[Rosiak's Blog] Racine's Wilson transfers to MU

[ToddRosiakSays]

Racine's Wilson transfers to MU
               



Jamil Wilson, a 6-foot-7, 210-pound forward from Racine, has transferred from the University of Oregon to MU, coach Buzz Williams confirmed on Wednesday.

               

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/97488689.html
               

[MUCrew]

Buzz comments on DJ, but nothing truly groundbreaking about it apart from the fact that DJ is out and Wilson is in.

[Aughnanure]

Time to update the scholarship table...........................again.

[rocky_warrior]

Time to update the scholarship table...........................again.

Talk about a never-ending job....

EDIT: Done....
http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?page=8

[MarkCharles]

Thats about exactly what I expected Buzz to say. I have a feeling that we will only ever have one side of this story...

[muballer10]

"Through a culmination of several things, we have decided to give D.J. Newbill his release," Williams said. "D.J.'s a great kid, he comes from a great family who we have established relationships with, and we're going to do everything we can to help him in his future, in whatever capacity that would be."

I have been trying to hold off judgement on this situation, but this just makes me mad. Everyone knows how this looks. We wanted Jamil bad. He comes available, and we "give" DJ a release? EXPLAIN THIS! Don't give me PR. This doesn't feel like a gift. Don't talk about the relationships you have fostered, because if any of these stories are CLOSE to true those relationships mean nothing. What exactly does "do everything we can to help him in his future" entail? Write him a letter of rec? Everything about this situation says that Marquette couldn't care less of this kid's future.

Please, please, please let me be wrong. I am so excited to see Jamil play for MU, yet I just feel so dirty. While MU may not owe anyone an explanation, Buzz can see what this looks like. Pere Marquette can see what this looks like from the grave! If you don't clear the air when you being pulled through the mud, what does that imply?

[chapman]

If you don't clear the air when you being pulled through the mud, what does that imply?

While I don't think this seems "clean", what would you have Buzz say?  Would it give you peace of mind if he roasted the kid in the media?  Even if this is somehow 90% Newbill's fault, give him a chance to catch to catch on somewhere else without making negative public comments about him or his situation.

[DCWarriors04]

With regards to this whole situation, yeah you have to feel bad for Newbill, but let's not kid ourselves here, college sports is all about money today and the way you make more money is by winning. If you need any more proof of this, just look at the recent Big 10 and Pac 10 expansions. Next, if kids can say one minute hey I'm going here and then the next second change their minds, then what's the big deal with a school saying one minute hey we want you, and then when someone better comes along let them go for the better product.

Again, I feel bad for Newbill, but if I remember correctly, Villanova, which is practically in his back yard wasn't even recruiting him, and last I checked, Nova has some decent guards. Next, had this kid been a flop, which he very well could have ended up being, how many of you that are bashing Buzz right now would have bashed him for recruiting this kid? If you want to compete in the Big East and get over the fourth place hump and make it far in the tourney, then you're going to need top talent, and that's what Buzz is trying to do.

[Windyplayer]

I'm sorry to be the one to give a reality check, but this is the new-generation of college basketball. There was somebody much better out there and we got him at a committed recruits' expense. The stakes to win have never been higher. We can't worry about bowing out on a commitment because it's the wrong thing to do. This isn't an ideal world, and these things happen. DJ will be fine. It's not like MU took a club to his knee caps. I guarantee he plays D-I some where else, some where closer to home. I'm sorry it didn't work out for him, but I want the team to be the best they can while maintaining as much integrity as it can to be competitive year in, year out. I really don't think this particular issue is a big knock on MU as a program.  

 

[muarmy81]

While I don't think this seems "clean", what would you have Buzz say?  Would it give you peace of mind if he roasted the kid in the media?  Even if this is somehow 90% Newbill's fault, give him a chance to catch to catch on somewhere else without making negative public comments about him or his situation.

When the Maymon's left I was completely pissed and was wondering what Buzz did.  He didn't say anything publicly but looking back at it he did the classy thing and remained positive about the situation and Jeronne despite the trash Tim was sending through the local media.  In the end it became apparent that much of the issue was generated by the Maymon's and not the coach...I hope the same result comes out of this mess but only time will tell.
Bottom Line:  we're only going to hear about this through second hand accounts.  Buzz will never publicly state the team's side of the story but hopefully the full story comes out and hopefully it's something that  most everyone can stomach.

