Seth Davis on National Letters of Intent/MU mention

[RedWebster]

Marquette mention in story about the unfairness of National Letters of Intent.

"The unfairness of the NLI was driven home to Cousins last April, when his high school teammate, 6-4 guard Nick Williams, asked to be released from his commitment to Marquette after Tom Crean left to take the Indiana job. Marquette eventually granted Williams his release but, says LeFlore High coach Otis Hughley, "Ultimately it was up to Marquette, not Nick Williams. I couldn't even get Marquette to return my phone calls for almost a week. How many opportunities slipped through Nick's hands in the meantime?"

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/seth_davis/11/18/hoop.thoughts/index.html

We must have been busy conducting our exhaustive coaching search.

[AlumKCof93]

I don't understand the complaint, maybe it would if I read the whole article.  But Nick Williams committed to MU, and then asked to be released when Crean left.  Is Williams' coach complaining that Williams could have gone to a different school had MU responded to his request to be dropped from his LOI earlier?  Seems pretty silly since MU did grant the release and Williams followed Crean to Indiana anyway.  Am I missing something?

[dwaderoy2004]

it's a fortunate (for him) omission from seth davis, since it supports the point of his article.  it is a very agenda-driven article, so don't read into it too much.

[MR.HAYWARD]

I actually e-mailed the clown.  Very negative paragraph or two about Mu.  the article discussed his HS team mate Cousins who wants an out in his NLI that if Davis leaves he can get out of the commitment.  UAB will not grant that and may lose him becuse of it.  He goes on to mention Nick Williams and davis proceeds to lambast MU.  The sad thing is Mu handle the whole affair with complete dignity and class, as do most schools.  The typical MO is hire a new coach and let the coach speak to/rerecruit the kid and then grant him his release if he still wants it.  Buzz got hired 7 days after Crean left and if I recall they granted Nick Willimas his release immediately without Buzz even flying down there and speaking to him first.  My belief is Buzz knew he could not get him as he was a Seltzer and Crean guy,  and also by some accounts Buzz knew he was no big loss.  Butler is a better player than Nick Williams.  Nevertheless the Tyshawn Taylor situation is how it is typically handeled.  Mu in the Nick Williams case acted more quickly and with more dignity and class than usually ever happens in thsi situation.  Many schools will not give a release forcing the kid to decide to come to school or sit out and lose a year of eligibility.  Classless shot by Davis and a terrible example. 

[Pakuni]

I don't understand the complaint, maybe it would if I read the whole article.  But Nick Williams committed to MU, and then asked to be released when Crean left.  Is Williams' coach complaining that Williams could have gone to a different school had MU responded to his request to be dropped from his LOI earlier?  Seems pretty silly since MU did grant the release and Williams followed Crean to Indiana anyway.  Am I missing something?

Agreed.
Though the NLI process is a bit unfair to the player, I don't understand the gripe here.
First, why - other than out of courtesy - would MU ever put a priority on calling back a player's high school coach rather than the player himself or his family? Yet another example, it seems, of a high school coach who thinks it's all about him.
Secondly, how and why would MU grant a release before even hiring a coach to replace Crean? It would make sense that the university should at least have an opportunity to get a new coach in place and let that coach speak with the recruit and have some input on a release, whether it should be unconditional, etc. Maybe that coach wouldn't give two shakes about Nick Williams wanting out. Or maybe he'd want to try to talk Williams into sticking with his LOI. Either way, there's nothing wrong with MU making the kid wait a week. He would not have been able to sign with another school until the spring signing period anyhow, which began after MU eventually granted his release. So I'm not sure what opportunities Williams could have missed.

Also, it seems that while Williams' coach was getting the deference he believed he deserved, Williams himself was, in fact, in touch with Marquette.

Cottingham remarks one day after Crean left:

"All of the recruits have been contacted and we're reaching out to them," Cottingham said. "They understand that this is a great University and a great basketball program."
http://www.onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/creanleaves.html

[Pardner]

If my child, who is not an athlete, signed a contract for early admissions to a university based on academics...we are required, if he/she signs to attend, to pay a sizeable deposit (10%-25%) eight -ten months before school starts.  If they get accepted to another school that is a bit higher in esteem that they wish to attend, guess what?  My deposit (not talking a scholarship here) is forfeited since a signed legal contract of commitment means something.  Should I claim that we want an out because the Dean retired? 

I understand the situations are different, but the recruits who signed for a free ride-- can wait a week.

[77ncaachamps]

Shows more of the pressure placed on Nick from his coaches and his family.
Kinda shows MU in a "non-compliant" light, but there's nothing that MU did WRONG.

Arizona didn't do anything WRONG either by not allowing the kid out of his LOI.

I don't know what's more detestable: the simple existence of the LOI or recruits and the parties involved who complain and do not comprehend/respect the LOI they just signed.

[bma725]

Shows more of the pressure placed on Nick from his coaches and his family.
Kinda shows MU in a "non-compliant" light, but there's nothing that MU did WRONG.

Funny thing is, Otis Hughley has nothing to do with a request to get out of a LOI.  It must be signed by the player and the player's parent or legal guardian.  Hughley can call all he wants, but unless Williams filled out the necessary paperwork, that doesn't matter.

[NCMUFan]

Now the rodents can face Nick Williams a minimum of 8 times versus 4 if he stayed with Marquette.  Hope Nick doesn't rip appart the rodents to badly.

[TheGym]

I love how the coach asks how many opportunities were lost over the week he says he was trying to get the release.  I believe the number was exactly zero.  The coach is an idiot.

