How long is your coach under contract for?

[dwaderoy2004]

Because they have never had an african american head coach for the basketball or football teams, and two of the members of the board are being very vocal about this:

http://espn.go.com/chicago/ncf/story/_/id/7481667/two-trustees-vote-illinois-hire-tim-beckman-cite-race

[Skatastrophy]

I'd be pissed if MU hired a guy based on his race instead of him being the best guy for the job. 

[Dawson Rental]

5) They have their own TV network? I'm not sure how that is working out but not many schools have their own sports tv network.  

Great for Texas, not so great for the Big 12.  It was a major reason for Texas A&M deciding to look to the SEC, and it was a big part of Nebraska and Colorado being pried away last year.

Other Big 12 members were not pissed about the cable network per se, but by Texas' making it all their own, keeping all the revenue to themselves, and it's potential to be a huge recruiting tool for Texas.

[Hoopaloop]

Texas is not A&M.  UT was in serious jeopardy of not making the tournament a few weeks ago.  They are on the bubble now.  A school like Texas shouldn't be missing the NCAA Tournament considering they aren't coming off probation or some kind of major upheaval.  Hard to see Barnes not there, but if they miss the tournament the seat will get hotter. 

[Aughnanure]

Great for Texas, not so great for the Big 12.  It was a major reason for Texas A&M deciding to look to the SEC, and it was a big part of Nebraska and Colorado being pried away last year.

Other Big 12 members were not pissed about the cable network per se, but by Texas' making it all their own, keeping all the revenue to themselves, and it's potential to be a huge recruiting tool for Texas.

No, they were ALL pissed (and have been at Texas for some time)...some just had more options to demonstrate their anger than others.

[tower912]

'tis the season, ho-ho-ho.   It is nice that we have a coach that a lot of other programs covet.    Buzz has been straightfoward after every season about the fact that he is not leaving and why.     I'm not going to worry one second about it until Buzz says he is leaving.  Don't mess with happy. 

[Hoopaloop]

I'm with 2002 and Hards on this one - UT is a huge job and comparing it to A+M is like comparing UNC to NC State.

Interesting, though, that our UT visitor reports that Texas fans are mixed over whether Buzz would be a good fit. IMHO Barnes is nothing special and Williams would be a huge upgrade.

The mixed feelings could be over this type of statement, though not entirely sure what they mean by it

Top of page two from that site

Quote Originally Posted by Red Five
"Buzz Williams would be an excellent choice."

Quote Originally Posted by Beast 512
"Not according to people that know him."



http://www.shaggybevo.com/board/showthread.php/105514-Potential-coaching-candidates./page2

[tower912]

I read that.   I interpreted it to mean that somebody close to him told them there was no chance he was coming.   

[Aughnanure]

This little nugget from the Illini board is fun, apparently we weren't that good in the 70s.

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=169&f=2616&t=8696304&p=21

[JustinLewisFanClubPres]

This little nugget from the Illini board is fun, apparently we weren't that good in the 70s.

I have a lot of family that went to Illinois and I follow that program as close as any program after Marquette but some posters there (as with some posters everywhere) have serious delusions about the historical value of that program.

I have read some people actually wondering if Billy Donovan is a candidate to replace Weber.  I think that says it all.

On a side note, I don't think Illinois would put up the money for Buzz that MU does now.  They have a coach that took them to the title game and he is nowhere near compensated like Buzz is right now.

[nyg]

http://collegesportsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/05/texas-rick-barnes-gets-200000-raise-sala.html

Barnes makes 2.4 M a year.  If Buzz makes 2M, not much difference salary-wise.  Comes down to conference, Texas ties, etc.  Should not be a monetary factor. 

[Dr. Blackheart]

http://collegesportsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/05/texas-rick-barnes-gets-200000-raise-sala.html

Barnes makes 2.4 M a year.  If Buzz makes 2M, not much difference salary-wise.  Comes down to conference, Texas ties, etc.  Should not be a monetary factor. 

Buzz is closer to 2.4 or more now.  Barnes sniffed at the MU job when Crean left because of Strong.  Cottingham and Wild knew how to protect and lock up the brand after CTC left in the dark of the night.  That said, UT would have pull.

