Buzz Williams

[Biggie Clausen]

That's true, but it's not like he was bouncing around as an assistant. He was the "Associate HC" for a legend and was often thought to be K's heir apparent at Duke. That's not your typical "career assistant/damaged goods" pedigree that would usually be cause for concern.

K didn't really seem like the type of coach who'd value constructive debates, original ideas, or thoughts that weren't his own.

[wadesworld]

Which was why this was possibly the dumbest hire of all time.

Option A) Wojo is a great coach, and takes the Duke job when K retires 4/5 years later.
Option B) Wojo is what we got.

Our other finalists were Ben Howland and Cuonzo Martin.  Martin has been pretty awful and is no longer a head coach.  Howland had been fired by UCLA despite winning the Pac12 the year before because of some not so great things going on in the UCLA program, and has been pretty meh at Mississippi State.

Other names that took new jobs that offseason were Bruce Pearl, who MU was absolutely not going to hire coming off of Buzz, Kim Anderson, Donnie Tyndall, Chris Holtmann, and Danny Manning.  Holtmann was just taking the job he had as an assistant.

It wasn't like we really missed on any great coach, other than Shaka.  And Shaka may have seen MU as a stepping stone without the football conference job experience.

[Uncle Rico]

Our other finalists were Ben Howland and Cuonzo Martin.  Martin has been pretty awful and is no longer a head coach.  Howland had been fired by UCLA despite winning the Pac12 the year before because of some not so great things going on in the UCLA program, and has been pretty meh at Mississippi State.

Other names that took new jobs that offseason were Bruce Pearl, who MU was absolutely not going to hire coming off of Buzz, Kim Anderson, Donnie Tyndall, Chris Holtmann, and Danny Manning.  Holtmann was just taking the job he had as an assistant.

It wasn't like we really missed on any great coach, other than Shaka.  And Shaka may have seen MU as a stepping stone without the football conference job experience.

Never tried calling Billy Donovan.  SMDH

[Pakuni]

So was I. Guessed you missed the part about people here thinking Wojo's hiring was a home run.

Who actually called it a home run?

[#UnleashSean]

Our other finalists were Ben Howland and Cuonzo Martin.  Martin has been pretty awful and is no longer a head coach.  Howland had been fired by UCLA despite winning the Pac12 the year before because of some not so great things going on in the UCLA program, and has been pretty meh at Mississippi State.

Other names that took new jobs that offseason were Bruce Pearl, who MU was absolutely not going to hire coming off of Buzz, Kim Anderson, Donnie Tyndall, Chris Holtmann, and Danny Manning.  Holtmann was just taking the job he had as an assistant.

It wasn't like we really missed on any great coach, other than Shaka.  And Shaka may have seen MU as a stepping stone without the football conference job experience.

Not sure if mentioning our other finalists being terrible as well should absolve the administration of the absolutely terrible hire, and 7 years of wojo.

[#UnleashSean]

Who actually called it a home run?

MU82 for sure. We could just go back to 2014.

[Pakuni]

MU82 for sure. We could just go back to 2014.

I have. Most of the reaction I'm seeing ranges from hating it to hoping for the best. Not really seeing any regular Scoopers calling it a home run (or words to that effect), much less "much of the Scoop intelligentsia." But I'm totally open to the possibility I might be missing some.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Wojo had the right resume and was worth the roll of the dice.  Especially with the uncertainty of the university and conference direction. 

I was more upset with the extension(s) when it was clear he wasn't the guy. 

[Biggie Clausen]

Not sure if mentioning our other finalists being terrible as well should absolve the administration of the absolutely terrible hire, and 7 years of wojo.

I don't think the administration's problem is that they hired him — every program makes bad hires, and his resume was credible — it's that they held onto him for too long.  An aggressive AD would've fired him after he missed the tournament in year 4.  At the very least, I think everyone had seen all they needed to after Year 5 and the Murray State blowout.  But still he remained, and those last two years were infuriating.  No way a guy with those results ever gets that kind of leash in the NIL/instant transfer era.

