[PaintTouches]Buzz Williams’ Virginia Tech contract details

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Figured this excerpt from our interview with Buzz last Sept. was relevant to the convo at hand (emphasis is mine):

"I’m telling my wife this morning, and this is what I’ve always told her, we can never plan as if I’m going to coach a long time, because I don’t know if I’m built to do it a long time. It’s ok at 35. It’s ok at 41. But at 61, I don’t think so. But I also don’t know what God has in store. She’s like, maybe you ought to halfway ease into it and I’m like, I understand. Now getting dressed in my closet, I completely understand what you’re saying. But I go in there this morning and I say good morning, how is everybody doing, shake everybody’s hands, let’s pray. But then as soon as it goes, I’m like bonzo, just bonzo. That’s all I know to do." 

Nice find.

The age thing is an interesting piece of self reflection by Buzz. I can't tell if that is schtick, or a moment of honesty.

I actually think the Bonzo thing is good (be intense while you are there), but I'm just afraid the dude can't ever shut down, even when he's away from the court.

AND normally, guys like that, they get frustrated with people who do actually shut down away from the court. They just can't imagine anybody enjoying themselves outside of basketball/work.

Here is another quote that always stuck with me:

“I want beavers. I want beavers around me. I want to hire beavers, I want to recruit beavers. Beavers do only one thing – they chop trees. That’s all beavers do. Those are the kind of people I want to be around other than my wife, and that’s it. I want people who all they do is ball, all they think about is ball. My life in so many ways is really boring because it’s like groundhog day every day, you know what I mean? There’s very little variety in what I do. If there is any variety, it’s an hour and a half at a time, change of pace."

On one hand, I like it, on the other hand, I can see why playing for this guy might drive you nuts.

[Gato78]

1. Based on the money he is being paid at Va Tech, he wasn't overpaid at Marquette.
2. He is a damn good coach. Knows the game, knows the opponents.
3. He could recruit--just not the type of guys Fr. P wanted.
4. He is a little off the wall but he can rev up a crowd with the preacher stuff that endeared him to many African American kids and parents.
5. I always thought he would kill himself working hard for about 10 yrs and then mellow out and recruit and coach off of his reputation. Going to Va Tech, he has to start that from scratch.
6. Something very odd happened this past year simply because MU did not try to keep him.

I wish him well. He has good values, a very nice wife and four beautiful kids. He just needs to get his head out of his ass. He needed a little dose of humility at MU and a little psychoanalysis.

[TJ]

1. Based on the money he is being paid at Va Tech, he wasn't overpaid at Marquette.
2. He is a damn good coach. Knows the game, knows the opponents.
3. He could recruit--just not the type of guys Fr. P wanted.
4. He is a little off the wall but he can rev up a crowd with the preacher stuff that endeared him to many African American kids and parents.
5. I always thought he would kill himself working hard for about 10 yrs and then mellow out and recruit and coach off of his reputation. Going to Va Tech, he has to start that from scratch.
6. Something very odd happened this past year simply because MU did not try to keep him.

I wish him well. He has good values, a very nice wife and four beautiful kids. He just needs to get his head out of his ass. He needed a little dose of humility at MU and a little psychoanalysis.

1. Bullpoop.  Just because VT overpaid him too does not mean he isn't overpaid.
2. Agreed.  I think he certainly has his shortcomings, but he proved in his first 5 years that he can be a good coach.
3. Agreed he can recruit, as in getting kids he's going after to sign.  However, I think one of his shortcomings is his choices in roster makeup, such as his focus on athletic ability above basketball skill.  Also his success rate with freshmen recruits was pretty low, especially compared to recruiting rank.
4. no comment
5. VT is going to be an interesting challenge, that's for sure.
...

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

The real question is: How many of those autographs do the Sultan and TAMU possess. What would be the over/under on that? I have one framed in my bathroom so that I can stare at it while contemplating the issues of the world.

Still sporting the hate woody I see (I used your invented term to grant you familiarity).

Since you asked, I have one. It matches my signed jersey from Tom Crean and my signed ball boy shirt from KO. I hope to add Wojo to the collection soon

[keefe]

my signed ball boy shirt from KO.

