Buzz

[Gato78]

Is there anyone with honor in the coaching profession? He and Larry didn't get along. Larry gets the axe because of Buzz and Buzz leaves for Va. Tech? College basketball coaches are perhaps the most reprehensible professionals in America. Contracts, promises and relationships mean nothing to those charlatans. Was Buzz's Bunch real? Or just a marketing gig?

[MUMac]

Exactly right Gato. F Buzz. That may rub some wrong, but he is no better than Harold Hill. Bye bye. Thanks for what you did for MU, but I have zero ZERO respect for him. Not that he cares - hell, I could give a rat's a$$ what he cares about or for anyway.

[Nukem2]

The new BE could have a lot to do with it...? Wants to coach on a bigger stage? Perhaps he is irritated that MU has not promoted Mike Broeker...? He has had difficulty dealing with criticism this year. It's his life...but Blacksburg...?

[IrwinFletcher]

After Crean left, I stopped falling in love with Coaches. Even with Buzz, as much as I liked him I figured he would high tail it out of here when he wanted a fresh start. Never ever believed the "I will stay here as long as they will have me bit". That never happens that way.

Thanks for 5+ great years Buzz. Good luck at Va Tech.

[MU_Iceman]

And Larry gets the last laugh. That SOB is the one that did this..he steered MU into the new conference which Buzz HATED from day 1. Can't say I blame him.

[MayorBeluga]

Fr Pilrz's reign of errors continues to hurt MU.

Fact is coaches will never feel the same about MU as we do. They're employees, not alumni.

All the recent stories about Buzz's Bunch certainly look curiously timed right now.

[kneelb4zerg]

And Larry gets the last laugh. That SOB is the one that did this..he steered MU into the new conference which Buzz HATED from day 1. Can't say I blame him.

Come on now. There was no other option.

[CaribouJim]

And Larry gets the last laugh. That SOB is the one that did this..he steered MU into the new conference which Buzz HATED from day 1. Can't say I blame him.

That was the only and best move MU had - no reason to blame Larry for that.

[CaribouJim]

After Crean left, I stopped falling in love with Coaches. Even with Buzz, as much as I liked him I figured he would high tail it out of here when he wanted a fresh start. Never ever believed the "I will stay here as long as they will have me bit". That never happens that way.

Thanks for 5+ great years Buzz. Good luck at Va Tech.

Crean to MU!!!!!

[zklup54]

This Bothers me a lot, because all we ever heard about Buzz was about being a better man or making these kids better people, more then better basketball players. How does this look to them? Just completely bails on them, I'm stunned. And I look at Buzz differently now for sure.

[Markedman]

To blame Larry Williams for the demise of the old Big East is like blaming a passenger on the titanic for the exisitence of Icebergs

[mufan2003]

More shocked than when Crean left. The University gets rid of Pilarz and Larry Williams in large part because of Buzz. Now he wants to leave for a football-first school. If this is true, he will regret this move.

[MUMac]

More shocked than when Crean left. The University gets rid of Pilarz and Larry Williams in large part because of Buzz. Now he wants to leave for a football-first school. If this is true, he will regret this move.

That is what bothers me most. IWB calls it "crap", well, I call what buzz has said over the years "crap".

[mufan2003]

Kevin Oneill was interviewed by Dennis Krause recently. He said one of his dumbest moves was leaving MU for Tennessee. Oneill said if he did it over, would have stayed at MU. He said MU is a perennial Top 25-30 program in basketball (not this year)....that it is a "basketball" school. Virginia Tech???????????

[BLT]

I am sure the Matthews recruiting situation and Chicago/Nike situation didn't help him feel positive.

[MUMac]

I am sure the Matthews recruiting situation and Chicago/Nike situation didn't help him feel positive.

So he went to Va Tech? Huh?

[mufan2003]

In the fall, Chicago luncheon? Someone mentioned Buzz was saying "Us" and "We" more than any other time they can remember. Pilarz was out and Larry soon to be. Buzz gets Luke Fischer out of nowhere, he is in on Diamond Stone........all to leave?

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

I want Howland. Who else could salvage our recruiting? I'd bet dollars to donuts Malek Harris commits to Va Tech any day now. Guessing Ahmed Hill follows suit. I could not be more irate right now.

[mufansince72]

Doug Russell ‏@RussellOnSports 1m
Buzz Williams confirms via his cellphone message that he is not longer at Marquette and can be reached at Virginia Tech.

[mufan2003]

Duane Wilson, Deonte Burton, Ahmed Hill, Luke Fischer, John Dawson......promising young players he is going to leave behind?

[MUMac]

I want Howland. Who else could salvage our recruiting? I'd bet dollars to donuts Malek Harris commits to Va Tech any day now. Guessing Ahmed Hill follows suit. I could not be more irate right now.

Ahmed Hill has signed a NLI. He cannot follow suit without being released from his NLI. He may ask out in the coming days, but he cannot commit anywhere right now.

