Wojo

[Class71]

K dropped the "five more years" line this week...needs Wojo to fly the coop, if Wojo succeeds he can at least get in the running for his successor.  He's got as much name recognition as any assistant, suppose it's worth an interview and based on where it seems we are with the search who knows.  Not an impact hire, but I think that potential has already passed.  

Guess the strategy for this search is to keep our name in the news by floating a different candidate every day, and see which candidates can embarrass us the most by mere mention, or with the double whammy of turning us down too.



http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/10699928/marquette-golden-eagles-target-steve-wojciechowski-coaching-job

Still says Howland is "extremely interested".  Lets see if we can get a few more assistants or below average coaches to turn us down instead.  Quick, let's read that SI story and introduce some poor arguments about him being too old or not able to recruit here or having baggage...I think the best argument is that our leadership would be too threatened to give the keys to an accomplished coach and back away while he goes to work.

Could not say it better. Are we afraid to be a winner or just do not have a clue how to get there?

[Class71]

'Last July ESPN.com ranked Wojciechowski as the nation's 17th best recruiting assistant coaches, noting "he's both feared and respected. Wojo has been a key reason for the Blue Devils' success on the recruiting trail and has helped land guys like Chris Duhon, JJ Redick, Shavlik Randolph, Kyle Singler, Shelden Williams and Josh McRoberts."

http://painttouches.com/2014/03/30/yahoo-marquette-targeting-duke-assistant-steve-wojciechowski/

Great when he gets a head coaching job and demonstrates he is a top tier pay him and bring him in. Until then go with a proven commodity. I am simply tired of on the job training at MU.

[Pakuni]

So let me summarize what you told us: it took one guy 3 times to get it right, but its a team in the ivy league. One guy is "consistent" (great!), and the other guy "hasnt been a flop." It's not bashing if the complaint or the "bashing" has complete factual basis that Duke assistants dont get the job done. Come back with a stronger argument than these 3 guys and maybe I'll listen

You know coaching tree stuff is nonsense, right?
Mike Holmgren and Bruce Coslet come from the same coaching tree.
Coach K and Mike Davis come from the same coaching tree.
Roy Williams and Matt Doherty come from the same coaching tree.
Charlie Weis and Nick Saban come from the same coaching tree.
Need more examples?

[ChicosBailBonds]

For all the people bashing Duke Assistants who have left to take HC positions I don't quite follow. Especially since I don't think many people have left Duke to take over at a program that is anywhere comparable to Marquette.

Tommy Amaker was unimpressive at Michigan and Seton Hall but has done a great job at Harvard.
Mike Brey has been consistent at ND
Johnny Dawkins hasn't been a flop at Stanford
Quin Snyder - Arguably the worst head coach to leave Duke

I think given what Marquette has to offer and the commitment to basketball that WOJO could be successful here. Not my top choice, but I think everyone who is freaking out about this possibly happening is crazy. WOJO is a much better candidate now than Buzz was when he was hired.

Dawkins has been at Stanford for 6 years, this is his first NCAA tournament.  Three years he failed to even make the NIT.  He didn't take over program in the dumper either.  He took over a program that went to the Sweet 16 the year prior and had gone to the NCAAs almost every year since 1995...they were an incredible program.

1995 NCAA
1996 NCAA
1997 NCAA
1998 NCAA
1999 NCAA
2000 NCAA
2001 NCAA
2002 NCAA
2003 NCAA
2004 NCAA
2005 NCAA
2006 missed
2007 NCAA
2008 NCAA
2009 missed  Dawkins first year
2010 missed Dawkins
2011 missed Dawkins
2012 missed Dawkins
2013 missed Dawkins
2014 NCAA Dawkins first

Snyder = joke

Amaker = nothing against him, he's done ok but not what folks thought.  Harvard is probably a good fit for him.