[Daniel]

The problem in situations like this is that the kid, his family his ex-coaches etc. can say whatever they want to - they can release whatever info they want, or spin a story to favor the kid.  Fact is, Marquette and other institutions cannot release private information about the kid.  We will never know the full story and all of what Buzz knows - can't happen.

We just hope that the spin from the other side is fair.  Maybe this was an MU decision?  Maybe it was a Newbill decision?  Maybe something happened that should not have happenned or something did not happen that should have.  We will never know the full story.  So we have to trust our staff.

[Windyplayer]

I completely agree with DC warrior.

[muballer10]

I'm sorry to be the one to give a reality check, but this is the new-generation of college basketball. There was somebody much better out there and we got him at a committed recruits' expense. The stakes to win have never been higher. We can't worry about bowing out on a commitment because it's the wrong thing to do. This isn't an ideal world, and these things happen. DJ will be fine. It's not like MU took a club to his knee caps. I guarantee he plays D-I some where else, some where closer to home. I'm sorry it didn't work out for him, but I want the team to be the best they can while maintaining as much integrity as it can to be competitive year in, year out. I really don't think this particular issue is a big knock on MU as a program.  

 

I understand the reality of college basketball, I just hoped the reality of MU college basketball was different. This whole site, including myself, has a hard-on for how great of a person Buzz is and the ship that he runs here. Then this comes up, and we just chalk it up to the environment. It actually got a +1. This disgusts me.

[StillAWarrior]

While I don't think this seems "clean", what would you have Buzz say?  Would it give you peace of mind if he roasted the kid in the media?  Even if this is somehow 90% Newbill's fault, give him a chance to catch to catch on somewhere else without making negative public comments about him or his situation.

True.  Even if the account by PhillyCoach is totally untrue or only partially true, there's not a lot that Buzz can do without looking like a jerk.  This is a tough spot for Buzz.  

I have no idea what the underlying facts are (relating to applications, qualification, etc.), but I do believe the reports that Newbill and Laws feel blindsided by this development.  Like a lot of others I thought the fact that DJ didn't know about the Pro/Am was a very strange thing.  I'm willing to accept the possibility that DJ and those close to him should have seen this coming and that Buzz was totally up front about it.  I'm also willing to accept the possibility that Buzz (and/or whoever was charged with dealing with DJ) didn't communicate effectively with him.  I'm not saying that it was malicious or that they've intentionally screwed him, but if he and his coach are to be believed they didn't see this coming.

Honest question:  did Monarch recruit Roseboro?  If so, I'd imagine he's getting a little tired of having his recruits turned away.  Which other recruits has Monarch been actively involved with?

[DiaperDandy]

If this was the plan all along (releasing DJ for a better player) we should have never persued him in the first place.  I am sorry but we could have banked the scholly and accepted any transfer student this late in the game.  Waiting this long to release this kid was the wrong thing to do.  Look at it this way, everyone his age has graduated from high school and knows which college he or she will be attending.  He on the other hand, has to start the whole process over again.  Not fair at all.  Could you imagine being all set to go off to school and then having the school call you in June saying "Sorry we dont have room for you any more because we just accepted some smarter, better students that will make our school look better in the future." I know this would never happen but could you imagine how you would feel if something like this happened.  Not to mention DJ was siked to be playing D1 basketball in the Big East and now doesnt even know if he will be able to play D1 at all next year.  Whether it's the nature of the business or not...this just plain stinks.

[bma725]

Honest question:  did Monarch recruit Roseboro?  If so, I'd imagine he's getting a little tired of having his recruits turned away.  Which other recruits has Monarch been actively involved with?

Roseboro was Aki's recruit. 

[nyg]

"Through a culmination of several things, we have decided to give D.J. Newbill his release," Williams said. "D.J.'s a great kid, he comes from a great family who we have established relationships with, and we're going to do everything we can to help him in his future, in whatever capacity that would be."

I have been trying to hold off judgement on this situation, but this just makes me mad. Everyone knows how this looks. We wanted Jamil bad. He comes available, and we "give" DJ a release? EXPLAIN THIS! Don't give me PR. This doesn't feel like a gift. Don't talk about the relationships you have fostered, because if any of these stories are CLOSE to true those relationships mean nothing. What exactly does "do everything we can to help him in his future" entail? Write him a letter of rec? Everything about this situation says that Marquette couldn't care less of this kid's future.

Please, please, please let me be wrong. I am so excited to see Jamil play for MU, yet I just feel so dirty. While MU may not owe anyone an explanation, Buzz can see what this looks like. Pere Marquette can see what this looks like from the grave! If you don't clear the air when you being pulled through the mud, what does that imply?

