JS Story on players & recruits

[Ahoya06]

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=734584

Amazing that no one called the recruits at all today... It's like Crean & staff literally walked out mid-workday...

[Chili]

If he takes the entire staff too I will never have a kind word for him ever again.

[LastWarrior]

Buzz hasn't called?  Makes you wonder if he's playing hardball with MU... i.e. hire me as head coach or i'm not calling anybody.  Really seems like the administration was completely caught off-guard which begs the question... did Crean tell the admin that he was contacted by IU?  If not, isn't that some sort of infraction on IU?  How can they contact a coach that's under contract without permission from MU?

This is being very poorly handled which seeing our history with the nickname fiasco, the sniper support, etc, we shouldn't be too surprised.

UUghhh... i'm starting to get very pessimistic now.

[mviale]

Definitely - Buzz is playing his cards right.

[🏀]

If Crean told MU he was interviewed, Cottingham has no business being in Colorado.

[Tom Crean's Tanning Bed]

Okay...something REALLY fishy is going on here.

Buzz doesn't make any calls to the recruits?  Where's Buckley, Setzer, and Rab in all of this too?

This is starting to look like not only are they all leaving town, but the offices are being trashed and set on fire on the way out the door too.  

[Pardner]

Hamhanded on both sides (Admin/TC)...TC probably didn't want to look like he was tampering in case some of the recruits were to be released. 

Meanwhile, somewhere over the skies of Denver....

[Markusquette]

Our team is in shambles...wow I am starting to lose hope for a long time

[ChicosBailBonds]

Okay...something REALLY fishy is going on here.

Buzz doesn't make any calls to the recruits?  Where's Buckley, Setzer, and Rab in all of this too?

This is starting to look like not only are they all leaving town, but the offices are being trashed and set on fire on the way out the door too. 

His baggage never necessitated him being at MU to begin with.

[muPARTY]

If Crean told MU he was interviewed, Cottingham has no business being in Colorado.

interviewed and accepting a job are two different things.  i don't know what else Marquette could have offerred him to stay.  control?  he had it.  long term deal?  he had it.  top ten salary?  he had it.  i don't think there's anymore Cottingham or Wilde or anyone could have done to keep him.

plus i don't like this Cottingham shouldn't be in Colorado mentality.  he should have gone there.  he's the AD and a Marquette program is succeeding in the post-season.  doesn't matter if it's the WNIT and certainly doens't matter that it's the women's bball team.  they don't deserve to get sh*t on by people here just because it's the women's team.  they have a lot more classy individuals that put on a uniform than the men's team could ever dream for!

[Chili]

If Crean told MU he was interviewed, Cottingham has no business being in Colorado.

interviewed and accepting a job are two different things.  i don't know what else Marquette could have offerred him to stay.  control?  he had it.  long term deal?  he had it.  top ten salary?  he had it.  i don't think there's anymore Cottingham or Wilde or anyone could have done to keep him.

plus i don't like this Cottingham shouldn't be in Colorado mentality.  he should have gone there.  he's the AD and a Marquette program is succeeding in the post-season.  doesn't matter if it's the WNIT and certainly doens't matter that it's the women's bball team.  they don't deserve to get sh*t on by people here just because it's the women's team.  they have a lot more classy individuals that put on a uniform than the men's team could ever dream for!

I dont think people are crappy on the women. But when the men's team is the only revenue producing team in your program, you have to have priorities here.

[🏀]

If Crean told MU he was interviewed, Cottingham has no business being in Colorado.

interviewed and accepting a job are two different things.  i don't know what else Marquette could have offerred him to stay.  control?  he had it.  long term deal?  he had it.  top ten salary?  he had it.  i don't think there's anymore Cottingham or Wilde or anyone could have done to keep him.

plus i don't like this Cottingham shouldn't be in Colorado mentality.  he should have gone there.  he's the AD and a Marquette program is succeeding in the post-season.  doesn't matter if it's the WNIT and certainly doens't matter that it's the women's bball team.  they don't deserve to get sh*t on by people here just because it's the women's team.  they have a lot more classy individuals that put on a uniform than the men's team could ever dream for!

1.) It's the WNIT
2.) Men's BB pays for everything
3.) This is the biggest situation Marquette has been in since...Al retired?
4.) Cottingham shouldn't be in Colorado

[rocky_warrior]

Since I live in boulder county, I'll be at the WNIT game tomorrow, but something tells me I won't see Cottingham there, or at the pre-game MU reception.

[Pardner]

If Crean told MU he was interviewed, Cottingham has no business being in Colorado.

interviewed and accepting a job are two different things.  i don't know what else Marquette could have offerred him to stay.  control?  he had it.  long term deal?  he had it.  top ten salary?  he had it.  i don't think there's anymore Cottingham or Wilde or anyone could have done to keep him.

plus i don't like this Cottingham shouldn't be in Colorado mentality.  he should have gone there.  he's the AD and a Marquette program is succeeding in the post-season.  doesn't matter if it's the WNIT and certainly doesn't matter that it's the women's bball team.  they don't deserve to get sh*t on by people here just because it's the women's team.  they have a lot more classy individuals that put on a uniform than the men's team could ever dream for!

