Buzz is one of the more interesting wild card names on our list. He's not someone that you immediately think of when a coaching vacancy pops up, but he's a respected head coach with a great personality that has won everywhere he's gone. I'm not sure Williams would accept an offer if Illinois came calling, but I think he'd listen. The biggest hurdle with Buzz is how solidified he appears to be in Blacksburg. He's paid handsomely and is just now starting a rebuild for the Hokies. Would he really want to leave such an established and upwards-trending gig for an uncertain future in Champaign? I don't think so, but I think he'd certainly be worth a phone call.
I don't think there's a program in the country Buzz would leave Virginia Tech for. Whit gave him exactly the contract he wanted and the team is on a upward trajectory.
Unless Illinois is willing to deliver a Brinks truck to his home, I don't see why he would leave Blacksburg.
Comments
After the Nebraska game during the Wooden Classic in Anaheim, Buzz spoke to the local alumni association and took non-basketball questions. Someone asked him how he liked Blacksburg. His response wasn't as enthusiastic as I would hope. It was apparent he didn't like the rurality of Blacksburg both personally and for recruiting reasons. He did say it's great for living and raising his kids. He also said loved being in the ACC. But, I definitely took away that he would leave VT for a better option (top-tier program in an elite conference in an urban setting). UofI, Champaign doesn't really fit that bill. (mediocre team in solid conference, extremely rural, but only 2 hrs from Chicago)
But at the same time, do you think Buzz is leaving for a program like Boston College? I used to think Buzz would leave VT to go to Texas if Shaka got fired but I think he's got a great thing going at VT right now- one of the best AD's in the country, low expectations, an amazing contract, strong recruiting classes and spillover $$$ from the football program.
Also, here's a low key secret: When Cassell is rocking, it is the most difficult place to play in the ACC...I had a friend who went to Duke while I was at VT. I went to visit him and went to Cameron during Duke/UNC, he came to visit me during VT/UVA in Cassell. We both agreed that Cassell was the more intimidating environment.
BC, no. Boston, as far as I can tell, is not the right type of urban for basketball recruiting. I don't think they have the athletes that come out of there, like from DC, Chicago, or Philadelphia.
But, I wouldn't be very surprised if left for any mid-tier urban school with a football program like UMD, GT or OSU, or any blue-blood. Maybe even a school like NWU, if he wants another rebuilding project.
I'm just relaying the words out of his mouth with the associated demeanor. It was almost as if he was struggling to find positive things to say about the town.
When he leaves it will probably be for a football school (with their stability) in a bigger city. So, Ohio State and Texas are both in 1M population environments. A sleeper might be Minnesota, in a 4.3M metro area.
Louisville and Baton Rouge are at 250K, Knoxville is 200K, Gainesville and Norman are at 150K, at 100K is College Station, Champaign, Bloomington; Stillwater isn't much bigger than Blacksburg (but is closer to home for Buzz).
If I was to guess a top 5:
1. Texas -- Shaka looks solid for at least three more years, but he could jump to the ACC if something opens (UNC?)
2. Louisville -- see this link about ACC coaches upcoming turnover where Buzz is mentioned with L'ville
3. Indiana -- Oh, Tom Crean. Get your shit together.
4. Ohio St -- Thad Matta has serious health concerns and a significant decline the last 4 seasons.
5. Oklahoma -- Lon Kruger is 64 years old (!)
Fortunately, all these schools have other options than Buzz, many of whom have more success than he does (Shaka, Cronin, Mack, Wright, the Millers, Brey, Bennett). It needs to be the right opportunity for Buzz and the school needs to want him more than, say, Chris Mack.
When did they start playing football at UMD?
But you didn't say anything about him leaving for a program like Boston College.
Unfortunately, there are about 30 schools in the Power 5 that would make me very nervous if they had an opening. And there will undoubtedly be openings at a few of those schools every year.
I think we're going to be stressed out every offseason (or until all major coaching vacancies are filled) as long as Buzz is in Blacksburg.
I've heard that LSU will come calling.
