Vander Blue

[Rollout-the-Barrel]

I heard a rumor today that he is contemplating transferring to an east coast prep school and looking for further recruitment out east.   I heard it from a high school coach not affiliated with Madison Memorial.  Just a rumor, but has anybody heard anything else?

[MUfan2]

Had not heard the prep school rumor, but there have been rumors abound that he's reconsidering his UW commitment.  He's a tremendously athletic guard with the chance of playing in the NBA, why would he want to ruin that by going to Madison? 

Also, having just won the state championship, there really isn't much more for him to do in HS bb in WI.  A move to a prep school would probably be a good decision. 

[Ari Gold]

Here's hoping Jeronne Maymon loves MU and talks his boy into joining him here

[GOMU1104]

Had not heard the prep school rumor, but there have been rumors abound that he's reconsidering his UW commitment.  He's a tremendously athletic guard with the chance of playing in the NBA, why would he want to ruin that by going to Madison?  

Also, having just won the state championship, there really isn't much more for him to do in HS bb in WI.  A move to a prep school would probably be a good decision. 

Devin Harris didn't ruin anything by going to Wisconsin...


Vander Blue has the type of talent that he will become a SPECIAL player, regardless of where he goes to school.


Just because he is going to UW, doesnt mean that his bball future is ruined...kid is special.

[Guy Fieri's Dad]

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[ChicosBailBonds]

I spoke with Layer in Boise and he implied that mu is definetely working the jmo angle with blue.

I hope that's not true.  We shouldn't be tampering with other players

[Boone]

It's only tampering if the kid's signed. Oral commitments are only worth the paper they're not written on.

[MUfan12]

I hope that's not true.  We shouldn't be tampering with other players

Agreed, there should be no encouragement from the coaching staff to do this. If Blue truly is wavering and Maymon talks, there's nothing the staff can really do.

It will be interesting to see what comes of it. I bet he sticks with UW.

[Pakuni]

I hope that's not true.  We shouldn't be tampering with other players

Obviously, as Boone stated, it wouldn't be tampering.
It may be shady - even though everybody, including Tom Crean, does it (see: Christian, Carlton) - but before we jump to any such conclusions we should first know whether a) MU is going after a kid who has a firm oral commitment elsewhere or b) Vander has let it be known that he's reconsidering - not an unusual move for a kid who coimmitted as a sophomore - and is welcoming all comers.
I'd guess - but only a guess - that given the life this rumor has had for months, it may be the latter.

[VegasWarrior77]

An alum's recruiting daydream...  Jeronne talks Vander Blue into coming here and Junior talks Latavious into coming here!  Oh well...back to reality!

[mikeDEANmeminger]

Word at the state tournament was that he is going to see how things go on the summer circuit and if things go well for him, he may reopen his recruitment heading into his senior year, which is what a lot of people have been saying for a few months now. He originally committed because recruiters were coming so heavy at him so early. He wanted to focus on school and his HS team with out the obvious and numerous distractions that some with big time recruitment. One school that I know was mentioned prior to his commitment and again now that there is talk of him backing out is Kentucky. But I didn't hear anything about him heading to a prep school out east....this may be a new idea of his now that he has a state title. If he stays at Memorial, he'd be far and away the best player in the state next year.

[GGGG]

I'm probably in the minority on this, but I don't see him as some fantastic prospect.  He isn't very big (6'2", 180), isn't a point guard, and is a decent, but not great shooter.  He is about McNeal's height, without his slasher type game, and is 3" shorter than Wes.  He is not ranked by Scouts or Rivals.

Sometimes guards from Wisconsin can look better than they really are because...well...they're in Wisconsin.  Let's not get all excited by what he did last week.  See what he does over the summer a la Jeronne last summer.

[augoman]

the rumor I heard from an UNreliable source is that the talk at the state tourney is that Blue wants to come play uptempo at MU.  It would be sweet, but I'm not prepared to buy in.

[Wareagle]

He is not ranked by Scouts or Rivals.

He is ranked 39th in rivals top 150.

http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=76953&Sport=2

[MUfan2]

I'm probably in the minority on this, but I don't see him as some fantastic prospect.  He isn't very big (6'2", 180), isn't a point guard, and is a decent, but not great shooter.  He is about McNeal's height, without his slasher type game, and is 3" shorter than Wes.  He is not ranked by Scouts or Rivals.

Sometimes guards from Wisconsin can look better than they really are because...well...they're in Wisconsin.  Let's not get all excited by what he did last week.  See what he does over the summer a la Jeronne last summer.

He's good.  He's going to be a stud wherever he goes, you're right.  But I would think he'd want a bigger showcase.

