To take a break here and discuss Utah hoops...

[SeattleUte]

One of Giac's main problems (and I recall him stating as such but I don't have a link) is that he did not feel that a program like Utah could recruit on the same level as the top programs in America. So, he went international and got a bunch of scrubs that made Jonas Langvad look like Alex Jensen.

His other big problem was not capitalizing on the sweet 16 run. That team lost Bogut, Marc Jackon, Justin Hawkins and Richard Cheany. I know coaches need to get their "guys" in there, but you just can't let a player like Hawkins walk (and to a lesser extent Cheany).

Those transfers coupled with the influx of international "talent" (used very loosely) are a major part of what has set this program back in my opinion.

Well stated. The international experiment was a disaster.

[SeattleUte]

I think the best way to look at Majerus. He is a hell of a x and o coach, especially defense. In fact I laugh at people who attack Boylen for not knowing offense when we had some real doozies on offense.

But to be around he is unbearable. And he was doing some not so good things. The famed milk and cookie probation wasn't so harsh because the NCAA hates us. And the storm that was coming when he slinked off in the night, literally, well it would have been very boad.

And frankly Rick could have had something special at Utah. But instead he had this ego driven need to listen to any monkey job that came down the pike. When he listened to UNLV and SDSU, well quite frankly that's just a slap in the face. He could have had nearly everything here, but he decided Utah was beneath him and he was just doing us a favor. And why Ute fans kiss his ass for that I'll never know.

This is probably closest to the truth of any of your diatribes against Majerus. I think we could probably agree on this with a few tweaks.

[MartyFunkhouser]

I think the best way to look at Majerus. He is a hell of a x and o coach, especially defense. In fact I laugh at people who attack Boylen for not knowing offense when we had some real doozies on offense.

But to be around he is unbearable. And he was doing some not so good things. The famed milk and cookie probation wasn't so harsh because the NCAA hates us. And the storm that was coming when he slinked off in the night, literally, well it would have been very boad.

And frankly Rick could have had something special at Utah. But instead he had this ego driven need to listen to any monkey job that came down the pike. When he listened to UNLV and SDSU, well quite frankly that's just a slap in the face. He could have had nearly everything here, but he decided Utah was beneath him and he was just doing us a favor. And why Ute fans kiss his ass for that I'll never know.

Majerus oh-fense is light years ahead of anything that Boylen has had in his time at Utah. We never had an oh-fense under Majerus as bad as we had this year.

Rick did have something special at Utah. He had a run that we have never come close too and sadly will likely never come close to again. We can have another great run at Utah, but it will likely never be what Majerus did in his time at Utah. I could live with his ego because his ego is what made him great. Great coaches are often huge assholes. Majerus was both.

[SeattleUte]

Majerus oh-fense is light years ahead of anything that Boylen has had in his time at Utah. We never had an oh-fense under Majerus as bad as we had this year.

Rick did have something special at Utah. He had a run that we have never come close too and sadly will likely never come close to again. We can have another great run at Utah, but it will likely never be what Majerus did in his time at Utah. I could live with his ego because his ego is what made him great. Great coaches are often huge assholes. Majerus was both.

The assholes usually wind up like Majerus.

[MartyFunkhouser]

The assholes usually wind up like Majerus.

That isn't true at all. Look at Mark Few and Coach K.

[Mr. Crimson]

Majerus oh-fense is light years ahead of anything that Boylen has had in his time at Utah. We never had an oh-fense under Majerus as bad as we had this year.

Rick did have something special at Utah. He had a run that we have never come close too and sadly will likely never come close to again. We can have another great run at Utah, but it will likely never be what Majerus did in his time at Utah. I could live with his ego because his ego is what made him great. Great coaches are often huge assholes. Majerus was both.

What he did at Utah wasn't unique. This isn't some place that has never won at basketball, its why we have a 15,000 seat arena built 40 years ago. It wasn't as good as Gardner and it was a bit better than Pimm.

As for offense Boylen made more last year than any Majerus team and he did it without nearly the talent. There is more to all this than winning. MP Funk is like one of those idiot Bobby Knight fans excusing all that night did.

[U-Ute]

Majerus oh-fense is light years ahead of anything that Boylen has had in his time at Utah. We never had an oh-fense under Majerus as bad as we had this year.

