Buzz's Earnings at MU Peaked in 2010

[Jay Bee]

LNH: Made less in 2012-13 than he did in two of the previous three years despite Elite Eight and fifth straight tourney appearance...

In 2010, Marquette provided Williams with a one-time bonus. Two seasons into the job and Buzz had taken the program to the NCAA tournament both years. At that time, Buzz made the comment that, "I'll be here as long as they'll have me here." All payments included, Buzz made $3.20 million in 2009-10.

[4everwarriors]

What did he make in 2013-14? Shoulda refunded the whole enchilada since he checked outta the season early and sucked ass.
BTW BJ, critique Mallory for us gringos, man.

[The Lens]

I cannot believe he made 3.1 in 2010.  Granted getting Lazar and Midgets to the Dance should have netted him 8 figures but still, dude was 24 months removed from being an assistant and he's getting 3.1.  Unreal.

[tower912]

Ganzer (IWB) has said many times that Buzz had not received a raise since Cottingham and Wild left.    This bears that out.    Ganzer had said prior to Buzz leaving that this could be a source of Buzz's unrest.    So....the guys who hired him are gone, he isn't getting raises, a couple years of adversarial relations with the AD and prez, uncertainty going forward about their replacements....   It isn't the decision I would have made, but there is a certain logic to it.   

[bilsu]

I believe Buzz got a bonus, so he could pay New Orleans the $500,000 he owed them.

[TJ]

I cannot believe he made 3.1 in 2010.  Granted getting Lazar and Midgets to the Dance should have netted him 8 figures but still, dude was 24 months removed from being an assistant and he's getting 3.1.  Unreal.

Baffles my mind.  Literally no reason I can think of to pay him that much that soon.  No raises since then --- how could you give him a raise from there?

[Dawson Rental]

I believe that the bonus was meant to be an increase for five years that was prepaid in one year to get Buzz to accept a big buyout in his contract and probably to allow for the purchase of Castle Williams.

[esotericmindguy]

Baffles my mind.  Literally no reason I can think of to pay him that much that soon.  No raises since then --- how could you give him a raise from there?

No doubt. Kevin Ollie wins a national championship and his contract is short of 3 million. My goodness, Buzz didn't even make a final four.

[Lennys Tap]

Year one Scott Pilarz/Larry Williams checklist:

1. Initiate restrictions on recruiting to make the pie smaller.
2. Make living conditions for incoming recruits worse.
3. Lambast head coach in local paper.
4. Reward coach for 3rd Sweet 16 season in 34 years with a 46% pay cut.

Maybe the cut wasn't quite that large - perhaps Buzz got an "advance" on part of his bonus in 2010 or 500,000 of his 2010 bonus paid off UNO but the point remains - the Marquette that Buzz pledged loyalty to changed dramatically in year three of his tenure.

[GGGG]

I would guess his take home increased however.  With my rudimentary understanding of accounting, I believe that the payments to TBW can be off-set with tax deductions more easily than the W2 income.  

[4everwarriors]

Ganzer (IWB) has said many times that Buzz had not received a raise since Cottingham and Wild left.    This bears that out.    Ganzer had said prior to Buzz leaving that this could be a source of Buzz's unrest.    So....the guys who hired him are gone, he isn't getting raises, a couple years of adversarial relations with the AD and prez, uncertainty going forward about their replacements....   It isn't the decision I would have made, but there is a certain logic to it.   

Bumstead should have been professional enough to give his maximum effort throughout this entire past season. Instead, he tanked it. Character revealed, aina?

[Gato78]

IWB was taking shots here for some of this reporting but looks like he knew what he was talking about, aina?

[4everwarriors]

Dealin' with snakes in the grass sometimes leads to cow pies,hey?

[ChicosBailBonds]

I believe Buzz got a bonus, so he could pay New Orleans the $500,000 he owed them.

Why did he have to pay New Orleans?




Buzz was overpaid WILDLY in the first years of his contract and people are upset that he didn't get a "raise" on the back end.  Please.  There are reasons MU didn't bend over to keep him.  He'll do well at vagina tech where he will have zero oversight, can recruit whomever he wants without impunity because no one cares.  He will be successful down there, I have no doubts...at least on the basketball court. 

[GGGG]

What makes you think he will have "zero oversight" at Virginia Tech?

Oh and I think you have been a manager long enough to know that with employees like Buzz, a raise isn't necessarily about the money, and that just because they were "overpaid" on the front end doesn't mean that good performance shouldn't be rewarded on the back end.

[Lennys Tap]

Buzz was overpaid WILDLY in the first years of his contract and people are upset that he didn't get a "raise" on the back end.  Please.  There are reasons MU didn't bend over to keep him.  He'll do well at vagina tech where he will have zero oversight, can recruit whomever he wants without impunity because no one cares.  He will be successful down there, I have no doubts...at least on the basketball court.  

