AD resignation shocked Buzz Williams

[Tugg Speedman]

AD resignation shocked Buzz Williams
Updated: December 14, 2013, 8:26 PM


MILWAUKEE -- Marquette coach Buzz Williams said Saturday he was shocked by the sudden resignation of athletic director Larry Williams.

Larry Williams ran Marquette's athletic department for two years before he stepped down on Friday to pursue leadership opportunities outside of the university. Bill Cords, who served as Marquette's athletic director from 1987 to 2006, is returning to the post until a replacement is named.

Buzz Williams says he found out about the resignation after practice on Friday.

"I'm thankful for what he has done at Marquette," Buzz Williams said. "I have great faith in (interim president) Father Robert Wild and Mr. Cords."

The men's basketball team is the marquee athletic program at Marquette, but Buzz Williams said the department is more than just his team.

"Whatever leadership trends towards, it impacts more kids than just the men's basketball kids," said Williams, who coached the Golden Eagles to an 86-50 victory over IUPUI on Saturday.

"Whoever is the next president and athletic director, I don't want to be the exclusive spokesperson for the athletic department. We have to do what's right for the institution."

School spokesman Brian Dorrington said university officials will be working over the next several weeks to set a timeline and process for hiring a new athletic director.

He said given the winning tradition for the basketball team, along with the success of the other teams at the university, there should be considerable interest in the position.

"When the time comes, we would expect there to be many high-caliber candidates," he said.

Dorrington said the athletic department is in good shape with Cords in charge.

"He built many of the athletic programs at the university," he said. "He has done great work here."

[4everwarriors]

Buzz' translation="so glad the m'fer is gone."

[mr.MUskie]

Buzz' translation="so glad the m'fer is gone."

Wonder if he did his dance again.

[Goose]

4ever


right on!!

[ChicosBailBonds]

Bridge for sale in Arizona?

[tower912]

Maybe Larry thought Buzz was on an airplane or something and didn't want to wait until he landed to talk to him in case Buzz was able to change his mind, so he just went with it. 

[rocket surgeon]

shocked...it didn't happen sooner

[mu_hilltopper]

So .. curious.   For all those who think Buzz is happy (or had a part in) Larry's departure because of "some rift" .. out of sheer curiosity, do you have actual knowledge of that rift?  And "I know a guy who knows a guy who drives the team bus" doesn't count.

Has Buzz (or LW) ever said to anyone that there is a rift?  

I take the article at its word, that Buzz was "shocked," which would tend to mean he didn't have an inkling this was going to happen, or that he'd asked/wished it to happen.   

I can't rid myself of the nagging feeling the interwebs have played a massive game of telephone, taking a kernel of irritation and exploding it into something that it's not.    Anyone here with actual knowledge beyond the "smoke, must be fire" theories?

[GoldenWarrior11]

Whomever is chosen to replace Larry Williams as Athletic Director should DEFINITELY be interviewed with Buzz Williams present.  The two need to have an excellent working relationship, solid communication skills and a level of trust that I feel we all thought was lacking with the Williams & Williams pairing.

I'd be shocked if Bill Cords is named the permanent replacement.  I doubt it would happen, but they should go to Buzz and ask him if he wants the dual AD/HC position.  He is a great representative of the university, but I am not sure he want want to extra workload on an already demanding job.

[Chicos' Buzz Scandal Countdown]

So .. curious.   For all those who think Buzz is happy (or had a part in) Larry's departure because of "some rift" .. out of sheer curiosity, do you have actual knowledge of that rift?  And "I know a guy who knows a guy who drives the team bus" doesn't count.

Has Buzz (or LW) ever said to anyone that there is a rift?  

I take the article at its word, that Buzz was "shocked," which would tend to mean he didn't have an inkling this was going to happen, or that he'd asked/wished it to happen.   

I can't rid myself of the nagging feeling the interwebs have played a massive game of telephone, taking a kernel of irritation and exploding it into something that it's not.    Anyone here with actual knowledge beyond the "smoke, must be fire" theories?

this a thousand times

[KenoshaWarrior]

Bridge for sale in Arizona?

I never got that reference.    Arizona has plenty of man made reservoirs and natural rivers that would warrant having a bridge; albeit not a long bridge. 

The London Bridge is actually in Havasau City if I recall.   

Bridge for Sale in Mongolia or Kazahkstan would be more fitting as both of those are Semi arid, or Arid climates located on the Eurasian Steppe, which means their are few if any places for a bridge.

