Zags Blog: Buzz would leave for Texas, probably not OU

[Pakuni]

Take it for what it's worth.

http://www.zagsblog.com/2011/03/25/source-williams-would-consider-texas-if-barnes-leaves/#more-49481

[JTBMU7]

buzz would be nuts not to take the UT job. They are about to have their own sports network for crissakes... im all for him staying at MU, but there's not a lot of schools out there that can compete with what Texas has to offer as far as an athletic program.

that being said, i dont see how Barnes leaves for NC State of all places...

[MUMac]

The source did not say leave, but consider.  There is a difference.  I take it to mean that he is not even thinking about leaving MU for OU.  If Texas were to open, he would have to look seriously at that opening.  Doesn't mean he would take it.  He knows with what is coming back and the recruits, that it would be difficult to leave.

That said, Texas would concern me far more than OU or Ark.

[Mr. Nielsen]

I didn't know Rick Barnes was leaving Texas anytime soon.

[Avenue Commons]

I didn't know Rick Barnes was leaving Texas anytime soon.

He isn't. And of course Buzz would be interested in the Texas job. Just like he may be interested in Oklahoma. But interested only means willing to listen.

Buzz isn't going anywhere. He owes it to himself and his family to listen to these job offers. Just like we would if headhunters were recruiting us. But that doesn't mean the grass is greener on the other side. Buzz is kind of the world at MU. He isn't leaving.

[Dish]

I like Buzz, but if the UT job opened, I'd almost say he'd be a fool not to go after that job.

[mr.MUskie]

If Texas were to open, he would have to look seriously at that opening.  Doesn't mean he would take it. 

Also doesn't mean they would offer it.  We're assuming that if the Texas job did open up at some point that Buzz would automatically be their number one candidate.  Just because he's from there doesn't mean they wouldn't look elsewhere. 

[Pakuni]

Also doesn't mean they would offer it.  We're assuming that if the Texas job did open up at some point that Buzz would automatically be their number one candidate.  Just because he's from there doesn't mean they wouldn't look elsewhere. 

Agreed.
I don't think the item is meant to infer that the Texas job is opening anytime soon, but rather that if it were to open, it's a job that Buzz would bail for at a moment's notice ... not unlike what we always thought about Crean and Michigan State.
The source, whoever that may be, is saying that Buzz doesn't feel the same way at all about OU.
That said, Barnes is under a bit of pressure at Texas. They've only been past the second round once the past five seasons.

[bilsu]

Buzz would be up against some pretty stiff competition for Texas job. Even if he was interested, that does not mean he would get it. I be surprised if the Texas job opened up in the next three years.

[GGGG]

At this point in his career UT would not be interested in buzz anyway. They would shoot a lot higher than that.

[HouWarrior]

At this point in his career UT would not be interested in buzz anyway. They would shoot a lot higher than that.

I agree. Buzz is not a teasip kind of guy...he is aggie like, and UT is conscious of style/appearance...CEO coach types are its preference.

[Goose]

Buzz getting UT job if Barnes left is a bit of reach. Believe they would have quite a list of guys and doubt if the Buzzer would be on top of the list.

[Tugg Speedman]

Zags wrote

As far as Williams, Tulsa World columnist Dave Sittler reported that, contrary to reports, Williams, 38, doesn't have a $3.8 million buyout clause in his contract.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that Williams has a six-year rollover contract that pays him about $1.5 million annually.

The source confirmed that Williams' buyout was in the seven-figure range, but added that it "goes down in two weeks."

Last night in Rosiak's blog,. I asked him this:

[Comment From AnotherMU84:]
Todd, more and more stories from OK and TX sports reporters/bloggers said today your $3.8 million buyout is way too high. Still stand by it?

7:24 Todd Rosiak:
LOL. Yes. Where do you think they're getting THEIR information from? Hmm...


---

I've written this 20 times now and I will write it again ... these reporters and bloggers know nothing.  This is yet another case of reporters talking to reporters and quoting each other.

Rosiak talked to Buzz and Cottingham and said the buyout $3.8 million.  Rosiak is the source of this number!  If its wrong and Buzz leaves, Cottingham has an issue for lying to Rosiak.

Yet some guy from A Tulsa newspaper who has never met Buzz or Cotts has it all figured out.  Rosiak is wrong about the buyout but they will quote Rosiak about the other details about Buzz's contract.