[🏀]

I have a lot of family that went to Illinois and I follow that program as close as any program after Marquette but some posters there (as with some posters everywhere) have serious delusions about the historical value of that program.

I have read some people actually wondering if Billy Donovan is a candidate to replace Weber.  I think that says it all.

On a side note, I don't think Illinois would put up the money for Buzz that MU does now.  They have a coach that took them to the title game and he is nowhere near compensated like Buzz is right now.

Illinois is not elite. Marquette is not elite. We're both in the pile of schools after the blue bloods. You cannot even compare the schools equally.

That being said Marquette Basketball > Illinois Basketball in everything that matters.

[buckchuckler]

Didn't you hear, we have the Marquette Radio Network, same thing!

Barnes isn't getting dumped this year. UT is the only school I would worry about for Buzz though. I don't think he's polished enough for what a Kansas, Duke, NC, Kentucky, UCLA would look for. Minnesota and Illinois may have openings this year, and feel like they can just grab Buzz, but I don't even know if it's more than a 30 second phone call to Buzz to understand they don't have a chance.

The Illini board has a 40 pg thread on this, with most people wanting Buzz as one of their top 3 options along with Shaka, Painter, and Grant. Seems like they are under some pressure to hire an African American candidate though.


Not worried in the least about losing Buzz to Illinois.  Don't see any reason why that is a step up for Buzz right now. 

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Buzz is closer to 2.4 or more now.  Barnes sniffed at the MU job when Crean left because of Strong.  Cottingham and Wild knew how to protect and lock up the brand after CTC left in the dark of the night.  That said, UT would have pull.

Barnes is a state employee, so we know how much he makes from UT, right?

Do we know how much Nike and other sponsors are paying him for camps and such?

That might be what makes the UT job more lucrative, and we won't see those numbers.

Just thinking out loud...

[Warriors10]

This little nugget from the Illini board is fun, apparently we weren't that good in the 70s.

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=169&f=2616&t=8696304&p=21

Scout board...obvious trolls

[brewcity77]

This little nugget from the Illini board is fun, apparently we weren't that good in the 70s.

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=169&f=2616&t=8696304&p=21

OMFG that thread is hilarious. I'm not going to say we're elite, but Illinois is only on par with Marquette in terms of basketball history if you go back to the early 1950s. Personally, I don't think Texas would have much of a chance at drawing Buzz away, but there is absolutely NO WAY IN HELL a school like Illinois would have any remote shred of a hope of Buzz heading there unless around 50 high-majors simply imploded upon themselves. Illinois isn't elite, and frankly, isn't even high-level. They're at best about the 7th best team in their conference historically.

[TJ]

This little nugget from the Illini board is fun, apparently we weren't that good in the 70s.

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=169&f=2616&t=8696304&p=21

From that thread:

Not to beat a dead horse, but it seems to me the only "home run" names I've seen mentioned are Matta & Donovan.

And the main objections seem to be:

(1) They will never leave where they are.
(2) OSU & UF will match any offer we make no matter how good.
(3) We can't afford them.
(4) They will not only turn us down but laugh at us when doing so.

With respect to (1) - Isn't it more likely than not that the jobs currently held by these two are not their "dream jobs"?  And if you aren't at the one place you want to be, don't you consider other opportunities?  In addition, IMHO, a very reasonable argument can be made that UI BB is a "better job" than OSU or UF BB.  Also, isn't it known that these two have "looked around" a little bit within the recent past.

With respect to (2) - So what?  If our package is competitive and they want to leave, they will.  While it may be "always about the (most) money" for the (pro) players (and maybe some collegians as well biggrin), maybe it's different with coaches.  Haven't we heard that Sumlin turned down more money from us?

With respect to (3) - If one of these (or any coach for that matter) turned us into a truly elite program, does anyone doubt that the financial benefit to DIA and UI would dwarf the salary being paid?

With respect to (4) - Guys like this wouldn't laugh at any serious offer from anyone.  It isn't "good business".

Hilarious!  I would love to hear his "very reasonable argument" that UI BB is better than Florida BB.

[Ellenson Guerrero]

Illinois is not elite. Marquette is not elite. We're both in the pile of schools after the blue bloods. You cannot even compare the schools equally.

