Buzz Williams on Short list of coaches under 45 who will make the HOF

[brewcity77]

Which decade would you like to debate?  Which high major conference would you like to compare it to? The B12 is a high major conference yet since 2000 they collectively have only 6 more appearances than our conference.  (the difference between Depaul, Seton Hall, SJU and Providence sucking or not)  This is why I made all of those spreadsheets.

How many of those appearances were because of what those teams did in the Big East? We got 10-8 and 9-9 conference record teams into the tourney. I have a feeling that won't be good enough anymore. Since 2000, how much of that success comes from Butler, who just lost their coach and looks to be a step below DePaul at the moment? Will twice annually against Creighton and Xavier be able to give the same bang for the buck we got from Louisville, UConn, Pitt, and Syracuse?

I know the numbers bear out pretty well for us, but it remains to be seen how this league does going forward. If Georgetown and Marquette can remain at their current level and have at least one other school join them on a regular basis, and if we see a few Final Four appearances in the first 5 years, we could be regarded as a high-major. For now, the rest still see us as second tier (no matter what the numbers say) while the Big 12 is a proven commodity.

[NavinRJohnson]

So Barnes literally lost his top four scorers, and half of his top 10 scorers...and none of it was to graduation. Something is sour in that program. Combine that with the fact that Texas is only bringing in 1 4 star and 3 3 stars (a weak class by Texas standards). Barnes is looking at starting:

1. Felix
2. Yancy-Harris
3. Holmes
4. Lammert
5. Ridley

Not an intimidating lineup in the slightest. OkSt, Kansas, and Baylor will dominate the Big 12 this year. There is no way Barnes can compete. He will be done after this season.

Perhaps. Then again, with expectations being as low as they are, if a young team improves and shows promise, perhaps not.

Simply because the five players above are the top 5 returning scorers doesn't mean they will be the starting lineup. My guessis you have no idea. He may decide to start 2..3...4 Freshmen. Perception can change quickly, and you are generally one big time recruit away from being really good. Will it happen? Maybe, maybe not.

[Galway Eagle]

How many of those appearances were because of what those teams did in the Big East? We got 10-8 and 9-9 conference record teams into the tourney. I have a feeling that won't be good enough anymore. Since 2000, how much of that success comes from Butler, who just lost their coach and looks to be a step below DePaul at the moment? Will twice annually against Creighton and Xavier be able to give the same bang for the buck we got from Louisville, UConn, Pitt, and Syracuse?

I know the numbers bear out pretty well for us, but it remains to be seen how this league does going forward. If Georgetown and Marquette can remain at their current level and have at least one other school join them on a regular basis, and if we see a few Final Four appearances in the first 5 years, we could be regarded as a high-major. For now, the rest still see us as second tier (no matter what the numbers say) while the Big 12 is a proven commodity.

I know Xavier was down last year and still is in a bit rebuilding mode but the fact is they're good. They had to compete against a St Joseph's team that was incredible two years straight temple teams that were always good, the resurgence of slu, and still were alsmost always in the s16 or e8.

I know we won't be playing those year in year out national title contenders but this is a new type of conference where the majority of the teams are legitimate s16 e8 teams and to me that's better than 9/11 teams losing in the first weekend. 

[Atticus]

I know Xavier was down last year and still is in a bit rebuilding mode but the fact is they're good. They had to compete against a St Joseph's team that was incredible two years straight temple teams that were always good, the resurgence of slu, and still were alsmost always in the s16 or e8.

I know we won't be playing those year in year out national title contenders but this is a new type of conference where the majority of the teams are legitimate s16 e8 teams and to me that's better than 9/11 teams losing in the first weekend. 

Like Georgetown?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Perhaps. Then again, with expectations being as low as they are, if a young team improves and shows promise, perhaps not.

Simply because the five players above are the top 5 returning scorers doesn't mean they will be the starting lineup. My guessis you have no idea. He may decide to start 2..3...4 Freshmen. Perception can change quickly, and you are generally one big time recruit away from being really good. Will it happen? Maybe, maybe not.

