Fab Melo = Trevor Mbakwe?

[Tugg Speedman]

Looks like the Portuguese translation of Fab Melo is Trevor Mbakwe


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http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=6616793

Syracuse center Fab Melo has been arraigned in City Court on a misdemeanor charge after a fight with his girlfriend.

Police say the 20-year-old Brazilian allegedly got into a fight with his girlfriend and damaged her car on Monday. Melo, who was accompanied to court by assistant coach Bernie Fine, pleaded not guilty to criminal mischief and released without bail.

City Judge James Cecile issued an order of protection for the woman, who was in the car at the time of the incident.

Coach Jim Boeheim referred all questions to the university's public affairs office, which declined comment.

The 7-foot Melo, the preseason Big East rookie of the year, never lived up to the hype, averaging just over 2 points and just under 2 rebounds in 24 starts.

[mosarsour]

What's that thing they say about throwing stones in glass houses??

[brewcity77]

What's that thing they say about throwing stones in glass houses??

Maybe I'm a d-bag, but I don't mind taking a bit of enjoyment from your opponents' mishaps. As a Bears fan in the 1990s, there was very little joy, so when the Packers lost to a miserable Colts team in Indy (a game I won lots of money on), or when they lost to the Broncos in the Super Bowl, or any other time things went against them, I enjoyed it despite them clearly having a better team than the woeful Wannstedt Bears.

Yes, we have our struggles and players that don't work out here, but pointing out the inability of Bob Thuggins to recruit quality character guys, or chuckling at Pitino getting Porcini'd, or being glad that someone else has the crazy problematic big man this time, or laughing at what a...well...laughingstock DePaul has become doesn't really bother me. That's just part of the nature of fandom, to enjoy your success as well as your enemies foibles and downfalls.

Jesus, we spend enough time on this site tearing our own program, players, and coach new ones. I think it's refreshing that we're turning our attention outward for once.

[mosarsour]

Maybe I'm a d-bag, but I don't mind taking a bit of enjoyment from your opponents' mishaps. As a Bears fan in the 1990s, there was very little joy, so when the Packers lost to a miserable Colts team in Indy (a game I won lots of money on), or when they lost to the Broncos in the Super Bowl, or any other time things went against them, I enjoyed it despite them clearly having a better team than the woeful Wannstedt Bears.

Yes, we have our struggles and players that don't work out here, but pointing out the inability of Bob Thuggins to recruit quality character guys, or chuckling at Pitino getting Porcini'd, or being glad that someone else has the crazy problematic big man this time, or laughing at what a...well...laughingstock DePaul has become doesn't really bother me. That's just part of the nature of fandom, to enjoy your success as well as your enemies foibles and downfalls.

Jesus, we spend enough time on this site tearing our own program, players, and coach new ones. I think it's refreshing that we're turning our attention outward for once.

I see your side. You make a very valid point...especially re: how we as fans are quick to tear down our own program at times.

[TallTitan34]

What's that thing they say about throwing stones in glass houses??

Considering MU84 was comparing Fab Melo to a Marquette player, I don't think he's putting us above other teams.

[Lennys Tap]

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http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=6616793



The 7-foot Melo, the preseason Big East rookie of the year, never lived up to the hype, averaging just over 2 points and just under 2 rebounds in 24 starts.

I'm sure the other Marquette84 is at his keyboard berating ESPN and asserting that 2ppg and 2rpg in in line with reasonable expectations for Melo last year. LOL

[ChicosBailBonds]

Maybe I'm a d-bag, but I don't mind taking a bit of enjoyment from your opponents' mishaps. As a Bears fan in the 1990s, there was very little joy, so when the Packers lost to a miserable Colts team in Indy (a game I won lots of money on), or when they lost to the Broncos in the Super Bowl, or any other time things went against them, I enjoyed it despite them clearly having a better team than the woeful Wannstedt Bears.

Yes, we have our struggles and players that don't work out here, but pointing out the inability of Bob Thuggins to recruit quality character guys, or chuckling at Pitino getting Porcini'd, or being glad that someone else has the crazy problematic big man this time, or laughing at what a...well...laughingstock DePaul has become doesn't really bother me. That's just part of the nature of fandom, to enjoy your success as well as your enemies foibles and downfalls.

Jesus, we spend enough time on this site tearing our own program, players, and coach new ones. I think it's refreshing that we're turning our attention outward for once.

Brew, I get the enjoyment but then you have to be ready for the blowback.