I can appreciate the fond memories, but offense was never Majerus's strong suit. 40 points against Mount St. Mary's?

Majerus was the beneficiary of some really good offensive players. We don't have anyone who can create a shot or an assist right now.

U-Ute

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

That isn't true at all. Look at Mark Few and Coach K.

I love when you hate people. Something about it just brings a smile to my face.

[Mr. Crimson]

I can appreciate the fond memories, but offense was never Majerus's strong suit. 40 points against Mount St. Mary's?

Majerus was the beneficiary of some really good offensive players. We don't have anyone who can create a shot or an assist right now.

U-Ute

Who can forget that Stony Brook game right before Majerus quit.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Who can forget that Stony Brook game right before Majerus quit.

Stony Brook, Mount Saint Mary's what a schedule. Did this thread morph into mpfunk's hate for Stu Morrill?

[Goatnapper'96]

I think the best way to look at Majerus. He is a hell of a x and o coach, especially defense. In fact I laugh at people who attack Boylen for not knowing offense when we had some real doozies on offense.

But to be around he is unbearable. And he was doing some not so good things. The famed milk and cookie probation wasn't so harsh because the NCAA hates us. And the storm that was coming when he slinked off in the night, literally, well it would have been very boad.

And frankly Rick could have had something special at Utah. But instead he had this ego driven need to listen to any monkey job that came down the pike. When he listened to UNLV and SDSU, well quite frankly that's just a slap in the face. He could have had nearly everything here, but he decided Utah was beneath him and he was just doing us a favor. And why Ute fans kiss his ass for that I'll never know.

Rick Majerus is one the most interesting people to discuss. I always loved him and probably always will. I don't know if society tears down genius as a levelling mechanism or genius' so often alienate themselves because in the ego preoccupation with their passion they never learn how to properly function in society. Perhaps a bit of both. But Rick's blue collar, hard nosed, disciplined and tough approach made my nipples hard. What many might call "bad things" or abusive probably wouldn't offend me much. I am one of those who thinks society is softer than it should be and feelings being hurt don't create the long term problems that many would like me to believe. I accept I am in the minority and my minority is probably getting smaller by the moment, but guys like Rick help to make the world a tougher place and I think the benefits toughness brings more often than not outweigh the unnatractive methods often used to get there.

Majerus brought to pass much of his own demise and Utenation is probably deserving is what it is going through simply because so much of it was willing to look the other way during most of Majerus' reign of terror. Not until he stopped winning like he did in the 90's did the moral indignation of Utenation get worked up. If he were still winning like he was in the late 90's I am convinced Comarade Crimson would still be spending inordinate amounts of time defending all the rumors and stories as bullshit and speaking highly of the man who sent him a tender note concerning some sad family experiences the two humans had in common. As a BYU fan, despite the fact that I disagree with society's offense at Rick's antics, I admit I have found some very petty fun in the justice of the corrective period.

Big Rick will always be a fascinating subject to me. I just think everything with him was so pronounced. Both the good and the bad. I am somewhat jealous of people so capable of putting so much of themselves into something. Rick Majerus could be a saint or the biggest asshole on planet earth all in the same day. He could spend hours going with little to no sleep to develop the best defensive gameplans the college game ever witnessed. He was amazingly complex and I am grateful I was able to watch someone such as he from the periphery.

[U-Ute]

Who can forget that Stony Brook game right before Majerus quit.

Oh yeah. I remember my post guessing what the post game film breakdown of 6-9 240# guy pushing Bogut around must've been like. I'm sure it was pretty entertaining.

U-Ute

[Mr. Crimson]

What many might call "bad things" or abusive probably wouldn't offend me much.

It was the personal stuff, it was the stuff that would come out as lack of institutional control as part of an investigation and land us on even more serious probation.

My biggest problem with Rick is that I thought he was a man of courage. But when his house of cards started to crash he didn't have the guts to face it and instead faked a heart attack. Well that is just inexcusable.

[DrumNFeather]

...per Lya's blog, Brown is staying, and it sounds like he has a reasonable attitude about it.

[Guest]

Rick Majerus could be a saint or the biggest asshole on planet earth all in the same day. He could spend hours going with little to no sleep to develop the best defensive gameplans the college game ever witnessed. He was amazingly complex and I am grateful I was able to watch someone such as he from the periphery.

Well said.