DJ Newbill No Longer Marquette Material

[DiaperDandy]

Yes. I think the "negative publicity" surrounding the recruitments of Jimmy Butler, Chris OTule, DJO, Dwight Buycks, Joe Fulce, Erik Williams, Jae Crowder, Jamail Jones, Reggie Smith, Junior Cadougan, Davante Gardner and Vander Blue have done irreparable damage to MU from which we're unlikely to recover.

Yes this is true that we have other great recruits coming in and on the current roster, but with the situation with Roseboro and now DJ I believe we may have a hard time recruiting the Philedelphia area anytime soon because we of these transfers.

[Golden Avalanche]

I have had direct contact with both Stan Laws (DJ's coach and mentor) and DJ himself.  I don't have Marquette's account of how this unfolded and I probably never will.  Let me be as succinct as possible.  The coach and the student athlete feel wronged here.  Period.  

I am only reporting what I know from the DJ Newbill side. Throughout this process DJ and his coach had nothing but great things to say about Marquette and its basketball program.  They were blindsided yesterday by an assistant coach.  Buzz did not call Stan or DJ to relay the disheartening news.  That is the most disturbing part of this calamity.  Again, I don't pretend to know Buzz's side of this, but when you portray yourself as a guy of high moral fiber and estimable character YOU need to make the phone call to DJ and his family no matter how difficult it may be.  

Where am I wrong here?

You're not wrong on any point in this explanation. However, you must understand, that for 15-20 people in these threads you'll never be right. They simply won't allow it. For them, this is all above board and they see enough in the vagueness of the situation to feel comfortable pinning the departure on Newbill and his family (mentor included).

One area I do agree with you is that Buzz should have made the call. Yes, Monarch pulled the trigger on Newbill (which serves as a strike against his promotion last summer) and was his main contact but as the face of the progrum, and a guy who lays it all out there during public/private events with alumni, surely this communication could have been handled better.

[Final Four or Bust]

Obviously we don't know the facts, but I agree with others that I doubt it was the first time the coaches asked about the application, and if there were comments about lack of commitment that may have some basis in truth.  Fact of the matter is if my new boss or coach was asking me to fill out paperwork and prepare class schedules and I blew them off for some time then it would be reasonalbe to conclude it could be a harbinger of things to come- especially when we know how many demands are placed in players academically and athletically.  Who knows why it was completed (or maybe even signed), but that isn't a good way to start a relationship with your new boss.  If players refused to do things coaches ask (obviously within reason), wouldn't that be grounds to dismiss any player, on the roster or not?  Who knows, but that would go to the comments about lack of commitment.  I do hope we hear more though.   

[GGGG]

To be honest Final Four, it was probably the opposite.  When Wilson's camp started talking about the transfer, my guess is that Buzz and Co stopped worrying about summer school and his application for the fall.  I doubt they really even asked for it. 

If this is the "good news" that IWB has been mentioning, it has obviously been in the work for weeks, if not months.  Buzz knew how this was going to play out.

[rocky_warrior]

If this is the "good news" that IWB has been mentioning, it has obviously been in the work for weeks, if not months.  Buzz knew how this was going to play out.

I think IWB said he'd give us something to be excited about.  I also think he was referring to the Milwaukee Pro Am.  IMO, he may have had some clues on Jamil/DJ, but I don't think he was referring to that in his statement here on Scoop.

[NavinRJohnson]

They simply won't allow it. For them, this is all above board and they see enough in the vagueness of the situation to feel comfortable pinning the departure on Newbill and his family (mentor included).

While others see enough in the vagueness of the situation to conclude that Buzz and staff did something wrong.

BTW, who are those 15-20 people who have declared the discussion closed? I have seen many who are willing to suggest alternate theories as to what they believe may have taken place, and extend the benefit of the doubt to a guy who seems to have earned it, and have expressed some healthy skepticism and aren't willing to take one side's story at face value. But, I'm not sure I have seen a single person declare unequivocally that this was all above board, as you suggest.
 