We shouldn't be surprised when others take down our program publicly.  Just as Lenny's ridiculous claims yesterday about following me for 12 years (holy crap is he full of BS) and saying I was defending Crean's program of all this terrible stuff (oh hark the Angel, Matthews got in a fight in practice and was dismissed from the team...another kid used steroids and bet and was dismissed from the team) and somehow comparing those minor actions to what the university and basketball program just went through that put our program on the front pages and top story in the evening news multiple days running.   How the two are comparable is beyond me.  I dare ask Lenny, Ringout, Tower, etc....name me one other time in the last 15 years where MU athletics has been the TOP story in the evening news for three straight days running and again the top story one day a week later based on scandal with the athletic department.  I'd love to know a comparable incident in the 2000's since supposedly there was "equally" bad stuff going on.  I guess I must have missed it as did all of the news outlets in town.

We have had plenty of our own issues over the years, regardless of who the coach has been.  What happened in the last 2 months was the most this program has been under the microscope probably since the Amal situation in the 1990's....or prior to that with the Copa stuff.  Like it or not, we looked pretty bad with how we ran to the athletic department and basketball program WEEKS if not MONTHS before we ran to Milwaukee Police Department.  It's INDEFENSIBLE what we did and for that, I and others are said to have hit ROCK BOTTOM.  WOW.  Seriously...WOW!  The fact of the matter is that it was indefensible and it's why the university has issued multiple public apologies, the athletic department has had to issue their own, policies have to be changed and we all know damn well that every other school that plays us we would rip them to shreds if their athletic department was given the heads up weeks \ months ahead of the local authorities.

The worst thing about it is that these 4 guys may have absolutely done nothing wrong at all, but by being stupid and going down the path we did, it looks like a coverup, the DA all but says the actions we took could be perceived as if stories are collaborated, etc.... not MU's finest moments and the players get painted as partially guilty by our rivals and people that already have a beef against MU. 

For someone to say I and others have hit ROCK BOTTOM for stating basically what the MPD and DA said is ridiculous....I'm happy to call it what it is, just as they did.  A foolishly implemented action that made the university and athletic program we all love look bad.  If that's rock bottom, wanting to see us not act in this fashion, then rock bottom it is!

[brewcity77]

Brew, I get the enjoyment but then you have to be ready for the blowback.

Everything after this really didn't seem to fit with where I was going with this, so I'll address the only sentence that I really needed to read out of that post.

I'm fine with that. That's what sports is about. You talk smack to your opponents, they talk smack back to you. You enjoy their shortcomings while they enjoy yours. If anyone can't take it, maybe they should find some more suitable interests. Otherwise, if you really want to be a sports fan, sack up and bring some smack to the party. If you're so thin-skinned that you can't handle it, restrict your entertainment time to reading books, going to the theater, or playing video games...just not online video games, because if you can't handle smack from sports fans, you'll never make it in the online world.

And before this goes off-topic, let's not turn this into another Crean/Buzz or Vander's indiscretions thread. Every time we try to have a little good-natured fun at our rivals' expense, some jackass site yokel (not naming ANY names, because there are too many to name, and I'm probably one of them sometimes) has to ruin it by trying to turn us all against ourselves. This should be about one thing and one thing only:

[Lennys Tap]

We followed protocols that have likely been in place for a loooooong time, informing the alleged victim that it was her decision on whether to take her accusations to the police. She declined and opted instead to have it handled by the university. She "had her day in court" at that level and the evidence necessary for a sexual assault charge wasn't there. She then went to the MPD who took her case to the DA. He used it to get himself some publicity but decided to not even bring ANY charges.

But we did get some negative publicity and for some that's the ultimate and unforgiveable sin. After all, deriving your self worth from managing perceptions better than the other guy (and getting your joy from ripping him for it) is all that's available to the small, shallow and phony. What a sad, pathetic way to look at life.

Apologies to Brew for responding to Chicos - nothing wrong with good natured back and forth between fans.

[NersEllenson]

Once again one here seems to go by the premise:  Guilty even if not charged with a crime, simply due to accusation.

On another note, at least Vander punched a DUDE and not a girl or her car.  Seems to be common at Syracuse for basketball players to punch girlfriends, see Devendorf, Eric.  But hey, lets not throw stones since we live in glass houses.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

That's what sports is about. You talk smack to your opponents, they talk smack back to you. You enjoy their shortcomings while they enjoy yours. If anyone can't take it, maybe they should find some more suitable interests. Otherwise, if you really want to be a sports fan, sack up and bring some smack to the party.

Schadenfreude is a requirement to enjoy sports. If you don't agree with that, then I'll enjoy watching you suffer.

[Pakuni]

Everything after this really didn't seem to fit with where I was going with this, so I'll address the only sentence that I really needed to read out of that post.

