DJ Newbill No Longer Marquette Material

[bradforster]

In a crazy and ineffable twist, DJ Newbill has been told he's no longer wanted by the Marquette basketball program.  With one quick phone call to Newbill's high school coach Stan Laws, a member of the Marquette coaching staff delivered the news earlier today.  Without knowing MU's side of the story I certainly can't comment on the basketball team's behalf, but the information I've received from DJ's inner circle is highly disturbing.  Newbill was full of zeal for his upcoming move to Milwaukee and to say the day's events caught him off guard would be a major understatement.  The world of college recruiting can be a cruel cat and mouse game fraught with nefarious tactics and deception.  From what I have gathered from the Newbill side in this case, Marquette's recruitment of DJ was specious at best.  A young man is heartbroken tonight at the eleventh hour.  Where does he go from here on such short notice?  I wish him nothing but the best in figuring that out.  Apparently, he'll do it without the assistance of a group that seemingly showed great interest only to discard him like yesterday's newspaper.  Again, I am opining based on what the DJ Newbill camp has told me.  They are obviously deeply hurt by these developments.

[T-Bone]

Is Laws even Strawberry Mansion's coach? 

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/high_school/20100224_Strawberry_Mansion_cuts_ties_with_volunteer_coach_Laws.html

Just wondering. 

As a coach to DJ, he'll always be considered one of his coaches, no matter where he's coaching or DJ's playing. 

Best of luck DJ. 

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

I share your apprehension.

[ChicosBailBonds]

If true, and I say IF, it's a bush league move on all levels.

I hope it's not true.  Even Crean didn't pull that crap.  I hope it's not true.  The way Dodds is spinning like a top on the other board, I have a suspicion it's true. 

[jesmu84]

Was DJ completely academically qualified? Is he the supposed player taking the prep school route? Brad, are you saying that as of 8 minutes ago, DJ was coming to Marquette, and now is being told he's not at all welcome? No more information than that?

[Ron Paul]

If that is true that's a tough way to go...  Maybe he saw the writing on the wall with Jamil Wilson coming?  Obviously its all speculation right now.

[martyconlonontherun]

This is exactly why we shouldn't worship Buzz and chastise Crean. They are both human. I don't think Buzz is scum but I think its pretty obvious that he had to chose between a below average roster player and a former top recruit. He went with someone who would make his job better over sticking with the guy already committed.

[NersEllenson]

If true, and I say IF, it's a bush league move on all levels.

I hope it's not true.  Even Crean didn't pull that crap.  I hope it's not true. 

Agree.  Yet I don't think all of the details of this are out yet - thought it was interesting that in Woelfel's article it said a formal announcement is expected within the next week.  Why will it take a week to make the formal announcement?  My guess is that there is going to be a lot going on behind the scenes at MU in the next week...I just can't believe we'd handle this situation like this..if this is in fact how it went down.

[ChicosBailBonds]

This is exactly why we shouldn't worship and chastise Crean. They are both human. I don't think Buzz is scum but I think its pretty obvious that he had to chose between a below average roster player and a former top recruit. He went with someone who would make his job better over sticking with the guy already committed.

Not only committed to us, but us to him.  Commitment is a two way street.  Newbill signed a letter of intent to play at MU which we accepted, were thrilled about, talked glowingly about it.

http://www.wqow.com/Global/story.asp?S=12311823

"We are excited about D.J.," Williams said. "Anyone that has followed our program knows the priority toughness and character are to us. D.J. embodies those two qualities as well as anyone we have recruited. Similar to all of the others in our class thus far, D.J. has won at the highest level and many times, winning reveals toughness and character."

I'm waiting for more details, but right now I'd say the early evidence doesn't look very good on Buzz's behalf.  I'm hoping more evidence changes that perception, soon.

I guess the question I have is, can MU even do this?  I thought once the LOI was signed he would be here the first year sans something crazy.  Maybe because school hasn't started and the grant in aid has not yet commenced, the clock hasn't started yet.  I don't know. 

[Ari Gold]

I called this in the thread "Re: Jamil Wilson Leaving Oregon?" « Reply #42 on: March 31, 2010, 10:23:06 AM »

3 months and I was right. many of you doubted me... I was right

I Was Right
I Was Right
I Was Right

I was wrong about the Yous thing though

[HoopsMalone]

Didn't Buzz say that one recruit knew he was not going to prep school?  And Rosiak had that in his blog. Will DJ spend one year in prep school and then come to MU?

I highly doubt it was just an assistant coach calling the high school coach.  Maybe the MU assistant coach is the only direct contact the high school coach had with MU, but there is no way Buzz would not call DJ himself or have someone call DJ himself at least.  

