Would money be a Buzz kill?
Published: 3/21/2011 12:05 AM
Last Modified: 3/21/2011 12:05 AM
There is much concern among Oklahoma coach search followers over Marquette’s NCAA tournament success. There should be. Every win ties Buzz Williams closer to his current program, not so much financially but personally.
To me, today’s grim economic bulletin isn’t that Marquette made the Sweet 16 and therefore drove up Williams’ going rate – that rate was already plenty high, given the man reportedly made $1.5 million this season.
Rather, it’s what a Guy Who Hears Things told me: Williams just might have a seven-figure buyout.
Don’t know if that’s the case. Contract details leak from private schools like Marquette a little slower. But it would make sense, given the lengths that major schools go to in order to protect themselves in situations like coach searches/poaches/departures.
If that buyout is real, and if Williams is/was a player for the OU job, you would have to stack that on top of the $2 million OU still owed Jeff Capel when he was fired. And, don’t forget, the $2 million it will likely take to outbid Marquette, Arkansas or anyone else for Williams’ services.
The Sooners are in a bad place basketball-wise. I know Joe Castiglione is fully aware of that. But would he be willing to attach a $5 or $6 million price tag on repairs?
That doesn’t seem to jibe with his hiring history.
Of course, firing Capel seemed a bit out of character as well. Perhaps that’s a sign of how seriously Joe C is taking the situation, and that he’s willing to go all in to get Williams, Josh Pastner or Ben Howland (just felt like a new name tonight).
Again, I think Marquette’s NCAA weekend is going to make it seriously difficult for Williams to tear himself away, for reasons beyond dollar signs.
But if money is a factor, and the Guy Who Hears Things occasionally hears things that are true, and Williams was ever an OU possibility in the first place…
He might not be any longer.
-- Guerin Emig
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