I'm fine with that. That's what sports is about. You talk smack to your opponents, they talk smack back to you. You enjoy their shortcomings while they enjoy yours. If anyone can't take it, maybe they should find some more suitable interests. Otherwise, if you really want to be a sports fan, sack up and bring some smack to the party. If you're so thin-skinned that you can't handle it, restrict your entertainment time to reading books, going to the theater, or playing video games...just not online video games, because if you can't handle smack from sports fans, you'll never make it in the online world.

And before this goes off-topic, let's not turn this into another Crean/Buzz or Vander's indiscretions thread. Every time we try to have a little good-natured fun at our rivals' expense, some jackass site yokel (not naming ANY names, because there are too many to name, and I'm probably one of them sometimes) has to ruin it by trying to turn us all against ourselves. This should be about one thing and one thing only:

Easy for you to say now. Just wait until you hear opponents' fans chanting "Vander Orange."
Oh dear, I'm not sure I'll be able to withstand how they hurt us with their words.

[Pakuni]

Schadenfreude is a requirement to enjoy sports. If you don't agree with that, then I'll enjoy watching you suffer.

When I sit down to watch a game, all I really care about is that both teams have fun, show good sportsmanship and try their darndest. Keeping score just leads to hurt feelings.

[leever]

When I sit down to watch a game, all I really care about is that both teams have fun, show good sportsmanship and try their darndest. Keeping score just leads to hurt feelings.

You may end up living in a trailer down by the river.

[LA]

And before this goes off-topic, let's not turn this into another Crean/Buzz or Vander's indiscretions thread. Every time we try to have a little good-natured fun at our rivals' expense, some jackass site yokel (not naming ANY names, because there are too many to name, and I'm probably one of them sometimes) has to ruin it by trying to turn us all against ourselves. This should be about one thing and one thing only:

THIS........A select few have made this board almost unreadable...again.

[Tugg Speedman]

Considering MU84 was comparing Fab Melo to a Marquette player, I don't think he's putting us above other teams.

Correct ... I was trying to both enjoy some Schadenfreude and remind ourselves that we are not above what happened here.

And if this incident marks the end of Fab Melo at 'cuse, remember that it ended with a loss to MU!

[Hoopaloop]

I was thinking about this the other day when reading the other thread that was closed down (why was it closed down)?  Some of the Chico post I do not agree with but two things are spot on.

1)  Marquette really did mess up the investigation and it made not only the school, the athletic department look bad, but it casts a cloud over these four players.  With the Duke Lacrosse case there was complete closure.  In the end, everyone knew they were screwed over by a rogue DA and batcrap crazy woman at a school where a number of people couldn't wait to assume they were guilty because of who Duke is.  That included a large number of liberal professors there that took out an advertisement lynching that team before the facts came out.  In the end, closure.   There will be no closure here, and that is a shame because it puts that cloud over these young men.  The lack of closure is 100% on Marquette for the way they handled it.  When I re-read those quotes Chico's posted from the police department and the district attorney, they essentially say there remains a cloud.  They say they don't have enough evidence to prove guilt or exonerate these guys because of how Marquette handled.  Very poor performance by MU and criticizing them for it does not mean one hates MU, Buzz Williams or anyone else.  If someone criticizes the gov't, does it mean he hates the USA?  If one criticizes the Bears or Packers or whomever your favorite team is, does that mean he hates them?   MU blew this one and it's a shame for the players and has certainly loaded the gun for those in the Milwaukee community that already don't care for the school.  Our rival basketball schools are having a field day with this. as they should.

2)  I cannot remember a more troubling story about MU basketball in the last decade.  He's right on that.


Brew, taking shots at teams is part of being a fan.  Needling them when they are down, kicking them, making fun of them.  We all love to do it and should continue.  I disagree with Chico's on that one unless he is saying poke away and make fun, but don't get into the realm of arrests and misdeeds because our house is not clean.  He may have a point there.  I'd prefer to make fun of teams for not playing well, or watching IU lose to some directional school, or UW flameouts early in the tournament.  Making fun of the other stuff seems to be ripe for bad karma.

[Hards Alumni]

2)  I cannot remember a more troubling story about MU basketball in the last decade.  He's right on that.

It should have been a non-story.  I guess what actually happened will never come out to the public.

[Canadian Dimes]

I agree with others these types of trangressions are bound to happen, but that does not make them OK.  18-22 year olds make dumb decisions and they should have to deal with consequences realtive to their transgressions.  MU and every other institution has had them. 
Thankfully MU seems to run a pretty tight ship and does a pretty good job over the decades of bringing in high character kids, but even they make mistakes.

