has been here.  They're not going to get into silly "cupboard was bare" argument (especially with Hayward around, several other contributing seniors, more top 100 recruits on the squad in several decades, etc).  That's why I said "....yet".  That means he can get there, but he's not there today.  Those other guys get the benefit of the doubt....your examples were absurd....don't start back tracking now.

[DaCoach]

You're right, the Texas fans won't see less wins each year, less conference wins each year, a 9th place finish (worst in our history in Big East) and label him as such compared to Wright, Calhoun, Barnes, etc.  


That's why I stated the term ".... yet" in the paragraph because Buzz can get there eventually, but not today.  He doesn't have the resume for a place like UT which is clearly what I was pointing out.  The fans down there would view him as taking over a program and having results worsen each of the three years he has been here.  They're not going to get into silly "cupboard was bare" argument (especially with Hayward around, several other contributing seniors, more top 100 recruits on the squad in several decades, etc).  That's why I said "....yet".  That means he can get there, but he's not there today.  Those other guys get the benefit of the doubt....your examples were absurd....don't start back tracking now.

Look at Coach Barnes resume when he was hired by Texas. Yes, Texas alumni would have very definitive opinions about hiring a new football coach. However, basketball is now and always will be a diversion at UT. It's something to amuse the fans until spring football begins.

[lurch91]

Look at Coach Barnes resume when he was hired by Texas. Yes, Texas alumni would have very definitive opinions about hiring a new football coach. However, basketball is now and always will be a diversion at UT. It's something to amuse the fans until spring football begins.

Same can be said for OU and Ark too. 

[79Warrior]

I thought we went through this a ton the last decade.  There is no proper answer.  If he says he isn't interested and leaves, he's a liar...at least according to some.  If he says he's interested, than he's a traitor.

No win situation.  This is why I wish they wouldn't say the silly coach speak stuff like "I'll be here as long as Marquette will have me" because that's a scripted BS answer as well. 

You are right. There is no "correct" answer from a fans point of view short of "I am staying" which essentially ties his hands. Buzz is playing the hand he has been dealt. Without having to ask MU for a raise, he will get one. How much will depend on how serious others schools are in his services.

It is amazing that so many college educated people don't get this is a BUSINESS, plain and simple.

[Goose]

Buzz is beyond sly. I think Buzz is so sly that Cottingham has no idea which way is up. I cannot believe I am saying this but MU should give Buzz a big, big raise to keep him. He is the face of the school on national scene and might ultimately really deliver the goods. There is no doubt in my mind he can recruit guys who can play ball at a high level. The college game has changed so much and Buzz gets it.