Dwade reppin IU and Tom Crean

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Curious why you lost respect for him.  Is it the fact that he plays on a rival team? Is it the fact that he is on a team that won a title and is is the best in the east? 

Wade pretended to be interested in coming to the Bulls as a free agent and it was clearly for show. He played the Bulls for fools and wonders why he's not treated as a local boy made good when he comes to Chicago.

[Lennys Tap]

I LOVE D Wade and what he did for MU, but can you even IMAGINE how Kansas fans would react if Kirk Heinrich was tweetin' about "reppin' UNC basketball@Roy Williams"?

[Dawson Rental]

I LOVE D Wade and what he did for MU, but can you even IMAGINE how Kansas fans would react if Kirk Heinrich was tweetin' about "reppin' UNC basketball@Roy Williams"?

Excellent comparison!  And would coach Williams even want him to?  Doubtful, in my mind.

[brewcity77]

I LOVE D Wade and what he did for MU, but can you even IMAGINE how Kansas fans would react if Kirk Heinrich was tweetin' about "reppin' UNC basketball@Roy Williams"?

+1000

Except Wade is a much bigger star than Hinrich. I think this would be more on par with Deron Williams showing up in Kansas gear to support Bill Self (Illinois fans would go ballistic) or Derrick Rose tweeting his workouts in Kentucky gear to support John Calipari.

Honestly, it's just kind of disturbing, and something I can't recall another player ever doing. If someone else can remember ex-Pitt guys wearing UCLA gear to support Howland, or old Cincinnati players donning West Virginia clothes to support Huggins, or former Kentucky players proudly wearing Louisville gear to support Pitino, please point these out. But at this point, it's just sad, disturbing, and honestly, offensive.

[jmayer1]

Wade pretended to be interested in coming to the Bulls as a free agent and it was clearly for show. He played the Bulls for fools and wonders why he's not treated as a local boy made good when he comes to Chicago.

Haha, any MU Bulls fan who doesn't like Wade because of this is a butthurt baby. These guys are pros for chrissakes. And who says he was playing the Bulls? What would be the point of that? It's not like he needed to drive up his interest on the FA market to get more money. Couldn't he have been interested but ultimately thought a return to Miami was a better fit?

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

But at this point, it's just sad, disturbing, and honestly, offensive.

No.

[brewcity77]

No.

If it were common practice, I'd agree with you. Name one other NBA star that is going out and repeatedly wearing his new coach's gear to promote that program and basically allow yourself to be rebranded as another school's player.

And when you show up in promo photos in another school's gear and declare on Twitter you are "reppin' IU", then being rebranded as an IU player is exactly what Wade is doing.

[Pakuni]

+1000

Except Wade is a much bigger star than Hinrich. I think this would be more on par with Deron Williams showing up in Kansas gear to support Bill Self (Illinois fans would go ballistic) or Derrick Rose tweeting his workouts in Kentucky gear to support John Calipari.

Honestly, it's just kind of disturbing, and something I can't recall another player ever doing. If someone else can remember ex-Pitt guys wearing UCLA gear to support Howland, or old Cincinnati players donning West Virginia clothes to support Huggins, or former Kentucky players proudly wearing Louisville gear to support Pitino, please point these out. But at this point, it's just sad, disturbing, and honestly, offensive.

Offensive? Really?
Good God, people. Whatever your feelings are about Tom Crean may be, it's  obvious that to Dwyane Wade he's a friend, mentor and significant part of his life/success. You're really disturbed that he would say something nice about such a person? You get to be offended by who Dwyane Wade chooses to befriend and how he expresses those friendships?
Sheesh, it's not as if he's entirely bailed on Marquette. Pretty sure that was him at March Madness a couple years back. Pretty sure that was him who recently tweeted a photo of himself in MU swag. Pretty sure that was him who brought LeBron to a game at the BC a couple years ago. Pretty sure he's always made Buzz a part of his camp.

Derrick Rose remains tight with John Calipari. Do you think Memphis fans get all pissy about that?

[brewcity77]

I'm fine with him still being friends and admiring Crean. Don't mind him saying nice things about him. Glad he still wears MU stuff sometimes. But wearing any other school's gear just rubs me the wrong way. It would if it was Kentucky, or Louisville, or Wisconsin, or UCLA, or Baylor, or Duke. I don't see any other player doing that, and don't get why Wade deliberately presents himself as an IU player at times.

