What Former MU Player Or Committed Recruit Do You Wish We Still Had?

[Tugg Speedman]

Maybe a better question is which team is better ... the 11 names above or the team we have now?

[4everwarriors]

Jim Chones and Jerome Whitehead

[DavantesInferno]

Doc Rivers and Dwyane Wade.

[willie warrior]

I'll take wardle. He could drain the three.

[CAINMUTINY]

DJ in his freshman year......that cat could ball.

[chapman]

DJ in his freshman year......that cat could ball.

He'd also be the best rebounder on this team.

[brewcity77]

Honestly, as the poll indicates, it has to be Mbakwe. Headcase over the past few years or not, he can rebound and gives a legitimate inside presence, something we are sorely lacking most of the time.

[ATWizJr]

Maurice Lucas and Jeome Whithead.

[Tugg Speedman]

Honestly, as the poll indicates, it has to be Mbakwe. Headcase over the past few years or not, he can rebound and gives a legitimate inside presence, something we are sorely lacking most of the time.

I'm shocked that Mbakwe is leading the voting.  Is it because I listed him first?

If we want Mbakwe than why not Montrele Clark (I just added his name to the list as I forgot about him before).  

Are we becoming a state school where we are going to excuse assault and rape in the name of rebounds?  If not, why is everyone voting for him?

To further the point using the wording of the question ... why do we "wish we still had" some who was charged with felony battery?

[chapman]

Damian Saunders please.  Is used to playing an undersized 5, can score and rebound and pass and shoot an occasional three and not the headcase Mbakwe is. 

[SaveOD238]

i think this season is where Crean mailing it in the last year and then jumping ship for indiana really shows up.  maybe next year too.  as a senior this year, its weird for me that everyone on the team my freshman year is already gone (except frozena).  there wont be a four/five-year senior on this team until 2012-2013 (otule, williams, cadougan) and it was our four-year seniors (the amigos, hayward and the midgets) that really pulled us through the last two years.  as much as i hate to say it, had crean not left we would probably still have 4 year seniors (mbakwe, scotty c, maybe hazel) and 3 year juniors (ty taylor, n williams) in the lineup instead of a group of upperclassmen made up of entirely juco transfers.  I love the talent we've pulled out of Juco, but we could really use some of that real D1 veteran leadership that we've had the last few years.

[brewcity77]

I'm shocked that Mbakwe is leading the voting.  Is it because I listed him first?

I think it comes strictly from a performance perspective. As far as what this team needs, it's what Mbakwe offers. And does the same thing happen with Mbakwe if he spends four years at Marquette? Maybe I'm naive, but my guess is no.

[ChicosBailBonds]

i think this season is where Crean mailing it in the last year and then jumping ship for indiana really shows up.  maybe next year too.  as a senior this year, its weird for me that everyone on the team my freshman year is already gone (except frozena).  there wont be a four/five-year senior on this team until 2012-2013 (otule, williams, cadougan) and it was our four-year seniors (the amigos, hayward and the midgets) that really pulled us through the last two years.  as much as i hate to say it, had crean not left we would probably still have 4 year seniors (mbakwe, scotty c, maybe hazel) and 3 year juniors (ty taylor, n williams) in the lineup instead of a group of upperclassmen made up of entirely juco transfers.  I love the talent we've pulled out of Juco, but we could really use some of that real D1 veteran leadership that we've had the last few years.

   He "mailed it in" by landing a kid that is the starting guard for Kansas, a starting guard for Iowa State who is one of the nation's best shooters, a starting power forward at Minnesota, another who is playing in the SEC in Nick Williams?   

The latter half of your post seems to totally contradict the first part of your post

[new mexico]

Well chicos, none of those guys played for Buzz, so are you implying that he ran them off?

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

I voted on basketball talents alone.

[GGGG]

No he didn't run them off.  However, the idea that Crean mailed it in is false.

[Tugg Speedman]

I voted on basketball talents alone.

Then why not Ty Taylor?  Isn't he a better player than Mbakwe?  He started at guard for a final four team.  Mbakwe has looked good in a few games against early season cupcakes.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Well chicos, none of those guys played for Buzz, so are you implying that he ran them off?

Nope.  Kids transfer with new coaches all the time.  However, I do think that Taylor's high school coach said the key words when he said he knew nothing about Buzz at all.  I'm sure other kids said the same thing.  Why take a risk and put your future career with someone that no one knew anything about?

That was why I wanted us to get someone that was a known quantity, you might be able to keep some of those kids.

Doesn't matter....that bed was made....point was that the cupboard wasn't bare nor was it "mailed in".  A lot of talent left as a result of the coaching change and that is something that happens often depending on who comes in to replace the coach.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Then why not Ty Taylor?  Isn't he a better player than Mbakwe?  He started at guard for a final four team.  Mbakwe has looked good in a few games against early season cupcakes.