Which is a problem. LSU fits all the boxes that Buzz wanted when he moved here, but in a city 6x bigger, closer to home and in arguably better recruiting ground.
LSU has a for-shit basketball history, save Pistol Pete, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (Chris Jackson) and Shaq. But it's still a better basketball history than VT.
This season, the ACC may also point out how the challenge isn't worth it. Watch the seedings for ACC teams, if we are rewarded for beating up on each other (UNC1, Lville2, Duke3, FSU3, UVA4/5, ND4/5, VT6/7, Miami6/7), then it will prove worth it. But if the ACC teams are all underseeded by a couple notches from those slots, then it may be time to reassess the value of beating your head against the wall in the ACC every night when you could go play Mizzou, Miss St and Auburn.
And risk being overseeded instead?
Auburn can come off your list with Pearl there as the head coach until he gets caught violating something or another again. He had them at a bubble position until these last few games this year and this is only year 2 for him. Years past they were terrible though.
So many of those SEC teams outside Florida and Kentucky seem to rotate from top to bottom year on year though so its hard to tell whose going to be up or down over there.
Your assessment of LSU as a possible destination is unfortunately spot on.
This year in the SEC is a great example of why it is appealing....even at a school like LSU. Most teams probably have 2 games against either Kentucky, UF or USC and one against the other two. That's 4 tough games, and a lot of UGA, Bama, UT, Vandy, aTm, Ark, Ole Miss games. it's like playing 12 games against Clemson and Wake.
It all depends in your definition of rural and fertile recruiting grounds, but I'll give you the "closer to home" factor. All of Louisiana is as rural or more than VA, with the exception of NO, and while there would be more recruits coming out of Baton Rouge than Blacksburg, I think that would be pretty irrelevant to most coaches in this day and age. If you consider NO and Houston to be more fertile recruiting areas than the DMV, Charlotte, Roanoke, and NC, then that could be a factor, but I don't think it is, although the competition for recruits up this way is probably higher, also.
However, I don't take much from the "closer to home" factor, cause Marquette wasn't too close to home, and I'm sure with his success at Marquette, he could have selectively picked to fill a coaching vacancy in the vicinity of "home" moreso than Blacksburg.
As far as the rural thing, last time I was in the Blacksburg/Christiansburg area, it looks like it has about everything from a commercial standpoint than any DMV metro area. Now 30 years ago, yes, it had next to nothing, but now it has pretty much every commercial entity known to man.
I think if Buzz left, it would be for a more lucrative deal and more perks, cause right now he has a sweet gig at a great school in arguably the best basketball conference around with a team on the rise. All things considered, I'm not sure what more a coach could want than that.
Hey, didn't we go through all these discussions last off-season?
I hadn't thought about them, but yeah, that could be a problem.
I'll agree with you when Cassell is packed, it can be a very hard place to play. But to say it is more intimidating than Cameron Indoor? I will have to respectively disagree big time.... They have their students hanging over the players all around the court, hands in the player's faces when passing inbounds from sidelines, better acts behind the basket when the other team is shooting free throws to distract them, and students jumping every single play, whereas we for the most part just do that when sandman is on. Now I get their student seat placement is WAYYYY better than ours, and that does help the fan get more involved because they know they are always on tv but I think 99/100 people/fans/analysts/etc will say VT's home court advantage comes far behind Duke's overall home court environment.
Been to both. Cameron's game atmosphere in a weak matchup is better than Cassell's in a major matchup. That venue is just designed to be intimidatingly intimate and that place gets extremely loud quickly and easily. Cassell is nice, but it doesn't hold a candle to Cameron.
100% agree.... until we can fill our stadium like Duke does for games against South Central Louisiana State University like teams (Bobby Boucher, what did I tell you about Duke?!?! THEY ARE THE
blueDEVIL!!!), then we have start back this conversation.There is ALWAYS another job that with the right offer for the right job at the right money people will leave for.
