PROTEST (2008 thread)

[MDMU04]

When was Buzz hired? It says on wiki he joined the team as an assistant in 2008 and hired as head coach in April 2008. Did TC or the university hire him? Any chance they saw the writing on the wall and knew Buzz was the eventual replacement? I was younger and don't remember the details besides it seemed like a quick hire.

He was hired as an assistant on TC's staff. Then when TC left, he supposedly strongly recommended Buzz to be promoted as his replacement.

[tower912]

Buzz had a less than stellar first season at UNO.   He was having trouble with admin paying his players per diem or having transportation at the airport when they would arrive.   Stuff like that.    So he quit.   Now, there are versions that he quit without having anything lined up and Crean quickly snatched him up, or he already had an arrangement with Crean before he quit UNO.   I don't know.    However, Buzz was a legend among assistant coaches and he ended up working for Crean for a decent chunk of change shortly after he quit his old job.     Summer of 07.

[chapman]

When was Buzz hired? It says on wiki he joined the team as an assistant in 2008 and hired as head coach in April 2008. Did TC or the university hire him? Any chance they saw the writing on the wall and knew Buzz was the eventual replacement? I was younger and don't remember the details besides it seemed like a quick hire.

Hired as an assistant in July '07.  Technically Crean and the university hired him; obviously doesn't come without Crean persuading him to join, and without the school committing to what was believed to be a very high assistants' salary.  Doubt Crean knew in July 2007 he was for certain only going to be around for nine more months and wanted to find a successor; seemed moreso that the recruiting had been somewhat weak and Buzz was a strong assistant hire to work primarily on recruiting.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2928349
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/story/10247984

[NavinRJohnson]

Any chance they saw the writing on the wall and knew Buzz was the eventual replacement?

This is a theory I've had for some time. In hindsight, it makes sense given what happened, the amount of money he was paid as an assistant.

[warriorchick]

So, did THEGYMBAR stop posting after this thread?

[GGGG]

So, did THEGYMBAR stop posting after this thread?

My guess is that he is still out here somewhere...but under a different name.  Like godzilla, the one who said that his neice said that Vander sucks.  They are around.

[MDMU04]

seemed moreso that the recruiting had been somewhat weak and Buzz was a strong assistant hire to work primarily on recruiting.

I seem to recall that Buzz was Billy Gillespie's top recruiter when he was at Texas A&M so that makes sense.

Buzz left Gillespie's staff to be the head coach at UNO. There was apparently something dishonest on the part of UNO and Buzz was not happy. That's when he left there to take the.assistant job on Crean's staff.

That could explain part of the larger salary to be an assistant...considering they hired him for a lower job title.

[Avenue Commons]

This is actually a worthwhile "bumped" thread.

I wasn't not, as most people were, overwhelmed by the Buzz hire. But that mainly had to do with the fact that the hire felt like all they did was slide a guy on the bench down a few seats and call it a day. I felt then, and still do, that the Marquette job is a very, very attractive one so as much as anything I was surprised we didn't get a "name" coach.

Obviously Buzz's tenure has vastly exceeded anything I could have anticipated. And he seems like a great guy on top of it.

I wasn't a Cottingham fan, but he hit a home run on this one.

[Goose]

Goose is THEGYMBAR. Willing to take any abuse out there over comments made in 2008 regarding Buzz, the coach. Not going to rehash my comments on the process of the hiring, which I felt was poor then and still feel that way.

As for changing names, honestly not sure why that was done. In looking back it seems like I took a ten month break from posting and came back as Goose.

[🏀]

If this thread tells us anything it that's mugimpone needs to come back.

Also I haven't lost it since 04/08.

[GGGG]

Goose is THEGYMBAR. Willing to take any abuse out there over comments made in 2008 regarding Buzz, the coach. Not going to rehash my comments on the process of the hiring, which I felt was poor then and still feel that way.

As for changing names, honestly not sure why that was done. In looking back it seems like I took a ten month break from posting and came back as Goose.

Hey man...I give you major props for stepping up.  And it's safe to say that you've come full-circle on Buzz!!!

[tower912]

Yup, Goose, props for owning it.   Do you still have your season tix?    How long did it take you to come back in from the ledge?

[reinko]

I just wish THEGYMBAR used the term Hiroshima.