Name one other player that does this. That's all I ask. I can't think of any.

[Dawson Rental]

Offensive? Really?
Good God, people. Whatever your feelings are about Tom Crean may be, it's  obvious that to Dwyane Wade he's a friend, mentor and significant part of his life/success. You're really disturbed that he would say something nice about such a person? You get to be offended by who Dwyane Wade chooses to befriend and how he expresses those friendships?
Sheesh, it's not as if he's entirely bailed on Marquette. Pretty sure that was him at March Madness a couple years back. Pretty sure that was him who recently tweeted a photo of himself in MU swag. Pretty sure that was him who brought LeBron to a game at the BC a couple years ago. Pretty sure he's always made Buzz a part of his camp.

No one (or at least most of us) have a problem with Wade.  We have a problem with Wade's friend, mentor and significant part of his life/success has decided to cash in on that relationship to benefit his own ambition without any evident concern for his mentee or loyalty to the university that paid him very well for nine years and made it possible for him to be in his current position.  I'm all for dropping the constant Crean attacks, not because I think that they are unjustified, but because I agree that they are well past being played out, but this is a new incident.  

Derrick Rose remains tight with John Calipari. Do you think Memphis fans get all pissy about that?

No one objects with Wade remaining tight with Crean.  If Rose decided to take some time to travel to Kentucky to rehab his knee in a Kentucky t-shirt and tweet a picture of it while saying he's reppin' UK, I guess we would see a strong reaction from Memphis fans.  It wouldn't happen though because even Calipari has more class than that.

[brewcity77]

We have a problem with Wade's friend, mentor and significant part of his life/success has decided to cash in on that relationship to benefit his own ambition without any evident concern for his mentee or loyalty to the university that paid him very well for nine years and made it possible for him to be in his current position.

Exactly right. My problem is with Wade becoming a recruiting tool for Indiana. If Crean wants to talk up his relationship with Wade, or if Wade wants to say positive things about Crean, I am 100% fine with that. No issue whatsoever. If Crean wants to reference Wade as a recruiting tool, I'm also fine with that. But reshaping Wade into an Indiana icon, that I have an issue with.

In the past 20 years, Indiana hasn't had a single player on par with Wade in terms of NBA success. Honestly, in the past 50 years, they've probably only produced one guy you can mention in the same breath as Wade, and that's Isaiah Thomas. So when Wade is paraded as though he played for IU and feels the need to be "reppin'" them, yes, I take issue.

THIS IS NOT A COMMON PRACTICE. Name one other player that wears another school's gear to support his former coach and I can see an argument for this being "okay". But I don't think that player exists. There's a big difference between being close with an old friend and misrepresenting your past.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

If it were common practice, I'd agree with you. Name one other NBA star that is going out and repeatedly wearing his new coach's gear to promote that program and basically allow yourself to be rebranded as another school's player.

It doesn't matter if another player does it.

It just isn't a big deal.

TC appears to be a close friend. He does nice things for him. Not a big deal.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

If Rose decided to take some time to travel to Kentucky to rehab his knee in a Kentucky t-shirt and tweet a picture of it while saying he's reppin' UK, I guess we would see a strong reaction from Memphis fans.  It wouldn't happen though because even Calipari has more class than that.

Agreed. Crean is a bigger scumbag than Calipari because Dwyane wears an IU shirt.

[Pakuni]

Exactly right. My problem is with Wade becoming a recruiting tool for Indiana. If Crean wants to talk up his relationship with Wade, or if Wade wants to say positive things about Crean, I am 100% fine with that. No issue whatsoever. If Crean wants to reference Wade as a recruiting tool, I'm also fine with that. But reshaping Wade into an Indiana icon, that I have an issue with.

Bobby Knight. Steve Alford. Kent Benson. Isiah Thomas. Scott May. Calbert Cheaney. Scott May. Dwyane Wade. Dwyane Wade?
No. Just don't see it.
And I really don't think Indiana basketball is lacking for iconic figures.
Do you really believe anyone believes, or will believe, that Dwyane Wade went to Indiana because he wore IU shorts or did some "reppin'"?

THIS IS NOT A COMMON PRACTICE. Name one other player that wears another school's gear to support his former coach and I can see an argument for this being "okay". But I don't think that player exists. There's a big difference between being close with an old friend and misrepresenting your past.