I got to know a HC of an Olympic sport at one of the premiere schools in the country. He has won multiple national championships. he's the Saban of his sport. I asked him after a few beers if he would ever leave. He said, "I'm a lapsed catholic, I would take ND in a second." ND has no presence in his sport.
Was it football? /s
Either way - In Whit We Trust
Buzz has already made one very bewildering move.
Good luck guessing the next move.
I'd be shocked if Buzz was at VT in 2022.
Go away
DO YOU PEOPLE THINK I LIKE THINKING THAT? Lol kidding, but still... just don't see him as a Beamer. Fuente seems like a different story though.
Yeah I have to agree
I'm afraid I look at Buzz and see Dressler. He'd go back home if he gets the opportunity. Hate to say it, but that's my fear.
Thats why OK State last year seemed like the perfect gig. I'm still surprised and relieved he didn't bolt for that.
I really think that Buzz is a very principled person. I think he feels he made a commitment to VT and will honor that. I think he did not leave for OK State because he had not fulfilled that commitment. What I am not sure of is what he thinks will fulfill that commitment. I hope that Whit can keep him happy here.
This x1000. It's clear from watching Buzz postgame and keeping up with his social media that he is very grounded and down to earth. The commitments you make, you keep. Stay loyal to those you are serving.
Here's my 0.02. I think Buzz definitely stays through his contract at VT (unless there's an offer he cannot resist, which means either cash we can't pay him or a blue-blood program). I long wondered why in the world Buzz wanted to take over a dumpster fire of a program that had 0 history beyond Dell Curry and winning the NIT once. We know Buzz loves a challenge, and we know he doesn't back down from anything or anyone. In fact, I think he savors being the underdog and teaching his players to always fight for every inch (which is what we needed). Now, will he stay PAST his contract? That's the big question mark, and I doubt Buzz has it planned out that far in advance. I personally hope (we all agree on this) that Buzz wants to build a dynasty here, and leave his mark on CBB through VT. However, I'm not sure that Buzz is really about "building his legacy" like Coach Krzyshezkiskiu or Boeheim.
We really need to be thankful that we have Buzzketball for the time being, and enjoy the ride. Enjoy the moment. Live in the here and now. Buzz would phrase that so much more stoically...
remember, after year 4, his contract automatically gets an extension every year, so....I'm assuming you mean 7 years total?
winning the NIT
onceTWICE FTFYI honestly did not know we won the NIT twice. Thanks for larnin' me. The '73 title was before my time...although I was just a couple months old when we won it in '95 so I wouldn't remember that either.
The '95 NIT run was fantastic...mainly because that team was so much fun to watch. After some home night games, it used to be that you'd find some of the guys from the team having a late meal at the Hardee's on Prices Fork (Hardee's was really the only place to eat in town past midnight back then...either there or Kroger). I remember seeing Shawn Smith (our Barkley-esque 6-6, 250lb PF) there one night with a couple handfuls of cheeseburgers towering over the crowd. He was trying to get to a booth while everyone else was trying to give him a high five.
Anyway, the bunch on the team that season were just great guys...I think that's what made that NIT run so special.
That year was awesome. Travis Jackson hitting the 3 from the corner to beat NM St 74-71 and then everyone just mobbed the Cassell court. That was definitely the basketball highlight of my time in Blacksburg. Watching Bimbo was fun too but we never did much with him and Frankie Allen was a mediocre coach (only play he seemed to run was thumbs up Bimbo).
Never was a fan of Frankie Allen. He cut me when I tried to walk on as a freshman in 1976. At the time, he was the assistant in charge of walk-on tryouts. I always said he was not a good evaluator of talent. LOL
Pretty sure Dresser left just because he was tired of people in VA spelling his name wrong. /s
Shocked at 2022? Yes.
Surprised if he's still here in 2019.
Buzz won't be a VT lifer, but he'll hold out for a better job than Illinois. Watch out if Texas A&M, Oklahoma, etc. open up (I have no idea about the respective job security of either of those coaches).
