Buzz and Larry Williams Aren't Bosom Buddies...

[ATL MU Warrior]

I agree. When LW gives his vision of what MU can become (a beacon for what's good in college athletics), by definition he's ripping what came before. Any coach (especially one as concerned about his players as Buzz is) would be offended. Hell, as an alum and 46 year fan of what I consider to be a program than has generally done it the right way, I'm offended. His self importance should be offensive to everyone.

Once again, completely over the top, but I guess that's one way of looking at it.  

Another way of looking at it is that he's not ripping what came before.  He's ackowledging that there have been issues (and there sure seem to have been issues) and stating the his and MU's expectation that they can (and should be able to) compete at the highest level WITHOUT those issues occuring again in the future.  That's his job and it's what a school like Marquette should strive for.  

Now how the hell is that offensive?  

[Bocephys]

I have an idea.  Let's enjoy this season and hope/pray we make the NCAA Tournament.  Thanks.

Boring.

[Groin_pull]

Article sure makes him seem like a prick. I went to Notre Dame; my kids go to Yale. I worked my way through law school (albeit a crapty one) while playing in the NFL. My former NFL friends are now struggling because they didn't do what I did. I'm going to build a beacon of light in a dark world. I really care about these kids and preparing them for life after school (as opposed to Buzz, who is a coach that just cares about winning to promote his career). If you value success on the court, then you are using the basketball players (as opposed to continuing to refuse to pay them and just keep the proceeds for the university while spinning this BS).

He went to ND and he's a prick. What are the odds?

[Rubie Q]

Article sure makes him seem like a prick. I went to Notre Dame; my kids go to Yale. I worked my way through law school (albeit a crapty one) while playing in the NFL. My former NFL friends are now struggling because they didn't do what I did. I'm going to build a beacon of light in a dark world. I really care about these kids and preparing them for life after school (as opposed to Buzz, who is a coach that just cares about winning to promote his career). If you value success on the court, then you are using the basketball players (as opposed to continuing to refuse to pay them and just keep the proceeds for the university while spinning this BS).

The University of San Diego actually has a very good law school.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Quote from the article:
“We are NOT de-emphasizing basketball,” he declares. “I expect us to compete for national championships, and I believe we’ll have the means to do it at Marquette, but there’s more to it than that. We’re going to do it the right way. We can be a beacon for what’s good in college athletics.”  [emplasis added]

I'm sure many people will disagree, but I interpret the fact that LW feels the need to clarify that the basketball team will compete "the right way" implies that he feels that things currently and/or previously were not done the right way.  If they were already doing it the right way, he shouldn't feel the need to offer that clarification.  These little cues keep popping up and feed into the perception of a conflict with Buzz.

I think the implication is that other schools haven't done it the "right way".

A lot of schools competing for national titles have done it the wrong way (Memphis, Ohio State, etc.).

But, maybe he's trying to rip Buzz. I have no idea anymore.

[Silkk the Shaka]

What we have to hope for is that there are no new transgressions. That is what Buzz, Larry and everyone else wants. The players keep their noses clean and Buzz does not dance on an opponents home floor everything will be fine.

That's HARDLY a transgression, more like entertaining as hell and a reason why I love Buzz.  Anyone honestly offended by that is a complete loser.  Or a West Virginia fan, but I think my previous statement covered that.

[foreverwarriors]

Once again, completely over the top, but I guess that's one way of looking at it.  

Another way of looking at it is that he's not ripping what came before.  He's ackowledging that there have been issues (and there sure seem to have been issues) and stating the his and MU's expectation that they can (and should be able to) compete at the highest level WITHOUT those issues occuring again in the future.  That's his job and it's what a school like Marquette should strive for.  

Now how the hell is that offensive?  

Yes. Thank you.

[GGGG]

Please.  There many here who wanted to think things were just fine between Buzz and LW, that there was no rift, that the statements made to the JS were no big deal...you included.  I have not made numerous statements here passing them off as facts when indeed they were guesses...the latest by Goodman basically affirms what I've written and shared on this topic (and been ridiculed by some) for the last 7 months.  Sorry if it bothers you that what I've shared and been hazed for is starting to get revealed as truth instead of  "nothing but guesses."