To be in Milwaukee to answer questions of affected students/recruits/parents/alumni is the top priority, with apologies to the women.  These students heard the news from the internet or press with no one to explain the consequences to them.  That is leadership.  Obviously, the AD didn't know his employee was going to quit as the press release came out a couple of hours after all the news reports--even though IU had a press conference already scheduled.  Can you say Gold?  

[muPARTY]

I dont think people are crappy on the women. But when the men's team is the only revenue producing team in your program, you have to have priorities here.

1.) It's the WNIT
2.) Men's BB pays for everything
3.) This is the biggest situation Marquette has been in since...Al retired?
4.) Cottingham shouldn't be in Colorado

it's a team that has gone NCAA, WNIT Championship game, NCAA 2nd round, and now WNIT final four.  at least they win inthe post season.  and for the record when the men were losing to MSU last yr (with the band, cheerleaders, and administrators present) the women's team was advancing to the second round of the NCAA.

so men's bball pays for anything, so what?  they're not playing now.  they lost.  they dont' need their ass kissed 24hrs a day.

and you don't know what he's doing right now, maybe he's working the phones nonstop or flying out right now or first thing in the morning. 

if you were Cottingham what would be different if you stayed?  let's assume he knew Crean spoke with Indiana.  no answered what would Marquette could offer to make him stay.  more $$$?  could Marquette afford to pay him $2mil a yr?  would you want them to?  maybe he could have gotten on his knees and begged while Fr. Wilde proclaimed him the Second Coming of Christ.  if he didn't know that Crean was contacted by IU, then how's it his fault that Crean's a shady guy?  either way, TC didn't want to be here anymore.

it's a no-win situation.  his job is the Athletic Director of all the NCAA sports at Marquette.  one of those sports is deep in its postseason and deserves the university's support.

bottom line is, Crean is the overrate opportunistic prick i've been saying he was for 4yrs now.  he said he was Marquette forever then went to an ailing school that tossed money at him (money his on-court results surely don't match) by the truck load.  no amount of sticking around would have changed that.

[muPARTY]

To be in Milwaukee to answer questions of affected students/recruits/parents/alumni is the top priority, with apologies to the women.  These students heard the news from the internet or press with no one to explain the consequences to them.  That is leadership.  Obviously, the AD didn't know his employee was going to quit as the press release came out a couple of hours after all the news reports--even though IU had a press conference already scheduled.  Can you say Gold?  

Marquette issused a statement: (summary) Crean's gone, we wish him luck, we will move on and succeed. 
i don't know what else there is to say right now. 
"we're going to be looking for a new coach."  well no sh*t, no need to say that. 
are students going to be evacuating Marquette or become disoriented and confused because they are without direction on the departure of Tom Crean?

Does anyone truely believe Cottingham hasn't been working the phones since the news came out???  anyone???  no one here knows (or those who speak up on this baord aren't saying they know) what is going out behind the scenes, but anyone with half a brain would agree that he's been on the phone.

Crean (and IU) didn't want people to know about this.  the press in Bloomington follow IU hoops like the paparazzi follow Britney Spears, and they didn't know.  it looks like Cottingham didn't have any reason to believe Crean would leave and did what any other AD would do, go support an active program in the playoffs (same thing Cords did when the women went to the WNIT finals at K-St in '06).

i agree with rocky_warrior, i doubt you'll see Cottingham at the women's game.  and in the extremly rare chance he is, i don't think Marquette will go without having someone speak to it (even if it's him while in Boulder)


and everyone's forgetting one big thing.... this is all about a basketabll coach!  this isn't Hurricane Katrina and we're in New Orleans needing life saving information.  he's an AD, not FEMA.  it hasn't even been 12hrs, let tomorrow happen before you go flying off the rails. 

[muPARTY]

one more thing to those who are piling on the new AD.

Indiana called Crean after Cottingham left for Colorado. 
Crean negoiated while knowing Cottingham was in Colorado. 
Crean said in an interview in Indy that he got the call, it happened quick and he had a busy afternoon and evening getting this done.

seems to me that Indiana wanted to do the talking when the AD was gone, and Crean wanted to get this done when Steve Cottingham, his boss, was gone and couldn't try to keep him from going.

talk all the crap you want about Cottingham and how he shouldn't be in Colorado (supporting Marquette), well guess what, the way this turned out it, and he stayed in Milawukee i wouldn't be surprised if IU would have called Crean at 2am when everyone was home and asleep to get this deal done behind everyone's back.


(for the people with tinfoil hats)
this all happened on April 1st.  when we all hear the first snippets of this story, what did we all think... "April Fools".  do this deal when the AD leaves town on the one day where a rumor can simply be squashed by 2 words "April Fools"...
conspiracy theorist unite!