The real key is with Whit we are in much better position to maintain our relevance if Buzz does leave. We've built a practice facility, upgraded Cassell, become a mid-tier ACC team, Whit would make another great hire if/when buzz does go.
Can he keep batting 1.000? I imagine that he's going to strike out one of these times. I hope not, but what he's doing is beyond unreasonable expectations.
He's had a miss before. Tuberville at Cinci looked great on paper but didn't turn out great, and while he has more resources at VT, cinci is still a tier 1 G5 gig (their 3 coaches before Tubs were Dantonio, Brian Kelly, and Butch Jones). And while he's done great so far, he's made 3 major hires in his career, that's not a huge track record. I have faith in his abilities, and I would stand by him even if the next choice didn't work out great, but I don't think it's a guarantee whatsoever. It's a hard job.
And is it really that certain that we'll keep Whit that long? He's done an amazing job for us ... it seems like there are other schools that could make a pretty sweet offer to somebody with his proven ability.
His kids are in the high school here with a couple of years to go. So I imagine they are here for at least 2 more years.
Whit is at Tech for the long haul. I will be really surprised if he ever leaves of his own volition. He's stated on multiple occasions this is his dream job and there is no other job in the country he'd rather have. I believe him.
I think Fuente likes Tech a lot and could be here for awhile, but there are jobs that will be hard to turn down if they come after him.
I wouldn't bet on Buzz leaving this offseason, but I also wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if he left.
He could be a candidate for next ACC Commish.
What about BIG? They should be close to getting new commissioner. You think Whit would want that job or if they would look at him?
Why do you guys discuss this nonsense?
Whit has a job: making VT into an athletics powerhouse.
And Buzz has a job: making VT into a basketball powerhouse.
And Fuente has a job: making VT into a football powerhouse.
The same logic that goes into the Buzz discussion applies to the other big names we have. We are blessed to have a school with a strong athletic department, but we are not a Top 10 program by any stretch, and this is an industry where the cream tends to rise.
Whit already declined a job at a very prestigious ACC school and chose VT instead.
He's not leaving VT for any college, only way I can see him leaving is to be the ACC Commish.
What school did he decline?
FSU in 2013.
Sauce?
Buddy of mine who worked at Cincy while Whit was there, said he basically turned down FSU because he knew VT was going to soon have an opening.
If Buzz were to leave tomorrow, he would have left this program in a better place than he found it. He has proven that you can build a competitive team in Blacksburg. I am thankful for that.
Edit: updated for clarity
wait, he left?
No.
im kinda worried about georgetown not gonna lie given the conversations going on here
Me too. Except, he left Marquette and the Big East to be join a revenue-producing athletic department (i.e., big-time football school) and the best basketball conference. I don't think Georgetown provides that.
Counterargument: It's Georgetown basketball. You have to be crazy not to at least think about it.
in washington dc
Yea, I'm sure he has some sort of over-analyzed pros and cons list where he has every major D1 basketball school ranked. G'town does have a lot of positives.
Buzz himself has said numerous times he expects the Power 5 conference to break away which is why he wanted to be in the guild before it happened and why he left Marquette for VT. Going to Gtown would be counter to that line of thinking, so no I don't expect to see that happen.
The NCSU opening is something he would absolutely angle for, but I doubt they give him a look.
He's not an NCSU guy. Not a "sexy" enough hire for that group of people. They all imagine in Raleigh that if John Wooden resurrected from the dead, that's the guy they'd want and could realistically get.
In 10 yrs - and probably less - the Big East basketball programs will be shell of their former selfs. Both in quality and influence in the sport.
Buzz has already thought about this. I don't see him giving it much additional thought.
Just hypothetically speaking: How out of the question would it be for Georgetown to put together a Division 1 football program? They wouldn't even need a stadium as they could play their games at FedEx Field.
They already are D1 FCS, in the Patriot League.
Side Note: The Solid Verbal is, at least in my opinion, the best nation-wide CFB podcast. If you listened, you would know all about the Patriot League, and that Fife. (It's a running joke (kinda) on the podcast that they preview the Patriot League, but really, all they do is pick winners based on a whim.)
