Best MU men's basketball coach since Al

[buckchuckler]

Not to mention.... I believe Mike Deane officially started the recruitment of Dwayne Wade.  While Deane was fired, he did plant a seed that grew into a Final Four appearance. 

For all of the Crean supporters....  Crean doesn't make it to the Final Four without Robert Jackson - a transfer from Mississippi St. 

Buzz did more with less and is the better coach.  Crean has recruited NBA talent, but this talent seems to not flourish underneath him.  The subpar performances of Wes Matthews and Noah Vonleh, during Crean's tutelage, attest to this theory. 

What does the Robert Jackson comment have to do with anything?  Geeze if Buzz didn't have players he wouldn't have accomplished anything. 

And isn't Vonleh going to the NBA after 1 season? 

And how did Buzz have less? 

You just never make any sense at all. 

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

Vonleh didn't perform like an NBA player @ Indiana.  There were games where he didn't get as many shots as he should have.  There was a lot of criticism against Crean for this.

Crean had more NBA players on his teams and still disappointed in the tournament.  Buzz's teams were much smaller, yet he got the most out of the talent.  Take a look at preseason projections with Crean and Buzz.  Buzz continually outperforms Crean in that regard. 

If you paid attention during the Crean and Buzz eras, Buzz's teams always outperformed while Crean's continually disappointed.  This mantra has followed Crean to Indiana as well.  This past year was an aberration for Buzz.  He just didn't have the horses to make any noise. 

[buckchuckler]

Vonleh didn't perform like an NBA player @ Indiana.  There were games where he didn't get as many shots as he should have.  There was a lot of criticism against Crean for this.

Crean had more NBA players on his teams and still disappointed in the tournament.  Buzz's teams were much smaller, yet he got the most out of the talent.  Take a look at preseason projections with Crean and Buzz.  Buzz continually outperforms Crean in that regard.  

If you paid attention during the Crean and Buzz eras, Buzz's teams always outperformed while Crean's continually disappointed.  This mantra has followed Crean to Indiana as well.  This past year was an aberration for Buzz.  He just didn't have the horses to make any noise.  

Great points.  Great supporting evidence as well.  Tip of the cap.  I guess I just don't have enough time to pay attention to UM

[Warrior_2002]

I went Crean because of the level he raised Marquette to.  Big East, the Al, etc.

[dgies9156]

OK, I have a great deal of respect for KO, Tom Crean and even the Hillbilly. KO restored us to respectability; Crean got us back where we felt we belonged and the Hillbilly got us the consistency we craved.

I voted for the Hillbilly. I did so because as great as Crean was, he could not sustain it. The Hillbilly had us progressing every year until this one. Tournament, Sweet 16, Elite 8, off-year and who knows what could have been.

Look at the animosity from all of us when the Hillbilly bolted. The one hurt.

It's the Hillbilly, folks.

[Tums Festival]

Deane was a solid coach.  He just couldn't recruit at the level that is Marquette.  I hope Wojo doesn't turn out to be a Deane, recruiting-wise. 

What possible evidence do you have that Wojo can't recruit?

[Sir Lawrence]

I went Crean because of the level he raised Marquette to.  Big East, the Al, etc.

And the hyperbaric chamber, and the Cadillac Escalades, and the tan, and the clapping, all top shelf level.

[MUCam]

OK, I have a great deal of respect for KO, Tom Crean and even the Hillbilly. KO restored us to respectability; Crean got us back where we felt we belonged and the Hillbilly got us the consistency we craved.

I voted for the Hillbilly. I did so because as great as Crean was, he could not sustain it. The Hillbilly had us progressing every year until this one. Tournament, Sweet 16, Elite 8, off-year and who knows what could have been.

Look at the animosity from all of us when the Hillbilly bolted. The one hurt.

It's the Hillbilly, folks.

I think this sums it up pretty accurately for me. KO and TC really did a nice job at Marquette. But, as far as sustained success goes, Brett Williams accomplished the most.

Maybe those before him paved the way, but he came from nowhere and solidified this program amongst the top twenty programs in the country. His year two (2) coaching effort was magical.

TC and KO felt they had reached a ceiling with Marquette. Brett proved them both wrong. Now, hopefully, Wojo can prove that Brett is absolutely bonkers.

[MUHoopsFan2]

Tom Crean hands down...

Whether you like it or not he started the winning culture and the MU Brand and did it all without Juco's...

No some players did not get better then they were after they left, but almost all went on to have good success.

And if all he did was bring in a Dwayne Wade, that is ALL HE HAS TO DO to get the ball rolling. And he did.

Buzz only built on the residue of that.

[tower912]

Tom Crean hands down...

Whether you like it or not he started the winning culture and the MU Brand and did it all without Juco's...

Jamil Lott, Mike Kinsella, and Trend Blackledge beg to differ.   And don't forget, Wade was a partial qualifier.   

[MUHoopsFan2]

OK, I have a great deal of respect for KO, Tom Crean and even the Hillbilly. KO restored us to respectability; Crean got us back where we felt we belonged and the Hillbilly got us the consistency we craved.

I voted for the Hillbilly. I did so because as great as Crean was, he could not sustain it. The Hillbilly had us progressing every year until this one. Tournament, Sweet 16, Elite 8, off-year and who knows what could have been.

Look at the animosity from all of us when the Hillbilly bolted. The one hurt.

It's the Hillbilly, folks.

What do you mean he couldn't sustain it?

Tom Crean got us off and running in the Big East and for that, no one comes close to Crean imo in this poll.

And he stuck by Wade and did not give up when he could have who will be a Hall of Famer about 7 years. That is success.

No one can argue with that. There is no doubt Buzz was good and even semi great on some levels.

