Realistic Oklahoma Article

[HoopsMalone]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/OU/article.aspx?subjectid=92&articleid=20110326_92_0_NORMAN126359

[NickelDimer]

"If you track my past, I've never made a decision on money. Ever. And I have never made a decision on location."

Wow, this quote was as telling as any and this is the first I've read of it.  I don't remember this being in TR's article?

[96warrior]

Wow, this quote was as telling as any and this is the first I've read of it.  I don't remember this being in TR's article?

That is huge. Most speculation has been around the fact that the south is Buzz's roots, where he came from and where his wife came from, and that is what speculation has used to link him to the OK job. That quote comforts me more than anything else has in terms of his staying at Marquette.

[Avenue Commons]

Here's the quote (posted within "fair use" standards):

"I have now completed three seasons as head coach at MU. I have worked under three different contracts," Williams told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel after his third season at Marquette ended at 22-15. "I anticipate, if I can sleep between now and open of business on Monday, that on Monday we'll begin to work on the fourth contract.

"Is it gonna happen Monday? I don't think so. I can tell you this: From the bottom to the top... I have great confidence in (Marquette). I think they feel the same way about me. And no amount of money, no years of service, no anything else that goes into a contract means more to me than that."

Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/OU/article.aspx?subjectid=92&articleid=20110326_92_0_NORMAN126359

[Avenue Commons]

How the hell does this thread (with the most conclusive statements by ANYONE regarding the situation and the statements are by BUZZ himself) only have 3 posts? Buzz straight up said that NEXT WEEK HE IS GOING TO STARTING WORKING WITH MARQUETTE ON A NEW CONTRACT! What else do people want to hear?

It just goes to show that a lot of Marquette fans just want to whine and complain and not believe the program can keep a hot commodity like Buzz. Some fans want to say "woe be me" and talk about "Buzz to XYZ...." The lack of faith in the administration and the program is unnecessary and annoying to boosters like me who have invested in this program and committed to its growth and believe we are a very competitive program knocking on the door of being an elite program. This program has now made six straight NCAA tournaments and finished the last one in the Sweet 16. In past years there were games (Stanford, Missouri and Washington) where we were literally one bucket from advancing. In short, this program has steadily progressed let alone remained consistent.

Maybe the lack of self esteem by some is from what happened with Tom Crean going to Indiana. Please remember that Roy Williams left Kansas to go to North Carolina. Even at the top coaching changes can happen. We should not let the TC situation be a prophecy for every coach in the future. Also remember that when Kevin O'Neill left for Tennessee in 1994, he then changed his mind after he got there and wanted to come back. O'Neill was soon done at Tennessee and ended up coaching next at a lower-tier team in the Big 10 in Northwestern.

You can rest assured that Marquette is not the "stepping stone" people make it out to be and is a destination job. No one asks when Jay Wright is leaving Villanova or Jamie Dixon is leaving Pitt or Mike Brey is leaving Notre Dame. It should be no different with Buzz Williams and Marquette.

[Blackhat]

I've stopped reading into words......just let it play out.   Unfortunately, Mike Anderson worked on a new contract too.  Just need to let it play out.

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

"Is it gonna happen Monday? I don't think so."

This is a DIRECT QUOTE that he does NOT anticipate singing a contract with MU - he's as good as gone!  The sky is falling the sky is falling!

[TJ]

How the hell does this thread (with the most conclusive statements by ANYONE regarding the situation and the statements are by BUZZ himself) only have 3 posts? Buzz straight up said that NEXT WEEK HE IS GOING TO STARTING WORKING WITH MARQUETTE ON A NEW CONTRACT! What else do people want to hear?

Sorry, I went a little drinky last night and just woke up.  This is great news, confirming what I already thought was going to happen.  I really hope Buzz becomes our Mark Few or Tom Izzo and stays forever.  I have confidence that he can and will do that.

You can rest assured that Marquette is not the "stepping stone" people make it out to be and is a destination job. No one asks when Jay Wright is leaving Villanova or Jamie Dixon is leaving Pitt or Mike Brey is leaving Notre Dame. It should be no different with Buzz Williams and Marquette.

Dixon and Wright where #1 & #2 on Tennessee's ridiculous list.  The speculation will never end.  However, it can remain speculation forever in rare special cases.  I hope Buzz is a rare special case.

[MUBurrow]

Now that the year is over and I can really start talking about this, Marquette is a destination job - but it doesnt kill the little twinge in the back of a coach's mind about what if. What if they could get one of those top jobs in the country (im talking like top 10 or 15 jobs).  Very few schools can do that though. Thats why I think we were all worried about Buzz going to OU --> its not that great of a gig, and would have to be taken for reasons other than pure BBall hierarchy.  Kind of an implicit fall for MU in the eyes of the public were that to happen.

That being said, i think that this is fantastic news and means a lot.  It eases my mind because it sort of puts an end to the rumors that Buzz has had one foot out the door and expressed that through backdoor channels. I'm not sure how much stock I ever put into those rumors, but its nice to have them overtly refuted by the man himself.  I think this last line of quotes from Buzz raises the bar to the level where if he leaves now (at least if he leaves without a drawn out process where he and Cottingham can't ink a new deal... at which point it would be about the money so who knows) some of these quotes would qualify as dishonest.

[ATWizJr]

He's staying.  He always intended to stay.  No more than 3 posts are needed.

[Earl Tatum]

Sean Miller

[TJ]

Just finished reading the whole article and the whole jsonline article from Rosiak and I'm yet again encouraged by what Buzz has to say.  He always says the right thing and so far has always followed it up with the right action.  Looking forward to having him here for a long time.

[4everwarriors]

Where does it say he's staying? Stuff happens in negotiations. Like him to stay, but it's far from a done deal imo.

