5 Years, 28 Weeks Today...

[jesmu84]

Hardly.  Buzz isn't here without TC, that irony remains lost on just about everyone here.

You can't actually make that statement. If TC was never here, Buzz could still somehow end up here.

[Galway Eagle]

You can't actually make that statement. If TC was never here, Buzz could still somehow end up here.

We aren't in a philosophy class man. Crean hired Buzz just accept that.  I hate the Crean fan club as much as anyone but what happened is what happened no sense in dealing with what ifs

[keefe]

on the old old MU basketball board.

Holy Mike Juno! A Geocities reference!

[lab_warrior]

I can't believe you unnatural carnal knowledgeng twats are so obsessed with the sycophantic bullcrap of your own minds to be bothered by this silliness on a Monday morning.

God Bless America.

+1

GUHHHHHHHHhhhh is this thread an equal combination of cliched, tired, petty, and trollingly f***ing inane comments.  

Congrats.

Back to my lunch.  

[Archies Bat]

5 days and 17 hours from now...

I pray the Mods find a way to automatically lock any thread where the terms Crean, TC, Tanned, or anything similar appear.

[Lennys Tap]

+1

GUHHHHHHHHhhhh is this thread an equal combination of cliched, tired, petty, and trollingly f***ing inane comments.  

Congrats.

Back to my lunch.  

True enough. Thanks for adding yours. Picture was funny, though.

[keefe]

5 days and 17 hours from now...

I pray the Mods find a way to automatically lock any thread where the terms Crean, TC, Tanned, or anything similar appear.

People talk about Crean because he's funny. There are some things that red blooded American males find inherently humorous - flatulence, feces, absurdity, pratfalls, and ethnicity among them. In the case of Crean it is his penchant for buffoonery we find so entertaining. You could not make up the character defects Crean puts on display for us to observe and savor like a fine wine.  

[ChicosBailBonds]

Could you explain how we weren't even an NIT team? I believe Crean took us to the NIT his first year and had the same record his second year though didnt get an invite.  I know he inherited crap but not an NIT team is playing with the facts. 

Sure.  Deane's last year, we didn't go to the NIT...we went nowhere...we were at home.  The team Crean inherited, sat home and went to no post season tournament.  Thus, he inherited a team that wasn't even in the NIT....but he did have stud Krunti Hester coming to play, the lone recruit.   

[keefe]

but he did have stud Krunti Hester coming to play, the lone recruit.   

...Who was replaced by stud Kevin Menard...

[ChicosBailBonds]

I think he means that the season prior to Crean MU didn't even make the NIT.

I believe a certain fan who now goes by the name Chico's vehemently argued against Deane's firing (and didn't like the Crean hire) on the old old MU basketball board.

Wasn't against the Crean hire at all.  Of the candidates, he was a strong hire.  I got to live through it as I was in the department when it all happened.  Was I thrilled Deane got let go... no.  He was a friend, treated me well, etc.  Never like to see someone let go.  Once he was gone and seeing the process unfold to hire a replacement, a process that was diligent, took time, was methodical, etc....it was fun and exciting time to be in the department.  Mike was fired March 5th, Crean was hired March 30th.  After meeting Tom one on one the day of the hire, spending an hour with him going through what we were all about, I felt he had the energy to do some good, would relate to the students and to student athletes, but you never know about the other stuff.  It was his first head coaching gig. Only time would tell.

I asked him on the spot if he would begin calling every season ticket holder, he and his team just to say thanks.  To get them to touch the fans.  He didn't bat an eye, and within a week we had a phone bank setup where the entire staff, coaches, players called every season ticket holder.  As much as I enjoyed Mike, he never would have done that.   It was a small start, but I knew I had someone that would work their tail off on the speaking circuit, glad handing, etc.  It was part of the job, and he did it without hesitation. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

Buzz is here despite Tom Crean who wanted to take him to Indiana.

And Buzz wouldn't have ever known about Marquette or ever set foot on campus without Crean hiring him.  That is the irony.  It worked out well for everyone.  IU has returned to a solid squad.  Buzz has continued to keep things going.  All good. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

You can't actually make that statement. If TC was never here, Buzz could still somehow end up here.

LOL.  Yeah, and an asteroid COULD hit you tonight and kill you.  Why don't you read Buzz's own words after he was hired at MU as an assistant and how unlikely it was that he would ever end up in Milwaukee.

You're taking a wild leap, I'm just giving you facts and common sense.  Buzz hired by Crean.  Year later, Crean leaves and Buzz as assistant coach is up for MU job.  Part B happened because Part A put him in the spot to be here.  Please, don't go through mental gymnastics to make it something it isn't.  Do you think if Buzz wasn't on the staff that MU after Crean left would be parsing the country and would stumble upon Buzz Williams at New Orleans fresh off his first losing season and who knows what he would have done in season 2.  Please.

[ChicosBailBonds]

...Who was replaced by stud Kevin Menard...

Lots of guys needed replacing.  He inherited a non NIT team. 

[hairy worthen]

And Buzz wouldn't have ever known about Marquette or ever set foot on campus without Crean hiring him.  That is the irony.  It worked out well for everyone.  IU has returned to a solid squad.  Buzz has taken the program to the next level, something Crean was incapable of doing.  All good. 

