Blue's decommitment and BadgerNation meltdown goes national

[NCMUFan]

I wonder what type of message the UW fan base is sending to possible future recruits from the state of Wisconsin and in particular Madison.  "Don't refuse us or else."  What a classy group.

[GGGG]

I wonder what type of message the UW fan base is sending to possible future recruits from the state of Wisconsin and in particular Madison.  "Don't refuse us or else."  What a classy group.

I don't think they have a problem if they refuse them.  I think they have a problem to back out of a commitment in part because of MU meddling.

[Pakuni]

I don't think they have a problem if they refuse them.  I think they have a problem to back out of a commitment in part because of MU meddling.

What MU meddling?

As for Badger fans, they should learn what the rest of the country already knows: an oral commitment, particularly during one's sophomore years, is worth the paper it's written on.
I'm not suggesting MU fans would be something other than upset in a similar situation (see: Billingsley, LeDaryl), but I'd like to think most of us wouldn't resort to making personal attacks on the kid and offering bizarre conspiracy theories.

[🏀]

an oral commitment, particularly during one's sophomore years, is worth the paper it's written on.

Are oral commitments actually written?

[schubert33]

Are oral commitments actually written?

no

[thanooj]

I agree the MU board has been suportive, but I also feel that there's no way he will stay in the state.  I smell Rick Pitino!!!!

You are right there.  Totally smelly pitino stench wafting this way.

[thanooj]

How do I know which of you all are real MU fans or Badgers in disguise?  Any one of you could have the alterior motives of keeping Blue away from the blue and gold.  How many of you are in on it?  Or is this really a plot hatched in the back alleys of Louisville's fan sites to not only screw UW but MU as well.  They are playing one against the other.  Maybe we should join forces and end Pitino's destructive reign and bring order to the Galaxy.  Badgers and Warriors UNITE to keep Vander Blue and all other future Big East stars in state.  Blue to MU, down with louisville.

[🏀]

no

I guess I should have used a teal font.

[GGGG]

What MU meddling?

As for Badger fans, they should learn what the rest of the country already knows: an oral commitment, particularly during one's sophomore years, is worth the paper it's written on.
I'm not suggesting MU fans would be something other than upset in a similar situation (see: Billingsley, LeDaryl), but I'd like to think most of us wouldn't resort to making personal attacks on the kid and offering bizarre conspiracy theories.

I meant to say "perceived MU meddling."  Sorry.

But I am going to have to disagree on your last point.  Let's say Jeronne committed early to MU and backed out on his verbal to sign with UW.  I've been on this board long enough to know that our response wouldn't exactly be high class.

[Lighthouse 84]

I guess I should have used a teal font.

I think most of us (other than shubert33) figured that out.....

[MR.HAYWARD]

I as an MU fan would obviously love for Vander to come to MU he is a very highly rated combo guard which we need and obviously the satisfaction of stealing him from the clutches of UW-Madison would be sweet.

For those that say his coming to MU would be a great way to "stick it to Wisky" i think is worthless.  I dont  think Vander would choose a school just to stick it to another school.  4 years is along time and there are way bigger reason to chose a school and bigger fish to fry than to stick it to a school.
In fact ultimately I beeleive he will choose the path of least resistance and choose an out of state school.  way too much baggage with Mu, and a nightmare of drama for himself and his family if he chooses MU do to the classlessness of the UW fans.  Look how they treated Wesley and Jerrronne and their families and those guys never verballed to Wisco.

Ultimately Mu wins this war though in a big big way.  UW had it's highest ever rated recruit in hand.  Bo's ability to go out and sign a top 50 rated SG in Vanders spot is impropbable.  Most likely a top 150 type kid. This si a big loss for Wisco, they are already woefully short on athleticism and talent.  Vander would have been a huge infusion in a huge time of need as Hughes moves on. 

Mu though is already very talented at the gurds with buycks, DJO, Bowen and Junior coming in.  While we most likely will not get Vander we were already full steam ahead in looking for a combo guard and have numerous top 50 and top 100 kids interetd. 

[Pakuni]

Ultimately Mu wins this war though in a big big way.  UW had it's highest ever rated recruit in hand. 

Brian Butch was higher rated, or certain.
As was Rashard Griffith.
Probably Sam Okey, as well.

Vander is, by all accounts, a great prospect, but Wisconsin has had better.

[TJ]

I meant to say "perceived MU meddling."  Sorry.

But I am going to have to disagree on your last point.  Let's say Jeronne committed early to MU and backed out on his verbal to sign with UW.  I've been on this board long enough to know that our response wouldn't exactly be high class.

