[MattVelazquezSays]Why did Buzz Williams leave Marquette? Washington Post profiles former coach

[MattVelazquezSays]

Why did Buzz Williams leave Marquette? Washington Post profiles former coach

<br /><br />It's been a question that has been asked often in the past year: &amp;quot;Why did Buzz Williams leave Marquette?&amp;quot; He had built a perennial contender and was making a top-rate salary, but took a pay cut to leave for Virginia Tech, one of the worst teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference.<br />
Source: Why did Buzz Williams leave Marquette? Washington Post profiles former coach

[Groin_pull]

Who knows why hillbillies do what they do. Not my concern anymore.

[LCDutchman]

What you learn when you read or hear about him is that it is all about Buzz.  Godd luck Pa Kettle.  You will need it. 

[MattyWarrior]

If he said why he left, no one would be interested in anything the hillbilly was doing or saying anymore. I won't miss
the endless roster turnover. Another article about nothing, I thought the article was pointless!

[Lennys Tap]

"Bitter Golden Eagle fans figured there must be some scandal Williams was trying to outrun - but even Marquette officials, sour as some of them still are, insist Williams ran a squeaky clean program."

Guess the Washington Post has different MU officials as sources than Chico. Like even real people who are also MU officials. LOL

[willie warrior]

But wait.....The downhome phony cowboy said he would be at MU as long as they wanted him. What a lying douche!!!

[nathanziarek]

Super weird article. A full year after he left why does anybody even care about the story anymore? Neither team did anything of note. Is this just the Buzz PR machine? Even if that's the case why does the Washington post care about this at all?

[SWARM!]

"Bitter Golden Eagle fans figured there must be some scandal Williams was trying to outrun - but even Marquette officials, sour as some of them still are, insist Williams ran a squeaky clean program."

Guess the Washington Post has different MU officials as sources than Chico. Like even real people who are also MU officials. LOL

C'mon, Lenny.  I enjoyed Buzz's mini-run as much or more as the next guy, but he ain't squeaky clean.  What are they supposed to say?

[brewcity77]

Super weird article. A full year after he left why does anybody even care about the story anymore? Neither team did anything of note. Is this just the Buzz PR machine? Even if that's the case why does the Washington post care about this at all?

To the former, I'd say yes. To the latter, the Post seems to treat most of Virginia as its local market. Buzz does a good job of connecting with local media and getting them to tell his story to keep him relevant. That he's having these stories pushed so soon would be very concerning to me were I a Va Tech fan.

[mattyv1908]

C'mon, Lenny.  I enjoyed Buzz's mini-run as much or more as the next guy, but he ain't squeaky clean.  What are they supposed to say?

There isn't a single coach in division one college basketball who's squeaky clean.

[mattyv1908]

To the former, I'd say yes. To the latter, the Post seems to treat most of Virginia as its local market. Buzz does a good job of connecting with local media and getting them to tell his story to keep him relevant. That he's having these stories pushed so soon would be very concerning to me were I a Va Tech fan.

Was this a very concerning article to you written by the Chicago Tribune during Buzz's first season at Marquette?

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2008-11-28/sports/0811270383_1_buzz-williams-williams-heads-marquette

[brewcity77]

Nope, because we knew next to nothing about Buzz then. I definitely feel in retrospect many of those articles were calculated. I can't see Blacksburg being his final destination and would guess he's already looking where he can jump next.

[mattyv1908]

Nope, because we knew next to nothing about Buzz then. I definitely feel in retrospect many of those articles were calculated. I can't see Blacksburg being his final destination and would guess he's already looking where he can jump next.

You're entering Ners' level conspiratorial logic territory there.

The media loves personalities.  Buzz has a quirky one to say the least.

[ChicosBailBonds]

C'mon, Lenny.  I enjoyed Buzz's mini-run as much or more as the next guy, but he ain't squeaky clean.  What are they supposed to say?

Thanks for quoting Lenny.  Does anyone really think the Wa Post did any kind of digging whatsoever in this article?  Please...give me an effing break.  This is the same Lenny that thinks MU didn't have to cut a check due to legal action against MU with the sexual assaults on Buzz's watch.  Did the Post interview our former AD...that would have been fun.