[Newsdreams]

Makes complete sense, Howland is a winner but someone doesn't like him? Hopefully that is not the reason. If we hire another assistant or second stringer I am going to look for some old Al tapes to fill the season. This is getting completely out of hand. It appears MU needs leadership.

It was brought up in another thread that Dick Strong does not want him.

[GB Warrior]

You know coaching tree stuff is nonsense, right?
Mike Holmgren and Bruce Coslet come from the same coaching tree.
Coach K and Mike Davis come from the same coaching tree.
Roy Williams and Matt Doherty come from the same coaching tree.
Charlie Weis and Nick Saban come from the same coaching tree.
Need more examples?

All it means is that you came from a successful program. Success doesn't always breed success.

[ChicosBailBonds]

'Last July ESPN.com ranked Wojciechowski as the nation's 17th best recruiting assistant coaches, noting "he's both feared and respected. Wojo has been a key reason for the Blue Devils' success on the recruiting trail and has helped land guys like Chris Duhon, JJ Redick, Shavlik Randolph, Kyle Singler, Shelden Williams and Josh McRoberts."

http://painttouches.com/2014/03/30/yahoo-marquette-targeting-duke-assistant-steve-wojciechowski/

When you are a recruiting assistant at Duke University, shouldn't you be a little higher than 17th?  Shouldn't you be top 10 at a minimum and maybe top 5?

It's Duke for crying out loud.

[mike_long]

You know coaching tree stuff is nonsense, right?
Mike Holmgren and Bruce Coslet come from the same coaching tree.
Coach K and Mike Davis come from the same coaching tree.
Roy Williams and Matt Doherty come from the same coaching tree.
Charlie Weis and Nick Saban come from the same coaching tree.
Need more examples?

I'll take your word that those are all true, but Im specifically talking about the Coach K tree. There is no one outsides Brey that is somewhat impressive.

[Tums Festival]

'Last July ESPN.com ranked Wojciechowski as the nation's 17th best recruiting assistant coaches, noting "he's both feared and respected. Wojo has been a key reason for the Blue Devils' success on the recruiting trail and has helped land guys like Chris Duhon, JJ Redick, Shavlik Randolph, Kyle Singler, Shelden Williams and Josh McRoberts."

http://painttouches.com/2014/03/30/yahoo-marquette-targeting-duke-assistant-steve-wojciechowski/

17th best...awesome.

[hairy worthen]

'Last July ESPN.com ranked Wojciechowski as the nation's 17th best recruiting assistant coaches, noting "he's both feared and respected. Wojo has been a key reason for the Blue Devils' success on the recruiting trail and has helped land guys like Chris Duhon, JJ Redick, Shavlik Randolph, Kyle Singler, Shelden Williams and Josh McRoberts."

http://painttouches.com/2014/03/30/yahoo-marquette-targeting-duke-assistant-steve-wojciechowski/

If he is 17th best then lets interview 1 thru 16 as well. Not that hard to recruit to Duke they basically pick who they want

[Pakuni]

I'll take your word that those are all true, but Im specifically talking about the Coach K tree. There is no one outsides Brey that is somewhat impressive.

You're missing the point.
What Quin Snyder or Mike Brey or Johnny Dawkins or any other Duke assistant accomplished as a head coach has absolutely no bearing whatsoever on Wojo's future success/lack of success as a head coach. None. Zero. Zilch.

He'll rise or fall on his own merits. It's borderline retarded to suggest what Bob Bender did at Washington and Quin Snyder did at Mizzou a decade ago has some bearing on the futures of Chris Collins or Steve Wojciechowski.

Some of you guys get caught up in such irrelevant bull----. Six years ago, it was "the process," as if MU's failure to follow some proscribed process in hiring Brent had anything to do with whether or not he could coach and recruit.
Now it's the "coaching tree," as if what some other former Duke guy did at another school in 2004 has any effect on Wojo could do at Marquette today.
Ugh.

[Pakuni]

When you are a recruiting assistant at Duke University, shouldn't you be a little higher than 17th?  Shouldn't you be top 10 at a minimum and maybe top 5?