[LloydMooresLegs]

Goose is THEGYMBAR. Willing to take any abuse out there over comments made in 2008 regarding Buzz, the coach. Not going to rehash my comments on the process of the hiring, which I felt was poor then and still feel that way.

As for changing names, honestly not sure why that was done. In looking back it seems like I took a ten month break from posting and came back as Goose.

Way to step up and own it, Goose.  Wish the world (especially the message board world!) worked that way more often.

[Goose]

Tower

No on tickets and warmed up to Buzz as a person very quickly. However, I do go to games, especially the big ones. I thought Buzz was in over his head to some degree and have heard him say many times he never should have had this job. Became big Buzz guy probably around time I came back as Goose.

[ChicosBailBonds]

This is a theory I've had for some time. In hindsight, it makes sense given what happened, the amount of money he was paid as an assistant.

So if this is true, it was just a charade then to to go after Grant, Bennett per MU and Cottingham?

[NavinRJohnson]

So if this is true, it was just a charade then to to go after Grant, Bennett per MU and Cottingham?

No, that's where the theory tendded to fall apart. Then again, the move (to bring in Buzz as an asst.) may well have been made knowing the possibility existed. No guarantee it would work out that way, but certainly put himself in better position than if he had stayed at UNO. If it dodnt work out, he goes somewhe else. notjing ventured, nothing gained. That scenario to me is extremely feasible.

[GGGG]

This is a theory I've had for some time. In hindsight, it makes sense given what happened, the amount of money he was paid as an assistant.

So does that mean when Buzz leaves, Isaac Chew is the obvious replacement?

[Goose]

Navin

Is Chew making big money a similar situation then? Was he brought in with same thought process?

[Goose]

Sultan

Sorry saying same thing as you did. Hit post too quickly. That has been my theory on the Chew hire as a possible backup plan.

[ChicosBailBonds]

No, that's where the theory tendded to fall apart. Then again, the move (to bring in Buzz as an asst.) may well have been made knowing the possibility existed. No guarantee it would work out that way, but certainly put himself in better position than if he had stayed at UNO. If it dodnt work out, he goes somewhe else. notjing ventured, nothing gained. That scenario to me is extremely feasible.

I would say it falls apart even way before that.

Crean signed a 10 year contract, Buzz quit because of a number of factors, one of which was the Katrina situation and how the school was figuring out what to do.  Then you have the IU job opening up which no one knew that was going to happen (nor was Crean IU's first choice).  Then you look at Buzz's history as an assistant, he never stayed longer than 4 years anywhere and never north of the Mason Dixon line.

That's a lot of big dominoes, all independent of one another to fall.  Now you throw in the "search" that included a couple of other coaches before Buzz and well......let's just say it's a cute theory but nothing more.   

[NavinRJohnson]

So does that mean when Buzz leaves, Isaac Chew is the obvious replacement?

Well, hopefully we don't find out. Certainly not going to dismiss the possibility though. That said, i don't believe he is making anywhere near what Buzz was being paid as an assistant, and the history/personal relationship between he and Buzz was far stronger than that of Buzz and Crean.

[hairy worthen]

Goose is THEGYMBAR. Willing to take any abuse out there over comments made in 2008 regarding Buzz, the coach. Not going to rehash my comments on the process of the hiring, which I felt was poor then and still feel that way.

As for changing names, honestly not sure why that was done. In looking back it seems like I took a ten month break from posting and came back as Goose.

Goose?  One of the respected and level headed posters was THEGYMBAR?  Well hindsight has made everyone look bad at one time or another.

[NavinRJohnson]

I would say it falls apart even way before that.

Crean signed a 10 year contract, Buzz quit because of a number of factors, one of which was the Katrina situation and how the school was figuring out what to do.  Then you have the IU job opening up which no one knew that was going to happen...

Now who's being naive, Kay?

-- Michael Corleone

[GGGG]

He's right.

Crean signed a 10 year extension with MU in Fall 2006.

Kelvin Sampson was named the head coach of the Hoosiers in Spring of 2006, and was forced to resign in February 2008.  If Sampson would have kept his nose clean, there is not a chance that job opens up at that point.  He was doing fairly well there.

Buzz Williams was named an MU assistant before the 2007 season.

No one is being naive...the timeline is pretty clear.