If you supported Larry Williams previously, how can you now??

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

He attacked you, by calling you, you?

Wow. Like.

[NersEllenson]

Just to be clear, all of those quotes (including what was in the Providence Journal) came from the same interview that he did with Homer.

Might be cool to give it a listen.

Might be cool to actually try to wrap your head around Larry's logic...floating the Gonzaga model, dissing the A-10, tout 2 A-10 teams that left their small pond/big fish arrangement....

Why mention the Gonzaga model then?  What's the point?  There is nothing about that model that has any merit/leadership/vision....MU has worked hard to go from MCC, to Great Midwest to Conference USA to Big East...and this guy EVEN FLOATS the idea of going backward as a possible scenario??

[GGGG]

I have to wonder if making this meeting public was a bit of a power move. Certainly these guys have been talking for months if not years about this. Having a "public meeting" might motivate some schools outside of the Catholic 7 to declare their intentions and loyalty.

That is exactly what I think they are doing.  Public relations leverage.  I'm sure supporters of all of these programs were wondering "WTF is going on???!!!???"

[NersEllenson]

I swear, if Larry Williams wasn't an ND grad we wouldn't have 3/4 of the posts bitching about him.

Personally, I could care less about his Notre Dame background....not sure why so many MU fans have a complex about Notre Dame anyway?  Did many MU alum apply to Notre Dame and get rejected...and can't let go years and years later?  

[GGGG]

Might be cool to actually try to wrap your head around Larry's logic...floating the Gonzaga model, dissing the A-10, tout 2 A-10 teams that left their small pond/big fish arrangement....

Why mention the Gonzaga model then?  What's the point?  There is nothing about that model that has any merit/leadership/vision....MU has worked hard to go from MCC, to Great Midwest to Conference USA to Big East...and this guy EVEN FLOATS the idea of going backward as a possible scenario??

He also said specifically that he is going to keep Marquette elite.  This was not noted in the transcript.  Again, it would help if you would listen.

[Pakuni]

LW being ND guy means NOTHING to me. LW getting us in a top tier conference means EVERYTHING to me.

Goose ... you really ought forget this pipe dream about the Big 10, ACC, etc. wanting to add basketball only members and then including Marquette in that bunch. There's no upside to it for those conferences.
Marvin Miller couldn't pull off the deal. Well, when he was alive, at least.

Charming that someone thinks this thread is a "debate."

[🏀]

He attacked you, by calling you, you?

Seems par for the course.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

He also said specifically that he is going to keep Marquette elite.  This was not noted in the transcript.  Again, it would help if you would listen.

Missed the quote about turning MU into StLU............

[MerrittsMustache]

This is the full quote:

"What I would really like to communicate is we have the utmost attention of the athletic director and importantly our president on this subject, on this matter, making sure that we place Marquette in the most advantageous position we can be in. That may mean we're in another association where you use the Gonzaga model where you're the biggest, baddest dog in the shallow pond, think I got my analogies screwed up there, but you get the point. It's very important for Father Pilarz and for me that Marquette and its tradition is protected and enlivened so that it has the opportunity to maintain its elite standard, the standard it's earned over the course of many, many years from way back through the Al McGuire days."

You used the whole quote?! Apparently some posters saw only this part, which may have been slightly taken out of context...

"What I would really like to communicate is...the athletic director and importantly our president...screwed up."

[NersEllenson]

That is exactly what I think they are doing.  Public relations leverage.  I'm sure supporters of all of these programs were wondering "WTF is going on???!!!???"

Boy...sure can create a lot of leverage by suggesting MU may consider going the Gonzaga model...big fish in a small pond....can you please explain to me how even floating (yes, even floating), that comment generates any leverage??

He basically just threw away any leverage he had...as he made it appear MU may not even go the route of the C7...so now the A-10, vindictive about his comments goes hard after the C-6 and says F you Marquette...go be the big fish in the small pond you see as being a viable option..

[KipsBayEagle]

So, on the Buzz Williams Basketball Hour yesterday, Larry Williams floats the idea MU fans should consider/brace for the possibility of the Gonzaga Model - A powerhouse/big fish in a small pond.  Now today, Gonzaga is trying to get out of that very model.  As did Butler.  As did VCU.  How ironic.  Yet another big sh$tburger for Larry to eat...one day after he floats the Gonzaga model, Gonzaga is willing to fly coast to coast to get out of such a model. 

What kind of leadership are we looking at that considers aiming small to go big, as a viable option?

Hey JuJuan, Duane, Deonte - come play in the Horizon league and get limited ESPN exposure, and compete against mid-major talent....

Where did you read that gonzaga is willing to fly coast to coast to get out of such a model?