Just did a little research, it's cute that they're in the FCS but they don't even offer scholarships for their players. It's a club team. The stadium is the smallest in D1 football.
If Georgetown was willing to put their resources into creating a P5-level football program, they would become the obvious choice for ACC expansion...the chances of that happening are smaller than the Wahoos beating VT but it's a fun hypothetical to think about.
I was about to chime in and say that the Patriot League prohibited them from offering football scholarships... but apparently that changed starting with the 2012 season.
I agree that if Georgetown suddenly released a plan to upgrade their football facilities and move to FBS that they'd enter the conversation to join the ACC. Villanova might also enter that conversation someday, if they ever finally decide to make the jump. UConn is another obvious target, if they ever create the illusion of caring about football.
I don't think they would be. ACC will want another good football program for the tv contract, and theres just no way Georgetown would have one for awhile. Think that would DQ Villanova (who actually helped wreck the Big East by trying to bring their program to FBS and force it's way into the Big East) and probably UConn.
Only real expansion schools I could see as realistic, not counting ND who I think will join full time in the next 5 or so years, are Cincinnati, maybe Texas if certain rumors are true, WVA if the ACC decides to say f it in terms of academics, and Navy as a football only. Don't think FSU or Miami would let another Florida school in, same with the Carolina schools and a Carolina target, and I doubt us or UVA would support an ODU/JMU/Georgetown type. Think the ACC ends up pulling a stunner to get their 16th member though.
I think the most realistic option is UConn but it's not a school i'm that excited about outside of basketball.
No to UConn. The ACC could have done that years ago if they had any interest. They have enough private and small regional draws. Notre Dame, Texas are the fish they are looking to land and no one else raises the conference profile.
Penn St? Although I'm not sure what the ACC could offer to pull them from b10.
Penn State has supposedly had some interest in it in the past. I think in general people overstate the money coming in from TV contracts in terms of decision making of schools but the money they get to be in that research thing the Big 10 has is the big reason they stay there. Wouldn't completely astound me if they switched over though, I forget where I saw it but there was an article at some point about how some of the big money boosters wanted it. Something about how they thought the Big 10 should have stuck up for them during the JoePa scandal
Why? They have a lot of rivalries in the Big 10 and their style fits, of a midwestern type school. Pitt probably fits the Big 10 better as well but couldn't get in there.
Buzz would not leave for Georgetown, unless he has a vast change of heart on what his preferences are.
Texas and Shaka should be every VT fans second favorite college team right now, though.
Nah, he was at the Gtown of the midwest.
And you don't fire JT3 when he plays in John Thompson Arena. Georgetown seems to have come the realization that he has tenure and they need to just get used to it.
Buzz values fan support more than people realize. If we are gonna keep him long term, we will have to fill up Cassell more consistently. Having a half full stadium on a Tuesday at 7 against a final four Syracuse team from last year is not gonna entice Buzz to be a VT lifer.
We need to fill up Cassell as much as possible to keep Buzz happy, we are doing pretty well for weekend games but the key is the weekday conference games. Making a statement by hopefully making the tourney this year should definitely help garner more fans in Cassell on a consistent basis.
yep, that's a huge factor. And it's not just the students, all those out of town season ticket holders are a big problem.
Has there been any talk about a program where out of town season ticket holders can donate or sell (at a low price) their tickets to local students/high school kids etc..
It seems like this would up attendance at mid-week games and the younger crowd would also likely be much louder than the alumni season ticket holders.
Hokie Share has been in place for several years. I use it quite a bit since I live in NOVA.
I usually just give my tickets to friends, family and students at VT. Costs $4 to share the tickets for each game.
You can donate your tickets on the site for charity too.
Hokie Share is great. I donated out a couple of my hoops tickets that I couldn't get to earlier in the year.
I just want to know why the hell we can't use it for football?
So how much does it cost to buy a ticket on Hokie Share? I've seen it before on the website, but never looked closely at it or really wondered how it worked till I read this comment.
