And now the Buzz coaching his way to UCLA angle

[MerrittsMustache]

Honestly that Stevens tweet really seems like a scheduled one.

@BUCoachStevens
Love walking thru Hinkle in the morning... Anxious to get started on our spring workouts next week.

Simple way to squash speculation.

[Goose]

I truthfully have no current knowledge of the Buzz situation, but he sure looks like a guy building a program and not running out the door. Maybe I am allowing excitement of the NCAA to cloud my judgement, but I cannot see any reason to leave now. He has put to much work and energy into getting MU to this level I would hate to see him go do it all over again somewhere else. He is almost at level that he can ease off the gas a bit and share work with the staff. I seriously hope Buzz is enjoying the ride because it has been a great one to watch.

[The Equalizer]

Very well done.

I keep hearing they fly SWA, but is this fact?  That's pretty remarkable if true.  And stupid.

I don't think its all that unusual in short-lead time tournament situations.

I few years back I was on the same Chicago-to-Newark commercial United flight as the 'zags, who were on their way to the Pre-season NIT finals. Not even Few got a first class seat, although Heytvelt managed an exit row.  The issue was that until they won their preliminiary game, they didn't know if they'd even need the charter.

That being said, I know a lot of travelers who would argue that SWA is a significant upgrade over UAL--especially a UAL transfer through Chicago.

[Niv Berkowitz]

This run should show everyone...including Buzz...that you can win a national title at MU.  Next year's team will arguably more talented than this year's.  If Buzz sticks around, we are on the verge of a next golden era.  This isn't a team being carried by one of the all-time greats...this is a team effort.

The big thing that this team/Buzz has right now that Crean didn't is an awesome recruiting class ALREADY waiting in the wings. This gives Buzz the bonafides he needs (and MU's athletic department) needs in order to ward off suitors, or, give Buzz the confidence this program is going up and up.

The '03 year was almost a fluke regarding how consistent a winning program MU is/was/had. Yes, we were able to use the Final Four year to build the Matthews/James/McNeal class, but that was a two year wait. Buzz has taken the program to three straight sweet 16s and have continued to build/improve recruiting classes every year.

That my friends, is the sign of a rock-solid program....and coach. Buzz ain't going anywhere. I see Buzz as our generation's Al McGuire. He'll coach here and then head to TV or something after he finally burns out or something. That's what I see.

[Groin_pull]

Buzz is going to walk away from a preseason top 10 team—with a top 10 recruiting class coming in??? All for the honor of dealing with the insane expectations and pressure at UCLA?

Sorry, just not seeing it.

[spartan3186]

The big thing that this team/Buzz has right now that Crean didn't is an awesome recruiting class ALREADY waiting in the wings. This gives Buzz the bonafides he needs (and MU's athletic department) needs in order to ward off suitors, or, give Buzz the confidence this program is going up and up.

The '03 year was almost a fluke regarding how consistent a winning program MU is/was/had. Yes, we were able to use the Final Four year to build the Matthews/James/McNeal class, but that was a two year wait. Buzz has taken the program to three straight sweet 16s and have continued to build/improve recruiting classes every year.

That my friends, is the sign of a rock-solid program....and coach. Buzz ain't going anywhere. I see Buzz as our generation's Al McGuire. He'll coach here and then head to TV or something after he finally burns out or something. That's what I see.

This isn't really true, Crean had:

Nick Williams - Ranked #36 overall by Scout
Tyshawn Taylor - Ranked #20 overall by Scout

They were pretty highly touted.

[🏀]

This isn't really true, Crean had:

Nick Williams - Ranked #36 overall by Scout
Tyshawn Taylor - Ranked #20 overall by Scout

They were pretty highly touted.

While great players, Buzz class is the best in the past three decades at Marquette.

[Groin_pull]

While great players, Buzz class is the best in the past three decades at Marquette.

Crean's last class doesn't touch the one Buzz has coming in next year.

[spartan3186]

While great players, Buzz class is the best in the past three decades at Marquette.

I agree, but everyone on this board was pretty excited at the time. Those two, with the 3 amigos, were going to make that 2008-09 season pretty special.

In a lot of ways, if Buzz does leave (I don't think he will), there are a lot of parallels.

• Highly touted recruiting class at risk due to departure
• Awesome junior class that the departing coach is "abandoning"

[Golden Avalanche]

I agree, but everyone on this board was pretty excited at the time. Those two, with the 3 amigos, were going to make that 2008-09 season pretty special.

Not to mention they would all be paired with Mbakwe in the middle.

