Wojo Given Take It Or Leave It Offer

[NickelDimer]

I don't buy this is about Wojo being loyal to his guys. This is about Wojo still not getting it. He's an idiot and I'm thankful he is because that's the reason he's gone (if this reporting it to be believed).

[avid1010]

No way to know if this is true or a mutually agreed upon story...

[Silent Verbal]

How is this Wojo "looking out for his guys"?  He was told either to replace his assistants, or he *and* his assistants would be replaced.  He didn't save anybody's job.

I said it a few weeks ago:  Wojo thought he was doing a really good job here, and that any misfortunes the team experienced were the result of injuries and bad luck.  He saw no problem with the results.  You could see in his press conferences that he felt this way.

[dw3dw3dw3]

https://twitter.com/GoodmanHoops/status/1373279911230734336?s=19

Scroll to 37 min

That was an interesting 2 minutes. Seems like he got his info from Broeker most likely. The names seem to have a little insight behind them. Didn't mention Gates, but Moser (Moser covets job according to those close), Shaka (would have been fired last year without big buyout), Bielein, Pat Kelsey (midwest ties). Shaka past talk, #Donedeal talk.... the other guy inferred he liked #IWB so he didn't want to name him as Dan Dakich / Bailey equivalent. 

[cheebs09]

It might not have even involved firing a current coach. Maybe just what was done with the open position.

[Small Orange Soda]

How big of a shakeup was he being asked to do?  He already had to replace Killings anyway.  I'd think it was more Wojo not wanting to have Scholl's input than loyalty to his guys, unless he was asked to clean house.

[jsglow]

If there's any university and college basketball program that respects the role of the bench coach more than Marquette I'd be shocked.  Folks in my generation grew up being shown how well that can work if the right people are involved. Al didn't even go to practice half the time.  Moreover, he was humble enough deep down to know that Hank was way better at that part of the job; in fact one of the great floor coaches of all time. Both men's banners hang proudly in our rafters.  Not understanding that is on Steve and represents the final nail if I'm Scholl, assuming the reports are accurate.

Funny how the guy who had the most bravado in college basketball history was more humble than the quiet, somewhat awkward guy who couldn't finish above .500 and never won a tournament game.  Scholl made the right call; the only possible call. 

[genious expert]

How big of a shakeup was he being asked to do?  He already had to replace Killings anyway.  I'd think it was more Wojo not wanting to have Scholl's input than loyalty to his guys, unless he was asked to clean house.

This part

[fjm]

That was an interesting 2 minutes. Seems like he got his info from Broeker most likely. The names seem to have a little insight behind them. Didn't mention Gates, but Moser (Moser covets job according to those close), Shaka (would have been fired last year without big buyout), Bielein, Pat Kelsey (midwest ties). Shaka past talk, #Donedeal talk.... the other guy inferred he liked #IWB so he didn't want to name him as Dan Dakich / Bailey equivalent.

That's it. I'm Convinced Shaka is coming.

That 2 min segment literally convinced me Shaka is coming.

[Lennys Tap]

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

[Silent Verbal]

Does anybody else find it kind of sickening that we had to pay Wojo $9 million to go away?  I understand Archie Miller having a buyout like that at Indiana, but Jesus, Wojo?  What a horrible mistake.

I mean, we get to move past it now, but that's a tough pill to swallow.

[duanewade]

Per Goodman: "Wojo was told to shake up his coaching staff and he'd get another year or if he didn't, he'd be dismissed. Wojo refused to do so and was dismissed."

This makes sense. Scholl is a Notre Dame guy and it's what they've done to Brian Kelly several times. The first after his 4&8 season they made him clean house and they were even actively involved in picking the replacements as they didn't trust him to do it on his own.

It's a stupid bandaid approach as Brian Kelly is still an average coach who gets blown out when playing elite teams.

Glad Wojo was defiant so we could clean house and get a fresh start.

[Lennys Tap]

Funny how the guy who had the most bravado in college basketball history was more humble than the quiet, somewhat awkward guy who couldn't finish above .500 and never won a tournament game.  Scholl made the right call; the only possible call.

Welcome back, Glow! This kind of keen insight on MU basketball past and present has been very much missed around here. Well done!!

[Goose]

Lenny

Who is your top pick to replace Wojo?

[YaBlueIt]

If there's any university and college basketball program that respects the role of the bench coach more than Marquette I'd be shocked.  Folks in my generation grew up being shown how well that can work if the right people are involved. Al didn't even go to practice half the time.  Moreover, he was humble enough deep down to know that Hank was way better at that part of the job; in fact one of the great floor coaches of all time. Both men's banners hang proudly in our rafters.  Not understanding that is on Steve and represents the final nail if I'm Scholl, assuming the reports are accurate.

