Return of Buzz

[tower912]

What is your favorite Buzz scandal?  What do you consider a non-issue?
Personality trait you found endearing while he was at MU that now annoys you?

[Shooter McGavin]

Dry mopping the corners and his hillbilly act was a little annoying.

Liked that he wrote hand written letters to coaches.

Buzz's bunch was a kind thing to do.

Loved the team success.

Loved the dance on WV logo.

Brought in great players to the program.

Obviously player scandal and his handling of it tarnished him here.  But I think he will get cheers initially for his overall contribution to the program.

[CountryRoads]

If the question was asked a few years ago, my answer would be different but I generally view Buzz in a positive light now. Sort of the "more than one coach removed" rule I guess where MU is now on their second coach since him and Buzz is on his third school since MU. Same kind of deal with Crean.

Anyways, I'd say Life Lessons. Really felt I grew as person watching them. Also, I schedule meetings at work at odd times like 10:42 or 2:14 now. It makes my coworkers think I really know what I'm doing and not that I'm crazy or anything.

I'm not going to lose my voice cheering for him, but I think a nice warm welcome would be appropriate especially since we're honoring one of the players he coached. I'm interested to see the crowd's reaction though. Students were pretty young when he was here.

[Uncle Rico]

Buzz is, and was, a dirtbag.  Running the Buzz's Kids media blitz before leaving Marquette to soften his image in case of blowback was disgusting propaganda.

His teams won games, so we looked past the BS and the scandal, but all that did was reinforce the cult of the coach and the ugly side of fandom.  And I was part of it, cheering for the "quirky, aw shucks" Buzz, something he never was.

[Viper]

I liked Buzz. Sorry his time here ended on a sour note. Interesting selection for HC, imo, replacing Crean. He wasn't necessarily a 'fit'...Buzz for MU or MU for Buzz. But, Crean's F4 aside, MU's best coach since Al. Brought in talent. Won big games. A really good coach of basketball. Post game radio interviews w/Homer & Mac were always interesting. I hope Buzz kicks arse in the Big Ten and I hope he gets a solid ovation on Saturday. I also hope Marquette kicks his arse with an over early beat down on Saturday!

[SaveOD238]

Favorite Buzz Memory: The year we beat Xavier and Syracuse to go to the Sweet Sixteen I was in the band with the team in Cleveland.  We waited for what seemed like forever on the plane on the tarmac as the team had a celebratory pizza party.  When they finally arrived, Buzz brought all of the extra pizza on the plane to give away.  So I can proudly say that one time, Buzz Williams gave me a whole pizza on an airplane.  That pizza made its way back to Campus Town East and was lunch for the next few days.

When he left, I was definitely one who put him into the "slimeballs I'm glad to be rid of" category.  But time heals all wounds.  I'll probably cheer/clap when he's announced on Saturday. I'm interested to see the cheer/boo percentages.

[tower912]

I rooted for Buzz to succeed, like I do all MU coaches.

I wasn't perturbed about the citations in the bar for underage drinking, as I don't stress about college kids drinking. 

The Scott Monarch thing was mouse nuts.  Cover up worse than the crime.

The Jae Crowder academics I was willing to overlook as the price of doing business.

The sexual assault caused firings and changes to university policy.  Handled about as poorly as possible.

All the juco's didn't bother me, as I am agnostic about transfers.

In the end, a restless, wandering soul that inevitably looks to the next thing.  A poor man's Larry Brown.  Destined to wander the world looking for his next gig.

A net positive for MU.

[TallTitan34]

Buzz is our only former head coach that I dislike.

[Billy Hoyle]

Many I can think of that let me know he just wan't a good guy.

Knowing he would make managers valet park his car in the lot across the street from the Al because he refused to walk to and from, and  making admin bring him his meals course by course in front of people was pretty ridiculous. The fact MU staff longed for the Creans compared to Buzz and his wife was telling.

I was at an alumni event in NYC with Buzz as the guest. Huge turnout. He stayed in a segregated area, refusing to talk to anyone before the event, and then he bailed immediately after.

On a personal level, a close MU friend was being ordained as a priest, and I wanted to get him an autographed MU basketball as a gift since our mutual love of MU hoops is how we became friends. Buzz wouldn't do it.  He bailed on another alumni event too. I just never felt he embraced what MU was about; he thought he was bigger than MU.

