Nick Williams, the former MU commit who received an unconditional release when Crean bolted, signed with Indiana yesterday. A shocker, eh?
Tyshawn Taylor announced he's visiting Kansas on Wednesday. If Taylor signs with Kansas, he'd join a loaded backcourt that should include returning senior starter Mario Chalmers, the tough-minded junior Sherron Collins, incoming freshman four-star recruit Travis Releford, and JUCO all-american guard Tyrone Appleton. This sounds like a less than ideal destination for a player who's high school coach expressed concern over the 'logjam' in the Marquette backcourt.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Rubbing salt in the wound
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At least Kansas is Kansas -- they are actually an elite team, unlike IU. I can excuse a kid for wanting to go play for the most recent National Champions, even if his role will be on the bench. No "logjam" excuse needed. In fact, no excuse was ever needed -- ask for your release, keep your comments out of the press and move on.
I never knew who Hurley was before this, which I am guessing is the point of mouthing off every time a microphone is near. Notice how no one really thinks ill of Nick Williams or his coach. They just did what they had to do, without making a fool of MU and themselves.
Hurley, with all of his supposed class and experience, should know better.
Keep in mind, though, that Taylor was considered by many to be Buzz' "get". Williams was in the bag for MU before Buzz came around so everyone gave Williams the benefit of the doubt and, like you said, they did things quietly and classy.
It adds salt to the wound, but whatever. Kid did what he thought was best and IU has a more experienced coach than MU. Take our licks and move on.
This is another classless move by Tom Crean. To not only leave MU the way he did, but to pirate recruits on the way out. Crean's good friend Huggins, for all his faults, did not attempt to take Beasly to WV last year. Apparently, that move is not too low for our former coach. My opinion of Crean is at an all time low. I was willing to overlook the constant 3 man weave, lack of a big man, the bright orange tan, one and done year after year, the obnoxious pepsi consumption, and the arrogance because he brought back a great program, D Wade, and two local kids in Novak and Diener that seemingly couldn't miss. I now realize that everything Crean did was more for himself than anyone else. There is nothing anyone can say to me now that can convince me Crean ever saw MU as anything more than a stepping stone. No better than a politician that derives his/her opinions from the latest poll. Here is to you Tom Crean, may you get as you good as gave and may you be remembered for your true self. ... And yes... salt in the wound does sting!
Is anyone surprised by any of this. I said before that Hurley was out for Hurley and to continue a role as kingmaker in New Jersey. Tyshawn is a pawn in the Hurley ego.
On one hand, I don't blame Tyshawn for trying but I stil question the wisdom of letting him out of his commitment. Someone needs to send a message to Hurley and to athletes everywhere as to whom you are signing with.
Hurley's classlessness makes Crean look well-mannered.
As for Nick Williams, I'm sorry we lost him. The thing I do not understand is that in giving him his release, why did Marquette NOT negotiate a "no Indiana" clause. Once again, our athletic director shows his inability to effectively negotiate a reasonable contract.
We'll be OK and in the long-run, we are out of the Tom Crean "where am I going next" circus.
Look, who cares. The Kid wasn't going here, and we won't be playing Indiana. He is a solid 3 star recruit, and was most likely promised one-on-one time with 'Coach Crean' to develop him into a star or a potential draft pick. Can you blame the kid for looking out for himself? I sure can't. Before everyone goes and gives TT and NW a hard time, realize that it is THEIR LIVES.
The fact of the matter is he isn't the next DJ, and in my opinion he isn't even the next Wes Matthews.
boo hoo, cry me a river, build a bridge and get over it.
Championships Matter is brilliant. Not only does he have full access to the inner workings of the basketball program, but he also knows the feelings and wishes of 18 year old kids across the country.
This is college basketball, not life and death. I agree with Hards. Neither recruit is beholden to MU because they committed to a coach and the coach left. I'm not going to argue the merits of committing to the coach and not the school, but what's done is done.
MU basketball will be fine. We should support the kids that play here and the coaches that play here.
Can ADs really negotiate "clauses" when releasing a player from a LOI? I thought the rules are only about going to a team in the same conference and that it was all governed by the NCAA, not individual schools.
"Can ADs really negotiate "clauses" when releasing a player from a LOI? I thought the rules are only about going to a team in the same conference and that it was all governed by the NCAA, not individual schools. "
Yes.
MU has done this in the past under Crean, most notably with Dameon Mason and Ryan Amoroso.
KU may lose those guys in the backcourt to the NBA, so it makes sense for Taylor to check them out.
Incidentally, where is the link -- oh great administrators of this anti-Buzz website -- to the article in the Marquette Tribune re: Buzz Williams? It is by far the best piece on our new head coach, but the administrators of this site are too busy taking cheap shots at him for losing two recruits.
Buzz keeps Mbkwa (who was going to leave when TC was coach) and lands Butler (over Kentucky). We lose Nick Williams to Crean and Taylor perhaps to Kansas. Buzz keeps Eric Williams. James is coming back. Considering all that has happened the past few weeks, this is has been a great transition thus far. The only negative is one high school kid maybe leaving us for Kansas and another kid who developed a two year relationship with Crean going to IU. Not bad so far.
If only Cracked Sidewalks ripped Crean as much as it did Buzz, then this might be worthwhile to check out more often.
Jesus, any time we miss a link, we get accused of having an agenda.
Your assessment that we're anti-Buzz is a load of crap, Alex. You go on thinking that.
Let me preface this by saying I don't know the details of Indiana's sanctions either self-imposed or by the NCAA... However, I seem to remember there being something along these lines.
