Buzz sounding like Al?

[TVDirector]

his version of the 'cracked sidewalks' philosophy of player recruitment/personality?

'"I root for guys that are playing from behind and I root for guys that don't have a white picket fence and a puppy dog in the front yard. I root for those guys and I seem to coach those guys better because their story is reflective of mine. '

[Brewtown Andy]

Well, we'd definitely characterize Buzz as eccentric.

[bilsu]

I wonder what he thought when Vander got a puppy last year?

[tower912]

I have noticed that to this point he seems to get better results from the JUCO's and lower level recruits than he does from his higher ranked high school recruits.    Which means that Durley is going to be a beast.   

[Silkk the Shaka]

his version of the 'cracked sidewalks' philosophy of player recruitment/personality?

'"I root for guys that are playing from behind and I root for guys that don't have a white picket fence and a puppy dog in the front yard. I root for those guys and I seem to coach those guys better because their story is reflective of mine. '

YES!!!!! I completely agree with him too! It's WAY more fun to root for the guys who didn't grow up with a silver spoon in their mouths.  At the end he said, "And we need to get a couple more JUCO guys to replace 'em."  The full quote starts just after the 10 minute mark in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOBY209eB2o&context=C300c2f6ADOEgsToPDskImZC6T4VYdh6fO9eN1RzYJ

Buzz seems to get really emotional talking about the "JUCO guys," probably because of all the flak he took last year for having "too many JUCO's, not enough traditionals, too many athletes, not enough 'basketball players,' we need to be more like Wisconsin, BLAH BLAH BLAH."  What a lot of these whiners were really saying was that we needed more "smart white guys."  BULLSH*T!!!!  We still have a stable full of athletes this year, except in conference play we're #2 in 3P%, #2 in FT%, #5 in turnover rate, and #1 in assist rate.  Looks like we have the same number of "traditional white guys" as last year (ZERO) and a whole bunch of athletes including two JUCO guys as our best players, yet we're SOMEHOW able to play SMART, skilled, and unselfish basketball.  WHO KNEW???  

Our problem last year was a lack of experience at the D1 level in combination with an unbelievably tough schedule.  It had nothing to do with Buzz' inability to recruit the mythical Traditional.  This year our rotation has an extra year of experience at the D1 level, and a much easier schedule.  These so-called "athletes first, basketball players second" had an extra year to put in work on skills and it shows.  Who on this team is considered an "athlete first, basketball player second" now?  It's mostly the same guys.  I guess we just have a bunch of really athletic "basketball players" - the best of both worlds!  Turns out Buzz knows what he's doing!  Give me a Jimmy Butler, Jae Crowder or DJO "JUCO guy" every single year 'til Buzz retires and I'll be a happy man!

[tower912]

In the middle of your post lies, IMO,  the reason for our improved defense.   A core of guys with a year under their belts playing together in Buzz's scheme.   

[Silkk the Shaka]

I have noticed that to this point he seems to get better results from the JUCO's and lower level recruits than he does from his higher ranked high school recruits.    Which means that Durley is going to be a beast.   

I think it's more fair to say he gets the most out of his upperclassmen, which until this year have not consisted of any his own high school players, highly ranked or not.

2008-2009
Jerel McNeal
Wes Matthews
Dominic James
Lazar Hayward
Dwight Burke
Maurice Acker
David Cubillan

2009-2010
Lazar Hayward
Jimmy Butler
Maurice Acker
David Cubillan
Joe Fulce
Dwight Buycks

2010-2011
Jimmy Butler
DJO
Jae Crowder
Dwight Buycks
Joe Fulce

2011-2012
Jae Crowder
DJO
Junior Cadougan
(Otule out for season)

The upperclassmen have been the stars of the show every single year, whether they've been highly ranked HS guys (McNeal, Matthews, James, Hayward), lowly rated HS guys (Acker, Cubillan) or JUCO All-Stars (Butler, DJO, Crowder, Buycks).  We wouldn't have had any upperclassmen at all last year without the JUCO guys.  In a conference as tough as last year's was, it would have been an unmitigated disaster without them.  Our upperclassmen crop next year looks very promising as well (Cadougan, Blue, JWilson, Gardner, Otule, Jamailman) and they are a mix of highly ranked and under the radar HS guys.  We'll see if my upperclassmen theory holds in the first year with all his HS guys in that role, but I have a hard time believing it won't.

(not knocking you specifically tower, just trying to dispel a myth that's out there, albeit more so last year than this year - and I agree, Durley will be a Beast!)

[Silkk the Shaka]

In the middle of your post lies, IMO,  the reason for our improved defense.   A core of guys with a year under their belts playing together in Buzz's scheme.   

Agree completely with this.  I don't think it's Buzz' scheme that was to blame last year, it's just that the rotations are now more second nature to these guys.  Instead of thinking what they should be doing, it's more instantaneous recognition and reaction from repetition.  Time in a system does wonders.

[tower912]

I see your point in your post about Buzz having upperclassmen carry his team.    It brings up a couple of interesting things to ponder.    How good must the 3 amigos (and Burke) have been to pick up his scheme in one off season?    Second, what is it about Buzz's schemes, particularly on defense, that makes it difficult for freshman to pick up instantly?   Is it the buy in to play hard defense on every possession, which is different from what they did in high school?    Is it something in the scheme itself?

