The Everlasting Craptastical Mystery Thread

[Goose]

I said on earlier post that I am 99.9% sure Buzz is not going anywhere and the .1% is what scares me. To me the beauty of Buzz is he shoots from the hips and emotions are exposed to everyone. Those type of people are ones that make decisions average people do not. Buzz to me is the kind of guy that runs into traffic and not wait for the light. In some regard he reminds of Brett Favre. Favre did a million things right and was entertaining as hell but he ran into traffic at the end.

My hopes are that Buzz looks at everything and not focus on one or two negative aspects of his job. I will add that about third of the people voting on FF poll in five years thought he would not get us there. If that is the belief Buzz's employer, unless a very elite program, really makes no difference. SMU is a joke and we have real program but that does not tell the whole picture.

Fingers crossed that the next three weeks fly by quickly with no serious Buzz leaving stuff out there.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

So Buzz is so desperate to get out of Milwuakee that he will take the next job offer, after turning down, oklahoma, a&m, Arkansas and Illinois?  This makes no sense.

As it was said above, SMU is career suicide for Buzz. 

I don't think Buzz is going anywhere... BUT, a lot of people in college basketball were shocked when he left a head coaching gig to take an assistant job at MU.

Clearly, he is not afraid to go against the grain if he thinks he can make it work.

He's unpredictable, which is why we like him. It also might be why if/when he ever leaves we will be shocked.

[GGGG]

The DFW Metroplex is one of the fastest growing areas in the country.  Insulting Dallas with Ft Worth is funny b/c it is part of what the Metroplex offers.  The Metroplex has a vibrant economy based upon tech, telecom, energy, banking, and transportation.  

In contrast, Milwaukee has been shrinking since the 60's.  Milwaukee has ???? to attract new businesses and residents.  

source:  http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/dallas/headlines/20100324-Dallas-Fort-Worth-area-topping-the-7663.ece

OK, this is nice....somewhat inaccurate since the Milwaukee metropolitan area has been steadily growing for decades....but not sure how this is relevant to a basketball coach.

[Tugg Speedman]

The DFW Metroplex is one of the fastest growing areas in the country.  Insulting Dallas with Ft Worth is funny b/c it is part of what the Metroplex offers.  The Metroplex has a vibrant economy based upon tech, telecom, energy, banking, and transportation.  

In contrast, Milwaukee has been shrinking since the 60's.  Milwaukee has ???? to attract new businesses and residents.  

source:  http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/dallas/headlines/20100324-Dallas-Fort-Worth-area-topping-the-7663.ece

If you think this is a reason for a head basketball coach to want the SMU job, then why only go after Buzz?  Go after Tom Izzo, Jim Boeheim, Jim Colhoun, Bill Self, Rick Pitino, Tom Crean, Thad Motta, John Calipari or Bo Ryan?  They all coach in crap hole dying northern cities.

[PonyFanz]

OK, this is nice....somewhat inaccurate since the Milwaukee metropolitan area has been steadily growing for decades....but not sure how this is relevant to a basketball coach.

A prior post suggested Dallas was somehow stagnant.  Certainly not.  I didn't want to take a shot at Milwaukee. I am sure it is a nice place and people enjoy living there.  

Think about it this way.  Could MU normally steal the head coach from Duke/NC/UCLA/KY after a great season there? Almost certainly not.  

BUT, if that coach  grew up in Milwaukee (and his wife was from Wisconsin), had family there, and liked it, would he consider leaving for MU if they made it worth his while and made a commitment to give him the tools he needs to succeed?  Under that scenario, you "might" give a different answer.

Will SMU get Buzz?  The fans actually don't care.  We are enjoying the fact that:
1) we are finally going to escape CUSA where we are forced to play schools that our fans could care less about;
2) we are joining a great conference with good universities that we respect academically (except for a couple of schools which shall remain nameless); and
3) we are purging the last self imposed handcuffs placed on our teams by the administration after the DP.  

If we don't get Buzz, we will get someone good b/c we aren't going to settle for the HC of a third-tier school.

Peace.  

[mviale]

A prior post suggested Dallas was somehow stagnant.  Certainly not.  I didn't want to take a shot at Milwaukee. I am sure it is a nice place and people enjoy living there.  

Think about it this way.  Could MU normally steal the head coach from Duke/NC/UCLA/KY after a great season there? Almost certainly not.  

BUT, if that coach  grew up in Milwaukee (and his wife was from Wisconsin), had family there, and liked it, would he consider leaving for MU if they made it worth his while and made a commitment to give him the tools he needs to succeed?  Under that scenario, you "might" give a different answer.

