Meanwhile Buzz is humiliating SLU

[The Sultan]

A couple of us know for a fact that Wojo was seen as a refreshing counterpoint to Buzz' schtick and that was a crucial factor in his hire. 

But that really has nothing to do with his coaching ability. Coaches can win with all sorts of personalities.

Buzz is a better coach no doubt. No one disputes this. But Buzz left on his own.

[vogue65]

But that really has nothing to do with his coaching ability. Coaches can win with all sorts of personalities.

Buzz is a better coach no doubt. No one disputes this. But Buzz left on his own.

If you need to believe that I understand.
When someone is persona non grata, it's time to leave. 
Loking back on my career I see a few times when I should have left, but my mind set was to never be a quitter, what horse s$$t.  Losers stay with losers.

[MU82]

We've talked ad nauseum in this thread about the Buzz part of "Meanwhile Buzz is humiliating SLU," but what about the SLU part?

If SLU isn't careful, they could turn into the next Marquette. Talk about the ApocaSLUypse for that proud basketball institution!!!

[vogue65]

We've talked ad nauseum in this thread about the Buzz part of "Meanwhile Buzz is humiliating SLU," but what about the SLU part?

If SLU isn't careful, they could turn into the next Marquette. Talk about the ApocaSLUypse for that proud basketball institution!!!

I agree, the landscape is littered with formerly great basketball traditions.  Buzz is proving that basketball traditions are higly overrated.  VaTec has not been in the final 16 since 1968 or something, amazing. 

[tower912]

Good for Buzz.    I loved the bit in the Liberty game broadcast where they were talking about the Liberty coach singing the praises of Buzz, all he does for other coaches, all he does for the community.    I cannot lie, I smirked a little bit.    A good coach.   Sadly, the relationship between him and the powers that be had reached the point that it was time to go.    It happens in many places and in many professions.   
Buzz was the true spiritual successor to Al.
Wojo is the spiritual successor to Crean.   

Crean had a longer leash because he was replacing Deane, a secondary nadir in the storied history of MU basketball.   Plus, he caught lightning in a bottle with Wade and the final 4 and that meant that the MU world was willing to tolerate only one other NCAA tourney win in his 8 years, NIT bids due to injuries, etc.   

Wojo game coaches a lot like Crean.   But he is replacing Buzz, who had gone S-16, S-16, E-8.    Expectations are raised and the fanbase, having so recently tasted what it is like to be on the cusp of something special, are not nearly as patient with Wojo as they were with Crean.     Wojo came in after one bad year, not the sense of malaise that was setting in under Deane.    And he has not caught lightning in a bottle.      So the pitchforks are being sharpened sooner.   

[MU82]

Good for Buzz.    I loved the bit in the Liberty game broadcast where they were talking about the Liberty coach singing the praises of Buzz, all he does for other coaches, all he does for the community.    I cannot lie, I smirked a little bit.    A good coach.   Sadly, the relationship between him and the powers that be had reached the point that it was time to go.    It happens in many places and in many professions.   
Buzz was the true spiritual successor to Al.
Wojo is the spiritual successor to Crean.   

Crean had a longer leash because he was replacing Deane, a secondary nadir in the storied history of MU basketball.   Plus, he caught lightning in a bottle with Wade and the final 4 and that meant that the MU world was willing to tolerate only one other NCAA tourney win in his 8 years, NIT bids due to injuries, etc.   

Wojo game coaches a lot like Crean.   But he is replacing Buzz, who had gone S-16, S-16, E-8.    Expectations are raised and the fanbase, having so recently tasted what it is like to be on the cusp of something special, are not nearly as patient with Wojo as they were with Crean.     Wojo came in after one bad year, not the sense of malaise that was setting in under Deane.    And he has not caught lightning in a bottle.      So the pitchforks are being sharpened sooner.

Superb analysis.

I wish we were winning more, too.

[muwarrior69]

Good for Buzz.    I loved the bit in the Liberty game broadcast where they were talking about the Liberty coach singing the praises of Buzz, all he does for other coaches, all he does for the community.    I cannot lie, I smirked a little bit.    A good coach.   Sadly, the relationship between him and the powers that be had reached the point that it was time to go.    It happens in many places and in many professions.   
Buzz was the true spiritual successor to Al.
Wojo is the spiritual successor to Crean.   