Funny how the guy who had the most bravado in college basketball history was more humble than the quiet, somewhat awkward guy who couldn't finish above .500 and never won a tournament game.  Scholl made the right call; the only possible call.

100%. Gave him every opportunity to right the ship and make things work. Instead of willing to accept change and acknowledge that change was needed to get the program to an acceptable level, he drew a line in the sand. Says a lot about expectations. When the higher ups have greater expectations and are willing to do more to achieve them than the head coach of the program, that's a fundamental problem.

Glad Scholl pulled the trigger.

[MU82]

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.

[willie warrior]

How does Wojo not read the room?  How is MU satisfied until now?

I was told that in the "big meeting," Wojo thought the team was doing fine, the results were fine during his tenure, and zero changes were needed (in any respect).  How could he think zero NCAA tourney wins in 7 yrs is OK?

Was also told that Wojo became super PO'd because MU had seemed satisfied with his results and had never given him any sense there was any concern.  From his POV, just the mere questioning now was a blindside.

I'm glad he's gone, but I have zero confidence MU will hire the kind of coach needed to resurrect the program.

That zero confidence you have is definitely one shared by a lot of others. If donors ponied up some or all of the buyout, one has to believe they get to have some input.

[Avenue Commons]

That was an interesting 2 minutes. Seems like he got his info from Broeker most likely. The names seem to have a little insight behind them. Didn't mention Gates, but Moser (Moser covets job according to those close), Shaka (would have been fired last year without big buyout), Bielein, Pat Kelsey (midwest ties). Shaka past talk, #Donedeal talk.... the other guy inferred he liked #IWB so he didn't want to name him as Dan Dakich / Bailey equivalent.

I loved when Goodman, in his busted tshirt, is chugging a Gatorade the morning after the opening round of the tournament. Been there, Jeff, been there.

I heard the interview to strongly imply that Moser is very interested in the Marquette job, has been for a long time, the word "coveted" was used. Moser was a Majerus guy.

[Pakuni]

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

Honestly, this is more probable than any of the other make-believe conversations here.

[forgetful]

How does Wojo not read the room?  How is MU satisfied until now?

I was told that in the "big meeting," Wojo thought the team was doing fine, the results were fine during his tenure, and zero changes were needed (in any respect).  How could he think zero NCAA tourney wins in 7 yrs is OK?

Was also told that Wojo became super PO'd because MU had seemed satisfied with his results and had never given him any sense there was any concern.  From his POV, just the mere questioning now was a blindside.

I'm glad he's gone, but I have zero confidence MU will hire the kind of coach needed to resurrect the program.

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.

[Lennys Tap]

Lenny

Who is your top pick to replace Wojo?

Goose

True Confessions time - I'm not nearly as informed on college hoops as I once was. I'd trust our younger Scoopers to identify the best available up and coming coaches much more than my own opinion. I'd renew my season tickets (from Florida) for Pitino or Belein but that's a pipe dream. How about you?

Edit: left out Shaka, didn't realize he was a possibility until I read other threads. If he's available he's my #1 by a good margin.

[MU82]

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.

Even if this version is "more true" than the Goodman version, it STILL means that Wojo would have been allowed to keep his job if he did what Scholl wanted. Quite a different narrative from "billboards and blogs and boos got Wojo fired."

[Hards Alumni]

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

100% accurate.  But people love a good story.

[BallBoy]

Per Goodman: "Wojo was told to shake up his coaching staff and he'd get another year or if he didn't, he'd be dismissed. Wojo refused to do so and was dismissed."

Probably a good story but not sure I buy it. Killings just left so he would have an opening to fill anyway.

That leaves Gainey, Judson and Presutti. The latter was the lead on Mitchell. I don't see MU say clear house on all of them as you could clear 1, hire 1 and you have a remade staff. I think this is more of a face saver story.

[JWags85]

I heard the interview to strongly imply that Moser is very interested in the Marquette job, has been for a long time, the word "coveted" was used. Moser was a Majerus guy.

For these purposes, was he though?  He spent 4 seasons as an assistant to him 20 years into his D1 playing and coaching career.  I have no doubt Rick profoundly influenced him as a coach and clearly helped turn his HC career around, but it seems a bit late and short to have locked in these "my conveted job is the Alma mater of my mentor" vibes