Buzz and the Illini

[LAZER]

Didn't Rosiak write last year that Buzz did in fact have a huge buyout?  I think it was when that writer from Tulsa was claiming Buzz to OU was a done deal and that his buyout wasn't big. That guy turned out to be terribly wrong a couple times.

[Tugg Speedman]

Regarding Buzz's buyout.  We have this thread quoting a story by the that covers suburban Chicago High School sports for the (in bankruptcy) Chicago Sun-Times.

I guess you can learn a lot sitting in the stands of Bolingbrook against Rolling Meadows.

Now regarding his "sources" that say Buzz's contract only has a $100k buyout, I offer you my source, Todd Rosiak

March 28, 2011
Rosiak:

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/118803149.html

The guess here is it's going to be a deal worth more than $2 million annually. How it will be structured -- whether it's another rollover contract, how much the buyout will be and so on -- will probably be the major sticking points. He's currently signed to a six-year rollover deal paying him $1.6 million. That figure is scheduled to jump to over $1.7 million in the coming months.

Undoubtedly, Williams would like the buyout in his new contract to be lower than the figure that it would take to get him out of his current deal: $3.8 million, all told. It's standard in contracts for the buyout to drop every few years in order to afford the coach some flexibility as time goes on, so looking for something like that to be included wouldn't be out of the ordinary from Williams' standpoint.

MU, from its vantage point, has no problem paying the going rate for a hot young coach like Williams. The school proved that with Tom Crean years ago. The key will be structuring the deal in such a way that it can protect itself somewhat in the coming years, as Williams will likely be a popular name for most coaching vacancies that pop up each off-season, just as he is now, and like Crean was.

Both parties appear to be on the same page, and Williams after MU's loss last Friday appeared in no way interested in moving on. Things can obviously change, and nothing is set in stone until an agreement is announced. But my guess is something will come together at some point over the course of this week, and the carousel can finally stop spinning in Milwaukee.

[GGGG]

It doesn't matter what we focus on on this board what we say on a board won't affect player preparation, nothing wrong with talking about things. I thing the main distinction with Swarbrick was that he wasn't in charge of the poor policies at ND where Cottingham was. Cottingham wasn't the only one who took a fall because of the issue. The reigns needed to be tightened, they were tightened and Buzz got a raise from all this....Don't see how his happiness was compromised.

He may feel that he was unfairly blamed.  He may not be happy with the people he works for.  

I mean who knows.  A lot of people can be unhappy, but they work things out.  

[Blackhat]

It was three years after he was GC.   You really gonna say he was held accountable for that when the current GC had three years to review it and make changes if it was as egregious as you say.

[Clam Crowder]

It was three years after he was GC.   You really gonna say he was held accountable for that when the current GC had three years to review it and make changes if it was as egregious as you say.

What incentive would they have to change it when there was no issue with it for those three years?

[Blackhat]

Pretty negligent for a GC to just wait for something to happen and then review procedure (let alone continue to follow that procedure).   

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

No ones.  Are you new to how Marquette operates???

+1, seriously

[Dawson Rental]

Isn't that discrimination?

Yes, of a particular variety known as reverse discrimination.  Discrimination justified to correct previous discrimination.

[Dawson Rental]

Happy. Don't forget that neither Pilarz or Williams hired Buzz

Please don't tell me that Larry Williams is in love with a Brey assistant or believes that the ND women's coach is ready to try her hand at men's basketball.

[GB Warrior]

Yes, of a particular variety known as reverse discrimination.  Discrimination justified to correct previous discrimination.

Shouldn't they hire Chief Illiniwek then?

[Dawson Rental]

Texas is the job I'd be worried about.    


And it seems Pilarz was itching to get Cottingham out.   Hope that doesn't backfire.

Could it be that Pilarz is a Georgetown plant sent here to destroy the MU men's basketball program???

[Aughnanure]

No ones.  Are you new to how Marquette operates???

Wonderful to know.

[TedBaxter]

No ones.  Are you new to how Marquette operates???

No heads will roll?  

When the money from the games goes down with lower attendance and lower season ticket numbers and this would happen, someone will have to be held accountable.  Hey, I'm not an alum or an insider, but when a former player from 55 years ago tells me that if Buzz leaves because there are conflicts with the new administration, he will no longer buy season tickets and will cease contributing to the university, there will be problems and he's not the only alum that has told me that.

Just look at the Wake Forest situation right now.  They were down to 8,500 for average home attendance this year from 13,500 a few short years ago.  Money is going to be an issue going forward with that program as alums and boosters are not happy and the newcomers in this administration better understand that if something changes at Marquette.

[Aughnanure]

No heads will roll?  

When the money from the games goes down with lower attendance and lower season ticket numbers and this would happen, someone will have to be held accountable.  Hey, I'm not an alum or an insider, but when a former player from 55 years ago tells me that if Buzz leaves because there are conflicts with the new administration, he will no longer buy season tickets and will cease contributing to the university, there will be problems and he's not the only alum that has told me that.