He had great recruiting connections and he worked under Crean so Crean should get some credit for that too.

Someone asked, 'is this the best coach or the most successful?' That is a valid question and important distinction. But I pick the same guy for both.

Tom Crean pressed full court, allowed players who could shoot and play have some freedom and was a master motivator and communicator.

The thing about Buzz, he could not learn how to unlock non-shooters and shot makers games enough to make them dangerous, dug in the bench too deep and lost a lot of close games.

It only comes down to those two for me. I tel you what though, Jamil Wilson  Todd Mayo, Vander Blue, Steve Taylor, and Juan Anderson [especially] would have been much better players under Crean then they were under Buzz.

Those kind of guys he could work with...he was not good with bigs though.

Don't ask me to explain I would be here all day...but they would. 

[swoopem]

Buzz's 17-15 with good talent negates what went before. Two of his glory years were with Crean players. Crean went to a FF, which is the glory hole of college basketball. Unfortunately, both were douches in different ways

Really, which glory years are you referring to? The ones where we lost to Mizzou in the 2nd round and Washington in the 1st? Because those were the results when Buzz was coaching Crean's players. As soon as all the Crean recruits were gone is when we went on our Sweet Sixteens and Elite Eight run.

The only Crean players to get out of the first weekend were the ones on the Final Four team.   

[Skatastrophy]

I'm surprised for the lack of Hank Raymonds love.

That guy had success at MU as the HC, started the B&G fund, was a long time successful AD at Marquette.

We owe him a great debt of gratitude. He had some magnificent seasons at MU, just had a tough time in the tourney.

1977–78   Marquette   24–4         NCAA 1st Round
1978–79   Marquette   22–7         NCAA Sweet 16
1979–80   Marquette   18-9         NCAA 1st Round
1980–81   Marquette   20–11         NIT 1st Round
1981–82   Marquette   23–9         NCAA 2nd Round
1982–83   Marquette   19–10         NCAA 1st Round
Marquette:   126–50      

[tower912]

I'm not.   If the question was "Best human being to coach"....   Hank wins hands down.    I think the perception is that he was a nice guy and a decent coach, but the program didn't move forward under him.   In fact, it stagnated and started its downward trajectory.   

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

I'm surprised for the lack of Hank Raymonds love.

That guy had success at MU as the HC, started the B&G fund, was a long time successful AD at Marquette.

We owe him a great debt of gratitude. He had some magnificent seasons at MU, just had a tough time in the tourney.

1977–78   Marquette   24–4         NCAA 1st Round
1978–79   Marquette   22–7         NCAA Sweet 16
1979–80   Marquette   18-9         NCAA 1st Round
1980–81   Marquette   20–11         NIT 1st Round
1981–82   Marquette   23–9         NCAA 2nd Round
1982–83   Marquette   19–10         NCAA 1st Round
Marquette:   126–50      

I think the lack of support for Hank stems from the fact that a lot of people weren't around when he coached. 

[GOO]

I vote Buzz Williams for winning.  Last year was a dud, but you can't argue with what he did.

However, best coach for the University, I'd say Crean as far as PR, etc.

Buzz, was probably not the best representative of the University overall, given the off court issues, and hence the reason he is not hear (didn't have the backing of a lot of the administration).

So, Buzz for winning.  Crean for PR/image.

With Wojo, it would be nice to win AND have the previous PR image.  Our PR image lost a little luster under Buzz.

[Goose]

Hank was great guy, no doubt about it. Great coach....not in my opinion.

[Sir Lawrence]

I think the lack of support for Hank stems from the fact that a lot of people weren't around when he coached.  

There are plenty of folks on this board that were around when Hank coached.  tower's comments sums it up for me.   Tough to replace a legend.  As Athletic Director he was a huge supporter of women's sports and mostly did good.

But at the end of the day, he was the ying to Al's yang.  Together they produced beauty.  Hank alone, however, couldn't sustain it.

[Tums Festival]

Hank was a very good coach, he just wasn't head coaching material. He was put in the unenviable position of following Al and was Al's polar opposite. Great guy, always had time for fans and alums, probably should be judged more on what he did as AD and his long service to Marquette.

[Lennys Tap]

I think the lack of support for Hank stems from the fact that a lot of people weren't around when he coached. 

I was around when Hank coached. He was a good coach and an absolutely great guy in a no win situation. He inherited a program that against all odds (small, urban, sketchy neighborhood, poor facilities, etc.) had climbed to the summit of college basketball. Without Al a decline was inevitable. Hank was the first coach in the downward spiral that bottomed under Bob Dukiet. Taken out of context his numbers are solid, but he took over a top 5 program and left his successor one that wasn't in the top 20. That's a negative trajectory any way you look at it.

[leever]

How many Final Fours does Brent has??

Are you from West Virginia?

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

Are you from West Virginia?

Apparently Appalachia has internet access now.  Or, someone just stole a smartphone from the nearest wal mart. 

[swoopem]

Apparently Appalachia has internet access now.  Or, someone just stole a smartphone from the nearest wal mart. 

AOL still makes hundreds of millions off of dial up internet subscribers

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

AOL still makes hundreds of millions off of dial up internet subscribers

Good Point.  It's amazing that when you have cable access, how you dismiss dial up.  I think the last time I had dial up was 97.  Do you know how many people still use dial up today?

[NersEllenson]

Voted Buzz for the 3 year run of success he had....Crean #2, K.O., #3 - all made major contributions to Marquette hoops for different reasons.  Buzz definitely came into the best situation of Crean, Kevin - yet felt Crean underachieved after Final Four season - he had all the tools that he helped create through his success - The Al, Big East, D-Wade to market, a Final Four appearance....yet just couldn't recruit well enough at MU to sustain success or build off of the Final Four..