[AZWarrior]

Yep - we got bridges here.   

[ChicosBailBonds]

Whomever is chosen to replace Larry Williams as Athletic Director should DEFINITELY be interviewed with Buzz Williams present.  The two need to have an excellent working relationship, solid communication skills and a level of trust that I feel we all thought was lacking with the Williams & Williams pairing.

I'd be shocked if Bill Cords is named the permanent replacement.  I doubt it would happen, but they should go to Buzz and ask him if he wants the dual AD/HC position.  He is a great representative of the university, but I am not sure he want want to extra workload on an already demanding job.

Absolutely not

The AD job is demanding enough and needs independence from the coaches.  Besides, I want my basketball coach focused on basketball, not a bunch of other distractions....he has enough already.  Too much for one person to do effectively.  Too many conflicts of interest.

No thanks

[MU82]

Whomever is chosen to replace Larry Williams as Athletic Director should DEFINITELY be interviewed with Buzz Williams present.  The two need to have an excellent working relationship, solid communication skills and a level of trust that I feel we all thought was lacking with the Williams & Williams pairing.

I'd be shocked if Bill Cords is named the permanent replacement.  I doubt it would happen, but they should go to Buzz and ask him if he wants the dual AD/HC position.  He is a great representative of the university, but I am not sure he want want to extra workload on an already demanding job.

Should Buzz also be present in the room when MU is interviewing for the new university president? How about for all trustees? Buzz might not like to be the "underling," but that's what he is.

It would be like a college letting a star returning player help interview prospective coaches. It might be done occasionally (but rarely) on the pro level, but it would be preposterous on the college level.

As for Buzz being coach/AD, those times have passed. Each job is far too all-encompassing now. A coach's day used to have a start and an end; now, it's practically a 24-hour profession. And a good athletic director doesn't work a 40-hour week. Even if you say Buzz could hire several associate ADs to whom he could delegate, it would be a near-impossible task.

Just hire an AD with good people skills and a proven record of working well with revenue-sport coaches.

[Tugg Speedman]

Absolutely not

The AD job is demanding enough and needs independence from the coaches.  Besides, I want my basketball coach focused on basketball, not a bunch of other distractions....he has enough already.  Too much for one person to do effectively.  Too many conflicts of interest.

No thanks

Agreed ... The AD is not merely the GM of the Basketball program.  The AD has many other things to do, for the head BB coach to hire someone that caters to him, and him alone, is a big mistake.

[Dr. Blackheart]

So .. curious.   For all those who think Buzz is happy (or had a part in) Larry's departure because of "some rift" .. out of sheer curiosity, do you have actual knowledge of that rift?  And "I know a guy who knows a guy who drives the team bus" doesn't count.

Has Buzz (or LW) ever said to anyone that there is a rift?  

I take the article at its word, that Buzz was "shocked," which would tend to mean he didn't have an inkling this was going to happen, or that he'd asked/wished it to happen.   

I can't rid myself of the nagging feeling the interwebs have played a massive game of telephone, taking a kernel of irritation and exploding it into something that it's not.    Anyone here with actual knowledge beyond the "smoke, must be fire" theories?

Head scratcher that this is even being asked still. An entire administration has been summarily wiped out only two years in. It has been "dePilarzed" completely in the MIDDLE of the school year, with many major leadership voids. The university was on the brink, people.

There is no smoke, it was a full flame out. It wasn't because Todd Mayo's suspension was one game vs. three.  Or just Buzz's happy.  It was about the university's happy. Follow the money.  Who sits next to Bill Cords or Fr. Wild at basketball games? Who sat next to Larry or Pilarz?

[Tugg Speedman]

Head scratcher that this is even being asked still. An entire administration has been summarily wiped out only two years in. It has been "dePilarzed" completely in the MIDDLE of the school year, with many major leadership voids. The university was on the brink, people.

There is no smoke, it was a full flame out. It wasn't because Todd Mayo's suspension was one game vs. three.  Or just Buzz's happy.  It was about the university's happy. Follow the money.  Who sits next to Bill Cords or Fr. Wild at basketball games? Who sat next to Larry or Pilarz?

agreed ... that is why I started the thread about "MU at a crossroads."  What is happening is orders of magnitude more important than a Mayo suspension.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Head scratcher that this is even being asked still. An entire administration has been summarily wiped out only two years in. It has been "dePilarzed" completely in the MIDDLE of the school year, with many major leadership voids. The university was on the brink, people.