Will SMU get Buzz?  The fans actually don't care.  We are enjoying the fact that:
1) we are finally going to escape CUSA where we are forced to play schools that our fans could care less about;
2) we are joining a great conference with good universities that we respect academically (except for a couple of schools which shall remain nameless); and
3) we are purging the last self imposed handcuffs placed on our teams by the administration after the DP.  

If we don't get Buzz, we will get someone good b/c we aren't going to settle for the HC of a third-tier school.

Peace.  

I would like to say that Jake Thomas has Jimmer range. 

[Tugg Speedman]

If we don't get Buzz, we will get someone good b/c we aren't going to settle for the HC of a third-tier school.

Buzz was an assistant when we hired him.  Before him Tom Crean was an assistant when we hired him.  So was Kevin O'Neill, Hank Raymonds and Rick Majerus when we hired them way back when.  Promoting assistants has been more effective for our program than hiring existing head coaches (Dukiet and Deane).

It is very common for second tier teams to hire young up and coming assistants as their head coach and watch them take their program to the next level.  In fact I would argue it is more common than not.

You latest description of SMU is a good reason to talk to the assistant coach from a top basketball school about your head coaching job.  

We have a good assistant on our staff that he now ready to take the reins as a head coach, Tony Benford.  He makes more sense for SMU than Buzz.

[Clarence]

So in the unlikely sceario that Buzz leaves, who is at the top of our list?

Bennett? Jeter? McCaffrey? Wardle? Aki Collins????

[Dr. Blackheart]

So, a school wants to join a major conference and needs to go through a series of votes and payments to get fully admitted, and the first thing they want to do is steal a head coach from one of the established members who also has a strong voting block?  Good luck with that SMU and the Big East.

[GGGG]

BUT, if that coach  grew up in Milwaukee (and his wife was from Wisconsin), had family there, and liked it, would he consider leaving for MU if they made it worth his while and made a commitment to give him the tools he needs to succeed?  Under that scenario, you "might" give a different answer.

Tony Bennett supposedly wasn't interested in the Marquette job.  Buzz supposedly turned down interest in the A&M job.  Sometimes that stuff can be overrated. 

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Why would Buzz leave when he just got his garage painted?

[LAZER]

IWB Tweet:

"SMU is talking and Buzz Williams is listening.  Get ready for a bumpy ride Marquette fans, this is more than just a rumor #mubb"

[mviale]

IWB Tweet:

"SMU is talking and Buzz Williams is listening.  Get ready for a bumpy ride Marquette fans, this is more than just a rumor #mubb"

Smart to listen. 

[muguru]

IWB Tweet:

"SMU is talking and Buzz Williams is listening.  Get ready for a bumpy ride Marquette fans, this is more than just a rumor #mubb"

Yep, I hate to say it, but i THINK MU is going to need a new BB Coach. Thanks Larry Williams. 

[Hoopaloop]

Again you way over estimate money.  It matters to a point and MU is at that point for basketball.  Doubling or tripling the endowment would not change anything for the basketball program.

The largest endowment in the Big East is ND ($6.26 billion in 2011).  I don't see them blowing the doors of the rest of the conference.  Would you rather be them or MU (in basketball)?

Northwestern has the second biggest endowment in the Big 10, just after Michigan (Michigan $7.8 billion, NU $7.2 billion).  How has this helped their revenue sports programs?

Duke has the largest endowment in the ACC ($5.75 billion).  Is this money the reason for their basketball success?  Why doesn't this money mean a better football program?

Endowment is the wrong metric.  It's well-heeded patrons of the sport.  See Boone Pickens and his support of Oklahoma State football.

MU has Dick Strong.

Lastly, SMU has a large endowment when measured against MU.  But at $1.2 billion fully 59 schools have larger endowments.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_colleges_and_universities_in_the_United_States_by_endowment

Again, you are missing the point.  The endowment has nothing to do with the hiring of the coach directly. It does have much to do, however, with the commitment level of the people toward their school.  SMU is flush with cash.  Any hiring of a coach will not be paid for by the school, it will be paid for by the alumni.  MU, despite being 30 years older, the same size school as SMU doesn't have football, has an endowment that is 30% what SMU's is, and I guarantee you the financial demographic profile of the students (future alumni) is nowhere near SMU's.  SMU has a rich kid rep because they are rich and upper crest.  Nothing wrong with that.  Solid school.  

