Are Buzz and Crean "Boys"

[Tugg Speedman]

In an interview a few weeks after Crean left for IU, Jamil Wilson said that MSU did not start recruiting him until Crean left.  He said that Crean and Izzo are "boys" and implied they had a deal that Izzo would not recruit Wilson while Crean was at MU.

In the Krause interview Buzz said that he and Crean are good friends and have talked almost everyday since Buzz won the MU job.

This begs the question, are Buzz and Crean "boys?"  If so, what kind of deal have they worked out with regards to recruiting?

[mviale]

The guy saved him from UNO and put him in position for the head coaching position at a top 20 college program. Wearing his shoes, you may worship Tom Crean.

[MUBasketball]

A lot of coaches are "boys" with many other coaches. The coaching profession is a brotherhood. Anybody that is surprised Buzz and Crean are good friends and keep in contact are drinking some strong liquor. Just because a few MU fans will forever hate Crean for doing what every other coach does (leave for another job), why would Buzz hate the guy, or stop talking to him?

[4everwarriors]

Who gives a rat's ass? I'm certain there aren't secret handshakes or pacts made concerning recruits. This is business, not a Cub Scout pack.

[Tugg Speedman]

You miss my point.  Do you think Buzz and Crean have a deal worked out about recruiting similar the the deal Crean had with Izzo concerning Wilson?  If so, what is that deal?

The reason I ask is their seems to be a lot of bellyaching over Crean going after "MU recruits".  I'm just wondering what kind of deal they have worked out about this.  And, what's in it for Buzz?

Now, before you answer "Crean helped Buzz get the job so Buzz is bending over and grabbing his ankles for Crean," that implies Buzz doesn't want to be a head coach in three years.  If he's allowing Crean to pick away at "MU recruits" as part of the deal, MU is going to stink in a few years and Buzz will be back to being an assistant for Coach G at Kentucky. 

[Tugg Speedman]

Who gives a rat's ass? I'm certain there aren't secret handshakes or pacts made concerning recruits. This is business, not a Cub Scout pack.

Jamil Wilson disagrees with you.  He said their was a deal between Izzo and Crean where MSU would not recruit him.  That changed when Crean went to IU.

[Murffieus]

I doubt any recruiting deal between Buzz and Crean-----I mean Crean would be foolish to give up the State of Wisconsin as he is very visible here-----anyway what could Buzz give in return-------not to recruit in Indiana-----who knows of Buzz in Indiana?

[MUBasketball]

Sorry Another, I did miss your point.

I doubt anything is planned with any recruits and helping each other out. What Izzo did (laying off Jamil so Crean had a better shot with him) is pretty rare as far as I know. Izzo certainly recruited Wisconsin during Crean's tenure, but for some reason pulled back with Jamil. And over the last month or so, it's very apparent Jamil likes MSU too.

Plus, Crean and Izzo go way back. I'm sure Buzz and Crean are good friends, but they've only been good friends for about a year.

Having said that, I'm sure they'll help each other any way possible (late night advice, etc), but I doubt either will pull back on a recruit for the sake of the other.

[nola03]

Considering the way they speak of each other they obviously formed a tremendously strong bond during the long stretch of time they worked together.

I don't think there will be any deals between the two in recruiting. Marquette seems to be mentioned in the same breath as Kentucky with a lot of the 2009 recruits and that tells me Buzz doesn't care about recruiting against his mentor Billy Gillispie so why would he care about recruiting against the guy who set him up in dreamland?

[Marquette84]

Sorry Another, I did miss your point.

I doubt anything is planned with any recruits and helping each other out. What Izzo did (laying off Jamil so Crean had a better shot with him) is pretty rare as far as I know. Izzo certainly recruited Wisconsin during Crean's tenure, but for some reason pulled back with Jamil. And over the last month or so, it's very apparent Jamil likes MSU too.

Plus, Crean and Izzo go way back. I'm sure Buzz and Crean are good friends, but they've only been good friends for about a year.

Having said that, I'm sure they'll help each other any way possible (late night advice, etc), but I doubt either will pull back on a recruit for the sake of the other.

Despite Wilson's comment, I think MSU backed off because Izzo thought Wilson was a lock for MU. 

There was never a deal for any of the previous recruits that both MU and MSU were after.  Why after 9 years would Izzo decide to back off on Jamil? 

Iif you re-read Wilson's quote, it wasn't him saying that one of the coaches told him there was a deal--it was his guess as to why Izzo wasn't recruiting him.  A better answer is that Izzo didn't think he could land Wilson, and put his recruiting efforts elsewhere.