article on Williams (AD)

[downtown85]

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/goldeneagles/williams-settles-into-directors-chair-at-mu-vt4dgja-141323703.html

While I don't think Buzz would necessarily disagree with the following quote from the article but...

"He's an emotional guy, passionate guy, but if you're going to have long-term success, you have to channel that and control that," the athletic director said. "He was happy as a clam to dance across the court, but he didn't think about offending somebody else.

"But that is his passion and exuberance. He is either going to explode because his tie is on too tight or he's going to offend somebody that is irrevocable."

I think one should not go through life worrying about not offending someone else.  Sounds like politically correct BS to me.   

[DJO's Pump Fake]

As long as Larry understands he is the second most important Williams on campus, he and Buzz will get along fine.

[dpucane]

I can't help but feel like this is at least somewhat of a ripple from the Paterno situation. ADs want to show they have control over a coach and not the other way around, even if its not true.

[TallTitan34]

On the changing Big East:

"This isn't pro sports. This isn't the NFL where you have regional conferences and everything else," Williams said. "This is a marrying of academic efforts and athletic efforts and if you stray too far, man, I don't know this is going to be a good end.

"This whole thing is being driven not by the best interests of the student-athlete, but how can we offset their costs or line our pockets," Williams added, fully aware that Marquette is on the outside looking in on the football-centric decisions being made in the Big East.

And it's not just basketball, Williams said. As a member of the Big East, Marquette was competitive with conference teams in other sports.

But now schools are changing and Marquette has to find relationships it never had before.

"Would we have scheduled Houston for a home-and-home for women's soccer? Not a chance in hell," he said.

[Goose]

Not a good quote. MU is too uptight and it might come back to bite them in the ass.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

On the changing Big East:

Along the lines of what he said in Hartford at the UConn pre-game reception.

[denverMU]

If this Notre Dame a$$hole messes with Buzz he should be run out of Milwaukee on a rail.

[Goose]

It started before new AD came to town. Might be very interesting 45 days in Milwaukee.

[Brewtown Andy]

Y'all need to unclench.

[downtown85]

If this Notre Dame a$$hole messes with Buzz he should be run out of Milwaukee on a rail.

Denver, I think you just verbalized what is on many alums' minds.  It will take a long time for the domer to earn my trust and this article does nothing to start to move in that direction.  

With Buzz, on the other hand, the results speak for themselves and he seems like a genuine, honest human being that buys into the mission of the university.  

[Goose]

Not so sure on that Brewtown.

[downtown85]

Not so sure on that Brewtown.

O.K. Goose, tell us what you know!  What started before the AD arrived and how does it affect our beloved coach?

[Goose]

OK Downtown. Buzz has been under tight observation since last years sexual assualt mess, it caused an AD a job and a new sheriff in town. In addition, revenue from BE changes greatly in upcoming years. All of these points when connected by me = the possibility of us losing a coach.

All that said, I REALLY,REALLY,REALLY HOPE THE MU BRASS IS SMARTER THAN THAT.

[79Warrior]

O.K. Goose, tell us what you know!  What started before the AD arrived and how does it affect our beloved coach?

If I were to guess, Buzz wants to continue coaching at a high level. The BE is falling apart. Where MU ends up is going to be huge. If we end up in a second tier situation, my guess is Buzz moves on.

[Brewtown Andy]

OK Downtown. Buzz has been under tight observation since last years sexual assualt mess, it caused an AD a job and a new sheriff in town. In addition, revenue from BE changes greatly in upcoming years. All of these points when connected by me = the possibility of us losing a coach.

All that said, I REALLY,REALLY,REALLY HOPE THE MU BRASS IS SMARTER THAN THAT.

Y'know what will going a long way towards solving all of those problems? University Advancement getting their phones worn out because Marquette wins their next, say, 7 games.

[Blackhat]

Larry vs. Curly  would be quite the showdown.   


Buzz has another sexual battery incident happen with the team it may come to fruition.

[downtown85]

OK Downtown. Buzz has been under tight observation since last years sexual assualt mess, it caused an AD a job and a new sheriff in town. In addition, revenue from BE changes greatly in upcoming years. All of these points when connected by me = the possibility of us losing a coach.

All that said, I REALLY,REALLY,REALLY HOPE THE MU BRASS IS SMARTER THAN THAT.

I think your observation is probably correct.  I have no insight as to what is actually going on behind the scenes but it is logical for the new AD to put the program responsible for the discipline problems on watch, even though the real problem IMO was the university not following procedures.  I have been in a situation, more than once in my life, where my boss left or was fired and the new boss took over.  It is always uncomfortable for the employee in that situation and sometimes the discomfort causes one to leave.  I too, hope the brass is smarter and will do what it takes to make Buzz feel comfortable in the new situation.  