[NotAnAlum]

These sportscasters have got it all wrong because they assume that Buzz thinks like they do.  He will take a job like ULCA because it is better for HIM.  But the one thing I can say with certainty is that Buzz is simply not wired like most people and certainly not like these sport guys.  He views this as a "calling" and feels his greatest responsibility is to other people like the team, their "mothers", his other coaches.  He left N.O. not for greater glory for himself (heck he took a step backward as a assistant coach) but because the athletic department was making it impossible to keep the promises he had made to his players.  That is why Buzz leaves something.  To leave behind people like Vander would simply kill him.  It would be completely out of CHARACTER and we all know how Buzz feels about character revealed.  Besides the fact that from a normal persons point of view it would be crazy to leave MU with the incoming class and the fact that he is going to return almost all the key elements next year.  Listen to what he says "take a good job and make it a great job".  He's talking about where he is right now.
Buzz will not leave unless he is "invited to leave" by the administration.  As long as they treat him and the team fairly and keep their promises I'm not worried about what other jobs are available.

[Golden Avalanche]

The big thing that this team/Buzz has right now that Crean didn't is an awesome recruiting class ALREADY waiting in the wings. This gives Buzz the bonafides he needs (and MU's athletic department) needs in order to ward off suitors, or, give Buzz the confidence this program is going up and up.

If Buzz stays he will be coaching the best team Marquette has seen in 35 years.

[Pakuni]

This isn't really true, Crean had:

Nick Williams - Ranked #36 overall by Scout
Tyshawn Taylor - Ranked #20 overall by Scout

They were pretty highly touted.

Where are you getting those rankings?

Scout 2008 Final rankings:

Tyshawn Taylor - #83 (one spot ahead of Rotnei Clarke)
Nick Williams - unranked

http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=9&cfg=bb&c=4&pid=88&yr=2008

According to RSCI ....

Taylor - #73 overall
Williams - #88 overall

http://home.roadrunner.com/~rsci/RSCI_100_Final_2008.htm

This year's class, per RSCI (as of Sept.):

Deonte Burton - #52
Jujuan Johnson - #57
Duane Wilson - #60

Per Scout:

Jujuan Wilson - #31
Deonte Burton - #54
Duane Wilson - #71

[Lennys Tap]

This isn't really true, Crean had:

Nick Williams - Ranked #36 overall by Scout
Tyshawn Taylor - Ranked #20 overall by Scout

They were pretty highly touted.

This isn't really true. Williams wasn't in Scout's final top 100. Taylor was in the 80s. Final RSCI rankings were Taylor 73 and Williams 88.

[Groin_pull]

Where are you getting those rankings?

Scout 2008 Final rankings:

Tyshawn Taylor - #83 (one spot ahead of Rotnei Clarke)
Nick Williams - unranked

http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=9&cfg=bb&c=4&pid=88&yr=2008

According to RSCI ....

Taylor - #73 overall
Williams - #88 overall

http://home.roadrunner.com/~rsci/RSCI_100_Final_2008.htm

This year's class, per RSCI (as of Sept.):

Deonte Burton - #52
Jujuan Johnson - #57
Duane Wilson - #60

Per Scout:

Jujuan Wilson - #31
Deonte Burton - #54
Duane Wilson - #71

And this doesn't even include McKay...the #2 ranked JUCO player this year.

[dgies9156]

Look, I love Buzz and want him forever,  and I think we will get him here as long as we want him because:

1) His style of "gosh, we're honored to be here" and his Texan approach to life ain't going to fly in Los Angeles and at UCLA. Folks, Buzz is wonderful for Marquette and Milwaukee. But I doubt it would play in Los Angeles.

2) We're building toward something special. Two more years and I think Buzz is a lifer at MU. We have, as other posters have said, an incredible incoming class. We also have a world-class training center, a fan base that shows up 15,000 strong for our home games and a team that's molded to Buzz. We're building toward the day that UCLA wants NOW -- a regular appearance in the Elite 8 or Final Four. If you don't bring a national championship home every year -- and I don't care how good you are, 1967 to 1974 won't ever happen again -- you are refuse at UCLA.

3) Buzz is the whole banana at Marquette. In LA, he's competing with USC, the Dodgers, the Lakers and the Clippers. His only real competition in Wisconsin is the Packers and Badger football. He blew Bo Ryan's doors off about the time Vander switched from rodent to Warrior.

Stick around Buzz! You're loved here!

[Otule's Glass Eye]

As soon as our season ends, whenever it ends, offer Buzz a big new contract. We need to do all we can to keep him.

[Aughnanure]

Stevens stays.

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/9111901/brad-stevens-staying-butler-ucla-overtures

[Groin_pull]

Look, I love Buzz and want him forever,  and I think we will get him here as long as we want him because:

1) His style of "gosh, we're honored to be here" and his Texan approach to life ain't going to fly in Los Angeles and at UCLA. Folks, Buzz is wonderful for Marquette and Milwaukee. But I doubt it would play in Los Angeles.