FACT:  Buzz was never told he could never recruit JUCOs.

You made it up.

[GGGG]

Once again, completely over the top, but I guess that's one way of looking at it. 

Another way of looking at it is that he's not ripping what came before.  He's ackowledging that there have been issues (and there sure seem to have been issues) and stating the his and MU's expectation that they can (and should be able to) compete at the highest level WITHOUT those issues occuring again in the future.  That's his job and it's what a school like Marquette should strive for. 

Now how the hell is that offensive? 

Because people, no matter what happens, will never give him the benefit of the doubt. 

[Thor]

Yeah. Maybe buzz should be more offended by the behavior of his players.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Because people, no matter what happens, will never give him the benefit of the doubt. 

Truthfully, this is just dividing up like politics now. If you like X guy, you think he's right, and you will be "offended" by what Y guy says.

If you like Y guy, you will interpret X guy's statements differently and be offended by X guy.


You want to know who won the presidential debate? Whoever you liked before you watched it.

[ATL MU Warrior]

Truthfully, this is just dividing up like politics now. If you like X guy, you think he's right, and you will be "offended" by what Y guy says.

If you like Y guy, you will interpret X guy's statements differently and be offended by X guy.

You want to know who won the presidential debate? Whoever you liked before you watched it.

Unfortunately, there is a whole lot of truth to this. 

[madtownwarrior]

“With his energy, his vision and his commitment, Larry is exactly the type of leader we need,” Broeker says. “He’s a man you’d want to help raise your kids.”

Yep sure sounds like a prick according to Broeker  (or is Broeker now a prick too?)

[Lennys Tap]

Once again, completely over the top, but I guess that's one way of looking at it.  

Another way of looking at it is that he's not ripping what came before.  He's ackowledging that there have been issues (and there sure seem to have been issues) and stating the his and MU's expectation that they can (and should be able to) compete at the highest level WITHOUT those issues occuring again in the future.  That's his job and it's what a school like Marquette should strive for.  

Now how the hell is that offensive?  

If he had said he was here to help MU continue to be an example of a university that does it the right way I would say hallelujah! That's not what he said.

You're certainly entitled to your own opinion, but when I read this article he came across to me as extremely self important - the boss I'm glad I never had. You can twist his words or add ones never spoken to make him look better, but that would be over the top, no?

[Rubie Q]

If he had said he was here to help MU continue to be an example of a university that does it the right way I would say hallelujah! That's not what he said.

Why would he say that? He was brought in because the BOT felt there were serious problems with the athletic department, especially the oversight of the basketball program. So he's going to say: "Nah, turns out everything was great. No idea what they thought the problem was"?

[77ncaachamps]

Sounds like Goodman asked Buzz a question like, "So are you real chummy with LW?"

And Buzz answered honestly, "No. We're not close friends."

And Goodman, comparing that answer to what other suck-up HCs might have said, extrapolated that to mean, "Uh oh. Trouble in Brewtown."

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Yeah. Maybe buzz should be more offended by the behavior of his players. But hey isn't this the coach who called a team meeting so the players could get their stories straight before meeting with police and at the same meeting had the players call the girl. Buzz may have some character issues of his own

Rob?

[Clam Crowder]

Marquette is a catholic school. We had basketball players (Allegedly) *EDITED to calm some people down* sexually assault a girl. I love Buzz, I love MU basketball, but the school F'ed up, Buzz F'ed up to the point of him deserving to be fired and now we're cleaning up our act. It's plain and it's simple, and if Buzz hadn't been to back to back sweet 16's we wouldn't give a crap that our AD didn't like him. The PROGRAM is bigger than BUZZ Buzz didn't go to a final 4 and win a national championship, Buzz didn't recruit a diamond in the rough who led us to a final four, and was a top 5 talent in the NBA (yet), Buzz didn't do anything to get the Al, or the Jordan sponsorship. The program was here before Buzz it will be here after Buzz.

[ATL MU Warrior]

If he had said he was here to help MU continue to be an example of a university that does it the right way I would say hallelujah! That's not what he said.

You're certainly entitled to your own opinion, but when I read this article he came across to me as extremely self important - the boss I'm glad I never had. You can twist his words or add ones never spoken to make him look better, but that would be over the top, no?