[MUMac]

I see your point in your post about Buzz having upperclassmen carry his team.    It brings up a couple of interesting things to ponder.    How good must the 3 amigos (and Burke) have been to pick up his scheme in one off season?    Second, what is it about Buzz's schemes, particularly on defense, that makes it difficult for freshman to pick up instantly?   Is it the buy in to play hard defense on every possession, which is different from what they did in high school?    Is it something in the scheme itself?

I would add Hayward to that as well.  Buzz almost transformed Hayward and Burke over night, from a defensive standpoint.  He kept them both away from the silly fouls, the hedging fouls, the reaching fouls.  They both bought in, early on. 

That is why I never understood the arguments against Buzz' defense.  Some may not like his philosophy - but that is a philosophical difference.  That does not mean he does not teach, preach or care for defense.  He does.  This year, the defense is kick starting the offense in many games.

[T-Bone]

2011-2012
Jae Crowder
DJO
Junior Cadougan
(Otule out for season)

The upperclassmen have been the stars of the show every single year, whether they've been highly ranked HS guys (McNeal, Matthews, James, Hayward), lowly rated HS guys (Acker, Cubillan) or JUCO All-Stars (Butler, DJO, Crowder, Buycks).  

Here's the fun part about it, we will have significant contributions by underclassmen this year, who should be around through their senior years.

Dwight Burke was the upperclassman that stood out mentioned previously.  So I compared his numbers with the guy I think is most comparable in playing the same (out of) position. 
http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/compare?add=dwight-burke&i=1&p1=jamil-wilson

I loved watching Burke play, but I think it'll be even more fun watching Jamil over the next two seasons.   

You could also plug in Blue's numbers, but I don't really see quite the direct 1-1 correlation between him and any of the previous classes upperclassmen.

[Warriors10]

Common sense.  It is easier to connect and understand people that have gone through the same thing as you.  Making it easier to get player's to trust your system, you as a coach, and rally around you.

[Dawson Rental]

YES!!!!! I completely agree with him too! It's WAY more fun to root for the guys who didn't grow up with a silver spoon in their mouths.  At the end he said, "And we need to get a couple more JUCO guys to replace 'em."  The full quote starts just after the 10 minute mark in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOBY209eB2o&context=C300c2f6ADOEgsToPDskImZC6T4VYdh6fO9eN1RzYJ

Buzz seems to get really emotional talking about the "JUCO guys," probably because of all the flak he took last year for having "too many JUCO's, not enough traditionals, too many athletes, not enough 'basketball players,' we need to be more like Wisconsin, BLAH BLAH BLAH."  What a lot of these whiners were really saying was that we needed more "smart white guys."  BULLSH*T!!!!  We still have a stable full of athletes this year, except in conference play we're #2 in 3P%, #2 in FT%, #5 in turnover rate, and #1 in assist rate.  Looks like we have the same number of "traditional white guys" as last year (ZERO) and a whole bunch of athletes including two JUCO guys as our best players, yet we're SOMEHOW able to play SMART, skilled, and unselfish basketball.  WHO KNEW???  

Our problem last year was a lack of experience at the D1 level in combination with an unbelievably tough schedule.  It had nothing to do with Buzz' inability to recruit the mythical Traditional.  This year our rotation has an extra year of experience at the D1 level, and a much easier schedule.  These so-called "athletes first, basketball players second" had an extra year to put in work on skills and it shows.  Who on this team is considered an "athlete first, basketball player second" now?  It's mostly the same guys.  I guess we just have a bunch of really athletic "basketball players" - the best of both worlds!  Turns out Buzz knows what he's doing!  Give me a Jimmy Butler, Jae Crowder or DJO "JUCO guy" every single year 'til Buzz retires and I'll be a happy man!

Looks like we have the same number of "traditional white guys" as last year (ZERO)

Gone not even a year, yet already forgotten: Robert Frozena!

...and a much easier schedule

Then why the higher RPI?  The BEAST is down, but the noncon schedule was much improved this year.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Looks like we have the same number of "traditional white guys" as last year (ZERO)

Gone not even a year, yet already forgotten: Robert Frozena!

...and a much easier schedule

Then why the higher RPI?  The BEAST is down, but the noncon schedule was much improved this year.

I meant scholarship players not human victory cigars, but I'm sure you knew that.

The higher RPI comes from
1.) more wins, due to more experience and an easier schedule,

and

2.) playing better scrub teams, meaning 150-200 instead of 300+.  Those are teams you will beat anyway, but the 100 rank differential between the scrub teams helps SOS more than playing teams ranked 50-100 vs. 1-50 will hurt the SOS.  However, a schedule made up of many more 1-50 and 300+ is undoubtedly tougher.  Which is why the RPI SOS calculation is inherently flawed.  Brewcity77 has had many great posts about how we did an excellent job "gaming" the non-con schedule this year to pump up that flawed RPI SOS calculation.  This is all you need to know about which schedule is tougher.  Last year we played 16 top 25 Sagarin teams (going 6-10) and 21 top 50 teams, (going 7-14).  The only team to play more was UConn, partially due to their deep run in BEast and NCAA tourneys.  This year, we have played 4 top 25 Sagarin teams (going 2-2) and 7 top 50 teams (going 3-4).  According to Sagarin's SOS calculation, which weights teams differently unlike the RPI SOS, last year's schedule was 9th toughest, this year's is 45th toughest.  That's a lot closer to reality.  Since the NCAA uses the flawed RPI SOS, this year's schedule appears tougher for us without actually looking at it, so great job scheduling by Buzz and co.!