Great Motivator, Good Role Model, Poor Basketball Coach

[karavotsos]

When you say Brad Stevens has been unbelievable as Celtics coach you do realize that 1st yr coach Jeff Hornaceck has led a team that was supposed to be worse than the Celtics to a 24-18 record in the West, correct?

I'm not an advanced stats guy, but comparatively, I'd say 15-30 is pretty believable.  Stevens did get Jordan Crawford moved up to the bench on a major league team; I will give him that.

[Sunbelt15]

Buzz coaching sucks THIS year!

[Atticus]

When you say Brad Stevens has been unbelievable as Celtics coach you do realize that 1st yr coach Jeff Hornaceck has led a team that was supposed to be worse than the Celtics to a 24-18 record in the West, correct?

I'm not an advanced stats guy, but comparatively, I'd say 15-30 is pretty believable.  Stevens did get Jordan Crawford moved up to the bench on a major league team; I will give him that.

Umm...yeah....exactly. I said he has been unbelievable with the celtics. I never said he is the best first year coach in the NBA....as u suggested. Strange leap there.

[Tums Festival]

This is the first time I can remember someone saying Buzz can't develop players. I think it's one of his strengths and a major difference between him and his predecessor. This year's team has struggled due to lack of leadership and lack of a proven point guard due to players leaving the program. I trust Buzz will not have the same problems with future teams.

[karavotsos]

Umm...yeah....exactly. I said he has been unbelievable with the celtics. I never said he is the best first year coach in the NBA....as u suggested. Strange leap there.

You said in your post to look up the Celtics record as an indication of what an ubelievable coach Brad Stevens is.  I looked up the Celtics record.  It is 15-30.  I do not find that record to be indicative of an unbelievable head coach, no matter who your players are.  In order to more fully state my point, I attempted to point to an alternative example of an unbelievable rookie head coach, as judged by team record.  That was my leap.     

[MUfan12]

This is the first time I can remember someone saying Buzz can't develop players. I think it's one of his strengths and a major difference between him and his predecessor.

His best work has been with JUCO guys. His track record with HS guys isn't as good. And that has to be at least a little bit concerning.

[pbiflyer]

In all the stupid things that have ever been posted on the internet, the original post has to be in the top 10 of all time.

[mhendrick]

I love the Buzz Cool-Aid. No coach I would rather have right now, and mostly because I think he really likes it here. I do  not think he is just looking for his next job like his predecessor. Hope he stays a lOOOOOONG time because the future is very bright for this team as long as he remains.

[Wojo'sMojo]

I hope Buzz stays at Marquette forever. However, his loyalty to certain players is very troublesome and his stubbornness has doomed this team. There is no way that Thomas should get more minutes than Mayo in ANY game. And hitching your wagon to Derrick...well we know where that has gotten us this season. Truly disappointing and a real head scratcher.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I hope Buzz stays at Marquette forever. However, his loyalty to certain players is very troublesome and his stubbornness has doomed this team. There is no way that Thomas should get more minutes than Mayo in ANY game. And hitching your wagon to Derrick...well we know where that has gotten us this season. Truly disappointing and a real head scratcher.

I still don't believe this rumored loyalty to certain players for a second. He plays the players he thinks will win. Jake is our most consistent three point threat and you need him out there to spread out the defense. Jake does this better than Mayo does. I agree that Mayo should be getting more PT but I wouldn't take it out of Jake's. As for Derrick...Buzz thinks he's the better option. I liked Dawson against Georgetown but Buzz wouldn't sit him if he really was the right player for the team.

[The Equalizer]

I still don't believe this rumored loyalty to certain players for a second. He plays the players he thinks will win. Jake is our most consistent three point threat and you need him out there to spread out the defense. Jake does this better than Mayo does. I agree that Mayo should be getting more PT but I wouldn't take it out of Jake's. As for Derrick...Buzz thinks he's the better option. I liked Dawson against Georgetown but Buzz wouldn't sit him if he really was the right player for the team.

I think a lot of this stems from Buzz's frequent comments to the effect that he plays the guys who work hardest in practice.  That leads to the assumption that if a better player has a bad practice session, he'll be on the bench while a less capable player gets the majority of the game-time minutes. 

I don't think its necessarily unreasonable to draw that assumption after watching Dawson agianst Georgetown and Wilson against Villanova.

[jesmu84]

I think a lot of this stems from Buzz's frequent comments to the effect that he plays the guys who work hardest in practice.  That leads to the assumption that if a better player has a bad practice session, he'll be on the bench while a less capable player gets the majority of the game-time minutes. 

I don't think its necessarily unreasonable to draw that assumption after watching Dawson agianst Georgetown and Wilson against Villanova.

zone vs. man

[ChicosBailBonds]

Sweet 16, Sweet 16, Elite 8, best record in the Big East over the last 5 years.   Not infallible.   But the only people in all of college basketball who think Buzz can't coach are the frustrated guys at their keyboards this afternoon.  

Outcoached Boeheim in Milwaukee last year.   Outcoached Brad in the round of 32 last year.   Took a team with no one taller than 6'6 to the tourney.   Dude can flat out coach.   

Fair points, though the coach does recruit the players and I'm still scratching my head on the PG spot. 

As for outcoaching someone in a game, I find that to be a great myth usually.  Coaches teach, they coach, the instruct, but players execute.  If players don't succeed and folks like the coach, it's the players fault.  If players don't succeed and they don't like the coach (or want to glorify their guy), it's all due to coaching.  It's never quite that simple, but fans constantly want to go there.