Crean had a longer leash because he was replacing Deane, a secondary nadir in the storied history of MU basketball.   Plus, he caught lightning in a bottle with Wade and the final 4 and that meant that the MU world was willing to tolerate only one other NCAA tourney win in his 8 years, NIT bids due to injuries, etc.   

Wojo game coaches a lot like Crean.   But he is replacing Buzz, who had gone S-16, S-16, E-8.    Expectations are raised and the fanbase, having so recently tasted what it is like to be on the cusp of something special, are not nearly as patient with Wojo as they were with Crean.     Wojo came in after one bad year, not the sense of malaise that was setting in under Deane.    And he has not caught lightning in a bottle.      So the pitchforks are being sharpened sooner.

His only saving grace is that he recruits better than Crean.

[Billy Hoyle]

His only saving grace is that he recruits better than Crean.

Does he though?

Also, he has many advantages recruiting that Crean did not have, specifically the Al, and the Big East, and to a lesser extent, the attendance and atmosphere at games, the new arena and every game televised nationally. And yet, Crean produced multiple NBA players in Wade, Travis, Wes and Novak (and, Jerel, I guess, if he hadn't smoked his opportunities away).

[tower912]

Does he though?

Also, he has many advantages recruiting that Crean did not have, specifically the Al, and the Big East, and to a lesser extent, the attendance and atmosphere at games, the new arena and every game televised nationally. And yet, Crean produced multiple NBA players in Wade, Travis, Wes and Novak (and, Jerel, I guess, if he hadn't smoked his opportunities away).

Jerel is just another in a long list of really good 6'2 college shooting guards who came to learn there is no spot in the NBA for a 6'2 shooting guard. 

[Billy Hoyle]

Jerel is just another in a long list of really good 6'2 college shooting guards who came to learn there is no spot in the NBA for a 6'2 shooting guard.

He did get 6 games in the NBA. He may have gotten more if he hadn't tested positive when trying out with Charlotte pre-draft.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

He did get 6 games in the NBA. He may have gotten more if he hadn't tested positive when trying out with Charlotte pre-draft.

Of all the things that the NBA cares about when allocating roster spaces and playing time, this one is very low on the list. 

[Billy Hoyle]

Of all the things that the NBA cares about when allocating roster spaces and playing time, this one is very low on the list.

Not during the draft evaluation process when you're looking for a 13-15th man on the bench.  If we're talking a guy who's going to get significant playing time then sure, you ignore it, but not for an end of the bench guy. The same thing happened with Amal after his rookie season in Orlando.

It comes down to judgment.  If you have interchangeable individuals for the last spot do you take the guy who smokes up during what is essentially a job interview, especially knowing a drug test is likely coming? I'm all about decriminalizing weed but again, this was about judgment on the part of Jerel.

[Pakuni]

Not during the draft evaluation process when you're looking for a 13-15th man on the bench.  If we're talking a guy who's going to get significant playing time then sure, you ignore it, but not for an end of the bench guy. The same thing happened with Amal after his rookie season in Orlando.

It comes down to judgment.  If you have interchangeable individuals for the last spot do you take the guy who smokes up during what is essentially a job interview, especially knowing a drug test is likely coming? I'm all about decriminalizing weed but again, this was about judgment on the part of Jerel.

Nah.
The NBA cares about players using weed about as much as the NFL cares about players using painkillers.

[Uncle Rico]

Wonder if the VaTech boards will still be talking about Buzz five years from now

[tower912]

Wonder if the VaTech boards will still be talking about Buzz five years from now

Yes, but probably not kindly.   And, a lot will depend on who replaces him.    And, if football surges but basketball falls off, will anybody care?

[Loose Cannon]

"Who cares"

I remember the first time I used those words.

[connie]

Good for Buzz.    I loved the bit in the Liberty game broadcast where they were talking about the Liberty coach singing the praises of Buzz, all he does for other coaches, all he does for the community.    I cannot lie, I smirked a little bit.    A good coach.   Sadly, the relationship between him and the powers that be had reached the point that it was time to go.    It happens in many places and in many professions.   
Buzz was the true spiritual successor to Al.
Wojo is the spiritual successor to Crean.    

