They share a name and a school but do they share philosophies and values?Buzz comes off as a people person and a believer in hard work and high moral values. He is just the kind of person you would want to help mold your sons during those critical years of their young lives.
He's also a tremendous coach who has successfully led the MU basketball program for the last four years. As fans we could not ask for a better man or a better coach for our beloved Alma Mater. He has brought Marquette respect both on and off the court.
Now here comes Larry Williams from one of our two most despised rivals (UW and ND) on the basketball court. The teams we as alums want to beat into the ground every year.
He's been here only four months and there are rumors of discord between Buzz and Larry. We all know who's side we would be on if there was a fight. Larry, the guy who reads his speeches from a prompter, smiles too big, and does not inspire the confidence that he would have your back no matter what (he would have gotten blackballed long before Hell Week because he would have sucked up to too many guys telling each one what he thought they wanted to hear) vs Buzz, the guy who speaks from his heart and off his cuff, and loves everybody because thats what his beliefs tell him to do, and everybody loves and trusts him in return. I think our choice would be very obvious.
But this situation is not about a fight. Its about a job, Buzz's job. Buzz is the perfect fit for his job and Larry appears to be the tough politician Marquette needs in the wars of the Big East conference rooms and the shifting NCAA conference affiliations. The problem is how do such polar opposites co-exist under the same roof at Marquette??
The situation appears to be 90% closed for this year but what does the future hold for Marquette and the Williams??
Below are two articles from JSOnline concerning the statements from Buzz and Larry that Marquette released today.
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Comments from Buzz, Larry Williams
by Tom Enlund of JSOnline March 27, 2012 6:53 p.m.
Marquette has issued the following statements from men's basketball coach Buzz Williams and director of athletics Larry Williams concerning Buzz Williams' future:
"I want to thank all of our fans, alumni, students and administration who provided incredible support throughout our second consecutive Sweet 16 run," Buzz Williams said. "We are already looking forward to next season with a core group of returning players, while welcoming new recruits into the Marquette family. I am excited to build on our past success and we will continue to work to be the absolute best we can be. The future remains bright for our program, and our institution."
Said Larry Williams: "Coach Williams is a good man, great coach, and I look forward to working with him in the coming years. As we move forward, we want to make sure we stay focused on the rich history and core values that underpin this very unique program-among the elite in the nation-by continuing to emphasize our mission of remarkable success on the court and in the classroom."
Buzz Williams and Larry Williams will have no further comments relating to this matter.
Buzz Williams had reportedly been a candidate for the vacant SMU job.
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Williams Staying Put at Marquette
by Tom Enlund of JSOnline March 27, 2012 8:53PM
Despite rumors to the contrary, it would appear that Marquette University men's basketball coach Buzz Williams isn't going anywhere.
Responding to what Marquette termed "speculative news reports," Williams and director of athletics Larry Williams issued statements Tuesday night indicating that the coach would remain at the school.
"I want to thank all of our fans, alumni, students, and administration who provided incredible support throughout our second consecutive Sweet 16 run," Buzz Williams said in the statement. "We are already looking forward to next season with a core group of returning players while welcoming new recruits into the Marquette family."
"I am excited to build on our past success and we will continue to work to be the absolute best we can be. The future remains bright for our program and our institution."
Williams reportedly was a candidate for the vacant job at Southern Methodist and the school was rumored to be preparing to offer a large contract - possibly as much as $30 million over 10 years - to lure him from Marquette.
That fueled other rumors that there had been a rift between Larry Williams, in his first year on the job, and Buzz Williams and that some off-court situations that led to player suspensions late in the season might also lead to the coach's departure.
There was further speculation in some quarters that Buzz Williams would not take the SMU job but might move on if an offer from a higher-profile program(Texas) came his way.
But it sounds now as if Williams already is preparing for his fifth season at the helm of the Golden Eagles.
"Coach Williams is a good man, great coach, and I look forward to working with him in the coming year," said Larry Williams. "As we move forward, we want to make sure we stay focused on the rich history and core values that underpin this very unique program."
The school said that the coach and athletic director would not comment further.
Buzz Williams has a 96-45 coaching record at Marquette, including 46-26 in the Big East, and the Golden Eagles have garnered bids to the NCAA Tournament in each of those seasons.
The Golden Eagles were 27-8 overall in 2011-'12, finished alone in second place in the Big East with a 14-4 record and went undefeated at home (9-0) in the conference. It was Marquette's best finish in the Big East since joining in 2005-'06.
The Golden Eagles defeated Brigham Young and Murray State in the NCAA Tournament before being defeated by Florida in the Sweet 16.
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