Bummer: Jerel kicked off Belgian team.

[MerrittsMustache]

It's not poor judgment or marijuana use that's going to taint GM's opinions of Jerel. It's the fact that he is not currently playing basketball that is going to hurt him the most. He needs to sign on somewhere else and show what he can do on the court. If a GM thinks that Jerel will help his team, he's going to sign him regardless of whether or not he got caught smoking pot in Belgium.

[GGGG]

If someone tells you that...

...you cannot smoke marijuana as long as you work here
...you will be tested regularly
...and you will be fired if you test positive

What does that tell your future employers about you when you test positive and are fired?  That you are impulsive, do not use good judgment, and you really don't care all that much about your job.

The problem with Jerel is that there are dozens of guys out there with his basketball skills - we're not talking about Michael Jordon here.  If given the choice between Jerel, and one of those other dozens of players to fill out the 12th spot on a roster, NBA GMs are going to choose the guy who has a history of good judgment.  Not the guy who was kicked off his Belgian team.

So Jerel has to do two things...stop getting in trouble and work on his game.  I agree that this is only a setback and he can recover from this, but to dismiss it with "many NBA players smoke pot" misses the point entirely.

[MUBurrow]

I agree that all of that is true if you are trying to be an investment banker.  However as a basketball player, your services are sought because of how you can help a team for a discrete amount of time.  As far as earning training camp invites, or signing D League contracts, etc, the "irresponsibility and poor decision making" will not affect Jerel whatsoever.  The remarkable prevalence of pot combined with the NBA culture in which it is used will not lead GMs who have been around the block to extrapolate much from this offense at all.  If a team were considering whether to draft Jerel #1 and build their future around him - different story. But as far as picking him up to give them 10 minutes and 2.5 ppg off the bench? If he's the best player in camp to do that he'll get the job and if he's not, he won't.

[LON]

I agree with Navin,

Weed is not some new found substance by professional athletes. (Like someone mentioned before) Pot is not tested for in the NBA and it is not tested for in the MLB (Minors are a different story.)

Is it a shame that this young man got removed from a basketball team because of this? Yes. But it is certainly not the end of his professional hoops career.

Just look at Rafer Alston or Tracy McGrady during a game and try and tell me they aren't blazed most of the time.

[Aughnanure]

It's not the smoking of the pot that is the character issue.  It is the smoking of the pot when it was clearly banned by FIBA that's the character issue.  

True, but I was more connecting that statement with story on NFL execs saying a very large number of 2010 draftees have admitted to or tested positive for marijuana - many literally calling it a "epidemic." Basically it used to be that if a player was even suspected his draft stock plummeted ridiculously, but with more success by players who were caught or admitted to using, most notably Percy Harvin and DeSean Jackson, the league has become much more open about it.

However, by your logic we should connect anyone who smokes marijuana to having serious character issues because marijuana is clearly banned by the United States.

[Aughnanure]

If someone tells you that...

...you cannot smoke marijuana as long as you work here
...you will be tested regularly
...and you will be fired if you test positive

What does that tell your future employers about you when you test positive and are fired?  That you are impulsive, do not use good judgment, and you really don't care all that much about your job.

The problem with Jerel is that there are dozens of guys out there with his basketball skills - we're not talking about Michael Jordon here.  If given the choice between Jerel, and one of those other dozens of players to fill out the 12th spot on a roster, NBA GMs are going to choose the guy who has a history of good judgment.  Not the guy who was kicked off his Belgian team.

So Jerel has to do two things...stop getting in trouble and work on his game.  I agree that this is only a setback and he can recover from this, but to dismiss it with "many NBA players smoke pot" misses the point entirely.

I don't look into FIBA rules, but is is a clear for-sure thing that you will be fired for testing positive? Do they specifically tell all players you get one strike and you are out? That seems a little absurd, as certain drugs should be more punished than others.

[flash]

I don't think Jerel smoking weed will affect his chances of making the NBA.  If he is good enough a team wil sign him regardless if he tested positive for it or not.  It is not even tested for in the NBA.  Good luck to Jerel, hopefully he can work his way onto an NBA roster. 

[jt92]

Well maybe that explains his "dopey" decision to shoot the ball so early against Villanova in last year's BET.

[77ncaachamps]

Apologize, humble yourself, and move on.

Hope ya learned your lesson, Jerel!

[Canadian Dimes]

I agree that it probably does not make a huge difference.  But the bottom line is if you know you will be suspended from Europe for a year if you do it it is a really stupid decison.  Especially if it eliminates your ability to continue to audition.  I mean the percentage of American ballers over in Eurpoe that smoke weed has got to be austounding and there are literally hundreds of them over there, yet Jerel is the only one dumb enough to get caught.  Does not look good on him.

