Cords

[MayorBeluga]

Chatted with Bill Cords while at Hinkle Fieldhouse earlier this season. He repeatedly said we faced challenges and would come through them stronger. I presumed he meant financial. Now I wonder - did Marquette know something was up with Buzz? Or am I speculating too much?

[MU_Iceman]

Chatted with Bill Cords while at Hinkle Fieldhouse earlier this season. He repeatedly said we faced challenges and would come through them stronger. I presumed he meant financial. Now I wonder - did Marquette know something was up with Buzz? Or am I speculating too much?

If Buzz was leaving, and it was known for awhile, it would certainly explain the kind of season they had wouldn't it?? You have to admit, his sub patterns were strange most of the time, and he just seemed disinterested. Everyone kept saying "the pieces just don't fit this year", turns out, it was Buzz that didn't fit. Not that the players would have known, but you do wonder if perhaps they sensed Buzz wasn't "on his game" this year.

[GOMU1104]

If Buzz was leaving, and it was known for awhile, it would certainly explain the kind of season they had wouldn't it?? You have to admit, his sub patterns were strange most of the time, and he just seemed disinterested. Everyone kept saying "the pieces just don't fit this year", turns out, it was Buzz that didn't fit. Not that the players would have known, but you do wonder if perhaps they sensed Buzz wasn't "on his game" this year.

We had the year we had because our players weren't good enough.

[Gato78]

Buzz may have checked out mid-season. He stopped going to press availabilities at some point sending players instead. Also seems like his players were not as upset as the team was when Crean left. There have been problems in the athletic department, thought those were solved when Larry left but perhaps it was more of a two way street than we realized? I know the criticism from fans had an affect on Buzz too. I know Buzz had the support of some of the big donors for a while, perhaps that changed. Buzz had a hard time not being in total control of the program as seen in his reactions to academic restrictions on Jucos and athletics facilities. Maybe his leaving is just a big kid temper tantrum because he didn't always get his way. Too bad, I liked Buzz. Corey is a very nice woman. Looking back, I think Buzz knew mid season he would leave, still wanted to win, just didn't know where he would end up. I will say again, college basketball coaches are a very odd strain of humanity.

[Nukem2]

Yes, Buzz is of that strain. One thing I noticed over the final several games was that Isaac Chew was far more vocal in talking to players during timeouts while he was rather passive before that.

[CaribouJim]

Buzz may have checked out mid-season. He stopped going to press availabilities at some point sending players instead. Also seems like his players were not as upset as the team was when Crean left. There have been problems in the athletic department, thought those were solved when Larry left but perhaps it was more of a two way street than we realized? I know the criticism from fans had an affect on Buzz too. I know Buzz had the support of some of the big donors for a while, perhaps that changed. Buzz had a hard time not being in total control of the program as seen in his reactions to academic restrictions on Jucos and athletics facilities. Maybe his leaving is just a big kid temper tantrum because he didn't always get his way. Too bad, I liked Buzz. Corey is a very nice woman. Looking back, I think Buzz knew mid season he would leave, still wanted to win, just didn't know where he would end up. I will say again, college basketball coaches are a very odd strain of humanity.

I like the "temper tantrum" analysis Gato. Buzz is a very emotional guy.

[CaribouJim]

We had the year we had because our players weren't good enough.

Not in its entirety - other contributing factors IMO including Buzz.

[IrwinFletcher]

I have to wonder if the abuse given to Derrick, the miserable support for the Seniors on Senior Day and the abuse Buzz himself took this year was the tipping point for him. Now again, this happens everywhere and I am sure there are Duke fans and alum that are ripping into Coach K right now, but the booing and abuse of Derrick was something that Buzz had to take personally.

[MUWhistler]

I don't think Buzz checked out midseason. He wouldn't have continued to recruit the way he did if that was true. Maybe in the last few weeks he really started to think it, but no way in midseason.

[Nukem2]

Not in its entirety - other contributing factors IMO including Buzz.Obviously, MU was limited by personnel factors. But, the drama in the background certainly affected things as things were just different this year. Buzz was doing some strange stuff on the court as if he were lost in space.

[kneelb4zerg]

I have to wonder if the abuse given to Derrick, the miserable support for the Seniors on Senior Day and the abuse Buzz himself took this year was the tipping point for him. Now again, this happens everywhere and I am sure there are Duke fans and alum that are ripping into Coach K right now, but the booing and abuse of Derrick was something that Buzz had to take personally.

So the solution is to abandon Derrick?