[Jay Bee]

Interesting dude.

First time I met him... I was courtside at a game in Vegas during the July evaluation period.. next to Eric Bossi... I'm of course decked out in Marquette gear... Buzz came over to talk to Bossi, but sees me.. gave me a look of 'who is this freak in an extremely large pair of MU shorts?' and says, 'hey, how you doing?'..

Then he went onto his convo with Bossi.. and pulls out a can.. bro is chewing and spitting away while our feet are practically on the playing floor.. essentially the devil's lettuce in legal nicotine form, right in front of the children!

If you looked closer, some of the very detailed things he'd say would actually be wrong.. so.. maybe more of a way he talked, than quality of mind if you will?  e.g., 'it's the NLI signing period, so we have 7 days'.. umm, no.. it's 8 my guy.

I do think he got guys to work their freaking tails off.. we had some good, rugged efforts during his tenure.

Whatever the oddities, they have served him pretty dang well.

Overall, I'd give him a short, respectful clap if I were at the game instead of at a H U G E pickleball tournament on Saturday. #pray

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Many I can think of that let me know he just wan't a good guy.

Knowing he could make managers valet park his car in the lot across the street from the Al because he refused to walk to and from, and  making admin bring him his meals course by course in front of people was pretty ridiculous. The fact MU staff longed for the Creans compared to Buzz and his wife was telling.

I was at an alumni event in NYC with Buzz as the guest. Huge turnout. He stayed in a segregated area, refusing to talk to anyone before the event, and then he bailed immediately after.

On a personal level, a close MU friend was being ordained as a priest, and I wanted to get him an autographed MU basketball as a gift since our mutual love of MU hoops is how we became friends. Buzz wouldn't do it.  He bailed on another alumni event too. I just never felt he embraced what MU was about; he thought he was bigger than MU.

I was at this NYC event and remember the strangely roped off area and then him scurrying off as soon as the interview ended.

[79Warrior]

Buzz gave us some great memories and several years of success. His last Last year was a train wreck and all the associated nonsense going on.

That said, I really don't care about him anymore. I would neither boo or applaud him. Ignoring him would bother Buzz more.

Here's hoping we pound them!

[Hards Alumni]

Most people don't really know why Buzz 'left' Marquette, so I imagine that since the fans have forgiven Crean, they will have a similar approach for Buzz.

He won't be booed. Hopefully, they give his goofy ass the mic and let him talk about his former player.

As other posters have said, time heals all wounds.  Scars remain as a reminder of those wounds though.

[DienerTime34]

Reasons I like Buzz:
- I like having success in the NCAA Tournament
- Jimmy Butler & Jae Crowder are two of my favorite MU players of all time
- Met him in the MU Spirit Shop and he signed a basketball and we chatted a bit about hoops. Totally normal interaction. Nothing like the horror stories shared here.

-For the record, I also really liked Crean. I was a student when he was there. I remember waiting in line for big games and Crean brought donuts. He also came and spoke to my Sports Sociology class for the whole period. Really fun memory.

-The only coach I didn't like was Wojo. I met him at the Fiserv Grand Opening - ZERO personality. He didn't make eye contact, which was odd. And I didn't enjoy watching his teams play. It made me long for Crean's over-the-top intensity and Buzz's crazy antics.

[Shooter McGavin]

I wasn't perturbed about the citations in the bar for underage drinking, as I don't stress about college kids drinking.

Definitely correct on this Tower or we wouldn't like any coach at MU or any other school.

[NCMUFan]

I have no issues with Buzz.
In my opinion, he is Marquette's most successful coach since Al.
A self-made man who can say he did it his way.

[Uncle Rico]

I have no issues with Buzz.
In my opinion, he is Marquette's most successful coach since Al.
A self-made man who can say he did it his way.

You didn't have issues with the sexual assault coverup?

[NCMUFan]

As I recall, Marquette had a history of sexual assault coverups as covered in one of the Chicago papers.  Do you have an issue with Marquette?

[The Sultan]

As I recall, Marquette had a history of sexual assault coverups as covered in one of the Chicago papers.  Do you have an issue with Marquette?

Nice deflection.