Rosiak's Latest On Buzz Rumors

[texaswarrior74]

besides being a Warrior fan I've been a Wake Forest fan since living in W-S during the Mugsy years and would hateto see Dino Gaudio here, I was in the camp that was glad to see him get fired after choking every March, he only got that job for the sympathy factor and to try to hold onto the incoming freshman class, actually a few similarities as to why Buzz got this job

Agree 1000 percent with this....inherited a talented team and couldn't do anything with them after the first season's "'win one for the coach" had run its course....was not a good recruiter and rapidly turned WF into the ACC whipping boy....

I for one would want no part of Dino....there's a reason he's still unemployed....

Just because he coached in the ACC doesn't mean he's a good coach.

[reinko]

Let's bring back Crean.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Let's bring back Crean.

No thanks

[GoMarquette32]

Can we please so with all this.  Buzz is our coach!

[avid1010]

Rice or Stallings...it would take some convincing, but I think MU has enough to offer.

[Niv Berkowitz]

ANYONE that suggests Amaker did not pay any attention to Michigan under his tenure. Underachieving and average at best. He is not the solution. He'd be a re-tread.

If we lose Buzz, the number one thing MU needs is a solid recruiter. Coaching will come in due time. If you have better players from the get go, you buy yourself time and give your program a fighting chance.

[ken8406]

ANYONE that suggests Amaker did not pay any attention to Michigan under his tenure. Underachieving and average at best. He is not the solution. He'd be a re-tread.

If we lose Buzz, the number one thing MU needs is a solid recruiter. Coaching will come in due time. If you have better players from the get go, you buy yourself time and give your program a fighting chance.

If you did pay ATTENTION to his Michigan situation. He had to take over a team that was dealing with NCAA penalties and Sanctions.

[brewcity77]

ANYONE that suggests Amaker did not pay any attention to Michigan under his tenure. Underachieving and average at best. He is not the solution. He'd be a re-tread.

I'll admit I haven't followed Amaker closely, but he did have the #2 recruiting class in one of his years at Seton Hall. The Michigan situation was tough because of the scandal that preceded him. Maybe he's a guy like Majerus, who was maybe a bit in over his head but could develop into a very good coach at the right program. Maybe his years at Harvard have done him well. If he can recruit, I could imagine us doing worse.

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

Can we stop bumping these posts up!!??!!

[groove]

why

[DomJamesToTheBasket]

I really hope Buzz stays. When he was hired MU took a chance on him.  I don't think he was going to be a serious candidate at any other good programs for a long time. MAYBE he could have gotten a head coaching job at a very low DI and been far removed from landing a top gig OR he could have followed TC to be an assistant and have his career not looking so bright.  Instead MU handed the keys to him.......a gig in the Big East with the 3 amigos as seniors!  And when MU chose Buzz,  they knew fully well that the hire would not be the most popular.  Buzz won everyone over,  but he also had a helluva lot of help with how he was set up.  I hope he is true to his words from last year because MU has helped him realize a lot of his dreams.


With that said,  if Buzz decides to leave,  MU needs to figure out how to get a premier coach and keep him.  It sure doesn't seem like turning up and coming coaches into hot commodities is working......despite paying them as much as anyone is willing.

How much are we really willing to pay? Top 15-20???  How much would MU play to keep a coach who won a championship for us?  I think MU would be willing to pay top 5 for a truly premier coach that won us a championship.  So why can't MU go after a top coach that isn't in the top 10 in salary and offer them a nice raise?  MU may not be a destination job for coaches,  but success can clearly be had in the top conference in the country.  I would think there are a lot of established coaches that could do at least as well as TC or Buzz.

I just find MU to be putting themselves in the same position with the recent hires at coach.  Up and comers having success and moving on.  I think if you steal a top coach.......he stays unless a true top 5 school comes calling.

It would be hard to give a guy a huge contract that hasn't performed at your school,  but MU has been successful with TC and Buzz.  I don't see a slip with an established top coach.  The question is how much would MU be willing to pay to steal away a top coach?

[Warrior_2002]

I really hope Buzz stays too, but it just seems like with all these southern jobs open, it might be a logical time for him to leave.  He is a pretty family oriented guy too so I'm sure that will play in as well.
But if necessary and we're looking for names what about these...
Bruce Webber - with things a bit rough in Illinois and I kind of like the idea that he is older and from Wisconsin and wouldn't be looking for another job in the near future
Brad Stevens - young energetic and don't forget he recruited Gordon Hayward
Josh Pastner - young energetic, but would he stay, kind of the same as Stevens but without the championship appearance
Steve Wojciechowski from Duke - I read he could be a candidate at Utah and he has been mentored for quite awhile under king of coaching Coach K.  Or is he just waiting for Coach K to retire?
Lon Kruger - who's name popped up last time we were looking and solid wherever he has been
Tony Bennett - I still like him and don't have a problem with his style and he has the Wisconsin ties. He is another guy rumored for the Utah job (not sure why he keeps moving but with Wisconsin being his home state...)