That being said Marquette Basketball > Illinois Basketball in everything that matters.

Despite Illini fans ranting that their program is a solid 15-20 spots ahead of ours in the historical landscape of college basketball, I actually think the two programs are about as comparable as one could imagine. We have the title. Each school has a runner up finish. We have the exact same number of NCAA tournament appearances. They have a few more Final Fours and Elite Eights (bolstered by pre-1960s numbers). Both schools have had segments of sustained success, sprinkled in with a few down eras.

Illini fans are just going on their own inflated sense of self for being in the Big Bore. I think that each school is in the second tier of national programs and if I were Buzz I would see absolutely no reason to make an almost perfectly horizontal move.

[boyonthedock]

The only thing i can see that puts U of I above MU is conference stability. and if buzz doesn't get scared bythe changing landscape, we have nothing to fear for the u of i s of the world.

[Tugg Speedman]

The only thing i can see that puts U of I above MU is conference stability. and if buzz doesn't get scared bythe changing landscape, we have nothing to fear for the u of i s of the world.

If he's scared by the changing landscape, where does one go for stability?  Certainly not the B12.

[🏀]

The only thing i can see that puts U of I above MU is conference stability. and if buzz doesn't get scared bythe changing landscape, we have nothing to fear for the u of i s of the world.

Conference stability would be the only thing.

[JWags85]

Despite Illini fans ranting that their program is a solid 15-20 spots ahead of ours in the historical landscape of college basketball, I actually think the two programs are about as comparable as one could imagine. We have the title. Each school has a runner up finish. We have the exact same number of NCAA tournament appearances. They have a few more Final Fours and Elite Eights (bolstered by pre-1960s numbers). Both schools have had segments of sustained success, sprinkled in with a few down eras.

Illini fans are just going on their own inflated sense of self for being in the Big Bore. I think that each school is in the second tier of national programs and if I were Buzz I would see absolutely no reason to make an almost perfectly horizontal move.

Living in Chicago, I have seen first hand the absolute delusion of Illinois fans.  All you need to know is some still think their Rose Bowl game against USC was "way more competitive than the score indicates" and that thread shows you all you need to know about their view of the basketball program.

[TJ]

If he's scared by the changing landscape, where does one go for stability?  Certainly not the B12.

I don't think Buzz is leaving, but it's not the B12 we're talking about, it's Texas.  If the B12 implodes, Texas will land on its feet.

[Benny B]

I don't think Buzz would ever take a blue-blood coaching job and certainly not a big-budget (e.g. UT) job this early in his career.  I don't think money makes any difference with Buzz... not to say that he doesn't want to make more of it, but Buzz strikes me as a guy who wants to coach.  As a matter of example:

-- If you gave Calipari a $5M/yr annuity for the rest of his life on the condition he'd never again coach anything higher than a high school JV team, IMO, he would take it in a heartbeat.
-- If you offered Buzz the same thing, I honestly don't think he would.

In any event, I don't know that Buzz would want to go to a program where he could be on the chopping block after one bad year... blue-bloods and big-budgets have no loyalty to their coaches, only to winning.  If even Coach K strung together 3 straight years of NIT appearances, you better believe the calls for his retirement would be heard all the way to Uzbekistan.  Not to say MU fans wouldn't feel some discontent after three years of watching the dance at home, but it's not going to be the psychotic anger you'd see at places like UNC, Texas, Kansas, KY, etc. (one intangible benefit of MU not having a state-wide fan base composed of uneducated rednecks.)  All it would take is a down recruiting year, a few unfortunate injuries, or losing a prized recruit to a rival, and Buzz could fall from blue-blood/big-budget to JUCO ass't in a year's time.  Yes... he could get a guaranteed multimillion dollar contract at one of those schools, but if it's job security (i.e. not financial security) Buzz wants, he isn't going to find any major program that comes close to what he has at MU.

In other words, I think the leash at MU is much longer and quite a bit more forgiving insomuch as while we certainly enjoy and expect to win at MU, most MU stakeholders don't feel entitled to it (present scooper company notwithstanding) and would happily tolerate 2-4 years of NIT runs sandwiched by Sweet Sixteens and the occasional Final Four run.