Just look at the Wake Forest situation right now.  They were down to 8,500 for average home attendance this year from 13,500 a few short years ago.  Money is going to be an issue going forward with that program as alums and boosters are not happy and the newcomers in this administration better understand that if something changes at Marquette.

I hope you're right and they know it, but this isn't a GM or even president of a professional franchise - these jobs are not ones that are filled every 3-5 years like in pro sports.

You alienate every MU basketball fan if you, not MU Nation, is the reason Buzz leaves. Every season ticket holder and powerful alum would need to hold their feet to the fire on this - do we want to be DePaul?

[AZWarrior]

Illinois or any other program, it don't matter. I'm confirming it is common knowledge that there is some validity to this story.

Source?

[Dawson Rental]

The difference there was that the issue was silenced much more quickly at Notre Dame, and charges never got as far as they did at Marquette. Those 2 situations were very different from one another.

I guess that there are advantages to driving the victim to suicide.  How ND could not have been more concerned about that outcome, I'll never know.  When football got threatened, Catholic values went right out the window.  The victim's parents who were big Domer supporters got the complete cold shoulder from everyone associated with ND football when the wagons at ND were circled.

[Goose]

Buzz has had his balls squeezed since the assault. Do not care who believes me or not but there is smoke and i am very worried. MU brass made if tough on Buzz and this was not a secret in certain circles. The buyout means nothing if MU wants Buzz to go....theban take whatever they want.

[ErickJD08]

From the press conference, it seems like he is kinda pissed off with MU in general. I was a little thrown back when he referenced MUScoop and two people cheering on the trip back from NYC. First off, how are talking about teaching your kids to live in this bubble and block the noise when he isn't. Why is he dogging the fan base? Even if the fan base sucks, you keep that in house like everyone else. Every coach/player says that they have the best fan base in the world even if they know it's not true.

We are a D1 program that has a decent amount of fans are for following the program. Having critical fans is par for the course. I love Buzz as our coach but I think he needs to lighten up with that all. I hope he can move on and continue coaching for MU.

[Dawson Rental]

Shouldn't they hire Chief Illiniwek then?

No, but they should change their mascot to "The Crooked Politician", since they evidently were responsible for many of the admissions decisions and tuition waivers that were given out by the University.

[Skatastrophy]

From the press conference, it seems like he is kinda pissed off with MU in general. I was a little thrown back when he referenced MUScoop and two people cheering on the trip back from NYC. First off, how are talking about teaching your kids to live in this bubble and block the noise when he isn't. Why is he dogging the fan base? Even if the fan base sucks, you keep that in house like everyone else. Every coach/player says that they have the best fan base in the world even if they know it's not true.

We are a D1 program that has a decent amount of fans are for following the program. Having critical fans is par for the course. I love Buzz as our coach but I think he needs to lighten up with that all. I hope he can move on and continue coaching for MU.

He's stressed out and lacking for sleep.  Gotta give a guy a break for being a little cranky about stuff from time to time during the most stressful time of the year.

[MattyWarrior]

I heard him say everybody jumped off the bus after the MSG game but did he really reference MUScoop?

[Blackhat]

Pilarz has Rick Majerus waiting in the wings.

[Dawson Rental]

No heads will roll?  

When the money from the games goes down with lower attendance and lower season ticket numbers and this would happen, someone will have to be held accountable.  Hey, I'm not an alum or an insider, but when a former player from 55 years ago tells me that if Buzz leaves because there are conflicts with the new administration, he will no longer buy season tickets and will cease contributing to the university, there will be problems and he's not the only alum that has told me that.

Just look at the Wake Forest situation right now.  They were down to 8,500 for average home attendance this year from 13,500 a few short years ago.  Money is going to be an issue going forward with that program as alums and boosters are not happy and the newcomers in this administration better understand that if something changes at Marquette.

You can't leave out of the equation the effect that a successful men's basketball program has on admissions through the free publicity that a successful team generates.

[madtownwarrior]

If Buzz were to go because of a conflict with the new administration, I would become a UW-M fan.  Well maybe not a UW-M fan, but probably would stop buying season tickets / donating and start following the team Buzz would leave to.

If this is true, MU is shooting themselves in the foot and would be losing an awesome coach, recruiter, representative of the university and person.

It better not happen this way.  

Buzz has had his balls squeezed since the assault. Do not care who believes me or not but there is smoke and i am very worried. MU brass made if tough on Buzz and this was not a secret in certain circles. The buyout means nothing if MU wants Buzz to go....theban take whatever they want.

[Goose]

Lances.....at least Goose does not have his head in the sand. Unless it is a post that blows smoke up your ass the poster in wrong. If anyone find posts that have not been highly positive regarding Buzz from me I would gladly say I was wrong. Just because I love Buzz and style of play does not mean I will hide from negatives that might be out there.

MU brass is far from perfect in decision making and my posts were and are meant to let fans who care know things might not be as great they look. If MU blows this thing and loses Buzz I will blame the fans like Lances who have not learned from our past.