Marquette basketball coaching search

[don1481]

Would Badger fans be pissed? Sure. But you wouldn't hear people talking about how Ryan was a dirtbag for the last three years and totally did an about face from when he first got to Wisconsin.

Crean changed a TON over the past few years. He WAS approachable up through the end of my undergrad days. But after that Final Four run, he did change. I've talked about this before. It's not an about face.

 

[Roscoe Chill]

If it makes you feel any better, I always thought Crean was a bit of a dirtbag. But leaving for Indiana isn't one of the reasons why I feel that way.

[don1481]

If it makes you feel any better, I always thought Crean was a bit of a dirtbag. But leaving for Indiana isn't one of the reasons why I feel that way.

I grew to not like Crean as much as he grew more and more smug and egotistical. Sure, I was happy to have him around solely because he was light years (not Buzz) ahead of Mike Deane. Then again, Ned Yost might be light years ahead of Mike Deane as well..

 

[homer]

Yeah, I picked 'Nova out of my butt. Not a good comparison.

[brewcrew00]

Does this spell no more season tickets for Mike Maddux? He and Mike McCarthy were bro's with Crean.

[Glennron]

I know it's a few days old, but James (fortunately? who knows) announced he's coming back. Christopherson was also granted release from his scholarship at MU.

[slack00]

Here's the latest (I'm looking for something to talk about other than the Brewers right now):

 

I'd have to say on the whole, the Williams hiring is already paying dividends as far as recruiting goes. Who knows what will happen when the season starts, but having four seniors and a junior in the starting lineup certainly doesn't hurt.

 

Returning - PG James (sr.), SG McNeal (sr.), SF Matthews (sr.), PF Hayward (jr.), C Burke (sr.), PF/C Mbakwe (soph.), SG Cubillan (jr.) (possible redshirt-shoulder), PG Acker (jr.), C Hazel (soph.)

 

Incoming - C Chris Otule (fr.), SF/PF Joseph Fulce (so.), SG Jimmy Butler (so.), (one more open 2008 scholarship), PF Erik Williams (2009)

 

Outgoing - C Barro (graduation), PF/C Blackledge (graduation), SF/PF Fitzgerald (graduation), SG Christopherson (transfer to Iowa State), SG Nick Williams (released from NLI), PG Tyshawn Taylor (released from NLI)

[Oldcity]

From what I've read, it sounds like Butler may be the more attractive recruit than Taylor anyway.

[jwill535]

From what I've read, it sounds like Butler may be the more attractive recruit than Taylor anyway.

Not even close, the last thing Marquette needs is another shooting guard. They need a point guard.

 

[bork]

Not even close, the last thing Marquette needs is another shooting guard. They need a point guard.

They need both. When James, McNeal, and Matthews graduate next year, MU will only have Acker and Cubillan at guard. I think it's better to go after a point guard in 2009. It's easier to sell playing time and he can play a year with Acker and Cubillan before taking over. A PG isn't going to play at all next year.

 

And Butler may likely be the starting shooting guard in 2009-2010. Williams and Bulter will give them some nice size at the 2/3. Still not much size down low, but MU could have four starters at 6-6 or 6-7 in a year.

[Oldcity]

I wasn't referring to his position. It seems that Butler is the higher-regarded recruit. He had offers from Kentucky and Miss St, among others.

[bork]

And now Tom Deiner resigns from Vincent to "Pursue other oportunities" Hmm.

 

http://www.jsonline.com/watch/?watch=1&date=4/17/2008&id=38505

[bork]

Um, Marquette already has a head coach. I'm alluding to an assistant spot. Someone who could help with midwest recruiting.

[danzig6767]

According to muscoop, Marquette might be landing a young assistant named Josh Pastner from Arizona University, a highly thought of assistant coach and supposedly an extraordinary recruiter.

 

Good news if it ends up happening

[don1481]

I've heard the following:

 

1. Wild made the call to hire Buzzkill solely by himself. The AD was not involved.

2. The big issue that prevented coaches like Miller from taking this position seriously when MU contacted them was the amount of $$ offered. Wild did NOT want to pony up at all. The phrase "looking for the next Majerus" was bandied about.

3. Some trustees are NOT happy with this decision and how Wild did this singlehandedly and between this and Wild's singlehanded renaming attempt ("The Gold" was in no way, shape, or form discussed with the trustees OR the donors who offered MU $1M each - that was all Wild and his "brilliance") are wanting him out.

[slack00]

Don,

I'm not sure where you heard these, but they're all very hard to believe. If you'd could reveal or at least hint at your source for your points they might be able to hold more water, so to speak.

1. Cottingham, the AD, was the one interviewing candidates (along with one or two other unnamed people--likely that former AD Bill Cords was one). Only after they chose Williams--after being rebuffed by Bennett, Miller, Grant and maybe others--did Wild meet with him at all. In fact, Wild told Todd Rosiak that he had not met with any other candidates and "had not met Buzz previously". There is no way he would have made the decision to hire him without knowing him first.

2. The issue with hiring Miller away from Xavier was not the salary that would be offered to the coach, but rather the fact that that he had a $2 million buyout of his contract which he recently had extended. In fact, that's one of the same reasons why Indiana chose to go in another direction.

3. While it's possible that some trustees may want to see Wild out as President, there is no way he could make either this or the "Gold" debacle singlehandedly. There are 31 trustees (of which Wild is one), and each and every one of them knew and at least to some degree supported that decision. For example, I find it very hard to believe that trustee Anne Zizzo didn't support or push for that decision when her PR company was chosen by MU to market the new nickname.

Also, the fact that you referred to him as 'Buzzkill' takes away from the credibility of what you may have heard.

[don1481]

I'm not sure where you heard these, but they're all very hard to believe. If you'd could reveal or at least hint at your source for your points they might be able to hold more water, so to speak.

...

 

Also, the fact that you referred to him as 'Buzzkill' takes away from the credibility of what you may have heard.

 

Let's just say that I have connections to some alumni that have donated large amounts of money - some anonymously - to Marquette. I highly doubt these people have any motivation to say something other than what it really is.

 

If you think "Buzzkill" is bad, just wait til you hear what the students come up for him over the course of the season. Really - a nickname like "Buzz" coupled with a panic hire after said alumni were led to believe MU was headed down a different path than what happened just invites such references.

 

Do you honestly trust what Wild says to the paper? I surely don't. I trust him about as far as I can throw him, and that is not very far.

 

Your statement about Miller's buyout supports the whole "$$$" issue - Wild simply did not want to pony up in light of what happened with Crean.

 

Of course Ann Zizzo's going to support the Gold decision - she made $$$ off of it!