But to say what Blue did versus say what Dom James did is somehow different, is pathetic.  To say what Mortensen did is OK in sports is truly truly pathetic...betting and cheating are the lowest forms of trangressions for any athlete.  The theme never changes with chicos Buzz=bad, Crean = good.  Blue gets in a fight...bad.  James...gets in a fight= good.   ignore works good until some one quotes the guy. 

Seems chicos thinks a punk getting layed out for running his mouth is the worst thing in the world.  Probably because he as a punk himself has been on the receiving end of more than a few knuckle sandwiches. 

[brewcity77]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand it's all about Blue and incidents at Marquette, yet again 

My lord do we ever take ourselves too seriously sometimes. Every win puts us in the Final Four and every loss means we're worse than Centenary, and that's off the court as well as on it.

Listen, Fab Melo had an awful season. Finally, another Big East school seems to have gotten the short end of the stick when recruiting a promising big. Not only on the court, but off it. Haha, your player sucks and he's a d-bag.

Yet again, here comes the "Marquette faithful", clamoring over what we are doing wrong and lamenting our own woes. The same people who have been hand-wringing for the past 3 months about these issues can't look at this situation and say "you know what, stuff happens to other people too, let's get some schadenfreude in and move on", instead we have to bring it all up again, lament lament lament, cry and diminish our own program.

I'm sorry, but this attitude and mindset has just become a bit grating after hearing the same thing drone on all off-season. As I said before, maybe I'm a d-bag for being glad that someone other than us is going through this right now, and maybe I'm a d-bag for thinking that we should stop surmising about situations we don't know anything about because we weren't there, and maybe I'm a d-bag for thinking that Marquette did the right thing by handling this situation by protocols they've had in place for years and not reporting a crime they don't believe occurred.

My god, the season can't start soon enough. Thank jeebus the Gold Cup is on to distract me from all this, at least periodically.

[JWags85]

When I sit down to watch a game, all I really care about is that both teams have fun, show good sportsmanship and try their darndest. Keeping score just leads to hurt feelings.

Don't forget you care more about them being good student athletes than winning on the floor.

[GGGG]

Schadenfreude is wonderful!

One of my favorite sports moments as a Packer fan over the past couple of years was watching this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoJ_K4Mlt4w

The fact that the Packers won the Super Bowl the very next year just makes it even more sweet!

[GGGG]

Like it or not, we looked pretty bad with how we ran to the athletic department and basketball program WEEKS if not MONTHS before we ran to Milwaukee Police Department.  It's INDEFENSIBLE what we did and for that, I and others are said to have hit ROCK BOTTOM.  WOW.  Seriously...WOW! 

Calm down dude.  The OUTRAGE!!! at your self-victimization is entertaining, but I don't want your health to suffer.

[Lennys Tap]

I was thinking about this the other day when reading the other thread that was closed down (why was it closed down)?  Some of the Chico post I do not agree with but two things are spot on.

1)  Marquette really did mess up the investigation and it made not only the school, the athletic department look bad, but it casts a cloud over these four players.  With the Duke Lacrosse case there was complete closure.  In the end, everyone knew they were screwed over by a rogue DA and batcrap crazy woman at a school where a number of people couldn't wait to assume they were guilty because of who Duke is.  That included a large number of liberal professors there that took out an advertisement lynching that team before the facts came out.  In the end, closure.   There will be no closure here, and that is a shame because it puts that cloud over these young men.  The lack of closure is 100% on Marquette for the way they handled it.  When I re-read those quotes Chico's posted from the police department and the district attorney, they essentially say there remains a cloud.  They say they don't have enough evidence to prove guilt or exonerate these guys because of how Marquette handled.  Very poor performance by MU and criticizing them for it does not mean one hates MU, Buzz Williams or anyone else.  If someone criticizes the gov't, does it mean he hates the USA?  If one criticizes the Bears or Packers or whomever your favorite team is, does that mean he hates them?   MU blew this one and it's a shame for the players and has certainly loaded the gun for those in the Milwaukee community that already don't care for the school.  Our rival basketball schools are having a field day with this. as they should.

I have to laugh when you talk about "closure". For whom? You and your "right to know"? The Duke lacrosse players had their world's turned upside down by false accusations. If you honestly believe they wouldn't trade their "closure", which included expulsion, indictment, NY Times vicious editorials, trial and a lost year of their lives (among other things) for the closure the MU players received (a finding by both school and local government officals that no charges were warrented) I think you're crazy.

[leever]

  They say they don't have enough evidence to prove guilt or exonerate these guys because of how Marquette handled. 

Not true.  What they said was there was not enough evidence to bring charges.  Guilt or innocence would be determined AFTER charges were brought.  There's nothing to be exonerated from since no charges were brought.