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

http://www.gomarquette.com/blog/

Around the 14:45min. mark is worth noting as well. (starts the VCU and Butler conversation).

[cheebs09]

I haven't listened to the interview but it seems like he is trying to show how fluid this is. I don't like him bashing the A-10 publicly but am really glad that's how he views us. Maybe he's trying to reassure the MU fan base who haven't exactly warmed up to him yet.

Also, is the Gonzaga model a possibility? I think so. If Georgetown and St. Johns go to the ACC or something crazy, we may have to make due with a smaller conference where we would be the big name. I think we would be considered at least one of the top teams in the A10. They have St. Marys with them, so it isn't a walk-over for them, and it wouldn't be for us to win conference. It doesn't seem like the ideal solution, but one that has to be at least looked at in such fluid times. Realignment hasn't gone by a script, and we have little leverage, so there has to be a lot of options.

[🏀]

Boy...sure can create a lot of leverage by suggesting MU may consider going the Gonzaga model...big fish in a small pond....can you please explain to me how even floating (yes, even floating), that comment generates any leverage??

He basically just threw away any leverage he had...as he made it appear MU may not even go the route of the C7...so now the A-10, vindictive about his comments goes hard after the C-6 and says F you Marquette...go be the big fish in the small pond you see as being a viable option..

LW and Marquette aren't going to be afraid to do what they believe is the best for the school. That's the leverage.

[GGGG]

Boy...sure can create a lot of leverage by suggesting MU may consider going the Gonzaga model...big fish in a small pond....can you please explain to me how even floating (yes, even floating), that comment generates any leverage??

He basically just threw away any leverage he had...as he made it appear MU may not even go the route of the C7...so now the A-10, vindictive about his comments goes hard after the C-6 and says F you Marquette...go be the big fish in the small pond you see as being a viable option..

Am I going to have to stick you on ignore again for awhile until you calm down?  

[brewcity77]

Guys, a couple months ago I made the best decision I've ever made on MUScoop. I put Ners on ignore. I wrestled with it for awhile because I hate the premise of ignoring possibly useful information from any poster, but was at the point where, like bma, I was either going to leave the site or put Ners on ignore. I chose the ignore option and it was the best decision I ever made here.

If not for people quoting his posts, I wouldn't see any of what he's posting in this thread, but it's clearly par for the course. Ners is still upset about LW's comments about helping Buzz become a better coach and his comments regarding the WVU dance, so he will jump on anything, warranted or not, to attack the guy. Ners is like an elephant -- he forgets nothing. The slightest slight or comment he disagrees with will be remembered for weeks, months, even years, and he will try to attack anyone that made the perceived slight long after the fact.

It's similar to the Vander/Davante discussion we had around 2 years ago when both were freshmen. Ners never let that go, and any time I posted in a thread where either Vander or Davante was mentioned, he would bring up the same tired debate. It became exhausting, which ultimately led to my ignore decision.

Please, let me implore those of you caught in these same endless, useless debates to do the same. I can't even begin to explain how much more enjoyable MUScoop becomes within a week of putting Ners on ignore. The mods urged me for over a year to do it, and it was the wisest move I ever made. And the fewer people that listen and respond to his continued rants about the same tired topics, the more likely they will eventually just go away.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Might be cool to actually try to wrap your head around Larry's logic...floating the Gonzaga model, dissing the A-10, tout 2 A-10 teams that left their small pond/big fish arrangement....

Why mention the Gonzaga model then?  What's the point?  There is nothing about that model that has any merit/leadership/vision....MU has worked hard to go from MCC, to Great Midwest to Conference USA to Big East...and this guy EVEN FLOATS the idea of going backward as a possible scenario??

Well, if you listen, it's more of a casual conversation between Homer and LW, and I think the discussion they have is pretty good.

It's not an official press release, nor do I think LW was trying to float strategic information. Honestly, listen to it. The conversation is pretty long and takes a lot of turns, so picking out certain quotes really is deceiving.

Listen.
To.
It.

[madtownwarrior]

No, if Ners did not post here, we wouldn't have 3/4 of the posts bitching about LW...

I swear, if Larry Williams wasn't an ND grad we wouldn't have 3/4 of the posts bitching about him.

[ChicosBailBonds]

So, on the Buzz Williams Basketball Hour yesterday, Larry Williams floats the idea MU fans should consider/brace for the possibility of the Gonzaga Model - A powerhouse/big fish in a small pond.  Now today, Gonzaga is trying to get out of that very model.  As did Butler.  As did VCU.  How ironic.  Yet another big sh$tburger for Larry to eat...one day after he floats the Gonzaga model, Gonzaga is willing to fly coast to coast to get out of such a model.  

