Was Buzz Played? Did MU Know Shaka Would Come And Had To Push Him Out?

[Tugg Speedman]

I've been arguing that Buzz was "encouraged" to leave.  Michael Hunt wrote this over the weekend ...

Cords said Marquette already had engaged in internal discussions about the possibility of Williams leaving and added that the position would be filled as soon as possible.

Translated, they wanted Buzz to leave and start long before Friday at 5PM on finding a new coach.

Now let me ask, did they contact Shaka long ago and he was interested.  They just had to get Buzz out of the way?  (mind you, they wanted him out regardless)


Then this tweet from the head coach at Manual H.S. in Peoria (IL HS basketball power):

@Dwilliams1515 "Been saying since last week Shaka Smart to Marquette. . Hearing the terms are Agreed upon. . We will see...#NCAA"

Yes, I have my tin foil hat on, any buyers?

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

So youre saying they Buzz-cut Buzz?   

[Tugg Speedman]

So youre saying they Buzz-cut Buzz?   

Yes!!!

[MUBillsTil2017]

I have wondered the same thing.  It seems Marquette could have been alerted that a certain few coaches had put out feelers sometime in the last few months.  The Marquette leadership knew what they were doing when they put a clause to the effect of $100,000 payout to let Buzz go if the AD left.  Then the AD left.  Then all of this(if true about Smart) is coming together real fast too.  Only question is what made Buzz jump ship?  What was the lever used to get him to go?  He left so much money on the table.

[Steve Buscemi]

I have wondered the same thing.  It seems Marquette could have been alerted that a certain few coaches had put out feelers sometime in the last few months.  The Marquette leadership knew what they were doing when they put a clause to the effect of $100,000 payout to let Buzz go if the AD left.  Then the AD left.  Then all of this(if true about Smart) is coming together real fast too.  Only question is what made Buzz jump ship?  What was the lever used to get him to go?  He left so much money on the table.

Next season on house of cards...

[Chicos' Buzz Scandal Countdown]

I say it was a long con. Pushed Crean out to get Buzz in, in order to push him to Va Tech and pull in Shaka.

Well played, MU - The master puppeteer of college hoops

[MU82]

This seems like a stretch ... but I love the concept! (And I'm not even a Buzz-basher.)

[warriorchick]

I really don't give a sh!t how it happened.  It happened!

[ZiggysFryBoy]

I say it was a long con. Pushed Crean out to get Buzz in, in order to push him to Va Tech and pull in Shaka.

Well played, MU - The master puppeteer of college hoops

[Benny B]

Several years ago, Buzz said he'd "be at Marquette as long as they will have me."  Perhaps you've seen the numerous RT's of said quote by Chicos since?

In hindsight, he [Buzz] was absolutely right.

[forgetful]

I wouldn't say he was Played, likely a mutual conclusion to a series of events.

Buzz has been floating his name for years and becoming increasingly unhappy.  Apparently it was very close to him leaving this year.

A good leader is going to develop a ton of contingency plans in case a key asset leaves.  They explored all options and came to the conclusion that no matter what, they were going to get an equal or better replacement for that asset.

Maybe they then tried to make things work, but quit going on of their way to make all possible accommodations...even to the point of potentially reinstalling more rules that fit the mission of the University.

Buzz stays they win....Buzz leaves, they have everything in motion to maintain an upward trajectory of the program.

[LloydMooresLegs]

I say it was a long con. Pushed Crean out to get Buzz in, in order to push him to Va Tech and pull in Shaka.

Well played, MU - The master puppeteer of college hoops

Not quite.  This started when a source of mine convinced Al to announce his retirement in the middle of the 76-77 season...

[forgetful]

One thing is clear, if this plays out as it seems it will Broeker needs to be made AD.

[Chicos' Buzz Scandal Countdown]

Not quite.  This started when a source of mine convinced Al to announce his retirement in the middle of the 76-77 season...

IT GOES DEEPER THAN WE COULD IMAGINE!

[mu03eng]

This is next level conspiracy stuff, and I don't buy it.  That may be the story MU admin tries to push at some point, but no way the BOT, Wild, Cords, and Broeker were that manipulative/forward thinking.  I'm not saying they aren't smart and good at their jobs, but this is a conspiracy of Machiavellian proportions.

[Tugg Speedman]

This is next level conspiracy stuff, and I don't buy it.  That may be the story MU admin tries to push at some point, but no way the BOT, Wild, Cords, and Broeker were that manipulative/forward thinking.  I'm not saying they aren't smart and good at their jobs, but this is a conspiracy of Machiavellian proportions.

Broeker on the grassy knoll!

[EnderWiggen]

IT GOES DEEPER THAN WE COULD IMAGINE!

[TJ]

Marquette University was founded in 1881 just so all of this could unravel as it has.

[Benny B]

I'm not buying into the long-con, conspiracy part of the story.... but I do buy in to the concept that MU didn't make any real attempt to keep Buzz around.

Personally, I think Buzz was - at best - on the fence about taking the Va Tech job.  Cords was the one who nudged him into their pasture.

Maybe Buzz was using Va Tech as leverage, and Cords called his bluff.  Maybe Shaka had interest that predates last week.  Maybe the AD set Buzz's eventual departure in motion in the wake of the incidents several years ago.  Maybe there was a mutual agreement between Buzz and MU that he would depart after this season.  Maybe Buzz tendered his resignation back in mid-February and was gracious enough to play out the year.

Lots of possibilities here, people.  Each just as plausible as the next.

[Slim]

Marquette University was founded in 1881 just so all of this could unravel as it has.

Joliet said to Marquette "get in the canoe and grab a paddle, I have a plan"!

[TJ]

Joliet said to Marquette "get in the canoe and grab a paddle, I have a plan"!

[BaltimoreMC]

Joliet said to Marquette "get in the canoe and grab a paddle, I have a plan"!

This and the pope/white smoke thing are the two best posts of the year.

[jesmu84]

Joliet said to Marquette "get in the canoe and grab a paddle, I have a plan"!

this was fantastic. Mods - can we make this the slogan at the top?

[Eldon]

Joliet said to Marquette "get in the canoe and grab a paddle, I have a plan"!

Crying from laughter here.

Comments like these make me a happy person.  I like MUScoop.

[connie]

Scoop has been on fire the past few days.  Awesome.