[LON]

You're not wrong on any point in this explanation. However, you must understand, that for 15-20 people in these threads you'll never be right. They simply won't allow it. For them, this is all above board and they see enough in the vagueness of the situation to feel comfortable pinning the departure on Newbill and his family (mentor included).

One area I do agree with you is that Buzz should have made the call. Yes, Monarch pulled the trigger on Newbill (which serves as a strike against his promotion last summer) and was his main contact but as the face of the progrum, and a guy who lays it all out there during public/private events with alumni, surely this communication could have been handled better.

I think it's actually 15-20 that usually think you are wrong.

[Final Four or Bust]

To be honest Final Four, it was probably the opposite.  When Wilson's camp started talking about the transfer, my guess is that Buzz and Co stopped worrying about summer school and his application for the fall.  I doubt they really even asked for it. 

If this is the "good news" that IWB has been mentioning, it has obviously been in the work for weeks, if not months.  Buzz knew how this was going to play out.

Possibly, who knows.  Maybe he wasn't responsive from the start, and the staff grew ever frustrated and when a another alternative arose they decided to cut ties rather than deal with having to pressure him. We nay never know, but I can see many alterernatives where the staff isn't the one to blame here.   Then again, maybe that is hat I hope.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Obviously we don't know the facts, but I agree with others that I doubt it was the first time the coaches asked about the application, and if there were comments about lack of commitment that may have some basis in truth.  Fact of the matter is if my new boss or coach was asking me to fill out paperwork and prepare class schedules and I blew them off for some time then it would be reasonalbe to conclude it could be a harbinger of things to come- especially when we know how many demands are placed in players academically and athletically.  Who knows why it was completed (or maybe even signed), but that isn't a good way to start a relationship with your new boss.  If players refused to do things coaches ask (obviously within reason), wouldn't that be grounds to dismiss any player, on the roster or not?  Who knows, but that would go to the comments about lack of commitment.  I do hope we hear more though.   

I have a really generic question, perhaps incredibly naive as well.

How does a kid sign a National Letter of Intent to come to a school, we put out a press release saying how great it is to have him at MU, etc, etc, and he hasn't even applied for admittance to the university?


Shouldn't A come before B?

[Litehouse]

We still don't have any info on whether DJ knew this might be a possibility or if MU discussed the possible prep school route with him beforehand.  There have been numerous reports, even from Buzz himself, that a player was likely going the prep school route and that the player knew the situation.  It was even mentioned on the message boards several months ago that the player was DJ.  I'm sure DJ and his family were disappointed by the news yesterday that he would end up having to go that route to get to MU, but I doubt that's the first they heard of it.

[Golden Avalanche]

I think it's actually 15-20 that usually think you are wrong.

Maybe. Everyone has a right to be skeptical.

Yet, over six weeks ago, I was spot on when I wrote that Newbill would not be at Marquette.  

[reinko]

I have a really generic question, perhaps incredibly naive as well.

How does a kid sign a National Letter of Intent to come to a school, we put out a press release saying how great it is to have him at MU, etc, etc, and he hasn't even applied for admittance to the university?


Shouldn't A come before B?

I imagine MU is in the minority of institutions that actually requires an application to be on file.  You really think DeMarcus Cousins filled out the Common Application to go to UK 

[ChicosBailBonds]

I imagine MU is in the minority of institutions that actually requires an application to be on file.  You really think DeMarcus Cousins filled out the Common Application to go to UK 

I can only go by what we do here in California.  The player MUST apply to even be considered.  Hell, in places like Stanford, the athletic department cannot even offer a scholarship without a contingency that the student athlete is accepted first (I know this because my niece and nephew both played Water Polo at Stanford).


This whole thing really stinks.  Of course our fans will forget it with the W's, but it's not the way we should be doing things at Marquette. 

[DiaperDandy]

This whole thing really stinks.  Of course our fans will forget it with the W's, but it's not the way we should be doing things at Marquette. 

Couldn't agree more.

[NavinRJohnson]

This whole thing really stinks.  Of course our fans will forget it with the W's, but it's not the way we should be doing things at Marquette. 