Maybe he was, maybe he wasn't. That's an opinion. Here's what I'd be willing to wager is a fact - no head coach in college basketball history has been rewarded for two Sweet 16s, an Elite 8 and a Big East regular season championship in years 3, 4 and 5 of his tenure with an average 20% pay cut for those 3 years.

As to the second part of your comment, once again you are wrong. He will have oversight. Isn't Virginia Tech in the NCAA? Has their basketball program ever been on probation? Will Buzz be allowed to recruit (ala Tom Crean at MU) players who don't meet NCAA academic requirements? Yes, no and no. You went to Marquette, Indiana and Kansas, for godsakes. Please spare us the elitist bull crap.

[tower912]

Bumstead should have been professional enough to give his maximum effort throughout this entire past season. Instead, he tanked it. Character revealed, aina?

He didn't tank.   Coaching the same way he had the previous 5 years didn't work with the 13-14 team.   "He tanked" is purely a scoop thing.   The incoming class he had coming in, as well as the shortened rotations, the signs indicating which pick and roll defense the team was supposed to be in, the intensity down the stretch trying to get enough wins to get in or then win the Big East tourney say otherwise.   The team did not come together as well as the previous 5 years.    That does not equal tanking.   

[The Equalizer]

4. Reward coach for 3rd Sweet 16 season in 34 years with a 46% pay cut.

Maybe the cut wasn't quite that large - perhaps Buzz got an "advance" on part of his bonus in 2010 or 500,000 of his 2010 bonus paid off UNO but the point remains - the Marquette that Buzz pledged loyalty to changed dramatically in year three of his tenure.

Over this window in the article, Buzz's base salary increased from $813K to $1.6 million, and his outside earnings went from $397K to $916K.  Not sure you caclulate that as a 46% pay cut.

2009:  As an unproven coach in his first year, makes relatively little.
2010:  Signs first big contract, including $3 million signing bonus.
2011:  Annual increase of 200K, plus 225K increase in outside earnings.  No bonus becuase its only the 2nd year of his new contract, and he received the signing bonus the previous year.
2012:  Annual increase of $115K, plus $370K increase in outside inciome.  Toys with SMU, gets a new contract leading to 738K sigining bonus this year, pay increases in following years.
2013:   Annual increase of nearyly 500K.  No contract bonus becuase he just renegotiated the prior year.  Outside income falls by $84K--probably becuase those who book speakers no longer buy his "aw shucks" act.

At what point is MU treating him poorly?  Only if you confuse one-time contract signing bonuses with routine compensation does it look like he's taking a "pay cut."

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

He didn't tank.   Coaching the same way he had the previous 5 years didn't work with the 13-14 team.   "He tanked" is purely a scoop thing.   The incoming class he had coming in, as well as the shortened rotations, the signs indicating which pick and roll defense the team was supposed to be in, the intensity down the stretch trying to get enough wins to get in or then win the Big East tourney say otherwise.   The team did not come together as well as the previous 5 years.    That does not equal tanking.   

100% accurate

[4everwarriors]

Bumstead gave up, pure and simple. Knew this was gonna be his last season here. There is no other way to explain some of his irrational moves. Bolted/panicked for the first gig that was willin' to pay him big bucks.

[Lennys Tap]

Bumstead gave up, pure and simple. Knew this was gonna be his last season here. There is no other way to explain some of his irrational moves. Bolted/panicked for the first gig that was willin' to pay him big bucks.

I love ya, Doc, but for whatever his faults I don't think I've ever seen a more competitive, hard working coach than Buzz. The "He gave up" meme is an illogical rant fit for a jilted lover. You're better than that.

[GGGG]

I love ya, Doc, but for whatever his faults I don't think I've ever seen a more competitive, hard working coach than Buzz. The "He gave up" meme is an illogical rant fit for a jilted lover. You're better than that.

Exactly.  Buzz made a bunch of "illogical decisions" during his tenure, many of which worked out just fine.

[Marqevans]

Bumstead gave up, pure and simple. Knew this was gonna be his last season here. There is no other way to explain some of his irrational moves. Bolted/panicked for the first gig that was willin' to pay him big bucks.

Could be, but then again could have been as simple as his wife saying "I cannot take another winter in this town"

[bilsu]

Why did he have to pay New Orleans?

He bailed on his contract with New Orleans or whatever the school was named. It was in New Orleans. I assume it was a buyout clause. I believe they were suing him for it, but they did not have much leverage until he got a head coaching job. Buzz was claiming he did not owe the $500,000, because they did not provide the basketball program with the promised resources. I can see a pattern here.

[4everwarriors]

I'll graciously accept both of y'all's logic and explanations. I stand erected.