[MUsoxfan]

I'll never underestimate the slimeball mentality of IU.    IU and Crean deserve each other

[Tugg Speedman]

Okay...something REALLY fishy is going on here.

Buzz doesn't make any calls to the recruits?  Where's Buckley, Setzer, and Rab in all of this too?

Nothing fishy is going on.  Look at the time line .....

Crean probably started his conversation with Indiana in the last 48 hours, if not yesterday morning.  He made the decision only telling his family and agent, no one else.  He moved fast, as is always the case.

The story says all the players, and presumably the coaches, were shuttled to his home for a 7PM meeting.  Rosiak called the recruits at 8 and they heard nothing.

No way any of the assistants can talk to the recruits before the end of the meeting at Crean's house.  They knew no more than us until that meeting.  They had to be left in the dark.  And then, they need more than 5 minutes to plot strategy before making the calls.  Besides is Rabb even in town?  Was he on a recruiting trip?

Now, if they are not contacted by say noon today, they I will say something is fishy.  So relax.  Changing coaches is ALWAYS messy for all parties.  This is no different.

[Thomas' Danish Delight]

Okay...something REALLY fishy is going on here.

Buzz doesn't make any calls to the recruits?  Where's Buckley, Setzer, and Rab in all of this too?

This is starting to look like not only are they all leaving town, but the offices are being trashed and set on fire on the way out the door too. 

Rab is a douche on so many levels and it was one of the reasons I was banned from the Dodds site.  Trust me, it's a GREAT thing that he will be leaving.  His baggage never necessitated him being at MU to begin with.

I know EXACTLY what you are talking about.  My ex gf (who goes here at MU) is from El Paso...yeah, I know what the deal is what that guy.

[Coobeys Oil Depot]

one more thing to those who are piling on the new AD.

Indiana called Crean after Cottingham left for Colorado. 
Crean negoiated while knowing Cottingham was in Colorado. 
Crean said in an interview in Indy that he got the call, it happened quick and he had a busy afternoon and evening getting this done.

seems to me that Indiana wanted to do the talking when the AD was gone, and Crean wanted to get this done when Steve Cottingham, his boss, was gone and couldn't try to keep him from going.

talk all the crap you want about Cottingham and how he shouldn't be in Colorado (supporting Marquette), well guess what, the way this turned out it, and he stayed in Milawukee i wouldn't be surprised if IU would have called Crean at 2am when everyone was home and asleep to get this deal done behind everyone's back.


(for the people with tinfoil hats)
this all happened on April 1st.  when we all hear the first snippets of this story, what did we all think... "April Fools".  do this deal when the AD leaves town on the one day where a rumor can simply be squashed by 2 words "April Fools"...
conspiracy theorist unite!

They did it this way because Cottingham is woefully out of his depth being the AD. Greenspan has been around the block. He knew that Cottingham wouldn't get into a power play. It's like the bigger guy on the block just pushing you out of the way on the line for the deli. IU and Greenspan knew they owned Cottingham and Crean knew that it'd be even easier with Cottingham on his way to Colorado.

This departure was 2 months in the making when MU made the decision to hire Cottingham.

[Tugg Speedman]

Let's see, Greenspan hires Sampson, and watches him totally destroy the program.  Fires him when they are ranked #8 to botch the tourney.  Botches the Tony Bennett hire.  Allows the interim coach to kick a bunch of starters off the team the day BEFORE they hire Crean.  Then massively overpays for Crean.

Yep, sure sounds like this guy is a pro.  Why insn't every school trying to get Greenspan!!

[Big Papi]

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=734584

Amazing that no one called the recruits at all today... It's like Crean & staff literally walked out mid-workday...

Well as of the meeting, not even the players knew if the assistant coaches were going with Crean and I imagine neither did the assistants at that point in time.  Hopefully the AD has already figured out if they are leaving with Crean and hopefully Crean does the honorable thing here and places a call to his recruits telling them to wait out the process and see what happens.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Okay...something REALLY fishy is going on here.

Buzz doesn't make any calls to the recruits?  Where's Buckley, Setzer, and Rab in all of this too?

This is starting to look like not only are they all leaving town, but the offices are being trashed and set on fire on the way out the door too. 

Rab is a douche on so many levels and it was one of the reasons I was banned from the Dodds site.  Trust me, it's a GREAT thing that he will be leaving.  His baggage never necessitated him being at MU to begin with.

Chicos -- I know you're upset, but where is this vitriol towards Rab coming from? I've been hinting for years about his tremendous baggage being the reason he's the only assistant to stick it out with Crean and was called a "hater," "anti-MU," etc. Now you're telling me I was right all along?

[muPARTY]

looks like Cottingham is back and not supporting the women's team.
http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=8046.0

and he's doing this the right way, getting his information, talking to staff, and (hopefully) coming up with a plan to convey to all of "us" at the press conference.  better than doing a rushed job last night that wouldn't clear up anything.