Marquette news conference 4:10 EST on ESPNEWS

[KC_Warrior]

nm

[Coobeys Oil Depot]

Is it over already? Any recap?

[Classof2016]

Basically just questions about him and Izzo, said Jerel may play tomorrow with clearance!

[Nukem2]

TC said in the interview that Jerel is lobbying him very hard to play tomorrow nite, but TC said he would need to get the doctor's approval which he does not think he can get right now.  Is there still a chance?  Probably not, but........

[Coobeys Oil Depot]

Thanks for the recap.

[77fan88warrior]

Thanks for the heads up.

[Classof2016]

Half of it was him *Sing about rooming with Izzo at MSU...Did they have sleepovers like Jeter and GayRod?

[KC_Warrior]

Exact words from Crean:

"Jerel thinks he's going to play tomorrow.  There's a real part of me that thinks that's a real possibility.  He's going to have to get clearance from the doctors and I'm not sure that's going to happen.  He wants to play, if he can get them convinced, we'll give it a shot but I don't think that's going to happen."

My take: it's in the doctors hands.  Sounds like if it were up to Crean & McNeal, he plays.  C'mon doc, give him a go!

[IAmMarquette]

Exact words from Crean:

"Jerel thinks he's going to play tomorrow.  There's a real part of me that thinks that's a real possibility.  He's going to have to get clearance from the doctors and I'm not sure that's going to happen.  He wants to play, if he can get them convinced, we'll give it a shot but I don't think that's going to happen."

My take: it's in the doctors hands.  Sounds like if it were up to Crean & McNeal, he plays.  C'mon doc, give him a go!

Green light him ONLY if he's ready, and can't do further damage by playing. This game is not worth McNeal suffering a more serious injury -- for his sake and Marquette's.

But, if the doctor says he's good to go, then, by golly Jerel, get your a$$ out there and lock up Neitzel!

[ZiggysFryBoy]

I say wrap his hand like an offensive lineman in football with one of those big club casts and let him chase Neitzel around the whole game pounding on him with the big fist.

Shooting, on the other hand(no pun intended), might be tough.

[LastWarrior]

rub some dirt on it and get out there!!

[spiral97]

rub some dirt on it and get out there!!

Windex.

[NavinRJohnson]

Here is my best attempt at getting everyone's hopes up...

Hearing the different comments coming from Crean the last week or two - especially today, kept making me think about when Wesley Matthews returned from his foot injury last year - sooner than anyone expected. Based on that return I think it is safe to conclude that Crean was less than 100% forthcoming on his status. So, I decided to do a little research as to exactly how that whole thing went down. I didn't exactly find the exact match I was looking for, but I think these, coupled with Crean's comments today should be enough to give us all a bit of hope that McNeal will be in uniform tomorrow and/or Saturday.


MATTHEWS UPDATE: Freshman guard Wesley Matthews, continuing to recover from a stress fracture in his right foot, is still a ways off from returning. "It’s healing, that’s for sure," coach Tom Crean said. "But I have nothing yet as to what kind of time frame. I don’t see it in the foreseeable future."

 - MJS, January 17, 2006


Matthews could return in a few weeks.

 - MJS, January 31, 2006


Out since suffering a stress fracture in his right foot on Dec. 28, the 6-foot-5 Madison native is expected to return within two weeks, according to Crean.

 - MJS (Rosiak), February 1, 2006


Wesley Matthews took the floor against St. John's on February 1st.


As far as what McNeal's return would mean, I have also been thinking about the positive impact his absence has had on others on the team, like Fitz and Cubillan in particular, and I happened to find this little nugget which I think further emphasizes the effect his return could have...


"No question, because everybody is stepping up their games and that’s what you want to have any time there’s injuries to anybody on your team and especially key people," Crean said after practice Tuesday...But everybody’s improved in a lot of ways.

"Then when the player comes back to your team, everybody’s better."

 - MJS, January 2006

[chapman]

Again, the doctor needs to be told that Jerel's next game is 8 months from now if we lose...unless there's a good chance for permanent damage to his thumb that's reason to give the green light.  If he can play limited minutes of defense on Neitzel, he should play if he thinks he's ready.  If we win though, I'd rather have a Jerel with a couple more days of healing for UNC rather than having him re-injured and shut down for the season.

[rocky_warrior]

I'd rather have a Jerel with a couple more days of healing for UNC rather than having him re-injured and shut down for the season.

Well, if he isn't cleared for tomorrow, then I doubt he'd be cleared two days later.  With that in mind, I think you take what you can get from him at the first opportunity.  Remember, he's had a few weeks to work on his left-handed shot (with a brace on the right), so it's possible he could play with a fancy brace on his right hand if the doctors would let him.

And Coobie thinks were obsessed.  Hmph  8)

[chapman]

In an interview played on my local Fox news from the press conference earlier today, Jerel said he will dress for the game and it's up to Coach whether or not he gets in. 

Crean said Jerel wants to play and he would like to see him play, but it's up to the doctors whether or not he will play.  Jerel did participate in the walkthrough earlier today.

[CWSKeith]

Really, all Jerel needs to be able to do is chase around Neitzel for a little bit.  Offensively I think we can manage without him -- obviously he has to be able to catch, pass, and dribble a bit, but he doesn't have to 'create' like he did during the season.  More than anything it'd be good for depth and fatigue reasons -- if McNeal can chase Neitzel around for 10-15 minutes, that's less work for Cubillan and James on the defensive end.

[Wade for President]

Really, all Jerel needs to be able to do is chase around Neitzel for a little bit.  Offensively I think we can manage without him -- obviously he has to be able to catch, pass, and dribble a bit, but he doesn't have to 'create' like he did during the season.  More than anything it'd be good for depth and fatigue reasons -- if McNeal can chase Neitzel around for 10-15 minutes, that's less work for Cubillan and James on the defensive end.

Agreed.  A McNeal with his arm tied behind his back is still more effective then 75% of most college players on the defensive side of the ball.  Wrap that sonofabitch up and create hell.  At worst, he gives some rest to James/Cube/Matthews.

[Marquette84]

I think there's a psychological boost given the rest of the team if they think that Jerel is thisclose to returning. 

Assume for a moment that there is no physical way Jerel can play today.

Crean has him participate in practice this week anyway and dresses him for the game, but in the pre-game meeting tells the team that the Docs have told him not today, but he'll be fine for Saturday. 

Now he's got the rest of the team beliving that they HAVE to win Thursday for Jerel, since he' so close to being ready and they don't want to let him down by losing.

Now if we could only keep the amatuer Carl Bernsteins on the board from treating this like its some eggegious violation of the public's right to know and let Crean get the full psychological advantage from this . . .   

[tower912]

Bribe the freakin' doctor, dress JM, let him give come off the bench and spell the other guys for 10-12 minutes tonight.   Do not let him handle the ball or shoot.   Win, win.

[NavinRJohnson]

The let him stand in the corner on offense approach is simply not going to work. MSU is going to do the level best to turn this into a half court game. If they are succesful in doing that, attempting to play 4 on 5 would be a disaster. We struggle at times in the half court as it is. He can eaither play or he can't. If he can play, he can play. Period. If he can't, he can't.