[brewcity77]

Bruce Webber - with things a bit rough in Illinois and I kind of like the idea that he is older and from Wisconsin and wouldn't be looking for another job in the near future

Not sure why, I've never liked Weber. Seems like he really rode Self's coattails at Illinois, though. But the past couple years, he's put a couple really good recruiting classes together. Might not be a bad choice, but I can't see him leaving Illinois just yet. He's finally getting the players, firing him now would really do damage to their program. On the plus side, he could bring Mike Shaw with him.

Brad Stevens - young energetic and don't forget he recruited Gordon Hayward

I like Stevens, but recruiting Gordon Hayward is exactly why I DON'T want him. Hayward was a 3-star prospect. Yes, he turned out to be excellent, the diamond in the rough type, but that was Stevens' biggest success. He's done great with the 3-star guys, but does that translate to recruiting at the Big East level? Can he walk into a 5-star's living room and convince them that Marquette is where they need to be? I would like him as a hire, but the recruiting levels at Marquette and Butler are worlds apart, and he'd definitely be the unproven commodity sort of hire.

Josh Pastner - young energetic, but would he stay, kind of the same as Stevens but without the championship appearance

Would he stay? Why would he leave Memphis? He's done an excellent recruiting job and if he can keep those kids they should be able to be right back where Cal had them within a year or two. I could see him leaving, but if he did, it would be for a job much bigger than ours.

Steve Wojciechowski from Duke - I read he could be a candidate at Utah and he has been mentored for quite awhile under king of coaching Coach K.  Or is he just waiting for Coach K to retire?

I have no idea if Wojo can recruit, but I'd applaud this hire. Seems like the kind of guy who'd do things the right way, and learned at the feet of the master. My only fear would be him eventually leaving for the Duke job.

Lon Kruger - who's name popped up last time we were looking and solid wherever he has been

I think this would be very much a "stay afloat" hire. Kruger's always been good, but rarely been great. I think he'd keep us in the 5-8 range of the Big East, maybe the occasional Sweet 16, I'm just not sure he would be the type to take us over the hump.

Tony Bennett - I still like him and don't have a problem with his style and he has the Wisconsin ties. He is another guy rumored for the Utah job (not sure why he keeps moving but with Wisconsin being his home state...)

He had a couple great years with Wazoo, but what's he done of late? His last three seasons have been mediocre, and I'm just not convinced he's a high-major coach. His recruiting has been good, but not great. The Wisconsin ties are nice, but it seems like he's still living off one Sweet 16.

[Warrior_2002]

Good points.  I agree on just about all fronts.  Wojo could be a diamond, but my exact feeling, like yours, when would he leave for Duke.  But I think maybe getting that Duke style in could draw a long like of successors...possibly.  Know what I mean?  As far as Bennett, I am of the belief that once you can watch a guy tactically be a great coach, you can't just look for bad results and say "he is a bad coach now."  My assessment is that he, like his dad, is an incredible coach so I'd take him.  He turned around Wash State overnight with his dad...does he need his dad?  I don't think so.  But I like him and don't mind the style like everyone else does...Big East or not.  I guess if it does happen, I hope it is someone like these type of guys that have had success and not just some mid major guy that took an unexpected team to the tournament a couple times.  Time will tell.  I think the most interesting one would be Wojo.  How would that look?

[NersEllenson]

Shaka Smart from VCU is the ONLY coach I'd want...that I feel we might have a chance at landing...

But again...let's hope Buzz doesn't leave..to me this would be the worst possible time for that to happen.  Got to think Buzz sees the upside with his current roster and incoming recruits.

I believe Buzz's family desires obviously are first...but second to that...he cares deeply about his players.  It would be really hard on him to leave a DJO/Crowder/Vander, and every other player.  Just don't see it happening.

[Warrior_2002]

Oh it would obviously be hard, but I don't think as hard as you think.  Family trumps all, like you said, and it would be emotional for him to leave, but it is just like every other coaching move.  All coaches are attached to their players emotionally.  I do think, however, that he would leave a heck of a lot more respectfully than his predecessor.  It would be done "in the right way" as Buzz would say.