2) We're building toward something special. Two more years and I think Buzz is a lifer at MU. We have, as other posters have said, an incredible incoming class. We also have a world-class training center, a fan base that shows up 15,000 strong for our home games and a team that's molded to Buzz. We're building toward the day that UCLA wants NOW -- a regular appearance in the Elite 8 or Final Four. If you don't bring a national championship home every year -- and I don't care how good you are, 1967 to 1974 won't ever happen again -- you are refuse at UCLA.

3) Buzz is the whole banana at Marquette. In LA, he's competing with USC, the Dodgers, the Lakers and the Clippers. His only real competition in Wisconsin is the Packers and Badger football. He blew Bo Ryan's doors off about the time Vander switched from rodent to Warrior.

Stick around Buzz! You're loved here!

And don't forget the negative reaction Buzz would face the first time he talked about God or his faith. Also, no more priests in the locker room or on the bench. Those days would be over.

UCLA is a fine job, but it's a bad fit for Buzz.

[chapman]

$1M salary for Stevens and he can't be lured away.  Gottfried only makes $750k, though the buyout is $3.75M.  Something not too great about UCLA at the moment if they're struggling with these.  First I've heard of Lorenzo Romar, seems like a good fit though the intra-conference move may not happen.

[wardle2wade]

I don't think its all that unusual in short-lead time tournament situations.

I few years back I was on the same Chicago-to-Newark commercial United flight as the 'zags, who were on their way to the Pre-season NIT finals. Not even Few got a first class seat, although Heytvelt managed an exit row.  The issue was that until they won their preliminiary game, they didn't know if they'd even need the charter.

That being said, I know a lot of travelers who would argue that SWA is a significant upgrade over UAL--especially a UAL transfer through Chicago.

It's one thing for Gonzaga to be doing it from Spokane... the remote location makes a charter very expensive and your options are limited.  It's a completely other thing to do it out of LA with tons of charters available.  

Even for situations like the post-season, it seems crazy since tourney wins are so valuable $$$.  It's not worth running into hassles and ruining your team's mojo or mindset.  This is coming from a person who flies weekly for a living... traveling commercial doesn't make things easier and there are always unforeseen headaches.  Would be great to avoid it.

This is why Buzz creates routines for the players (ie staying in hotels in Milwaukee the night before games.)  It takes away unnecessary and unneeded headaches, so they players can focus on the game and feel comfortable.

[Groin_pull]

$1M salary for Stevens and he can't be lured away.  Gottfried only makes $750k, though the buyout is $3.75M.  Something not too great about UCLA at the moment if they're struggling with these.  First I've heard of Lorenzo Romar, seems like a good fit though the intra-conference move may not happen.

This has been an ongoing issue at UCLA. Everytime that job opens up, they start out with a dream list of candidates (over the years, it's included Valvano, Pitino, Donovan, Calipari, and even Phil Jackson). Each of these coaches say no, and UCLA ends up settling for its third, fourth, or even fifth choice.

It's happening again.

[Pakuni]

$1M salary for Stevens and he can't be lured away.  Gottfried only makes $750k, though the buyout is $3.75M.  Something not too great about UCLA at the moment if they're struggling with these.  First I've heard of Lorenzo Romar, seems like a good fit though the intra-conference move may not happen.

Romar actually would be a really good choice for them. He's a SoCal guy, an excellent recruiter and would play a more aesthetically pleasing style than Howland.

Wouldn't make too much of the intra-conference thing. It's been done before (i.e. Tubby from Georgia to Kentucky).

[spartan3186]

Where are you getting those rankings?

Scout 2008 Final rankings:

Tyshawn Taylor - #83 (one spot ahead of Rotnei Clarke)
Nick Williams - unranked

http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=9&cfg=bb&c=4&pid=88&yr=2008

According to RSCI ....

Taylor - #73 overall
Williams - #88 overall

http://home.roadrunner.com/~rsci/RSCI_100_Final_2008.htm

This year's class, per RSCI (as of Sept.):

Deonte Burton - #52
Jujuan Johnson - #57
Duane Wilson - #60

Per Scout:

Jujuan Wilson - #31
Deonte Burton - #54
Duane Wilson - #71

I think you're correct. I just looked at this page:

http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=9&c=8&cfg=bb&toinid=365&yr=2008

And I sort of assumed  that Nat'l Rank meant overall, not position. I think it's the position rank though.

[Les Nessman]

As soon as our season ends, whenever it ends, offer Buzz a big new contract. We need to do all we can to keep him.

Didn't we just give him a big new contract last year?