Of course I have no idea. I'm not Rick Barnes. I'm just offering a projected lineup. And Yancy-Harris is a freshman, not one of the top 5 scorers returning.

You do make a good point about outperforming with a young team. If he can combine that with a strong recruiting class (off to a good start with a four star signed already), maybe Texas will forgive him. But they are likely to finish 7th or 8th in the Big 12 this year. Texas fans don't accept a bottom half conference finish.

[Galway Eagle]

Like Georgetown?

Yes, why do you bring them into it?

[Spotcheck Billy]

Xavier has more on their plate now

Maryland's Dez Wells is suing his old school, Xavier, for (in a nutshell) kicking him out and ruining his reputation.

More specifically: "The Xavier University Conduct Board, charged with adjudicating the allegations against Wells, failed to follow Xavier's policies for disciplinary proceedings, conducted a fundamentally unfair hearing and defamed Wells by publicly proclaliming him guilty of rape, materially as a result of Father Graham's irresponsible and reckless rush to judgment," according to the suit.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Sorry to pile on but:

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/9586240/ioannis-papapetrou-texas-longhorns-leading-returning-scorer-signs-deal-greek-pro-team

Papapetrou was the highest scoring player from last year's that was still around. I can't imagine Barnes being able to turn this around. He's lost about half his team to transfers. He is gone after this season. Then we will finally get to put the Buzz to Texas rumors behind us, for better or for worse.

Buzz will stay as long at MU will have him.

[brewcity77]

Yes, why do you bring them into it?

Well...you sort of did by referencing the 9/11 losing in the first weekend. No Big East team has made a more regular habit in recent years of first weekend exits than Georgetown. The bottom line is that while there are some positive numbers in the new Big East's favor, none of the rest of the country cares about what these schools did over the past 10-20 years. They will only care about what we do from here on out.

ESPN has gone to the extreme to make sure everyone knows Louisville, Connecticut, and Syracuse, the three schools responsible for the Big East's only championships over the past 20 years, are gone, and that the "strength of the league" in their eyes, UL, SU, and Pitt, are all headed to their darling ACC. FS1's marketing will certainly help, but until that network starts to catch on nationally, which could take anywhere from 5-10 years, we will still be in the shadow of ESPN and will be battling against the perception they have already begun to create about the NBE.

What this league needs is March success quickly. If we put 3-5 teams into the Final Four in the next 4-5 years, if Buzz or JTIII can manage to corral a National Championship, and if we can routinely have 2-3 teams playing into the second weekend, the rest of the country will start regarding this league the same way we do now. But everything starts at zero. What we did before means next to nothing. And until we prove it on the court, we will be regarded as a lesser conference than the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, Pac-12, and maybe even the AAC and Mountain West. We're still ahead of the A-10 and the rest of the country, but this is an uphill battle.

[Coleman]

Buzz will stay as long at MU will have him.

His words Chicos!

[4everwarriors]

Thank you, Lou Perini.

[Galway Eagle]

Why has everybody only said Buzz or JTIII? Last time I checked Jay wright had a recent FF appearance himself. 

[forgetful]

Why has everybody only said Buzz or JTIII? Last time I checked Jay wright had a recent FF appearance himself. 

Nova has struggled as of late and sports are a what have you done for me lately business.

[Galway Eagle]

Nova has struggled as of late and sports are a what have you done for me lately business.

Umm in the last five years a final four and three more ncaa appearances doesn't seem like struggling. Maybe not elite like the Scottie Reynolds days but not struggling. 

[Golden Avalanche]

Umm in the last five years a final four and three more ncaa appearances doesn't seem like struggling. Maybe not elite like the Scottie Reynolds days but not struggling. 

If you knew Nova fans, they'd tell you Wright is struggling.

[Galway Eagle]

If you knew Nova fans, they'd tell you Wright is struggling.

Well there you go I don't know any