I also agree that we don't need this to happen right now.

[brewcity77]

Shaka Smart might be a nice hire. My only question would be if he can recruit at this level. Does anyone know what he did at Florida? I have to imagine he got some good recruiting pointers from Donovan and Purnell, and I'm a big fan of their style of play. He'd be on my short list.

I would like Wojo as a hire, mainly because I admired him as a player. Not great, but steady and smart. Of course, learning from K is a plus. Bennett wouldn't be bad, but I'm leery of his production of late and his moving around. Would we be a destination or just another stop?

How about guys currently on our staff? Maybe Aki Collins or Scott Monarch? Neither really have the high-major experience, but neither did Buzz.

Other guys that I could see...

Tommy Amaker - I know he might not be the most popular name, but he was a rising star at SHU before Michigan derailed him. But that was a bad situation from the start. Very good recruiter that is back on the rise and actually has experience at the high-major level

Chris Mack - He's getting top 100 players to Xavier and continuing what Miller started. Not sure he would be able to replicate it, but it's hard not to admire what today's opponent has done in recent years.

[wojosdojo]

On the plus side, he could bring Mike Shaw with him.

Weber also could bring underated 6'-10" PF Nnanna Egwu who actually might be better than Shaw. He can recruit outstandingly (in the Chicago area) but if he doesn't make a run in the next two years I'd start to question what he can do with his talents.

[MarquetteFan94]

I hope Buzz stays and, ultimately, I think he will.  But if not here's a few candidates that seem interesting...some, if not all, have been mentioned.

Mike Dunlap- on Lavin's staff, great rep as an instructional, defensive-minded coach, knows the BE, helped lead Arizona to Sweet 16 when Lute went down, also has NBA coaching experience

Chris Collins- not sure if he's next in line at Duke but has had the benefit of Coach K's mentoring, good Chicago ties

Chris Mooney- Richmond HC, flavor of the day but has that program on track, community-focused guy which would be appreciated at MU, already been mentioned for the G-Tech job

Darrin Horn- hasn't fared well at SC (yet) but took WKU to the Sweet 16 with his players, understands the MU landscape for the most part

Joe Dooley- assistant to Self at KU, ranked as top asst in US by Foxsports, supposed to be a good recruiter, head coaching experience at ECU (where he actually won), from NJ, played at St. Benedict's

[T-Bone]

Did anyone think Buzz was BigEast ready? 

Hoping Buzz stays, but if not I call dibs on his Valor Blue sportcoat.

[NersEllenson]

Weber also could bring underated 6'-10" PF Nnanna Egwu who actually might be better than Shaw. He can recruit outstandingly (in the Chicago area) but if he doesn't make a run in the next two years I'd start to question what he can do with his talents.

I have major questions as to Weber's recruiting ability.  I believe he lands the talent he does due to being the predominant state school in Illinois.  Just like most Wisconsin kids grow up wanting to play at UW...the same has to hold true in Illinois.  Chicago kids grow up watching the Illini....and not Marquette (or at least not as much)

[Goose]

Buzz needs to remain the man. Cottingham cannot allow Buzz to leave so quickly.

[GGGG]

I look at the track record of Coach K assistants, and I say "no thanks."  No Wojo, no Collins, no Amacher.

Pastner isn't coming here.  MU is a marginal step-up from Memphis...if a step up at all.  Weber isn't coming here either.

Dooley and Dunlap would be fine.

[Lighthouse 84]

Buzz needs to remain the man. Cottingham cannot allow Buzz to leave so quickly.

Bingo.

[Pakuni]

I have major questions as to Weber's recruiting ability.  I believe he lands the talent he does due to being the predominant state school in Illinois.  Just like most Wisconsin kids grow up wanting to play at UW...the same has to hold true in Illinois.  Chicago kids grow up watching the Illini....and not Marquette (or at least not as much)

Sorry, Ners, but that's absolutely not true. Downstate kids, i.e. from Peoria, Springfield, East St. Louis, Decatur, grow up wanting to play for Illinois, but Chicago kids hold no such loyalty. Hence, it's not much of a surprise when Chicago's top players - kids like Derrick Rose, Sherron Collins, Jon Scheyer, Julian Wright, Shannon Brown, Sean Dockery, etc. - often leave state.
Weber still gets ripped for it, of course, but it's entirely common, and happened under his predecessor. The exception has been, for a time post Ray Meyer, when Lou Henson got all the top Public League talent, largely because he was keeping Sonny Cox in $1,000 suits.