[The Lens]

Was Otis wearing his "Turtle" track suit while b!tching to Seth?  Maybe if he coached in more than workout clothes, others in his profession would treat him like a professional.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Butler is a better player than Nick Williams.  Nevertheless the Tyshawn Taylor situation is how it is typically handeled.  Mu in the Nick Williams case acted more quickly and with more dignity and class than usually ever happens in thsi situation.  Many schools will not give a release forcing the kid to decide to come to school or sit out and lose a year of eligibility. 

Hopefully you are right.  Butler is also a year older and played at a higher level (JC) vs Williams just starting his college career.

Williams is no slouch.  He's got a double double tonight and was certainly recruited by enough quality teams to suggest he's a good player.

[nola03]

Williams is no slouch.  He's got a double double tonight and was certainly recruited by enough quality teams to suggest he's a good player.

Nick will be a very good player for Crean at Indiana.

Anyone saying he won't do much or is not as good as Butler (who was signed sight unseen by Buzz) is clearly letting the fog of hate foil their vision. And that's coming from a massive supporter of Jimmy.

[Marquette84]

Butler (who was signed sight unseen by Buzz)

This would mean that Buzz never saw any of Fulce's games from Tyler JC.  It seems farfetched that Buzz could recruit Fulce without having seen his teammate Butler.

In fact, according to this article:
http://www.apacheathletics.com/article/577.php
"During a visit to see fellow Apache and Marquette commit Joe Fulce, Buzz Williams discovered Butler."


 

[nola03]

This would mean that Buzz never saw any of Fulce's games from Tyler JC.  It seems farfetched that Buzz could recruit Fulce without having seen his teammate Butler.

In fact, according to this article:
http://www.apacheathletics.com/article/577.php
"During a visit to see fellow Apache and Marquette commit Joe Fulce, Buzz Williams discovered Butler."

Buzz talked about Butler's recruitment in his post game press conference from HBU.

[The Lens]

Lets not kid ourselves, Nick Williams was a heck of a recruit and would be very welcome here at MU.

Just b/c TC disciples had revisionist history about the value of Mason, Amo, Bell, Niv etc, I'm not going to sit here and say NW is a bum recruit.  Buzz made a nice save with Butler but I think most coaches would have taken Williams.

[Nukem2]

Nick is a very good player and will have a nice college career.  Not NBA-material at this point though.   Davis and Hughley are way off base here.  Remeber, until the past few years, schools did not release kids from a signed NLOI. Protocol nowadays usually is to give the new coach one last shot.  Seven days is not unfair especially since Nick signed a contract stating that he understood that he was signing with MU and not TC.  Obviously, Cousins is trying to midify the standard contract.If Nick Williams and Otis Hughley are chagrined, they should be mad at Tom Crean for putting them into that situation.

[AlumKCof93]

Ultimately, this is just a lazy job of reporting by Seth Davis.  There must be multiple examples where a kid got screwed by a DOI, but the Nick Williams is case is not one of them.  Just a conveneint one for Davis due to his ties to Cousins.

[RJax55]

Watched the last two IU games ... Williams is a nice player, reminds me of Joe Chapman. Would have definitely contributed to this year's MU team.

With that said, I would rather have Bulter. He is more athletic and taller. Their skill sets are about even, but Bulter's physical attributes are better than Williams.

[Big Papi]

Buzz talked about Butler's recruitment in his post game press conference from HBU.

I wasn't listening to closely to the post game interview but I thought it was that Butler called Buzz and not the other way around and committed to MU sight unseen. 

Buzz did see Bulter play before hand as I find it impossible to believe that Buzz didn't watch one single game of Fulce.  In addition, his closest basketball associate was coaching the team.

[RJax55]

I wasn't listening to closely to the post game interview but I thought it was that Butler called Buzz and not the other way around and committed to MU sight unseen. 

Buzz did see Bulter play before hand as I find it impossible to believe that Buzz didn't watch one single game of Fulce.  In addition, his closest basketball associate was coaching the team.

I believe what Buzz meant by "sight unseen" is that Bulter committed to MU without ever taking a visit here.

[MR.HAYWARD]

OMG,  this has totally gotten out of hand by the Cream apologists.  Where was it ever said that nick Williams was a bum.  Talk about jumping to conclusions!!  Wow that was never said or even insinuated.  What was said was Buzz knew that Williams who was recruited by Seltzer and Crean and commited before Buzz was even employed was let go with out the usually sit down.  Taylor on the other hand Buzz recruited and they had the sit down before the release was give.

NOLA  agains goes off the deep end with his man crush.  Taking a swipe at Buzz witht he following "Anyone saying he won't do much or is not as good as Butler (who was signed sight unseen by Buzz) is clearly letting the fog of hate foil their vision."

Who has the foggy vision.  Buzz knew very well of Butler and as others have provided the facts Buzz had seen him play and was very intereted.  Maybe your hatred clouded your memory by thinking he signed him sight unseen when the reality is Jimmy butler signed with Mu sight unseen.  yet another testimonial to Buzzes ability to recruit when a kid who was offered a scholarship by kentucky would sign with buzz Williams without visiting the campus.  Sorry clouded one.

[nola03]

I wasn't listening to closely to the post game interview but I thought it was that Butler called Buzz and not the other way around and committed to MU sight unseen. 

Buzz did see Bulter play before hand as I find it impossible to believe that Buzz didn't watch one single game of Fulce.  In addition, his closest basketball associate was coaching the team.

Perhaps that is what he meant. I obviously heard it differently. In that case, Butler signed himself sight unseen.

Edited due to stupidity. It's my opinion that Butler came up to MU as a package deal with Scott Monarch.

[MR.HAYWARD]

As has been stated not only did Buzz watch Jimmy and Joe both play but there coach is a close friend of Buzz's.  Additonally another close friend billy gillespie offered Jimmy too.  Bum Nick Williams is not but Mu got the better end of the deal.