Why was Wojo's relationship with the students/alumni so bad?

[NolongerWarriors]

Was talking with a Prof at MU who's been there a while and he was struck by how much the students disliked Wojo, and this has been the case for years, not just recently.

The times he's spoken with Wojo, he said he seemed like a decent guy, but there was definitely a disconnect with the students, and probably the alumni, too.

Why? 

[TallTitan34]

Winning cures all.

[5DollarPitcher]

0 personality (unless you want to call being a robotic nice guy a personality) and year after year of disappointment to the point where nothing was expected. Lots of students were apathetic during Wojo's tenure.

[DienerTime34]

Wojo was very dry and stiff, and rarely said anything but the most generic coachspeak. I thought he'd be different in a 1-on-1 setting, but meeting him twice, it was painful (granted I am just a dumb fan).

I can't remember which Marquette Madness it was, but do you remember him screaming himself hoarse and acting like a bit of a maniac? It was so out of character. Clearly, someone in the department suggested he get out of his comfort zone to reach students. Never did that again.

Overall, just a lack of charisma we had become accustomed to with Al, KO, Crean, Buzz etc. Crean had it so good at one point students would chant his name and he'd stand by the student section and clap for the them.

All that and a lack of wins for Wojo.

[shoothoops]

1) Win. People don't care as much about your personality when you win at higher levels.

2) Surround your self with staff/coaches that are better than that than you.

When Majerus was at SLU he wasn't interested in the media stuff etc...so Porter Moser did most of that stuff because he has a perpetually positive, high energy rah rah personality.  Majerus hand picked big money boosters, select few media etc...to have dinner with, be close with etc...

Win more games. Surround yourself with people that bolster your weaknesses.

[connie]

I think this is a great question.  I really wanted to like the guy.  I give him an A+ for his deportment, but I just never seemed to be able to warm up to him, and don't recall meeting anyone else that did.

[JakeBarnes]

He always seemed like a nice guy. But I think the part where that's about all I can say about him says a lot about what we knew/saw/heard about him. It never felt like he had an interest in that part of the role--the part where you have to be a bit of an open book or have some sort of schtick.

[cheebs09]

I think not winning more is the biggest reason. The other part is probably he kept things close to the vest and we never saw his personality. Pretty much opposite of Buzz. We never really got a close look as to why the players loved him so much.

[MUfan12]

Was talking with a Prof at MU who's been there a while and he was struck by how much the students disliked Wojo, and this has been the case for years, not just recently.

The times he's spoken with Wojo, he said he seemed like a decent guy, but there was definitely a disconnect with the students, and probably the alumni, too.

Why?

We barely got to know him.

I can think of a couple times the facade came down. First was him talking about Heldt after the game at Xavier. We needed more of that guy. And the 100th Anniversary thing. He was great, funny, really seemed at ease. But when the season started he clammed back up.

It became a little bit of a bunker mentality post-Hausershima.

[ATL MU Warrior]

I would think the primary reason is all the time spent at Duke with Coach K. 

For all his success, I don't think Coach K is at all approachable or really has any desire to interact with students and/or people outside of his immediate circle.  I am sure that rubbed off on Wojo. 

[goan]

Wojo was let go. No more discussion. He left with dignity and respect for MU. It did not work out for him.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Wojo was very dry and stiff, and rarely said anything but the most generic coachspeak. I thought he'd be different in a 1-on-1 setting, but meeting him twice, it was painful (granted I am just a dumb fan).

I can't remember which Marquette Madness it was, but do you remember him screaming himself hoarse and acting like a bit of a maniac? It was so out of character. Clearly, someone in the department suggested he get out of his comfort zone to reach students. Never did that again.

Overall, just a lack of charisma we had become accustomed to with Al, KO, Crean, Buzz etc. Crean had it so good at one point students would chant his name and he'd stand by the student section and clap for the them.

All that and a lack of wins for Wojo.