[MUAlphaBangura]

Bob Hoffman(Mercer coach) to MU!!!! :cool:

[mufan2003]

If there is anything positive from this....Burton, Duane and Luke Fischer are Milwaukee guys and may still stay.

Does MU need to consider someone who considers the state of Wisconsin home? Shaka Smart? Annoying having to deal with this when we have had so much success.

[MUBasketball]

To blame Larry Williams for the demise of the old Big East is like blaming a passenger on the titanic for the exisitence of Icebergs

Haha, well done.

[mufan2003]

Something must have happened to piss Buzz off again. Virginia Tech is not the same as leaving for blueblood Indiana. This tells me he just had to get out, but why?

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

Ahmed Hill has signed a NLI. He cannot follow suit without being released from his NLI. He may ask out in the coming days, but he cannot commit anywhere right now.

I can't see MU blocking him moving. Honestly, I'd rather they not block him if he truly doesn't want to be here.

[mufan2003]

Another reason to build a posh living residence for men's basketball/athletics. MU needs every single possible asset to keep coaches here and top-level recruits interested.

[MU_Iceman]

Something must have happened to piss Buzz off again. Virginia Tech is not the same as leaving for blueblood Indiana. This tells me he just had to get out, but why?


The conference. Period. I know i keep repeating myself, but I promise you that had A LOT to do with it. A LOT. Sure he went to the worst team in the ACC, but he's going to the best basketball conference in the country, where he once was. I will bet dimes to dollars that, more than anything else is what did it.

[CaribouJim]

Is there anyone with honor in the coaching profession? He and Larry didn't get along. Larry gets the axe because of Buzz and Buzz leaves for Va. Tech? College basketball coaches are perhaps the most reprehensible professionals in America. Contracts, promises and relationships mean nothing to those charlatans. Was Buzz's Bunch real? Or just a marketing gig?

Throw college football coaches in there and I agree.

If it was the criticism that he got this year that made him leave, that would be really piss poor. Deal with it. The MU community heaped almost unprecedented praise upon him until he hit a speed bump this year and almost all were universally still happy as could be to have him.

Not to paint too broad a brush, but college coaches are the biggest freakin' divas.

[mutpm]

The conference. Period. I know i keep repeating myself, but I promise you that had A LOT to do with it. A LOT. Sure he went to the worst team in the ACC, but he's going to the best basketball conference in the country, where he once was. I will bet dimes to dollars that, more than anything else is what did it.

I'm sure it did, but you fail to answer the question what was MU supposed to do about the conference situation?

[TedBaxter]

A chance for someone new to come in and put his stamp on the program. That's how I look at coaching changes at Marquette and I also love the new Big East.

[MUMac]

I can't see MU blocking him moving. Honestly, I'd rather they not block him if he truly doesn't want to be here.

I suspect they will handle it like they did with Taylor. But your statement was incorrect.

[MU/Panther]

Kevin Oneill was interviewed by Dennis Krause recently. He said one of his dumbest moves was leaving MU for Tennessee. Oneill said if he did it over, would have stayed at MU. He said MU is a perennial Top 25-30 program in basketball (not this year)....that it is a "basketball" school. Virginia Tech???????????
That stood out to me big time, when KO said that.

[pbiflyer]

At least calipari is up front. Buzz just another snake oil salesman.

[MUMac]

At least calipari is up front. Buzz just another snake oil salesman.

This. I did believe in buzz, even when all the crap he was involved with went on. MU stood by him - yes, Jim, you will cite Fr. P and Larry, but MU rid themselves of those two. If I had time, I would have the following shirt made for tomorrows games. "Buzz's bunch of bull sh!t". That is all it is, that is all it will ever be to me. Yes, I am writing "crap" to some, but at least I am not wearing kneepads when I write it!

[BLT]

So he went to Va Tech? Huh?

I too find the move puzzling...but Buzz has not done well recruiting the north and eastern urban cities--AAU Nike dominated. Steve Taylor yes, but Reggie Smith was not ideal. Benford opened those Nike doors at The Fire but then it closed with his departure and Groce's arrival. East Coast? Two Philly recruits didn't end well. NYC shut down which had been a long MU hotbed. The Hurley-Taylor situation didn't help, IMO.

Yes, Chew was working on opening Chicago again, especially the Wolves. Losing a couple, one recently at the end to Calipari's Chicago Nike team as referenced above.

Fact is, Buzz had his success with his roots. JUCO's and AAU roots from the South. When MU clamped that down, he went local. Some good to very good talent but enough for top level success when losing out on the Elite? VTech won't restrict him and he can rely on his network more than here.

There is more in play here obviously as this head scratcher unfolds, but he was never able to fully exploit his Nike advantage for the high and elite talent with consistency. And I suspect MU restrictions hampered him, or at least weighed on him. It may not be THE reason, but Matthews may have been a straw. No Hill in the Nike Challenge?