Holly Ellenson speaks...

[Tugg Speedman]

You can argue Wally used us too. It works both ways.

He wasn't going to play anywhere half decent without his Little bro

Freshman year at Minnesota, he played a grand total of 48 minutes. (He did break his hand before the start of the year and miss the first 11 games)

Sophomore year at Minnesota he played 62 minutes, making only seven FGs all season.  He did not play any of the B1G conference season or the NIT run. (if memory serves me correctly, wasn't Rich Pitino benching him because he refused to quit Track?)

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/61265/wally-ellenson

Based on these stats, he would have been lucky to get a look from a Horizon league team.

So, who was using who?  No possible way Wally can "upgrade" his basketball program from Minnesota to MU without his brother after those two seasons.

[PGsHeroes32]

Really?  Seems like a stretch.  You don't think a guy like Wally could have gotten a scholly, and even playing time at a different school?  You think there weren't AAC or A-10 teams that could have used him?

Maybe. But that's the point. He didn't want to go to a crappy school. He had his options. He went to a school he very well shoulda known was out of his league(couldn't get off the bench at a worse school) and he came because of his brother.

Both sides used each other

[El Duderino]

Like Wally and Henry, she has every right to be upset. Let me say this, I don't care, but watching some of you folks contort yourselves to rationalize this into something other than what it is, is downright comical. Wally's value to the team declared for the NBA draft a week or two ago. He isnt any good, and Wojo cut him loose, because his scholarship is more valuable than he is. That's it. Period. End of Story.

Why some of you want to believe there is more to the story than that, I assume is to make yourselves feel better about Wojo and your Marquette fandom. Duane Wilson said it best...shady business. Its the business all parties involved have chosen, so that's life. Its also why I am less and less of a college sports fan every day.

Like I said earlier today, give me a guy like Calipari over Wojo, Crean, Buzz, etc. He calls the sham system what it is, and really makes no attempt to pretend to be something he's not, like most of these jokers. Its a professional sport. Most people just aren't willing to admit it. Bad for business.

Yes it is a professional sport, except only the labor force has very rigid restrictions on their compensation.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/13/sports/ncaabasketball/ncaa-extends-basketball-deal-with-cbs-sports-and-turner-through-2032.html

The N.C.A.A. announced a new agreement on Tuesday with CBS Sports and Turner that extended the broadcast rights deal for the Division I men’s basketball tournament another eight years, through 2032, at a rate that will eventually increase to more than $1 billion per year.

While the previous 14-year deal, priced at $10.8 billion (roughly $770 million per year), lasted through 2024, the eight-year extension will add another $8.8 billion.

18 billion for just the TV rights to the tournament over the next 15 years.

This is big business masquerading itself as amateur student athletics. Should be no surprise then when things get cutthroat towards these student athletes. Coaches want to keep their big money contracts and to do so, they have to win and thus many will walk that shady line in an effort to get those wins.

Hell, look what goes on in big time college football. It nay be more cutthroat than the NFL in regards to treating the athletes as little more than money printing pawns, but at least in the NFL the minimum salary is 450K.

[buckchuckler]

Maybe. But that's the point. He didn't want to go to a crappy school. He had his options. He went to a school he very well shoulda known was out of his league(couldn't get off the bench at a worse school) and he came because of his brother.

Both sides used each other

Oh get off it.  It isn't like he chose an elite academic school to attend, heck, he didn't even chose an elite basketball program.  There is nothing that makes schools from the A-10, AAC, CUSA, crappy schools.  If Wojo had told him, "if Henry leaves after 1 season, I will cut you", do you think he still would have chosen MU?  Do you think Henry would have?

Even if there was mutual using (which -- clearly--I don't think is the case, Wally could have gone to any school in the country for track, and most schools for Bball), why aren't an institution like MU and a coach like Wojo held to a higher standard than a college kid?