His lack of 4 wheeling and karate skills was very concerning.

[SaveOD238]

I had the opportunity to attend a Bucks game once where I sat in a box (at the Bradley Center) with a bunch MU whos-whos.  Lovell, board members, Novak, and Wojo, among others.  Most of that crew were yucking it up and making small chat the whole night.

Wojo sat in the front row of the box with one of his kids, totally engrossed in the game.  Even in that environment where he should have been hobnobbing with the bigwigs he was totally detached and stoic. It was my first sign that he just didn't have the personality that previous MU coaches had.

Nice guy.  But not the big personality of Buzz, Crean, or Al.

[Scoop Snoop]

Overly self-controlled, a mannequin, unable to laugh at himself. His attempt to motivate the team by repeatedly screaming play angry in the pregame meeting prior to the Murray State fiasco is just one example of how he just did not have "it". There are many other examples.

If Moser is our next coach, I think he will be the polar opposite of Wojo in terms of fan relationship. With all the discussions about Moser the coach, his ability to get students, alumni and other fans pumped has not been discussed much. I think each student at a home game = at least 10 alumni and general public fans in terms of being loud, obnoxious, and able to rattle visiting teams nerves. Players often admit to the psychological effect of loud fans when playing on the road. I want the FF to be pure Hell for visiting teams.

[Silent Verbal]

We never really got a close look as to why the players loved him so much.

Source?

[cheebs09]

Source?

No source. It seemed like the general thought was that his players really liked him despite the outside criticism. I assumed he let his guard down with them.

I may be wrong.

[muwarrior69]

No source. It seemed like the general thought was that his players really liked him despite the outside criticism. I assumed he let his guard down with them.

I may be wrong.

Ah..that explains it. It was a love letter but its a good idea we don't see each other anymore.

Signed,
Sam & Joey

[MU82]

Didn't win enough. All the rest of the stuff is window dressing.

The comparisons to K's personality were legit. But K wins.

Bear Bryant wasn't approachable for fans. John Wooden didn't yuck it up with them. More recently, Brad Stevens is a pretty button-down guy. Mark Few doesn't seem like the next Jim Gaffigan - or even the next Buzz Williams. They won/win.

Minnesotans here well know who Jim Wacker was. You couldn't get a more outgoing, funny, fan-friendly guy. But when he didn't win football games, he was sent packing, and Gopher fans were glad.

"Great guy, couldn't coach," they said. "He had to go."

[4everwarriors]

Cat has a personality of dead plant life, hey?

[warriorchick]

I think not winning more is the biggest reason. The other part is probably he kept things close to the vest and we never saw his personality. Pretty much opposite of Buzz. We never really got a close look as to why the players loved him so much.

Wojo might not show his personality, but Buzz's "personality" was all a facade.

[Steve Buscemi]

Wojo might not show his personality, but Buzz's "personality" was all a facade.

Not true.

[Uncle Rico]

Not true.

He's a phony cowboy

[Warrior_2002]

Not true.

Agree not true.  He was great no matter where you met him.  Saw him a couple rows in front of my wife and I at Farm Aid.  I hesitated bothering him but just said "good luck this year coach".  He pulled me in and started talking college football with me asking if I knew who won (I had an ND football hat on).  Very engaging even off the cuff.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

NVM

[NolongerWarriors]

Wojo might not show his personality, but Buzz's "personality" was all a facade.

100% wrong.

I happened to be in a store when Buzz was there and he saw the Marquette Warriors hoodie I was wearing and came over and complimented me on it and proceeded to talk about anything and everything while his wife was shopping.  Even in that casual one-to-one interaction, he had that eccentric charisma.

Now I HAVE heard that at MU, Buzz was very insular and it was him and his team against the world, and he was often annoyed at having to deal with the administration.  Wojo, on the other hand, was the perfect company man, but I couldn't imagine him going up to a stranger and just starting a long conversation.