Let's say a MU recruit had a meeting with the coaches about his path to qualifying and someone "leaked" details of the meeting to the press and the article wasn't complimentary (whether it's truthful or not).  Let's further stipulate that the article stated that the recruit was thinking about de-committing, but had nothing solid in that area, just a vague "source" told me.

I would like to think that our response wouldn't be to bash the kid and say that he couldn't cut it anyway.  I guess we can't know for certain, but I think we (most of us at least) are more respectful than that.

Of course we'd go ballistic if a high level recruit backed out and went to UW.  That's not entirely what happened here though.

[GGGG]

Brian Butch was higher rated, or certain.
As was Rashard Griffith.
Probably Sam Okey, as well.

Vander is, by all accounts, a great prospect, but Wisconsin has had better.

Yes, Okey and Butch were McDs all Americans.  Rashard Griffith was the #2 ranked recruit in the country.  (Behind Rasheed Wallace.)  Michael Finley I believe was also ranked higher.

[Jay Bee]

Yes, Okey and Butch were McDs all Americans.  Rashard Griffith was the #2 ranked recruit in the country.  (Behind Rasheed Wallace.)  Michael Finley I believe was also ranked higher.

Stop this nonsensical talk!  Pretty soon people will think that players are done a disservice by going to Wisconsin at Madison!

[Big Papi]

Ultimately Mu wins this war though in a big big way.  UW had it's highest ever rated recruit in hand.  Bo's ability to go out and sign a top 50 rated SG in Vanders spot is impropbable.  Most likely a top 150 type kid. This si a big loss for Wisco, they are already woefully short on athleticism and talent.  Vander would have been a huge infusion in a huge time of need as Hughes moves on. 

MU wins because besides now having a chance with Vander Blue, we now have the inside track with Junior Lomboda.  He is a highly rated wing player from Madison Memorial.  Not only is he tight with Maymon but this whole Vander Blue mess can't be sitting well with Vander's teammates.

[MarquetteDano]

Let's say a MU recruit had a meeting with the coaches about his path to qualifying and someone "leaked" details of the meeting to the press and the article wasn't complimentary (whether it's truthful or not).  Let's further stipulate that the article stated that the recruit was thinking about de-committing, but had nothing solid in that area, just a vague "source" told me.

I would like to think that our response wouldn't be to bash the kid and say that he couldn't cut it anyway.  I guess we can't know for certain, but I think we (most of us at least) are more respectful than that.

Of course we'd go ballistic if a high level recruit backed out and went to UW.  That's not entirely what happened here though.

To some degree I think comparing Marquette and Wisconsin is apples and oranges in this case.  Don't get me wrong... the reaction was pretty ugly on some of the boards.  However, Wisconsin-Madison fits into about 20 states in the union that have one truly major state university that has a good basketball program.  Any time a local kid verbals and de-commits this is the reaction you get.

I travel a lot and I see these parochial views consistently in those states.  In the case of Marquette, being private we just don't think any local kid should go to Marquette and that is it.  Maybe some Catholic kid who went to Marquette High... maybe you would get this reaction.

I am not saying private schools fans bases have better reactions in these cases... just saying the expectations are different.  And thus the reaction.

[GGGG]

To some degree I think comparing Marquette and Wisconsin is apples and oranges in this case.  Don't get me wrong... the reaction was pretty ugly on some of the boards.  However, Wisconsin-Madison fits into about 20 states in the union that have one truly major state university that has a good basketball program.  Any time a local kid verbals and de-commits this is the reaction you get.

I travel a lot and I see these parochial views consistently in those states.  In the case of Marquette, being private we just don't think any local kid should go to Marquette and that is it.  Maybe some Catholic kid who went to Marquette High... maybe you would get this reaction.

I am not saying private schools fans bases have better reactions in these cases... just saying the expectations are different.  And thus the reaction.

I don't think there would be much of an issue with Blue if he hadn't of verballed to UW first.  I don't think UW fans would have gone nuts over this had he simply not made his choice until now.  I also don't think the UW fans would go terribly nuts if he doesn't choose a place like MU or another B10 school.  If he goes to Missouri for instance, I think Badger fan would be upset, but they'd forget about it.  But if he chooses us, Minnesota or Indiana?  Ouch...

However, I do think that we would be reacting similarly had it happened to us.  Look at Jerry Smith.  What if he had verballed to MU first, and *then* went to Louisville.  What do you think the reaction would be on MU Scoop or when he returned to the BC?  It would be ugly.

[TJ]

I don't think there would be much of an issue with Blue if he hadn't of verballed to UW first.  I don't think UW fans would have gone nuts over this had he simply not made his choice until now.  I also don't think the UW fans would go terribly nuts if he doesn't choose a place like MU or another B10 school.  If he goes to Missouri for instance, I think Badger fan would be upset, but they'd forget about it.  But if he chooses us, Minnesota or Indiana?  Ouch...