Costs $4 to share per transaction; doesn't matter how many tickets you share in the transaction. The owner of the ticket(s) can choose to pay the $4 or the person who receives the ticket(s) can pay it.
Don't know why it can't be used for football; especially since students have etickets.
Thanks! I'll have to use it next season. Sounds like a great way to get tickets last minute.
Tech totally needs an in house ticket marketplace and the ability to get E tickets especially for bowl and ACC championship game.
I will do my part. I told the wife that I want season tickets for next year. With the new re-organization, I should also be able to get decent tickets. She has vertigo and believe it or not, Cassell is steep enough that the nosebleeds are bad.
Just make it easier for the students to get in during the weekday games.
Reading the comments on that are ridiculous. Illinois isn't going to get Archie Miller or Tony Bennett. You're high if you think they even have a chance at either of those coaches. Archie Miller can get a top P5 job at this point if he wants it, and Tony Bennett isn't leaving for f-ing Illinois.
If Bennett wouldn't leave loluva for Wisconsin, I don't see him leaving for Illinois.
I'd only see Bennett leaving for UNC, Duke, Kentucky and maybe Louisville
Indiana would be an interesting decision for him. Kansas, if Self ever went to the NBA.
He wouldn't be a fit at all for Kentucky. To go from Cal's exciting style to Bennett'ball would lead to pitch forks and torches in Lexington. And they have a lot of pitch forks.
Duke will hire from within the Coach K tree now that there is some success there. It would be hard to imagine UNC hiring a UVA coach.
So, really not many places for Bennett to consider.
Good call on Indiana. I didnt think of that one and that could be a possible fit with his style.
Yeah, Indiana fits really well but I'm not sure this offseason is the right time for Bennett to consider it. His team is very young this year and I think he would want to see what he can get out of all those freshmen (those who don't transfer, I bet he loses one or two this year).
However, counter point, with Littlepage's absence, it has put Oliver in charge. That may have an impact, realizing that the post Littlepage future is very near (new president in 18 months, I doubt CL is there after they bring in a new president). That's a big factor in a lot of this, do you like your boss or not.
mark my words now, if gards recruiting class doesnt live up to expectations the seat in wisconsin could get warm. people are pretty dissapointed in this years team and a lot are chalking it up to "gard doesnt want to run this system" that being said with so much talent the badgers are significantly underachieving this year
if wisconsin ditches gard bennett will be the first choice on the list
I could see him wanting to go to Kansas or UCLA with the West Coast ties his family has although I am not sure either of those programs would put him near the top of their list. Not that it cant happen, but rarely do you see a coach jump inside a conference so Bennett might need that outside job to go to before coming back for one of the blue blood programs. It also comes back to fit though, and there arent a ton of fan bases that would want to watch what Bennett does on a regular basis. UVA may become his permanent place because they have accepted his style of coaching.
Very true and good points. I just think it depends on what he does. If he proves this is a "down year" and keeps getting to the elite eight then that would be hard to ignore even if his style is boring AF. I was just looking at him as taking a program that's had limited success outside of Sampson to a top 10-20 team.
Didn't Buzz come to VT because he wanted to play with the best of the ACC, and put his own stamp on a program?
I'm hoping he stays long enough to prove he can achieve success at a program that may not be an obvious one.
My money says by the end of next season, he will have put his stamp on this program, and he'll have a chance to go from coaching against the best of the ACC to coaching for the best of the ACC.
Playing for the best of the ACC is still playing against the best of the ACC.
After year 4, the buyout in Buzz's contract is only $500,000. That is VERY low, and I'm sure there's a reason for it.
Yeah, he got a sweetheart deal. VT needed him more than he needed VT.
Every year, he is improving the program and putting it on the map.
Choosing to believe that Buzz will be in Blacksburg forever is choosing to get your heart broken. I love Buzz, and think that he has been amazing for the program. That being said, nothing that he has said since he's been at VT suggests that he's here for a while. I respect the fact that he's not blowing smoke at us, and choose to see it for what it is. When the opportunity comes for Buzz to make the best decision for his family, he's going to make that decision. When that time comes, we should thank him for what he's done, and trust that Whit will make a great hire.