FIFY

[ChicosBailBonds]

FIFY

Impossible to prove.  He left.  Crean already took the program to the next level and then some....Final Four comes to mind.  He left, what would have happened if he stayed we'll never know.  Hopefully Buzz can get us to a Final Four, I have no doubt he has the ability, but it takes some good fortune to get there.  It is a crapshoot.

I'm glad Buzz is here, I'm glad TC turned around IU and the stain that went with it.  I'm glad Bill Self is doing wonders at my third alma mater.  All good in Chico basketball land.

[Galway Eagle]

Sure.  Deane's last year, we didn't go to the NIT...we went nowhere...we were at home.  The team Crean inherited, sat home and went to no post season tournament.  Thus, he inherited a team that wasn't even in the NIT....but he did have stud Krunti Hester coming to play, the lone recruit.   

Ok I was confused because people talk of the 08-09 team being what buzz inherited I've heard people say buzz inherited a potential final four team
About Buzz's first season.  So in my head Crean inherited a NIt team because that's what they did his first season.  But thanks for clarifying

[keefe]

Impossible to prove.  He left.  Crean already took the program to the next level and then some....Final Four comes to mind.  He left, what would have happened if he stayed we'll never know.  Hopefully Buzz can get us to a Final Four, I have no doubt he has the ability, but it takes some good fortune to get there.  It is a crapshoot.

I'm glad Buzz is here, I'm glad TC turned around IU and the stain that went with it.  I'm glad Bill Self is doing wonders at my third alma mater.  All good in Chico basketball land.

My John Beilein and Tommy Amaker is a pair of kings to your Bill Self and Tanned Tommy which is a king and a joker.

[Lennys Tap]

And Buzz wouldn't have ever known about Marquette or ever set foot on campus without Crean hiring him.  

Buzz "knew about" Marquette before he got here. Every college coach does. And he would never, ever have set foot on Marquette's campus? Pretty absolute, didn't think you went for the nevers, always, etc. My guess is that in what one way or another will quite possibly be a 40+ year career in coaching Buzz just might have found his way to Milwaukee once without Tom Crean.

[MerrittsMustache]

Impossible to prove.  He left.  Crean already took the program to the next level and then some....Final Four comes to mind.  He left, what would have happened if he stayed we'll never know.  Hopefully Buzz can get us to a Final Four, I have no doubt he has the ability, but it takes some good fortune to get there.  It is a crapshoot.

Wait, so is getting to the Final Four considered "taking a program to the next level" or is it just a crapshoot?

[Jay Bee]

I think most MU folks are extraordinarily happy that Crean is long gone.

I think Crean is happy he's at IU. After all, last November he received a new agreement under which his buyout started at a whopping $16MM. As of today, it's around $14MM. He's sitting pretty even if there is some pee down the leg in the mind of some after an earlier-than-expected end to what otherwise was a good season.

Most MU fans are delighted with Buzz. With a promising year ahead and an Elite Eight and two Sweet Sixteens in the rear view mirror, folks are feeling good.

Some IU fans are cool with Crean. Sure, they didn't come anywhere close to a national championship after being the consensus #1 pick last season, but they did get to chop down the nets after a home loss to celebrate at least a tie for the Big Ten's best regular season record. With a disappointing end to last season and two high lotto picks now in the NBA, things are looking hopeful to some. With the massive buyout due Crean (far larger than IU and the masses reported), he's got to be feeling very good.

So, I think every body wins.

[Lennys Tap]

Impossible to prove.  He left.  Crean already took the program to the next level and then some....Final Four comes to mind.  He left, what would have happened if he stayed we'll never know.  Hopefully Buzz can get us to a Final Four, I have no doubt he has the ability, but it takes some good fortune to get there.  It is a crapshoot.

The fact that Buzz has taken the program beyond where Crean did or was capable of doing is as impossible to prove as the no Crean at MU, no Buzz at MU fact. Funny you believe in some asteroids hitting earth but scoff at others. LOL.

[Lennys Tap]

Wait, so is getting to the Final Four considered "taking a program to the next level" or is it just a crapshoot?

The Final Four was great. Awesome even. But it was one season out of nine. And in his 5 years here after the FF, TC whiffed altogether twice (NIT) and won a grand total of 1 NCAA tournament game (the one that Buzz did the scouting report for). In three years with his own players, Buzz has won a Big East title and finished 2nd once (14-4 back to back) and has 7 NCAA tournament wins. That's a far cry from "continuing" what his predecessor was doing. He's already lapped him.

[keefe]

The Final Four was great. Awesome even. But it was one season out of nine. And in his 5 years here after the FF, TC whiffed altogether twice (NIT) and won a grand total of 1 NCAA tournament game (the one that Buzz did the scouting report for). In three years with his own players, Buzz has won a Big East title and finished 2nd once (14-4 back to back) and has 7 NCAA tournament wins. That's a far cry from "continuing" what his predecessor was doing. He's already lapped him.

Lenny

I'm not sure what was more shameful - getting humiliated at home against Western Michigan in the NIT or our shameful first half against Michigan State in the NCAA?

[tower912]

If you want an interesting perspective, go to pages 580-590.    4ever, PRN, and chicos all share the consistency over time award.    MUAvenue is remarkably consistent, too.    He was as critical of Crean as he is of Buzz. 

[Archies Bat]

I'm glad there are only 10 holidays per year.