I have no idea if it is or isn't. I don't follow the wardrobe choices of all professional athletes. But if you really think Dwyane Wade is "misrepresenting his past" because of his choice of shorts  .... well, I'm not sure what I can say about that, other than I doubt he (or most people) views his gym short selection as a gateway to who he is.

[Lennys Tap]

It doesn't matter if another player does it.

It just isn't a big deal.

TC appears to be a close friend. He does nice things for him. Not a big deal.

Au contraire. The fact that other coaches don't use players from their former schools like this means it does matter. You saying otherwise doesn't change that.

[brewcity77]

Bobby Knight. Steve Alford. Kent Benson. Isiah Thomas. Scott May. Calbert Cheaney. Scott May. Dwyane Wade. Dwyane Wade?
No. Just don't see it.

The average 17-year old is familiar with how many of those names? Bobby Knight, because he's an announcer? Alford, because he coaches New Mexico? Maybe they know Thomas, but certainly not as a Hoosier. None of those other names would resonate with a teenager. Wade is a bigger name right now than any of those others to a teenage prospect.

[TedBaxter]

Get over it guys.  Dwyane was here within a month to kick off his new book signing, so he still has Marquette University as a prominent part of his life.

[Pakuni]

The average 17-year old is familiar with how many of those names? Bobby Knight, because he's an announcer? Alford, because he coaches New Mexico? Maybe they know Thomas, but certainly not as a Hoosier. None of those other names would resonate with a teenager. Wade is a bigger name right now than any of those others to a teenage prospect.

The kind of kid whose college decision would be influenced by where Dwyane Wade played - and I'm skeptical there are any (Wade reportedly was Iman Shumpert's favorite player ... where did Iman end up?) - would know enough about Dwyane Wade to know where he played his college ball.
This is such a tempest in a teapot.

[4everwarriors]

Crean sucks sewer water

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Buzz Williams painted his garage in Colorado State colors, and had the nerve to tell everybody about it at a Marquette press conference. Couldn't he have kept that private? Shouldn't he have?
*gasp*

Alex Smith grew up in Seattle, presumably is a Mariners fan and wears a SF Giants cap at press conferences.

Aaron Rodgers didn't grow up a Brewers fan, and yet sometimes he "reps" his Brewers jersey/hat because he's friends with Braun.

This isn't a big deal, nerds. People have relationships with other organizations/teams because of who plays there. This isn't new.

Dwyane doesn't have to tweet about TC, but he chooses to. This isn't a TC "issue".

[real chili 83]

Dwade is an MU alum.  Can't change that

If he wears a shirt from IU, so be it.  He is still an MU alum.

The old gym.

Bradley center.

Wisconsin Avenue.

Suburpia.

Ron Cusner.

He is an MU grad.

[brewcity77]

Buzz Williams painted his garage in Colorado State colors, and had the nerve to tell everybody about it at a Marquette press conference. Couldn't he have kept that private? Shouldn't he have?
*gasp*

Alex Smith grew up in Seattle, presumably is a Mariners fan and wears a SF Giants cap at press conferences.

Aaron Rodgers didn't grow up a Brewers fan, and yet sometimes he "reps" his Brewers jersey/hat because he's friends with Braun.

This isn't a big deal, nerds. People have relationships with other organizations/teams because of who plays there. This isn't new.

Dwyane doesn't have to tweet about TC, but he chooses to. This isn't a TC "issue".

None of those are remotely relevant. If Wade wore a Dolphins shirt, or even Miami Hurricanes hat, it would be different as he lives there. He has zero connection to IU.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

None of those are remotely relevant. If Wade wore a Dolphins shirt, or even Miami Hurricanes hat, it would be different as he lives there. He has zero connection to IU.

What about Buzz and Colorado State?

Was anybody offended when he proudly told everybody about his garage?

No. We weren't.

[GGGG]

None of those are remotely relevant. If Wade wore a Dolphins shirt, or even Miami Hurricanes hat, it would be different as he lives there. He has zero connection to IU.

Sure he does...obviously.  His college coach is now there.

[brewcity77]

What about Buzz and Colorado State?

Was anybody offended when he proudly told everybody about his garage?

No. We weren't.

Buzz worked for Colorado State. He has a connection there. Last I checked, Wade never enrolled at, played for, or coached at IU. Totally different.