He just finished building a great big house up the street from our Bburg house. I understand it was his wife's dream house, so he could be around for a bit.
The only thing better than your dream house is a bigger dream house.
The only thing better than your dream house is
a bigger dream houseit being in a great place like Blacksburg.FIFY
I'm drunk. But I hope buzz stays. 2 fold.
I for some reason have a feeling that Buzz post VT will be maybe looking to see if his gig translates to the NBA. Kind of an outlier given how he loves shaping younger kids lives.
Party just started...Buzz can't leave until we have at least one nuckin futs run in the NCAA Tourney. Once we do have said nuckin futs run in said nuckin futs tourney why would he want to ever leave! Disclosure - I've been drinking.
I think he at least waits until his older two kids finish high school. Moving kids in high school, especially a daughter, is an immediate worst dad of the year nomination in their eyes. That gives him 4 or so more years to really establish the program and complete what he set out to do here. After that if the right opportunity comes (non-ACC P5 school in a bigger town/city) I wouldn't be surprised if he leaves. I just don't see him leaving within the next 4 years. But I don't expect him to be around forever, although he has become a big Beamer fan and that relationship may have changed his mind.
He's got 4 kids, isn't he going to have someone in HS for the next decade?
Coaches are nomads and their families understand it. I wouldn't hold on to traditional normal people standards for things like kids in HS.
I think there's a few gap years between the older two and the younger two. Coaches move a lot but I think that time when theit kids are in high school they are most likely to stay put if they can
I hope you're right but I think the kids of big time college basketball/football coaches have a pretty easy time making friends in school
If anyone follows the "Tha Real Hokie Nation" page on fb, some dude posted this yesterday:
"Soo I was told that a couple big time donors went with the basketball team up to Boston College. While up there they went with the team to every function, meals etc.So thinking they were going to get to talk to buzz williams...didn't happen.I was told that buzz didn't even make eye contact with them the whole trip.Reason being is that buzz williams is totally focus and it has been told he puts in over 100 hours a week doing bb preparations. It was also told to me that he feels that this is his last stop.He has no interest of coaching anywhere else and will retire at VT"
take it for what it is worth, and this came from a guy that he "trusts with his life"...At Buzz's age, I have a hard time believing he has even given a thought to where his "last stop" would be, so again, like I said take it for what it is worth, but I thought it was relevant to this discussion.
Buzz is such an enigma that I try not to read into anything that he does whatsoever.
I like to think that unless Texas or Oklahoma offer him a head coaching gig that he'll stay here. The true basketball blue bloods aren't going to go after him, and he already coaches in the best conference.
And in spite of the smoke around Buzz and the Okie St. job last year I heard that in the end he never even spoke with them.
Okie St had to pay off Travis Ford ($4M) and got Brad Underwood for a little over $1M/year.
Buzz makes between $2.6M and $3.3M.
So part of the reason he never spoke to Okie St could be that they were going cheap from the start.
Or maybe he just doesn't want to coach in the Big XII after seeing what the ACC is like, or at the very least not at Okie St.
At some point, does the ACC become a negative? We'll see how the seeding shakes out this year. If there is a penalty, then one might see it as a negative.
South Carolina vs. VT is a good case study. Very similar teams, one win apart, 10 spots in the RPI.
In the B12, the case study is......Okie State.
Sounds similar to what happened in Raleigh earlier this year before the NCSU Game. Buzz was supposed to speak to the Hokie Club, and because of a delay, he never showed.
That being said, I don't necessarily buy that Buzz is making any kind of statements either internally or publicly that he is here for life. If a school like Kentucky, Kansas, UNC, Duke, UCLA, Michigan State, Indiana, or any of those other legitimate basketball powerhouses come calling, I don't see how he turns them down to stay here.