What kind of leadership are we looking at that considers aiming small to go big, as a viable option?

Hey JuJuan, Duane, Deonte - come play in the Horizon league and get limited ESPN exposure, and compete against mid-major talent....

Good gravy, he did not back one plan over another.  He suggested a number of options, just like any good exec will do.  All options on the table.  For all we know that is option 4 out of 4 and so distant behind the others that it has very little chance.  But to suggest it isn't an option is also foolhardy, it is...an option.  It has been an option that has been successful for some schools, thus it is an option.  Boise State in football, UNLV won a national title under that model, Butler went to two championships in the last 3 years under that model, Gonzaga has done very well under that model.

Thus, it is an option, but you are absolutely grasping for straws if you think he has thrown his weight behind one option more than another or even remotely suggested anything of the kind.

Quite frankly, I appreciated his candor and talking intelligently about what some of the options are.

[chapman]

To go along with over-paraphrased quotes, I demand a critique of Larry's wardrobe while giving said quotes.  Also, I don't believe anyone has yet offered the angle of the hidden context of this interview which also criticizes Buzz.  Come on guys, you're slacking, there's got to be plenty more offense to find make up.

[NersEllenson]

He also said specifically that he is going to keep Marquette elite.  This was not noted in the transcript.  Again, it would help if you would listen.

Still waiting for someone to explain Larry's all over the place comments on the matter.  Would you be willing?
Maybe Guns?  PTM?  Reinko?  Any of my other haters here....please, just lay out a logical explanation for Larry's all over the place, contradictory comments of the last 24 hours:

1)MU could consider the Gonzaga model - big fish in small pond
2)Watered down Big East is better than current A-10
3)Yet there are 2 very good teams in the A-10 that are not Catholic schools - Butler and VCU - so not just restrictive to Catholic only schools
4)Butler and VCU just left the Big Fish in small pond model
5)Today, word comes out that Gonzaga wants to be a part of the C7, A-10, or whatever shakes out after all of this is done - yet another school who doesn't want to be a big fish in a small pond.

Please for the life of me, help me understand how you defend our A.D...when he makes such dense comments?  

[Aughnanure]

What the hell is everyone freaking out about? Geez, some of you are being ridiculous on a simple quote.

The Gonzaga model works if you're in Spokane Washington and don't play football. All he's saying is that "The world's not ending. We will value and support our basketball program to success no matter where we are or what happens in this conference clusterf*uck"

Relax ya'll.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Still waiting for someone to explain Larry's all over the place comments on the matter.  Would you be willing?
Maybe Guns?  PTM?  Reinko?  Any of my other haters here....please, just lay out a logical explanation for Larry's all over the place, contradictory comments of the last 24 hours:

1)MU could consider the Gonzaga model - big fish in small pond
2)Watered down Big East is better than current A-10
3)Yet there are 2 very good teams in the A-10 that are not Catholic schools - Butler and VCU - so not just restrictive to Catholic only schools
4)Butler and VCU just left the Big Fish in small pond model
5)Today, word comes out that Gonzaga wants to be a part of the C7, A-10, or whatever shakes out after all of this is done - yet another school who doesn't want to be a big fish in a small pond.

Please for the life of me, help me understand how you defend our A.D...when he makes such dense comments?  

Honestly, he's not laying out specific plans, he's discussing open ended questions and topics presented by Homer... because fans like us are very curious about what is going on.

Give it a listen.

http://www.gomarquette.com/blog/

[Goose]

I've got a feeling this might end up a long thread.

[GGGG]

Still waiting for someone to explain Larry's all over the place comments on the matter.  Would you be willing?
Maybe Guns?  PTM?  Reinko?  Any of my other haters here....please, just lay out a logical explanation for Larry's all over the place, contradictory comments of the last 24 hours:

1)MU could consider the Gonzaga model - big fish in small pond
2)Watered down Big East is better than current A-10
3)Yet there are 2 very good teams in the A-10 that are not Catholic schools - Butler and VCU - so not just restrictive to Catholic only schools
4)Butler and VCU just left the Big Fish in small pond model
5)Today, word comes out that Gonzaga wants to be a part of the C7, A-10, or whatever shakes out after all of this is done - yet another school who doesn't want to be a big fish in a small pond.

Please for the life of me, help me understand how you defend our A.D...when he makes such dense comments?  

1. Listen to the interview
2. Read the comments, such as the one Chicos made above, to provide some context.
3. Come back for reasonable discussion

Until then, I really am not going to listen to you or entertain your "points" of view on the matter.

You would note, that *you* seem to be the only one that has a certain point of view.  Oftentimes, when that has happened to me throughout my life, it causes me to reassess my point of view.  I suggest you consider doing the same.