I'm not interested with making him look better because that's absolutely futile with many on here, so why waste the time. 

And, I didn't twist his words or add words he didn't say.  I interpreted his words in an objective way, and came to a different conclusion than you. 

[JakeBarnes]

I miss basketball.  November 9th cannot come fast enough.

[Goose]

LW is simply a mouth piece. He is talking the corporate line. I would not blame him for any of this when Buzz bolts after the season.

[Lennys Tap]

I'm not interested with making him look better because that's absolutely futile with many on here, so why waste the time. 

And, I didn't twist his words or add words he didn't say.  I interpreted his words in an objective way, and came to a different conclusion than you. 

Fair enough

[Pakuni]

Pakuni,

"I don't think Larry (+ Fr. Pilarz) and Buzz are bosom buddies" IS pretty much where I left it. A lot of people shared information, and my ONLY nugget was from someone inside the athletic department. In April 2011, this source said Buzz was very happy and hoped to be a Marquette lifer. By February 2012, this same source said that Buzz was miserable. What EXACTLY happened to mess with happy? Don't know, and never said I did. But it doesn't take Holmesian powers of deduction to figure what changed between those two dates.

I can't say which doom-and-gloom scenario you did or didn't offer, and am not inclined to search all your posts to ferret that out. I'll take you at your word. Nonethless, everything I cited there was claimed by someone here, and every one of those has been shown false. Agreed?
As for Holmesian powers, I would suggest that a lot happened between April 2011 and February 2012 that had nothing to do with Larry Williams. Such as a couple of pretty damning stories in the Chicago Tribune.

So, again, I have no idea what the specifics are regarding the rift between the administration and Buzz and really don't want to argue over them. Hiroshima, to me, isn't changed academic standards, dorm policies or any single administration mandate. My Hiroshima would be losing the best coach and representative Marquette University has had since Al McGuire because he feels a once ideal workplace isn't anymore. IMO there are scores of people who could replace Fr Pilarz or LW - MU would barely feel the ripple. OTOH, Buzz is MU's 2nd winning lottery ticket (along with Al) in the last 50 years. The odds against a third are very long.

OK, maybe this is sacrilege to some, but Buzz is not the best MU coach since McGuire. He may even have to battle O'Neill for third best.
Yeah, Crean is a douche, but:
One Final Four >>>>>>>> Two Sweet Sixteens
Wade, Diener, Novak >>>>>>>> Butler, Crowder, DJO
I won't give Crean total credit for the Big East and Al (because he doesn't deserve total credit) but he was the the leader and face of the program when those things happened.
And, unless I'm mistaken Crean took over an IU program in the dumps and after four years has them the #1 ranked team in the country.
Buzz still has a ways to go to top the things that Crean did and is doing.

O'Neill got this program to the Sweet 16 (and was still on the rise when he left) without any of the advantages Buzz has.  He was 44-17 (.721) his final two seasons at MU. Buzz is 49-22 the past two (.690).

It's not the open-and-shut case you want to make it, and if nothing else it proves that landing a quality coach at Marquette is hardly akin to winning the lottery once every five decades. Fact is, three of MU's last four coaches have been very successful.

[Aughnanure]

Larry better be pretty f****** confident about potential replacements.

[Lennys Tap]

Marquette is a catholic school. We had basketball players sexually assault a girl and our former AD, and a few even higher than our AD helped to protect those players. I love Buzz, I love MU basketball, but the school F'ed up, Buzz F'ed up to the point of him deserving to be fired and now we're cleaning up our act. It's plain and it's simple, and if Buzz hadn't been to back to back sweet 16's we wouldn't give a crap that our AD didn't like him. The PROGRAM is bigger than BUZZ Buzz didn't go to a final 4 and win a national championship, Buzz didn't recruit a diamond in the rough who led us to a final four, and was a top 5 talent in the NBA (yet), Buzz didn't do anything to get the Al, or the Jordan sponsorship. The program was here before Buzz it will be here after Buzz.

So you're the judge, jury and executioner in a he said/she said accusation that never resulted in any charges. Thanks for clearing things up.