Curious on how prepared MU is on program

[Jon]

I bet Marquette extends Wojo’s contract in the next two weeks.

He is the clean cut coach they want. He’s getting it recruits and good kids.

[Goose]

Nickel
Cheeks always plays semantics. He is partially correct on Buzz’s departure. Only lacking telling the whole story.

[NickelDimer]

As Pakuni pointed out Cuonzo is another

[muguru]

That's exactly what Buzzard did.

No...he went to the best conference in the country...whether the school's program was down or not, he improved his conference, and he's holding his own just fine in case you haven't been paying attention.

[Cheeks]

Cheeks
I might not know sh1t about MU ball, but I do know you are wrong in regards to Buzz’s departure. Was Buzz told a year before he left that MU would not stop him from exploring other options?

First, never said anything of the kind about your knowledge of MU ball...I think you know a ton. 

Second, Buzz was told a number of things, some of which he followed and some of which he didn't....and that was also part of the problem. 

I'll leave you with this....these are Buzz's words.  We all know the famous I'll be here as long as they'll have me.  But he also said he wasn't going to change, but he did.  If he hadn't changed, didn't become the "power hungry" guy he said he wouldn't, then things would have been fine.  Why do people ignore BUZZ's actions is beyond me.  He said he would refuse to let it change him....too bad he was wrong.

Buzz's words

"Here's the thing: My title has changed. My W-2 has changed. But my heart hasn't changed," he said. "This is a business that's full of egos, full of media-savvy people, full of exposure, full of money, and a lot of time that changes people. I don't want my title, I don't want my income to ever change who I am.

"I understand the evolution of how coaches change and how the media and the power hungriness of it all changes people. But I refuse to let it change me. I know I'll get older and I'll handle it better, I hope, but I don't ever want to change what I believe in my heart to be right.

"I'll be here as long as they'll have me here."

[Goose]

Cheeks

If Buzz had run a cleaner program, been a better employee and followed the rules he would never have been given new rules to follow. Really don’t care anymore, but he was not discouraged on looking for new employment and that was a year before he left.

[Eldon]

Nickel
Cheeks always plays semantics. He is partially correct on Buzz’s departure. Only lacking telling the whole story.

Didn't MU significantly lower the buyout amount in Buzz's contract? 

[Cheeks]

Cheeks

If Buzz had run a cleaner program, been a better employee and followed the rules he would never have been given new rules to follow. Really don’t care anymore, but he was not discouraged on looking for new employment and that was a year before he left.

I agree, he was not discouraged and he also had many years left on his contract after MU gave him a 7 year extension in 2011, a few months before all the fun came out and our AD resigned, etc, etc.  MU put a lot of trust and commitment with Buzz.  He changed.

[NickelDimer]

I agree, he was not discouraged and he also had many years left on his contract after MU gave him a 7 year extension in 2011, a few months before all the fun came out and our AD resigned, etc, etc.  MU put a lot of trust and commitment with Buzz.  He changed.

So you agree Wojo going to UNLV would be a stronger indication that he jumped before being pushed than it would MU is a stepping stone job. Good, great, grand. Glad we had this talk.

[Cheeks]

So you agree Wojo going to UNLV would be a stronger indication that he jumped before being pushed than it would MU is a stepping stone job. Good, great, grand. Glad we had this talk.

No, it would be another indication in a long indication and history of it that coaches come here to get fired or leave for what they think are better jobs....stepping stone to another gig. 

[NickelDimer]

No, it would be another indication in a long indication and history of it that coaches come here to get fired or leave for what they think are better jobs....stepping stone to another gig.

Keep chasing that tail cheeks. Stay gold.

[Goose]

Cheeks
I loved Buzz era and quality of players recruited and results on the court. That said, I did not fault the school for having serious concerns and suggested to him to look elsewhere. But, that is a big part of the story and cannot be glossed over. Whether he changed or just showed true colors, the fact remains the same, they did not want Buzz to hang around.

[Loose Cannon]

 Its always Prudent to have a Plan B in place and I am  sure MU does.  As well as Wojo has if Stan or other staff were to move.

Don't believe anyone here can give an absolute answer which is not 2nd 3rd etc. Source.

[MU82]

Cuonzo Martin practically begged for the job five years ago.

As did Ben Howland.

Two guys who weren't unproven assistants or relatively unproven mid-major coaches ... and both desperately wanted the Marquette job.

But they also had baggage -- Howland big-time baggage -- as would those on The Lens' list.

There is 0.00% chance that a guy like Sampson would be offered the job by a school administration that has made it very plain they rank cleanliness right up there with godliness.

There is 0.00% chance that Tony Bennett would leave a place where he can coach (and has coached) the No. 1 team in the entire nation in the No. 1 league in the nation.

Kruger ... he's always looking for the next job. But leave Oklahoma for MU ... sounds like a stretch, so I'll put that chance at higher than 0.00%. Maybe 0.10%.

As for why Wojo would go to UNLV ... I assume the No. 1 reason would be $$$$. IIRC, that school has boosters who are willing to throw around big-time bucks. Another reason would be (as others have suggested) to get while the gettin' is good.

But I'll believe it happens when I see it happen. And in the unlikely event that it happens, I'll get a good chuckle out of all the names that Scoop speculates on.

Not sure why we should settle for Sampson, Bennett or Kruger ... why not Izzo or Few or Rivers or Stevens or Phil Jackson?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Lon Kruger? Wasn't he the first coach to miss an NCAA tournament after making the Final Four the year before?

[tower912]

Lon Kruger? Wasn't he the first coach to miss an NCAA tournament after making the Final Four the year before?

Before Crean?

[Cheeks]

Lon Kruger? Wasn't he the first coach to miss an NCAA tournament after making the Final Four the year before?

No, it has happened a number of times, but posters here like to rant on it happening to Crean.  I can't recall the number, but it has impacted a number of programs over the years.  Louisville (twice...once because of vacancy), Oklahoma, NC State (twice), Butler, George Mason, Loyola Chicago, etc, if memory serves.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Before Crean?

Wow, can't believe I missed that one. Thought I had heard that stat somewhere about Krueger. I wonder if it was first coach to miss in X number of years.

[Hards Alumni]

Our short list and long should be Kelvin Sampson, Lon Kruger and Tony Bennett. 

Enough of this learning on the job nonsense.  We supposedly have the best of everything in men's basketball, it is time our coaching reflected the rest of our commitment to men's hoops.

I'm late to the party, but what the hell are you smoking?

[manny31]

Long and Short of everything that has happened since Buzz left. MU isn’t going to pay players... We are who we are with a coach that is subject to those guidelines dictated by the Admin/BOT. Maybe the NCAA changes maybe they don’t but MU has drawn a line in the sand.
For better, for worse it is what it is. Many of us, myself included
get caught up in the day to day nonsense.

[Jon]

Lon Kruger? Wasn't he the first coach to miss an NCAA tournament after making the Final Four the year before?

Another deeply humiliating night in the otherwise storied saga that is Marquette basketball.

[vogue65]

The AD was at Notre Dame for 23 years, spending the last three as the number 2 in their department.

Amazing how quickly history gets lost.  And BTW he was hired with a mission.  1.  Get rid of Buzz 2.  Get a good deal from FOX

[Billy Hoyle]

Amazing how quickly history gets lost.  And BTW he was hired with a mission.  1.  Get rid of Buzz 2.  Get a good deal from FOX

That was Larry Williams.  I'm pretty sure Bill Scholl was hired after Buzz bailed.

[Jockey]

A Seton Hall message board started the rumor & some are running with it.

Scoopers do that?