What's a ball boy?

[ZiggysFryBoy]

John Bonham was Bonzo.  Brent Williams is no Bonzo.

[keefe]

John Bonham was Bonzo.  Brent Williams is no Bonzo.

The Beast is one of the greats but he lacked finesse. I think he's a tier lower than Keith Moon and Billy Cobham.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

The Beast is one of the greats but he lacked finesse. I think he's a tier lower than Keith Moon and Billy Cobham.

Blasphemy!

[keefe]

Blasphemy!

The Beast was famous for going through all of his drum sticks but continuing to play with his hands. Choked on his own vomit, though.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

The Beast was famous for going through all of his drum sticks but continuing to play with his hands. Choked on his own vomit, though.

After 40 shots!

[keefe]

After 40 shots!

Prodigious. Similar to the number of women I satisfy in a typical evening

[swoopem]

Here's an article from the Washington Post that pretty much says everything that Paint Touches said, but I figured I'd share it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/buzz-williams-contract-to-coach-virginia-tech-basketball-offers-several-incentives-and-perks/2014/05/21/d1a1fbd6-e02b-11e3-8dcc-d6b7fede081a_story.html

As far as the drummer conversation goes Bill Kreutzmann is the most underappreciated man in music and an amazing drummer on top of that.

[keefe]

As far as the drummer conversation goes Bill Kreutzmann is the most underappreciated man in music and an amazing drummer on top of that.

Please. Some things are so self-evident that conversation merely cheapens the greatness.

[keefe]

As far as the drummer conversation goes Bill Kreutzmann is the most underappreciated man in music and an amazing drummer on top of that.

Your post got me to thinking about The Rhythm Devils and the whole Dead experience. What's scary is that it's been 20 years since they lost JG and stopped touring. I had a lot of fun at their concerts. What a long, strange trip.

[79Warrior]

1. Based on the money he is being paid at Va Tech, he wasn't overpaid at Marquette.
2. He is a damn good coach. Knows the game, knows the opponents.
3. He could recruit--just not the type of guys Fr. P wanted.
4. He is a little off the wall but he can rev up a crowd with the preacher stuff that endeared him to many African American kids and parents.
5. I always thought he would kill himself working hard for about 10 yrs and then mellow out and recruit and coach off of his reputation. Going to Va Tech, he has to start that from scratch.
6. Something very odd happened this past year simply because MU did not try to keep him.

I wish him well. He has good values, a very nice wife and four beautiful kids. He just needs to get his head out of his ass. He needed a little dose of humility at MU and a little psychoanalysis.

I agree with your points. No question, something came down and I am not sure we will really ever know. The parties involved certainly are not talking. Lots of rumors, almost all BS. I happen to think he will field a very competitive team fairly quickly in the ACC. Coach K , Roy, Boheim are getting up there. In a few years, I would not be suprised at all to see Buzz very successful at VT.

Hopefully, Wojo can make Buzz a distant memory for MU fans. But, the fact is, Buzz has been the most "colorful" coach to prowl the bench since Al. I will miss his antics.

[swoopem]

Your post got me to thinking about The Rhythm Devils and the whole Dead experience. What's scary is that it's been 20 years since they lost JG and stopped touring. I had a lot of fun at their concerts. What a long, strange trip.

I was at the Warren Haynes JG tribute concert last night and trust me when I say Jerry might not be with us anymore, but he is far from gone. The show was special. Warren was playing Wolf and had the Chicago Symphony backing him up, unreal experience. Now I'm looking forward to Bobby and Ratdog coming to town in late August.

[muhoosier260]

I saw Bert's signature there at the end, kind of ridiculous. Anyways, anyone know his middle name? "L". Couldn't find it on wikipedia or tech's site.

[MattyWarrior]

Sick of Bert and his corny ramblings,his first 3 years were great but the turnover was huge. Once his first staff started
leaving,it started to fall apart,he became to big for his britches and he never showed that he could develop 4 *players.
He had a good little run,but I'd rather talk about our future team and coach.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

I liked him when he was winning ill leave it at that. Cant stand the attitude he had towards the end and the constant banging hi head against the wall continuing to play certain players. I hope he doesnt win a single game next season.