Their school is ranked 62nd academically.  http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/spp%2B50/page+2

Marquette is ranked 82nd academically  http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/spp%2B50/page+2

They have a lot going for them.  Highly doubt Buzz is going to SMU considering what he has here, but crapping on SMU makes no sense to me.   I also find ridiculous the comments that they are going to be DePaul.  SMU will spend vast resources to make sure that doesn't happen.  There is more money in SMU then MU can dream of.  That is a fact that you choose to deny only because of a bias you have.  They will land a decent coach because they have money to spend to get it done.

For those ripping on Texas, each to their own.  Nicer weather, no state income taxes, fertal recruiting grounds, and it's home for some people.  Never underestimate that.  Everyone has their own touchpoints for any of us to pretend we know what someone else's touch point might be is a guess only.

[rocky_warrior]

IWB Tweet:

"SMU is talking and Buzz Williams is listening.  Get ready for a bumpy ride Marquette fans, this is more than just a rumor #mubb"

Gee thanks IWB...now the board will go into meltdown mode.  FWIW, I don't think Buzz goes anywhere.

[Hoopaloop]

If you think this is a reason for a head basketball coach to want the SMU job, then why only go after Buzz?  Go after Tom Izzo, Jim Boeheim, Jim Colhoun, Bill Self, Rick Pitino, Tom Crean, Thad Motta, John Calipari or Bo Ryan?  They all coach in crap hole dying northern cities.

Because none of them are from Texas.  Why do you keep missing this?  When we hired a Texas coach, you live with the risk that he isn't a midwest guy.  Crean is a midwest guy, so is Izzo and Matta.  Ryan is a Philly guy but living in Wisconsin for 30 years. 

[Silkk the Shaka]

IWB Tweet:

"SMU is talking and Buzz Williams is listening.  Get ready for a bumpy ride Marquette fans, this is more than just a rumor #mubb"

Does anybody have Larry Williams' email?  We need to flood his inbox and let him know that if SM f*cking U is able to steal MU's best head coach since Al for no other reason than because our AD is a twatface that he will find himself quickly unemployed.  In much more civil words, of course.  But not much.

[Hoopaloop]

Gee thanks IWB...now the board will go into meltdown mode.  FWIW, I don't think Buzz goes anywhere.

PRN will have to cancel his tickets.  What was the quote, "I will stay as long as MU will have me".  Meltdown won't begin to cover it.  Maybe he is angling for another raise, like the previous coach used to do and get blasted here for it.  You have to admit it, there is some exception irony going on in all this.

Get out the popcorn

[Hoopaloop]

Does anybody have Larry Williams' email?  We need to flood his inbox and let him know that if SM f*cking U is able to steal MU's best head coach since Al for no other reason than because our AD is a twatface that he will find himself quickly unemployed.  In much more civil words, of course.  But not much.

I thought O'Neill was our best coach since Al?   

[wadesworld]

PRN will have to cancel his tickets.  What was the quote, "I will stay as long as MU will have me".  Meltdown won't begin to cover it.  Maybe he is angling for another raise, like the previous coach used to do and get blasted here for it.  You have to admit it, there is some exception irony going on in all this.

Get out the popcorn

I used to actually believe you weren't Chicos...

[GGGG]

Does anybody have Larry Williams' email?  We need to flood his inbox and let him know that if SM f*cking U is able to steal MU's best head coach since Al for no other reason than because our AD is a twatface that he will find himself quickly unemployed.  In much more civil words, of course.  But not much.

If Buzz leaves to SMU I will place the blame completely upon him.  This would be a worse exodus than Crean by far.

[mr.MUskie]

Does anybody have Larry Williams' email?  We need to flood his inbox and let him know that if SM f*cking U is able to steal MU's best head coach since Al for no other reason than because our AD is a twatface that he will find himself quickly unemployed.  In much more civil words, of course.  But not much.

Williams, Mr. Lawrence (Larry)
Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics
Intercollegiate Athletics
lawrence.williams@marquette.edu

[Hoopaloop]

I used to actually believe you weren't Chicos...

IWB says it could be a bumpy ride.  I essentially say the same thing and now the conspiracy claims come out again.

By the way, can you explain to me how he was at the game the other day taking these pictures (nice seats he had) while I was here on chat with Hilltopper and the rest of the group during the game?

http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2012/03/disappointing-end-to-successful-season.html

[rocky_warrior]

If Buzz leaves to SMU I will place the blame completely upon him.  This would be a worse exodus than Crean by far.

Well, I would hope Buzz would handle the PR aspect of it better than Crean did.  But in terms of where a coach is coming from and going too, it would be a huge slap in the face.

But otherwise I agree, if there is BW/LW friction, it is likely because of discipline and/or program perception issues.  And those come from real incidents, involving kids that Buzz brought in.