Wojo Given Take It Or Leave It Offer

[warriorfred]

You are likely conflating things. I think Wojo was told that the COVID year was kind of "wash year" where he could focus on developing some of the young guys. I think there was a general understanding of him generally doing well, and an understanding of this was a young team in a tough year.

There was a meeting of the minds that everything was fine, for now.

Then, the fan base erupted, significant external pressure on Scholl and the administration to do something now. That likely led to an actual blind-sided attack on Wojo, where suddenly the mutual understanding of this season/performance was flipped on its head.

In all honesty, I think all of this reflects poorly on Scholl, who clearly didn't understand the alumni/fan base, and then as a result did a poor job of relaying expectations/concerns to Wojo/staff.

I agree with this summation.  I honestly believe both Wojo and School were surprised by the negative reaction of alumni and fans.

[warriorfred]

I think I accidentally scrolled backwards 25 years, Goodman was in the kitchen of my crappy apartment in the mid '90s.

Dang.  That is funny. 

[tower912]

You are likely conflating things. I think Wojo was told that the COVID year was kind of "wash year" where he could focus on developing some of the young guys. I think there was a general understanding of him generally doing well, and an understanding of this was a young team in a tough year.

There was a meeting of the minds that everything was fine, for now.

Then, the fan base erupted, significant external pressure on Scholl and the administration to do something now. That likely led to an actual blind-sided attack on Wojo, where suddenly the mutual understanding of this season/performance was flipped on its head.

In all honesty, I think all of this reflects poorly on Scholl, who clearly didn't understand the alumni/fan base, and then as a result did a poor job of relaying expectations/concerns to Wojo/staff.

Too logical.   I reject it. 

[NickelDimer]

So if this is true -- and it certainly sounds like it is -- if Wojo says, "OK, I don't like it, but I'll dump Presutti and Judson and bring in a savvy Phil Martelli type and an up-and-coming recruiter type," he keeps his job.

No matter how much Scoop beyotched ... no matter how many season tickets might have gotten canceled ... no matter how much booing there would have been at games ... no matter what was said in brew's blog and elsewhere on the interwebs ... no matter what "influential donors" might have threatened ... no matter that we were embarrassed by Georgetown ...

Despite all the reasons that some have given for this happening, the fact is that Wojo would not have gotten fired if he had simply agreed to shake up his coaching staff?

Interesting.

And maybe, just maybe all the things you think didn't matter are the very things that forced MU to demand changes from Wojo ultimately leading to his firing.

Interesting.

[Big Papi]

So if this is true -- and it certainly sounds like it is -- if Wojo says, "OK, I don't like it, but I'll dump Presutti and Judson and bring in a savvy Phil Martelli type and an up-and-coming recruiter type," he keeps his job.

No matter how much Scoop beyotched ... no matter how many season tickets might have gotten canceled ... no matter how much booing there would have been at games ... no matter what was said in brew's blog and elsewhere on the interwebs ... no matter what "influential donors" might have threatened ... no matter that we were embarrassed by Georgetown ...

Despite all the reasons that some have given for this happening, the fact is that Wojo would not have gotten fired if he had simply agreed to shake up his coaching staff?


Interesting.

Wojo is a nice guy, runs a clean program and is able to sell recruits to come here.  There were reasons to keep him but it was obvious to all that his in game coaching and game planning was atrocious.  Plus no real identity.  I have a feeling that he was going to bump up his current assistants to replace Killings and hire a bottom level assitant and the hire ups wanted him to hire a legit Assistant Coach that was going to help with Wojo's huge deficiencies.  I think Wojo was too proud to say yes to that.

[rocky_warrior]

It is "confirmed" that it is $9 million?

He had three more years on his contract, but he deferred about $500k this year. So based on salary and perhaps a few other perks, in the $6-7 mil range is a good estimate.

We won't get confirmation (maybe in future MU public records...), but I was thinking his annual salary was $2.2 or $2.3M, so I did 2.3*3 = 6.9 + 2.3 (early term) = $9.2M

Blackhearts numbers may be more accurate.  But give or take a couple mil, that's the range.  I've heard as high as $11M, but maybe that was last year with the time left on the contract.

[warriorfred]

So if this is true -- and it certainly sounds like it is -- if Wojo says, "OK, I don't like it, but I'll dump Presutti and Judson and bring in a savvy Phil Martelli type and an up-and-coming recruiter type," he keeps his job.

No matter how much Scoop beyotched ... no matter how many season tickets might have gotten canceled ... no matter how much booing there would have been at games ... no matter what was said in brew's blog and elsewhere on the interwebs ... no matter what "influential donors" might have threatened ... no matter that we were embarrassed by Georgetown ...

Despite all the reasons that some have given for this happening, the fact is that Wojo would not have gotten fired if he had simply agreed to shake up his coaching staff?

Interesting.

If this is actually true, and given the performance of the team over the past 2-3 seasons it sounds reasonable, this reflects a profound inability of Wojo to see reality. 