This might just be a reaction from DJ's coach and a very narrow view of what happened.  

I will be interested to hear Buzz's side of the story.  Good luck to DJ whatever happens.  

[Markusquette]

Not only committed to us, but us to him.  Commitment is a two way street.  Newbill signed a letter of intent to play at MU which we accepted, were thrilled about, talked glowingly about it.

http://www.wqow.com/Global/story.asp?S=12311823

"We are excited about D.J.," Williams said. "Anyone that has followed our program knows the priority toughness and character are to us. D.J. embodies those two qualities as well as anyone we have recruited. Similar to all of the others in our class thus far, D.J. has won at the highest level and many times, winning reveals toughness and character."

I'm waiting for more details, but right now I'd say the early evidence doesn't look very good on Buzz's behalf.  I'm hoping more evidence changes that perception, soon.

I guess the question I have is, can MU even do this?  I thought once the LOI was signed he would be here the first year sans something crazy.  Maybe because school hasn't started and the grant in aid has not yet commenced, the clock hasn't started yet.  I don't know. 

I must agree.  It seems very fishy and I really hope there is a legitimate reason.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I called this in the thread "Re: Jamil Wilson Leaving Oregon?" « Reply #42 on: March 31, 2010, 10:23:06 AM »

3 months and I was right. many of you doubted me... I was right

I Was Right
I Was Right
I Was Right

I was wrong about the Yous thing though

I believe if you go back several months ago, many folks were surprised by this recruit and wondered if he would ever end up here.  That seemed to all change when he signed the LOI and Buzz's public comments about the signing.  What is puzzling is that it sure seems from the communications from the Newbill camp that we sure didn't communicate very well to them.

The Roseboro coaches said the same thing, and a whole lot of people here banged the crap out of Roseboro's coach as protecting their guy and buzz bashing.  Now, if you put two and two together, doesn't look to good.

I'm hoping a detail comes out that explains all of this.

[MUfan12]

Again, I am opining based on what the DJ Newbill camp has told me.  They are obviously deeply hurt by these developments.

Perhaps we should let more facts come out before busting out the accusatory tone at MU.

Not saying either side is right or wrong, but there's two sides to everything.

[HoopsMalone]

Perhaps we should let more facts come out before busting out the accusatory tone at MU.

Not saying either side is right or wrong, but there's two sides to everything.

Especially if the camp is DJ's high school coach who may or may not have gotten a call from an MU assistant.  There is no way that MU would only contact the high school coach.

The timing is better than Roseboro's departure at least, but still not good for MU and Newbill. 

[martyconlonontherun]

Even if Buzz himself called and gave him a week or 2 warning, at best it really sucks for Newbil to work hard and be committed to the team and then just be cut before he was even given an opportunity for someone who won't even play next year. The only way it is straight on MU's end is if Buzz told Newbil they were actively recruiting over him from the beginning. You don't dump a girlfriend as soon as your ex becomes available.

[ChicosBailBonds]

This is exactly why we shouldn't worship Buzz and chastise Crean.

Yup

[MarqBB77-03]

I thought a signed LOI was a contract.  If that is so and Newbill wants to come to MU, he can come.

[bradforster]

These are the facts that have been presented to me from the Newbill side:

1) Scott Monarch phones Stan Laws today to ask about DJ's MU application.
2) Coach Laws informs Scott he will have DJ complete the application immediately.
3) Monarch responds by saying Buzz is no longer certain of DJ's commitment to the program and questions whether Newbill will be dependable considering the application has yet to be completed.
4) After probing Scott further to get past what Stan considered a convenient excuse for Marquette to release DJ, Monarch informs Stan that all along he's been the only coach on staff who believes DJ's skills are Big East caliber.
5) Scott tells Stan that Buzz has decided to go another direction and he needs DJ to sign a form requesting his release from Marquette.  (Remember, DJ had already signed on the dotted line)

From what I have surmised, DJ may have been a bit late in completing the final application for official MU enrollment and the failure to submit the application was used as a way for the BB team to sever ties with him.  DJ had asked Stan just a few weeks ago why his friends were receiving calls from representatives of their respective universities, but he had heard nothing from Marquette.  In being presented the Newbill camp's side of the story it sure sounds like DJ was no longer in Marquette's plans, and after some additional probing by Stan Laws, Scott Monarch admitted as much.  DJ's family is devastated and it's awfully late in the game to try and latch on somewhere else.  It's highly disappointing that Buzz asked one of his assistant coaches to call Stan with the gut wrenching news and subsequently leave it to Stan to relay that news to DJ.  Again, this is Coach Laws version of what transpired today.