Now things make more sense for 4 years I said he was the lowest IQ player I have ever seen at Mu, if he was simply completely stoned out of his gourd then that helps explain things.  To watch jerel lead a fast break would convince anyone the man was on drugs.  I dont care how many points he scored he was so infuriatingly dumb with his decison making on the basketball court that I am simply glad he ran out of eligibility.    

[Ari Gold]

of all things Jerel could have done, smoking pot doesn't bother me.
He didn't get drunk drive and kill a man...
he didn't start a dog fighting ring...
he didn't murder his pregnant girlfriend...
he isn't taking roids...
he didn't take a gun into a strip club...
he didn't shoot himself
he wasn't trafficking the drugs...
he wasn't found with guns in his possession...

He likes a lil weed and other athletes have done much worse.
Here's hoping Jarel can rebound from this

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Must be a Hillcrest thing. 

[Hards Alumni]

Is there a new rule out there that as long as it is in teal,  you can say nasty things?

just checkin'.

[MUfan12]

Must be a Hillcrest thing. 

Glad someone said it, because I was sure thinking it.

[Aughnanure]

I agree that it probably does not make a huge difference.  But the bottom line is if you know you will be suspended from Europe for a year if you do it it is a really stupid decison.  Especially if it eliminates your ability to continue to audition.  I mean the percentage of American ballers over in Eurpoe that smoke weed has got to be austounding and there are literally hundreds of them over there, yet Jerel is the only one dumb enough to get caught.  Does not look good on him.

Now things make more sense for 4 years I said he was the lowest IQ player I have ever seen at Mu, if he was simply completely stoned out of his gourd then that helps explain things.  To watch jerel lead a fast break would convince anyone the man was on drugs.  I dont care how many points he scored he was so infuriatingly dumb with his decison making on the basketball court that I am simply glad he ran out of eligibility.    

Really? Ever? You must not have been watching MU ball for very long...or ever. Jerel is far from having the lowest basketball IQ and your angry insulting post to a former MU great is classless.  

Are we really doing the "he must have been on drugs to make that decision" argument/joke? Very original...the classic smoking weed is the reason for every mistake and bad decision.

My god, MU played a very fast-pace driving style of offense that lends itself to making multiple turnovers. I agree Jerel always had a problem with deciding when to dish the ball or finish the drive (more an early career thing), but the lack of your IQ in that post does not allow you to make such a grand distinctive judgment on the player and person McNeal was/is after they are gone.

[Doctor V]

Must be a Hillcrest thing. 

I didnt think it was nasty, I chuckled. Give em hell 'rel

[JWags85]

Pot is not a banned substance by the NBA.

Josh Howard says hi.

[Chili]

Josh Howard says hi.

So does over 50% of the Association. Sam Perkins.

[DawsonCreekFillanderer]

McNeal was not happy.  Hope he can find a situation where he is happy.

Not happy with what? The poor quality of weed in Belgium? He couldn't score Matanuska Thundefruck on a regular basis? His BC Bud dealer split town? The guy was getting paid a lot of dough to play a game. There can be very little sympathy for this guy. I could care less if he tokes on numbers but he knew this was a banned substance so he should have acted accordingly.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Just so I'm clear, we shouldn't hang a banner for this, right?

Correct...no banner, but we should definitely blame Tom Crean for his actions.

[damuts222]

 I love the people who wait for something to happen to anybody related to Marquette then jump all over them. McNeal made a dumb mistake, he happened to be caught...dumb, yes.

The guy was getting paid a lot of dough to play a game.

McNeal is an alum of Marquette not just some guy

[Hards Alumni]

Correct...no banner, but we should definitely blame Tom Crean for his actions.

Actually, Buzz should get all the blame since he got all the accolades for Wes Matthew's NBA career.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Actually, Buzz should get all the blame since he got all the accolades for Wes Matthew's NBA career.

Haven't you figured out the formula yet?

Anything bad that happened (or will happen) at MU = Tom Crean responsible

Anything good that happened (or will happen) at MU = .......

You get the idea

[LON]

Haven't you figured out the formula yet?

Anything bad that happened (or will happen) at MU = Tom Crean responsible

Anything good that happened (or will happen) at MU = .......

You get the idea

I had a hunch TC was pulling the Schroeder Hall fire alarm every night during the 2003-2004 school year, couple that with the pile-driver, I never got any sleep.  Thanks for the confirmation.

[The Lens]

Haven't you figured out the formula yet?

Anything bad that happened (or will happen) at MU = Tom Crean responsible

Anything good that happened (or will happen) at MU = .......

You get the idea

Can we make this deal?

Buzz gets full credit for Wes to the NBA if he accepts full blame for Jerel?  I'll do that deal.