Buzz Williams to A&M

[FrancoPizza]

allegedly UCLA is close to hiring Jamie Dixon. would be a really good hire for them.

Add 2 automatic losses to Washington’s conference record.

 

[Sherman20]

I need someone to explain to me the argument for going to UCLA. I mean I get the history of the program and everything but they have been to 3 final 4's in the last 40 years. They don't have great facilities and they have an unrealistic fan base. They are in LA and it's a nice campus and everything but why would you leave UVA. He has been consistently beating Duke, UNC and the rest of the ACC and now just broke through to the final 4.

Some of the best high school recruits in the country are within driving distance of rhe campus.

 

[LAOrange]

I find it really interesting how much the SEC is now investing in basketball, a sport that historically they cared little about other than Kentucky and the occasional competitive Tennessee, LSU, Florida etc run. Wonder what is driving it - issues with Kentucky’s continued dominance and national spotlight, dreams of more revenue, a conference directive to be more of a national brand during March madness etc?

If you're playing the long game, football has less allure. The game will erode because parents are starting to keep their kids away from the violent sports. Also, football is expensive at the high school level compared to basketball. The SEC has to realize the shelf life on a sport with such a high overhead is limited.

 

[nolacuse44]

I need someone to explain to me the argument for going to UCLA. I mean I get the history of the program and everything but they have been to 3 final 4's in the last 40 years. They don't have great facilities and they have an unrealistic fan base. They are in LA and it's a nice campus and everything but why would you leave UVA. He has been consistently beating Duke, UNC and the rest of the ACC and now just broke through to the final 4.

Actually, it’s 5 final fours in the last 40 years (1980, 1995, 2006, 2007, 2008), including one championship. Not to mention the short-shrifted rest of the “history of the program.”

 

[TampaLaker]

I find it really interesting how much the SEC is now investing in basketball, a sport that historically they cared little about other than Kentucky and the occasional competitive Tennessee, LSU, Florida etc run. Wonder what is driving it - issues with Kentucky’s continued dominance and national spotlight, dreams of more revenue, a conference directive to be more of a national brand during March madness etc?

They have a commissioner who grew up on County Line Road between Skaneateles and Auburn, went to SUNY Cortland and SU and loves BBall. He told them to get their act together. He knows that football is the leader, but not the only game they need to succeed.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I find it really interesting how much the SEC is now investing in basketball, a sport that historically they cared little about other than Kentucky and the occasional competitive Tennessee, LSU, Florida etc run. Wonder what is driving it - issues with Kentucky’s continued dominance and national spotlight, dreams of more revenue, a conference directive to be more of a national brand during March madness etc?

They finally see that there's a lot of fun, a lot of prestige and a lot of money attached to doing well in hoops, too. The SEC certainly has the resources.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[longtimefan]

You can bet the new guy at A&M will be football, alpha to omega. Buzz better hope that he gets along with his new boss personally, or he could be gone in just 2-3 years. The Aggies have the cash to eat any firing penalty.