[Its DJOver]

Glad to see the usual suspects come out of the woodworks so they can revisit a Wojo topic (again), rather than enjoy the 2024 season. Some are only happy when they're miserable.

[tower912]

The problem was that Wojo averaged 20 wins a year years 2-6.   I argued at the time that MU would not fire a coach averaging  20 wins a year.   They didn't.   Wojo finished under .500 and it was AMF.

[The Sultan]

So was I. Guessed you missed the part about people here thinking Wojo's hiring was a home run.

I guess I did.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

The problem was that Wojo averaged 20 wins a year years 2-6.   I argued at the time that MU would not fire a coach averaging  20 wins a year.   They didn't.   Wojo finished under .500 and it was AMF.

It's not a problem unless you subscribe to that being a constraint. That thinking resulted in the program sliding and apathy. 

I'm just glad someone thought differently and stepped up to pay the buyout.

[#UnleashSean]

I don't think the administration's problem is that they hired him — every program makes bad hires, and his resume was credible — it's that they held onto him for too long.  An aggressive AD would've fired him after he missed the tournament in year 4.  At the very least, I think everyone had seen all they needed to after Year 5 and the Murray State blowout.  But still he remained, and those last two years were infuriating.  No way a guy with those results ever gets that kind of leash in the NIL/instant transfer era.

He would have been fired after going to overtime against IUPUI after dropping the game vs belmont if I was the admin.

[#UnleashSean]

Glad to see the usual suspects come out of the woodworks so they can revisit a Wojo topic (again), rather than enjoy the 2024 season. Some are only happy when they're miserable.

No one here is miserable. There are those of us who called it year 1/2 that do like to gloat though.

[Its DJOver]

No one here is miserable. There are those of us who called it year 1/2 that do like to gloat though.

We're top 5 in the country. Just had our third straight 20+ point win. Are likely on our way to our second consecutive 2 seed and all 6 of your posts today are about Wojo. You can clearly not enjoy the positive present and are obsessed with the negative past. But you be you.

[CountryRoads]

Our other finalists were Ben Howland and Cuonzo Martin.  Martin has been pretty awful and is no longer a head coach.  Howland had been fired by UCLA despite winning the Pac12 the year before because of some not so great things going on in the UCLA program, and has been pretty meh at Mississippi State.

Other names that took new jobs that offseason were Bruce Pearl, who MU was absolutely not going to hire coming off of Buzz, Kim Anderson, Donnie Tyndall, Chris Holtmann, and Danny Manning.  Holtmann was just taking the job he had as an assistant.

It wasn't like we really missed on any great coach, other than Shaka.  And Shaka may have seen MU as a stepping stone without the football conference job experience.

Howland was also terminated at Miss State.

[wadesworld]

No one here is miserable. There are those of us who called it year 1/2 that do like to gloat though.

Congratulations.

[NickelDimer]

No one here is miserable. There are those of us who called it year 1/2 that do like to gloat though.

Or year 0

[MU82]

MU82 for sure. We could just go back to 2014.

Well, that's a lie.

I didn't say the following about Stevie Mitchell, either, but somebody did:

I hate Stevie.

[Aughnanure]

I was more upset with the extension(s) when it was clear he wasn't the guy.

This x1000. He was so clearly not the guy after 2019 and that offseason. I understand why programs wait a few too many yrs to fire a coach when even they know they're not the guy. But a contract extension??

But glad we didnt fire him then or no Shaka.

[PointWarrior]

You trying to summons the "Projos"?

Outside of Shaka there were only two coaches since crean. And well, one has a strong case for being one of the worst MU coaches of all time.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Much of the Scoop intelligentsia thought Buzz was a questionable hire who would be in over his head and that Wojo was a home run. To say they were wrong would be an understatement.

By much, do you mean Chicos? I mean he is like 38 accounts by himself

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

.

[4everwarriors]

Lotsa folks heer no no ball, aina?