That being said, barring any of those other programs making an offer he can't refuse, he's coaching in the top conference in the country, making a boat load of money, residing in the back yard of one of the biggest recruiting hotbeds in the country, at a job that comes with absolutely no pressure, working for a great Athletic Director, with one of the most coaching friendly contracts in the country. That's going to be hard to give up down the line to go and start over somewhere else, in likely a lesser caliber conference.
I believe that Buzz has said that he doesn't envision himself coaching much past 50, so if he were to retire at VT, it could come within the next 7 or 8 years.
I could definitely see this being true of Buzz, especially when you read about how he lives, budgeting no more than he needs, anecdotes coming out about how his favorite breakfast place workers arent surprised when his card is rejected at the end of the month, and his contract takes care of a ton of daily expenses that most of us would face, believe its been said they live off a $500K budget annually so thats alot of compounding interest being built up on the retirement fund. Wont be long until his retirement fund probably provides him the $500K annually in an interest payment. By my count, he would only need $16.67M in an account giving him 3% interest to return that $500K. Not that hard to do if you imagine earning $2+M annually for almost 20 years, which with his time at Marquette, his three years here already, and those 7-8 more years could easily be the case.
how does one live on a $500K budget in Blacksburg and still have their card declined?
Also, how is $500K the budget for what one needs? I don't make, nor does anyone in my family make, or ever made, even close to $500K and we have more than everything we need
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/buzz-williams-left-marquette-for-virginia-tech-and-many-wonder-why/2015/03/09/b6809952-c667-11e4-a199-6cb5e63819d2_story.html?utm_term=.24c3cfd5b51f
As for where the rest of the $500k goes, I have no idea.
As for the rest of the $500K, i think it has been well discussed on the wife having built his dream home. I could see a huge chunk of the money going there, even if its paying off the house early. Probably a few really nice vacations in his limited off time. Not sure if he is still covering the mortgage on the old home either from his Marquette days. Know they were trying to sell that and lowered the price significantly a couple times.
If you are not listening to post game interviews with Laazer and Burnop you're really missing out. He's made some strange comments that reflect 757hokie83 comments. He's said things like 'how much longer I can do this', comments about family, etc. I can easily see the idea that this is his last stop being true. He's a different animal as we all know.
As far as a UK, UNC etc. calling, I don't see it. I have no inside info, but Buzz is not a front runner. He's junk yard dog and a blue blood program would be TOTALLY out of character. Not sure how he would keep his edge at places like that.
Did anyone else see this thread get revived and have their heart skip a beat?
Yes particularly when the first new comment I read was:
I read that and my heart dropped out of my chest. Still not sure what that is all about.
Buzz hasn't left.
Looks like Illinois hired Okie State's coach, Brad Underwood. We're good on that front for now!
Okie St. must not have wanted to give him a pay raise after year 1.
Oh great. IMO: Okie State was the one team last year that I was worried about who would back the money truck up to Buzz's front porch and steal him away. Now we have to deal with that all over again.
Buzz didn't even speak with them, for what it's worth.
Plus, they only ended up paying Underwood $1 million a year. Maybe they aren't actually willing to pony up that much for shootyhoops.
So is Whit gonna get out the checkbook this week and lock him up longer?
didn't he just sign an extension with a raise recently?
Extend the extension!
EDIT: Reply to directly above
Buzz has all the money he seeks at VT. Whit's done his job, the number one thing Buzz seeks now is butts in Cassell on a consistent basis.
If we want him to stay long term, it's really up to us, the fans at this point. Buzz likes to be appreciated by the fans, even though he would never admit it.
I agree need more consistent sell outs and such!
Then Tech needs to get donors to upgrade the place, add boxes and reduce seating capacity.
I'm moving about an hour closer to Blacksburg this summer. Means I might be able to make some weekend games next year. Pretty excited about that.
I've always thought a packed Cassell was equally as fun as a packed Lane.
I think a full Cassell is way more intimidating than a full Lane.
I think that's only because of the proximity factor. I would say generally that great basketball arenas (Cameron, Allen Fieldhouse, Rupp) are going to be more intimidating than great football stadiums.