Buzz - a perspective from Carolina

I stumbled upon this thread by accident. I doubt anyone here is surprised, but nice to read how he touches others.

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=78&f=1410&t=11428036

Further proof that Buzz is perfect for Marquette.

Wow... the only thing I've been somewhat skeptical of determining what portion of Buzz's persona is for the media, this thread really gives you an insight behind the scenes into who he truly is. Amazing. Worth a copy...

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Originally Posted by MUMac

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=78&f=1410&t=11428036
Coach Buzz Williams - a reading for this Easter Sunday
My church home in northern VA recently finished a 40-day prayer challenge leading up to Easter. Our senior pastor, Mark Batterson, writes in Day 25 of his book Draw the Circle about his interaction with Marquette coach Buzz Williams. On this Easter Sunday, I want to share this portion with you:

During the 2012 NCAA basketball tournament, I heard a postgame interview with Buzz Williams, coach of the Marquette Screaming Eagles. Following a victory that advanced their team to the Sweet Sixteen, Coach Williams referred to his players as "lion chasers." That caught my attention because I use this phrase repeatedly in my book In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. It turns out that his pastor, who went to college with me, gave Buzz a copy of the book. He and many of his players read it right before March Madness began.

During the off-season, Buzz flew out to D.C. so we could spend a few hours together. We discovered that pastors have something to learn from coaches, and coaches have something to learn from pastors. Buzz is the first person to admit he's a "work in progress." So am I. But I love the fact that his intensity for Jesus matches his intensity for basketball. And he's not just interested in how the kids perform on the court; he's investing in them for eternity.

Only four of the kids on Buzz's current squad know their biological father. Only two of them come from a family with an intact marriage. Many of the kids on his team didn't have a father's voice of love or discipline, so Buzz is that voice.

During the first one hundred days of a freshman's involvement in his program, Buzz meets with them on a daily basis. They come to his office, and he prays with them, even the kids who don't believe in God. Buzz told me he's had a few awkward silences! After praying with each other, they embrace each other. And Coach Williams tells them he loves them.

I think Buzz sees his squad of twelve the way Jesus saw His twelve disciples. And isn't that how we should see every person whom God has intentionally put in our lives - family members, friends, colleagues, and neighbors? Buzz is more than a coach who sees athletic potential in his players; he is a prophet who sees the spiritual potential. And he knows that those two things are not unrelated.

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Great story. I had heard earlier about Buzz's relationship with Mark Batterson and finally got around to purchasing one of his books and looking forward to reading it.

For those interested, here is his website.

www.markbatterson.com

Interesting comment from one of the posters over there. Really makes sense when you look at it from a public institution perspective. I'm not sure I can see it flying at BigU university, especially when people know about it up front.

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Hi.

It's not a huge deal or anything, but this doesn't belong here.

You might want to post this in the ZZL, but non-hoops topics--especially politics and religion--are for the ZZL or some other venue, not for the hoops board.

This is a story about religion that incidentally mentions basketball, not a story about basketball that incidentally mentions religion.

You might find this story inspiring, but one might also find it appalling (as I do). Trying to help out disadvantaged kids: awesome. Using his position as coach to proselytize? Not cool at all. If he wants to talk about his religion with the Christian students, that's one thing. But he has no business pushing his metaphysical beliefs on the non-Christian students.

See why we don't want to discuss stuff like this here?

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This should be forwarded to Fr Pilarz and Larry Williams. Buzz fits MU very will indeed. Got to keep the man here.

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Originally Posted by dw3dw3dw3

Interesting comment from one of the posters over there. Really makes sense when you look at it from a public institution perspective. I'm not sure I can see it flying at BigU university, especially when people know about it up front.

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That is why I said he is a perfect fit at Marquette. For those very same reasons.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/golde...200818391.html

Nice words from LW. Would like to see some action on them. Maybe start with showing some sense and letting the entire team live in Humphrey again.

Good thread, but don't expect Humphrey to happen - some awful recent history that has to be left behind.

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Originally Posted by JohnnyRev

Good thread, but don't expect Humphrey to happen - some awful recent history that has to be left behind.

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I will say, East/Straz would be much nicer then Tower. Air conditioned rooms, Rec Plex on the first floor.

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Originally Posted by warriorfan4life

I will say, East/Straz would be much nicer then Tower. Air conditioned rooms, Rec Plex on the first floor.

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Perhaps, but only Straz freshmen are in the honors program. Would be awkward to put them on floor with sophomores. In my opinion, Abbottsford and McCabe should be considered as alternatives.