Since you have concluded we should not be doing things this way at MU, how exactly was this thing done? What exactly is this thing?

[damuts222]

Since you have concluded we should not be doing things this way at MU, how exactly was this thing done? What exactly is this thing?

 Treating our players like they are stocks/commodities

[StillAWarrior]

Since you have concluded we should not be doing things this way at MU, how exactly was this thing done? What exactly is this thing?

Nobody knows for sure.  But, some of us are concerned that "this thing" is offering a kid a scholarship, getting him to sign a LOI, and then telling him that we're not going to take him after all even though he qualifies.  This scenario, completely separate and apart from who might be replacing him, troubles some of us.  If Newbill didn't qualify for some reason, that's completely different.  But we're told that he qualified.  I'm not sure I think that the failure to file the application changes this for me.

[MU06CU10]

Nobody knows for sure.  But, some of us are concerned that "this thing" is offering a kid a scholarship, getting him to sign a LOI, and then telling him that we're not going to take him after all even though he qualifies.  This scenario, completely separate and apart from who might be replacing him, troubles some of us.  If Newbill didn't qualify for some reason, that's completely different.  But we're told that he qualified.  I'm not sure I think that the failure to file the application changes this for me.

I admittedly jumped to worst case scenario when I first heard, but you should take a look at IWB's post. True, we can't be 100% sure that's the real story, but it makes a lot more sense than Buzz just blindsiding DJ when we've been hearing for months now that someone was probably going to prep for a year.

[StillAWarrior]

I admittedly jumped to worst case scenario when I first heard, but you should take a look at IWB's post. True, we can't be 100% sure that's the real story, but it makes a lot more sense than Buzz just blindsiding DJ when we've been hearing for months now that someone was probably going to prep for a year.

I agree that it does make sense and I really hope that it's true.  That would make it a case of hopeful thinking on DJ's part and a coach/mentor who might not be as plugged in as he thinks he is and/or as he wants others to think he is.  Another thing that I would really like to know, assuming IWB's post is correct, did Buzz contact DJ and/or the coach who was involved in the recruiting and knew what was going on?  This could explain why Monarch, and not Buzz, contacted PhillyCoach.

Obviously, if this is true, I have far less of a problem with this than if the other story is true.  I still would question taking a commitment from a kid in the hopes that something will open up.  That seems quite likely to cause disappointment at the last minute -- as apparently it has.  I don't see it as a big problem though.  But if the report is true, it shows that even with very clear communication throughout the process, it can be a problem at the very end.  Perhaps it would have been better to just refuse the LOI (I assume you can do that) and deliver the same message (i.e., "if things change, we'd love to have you").  If everything happened the way IWB describes, I suspect Buzz learned a lesson here.

[NavinRJohnson]

Nobody knows for sure.  But, some of us are concerned that "this thing" is offering a kid a scholarship, getting him to sign a LOI, and then telling him that we're not going to take him after all even though he qualifies.  This scenario, completely separate and apart from who might be replacing him, troubles some of us.  If Newbill didn't qualify for some reason, that's completely different.  But we're told that he qualified.  I'm not sure I think that the failure to file the application changes this for me.

Two questions:

1) If Buzz and staff were completely upfront and honest with him throughout the process you describe above, is there any reason this should be a problem?

2) Is there any indication/evidence, or any reason to believe that Buzz and staff have not been completely upfront and honest with Newbill, or any other recruit/player for that matter?

[McMARQthy]

Buzz was just trying to be more like his idol Fr Wild and withdraw an offer already in place

[StillAWarrior]

Two questions:

1) If Buzz and staff were completely upfront and honest with him throughout the process you describe above, is there any reason this should be a problem?

2) Is there any indication/evidence, or any reason to believe that Buzz and staff have not been completely upfront and honest with Newbill, or any other recruit/player for that matter?