I voted Taylor....it was clearly the kid Buzz wanted to stay as well.

[Lennys Tap]

Nope.  Kids transfer with new coaches all the time.  However, I do think that Taylor's high school coach said the key words when he said he knew nothing about Buzz at all.  I'm sure other kids said the same thing.  Why take a risk and put your future career with someone that no one knew anything about?

That was why I wanted us to get someone that was a known quantity, you might be able to keep some of those kids.

Doesn't matter....that bed was made....point was that the cupboard wasn't bare nor was it "mailed in".  A lot of talent left as a result of the coaching change and that is something that happens often depending on who comes in to replace the coach.

You can keep repeating these lies every time this topic arises but it won't make them true. Zero, none, nada of the guys you mention left because Buzz was an unknown quantity. Taylor went to his dream school, the school he would have chosen all along had they offered. Mbakwe was already out the door and only reconsidered briefly due to his excitement over Crean's departure. Nick Williams was "Crean's boy" (at least he thought he was) and was going wherever TC did. Christopherson left because he didn't see any playing time on the horizon.

[NotAnAlum]

No he didn't run them off.  However, the idea that Crean mailed it in is false.

The comment that Crean mailed it in is a cheap shoot and Chico's reaction is expected.  That aside we are "paying the price" this year for Crean's departure and for a really rotten run of luck that Buzz has had with injuries.  The Crean driven departures aside. If Junior has a full year of game reps working with Mo Acker and if McMorrow doesn't get injured or Otule plays at least one year instead of being out for TWO FULL YEARS we are in much better shape at the critical 1 and 5 spots.  The line ups aren't completely dependant on Jucos.  A lot of this is just a matter of experience.  Next year things will be better.

[MarquetteDano]

The comment that Crean mailed it in is a cheap shoot and Chico's reaction is expected.  That aside we are "paying the price" this year for Crean's departure and for a really rotten run of luck that Buzz has had with injuries.  The Crean driven departures aside. If Junior has a full year of game reps working with Mo Acker and if McMorrow doesn't get injured or Otule plays at least one year instead of being out for TWO FULL YEARS we are in much better shape at the critical 1 and 5 spots.  The line ups aren't completely dependant on Jucos.  A lot of this is just a matter of experience.  Next year things will be better.

I would also like to add Fulce in your topic of injuries.  I like Crowder but his defense and rebounding are not as good as Fulce.  We could have used a healthy Fulce over the past three seasons.

[ChicosBailBonds]

You can keep repeating these lies every time this topic arises but it won't make them true. Zero, none, nada of the guys you mention left because Buzz was an unknown quantity. Taylor went to his dream school, the school he would have chosen all along had they offered. Mbakwe was already out the door and only reconsidered briefly due to his excitement over Crean's departure. Nick Williams was "Crean's boy" (at least he thought he was) and was going wherever TC did. Christopherson left because he didn't see any playing time on the horizon.

Let me ask you a question, if Miller, Stallings, Bennett, etc had landed the job do you think MU loses all 4 guys?  I will say no.  We'll never know, but in my opinion with a more known quantity at least one and perhaps 3 would have stayed.

I'm not repeating any lies Lenny, only stating what Taylor's coach did.  It's a lot easier to jump ship when the coach coming in is unknown and considered a risky hire, which just about every national pundit on ESPN, Sporting News, CNNSI stated...kids, their coaches and their families can read you know.  It's their future and where they are going to put it.

Doesn't matter.

I think Buzz will get it going and hopefully get this year's team to gel in time to make a run.  I'm sure we are all pulling for that to happen.

[Lennys Tap]

Let me ask you a question, if Miller, Stallings, Bennett, etc had landed the job do you think MU loses all 4 guys?  I will say no.  We'll never know, but in my opinion with a more known quantity at least one and perhaps 3 would have stayed.

I'm not repeating any lies Lenny, only stating what Taylor's coach did.  It's a lot easier to jump ship when the coach coming in is unknown and considered a risky hire, which just about every national pundit on ESPN, Sporting News, CNNSI stated...kids, their coaches and their families can read you know.  It's their future and where they are going to put it.

Doesn't matter.

I think Buzz will get it going and hopefully get this year's team to gel in time to make a run.  I'm sure we are all pulling for that to happen.

And you leave out what Taylor said, that Buzz was the one that recruited him and the reason he was coming to MU - and that the Kansas schollie opening up gave him the chance to go to his dream school.

As to whether we would have lost those four had one of your guys been hired? Yes.

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

My methodology was simply who was the best rebounder out of all listed.  Taylor is a good choice, but I put a greater emphasis on getting rebouds than another guard.  I did not do any sort of complex statistical analysis.  Total amount of time put into my selection effort: about 15 seconds.