Zags has no idea what he is talking about.  He read other stories and selectively quoted what he wants.

[77ncaachamps]

An aside: I hope Aki gets the Fairfield job interview then hire. It's always good to see MU assistants take the helm at other institutions. If he gets hired, Fairfield should be one of the schools on our non-conf next year.

That said, I do not want to return to the revolving assistant coach days from TC's tenure.

[ChicosBailBonds]

At this point in his career UT would not be interested in buzz anyway. They would shoot a lot higher than that.

Completely agree and that is not a slam on Buzz, its the culture of UT

[rocky_warrior]

That said, Barnes is under a bit of pressure at Texas. They've only been past the second round once the past five seasons.

Funny, I was surprised when I saw last week that Texas has never won a NC in basketball.  There's been a lot of talent though there for sure, but they haven't gotten the holy grail.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Funny, I was surprised when I saw last week that Texas has never won a NC in basketball.  There's been a lot of talent though there for sure, but they haven't gotten the holy grail.

Neither has Illinois

[rocky_warrior]

Neither has Illinois

What does that have to do with this thread?

[ChicosBailBonds]

What does that have to do with this thread?

Like Texas, Illinois has a "lot of talent though there for sure, but they haven't gotten the holy grail".  Many people are surprised by that, just as you were with Texas. I'd argue historically Illinois is a better program than Texas, slightly, which makes it also surprising.

[GGGG]

The State of Texas emergence as a hotbed of basketball talent is relatively recent.  A generation ago, you didn't see a great deal of talent coming out of the state, and that is why you haven't seen schools like UT or A&M do much in basketball.  I think Texas has only been to one final four.

[Marquette84]

Completely agree and that is not a slam on Buzz, its the culture of UT

At this point in his career UT would not be interested in buzz anyway. They would shoot a lot higher than that.

Buzz getting UT job if Barnes left is a bit of reach. Believe they would have quite a list of guys and doubt if the Buzzer would be on top of the list.

I'm just curious--who WOULD Texas be interested in (and vice versa)?  

If they would shoot higher than Buzz, you have to think that takes out VCU's smart, Butler's Stevens, and other up-and coming coaches.

The A-List/HOF coaches (Roy Williams, Coach K, Boeheim, Calhoun, Ryan, Izzo) have been with their programs so long that it seems a stretch that they would leave for a program that they would feel is a step down.  BIlly Donavan and Jay Wright have already taken a pass at a higher profile program with Kentucky.  Sean Miller already seems to have a pretty good thing going at Arizona, and Texas would be a lateral at best. 

With their recent performance, I doubt UT would want someone like Howland, Crean, or Tubby.

Who does that leave?  Jamie Dixon?  Mark Turgeon?  Matt Painter? I don't see those guys as being "a lot" higher than Buzz.  Slightly, perhaps, but not by a huge distance.

[JTBMU7]

I heard Painter was mentioned for the Mizzou job, seemed odd to me as I always think of Purdue as a destination spot, at least much more than Mizzou.

I could see any of those coaches leaving for UT, it's just got so much money/exposure/recruiting pipelines/etc that are already built in that it almost makes it difficult NOT to have consistent success there (as Barnes has had).

[texaswarrior74]

um...Jamie Dixon is a lot higher than Buzz right now....he may not be in three ot four years, but as of today that is the case.

You don't see his name mentioned for jobs like OU, Tennessee or Arkansas but if UCLA, Duke, UNC or Kentucky opened, up his name would be on the short lists...

[Blackhat]

Rick Barnes is going to be Texas' Jim Boeheim.    Don't worry about that job, he'll be there for a long time, Texas doesn't care enough about basketball.

[Marquette84]

um...Jamie Dixon is a lot higher than Buzz right now....he may not be in three ot four years, but as of today that is the case.

You don't see his name mentioned for jobs like OU, Tennessee or Arkansas but if UCLA, Duke, UNC or Kentucky opened, up his name would be on the short lists...

I think those top level programs might be concerned about Dixon's ability to win the big ones in the NCAA tournament.

I also think the reason he wasn't mentioned ahead of Buzz for OU, UT or Arkansas was because those schools think Buzz has a higher upside for the same price, not because they think Dixon is out of their reach--both Buzz and Dixon are paid about the same (if you believe Rosiak's claim of Buzz's salary).