Has Buzz become too big for his britches - is this why Larry Williams left?

[Texas Western]

His contract wasn't going to be renewed.  He said that he would rather leave.  They negotiated some sort of buy out.

Your second sentence is what we are focused on. He left on his own terms. Also I am not in agreement with the notion that his contract was not going to be renewed. I think it had a finite period and he didn't want to wait around and see if it was renewed or not.

[JakeBarnes]

Yeah, there has been some criticism this year, but also plenty of slurping also. Look at how this poster just got blasted.

He got blasted because there is a strong possibility his opinion is crap-flinging due to a personal relationship with LW. See: his previous posts including the "I know LW from ND."  It's likelihood of trolling is pretty high--rather, the probative value of his statements is severely outweighed by the inflammatory nature of his post. Don't be jealous that a new troll has moved in the neighborhood.

Honestly, I am just tired of the new trend of crap-slinging and irrational chicken-little finger pointing. It used to just be a quietly ignorable minority (willie, et al)...but it seems that this trend has multiplied like a virus and become the new tea party of the board-- a group of people who believe the only means to prove the validity of their point is not by the use of substantive facts, but by whoever can yell their point the loudest. I try to keep things lighthearted and (perhaps a little too often) make a joke about a situation. However, the aforementioned group of chicken littles has made the once enjoyable exercise of conversations on this board a cesspool makes it difficult to justify why I even come here. Time for me to fade into the ether for a while and just enjoy the team without the baggage of the fans for a little bit.

[jesmu84]

I completely agree with you. Larry Williams understood we are rolling the dice with Buzz and he didn't want to gamble with his own reputation. So he left having made us a great deal for the new Big East and on the heels of the elite eight. Smart move on his part. Buzz should have taken the SMU loot when he had the chance. I guess we are stuck with him until he can produce again.

Until this post, I actually liked to read your posts and have discussions. Unless this is high sarcasm... ignore.

PS. with President Scranton gone, it was only a matter of time for LW. maybe just after that. maybe once the next President took office. But for sure eventually.

Also, how did 2 trolls manage to combine to make this a top post? awful. Mods have to see through this, right?

[GGGG]

Your second sentence is what we are focused on. He left on his own terms. Also I am not in agreement with the notion that his contract was not going to be renewed. I think it had a finite period and he didn't want to wait around and see if it was renewed or not.

Huh?  I am telling you what happened.  Fr. Wild (or someone close to him) told LW sometime just after Thanksgiving that he would not be employed beyond this academic year.  I am not sure if he had a multi-year contract of some sort, or a simple rollover.  And while it was his decision to leave before the end of the academic year, it most certainly was not his decision to end his employment with Marquette.

[Texas Western]

Until this post, I actually liked to read your posts and have discussions. Unless this is high sarcasm... ignore.

PS. with President Scranton gone, it was only a matter of time for LW. maybe just after that. maybe once the next President took office. But for sure eventually.

That is all I was saying, he would rather leave on his own terms than be asked out the door, declared victory and moved on.

[GGGG]

That is all I was saying, he would rather leave on his own terms than be asked out the door, declared victory and moved on.

But that isn't what happened.  He did not "leave on his own terms."

[tower912]

He got blasted because there is a strong possibility his opinion is crap-flinging due to a personal relationship with LW. See: his previous posts including the "I know LW from ND."  It's likelihood of trolling is pretty high--rather, the probative value of his statements is severely outweighed by the inflammatory nature of his post. Don't be jealous that a new troll has moved in the neighborhood.

Honestly, I am just tired of the new trend of crap-slinging and irrational chicken-little finger pointing. It used to just be a quietly ignorable minority (willie, et al)...but it seems that this trend has multiplied like a virus and become the new tea party of the board-- a group of people who believe the only means to prove the validity of their point is not by the use of substantive facts, but by whoever can yell their point the loudest. I try to keep things lighthearted and (perhaps a little too often) make a joke about a situation. However, the aforementioned group of chicken littles has made the once enjoyable exercise of conversations on this board a cesspool makes it difficult to justify why I even come here. Time for me to fade into the ether for a while and just enjoy the team without the baggage of the fans for a little bit.

Amen, Jake.   

[4everwarriors]

Translation=Larry got s hitcanned.

[GGGG]

Translation=Larry got s hitcanned.

LOL....yes.  In so many words.

I guess if Chris Columbo is told that he has 15 minutes to clean out his office, and he leaves after 10, then he is "leaving on his own terms."

[mu_hilltopper]

To add to the rumor pile .. what I understand is that he did leave on his own terms, and the current theory of him being some sort of inevitable departure after Pilarz's is false.    LW was doing a decent job at MU and wasn't in any danger of being shown the door.

Of course, none of us were in the room, but that's the story I've been given.

[real chili 83]

Looking back, seems like Larry Williams timed his exit perfectly maybe he knew this season was about to enter train wreck territory.

If Buzz is this stubborn in changing his lineup when it seems obvious that a change is needed, how difficult must he be to work with on a day to day basis?  Would he listen to a "boss"?

Just watching our players there is not the same life as the past few years, something is rotten and we may never know what that is, but I bet Larry Williams knew and didn't want to be associated with it - or this crappy bball product.

Nothin' like a dumb a$$ domer to stink up the place.

What do you get when you breed a pig with an ND alum?  Nothing.  There are some things even pigs won't do.

[MU82]

Looking back, seems like Larry Williams timed his exit perfectly maybe he knew this season was about to enter train wreck territory.