Remember, the media just a few weeks ago interviewed Buzz Williams who said Jimmy Butler was offered by NOBODY except MU....except that Jimmy Butler confirms he was offered by others.    http://www.jsonline.com/sports/goldeneagles/107124358.html

""Marquette's offer was the only one Jimmy received. He was in the car when he showed it to Tyler assistant coach Scott Monarch, who understood the golden ticket Jimmy had been given. Monarch immediately made Butler sign it, drove to the nearest McDonald's and asked to use their fax machine."

Where did that journalist get that information?    Gee, I wonder.   

[Daniel]

But wait.....The downhome phony cowboy said he would be at MU as long as they wanted him. What a lying douche!!!

1) either Buzz is a liar or
2) he was asked to leave

Either way, not good for Buzz.  The article is content less to us, but enlightening to those who do not know his eccentricities.  But it's the Buzz PR machine hard at wire.  He's good at that.  And 2 Sweet 16s and an Elite 8 were pretty good for MU.

[MU82]

First of all, I absolutely understand why the article was assigned. Williams is an interesting, quirky character who has the capacity to say something controversial or curious or comical.

The Post is a national newspaper and the question -- Why did a coach leave a good, growing program to go to Nowheresville USA for a $500K pay cut? -- is genuinely interesting on a national scale. Especially this time of the year. Especially in ACC country.

Unfortunately for the Post, its reporter never was able to get the question answered. That Buzz ended up avoiding it wasn't stunning to us who know him, but it probably surprised the reporter and his editors, who for years had seen articles filled with long, drawn-out, sometimes interesting, often wacky quotes from Buzz.

That the reporter wasn't able to find anybody who could give insight into Williams' decision -- even off the record -- says a lot more about the reporter than it does about Buzz. I like to think the editors weren't pleased with the final product but felt obliged to run it anyway because they wanted it published before Virginia Tech's season ended. Ultimately, though, the editors share blame for a bland article with not one single shred of newness.

Too bad. I know that many here say they don't care, but I would have enjoyed an in-depth piece filled with off-the-record (if necessary) comments that could have shed some light onto the whole thing.

Instead, we got something that was about as satisfying as many of the comments here on Scoop that allude to something untoward without offering any evidence.

At the end of the day, I'll say I truly enjoyed the first five years of the Buzz era -- especially S16-S16-E8 -- and truly disliked his final year.  Although I'd gladly read a well-done "Why did Buzz leave Marquette" piece, I've moved on.

Even after 12-18, I have confidence in Wojo and in our program's direction.

[Lennys Tap]

Chicos - people write checks all the time to settle grievances which may or may not have merit - everyone (except evidently you) knows that. No charges were filed.

I'm sure the WaPost didn't talk to your pal Larry. He was here for a minute and was a colossal failure. His "vision" for Marquette was pretty much what we saw this year. Only a hater like you would be interested in his sour grapes.

As to whether JFB has other offers or just "interest", who cares. I'll never believe Buzz could sign him without even a visit if Kentucky types were after him, but if he did that makes the job Williams did even more amazing.

[4everwarriors]

But wait.....The downhome phony cowboy said he would be at MU as long as they wanted him. What a lying douche!!!

'Cept Bumstead's definition of "for as long as they want me here" differs from most folk's definition, ai na?

[4everwarriors]

I don't mean this is a bad way, but, fook Bumstead, hey?

[brewcity77]

You're entering Ners' level conspiratorial logic territory there.

The media loves personalities.  Buzz has a quirky one to say the least.

Timing is interesting too. That article you posted was from November, right after Buzz came on the job. This article and last year's Buzz's Bunch article came out right before the coaching silly season started. Buzz is one of the smartest guys out there and he doesn't do anything by accident.

Maybe he moves, maybe he doesn't, but if you think Buzz finally let the Buzz's Bunch story last year get out by accident, I'd advise against getting involved in Florida real estate deals

[ChicosBailBonds]

'Cept Bumstead's definition of "for as long as they want me here" differs from most folk's definition, ai na?

Especially when he can directly influence that definition by acting a certain way, recruiting a certain way, responding a certain way, etc, etc. 

[NotBuzzWilliams]

People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it. Organizations with a clear sense of who they are start with WHY in everything they say & do.

[nyg]

Va Tech will continue to lose to Duke, UNC, Loserville, Pitt, Cuse, Va., etc. and no one in Blacksburg will give a hoot. Buzz will be become an afterthought.

Why, Va Tech is about football, not hoops.  Always has been and always will be.  

[4everwarriors]

They was, ai na?

[Earl Tatum]

Let him go, He left the cupboard bare. Bye Hillbilly.