This seems to be scuzzy as hell.  And if MU wants to have a coach who engages in questionable, win above all else behavior, he sure as hell better win.  In my opinion, MU clearly exploited Wally for access to Henry.   Maybe I'm wrong.  I certainly seem to be in the minority, but this really leaves a rotten taste in my mouth. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

Yes it is a professional sport, except only the labor force has very rigid restrictions on their compensation.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/13/sports/ncaabasketball/ncaa-extends-basketball-deal-with-cbs-sports-and-turner-through-2032.html

18 billion for just the TV rights to the tournament over the next 15 years.

This is big business masquerading itself as amateur student athletics. Should be no surprise then when things get cutthroat towards these student athletes. Coaches want to keep their big money contracts and to do so, they have to win and thus many will walk that shady line in an effort to get those wins.

Hell, look what goes on in big time college football. It nay be more cutthroat than the NFL in regards to treating the athletes as little more than money printing pawns, but at least in the NFL the minimum salary is 450K.

99% of that revenue to provide opportunities for folks like the MU men's and women's lacrosse teams, the soccer teams, etc, etc. 

Professional sport?  I've seen what supposedly happened here all the way down at Little League and CYO ball.  Get Jimmy's brother to play, and Jimmy will play too.   Stop with dramatics of the professional sports nonsense.  There are 5,000 DI basketball players each year, with over 90% of them never sniffing anything professional at all as it relates to professional basketball ever in their lives.

I'd like a lot more information on what went down, but it looks squirmy as hell.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Really?  Seems like a stretch.  You don't think a guy like Wally could have gotten a scholly, and even playing time at a different school?  You think there weren't AAC or A-10 teams that could have used him?

Honestly, no.

[PGsHeroes32]

Oh get off it.  It isn't like he chose an elite academic school to attend, heck, he didn't even chose an elite basketball program.  There is nothing that makes schools from the A-10, AAC, CUSA, crappy schools.  If Wojo had told him, "if Henry leaves after 1 season, I will cut you", do you think he still would have chosen MU?  Do you think Henry would have?

Even if there was mutual using (which -- clearly--I don't think is the case, Wally could have gone to any school in the country for track, and most schools for Bball), why aren't an institution like MU and a coach like Wojo held to a higher standard than a college kid?

This seems to be scuzzy as hell.  And if MU wants to have a coach who engages in questionable, win above all else behavior, he sure as hell better win.  In my opinion, MU clearly exploited Wally for access to Henry.   Maybe I'm wrong.  I certainly seem to be in the minority, but this really leaves a rotten taste in my mouth.

You are wrong. That much is certain. You "get off it". Look at his numbers at Minnesota. He couldn't play there, he was never going to play at Marquette. I said it day 1 and people tried to argue he would be our back up at the 4. Wrong.

He wanted to play with his brother at a good school. He used Henry to an advantage. Is Wojo in the clear? Heck no. But it's simply moronic to act like Wally didn't also use it to his advantage.

You truly think even for a moment Wally thought "hey I couldn't get off the pine for the gophers but Marquette and clearly better program definitely wants me as a fixture with or without Henry". No, he didn't.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Wally gets a free year of schooling, gets to run track, and won't play basketball. Which is what he would have been doing even if he kept his basketball scholarship. The kid played with a lot of energy and is a great teammate but he wasn't going to be in the rotation next season.

I was sketchy on it until I heard he was getting a full track scholarship. They took care of him as a student which is the most important thing to me. Once that is taken care of, Wojo has the right, actually the responsibility, to make what decisions he needs to in order to improve the basketball program.

Players get cut off teams all the time. Most of them aren't given the option to have a full ride in another sport, they are just told to move on. As far as I see it, Wojo proved his class by making sure Wally was taken care of.

[WarriorFan]

Wally gets a free year of schooling, gets to run track, and won't play basketball. Which is what he would have been doing even if he kept his basketball scholarship. The kid played with a lot of energy and is a great teammate but he wasn't going to be in the rotation next season.