It's Duke for crying out loud.

Maybe that has something to do with the ranking. I think most of the people in that poll are thinking "It's Duke, how hard can it be?"

[Silkk the Shaka]

Was Shaka a smokescreen for Wojo???

Okay now that was funny

[Tugg Speedman]

Does the floating of the Wojo's name mean Cuonzo is no longer being considered?

[Silkk the Shaka]

I wouldn't be horrified if he came over as an assistant, but that's the nicest thing I can say.

[WadeATKBurton]

The million dollar question is:

Can Wojo recruit? Im pretty sure he can coach from being under Coach K so many years...

[Litehouse]

I'd rather have Wardle.

[Class71]

It was brought up in another thread that Dick Strong does not want him.

I saw that.

I do not know Dick Strong and if he has a proven winner, better than Howland, let's get him. If he doesn't he has the money and the power to choose. I also accept that he likely has veto power.

I have no influence but I have choices too, so back to my old Al tapes.  I can accept losing when you try your best but I will not watch a team go down hill because of lack of support from MU. It was painful enough to watch Buzz's coaching this year. Do we really want to throw the dice and hope for the best?  Everyone has a choice. I may be the only one but I will not watch a program self destruct. My time is too valuable to be frustrated by a team hamstrung by an untested coach. I just don't get it, we miss SS and what, we go tier two?

[ChicosBailBonds]

You're missing the point.
What Quin Snyder or Mike Brey or Johnny Dawkins or any other Duke assistant accomplished as a head coach has absolutely no bearing whatsoever on Wojo's future success/lack of success as a head coach. None. Zero. Zilch.

He'll rise or fall on his own merits. It's borderline retarded to suggest what Bob Bender did at Washington and Quin Snyder did at Mizzou a decade ago has some bearing on the futures of Chris Collins or Steve Wojciechowski.

Some of you guys get caught up in such irrelevant bull----. Six years ago, it was "the process," as if MU's failure to follow some proscribed process in hiring Brent had anything to do with whether or not he could coach and recruit.
Now it's the "coaching tree," as if what some other former Duke guy did at another school in 2004 has any effect on Wojo could do at Marquette today.
Ugh.

I don't disagree with your premise, each individual of course is on their own.  However, I don't think we can escape the fact the whole reason he would be targeted in the first place is because he is at Duke.  It's not like he is the assistant at UC Irvine and is targeted because he is a great assistant.  He's at Duke, and the expectations that come with it.  So its only natural (perhaps unfair as you point out) that they will be judged by some on how they do outside the Duke bubble.

[thekahoona]

It cannot possibly be Wojo... Keefe will not be able to hide "Steve Wojciechowski" in a haiku or any other verse...so he has to be out.

That's my story and I'm stickin' with it.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

I don't want this pretty boy at Marquette!

[Newsdreams]

I don't want this pretty boy at Marquette!

Kieth Hernadez?

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Wojo would be a TERRIBLE choice and, yes, embarrassing. Not for any reason than it shows how little thought was put into this search. First of all, hiring Wojo would immediately eliminate us from all Chicago recruits also being targeted by Chris Collins. Chris Collins knows Chicago, was mr. Basketball in Illinois and is a media darling, due to his success and that of his father.

Wojo is really nobody. Sure, Dick Vitale licked his nut sack as a player, but he's a guy without an ounce of charisma and no name recognition in Illinois or Wisconsin. This guy is a Duke legend. That's it. How the hell we would even consider this guy is mind blowing.

He'd be a step down from Mike Deane. He's not in the same league as even Crean and could carry Buzz Williams' sweat stained sport coat.

Atrocious idea! Worse than anything else I've heard.

[Norm]

A friend of mine floated Wojo's name a week ago as a joke to get a rise out of this board....and now there are real articles stating that MU is interested in him. Geez, I hope MU does not hire Wojo.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Kieth Hernadez?

I didn't actually type "pretty boy."