[willie warrior]

Scholl: Pretty obvious this isn't working

Wojo: Yeah

Scholl: Probably won't get any better next year

Wojo: True

Scholl: How does this sound - we give you the 9.5 million buy out and come up with an exit story that makes us both look good?


Wojo: Perfect

Not bad. Or maybe it went like this

Scholl: This is not working out.

Wojo: No shice Sherlock. I figured that out a couple years ago after Hausergate.

Scholl: What? But..Steve..why didn't you say something?

Wojo: Are you kidding? This is a nice paying gig with good perks and resources.

Scholl: Well we need to make some changes.

Wojo: Screw you. Now pay me my 9 million.

[MU82]

And maybe, just maybe all the things you think didn't matter are the very things that forced MU to demand changes from Wojo ultimately leading to his firing.

Interesting.

That could be true, we actually agree.

I'm a huge MU fan too, and I soured on Wojo too, and I called for his firing too. So I like to think that you and I and others of similar mindsets had something directly to do with this. But in the end -- despite the boos and blogs and billboards and beyotching -- he supposedly could have kept his job had he agreed to the kind of coaching-staff changes that others have made over the years to keep their jobs.

Unless the Goodman report is BS, which is possible.

So yes, interesting.

[Dr. Blackheart]

We won't get confirmation (maybe in future MU public records...), but I was thinking his annual salary was $2.2 or $2.3M, so I did 2.3*3 = 6.9 + 2.3 (early term) = $9.2M

Blackhearts numbers may be more accurate.  But give or take a couple mil, that's the range.  I've heard as high as $11M, but maybe that was last year with the time left on the contract.

I probably needed to add in the assistants (no Killings) salaries too which I believe is one year.

[brewcity77]

So considering Wojo is gone, I don't think the planned part 2 of our collaboration will ever see light of day. But we did deep dives into staff experience and NCAA success. Outside the Brad Stevens outliers, you see a pretty sharp line going up in terms of deep NCAA success.

We would've suggested if Wojo stayed, he get rid of Presutti and add one experienced former HC in Killings' place (Larry Krystkowiak comes to mind) and a savvy analytics guy in Jake's place (Jordan Sperber would be my first choice for that). Obviously a moot point now, but it seems like Scholl was of the same mindset.

[4everwarriors]

Woj held all the cards. He knew he had his buyout in his back pocket and the dude who gave him that should be shot. Woj was known to be a disaster in year 2. He likely didn't want to be here any more than we wanted him here, but shekels matta, aina?

[Xact]

Nope. Every coach wants control over his/her staff, and not to have those personnel decisions being made by the athletic director.
If this happened, Scholl made a reasonable request for staff changes. Wojo made a reasonable decision that staff changes are within his purview, not the ADs.
There's no reason anyone needs to be wrong here.
Really, this thread is mostly a bunch people eager to piss on the guy's grave.

+100

[Goose]

4ever

Of course Wojo held all of the cards. Easy to draw line in the sand when a check for $9m is coming your way. The only hope MU had was if some other school was foolish enough to hire him away. Obviously MU did not think that was happening over the next two weeks. I'll give Wojo credit for hit the Brink's truck on the way out of town. The Duke education paid off quite nicely yesterday.

[GooooMarquette]

You are likely conflating things. I think Wojo was told that the COVID year was kind of "wash year" where he could focus on developing some of the young guys. I think there was a general understanding of him generally doing well, and an understanding of this was a young team in a tough year.

There was a meeting of the minds that everything was fine, for now.

Then, the fan base erupted, significant external pressure on Scholl and the administration to do something now. That likely led to an actual blind-sided attack on Wojo, where suddenly the mutual understanding of this season/performance was flipped on its head.

In all honesty, I think all of this reflects poorly on Scholl, who clearly didn't understand the alumni/fan base, and then as a result did a poor job of relaying expectations/concerns to Wojo/staff.

That seems like a plausible scenario.

If true, I agree it isn't a good look for Scholl. It's his job to be very aware of the feelings of the fanbase and the expectations of the BOT, and to communicate them to the coach. If this came to a head as suddenly and dramatically as it appears, he fumbled the ball.

[MuggsyB]

Nope. Every coach wants control over his/her staff, and not to have those personnel decisions being made by the athletic director.
If this happened, Scholl made a reasonable request for staff changes. Wojo made a reasonable decision that staff changes are within his purview, not the ADs.
There's no reason anyone needs to be wrong here.
Really, this thread is mostly a bunch people eager to piss on the guy's grave.

I don't have any idea if this story is true but what is wrong with the AD telling the coach that staff changes are neccessary for this program to meet expectations?  Now if Scholl told him that he and not Wojo would choose certain potential assistants?  That's a problem.   Frankly, not having an experienced coach on Wojo's  staff has been discussed ad nauseum for 5 years.  I think Wojo: 1) Didn't want to come back and was happy just to take his buyout and 2) has a stubborn streak that has been proven to be an issue.

[Silent Verbal]

4ever

Of course Wojo held all of the cards. Easy to draw line in the sand when a check for $9m is coming your way. The only hope MU had was if some other school was foolish enough to hire him away. Obviously MU did not think that was happening over the next two weeks. I'll give Wojo credit for hit the Brink's truck on the way out of town. The Duke education paid off quite nicely yesterday.