[PhillyCoach]

someone asked me a question saying what number will dj wear in the fall. I gave them a true answer he wont be attending mu in the fall. This is a fact no one at mu told dj he is no longer wanted at mu. I was asked to relay the message from buzz by scott. Its as simple as that. Dj is qualified and scot gave no real reason and that fine life goes on and the healing begins for this kid. And yes i coached dj this past season and let the team to a 23 an 0 record before being removed by the principal because she was jealous the success she thought i was having. Its never about me but all about the kids. Coached dj since 8th grade and volunteered at strawberry mansion as a asst until last year. I took over as a volunteer iterim head coach until that fiasco. Read the articles if u must know.

[Brewtown Andy]

So... Newbill wasn't officially accepted by Marquette academically speaking because he hadn't filed an application? At all?

[Markusquette]

I wouldn't exactly call that a convenient excuse.

[jesmu84]

These are the facts that have been presented to me from the Newbill side:

1) Scott Monarch phones Stan Laws today to ask about DJ's MU application.
2) Coach Laws informs Scott he will have DJ complete the application immediately.
3) Monarch responds by saying Buzz is no longer certain of DJ's commitment to the program and questions whether Newbill will be dependable considering the application has yet to be completed.
4) After probing Scott further to get past what Stan considered a convenient excuse for Marquette to release DJ, Monarch informs Stan that all along he's been the only coach on staff who believes DJ's skills are Big East caliber.
5) Scott tells Stan that Buzz has decided to go another direction and he needs DJ to sign a form requesting his release from Marquette.  (Remember, DJ had already signed on the dotted line)

From what I have surmised, DJ may have been a bit late in completing the final application for official MU enrollment and the failure to submit the application was used as a way for the BB team to sever ties with him.  DJ had asked Stan just a few weeks ago why his friends were receiving calls from representatives of their respective universities, but he had heard nothing from Marquette.  In being presented the Newbill camp's side of the story it sure sounds like DJ was no longer in Marquette's plans, and after some additional probing by Stan Laws, Scott Monarch admitted as much.  DJ's family is devastated and it's awfully late in the game to try and latch on somewhere else.  It's highly disappointing that Buzz asked one of his assistant coaches to call Stan with the gut wrenching news and subsequently leave it to Stan to relay that news to DJ.  Again, this is Coach Laws version of what transpired today.

Brad, please provide your thoughts/opinions on DJ not having completed his MU application just a week before he was to arrive on campus. Thanks.

[Pakuni]

These are the facts that have been presented to me from the Newbill side:

1) Scott Monarch phones Stan Laws today to ask about DJ's MU application.
2) Coach Laws informs Scott he will have DJ complete the application immediately.
3) Monarch responds by saying Buzz is no longer certain of DJ's commitment to the program and questions whether Newbill will be dependable considering the application has yet to be completed.
4) After probing Scott further to get past what Stan considered a convenient excuse for Marquette to release DJ, Monarch informs Stan that all along he's been the only coach on staff who believes DJ's skills are Big East caliber.
5) Scott tells Stan that Buzz has decided to go another direction and he needs DJ to sign a form requesting his release from Marquette.  (Remember, DJ had already signed on the dotted line)

From what I have surmised, DJ may have been a bit late in completing the final application for official MU enrollment and the failure to submit the application was used as a way for the BB team to sever ties with him.  DJ had asked Stan just a few weeks ago why his friends were receiving calls from representatives of their respective universities, but he had heard nothing from Marquette.  In being presented the Newbill camp's side of the story it sure sounds like DJ was no longer in Marquette's plans, and after some additional probing by Stan Laws, Scott Monarch admitted as much.  DJ's family is devastated and it's awfully late in the game to try and latch on somewhere else.  It's highly disappointing that Buzz asked one of his assistant coaches to call Stan with the gut wrenching news and subsequently leave it to Stan to relay that news to DJ.  Again, this is Coach Laws version of what transpired today.

Wait ... what? The kid never applied to Marquette?
I'm not suggesting that's reason to dump the kid, or that it's even DJ's fault, but how the heck does that even happen? I mean, wouldn't a kid who's supposedly eager to get to MU have turned in an application by now? And wouldn't an athletic department that's supposedly eager to have him been more attuned to the situation? I'm pretty sure that if Vander Blue's application weren't in, Scott Monarch would be on a plane to San Antonio to get it done.

There has got to be more to the story, because that account makes little sense. Either that or Buzz is a pretty bad guy, or at least was in this situation. I'm rooting for the former.

[SPCMU06]

i feel for the kid.  but he's allegedly thrilled to come to MU and application papers sit there uncompleted on the kitchen counter???  what's up with that?