You are not wrong, I feel the same, but its the recruiting battles that occur everyday.  Bottom line is that Wilson is far and above a better recruit at this stage than DJ, and what a team MU will have in 2011.  I wish Buzz would have been more specific than "culmination of things", but maybe we will never know the true facts.  DJ will hopefully end up somewhere like a Drexel, St. Joes, LaSalle, and obtain a great, free education. This situation will produce a war of words among the effected parties and divide even the most loyal MU fans. Perception is a powerful entity.  

As far as the guilt feeling, my best friend, a avid PITT fan called me and we discussed the issue.  I told him it was outstanding that MU got a player of Wilson's caliber, but felt bad about Newbill and his departure.  His response was basically get over it, you just got a high lottery pick for a 10th round draft choice and nobody will care this time next year. This is Big East basketball.

Who knows, this will be interesting.

[muguru]

Just win baby, just win!!! It's alllllll about winning ball games. In order to do that you need the best possible talent you can get, it's as simple as that. Nothing illegal about what Buzz did, nor is it unprecedented in BIG TIME(something UW doesn't know about) college hoops.

[Aughnanure]

In a way, Marquette is under a lot more pressure to win now- and win big - than many other schools, including Wisconsin. With the Conference Realignment almost destroying college sports as we know it, it is even more important to be in a prime position for when the next movements begin.

Im not saying this justifies what MU did or allegedly did to DJ, but just thinking these are the types of consequences that will happen when money and TV deals are driving college athletics. Marquette needs to stay in the limelight and have some great seasons more than other schools right now cause we have a lot more to lose in all of this. We need to become synonymous with Villanova and Georgetown, rather than DePaul and Creighton, when the pieces shift again.

[Windyplayer]

I understand the reality of college basketball, I just hoped the reality of MU college basketball was different. This whole site, including myself, has a hard-on for how great of a person Buzz is and the ship that he runs here. Then this comes up, and we just chalk it up to the environment. It actually got a +1. This disgusts me.

I really don't understand why you're so upset. There was a better recruit out there and we got him. This is a multi-million dollar industry, much of which flows into academia--the more you win the bigger piece of the pie you get. This helps Marquette and I really don't think it hurts the program as far as reputation. We're not talking major recruiting violations here. Wake up. These things happen and it's OK.

[OhioGoldenEagle]

muballer10 - we know that one of this year's recruits was going to have to go to prep school due to qualification issues.  If this were in fact DJ, we lose out on him this season and his LOI is void....meaning he is no longer secure to MU and can be openly recruited by other schools.  That being said, if you are Buzz Williams, are you confident that DJ will come back and sign with you?  Further, you now have a prospect in Jamil Wilson that you highly coveted in high school deciding to leave Oregon and potentially move closer to home.  Do you not jump at the chance to get him on your team when you are unsure of DJ's fate after 1 season in prep school?  It's probably the safest move and likely most rewarding move the Buzz could have done.

[StillAWarrior]

I really don't understand why you're so upset. There was a better recruit out there and we got him. This is a multi-million dollar industry, much of which flows into academia--the more you win the bigger piece of the pie you get. This helps Marquette and I really don't think it hurts the program as far as reputation. We're not talking major recruiting violations here. Wake up. These things happen and it's OK.

Some of us just have a problem with the basketball program at our alma mater telling a 17 or 18 year old kid, "We want you to come play ball for us.  Sign this letter of intent which states that you are committed to playing for us and we will give you a scholarship" and then turning around and telling the kid six months later, "never mind."  I'm not saying this is what happened here, but those of us who are troubled by this are saying, "if this is what happened, then this is a problem."  Some of us think that if Marquette signs a kid, they should honor their commitment unless there is truly a good reason to cut him loose.  Some of us don't think that a better player being available is a good reason to not honor the commitment.  Whether or not it hurts the reputation of the program or whether it hurts recruiting, some of us just think that it's not the right thing to do.

I'm not asking you to agree with this, but if you're confused why people are upset, this is it.

[haymaker]

Maybe Buzz said to himself, "Hey, after everything that has happened at MU with that lesbian dean, who in the administration is going to criticize my decision to make an offer and renege it later?"

[T-Bone]

EDIT: Done....
http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?page=8

Wow.  The next 3 years are looking pretty damn good.  

And Wilson will be able to practice with the team over this next year, right?  

[rocky_warrior]

And Wilson will be able to practice with the team over this next year, right?  

Yes.