However, I do think that we would be reacting similarly had it happened to us.  Look at Jerry Smith.  What if he had verballed to MU first, and *then* went to Louisville.  What do you think the reaction would be on MU Scoop or when he returned to the BC?  It would be ugly.

I agree with you - all that would happen here after he decommitted.  What I'm saying is that I would hope that people around here wouldn't blast the kid and his grades before he decommitted because of rumors and an article, thereby theoretically causing him to decommit.  Or at least giving him an easy excuse for it.

[GGGG]

I agree with you - all that would happen here after he decommitted.  What I'm saying is that I would hope that people around here wouldn't blast the kid and his grades before he decommitted because of rumors and an article, thereby theoretically causing him to decommit.  Or at least giving him an easy excuse for it.

Ah OK...understood.  I would hope not either.

[MarquetteDano]

I don't think there would be much of an issue with Blue if he hadn't of verballed to UW first.  I don't think UW fans would have gone nuts over this had he simply not made his choice until now.  I also don't think the UW fans would go terribly nuts if he doesn't choose a place like MU or another B10 school.  If he goes to Missouri for instance, I think Badger fan would be upset, but they'd forget about it.  But if he chooses us, Minnesota or Indiana?  Ouch...

However, I do think that we would be reacting similarly had it happened to us.  Look at Jerry Smith.  What if he had verballed to MU first, and *then* went to Louisville.  What do you think the reaction would be on MU Scoop or when he returned to the BC?  It would be ugly.

But Blue didn't commit to Marquette or any other school.  I agree that we would lose it if someone verballed here and then left for Looeyville.  However, that is not what happened in this case.  Who knows where he is going?

I do think there is more ire when a kid doesn't go to his state school (after verbaling).  When you have multiple state schools then the wrath seems to be less.  There is a general feeling in some states that they "own" their in-state recruits.  Prviate schools and states with multiple state schools do not think in this manner.

[GGGG]

There is a general feeling in some states that they "own" their in-state recruits.  Prviate schools and states with multiple state schools do not think in this manner.

I don't agree with you in the case UW.  I grew up in Madison and never sensed this one bit in any sport.  I never sensed it with Wes Matthews for instance.  I don't remember him being booed at Memorial games that year, and I was at the state semifinal where he went head-to-head against Landry and never noticed anything.

Sometimes I think you guys get a little delusional about UW Madison and how representative their message boards are of their general fan base. 

[Golden Avalanche]

I don't agree with you in the case UW.  I grew up in Madison and never sensed this one bit in any sport.  I never sensed it with Wes Matthews for instance.  I don't remember him being booed at Memorial games that year, and I was at the state semifinal where he went head-to-head against Landry and never noticed anything.

Sometimes I think you guys get a little delusional about UW Madison and how representative their message boards are of their general fan base. 

Coming from out of state, it was easy to learn that the state of Wisconsin can be very parochial. You may not have witnessed Matthews being booed at Memorial but people certainly witnessed him being booed in the Kohl Center. We didn't see this with Diener or Novak because being from Fond du Lac and Brown Deer is as much of a toss-up as you'll get in the state regarding loyalties to MU or UW. As a result, they never felt that "ownership" and, in turn, never felt betrayed when they weren't considered a serious option.

I can easily see Maymon getting booed in December. I could see Blue getting booed if he ends up at MU. I don't think Landry ever received hair-dryer treatment in the Bradley Center. Certainly Boo Wade never was singled out. The younger player at Memorial (drawing a blank on name) may get booed if he ends up in Milwaukee. It's happened.

And, wasn't there some "ownership" issues with Madison's own Phil Kessel when he chose to play in Dinkytown with the Gophers? That distasteful mess made national news.

[MarquetteDano]

I don't agree with you in the case UW.  I grew up in Madison and never sensed this one bit in any sport.  I never sensed it with Wes Matthews for instance.  I don't remember him being booed at Memorial games that year, and I was at the state semifinal where he went head-to-head against Landry and never noticed anything.

Sometimes I think you guys get a little delusional about UW Madison and how representative their message boards are of their general fan base. 

We are not talking about the average fan... this whole debacle is surrounding the message boards and that fan base.  I also do not agree in the Wes Matthews case.  There was quite a bit of negativity when he committed to MU including mentions of his parents just like in the Maymon case.

I guess we have to separate the average person on the street, who simply cheers for a Marquette or Wisconsin, and the more intense fan that we see on the boards.  It is those fans to which I am referring, lest I be considered delusional.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Why wouldn't Marquette players get booed at the Kohl Center?

Who cares about booing?