Article on MU--More than just hard play

[Sir Lawrence]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/blog/eye-on-college-basketball/21767936/buzz-williams-marquette-more-than-just-about-playing-hard

[GGGG]

The article takes a few liberties.  Gardner actually chose MU over USF...another BE program.  Also there are multiple top 100 guys on the roster.  It's not as though this team is devoid of talent.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

The article takes a few liberties.  Gardner actually chose MU over USF...another BE program.  Also there are multiple top 100 guys on the roster.  It's not as though this team is devoid of talent.

It's like a Bo Ryan article when everybody talks about how he gets the most out of his players, even though several of his guys were highly ranked recruits coming out of high school.

[tower912]

Buzz has what he wanted, a roster full of high major players.    It's just an easy shorthand for announcers and writers to say "they play so hard".   MU does play hard.   There is talent on this team, it is just that most of the players have 'but' when you discuss their abilites.   'He has great hands and feet, but he can't jump'.   'He has the most talent on the team, but he doesn't always bring it.'   'He was a highly rated recruit, but his progress hasn't been as rapid as hoped'.       What they mean, but are too lazy to say is that MU is a team full of talented players without any truly great ones.   They hang their hat on maximum effort and teamwork to overcome the holes in their individual games.    And because of this, a different player can beat you on any given night, but when things go off the rails, there isn't one dependable guy who can put the team on their back.

[chapman]

Yeah, not a fan of the inaccuracies here.  Lazar a "reach"?  He was a top 100 recruit and the prize of that recruiting class.  Crowder, the JUCO POY "uheralded"?  Can see why Buzz and Davante weren't sold on the premise.  I like the idea of player development through hard work, but would rather it be more realistic; the assumption going into the BE season based on talent was middle of the pack, that we're exceeding expectations yet again as we do every year is awesome, just not a fan of Goodman practically suggesting that Buzz brought in a bunch of cripples and lepers.

[MerrittsMustache]

Yeah, not a fan of the inaccuracies here.  Lazar a "reach"?  He was a top 100 recruit and the prize of that recruiting class.  Crowder, the JUCO POY "uheralded"?  Can see why Buzz and Davante weren't sold on the premise.  I like the idea of player development through hard work, but would rather it be more realistic; the assumption going into the BE season based on talent was middle of the pack, that we're exceeding expectations yet again as we do every year is awesome, just not a fan of Goodman practically suggesting that Buzz brought in a bunch of cripples and lepers.

Off the top of your head, name another JUCO Player of the Year.

[jficke13]

but if he had honestly presented the facts, then the story he wanted to tell wouldn't be there. It's called journalism, duh.

[Litehouse]

Buzz has what he wanted, a roster full of high major players.    It's just an easy shorthand for announcers and writers to say "they play so hard".   MU does play hard.   There is talent on this team, it is just that most of the players have 'but' when you discuss their abilites.   'He has great hands and feet, but he can't jump'.   'He has the most talent on the team, but he doesn't always bring it.'   'He was a highly rated recruit, but his progress hasn't been as rapid as hoped'.       What they mean, but are too lazy to say is that MU is a team full of talented players without any truly great ones.   They hang their hat on maximum effort and teamwork to overcome the holes in their individual games.    And because of this, a different player can beat you on any given night, but when things go off the rails, there isn't one dependable guy who can put the team on their back.

That's probably the most accurate summary of this team that I've seen all year.

[bilsu]

Does Buzz really chew tobacco?

[T-Bone]

Here's the really offensive part of this: 

The night belonged to Gardner and his Golden Eagles. He may as well be the poster child for Buzz's Bunch.

I have tremendous respect for Buzz's commitment to Buzz's Bunch.  It's clear that he has no idea what Buzz's Bunch is.

[MU B2002]

Off the top of your head, name another JUCO Player of the Year.

DJO?

[warriorchick]

"There's no future NBA guys on this year's roster..."

Did he mean for this year's draft, or ever?

[swoopem]

Off the top of your head, name another JUCO Player of the Year.

Larry Johnson

[swoopem]

Does Buzz really chew tobacco?

Yeah he's a big dipper. In a lot of interviews (that he does in his office) you can see a tin on his desk.

[MerrittsMustache]

"There's no future NBA guys on this year's roster..."

Did he mean for this year's draft, or ever?

I think it was either an exaggeration or ignorance. I think Blue will get a shot in the NBA and Jamil may as well. I'd be very surprised if Steve Taylor doesn't end up getting drafted.

[Niv Berkowitz]

Off the top of your head, name another JUCO Player of the Year.

Agreed. Inside the MU-Scoop group here, sure, everyone was heralded. Because we live/breathe MU daily. Nationally? Know. Lazar wasn't a huge "get" like Shumpert would've been. The big three were a nationally known group. Not the current crop.

Next year will be different but the author is right. From a national perspective, MU does not have "heralded" guys on the team...guys that you normally find on annually-ranked squads/programs, which MU has become.

[klyrish]

Despite all this, I still thought it was a great article and will take just about any national MU love I can get.

[warriorchick]

I think it was either an exaggeration or ignorance. I think Blue will get a shot in the NBA and Jamil may as well. I'd be very surprised if Steve Taylor doesn't end up getting drafted.

I know that, and YOU know that, but apparently this Jeff Goodman guy doesn't.....

[CAGASS24]

Yeah he's a big dipper. In a lot of interviews (that he does in his office) you can see a tin on his desk.

I asked him straight up the first time I met him at Marquette Madness his first year what he chewed and in front of a shitload of fans he asnwered me straight up.  I then brought it up again in an email I sent to him after last season ended and he stuck to his guns.  Love the guy!!

[frozena pizza]

There is some exaggeration and inaccuracy in the article, but the underlying point is true.  Buzz's teams have had less heralded players than other top programs in the Big East, yet have been consistently good. 

The article does point out that playing hard can only get you so far.  To take it a step further, Buzz has never won a Big East regular season or tournament title.  He has never advanced past the Sweet 16.  Many other BE programs have.  Maybe that will change this year.

[warriorchick]

Here's the really offensive part of this: 
I have tremendous respect for Buzz's commitment to Buzz's Bunch.  It's clear that he has no idea what Buzz's Bunch is.

Interesting.....

At one point there was a post that explained what Buzz's Bunch really was, and it apparently got deleted.

[T-Bone]

At one point there was a post that explained what Buzz's Bunch really was, and it apparently got deleted.

There's this:
http://www.marquette.edu/magazine/recent.php?subaction=showfull&id=1238009919&archive=

[MU82]

Every time one of these national folks see one of Junior's good games, they herald him as "one of the most underrated point guards in America." When they see his less-than-good games, they wonder how Marquette won 20 with this point guard.

Oftentimes in daily journalism, a reporter/columnist has only that day's game to reach conclusions. This is a fairly typical result.

All in all, though, nice to get some positive national pub.

[Dawson Rental]

DJO?

Nope, first team All-JUCO, but not POY.

[warriorchick]

There's this:
http://www.marquette.edu/magazine/recent.php?subaction=showfull&id=1238009919&archive=

I know that! 

What I am saying is that someone pointed out that the writer must not have known that Buzz's Bunch is a program for special needs kids.  Even included a YouTube link.  The whole thing got deleted out about an hour after it was posted.