There is no smoke, it was a full flame out. It wasn't because Todd Mayo's suspension was one game vs. three.  Or just Buzz's happy.  It was about the university's happy. Follow the money.  Who sits next to Bill Cords or Fr. Wild at basketball games? Who sat next to Larry or Pilarz?

Then it sounds like due diligence and process weren't too great last time.

I expect a non Jesuit to get the President role

[warriorchick]

Absolutely not

The AD job is demanding enough and needs independence from the coaches.  Besides, I want my basketball coach focused on basketball, not a bunch of other distractions....he has enough already.  Too much for one person to do effectively.  Too many conflicts of interest.

No thanks

This.  A key aspect of the AD job is to act as the boss of all the head coaches.  Sometimes the interests of the University are different than those of a particular coach, and the AD is responsible for keeping everything in check.

Besides that, if Buzz were the AD as well as basketball coach, one of the jobs is going to suffer at the expense of the other. Things have changed a lot in regards to that job from when Al did it.

[4everwarriors]

Virtual lock on the lay prez. Beautiful day in 90210

[Tugg Speedman]

Virtual lock on the lay prez. Beautiful day in 90210

Jeff Joerres?

[willie warrior]

So .. curious.   For all those who think Buzz is happy (or had a part in) Larry's departure because of "some rift" .. out of sheer curiosity, do you have actual knowledge of that rift?  And "I know a guy who knows a guy who drives the team bus" doesn't count.

Has Buzz (or LW) ever said to anyone that there is a rift?  

I take the article at its word, that Buzz was "shocked," which would tend to mean he didn't have an inkling this was going to happen, or that he'd asked/wished it to happen.   

I can't rid myself of the nagging feeling the interwebs have played a massive game of telephone, taking a kernel of irritation and exploding it into something that it's not.    Anyone here with actual knowledge beyond the "smoke, must be fire" theories?

Hilltopper: Whatever would make you believe that some people are "taking a kernel of irritation and exploding it into something that it's not"? Surely it could not be from some of the posts on this board.

I have no way of knowing, but Larry is a football guy, and it may be as simple as he is pursuing opportunities in that area or with a school that has a football program.

[avid1010]

This.  A key aspect of the AD job is to act as the boss of all the head coaches.  Sometimes the interests of the University are different than those of a particular coach, and the AD is responsible for keeping everything in check.

Besides that, if Buzz were the AD as well as basketball coach, one of the jobs is going to suffer at the expense of the other. Things have changed a lot in regards to that job from when Al did it.

i've put a considerable amount of time and research into looking at hiring practices of entities that rank out the highest in retention, production, etc.  i've also worked with reputable search firms that have also assisted in the interviewing process.  imho, buzz should be on the final interview team for this one.  it gives the university the right to look at buzz and say "you had input, you agreed it was a good hire, now you make it work" if problems arise.

what i've never done is hire someone to oversee an employee who makes more money...so i get that buzz holds the power, but it's almost all the more reason for the university to use a consensus approach with an interview team that includes buzz.  it forces buzz to get a long with the hire (sometimes i get the feeling buzz just likes a little consternation), and the university sets the details of the power the AD has over the coaches from the start of the process, and in the interviews.  or just hire buzz's wife as the associate athletic director and move on. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

Virtual lock on the lay prez. Beautiful day in 90210

Yes, lay prez seems likely.

Beautiful day here in the O.C.....been standing in line since 6:00am at a Walmart (please shoot me) because they were getting shipments of PS4s today.  Went in when it was dark, just came outside to lovely sunshine.  Need to mow the grass.  See, you guys bitching about blowing snow don't have to cut the grass year round.   

[warriorchick]

i've put a considerable amount of time and research into looking at hiring practices of entities that rank out the highest in retention, production, etc.  i've also worked with reputable search firms that have also assisted in the interviewing process.  imho, buzz should be on the final interview team for this one.  it gives the university the right to look at buzz and say "you had input, you agreed it was a good hire, now you make it work" if problems arise.

what i've never done is hire someone to oversee an employee who makes more money...so i get that buzz holds the power, but it's almost all the more reason for the university to use a consensus approach with an interview team that includes buzz.  it forces buzz to get a long with the hire (sometimes i get the feeling buzz just likes a little consternation), and the university sets the details of the power the AD has over the coaches from the start of the process, and in the interviews.  or just hire buzz's wife as the associate athletic director and move on. 

My response was to Chico's comment, which I believe was in response to making Buzz the AD, not to having him involved in the hiring decision.