[NotAnAlum]

Where does it say he's staying? Stuff happens in negotiations. Like him to stay, but it's far from a done deal imo.

Good God 4ever, what do you want a product manual.  I've worked in large project sales all my life and if we heard something like this from a customer I'd say the order is virtually ours.  People rarely give you an unequivocal YES when there are details to be worked out.  They'd be stupid to do so.  If anything Buzz has already shown too much of his hand by saying that money is not his number one goal and location is not a big issue.
Short of MU doing something incredibly stupid based on this article I'M CERTAIN Buzz is staying.  This article is also a message to OU, better start looking at plan B.

[Blackhat]

4ever is not saying anything earth-shattering, people should hold back until things are actually finalized.  Did you not just see what Mike Anderson did to the other MU?   Just a week or two before he left: "I plan on being at Missouri for a long time, retire here,"

[jaybilaswho?]

4ever is not saying anything earth-shattering, people should hold back until things are actually finalized.  Did you not just see what Mike Anderson did to the other MU?   Just a week or two before he left: “I plan on being at Missouri for a long time retire here,”

Mike Anderson's character is nowhere close to the character that Buzz has portrayed to us over the last 3 years.

[Blackhat]

Mike Anderson's character is nowhere close to the character that Buzz has portrayed to us over the last 3 years.

Mike Anderson was portrayed as a great guy as far as I know.   I've never heard a bad word on Mike Anderson's character before a week ago when his ACTIONS revealed his character rather than his words....lets just sit tight and not get too excited until this thing is finalized.

[Donnybrook]

Almost every year TC was here I thought he was leaving. The first year I did not have this feeling he bolted for IU. But I have never had one inkling that Buzz is going anywhere for a long, long time.

Was at the game last night and sat around mostly local NY area MU fans (somewhat surprisingly there is a ton of us!). I was shocked by the conversations around me that most thought it was a foregone conclusion that Buzz was leaving. One lady even said near the end of the game, "So after this game I think there is a chance Buzz might actually stay another year", implying that his stock went down and suitors will lose interest.

I just don't get this mind-set that we are this mid-major type program. This is not the 90's anymore. The people running MU, Crean and Buzz have officially made us a major program again, in a major conference. And yes, a destination job.

[jaybilaswho?]

Mike Anderson was portrayed as a great guy as far as I know.   I've never heard a bad word on Mike Anderson's character before a week ago when his ACTIONS revealed his character rather than his words....lets just sit tight and not get too excited until this thing is finalized.

I am sorry... i have researched MA's character. there is nothing that I have found to be suspect. I have texts to friends that went to/go to Mizzou and havent gotten anything back yet on this. I will change my statement that when Buzz says that money, and location, have never played into his decisions... I believe him.

I just don't get this mind-set that we are this mid-major type program. This is not the 90's anymore. The people running MU, Crean and Buzz have officially made us a major program again, in a major conference. And yes, a destination job.

I would say that we are a major program, but wouldnt say that we are a destination job... yet. Our move to the Big East helped us get closer. Our performance since we have joined has proven that we do in fact belong in the conference. I think that what holds us back from being a desination job is that our coaches leave MU ... for whatever reason. To get us over the hump,IMO, is that we get a guy to stay here for an extended period. Give us 10 years at least and ocntinue to keep MU in , at least the top half of the conference



... I dont know if its the website or the computer i am using but i cannot see what i am writing as the scroll bar keeps going back to the top of the comment field. I am gonna try to figure out whats going on with this.

[NotAnAlum]

4ever is not saying anything earth-shattering, people should hold back until things are actually finalized.  Did you not just see what Mike Anderson did to the other MU?   Just a week or two before he left: "I plan on being at Missouri for a long time, retire here,"

Anderson makes my point.  I'd much perfer Buzz talking about what's important and talking about working something out with MU opposed to some "long time, retire here" sound bite that Anderson backed out on 24 hours later.

[4everwarriors]

All I'm sayin' right now, is let's wait and see. Both sides seem well intentioned, but this is big business with lots of money and other stuff involved. Once the euphoria evaporates and the details are crunched, we'll know if a deal is consummated.
Apparently believing half of what you read and nothing of what you hear is just a phrase to sum. How 'bout "contracts are made to be broken?"

[ChicosBailBonds]

Mike Anderson's character is nowhere close to the character that Buzz has portrayed to us over the last 3 years.

That's because you follow MU.  How much do you follow Mike Anderson's career or his character?  I'm just asking because when you say "nowhere close", how do you know unless you are truly following Anderson for the last three years.

None of us know.  I'd say it's likely that he stays, but nothing is 100% in this profession.  Mike Anderson is just the latest and it happens time and time and time and time again.

When Buzz does leave, and some day he will, does that mean the character fails at that point?

[HoopsMalone]

Anderson has an agent who might have made this situation look worse than it needed to be the last few weeks.  Maybe Anderson got a few $100K more per year with it.  Who knows.

[MUMac]

Mike Anderson was portrayed as a great guy as far as I know.   I've never heard a bad word on Mike Anderson's character before a week ago when his ACTIONS revealed his character rather than his words....lets just sit tight and not get too excited until this thing is finalized.

Well then, when can we consider it finalized?  Coaches have signed extensions, new contracts, etc and left before the ink dried.  Do we have to wait until school starts next fall?  Wait until practice starts?  The season?

If he doesn't sign a new contract does that mean he is leaving?

I take Buzz at his word.  Does not differ from waht I had been hearing the past few weeks from MU either. 

[HoopsMalone]

Buzz is a guy who talks about his weight problems and sleeping issues.  He does not hold anything back. 

I feel like he would have talked about how he and his family "love it up in the Great Lakes region, but we are really Southerners at heart."  He has only praised MU and talked about how he is a surprisingly good fit at MU.