I was sketchy on it until I heard he was getting a full track scholarship. They took care of him as a student which is the most important thing to me. Once that is taken care of, Wojo has the right, actually the responsibility, to make what decisions he needs to in order to improve the basketball program.

Players get cut off teams all the time. Most of them aren't given the option to have a full ride in another sport, they are just told to move on. As far as I see it, Wojo proved his class by making sure Wally was taken care of.

+1000 TAMU
Hidden fact here is that with the exception of a few schools, athletic scholarships are for 1 year.  All players who accept a scholarship (and their parents) understand this. 
Marquette did right by Wally.
I look forward to seeing his as an Olympian and MU alum, and I seriously question whether basketball was helping his jumping at all.  The two sports don't seem very compatible, and his jumps haven't been as good when playing hoops.
So, a chance to get a degree, focus on the Olympic dream, and then move on to whatever career a clever, well connected kid chooses... not a bad option. 

[Tugg Speedman]

Wally gets a free year of schooling, gets to run track, and won't play basketball. Which is what he would have been doing even if he kept his basketball scholarship. The kid played with a lot of energy and is a great teammate but he wasn't going to be in the rotation next season.

I was sketchy on it until I heard he was getting a full track scholarship. They took care of him as a student which is the most important thing to me. Once that is taken care of, Wojo has the right, actually the responsibility, to make what decisions he needs to in order to improve the basketball program.

Players get cut off teams all the time. Most of them aren't given the option to have a full ride in another sport, they are just told to move on. As far as I see it, Wojo proved his class by making sure Wally was taken care of.

With Katin coming, the above is true.  Wally's role on next year's team was another body for practice.

The kid has a rare talent at the high jump.  Or, he is more talented at the high jump than Henry is a basketball.  Time he starts focusing on it so he can do some special things.

[jsglow]

Wally gets a free year of schooling, gets to run track, and won't play basketball. Which is what he would have been doing even if he kept his basketball scholarship. The kid played with a lot of energy and is a great teammate but he wasn't going to be in the rotation next season.

I was sketchy on it until I heard he was getting a full track scholarship. They took care of him as a student which is the most important thing to me. Once that is taken care of, Wojo has the right, actually the responsibility, to make what decisions he needs to in order to improve the basketball program.

Players get cut off teams all the time. Most of them aren't given the option to have a full ride in another sport, they are just told to move on. As far as I see it, Wojo proved his class by making sure Wally was taken care of.

Yep. Done.

[buckchuckler]

Players get cut off teams all the time. Most of them aren't given the option to have a full ride in another sport, they are just told to move on. As far as I see it, Wojo proved his class by making sure Wally was taken care of.

Yeah, I understand that,in my view, what makes this different is that Wally was exploited to bring in another player.  Once the other player was done, Wojo made the decision that Wally had outlived his usefulness, and released him.  That gives me a pretty bad impression of the situation.

[jsglow]

Yeah, I understand that,in my view, what makes this different is that Wally was exploited to bring in another player.  Once the other player was done, Wojo made the decision that Wally had outlived his usefulness, and released him.  That gives me a pretty bad impression of the situation.

NO, only if Wally hadn't been provided with a track scholarship for next year.  He absolutely wasn't exploited.  He got 3 free years of education from Marquette University including one year after his one and done brother left.  The Ellenson's got 4 free years of education for one year of high major basketball production from one kid.

[mu03eng]

NO, only if Wally hadn't been provided with a track scholarship for next year.  He absolutely wasn't exploited.  He got 3 free years of education from Marquette University including one year after his one and done brother left.  The Ellenson's got 4 free years of education for one year of high major basketball production from one kid.

AND significant accommodation for the low major players desire to compete in track, which typically was prioritized ahead of basketball.