Crean had a longer leash because he was replacing Deane, a secondary nadir in the storied history of MU basketball.   Plus, he caught lightning in a bottle with Wade and the final 4 and that meant that the MU world was willing to tolerate only one other NCAA tourney win in his 8 years, NIT bids due to injuries, etc.   

Wojo game coaches a lot like Crean.   But he is replacing Buzz, who had gone S-16, S-16, E-8.    Expectations are raised and the fanbase, having so recently tasted what it is like to be on the cusp of something special, are not nearly as patient with Wojo as they were with Crean.     Wojo came in after one bad year, not the sense of malaise that was setting in under Deane.    And he has not caught lightning in a bottle.      So the pitchforks are being sharpened sooner.

Like this analysis, but uncertain of the quoted statement.  Crean always struck me as the car salesman that you knew was going to be pushy, but tolerated because you only had to deal with him for a little while.  We were all excited at first because we were getting a new car that we desperately needed, and he was quick to point out all the cool new features. As time went on it just became annoying and you started to focus on the nothing that was really there.  With Wojo, (and this may be unfair because I am not as close a follower of the program as I used to be) I just get the nothing. I don't have a feel for him at all.  He's not even vanilla enough to be vanilla.  So I am curious as to why you think he's Clappy's spiritual successor.

[tower912]

From a game coaching perspective.  A lack of in game adjustment perspective.  And, to a lesser degree, a roster creating perspective.

Although, an argument can be made they are somewhat related.

[SERocks]

Wojo came in after one bad year, not the sense of malaise that was setting in under Deane.

The sense of malaise could be back.  I don't see MU getting rid of Wojo anytime soon.  It is all on him now to show he has learned over the last several years and can take this to the next level.  If not, malaise could be back in vogue.

[cheebs09]

The sense of malaise could be back.  I don't see MU getting rid of Wojo anytime soon.  It is all on him now to show he has learned over the last several years and can take this to the next level.  If not, malaise could be back in vogue.

A question for Mr. Nielsen is what is the turnout for the young alumni tickets? Between student turnout at games and what I hear talking to students, a bit of apathy is settling in. I was there at the start of the Buzz era and my friends and I are pretty engaged. However, even amongst our group, there is a lot of frustration.

From an engagement perspective, I worry the Wojo era is losing some of the future season ticket base.

[warriorfred]

If you need to believe that I understand.
When someone is persona non grata, it's time to leave. 
Loking back on my career I see a few times when I should have left, but my mind set was to never be a quitter, what horse s$$t.  Losers stay with losers.

Preach it.  So true.

[warriorfred]

Not sure I would call Wojo a "loser," but the word "average" comes to mind.  If Marquette wants an average program, then Wojo is the guy.

That really is the question, what do Marquette and the BOT want?

[Johnny B]

Buzz has done a great job at VT in a very competitive ACC Conference.  He did this without his second best player from two years ago, Chris Clarke, who was kicked off the team for reasons still unknown, so some discipline was in place.  I don't recall any other player incidents or problems during his tenure at VT.  It is highly probable that VT will beat Liberty and move on to the Sweet Sixteen, quite an accomplishment for VT. 

But things will not be as great next year.  If Blackshear enters the draft, VT will lose it's entire starting five.  I fully expect Buzz to leave VT for Texas A&M, then wait for the Shaka dismissal in a few years.

The Atlantic Coast Conference Conference is always great eh? 

[Billy Hoyle]

A question for Mr. Nielsen is what is the turnout for the young alumni tickets? Between student turnout at games and what I hear talking to students, a bit of apathy is settling in. I was there at the start of the Buzz era and my friends and I are pretty engaged. However, even amongst our group, there is a lot of frustration.

From an engagement perspective, I worry the Wojo era is losing some of the future season ticket base.

how much is apathy, how much is more alumni moving away and how much is young alumni being burdened with debt and choosing not to buy tickets?

In the previous two seasons (Before Zion), Duke was having trouble filling the Cameron Crazies section.

https://balldurham.com/2017/01/19/student-attendance-dropping-duke-mens-basketball-games/

[MU82]

how much is apathy, how much is more alumni moving away and how much is young alumni being burdened with debt and choosing not to buy tickets?

In the previous two seasons (Before Zion), Duke was having trouble filling the Cameron Crazies section.

https://balldurham.com/2017/01/19/student-attendance-dropping-duke-mens-basketball-games/

Wojo's fault.