On the surface isn't this a violation of Crean's/Indiana's sanctions by the NCAA. The coach of IU cannot have direct contact with any recruits, just high school/juco coaches... "He kept telling me, 'You don't know how good you are going to be.' It was just a great feeling to know how bad they wanted me and how much they wanted to make me a better player and a better person." That implies Crean spoke directly with him.
I like to think I am brilliant too!
Look, maybe you can't limit what a recruit can do. But you can try. And as to Tyshawn, what I do know is the stated reasons why Tyshawn re-opened the recruiting hold as much water as those weapons of mass destruction the Bush Administration is still trying to find in Iraq.
As to anti-Buzz, I'm quite the opposite. I applaud the fact that he had a contingency in place that would backfill any recruiting loss. The fact that Buzz moved so quickly and decisively is a testament to him and his skill as a leader. If he is this good in the coming years, our program is in good hands.
One final point: that we won out over Kentucky isn't the big deal it was 10 years ago. Check out their record as of late.
I did criticize the selection. I also encouraged Buzz to prove we critics of the university were, frankly, idiots.
Alex, you obviously don't read this site often. And, you obviously don't know the difference between an openly "anti Buzz" site, and one where the administrators and many of the readers - while insanely huge MU supporters - are actually capable of having the same thoughts. In this case, that the hiring of Buzz was a gamble and one that MU should not have made.
Again, that's the OPINION of many of the readers. You don't share that. But to lambaste this site of having an anti-Buzz agenda? Please.
I agree we need to rip Crean as much as possible. Can someone please confirm that he really get a diet pepsi machine worked into his new contract?
He created a mess for us and then still recruits our guys. I still can't believe he threw everything away like that and left so unprofessionally. He's no Jack Harbaugh!
As I've said repeatedly, we're fine. Sweet 16 and kid from Racine
Everytime I am on this site, I see a bunch of whining. I see a lot of insuations that the administration was wrong to take the gamble to hire Buzz, and see, we lost Taylor and Williams! We were right!
This is a great hire, based on everything I have read. Support the administration's decision, and focus on the positives of what Buzz has done thus far. Until you can point to ONE negative thing the guy has done, give the administration and Buzz the benefit of the doubt.
Admittedly, given the administration's decision to go "Gold" a couple years ago gives us all reason to pause at the exercise of their judgment in the future. But, I hear that was Crean's idea anyway... anyone able to confirm that?
If you want to rip on someone, let it be the back-stabbing Tom Crean, not Buzz or the MU administration.
No Alex. You are in total friggin' denial.
The point is that NONE of us will know if this hiring was an abject failure, or a steal. We won't know for three years minimum. All we can do is look at how the school came to this decision. THAT is what people complain about.
It's more "why Buzz", versus, "Buzz sucks and can't coach!" We can't say that because we don't know.
What we all do know is that after nine successful years under Crean, we went back to the assistant-coach well when many of us felt that MU had acquired enough equity and profile to land a seasoned, winning, veteran coach. Instead, we hired an untested assistant known for recruiting...in less than a week.
I agree that we need to all stop complaining about the hire now that it's been over a two weeks. But to criticize people and this site as having a bias because they aren't drinking all the kool-aid MU is serving? You are insane.
Go start a koom-bay-ya site for all things great and MU if you don't like what the majority of the readers saw as a questionable hire. (disclaimer - we all want MU to succeed. Wake up and realize that.)
For once, Gene and I genuinely agree. We all want Buzz to succeed and I want to be there when MU cuts down the nets in some large arena in early April. I also hope that Buzz is the coach because, if he is, I'll live to see it.
Look, the decision has been made. We can criticize all we want to about how it was made. Gene and I can respectfully disagree on Tyshawn -- and perhaps not so respectfully at times. But that's all water under the dam now. MU is in the Buzz area and we're all hopeful Buzz leads us to the Top 10 and a Final Four next year.
Buzz, you get even close to that and Gene, Packer Pat and I will kiss the ground you walk on.
I still don't know why with fans like us, Nick Williams and Tyshawn would go ANYWHERE else.
Packer Pat -- Jack Harbaugh? You're holding him up as an example of integrity? This is a guy who accepted what amounts to a "ghost payrolling" position because his daughter was married to the dictator of our athletic program.
He had no business in our athletic administration and did nothing but cash paychecks.
No, Gene. You are wrong. All this yapping about MU "should have hired a veteran, proven coach" is a red herring. It means nothing without people actually naming an alternative coach. Yes, Bennett would have been great, but the guy is loyal to the institution that hired his dad and gave him a chance. How is that MU's fault? That kid is only 38 years old anyway and only has 2 years of head coaching experience.
One can applaud the decision while not "drinking the kool aid," Gene. It is a great hire, and we were extremely lucky to have a hot coaching prospect like Buzz in our backyard. You are right -- we won't know for sure what he's like for several years to come -- but no matter who we hired, it would have been a gamble.
And, thus far, Buzz has done an excellent job, but I just see a bunch of whining and negativity here. We've got James and Mbakwe back, secured Fulce and Otule, acquired Butler, and kept Erik Williams. Wilson is still in the mix too. Not bad for two weeks of work. So far, so good for Buzz and the administration's decision... wouldn't you say?
As a Nebraska fan, incidentally, I'm glad the Huskers hired that 35 year old assistant with no head coaching experience in 1973 named Tom Osborne. But, the way y'all think here, you wouldn't have done it. You would have hired a "veteran, proven" coach, right?
Buzz is a great hire. Until someone can point to one negative aspect of his coaching ability or style, then there is NO REASON to question the administration's decision. No reason at all.
Nathan's comment needs to be removed. To wish harm on a high school kid is not only mean, it is immoral.
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