[augoman]

well, if he goes to UW-Madison, he'll be okay as long as he takes a mattress to the games to rest on between plays.

[Bob "Big Daddy" Wild]

The rumor I heard at the Illinois state tournament I didn't attend is that Vander plans on attending Wisconsin.  However, during the waning seconds of a close MU/Bucky game his soph year at the Kohl, he will intentionally pass the ball to Jeronne for an easy dunk and Marquette victory.  As the crowd goes begins to riot, Vander will tear off his home jersey to reveal his prized powder BLUE MU jersey and run up and hug his friend Jeronne and Uncle Tim Maymon at center court.  In front of a now shocked crowd, Buzz will seize the moment and crush Bucky the Badger with a steel chair, give Bo Ryan a stone cold stunner, and jump on the scorer's table and flick the double bird to the open mouthed madisonites - thus ensuring the greatest heel tag team in Wisonsin history - "Buzz and Blue."

/Partially stolen from Simmons
/Apologies for wrestling references

[Murffieus]

GOMU1104 is one of the few in this thread who makes sense-----Vander Blue will excell no matter where he goes----he has Devin Harris type talent and Devin did very well at UW----was a #5 pick (wouldn't have done any better anywhere else). Harris is the only guard who Bo let drive the ball the length of the court off long rebs or TOs and he did it very well.

My bet is that Mr Blue stays put as if indeed he does have second thoughts, Bo will be able to reassure him through Harris's success at UW.

[Ari Gold]

The rumor I heard at the Illinois state tournament I didn't attend is that Vander plans on attending Wisconsin.  However, during the waning seconds of a close MU/Bucky game his soph year at the Kohl, he will intentionally pass the ball to Jeronne for an easy dunk and Marquette victory.  As the crowd goes begins to riot, Vander will tear off his home jersey to reveal his prized powder BLUE MU jersey and run up and hug his friend Jeronne and Uncle Tim Maymon at center court.  In front of a now shocked crowd, Buzz will seize the moment and crush Bucky the Badger with a steel chair, give Bo Ryan a stone cold stunner, and jump on the scorer's table and flick the double bird to the open mouthed madisonites - thus ensuring the greatest heel tag team in Wisonsin history - "Buzz and Blue."

/Partially stolen from Simmons
/Apologies for wrestling references

and if you ain't down with that I got two words for ya...

that could literally be the most redic/greatest moment college basketball will ever see.

[GOMU1104]

I spoke with Layer in Boise and he implied that mu is definetely working the jmo angle with blue.

I really hope one of our assistant coaches isnt dumb enough to speak on a 2010 recruit that has a verbal commitment with another university.


I understand that it is not tamperng unless the kid has signed his LOI...but recruiting strategies such a that one should stay with those on the coaching staff. He should not be discussing that out in public.

[ChicosBailBonds]

It's only tampering if the kid's signed. Oral commitments are only worth the paper they're not written on.

I get it, I know what the official rule of tampering is.  Nevertheless, unless Blue is initiating this, I don't think we should participate.  We all get incredibly pissed off when it happens to us so it shouldn't be encouraged.

I don't know if someone with 2 posts out of the blue says he talked to an assistant coach who said this.  But who knows if it's true.  I'd prefer that we don't play these games.

You're right that it's not a written agreement, but I still come from a time and place where a man's word means something....still does to this day in my business.

[TrevorCandelino]

Agree, I hope nothing is being said.....I hate negative recruiting....Sell what you got, not what someone else doesn't.....What goes around comes around in recruiting (of course, Bo and company havent exactly been saints in this regard either - see Matthews, Wes and Butch, Brian...although, as a Jesuit institution I would expect more from MU).....

That said, who ever questions Vander's ability doesnt know what he is talking about.....He is a big big time talent....Wish MU would have been on him sooner....Best HS guard from WI in a while.....Much more talented than Korie Lucious and Jerry Smith....I don't care if he will be playing for Bo Ryan, Bo Black, or Bo Derek, the kid is a player....

[Boone]

Actually, I'm more in agreement w/you than you think -- was just stating that there's nothing technically illegal about recruiting a committed kid. Ethically, though, it's a different story. If we are pursuing Blue, I hope it's only on the condition that the kid has let it be known that he wants to re-open his recruitment.

[CAINMUTINY]

If you want to be successful you're going to have to get your hands dirty from time to time; especially if you're not UNC, DUKE, KU,UK

[NavinRJohnson]

I get it, I know what the official rule of tampering is.  Nevertheless, unless Blue is initiating this, I don't think we should participate. 

That's the real question though. If he is initiating this (which of course we don't even know if there is a this), no matter how directly or indirectly, from a purely theoretical standpoint, game on. If he is putting the word out in some form, go get him.