It might be that I answered these questions in the post immediately above yours, but here goes:

1)  Not really.  As I said it might be bad judgment on Buzz's part because of the likelihood that there is a really good chance that ultimately you're going to have to tell the kid, "it's not going to work out..."  But I don't really have a problem with it.  I think it would be a little easier if there was no LOI because that suggests a more definite arrangement than really existed.  I think it would "look better" if the status quo is that he's not going to come and then if something changes you can add him.  As it is, the assumed status quo was that he was coming and this seems like a big curve very late in the game.  It appears that the assumptions were based upon incomplete information.  But, to be clear, I really don't think it's a problem if they were completely up front and honest.  

2)  Yes, there is some evidence that Buzz and his staff have not been completely up front and honest with Newbill.  Newbill apparently is saying so.  One of his former coaches is saying so.  They might not be telling the truth.  They might have misunderstood.  The former coach might have been hopelessly out of the loop.  But, that is evidence.  We can choose to believe that the weight of the evidence suggests otherwise (and IWB's post certainly goes a long, long way to making me feel this is the case), but you can't say "there is no evidence."  We apparently have a "he said/he said" going on here.  I will probably never know exactly what happened, but frankly I think IWB's explanation makes more sense than the other.  And this is coming from someone who one hour ago couldn't really see how there would be any explanation that would make sense.  The application thing really didn't make any sense to me.

[ATL MU Warrior]

[quote author=StillAWarrior link=topic=20874.msg220474#msg220474 date=1277928401

Obviously, if this is true, I have far less of a problem with this than if the other story is true.  I still would question taking a commitment from a kid in the hopes that something will open up.  That seems quite likely to cause disappointment at the last minute -- as apparently it has.  I don't see it as a big problem though.  But if the report is true, it shows that even with very clear communication throughout the process, it can be a problem at the very end.  Perhaps it would have been better to just refuse the LOI (I assume you can do that) and deliver the same message (i.e., "if things change, we'd love to have you").  If everything happened the way IWB describes, I suspect Buzz learned a lesson here.
[/quote]

What lesson?  That if a kid knows there may not be a place for him AND WANTS TO COMMIT ANYWAY, that you should refuse to let him do so?!?!?!  What good does that do anybody?   

[StillAWarrior]

[quote author=StillAWarrior link=topic=20874.msg220474#msg220474 date=1277928401

Obviously, if this is true, I have far less of a problem with this than if the other story is true.  I still would question taking a commitment from a kid in the hopes that something will open up.  That seems quite likely to cause disappointment at the last minute -- as apparently it has.  I don't see it as a big problem though.  But if the report is true, it shows that even with very clear communication throughout the process, it can be a problem at the very end.  Perhaps it would have been better to just refuse the LOI (I assume you can do that) and deliver the same message (i.e., "if things change, we'd love to have you").  If everything happened the way IWB describes, I suspect Buzz learned a lesson here.


What lesson?  That if a kid knows there may not be a place for him AND WANTS TO COMMIT ANYWAY, that you should refuse to let him do so?!?!?!  What good does that do anybody?   

Yes, exactly that lesson.  The good that it does is that the kid doesn't feel like he's being led on.  As I've very clearly said, I don't really have a problem with what Buzz did (if it's as IWB described).  But it's been reported that Newbill feels wronged.  Maybe it's his fault that he feels wronged.  Maybe he was naive.  But, if Buzz is the person that he holds him out to be (and I feel much better about that now than I did two hours ago), I'm sure he didn't want to cause hard feelings or leave Newbill feeling wronged.  If he'd said, "I like you but you just don't fit into this recruiting class.  Maybe something will change.  Maybe you can go to prep.  Why don't you hold on to that LOI until we see how things shake out" there would have been less chance of Newbill getting his hopes up.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Since you have concluded we should not be doing things this way at MU, how exactly was this thing done? What exactly is this thing?

Simple Navin, kids signs NLI you honor that commitment.  He plays year one, is a team member.  That's what I mean.  It's not that hard.

I'm now being asked to believe that this kid turned down all other offers to sign with Marquette knowing there was a chance he would get cut if another kid was signed.....WTF....why on earth would a kid do that?  Why would a kid (his family, his coaches) allow a kid to sign a NLI, eliminating all of his options, knowing he could get cut before he stepped on campus day one?

Why?