The guy sucked for seven years, was asked to make a few changes by the AD and was totally defiant, walked away with $9 million in donor money, and people on here are still trying to defend him.  I don't think I'll ever understand it.

[CountryRoads]

The more I think about this situation, the less I believe it. It would have been Buzz 2.0. Wojo vs The Admin. This would have created a toxic atmosphere at MU for the remainder of Wojo's tenure which would have only lasted another year anyway. If Scholl really proposed this, then he's more incompetent than I thought he was because it makes no sense.

On the other hand, Wojo should have absolutely been proactive enough to realize the dead weight on his coaching staff and acted accordingly on his own. He was delusional enough and taken back when Scholl said changes were needed. In his mind, he thought he had the program rolling.

If this story is true, we should be thankful that Wojo's ego was too big to agree to the terms. It would have been a disaster otherwise.

[5DollarPitcher]

The Hausers were right, no?  There was a fatal flaw with Wojo's coaching of Howard (and coaching, in general) that was detrimental to a team with greater potential, and the Hausers tried to let their thoughts be known in the most respectful way they could.

Wojo refused to change, the Hausers transferred, the program entered a tailspin, and Wojo ended up getting fired. I'm unsure where all the Hauser hate comes from. They have free will to do what they think is best for themselves, no? Or are they "yes sir, no sir" slaves to the great Steve Wojo? I mean pro teams have "player only" meetings somewhat regularly, and the good coaches adapt and the team gets better.

The majority of the Hauser vitriol comes from the last of the ProJos who have never (and still cannot) admit that they were wrong. Oh well - their hubris and insecurity has placed them on the wrong side of history and it will take years to wipe the egg off their faces.

[Pakuni]

I don't have any idea if this story is true but what is wrong with the AD telling the coach that staff changes are neccessary for this program to meet expectations? 

I literally wrote "Scholl made a reasonable request for staff changes" in the post to which you are responding.

[🏀]

The Hausers were right, no?  There was a fatal flaw with Wojo's coaching of Howard (and coaching, in general) that was detrimental to a team with greater potential, and the Hausers tried to let their thoughts be known in the most respectful way they could.

Wojo refused to change, the Hausers transferred, the program entered a tailspin, and Wojo ended up getting fired. I'm unsure where all the Hauser hate comes from. They have free will to do what they think is best for themselves, no? Or are they "yes sir, no sir" slaves to the great Steve Wojo? I mean pro teams have "player only" meetings somewhat regularly, and the good coaches adapt and the team gets better.

The majority of the Hauser vitriol comes from the last of the ProJos who have never (and still cannot) admit that they were wrong. Oh well - their hubris and insecurity has placed them on the wrong side of history and it will take years to wipe the egg off their faces.

Probably comes from Joey being an entitled bitch from the second he arrived.

He's a bench player now.

[5DollarPitcher]

Probably comes from Joey being an entitled bitch from the second he arrived.

He's a bench player on a better team now.

FTFY

And Wojo is without a job.

[willie warrior]

The Hausers were right, no?  There was a fatal flaw with Wojo's coaching of Howard (and coaching, in general) that was detrimental to a team with greater potential, and the Hausers tried to let their thoughts be known in the most respectful way they could.

Wojo refused to change, the Hausers transferred, the program entered a tailspin, and Wojo ended up getting fired. I'm unsure where all the Hauser hate comes from. They have free will to do what they think is best for themselves, no? Or are they "yes sir, no sir" slaves to the great Steve Wojo? I mean pro teams have "player only" meetings somewhat regularly, and the good coaches adapt and the team gets better.

The majority of the Hauser vitriol comes from the last of the ProJos who have never (and still cannot) admit that they were wrong. Oh well - their hubris and insecurity has placed them on the wrong side of history and it will take years to wipe the egg off their faces.

Hoo boy, that stings. From what is seen here, most of those projos will never realize that they had egg on their faces

[Pakuni]

Probably comes from Joey being an entitled bitch from the second he arrived.

He's a bench player now.

"But he was right and you have egg on your face!" says the 12-year-old child.

[warriorfred]

The Hausers were right, no?  There was a fatal flaw with Wojo's coaching of Howard (and coaching, in general) that was detrimental to a team with greater potential, and the Hausers tried to let their thoughts be known in the most respectful way they could.

Wojo refused to change, the Hausers transferred, the program entered a tailspin, and Wojo ended up getting fired. I'm unsure where all the Hauser hate comes from. They have free will to do what they think is best for themselves, no? Or are they "yes sir, no sir" slaves to the great Steve Wojo? I mean pro teams have "player only" meetings somewhat regularly, and the good coaches adapt and the team gets better.

The majority of the Hauser vitriol comes from the last of the ProJos who have never (and still cannot) admit that they were wrong. Oh well - their hubris and insecurity has placed them on the wrong side of history and it will take years to wipe the egg off their faces.

Excellent and insightful comment.