[royceda5 9]

Terrible coach, amazes me that a guy getting top 15 recruiting classes continues to start a football player and a CYO player. (dw and the white guy).

[ChicosBailBonds]

So, you're saying that Vander leaving and Duane getting hurt has impacted this team.

Yes, but Diener hurting and Wade leaving did not......           


I'm teasing Tower, I'm teasing....but I do find it interesting in watching fandom how similar circumstances are viewed differently by sports fans.

[tower912]

Chicos, I was right there back in the day with you on jsonline defending the 03-04, 04-05 teams.   IIRC, the first time I said a negative word about those two seasons was during one of the endless debates where, again IIRC, 84/Equalizer denigrated Buzz's 09/10 coaching job because there were future NBA players on the roster.     They were frustrating years.   There are parallels.   Amusement goes both ways. 

[MU82]

I hope Buzz stays at Marquette forever. However, his loyalty to certain players is very troublesome and his stubbornness has doomed this team. There is no way that Thomas should get more minutes than Mayo in ANY game. And hitching your wagon to Derrick...well we know where that has gotten us this season. Truly disappointing and a real head scratcher.

I used a similar headscratcher line when discussing yesterday's game with several buds yesterday.

I like Buzz and have defended him. I also have criticized him at time, because any of us can and should be held accountable.

Even if one allows that Dawson didn't play as well yesterday as he did against GTown for any number of reasons (defense spotty, a little erratic on offense, etc.), it's hard to look at what Derrick did and what Nova's guards did and say that Derrick deserved 36 minutes to Dawson's 8.

And if Jake can't get off a shot without double screens on every play, it is totally impossible to justify playing him more than Mayo.

Yes, I like Buzz, but he has made me scratch my head many times this season.

[GGGG]

Someone has to substantiate "so much physical talent." 'Cuz, I don't see it. Look, Buzz has shown me he has all the stuff great coaches are made of, on and off the court. And, I'm proud to say he's the face of my alma mater. If Buzz is to be criticized this season, rag on him for bein' caught, talent wise, with his pants down. To me, it's a minor point. Can and is bein' rectified.

I think this is a point that cannot be lost here.  This team does not have nearly the talent that it has been given credit for, and we have had too many transfers that sub out what should be a quality upper classman for an unproven freshman. 

For instance, what would this team look like with TJ Taylor at the two guard?  Instead of wasting time with Jamail Jones and Jamal Ferguson, who could have been here instead?

And next year is going to be even more interesting.  Talk about young and inexperienced...

[willie warrior]

I think this is a point that cannot be lost here.  This team does not have nearly the talent that it has been given credit for, and we have had too many transfers that sub out what should be a quality upper classman for an unproven freshman. 

For instance, what would this team look like with TJ Taylor at the two guard?  Instead of wasting time with Jamail Jones and Jamal Ferguson, who could have been here instead?

And next year is going to be even more interesting.  Talk about young and inexperienced...

Don't know--where is TJ Taylor banging it big time right now?

[GGGG]

North Texas.  He's up and down.  But I think is a better high major player than Jake Thomas.

[Stretchdeltsig]

it really is difficult to understand how Buzz can go from a very good coach to an awful coach this year.  What has happened to him.  His stubborness to continue playing De Wilson, Thomas and Otule instead of Mayo, Dawson, and Taylor doesn't make any sense at all.

[MU82]

it really is difficult to understand how Buzz can go from a very good coach to an awful coach this year.  What has happened to him.  His stubborness to continue playing De Wilson, Thomas and Otule instead of Mayo, Dawson, and Taylor doesn't make any sense at all.

I don't think Otule should be lumped in with this group. Otule played 16 minutes (out of a possible 45) yesterday and is averaging 18. Maybe his average should be closer to 12-15, but he is a guy with value. He had a great blocked shot, absolutely saved 2 points that I'm confident would have been scored had either Gardner or Taylor been in that position. His mere presence on defense does create problems for opponents. He also had a fantastic post move yesterday. By virtue of his height and shotblocking ability, he would get 10-15 minutes for many, many good teams.

Meanwhile, Derrick averages 29 and Jake 28 -- at least double (and probably triple) what they would get with almost any other high-major, high-aspirations team.

[GGGG]

it really is difficult to understand how Buzz can go from a very good coach to an awful coach this year.

Because he hasn't.

Just like Jay Wright and Jamie Dixon didn't when Nova and Pitt struggled the last couple of years.

[war1980rior]

Because he hasn't.

Just like Jay Wright and Jamie Dixon didn't when Nova and Pitt struggled the last couple of years.

+1 to Sultan.  I don't post often, but have been a diehard fan since my freshman year.  That year the fans heavily criticized the coach for starting a senior forward over two future team captains.  That was Bill Neary, and somehow the coach won exactly the right number of games with that lineup.  I don't agree totally with the way Buzz is doing it, but I'm in sales, not coaching.

By the way, nice exit, Al!

Buzz is more than a solid coach.  This original post belongs to a fair weather fan at best.

[Wojo'sMojo]

Because he hasn't.

Just like Jay Wright and Jamie Dixon didn't when Nova and Pitt struggled the last couple of years.

Buzz has always been able to adjust and put his teams in the best positions to win. He was able to coach them up and get the most out of them. He for whatever reason this year refuses to make any meaningful changes and in the process has alienated a majority of the fan base. This season is lost and a large amount of the blame falls on his stubbornness. I have to imagine his act gets rather tiresome for his players when they aren't winning and he continues to trot out a starting backcourt that couldn't hold UWGB's backcourts jockstraps.