[TulsaWarrior]

I just think Buzz was ready for a change and justified it in his mind. Knowing that he would change jobs he continued to do recruiting (it's the nature of all coaches and he is a hyper-drive recruiter) and is set up nicely to bring in new talent this spring at VPI. I'm disappointed as hell but the interesting thing this morning is I am a Marquette fan more than I am a Buzz fan. I didn't think I would have that mind set because I became attached to Buzz's unique persona. He had reached out to my son during his illness and made an impact. My eleven year old asked if we could travel half way across the country to attend the Buzz's Bunch summer event.

The healthy thing is to wish the William's Family well and for the Marquette Community to focus on building the future.

[MUMac]

I don't think Buzz checked out midseason. He wouldn't have continued to recruit the way he did if that was true. Maybe in the last few weeks he really started to think it, but no way in midseason.

He was recruiting hard, but MU was full. As a coach, his recruiting is a foundation for the new program, as well.

[IrwinFletcher]

So the solution is to abandon Derrick?

Great point.

My comment was more that he was disgusted with the fans and alumni who weren't showing support and love for his program.

Many on this forum were upset with the booing and such that Derrick was receiving and maybe that was something that really pissed Buzz off.

[MUAlphaBangura]

I don't think Buzz checked out midseason. He wouldn't have continued to recruit the way he did if that was true. Maybe in the last few weeks he really started to think it, but no way in midseason.

I would tend to agree that Buzz didn't check out at mid-season, but it makes me wonder if he wasn't planning on leaving all along as he never strayed from his allegiance to his starters, probably thinking those guys gave him the best chance to win NOW. We all were thinking the younger guys should get minutes to help them for the future, but if Buzz was thinking he wasn't going to be here next year, why the F would he care about getting the young guys experience for next year? I think it makes sense that he was recruiting hard the latter part of the season knowing that he would be gone. Who says he was recruiting for Marquette? He may have been recruiting for Buzz Williams.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

The issue could be as simple as Chris finally exhausting his eligibility. Our recently departed coach said he wanted to be remembered as "Chris Otule's coach". That was no longer an option here.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

And Alpha, I think you may be dead on the mark recruiting wise. I think of Malek Harris' tweets. He seemed dead set that Buzz would be his future coach. Maybe he knew something the rest of us didn't. Not saying it for sure, but at least seems like a possibility.

[MUMac]

The issue could be as simple as Chris finally exhausting his eligibility. Our recently departed coach said he wanted to be remembered as "Chris Otule's coach". That was no longer an option here.

Damn Otule. Why didn't he petition the NCAA for a 7th year?

[MUMac]

And Alpha, I think you may be dead on the mark recruiting wise. I think of Malek Harris' tweets. He seemed dead set that Buzz would be his future coach. Maybe he knew something the rest of us didn't. Not saying it for sure, but at least seems like a possibility.

I don't have the time to look back into it, but I also recall Harris tweets about future teammates at MU. I doubt buzz would have said anything to him to let him know. That is dumb and dangerous.

[MUAlphaBangura]

And Alpha, I think you may be dead on the mark recruiting wise. I think of Malek Harris' tweets. He seemed dead set that Buzz would be his future coach. Maybe he knew something the rest of us didn't. Not saying it for sure, but at least seems like a possibility.

Brew, one thing I always thought about, but never outwardly questioned was the comments nearly every kid Buzz recruited saying that when they talked to Coach Buzz, they never talked basketball. It was always life stuff. Always wondered if that was intentional on Buzz's part in case a situation like this arose. Just building relationships so that wherever Buzz was, he could still recruit the kid. Don't know for sure if Buzz's mind worked that way, but think it is a smart way to go about it.

[MU/Panther]

After a 3 hour, 2ot loss to St. John's on senior day, I'm not shocked people left. It's not like fans know the players on a personal level.

[2012Warrior]

I think Buzz has some really thin skin. I think he looked for slights at time (Mac interview). It's not like Marquette fans expectations are out of this world. Even this year people were upset, but other than the fringe, people understood years like this happen. No one was calling for him to be fired. Plus, he was the one at Madness one year saying Sweet Sixteens weren't good enough anymore. That's a fan event trying to get people to cheer, but still.

PS. I'm definitely leaning towards a quick ceremony before the games for Senior Day. It's the same story every year with fans not sticking around.

[Gato78]

Buzz was not the same at Senior Day this year, no question about that.

[Nukem2]

Buzz was not the same at Senior Day this year, no question about that.Yep. My brother and I commented on that on the way out after the Senior Day program. He basically just introduced the guys with some sparse comments. He certainly was not vintage Buzz.

[CaribouJim]

Yep. My brother and I commented on that on the way out after the Senior Day program. He basically just introduced the guys with some sparse comments. He certainly was not vintage Buzz.

I wasn't crazy about the ding to DG about his academics - DG wasn't smiling as far as I could tell.

[The Reptile]

Best thread on the topic.