[CountryRoads]

Todd smith tweeted this link out the other day:
http://www.getsportiq.com/2016/04/former-stanford-dean-explains-why-helicopter-parenting-is-ruining-a-generation-of-children/

This applies to the ellensons and is a big reason why Wally isn't on the team anymore.

[mu03eng]

Todd smith tweeted this link out the other day:
http://www.getsportiq.com/2016/04/former-stanford-dean-explains-why-helicopter-parenting-is-ruining-a-generation-of-children/

This applies to the ellensons and is a big reason why Wally isn't on the team anymore.

Does that make that a subtweet or a subsubtweet?

[jsglow]

Todd smith tweeted this link out the other day:
http://www.getsportiq.com/2016/04/former-stanford-dean-explains-why-helicopter-parenting-is-ruining-a-generation-of-children/

This applies to the ellensons and is a big reason why Wally isn't on the team anymore.

We're going off the rails here so if somebody wants to start a Superbar thread that'll be great but let me say this.  Chick and I have served on the Parents' Association Board for 6 years.  Helicoptering is the single greatest complaint every administrator voices.  Bat crazy stuff.  I think chick has mentioned a few examples here on scoop through the years.  Like they're in 2nd grade and can't tie their shoes stuff.

[GGGG]

What raw deal?  He's getting a free college education.   Who else wanted him for basketball?  Not anyone I remember.

That would be false.  I know he had an offer from Texas Tech and I believe there was another P5 school after him but I can't recall who.

[avid1010]

imho...2 options:

1. wally made promises to the level of focus on basketball and couldn't keep them given his track status so wojo pulled the plug

2. wojo realized he could upgrade so he pushed wally out

i can think of many reasons as to why or how this could have gone down...all guesses...not worth the time.  i'm sure factual details will emerge rather than a bunch of people on the internet trying to protect wojo or stick up for wally.  at first glance, this looks awful to me, but i'm sure wojo realizes all of that better than anyone. 

[warriorchick]

That would be false.  I know he had an offer from Texas Tech and I believe there was another P5 school after him but I can't recall who.

What a coincidence.  Texas Tech is also the school that had the #1 and #2 NCAA high jumpers last year.

So, yeah, I am sure they were truly interested in his basketball skills as well.

[Herman Cain]

This is a case where two consenting parties entered in to a "Mutually Beneficial Relationship"

The relationship is now no longer "Mutually Beneficial"

The "Palimony" settlement  was a full ride athletic scholarship.

Looking forward to the future M Club Hall of Fame ceremony for our Track All American.

[Coleman]

Wally gets a free year of schooling, gets to run track, and won't play basketball. Which is what he would have been doing even if he kept his basketball scholarship. The kid played with a lot of energy and is a great teammate but he wasn't going to be in the rotation next season.

I was sketchy on it until I heard he was getting a full track scholarship. They took care of him as a student which is the most important thing to me. Once that is taken care of, Wojo has the right, actually the responsibility, to make what decisions he needs to in order to improve the basketball program.

Players get cut off teams all the time. Most of them aren't given the option to have a full ride in another sport, they are just told to move on. As far as I see it, Wojo proved his class by making sure Wally was taken care of.

With you here 100%.

The full-ride track scholarship (which MU does not do, generally speaking, they only give out partials) shows to me that MU takes Cura Personalis very seriously. They are making sure this kid completes his education tuition-free, even after being cut from the team that gives out full-rides.

[Coleman]

That would be false.  I know he had an offer from Texas Tech and I believe there was another P5 school after him but I can't recall who.

Who also could have just as easily cut him after a year or two. No one was giving him a guarantee that he'd play there through graduation. So why should Marquette?

[GGGG]

Who also could have just as easily cut him after a year or two. No one was giving him a guarantee that he'd play there through graduation. So why should Marquette?

I don't really care what they would have done.

[Coleman]

I don't really care what they would have done.

Then why are you holding Marquette to standards that do not exist anywhere else in major D1 college basketball?