I just finished reading this article on Buzz Williams and it's really good. It gives you even more of a look into why Buzz left Marquette and came to VT. It also goes into his ideology and just generally what makes Buzz go.
Forums:
DISCLAIMER: Forum topics may not have been written or edited by The Key Play staff.
Comments
and now i like buzz williams even more
In Buzz I trust. I like a coach who dedicates himself to fixing a historically bad basketball situation. Buzz likes the challenge.
These passages stuck out to me the most as for his decision to come to Blacksburg and leave Marquette.
The way I read it, he determined that as money behind TV exposure continues to grow in the technology age for large schools with major football or basketball programs, the most financially secure future lies with one that has BOTH. Also, the bar is set so low at VT, he should have no problem improving each year to keep up his job security. The engineer in me approves of this logic.
I just read this article this morning. I was really impressed with Buzz. The future is bright for Hokie basketball with this unique, out of the box coach.
The whole part on Coach Roc was awesome. Shows Buzz's true character, and what an outstanding person he is.
Seriously, how can you read that and NOT be genuinely proud that this guy is now our head basketball coach?
Similar to an a post I read from a Marquette fan a while back - there will be a lot of transfers every year from his team because he is a very tough person to play for due to the amount of work he requires...the flip side to that is that he will have a team of players who will run through walls for him because of how much he cares about them and truly wants them to succeed as people and players.
Apparently this not only applies to players but coaches too - I bet Coach Roc will be working his butt off for Buzz and be fiercely loyal.
Run through walls you say???
This may be a little far fetched but I believe that his impact will go far beyond basketball. Having a strong Basketball program in a Football school only helps your Football program. I like his character and determination! Now let's go fill Cassell!
Not far fetched at all. Having a good basketball program keeps a school relevant in the media longer and strengthens the school overall brand.
Also, football prospects often go to basketball games on visits if football season is over and no doubt it helps if you have a packed house at those games rather than what we've had at Cassell for a while.
Living in South Carolina, I've been watching the Gamecocks' football improvement (this is a program that has won 2 conference championships-1933, and 1969-ACC!) and it has been fueled, IMHO, indirectly by USCe's baseball program and their 2 national championships.
So, I agree that other sports can uplift football.
Great read, and not at all surprising from what I've learned of Buzz. Also, there is one sentence in there that mirrors the HUGE shift in mindset that will be required of Hokie fans starting immediately. (should have already begun a few years back, but hasn't taken hold at all) - Buzz will build our program for us, and his blowtorch personality might offend some of the weaker among us. We say we want success, now we have the chance to prove we can handle it. I'm eager, because he is exactly what we need.
The only thing I am concerned with Buzz is burnout, other than that let's enjoy the ride! A few months have changed the outlook for this program for sure.
As with a previous coach, the burnout will come from the fans, not the coach. The fans are the ones who need to understand we're not in the colonial days of the Southern Conference any more, that basketball operates differently in the 21st century. Buzz will do fine, and accomplish his goals. The only question is if the fan base quits first because of ignorance of today's basketball.
Great article. The engineer in me loves his weirdness even more - he's a nerd and data-whore and I love that in him. A few points in there that stood out to me (the couple already mentioned I'll stay away from and I agree with my fellow TKPers wholeheartedly):
1. Buzz's words:
Perfect. This guy leaves no stone unturned. Every detail of his plan and how he expects it to be executed is practice, analyzed, and drilled into his players heads until the execution is perfect. A coach who thinks this way will win those close games more than lose them. VT can certainly use that!
2. "He researched every coach who has been at a high-major program for at least eight seasons to the point where he learned that staying in the same place too long in this era -- especially when you'll be inheriting a new athletic director soon, like he would've been at Marquette -- proves to be a mistake more often than not for most men."
Buzz will be at VT for no more than 8-10 years. Less if he can prove successful faster. Count on it. This guy understands how media trends affect college coaching and conference exposure and he works it tirelessly.
3. "...what I later learned is that Williams does not technically have an agent, that he actually negotiates and even writes large parts of his contracts, and that he learned to do this by filing Freedom of Information Act requests with public universities."
Buzz's nerd mentality drives him to control his contract basis as well as his team. Talk about acting on data gathered and following through with it! This guys applies the same constructs to all parts of his vocation. Good on him - a good lesson for all of us.
4. "...he knows how he compares to every other coach his age.
He knows how he compares to every other ACC coach.
He knows everything about Virginia Tech."
Buzz, welcome to Hokie Nation. The guy wants to understand all of us as well. How perfect is that!!
Hokie Men's Basketball is in Good, umm, no... Great! Hands.
Couple things... I agree about the tenure assessment. I hope for 8 years, will be satisfied with 6 years. As for knowing everything about VaTech? He had never heard of Steppin' Out until this week. I also will guesstimate his 4/16 history might be a little fuzzy, although that is completely forgivable, as I sometimes wish mine were as well... Regardless, I will gladly accept his time here and not whine when it ends, unlike (I suspect) about 90% of Hokie Nation. It's a new world, folks, get used to it...
OK, I was being generous on the "know everything" statement - that was a quote from the article, BTW. I just like that he does his homework on a lot of stuff!
We agree on Buzz's obsession for knowledge. I also am willing to give him the benfit of doubt about 99 times before I question the hundredth. He is absolutely an obsessivbe about things, and my hope is that four years from now people won't be small minded and use that against him. The old school perceptions that 99+% of our fan base holds dear must be tossed aside when understanding Buzz's path to success. He'll get us there, but the faint of heart won't understand the path. Instead, they'll pretend we're still in the 1950's Southern Conference mindset...