[RJax55]

If this Notre Dame a$$hole messes with Buzz he should be run out of Milwaukee on a rail.

Lovely comment... I remember when a pretty famous poster around here had some misgivings about Steve Cottingham because of all things, he went to UW-Madison.

BTW, are Larry's comments wrong? Is Buzz not an emotional coach? Have those emotions clouded his judgement at times here? I would say yes, and I think Buzz would say so too.

I don't see Larry's comments as criticism, more like advice. I've said this before, Buzz is a young head coach and he is still learning on the job. What I find interesting about Buzz is that his greatest learning curve here is not what's happened on the basketball court, it is how the MU job (the pressure & stresses it brings) have directly impacted him.

Similar in vein to what the doctor told Buzz at the Mayo Clinic, in order to survive long-term as a high-major coach, Buzz must manage himself better. That's what I see Larry stating in his comments. That he doesn't want Buzz to put himself in bad situations because let's his emotions (positive or negative) get the best of him.

[MerrittsMustache]

After the WV game, Buzz was vigorously applying "slaps of five" to Larry. This was clearly a message from Buzz because the AD was on his case about the egregious ignoring of high fives earlier in the season. It's only a matter of time...

[brewcity77]

Y'know what will going a long way towards solving all of those problems? University Advancement getting their phones worn out because Marquette wins their next, say, 7 games.

If you're going to predict a winning streak, why not go all-balls and just hope for 9 in a row?

[ZiggysFryBoy]

After the WV game, Buzz was vigorously applying "slaps of five" to Larry. This was clearly a message from Buzz because the AD was on his case about the egregious ignoring of high fives earlier in the season. It's only a matter of time...

Larry is really Ners.

[downtown85]

Lovely comment... I remember when a pretty famous poster around here had some misgivings about Steve Cottingham because of all things, he went to UW-Madison.

BTW, are Larry's comments wrong? Is Buzz not an emotional coach? Have those emotions clouded his judgement at times here? I would say yes, and I think Buzz would say so too.

I don't see Larry's comments as criticism, more like advice. I've said this before, Buzz is a young head coach and he is still learning on the job. What I find interesting about Buzz is that his greatest learning curve here is not what's happened on the basketball court, it is how the MU job (the pressure & stresses it brings) have directly impacted him.

Similar in vein to what the doctor told Buzz at the Mayo Clinic, in order to survive long-term as a high-major coach, Buzz must manage himself better. That's what I see Larry stating in his comments. That he doesn't want Buzz to put himself in bad situations because let's his emotions (positive or negative) get the best of him.

I hope you are right but another quote in the article by Larry worries me:

"I expect Buzz back. Want him back," Williams said. "I think we started something good with him. . . . I'd be excited to help him grow as a coach."

Why couldn't he just say something like, "Buzz is our coach, period.  He has done a helluva job at building the basketball program we want him to continue long into the future."  

Buzz seems to be down-to-earth and not into parsing words and or saying things with shades of meaning.  He is very direct.  Larry seems to be the opposite.  He seems to be very politically correct (although his words regarding scheduling Houston for women's soccer seemed to be pretty direct but that may be because he came from Portland which apparently is a power in women's soccer and that is something he knows a lot about).  

This all being said, I watched Larry Williams on Dennis Krause's show a few weeks back and he said the right things regarding Buzz.  I too, hope those two see eye-to-eye and develop a healthy working relationship.  Like Goose says, it should be an interesting 45 days as the coaching carousel starts to spin.  I hope Buzz remains an observer and doesn't get on the carousel.

[RJax55]

I hope you are right but another quote in the article by Larry worries me:

Why couldn't he just say something like, "Buzz is our coach, period.  He has done a helluva job at building the basketball program we want him to continue long into the future."  

I saw those comments Downtown and thought they were a little weird. He definitely could have phased it better, but his quotes were not negative in nature.

[downtown85]

I saw those comments Downtown and thought they were a little weird. He definitely could have phased it better, but his quotes were not negative in nature.

The quotes were either 1) weird enough to have some sort of subtle meaning suggesting some sort of uncertainty as to whether Buzz will be back and that there may be some differences between Larry and Buzz OR 2) Larry gave a horrible interview and didn't mean it to come out that way. 

If it is 1) I am worried, very worried.  If it is 2) I am worried at the lack of PR skills of our new AD.  However I am less worried with 2)  than with 1). 

[Goose]

If MU does not want Buzz back they are completely out of their minds. I always laugh when fellow alums or MU brass think we are Harvard, Duke or Northwestern. We are a good regional school that benefits a great deal from the basketball team's success. Anyone that thinks MU is where it is today with basketball is crazy.

Obviously a different school than when Al was here but they hated basketball back then. My guy tells me something is wrong and hope I am wrong.