If Buzz is this stubborn in changing his lineup when it seems obvious that a change is needed, how difficult must he be to work with on a day to day basis?  Would he listen to a "boss"?

Just watching our players there is not the same life as the past few years, something is rotten and we may never know what that is, but I bet Larry Williams knew and didn't want to be associated with it - or this crappy bball product.

Has there ever been an AD who said to himself, "Self, we might have a really bad basketball season, so I'd better become unemployed and eventually hope to land a job somewhere near as good"?

If that really was LW's mindset, he was the worst AD in the country. Who thinks so myopically and with such a short-term view?

I sincerely doubt that's what LW was thinking, though. I'll give him that much credit.

The poster? He gets no credit for such silliness.

[Dawson Rental]

To add to the rumor pile .. what I understand is that he did leave on his own terms, and the current theory of him being some sort of inevitable departure after Pilarz's is false.    LW was doing a decent job at MU and wasn't in any danger of being shown the door.

Of course, none of us were in the room, but that's the story I've been given.

So why did he leave, then?  In the middle of the school year?  Without another job to move onto? 
I don't know the answers, and I'm sure you don't know either.  I'm just saying that IMO those questions undermine the credibility of the story that you were told somewhat.  Both sides blowing big kisses each other's way could very well have been part of the exit deal.

[Texas Western]

Has there ever been an AD who said to himself, "Self, we might have a really bad basketball season, so I'd better become unemployed and eventually hope to land a job somewhere near as good"?

If that really was LW's mindset, he was the worst AD in the country. Who thinks so myopically and with such a short-term view?

I sincerely doubt that's what LW was thinking, though. I'll give him that much credit.

The poster? He gets no credit for such silliness.

I think it was more along the lines of "Self I have done great things by getting us a fantastic tv deal and future new conference, we just finished a great year and now I am facing a new President and still have to play second fiddle to the basketball coach. I will leave now with my record intact, I have plenty of money and I am going to enjoy watching my two sons play college football and kick back and do some consulting work until another good job opens up" Actually people who are successful have conversations like that with themselves all the time. this guy has had a long NFL career, practiced law with a major law firm, and has a very solid record of achievement in athletic administration at the college level. He has plenty of doors that are going to be open for him. Also if you ever met him in person, while he may come off as cocky etc to a University President etc he has perfected the speech about academics first and that will get him many jobs. He is not going to role the dice on an unreliable guy like Buzz. Just not in his DNA right or wrong.

[JakeBarnes]

Amen, Jake.   

/endrant

[GGGG]

I think it was more along the lines of "Self I have done great things by getting us a fantastic tv deal and future new conference, we just finished a great year and now I am facing a new President and still have to play second fiddle to the basketball coach. I will leave now with my record intact, I have plenty of money and I am going to enjoy watching my two sons play college football and kick back and do some consulting work until another good job opens up" Actually people who are successful have conversations like that with themselves all the time. this guy has had a long NFL career, practiced law with a major law firm, and has a very solid record of achievement in athletic administration at the college level. He has plenty of doors that are going to be open for him. Also if you ever met him in person, while he may come off as cocky etc to a University President etc he has perfected the speech about academics first and that will get him many jobs. He is not going to role the dice on an unreliable guy like Buzz. Just not in his DNA right or wrong.

But that's not what happened.  No matter how many times you say it.

[GGGG]

So why did he leave, then?  In the middle of the school year?  Without another job to move onto? 
I don't know the answers, and I'm sure you don't know either.  I'm just saying that IMO those questions undermine the credibility of the story that you were told somewhat.  Both sides blowing big kisses each other's way could very well have been part of the exit deal.

I'm just going to say this.  The guy who told me about LW is the same one that told me about Todd's academic issues weeks before it became public, and the same guy who told me about the alleged sexual assaults months before they become public.  He is in a position to know.

[harigtad]

interesting insight and appreciate you adding value to the discussion.
I do think Buzz v Larry power struggle is the reason behind the firing/resignation.

[tower912]

The tension between Buzz and Larry was probably 'A' factor, but not 'THE' factor.    The Pilarz-Larry alliance factors in.    Just as Pilarz left because he didn't feel he was the right man for the huge upcoming fundraising, how Larry was perceived by many of the influential donors and the BOT needs to be factored in.   An AD can't be butchering big money donors names during fundraisers.    When an institution has a successful and popular coach for one of its programs, it is bad form to appear to be undercutting him, badmouthing him, and hamstringing him.   It hurts fundraising.    So, IMO,  when the BOT brought back Wild as a transitional president until the new, forward looking, money raising machine is hired, the writing was on the wall for Larry. 

[4everwarriors]

You certain you got that right on Pilarz?

[tower912]

I take him at his word in his resignation letter.   I have heard many of the same rumors, hints, allegations, etc.    But he's gone now, so what is the point of raking him over the coals?

[4everwarriors]

Hope you don't believe in Santa and the Easter bunny too?

[Litehouse]

So what's the real story with Pilarz then?

[MU82]

I'm just going to say this.  The guy who told me about LW is the same one that told me about Todd's academic issues weeks before it became public, and the same guy who told me about the alleged sexual assaults months before they become public.  He is in a position to know.

You are very confident about this, Sultan, so you've got my vote.

Now, while you have all this power, go do something about either shrinking Buzz or getting him some bigger britches!

[GGGG]

So what's the real story with Pilarz then?

I don't know the details, but I have worked in higher education 25+ years.  I have never...ever...heard of a President leaving a job voluntarily just after an academic year started.  I have heard enough to know that donors weren't happy and financial issues were a concern.  My *guess* is that the Board said "resign or be fired."