Vander Blue invited to NBA Combine?

[keefe]

I actually am happy he is leaving simply because tired of all the negative stuff about him on here or in conversations with fans.

Amen, Goose. Those mocking him for his decision to leave will be the most vocal applauding him when he finds professional success.

[Pakuni]

Nobody hates Vander.
Stop being so retarded.

[Goose]

I said criticized, not hated.

[keefe]

Nobody hates Vander.
Stop being so retarded.

I don't think hate is the right word but Vander himself cited the hostility and criticism of him, including from the Marquette community, in post announcement interviews. If he feels it then there is something to it.

[77ncaachamps]

Blue has been the most criticized player I have ever seen at MU. Truthfully do not know anyone even close. I talk with anyone who will talk MU ball and aside from my sons have not spoken to five people in person not critical of Blue. To be honest I almost feel sorry for him that a large segment of his university fanbase thinks poorly of him. Obviously off court issues did not help, especially with female fans, but he never got over that with many people.

Maybe it's because he has a lower ceiling than Vander but Junior Cadougan has been the target of love-hate over his 4 years in Blue and Gold.

[Marqevans]

"Spider" Mills?

Marcus Washington was right up there too.  There was a collective sigh in the arena every time he took a shot.

[Goose]

77champs

Junior got toasted, but the person was always praised. It really is not worthy a debate of how Vander was accepted in MU community over his three years here. IMO some thought he was a thug, which is ironic because those closest to him at MU have very different opinion. Tough kid that built a wall around himself for protection and behind the wall is intelligent, good kid.

[Goose]

Leever
No one player has ever been questioned more than Blue. Read the threads and see the comments. They range from mildly funny to downright mean. I do not think anybody wished Marcus Washington ill upon his departure. Am glad you mentioned Marcus though, it was more of a yell "don't shot the ball" from my row when he touched it. That said, similar to Junior, I can say I appreciate his time at MU and wished him best of luck.

[keefe]

Marcus Washington was right up there too.  There was a collective sigh in the arena every time he took a shot.

Thing with Marcus is that it was about his offensive skills and not his person. Also, he didn't have the albatross of the internet. Just a bunch of drunks in the student section.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Chicos... you've been in California way too long.  You don't have to hate someone to disagree with something they said/did.

I'll happily go on record saying I think Vander made a poor decision by declaring early.  That doesn't mean I hate the kid.  That doesn't mean I don't want him to succeed.  It only means that I think he made a poor decision.

   I know....I'll use teal next time.  I agree with you entirely....too many times here if you disagree with someone or something one is labeled as a hater of Buzz, hater of VB, hater of <Fill in Blank>  We are on the same page.

[Dreadman24]

This fan base is Bi-Polar lol

[MUSF]

Blue has been the most criticized player I have ever seen at MU. Truthfully do not know anyone even close.

One name comes to mind. Richard Shaw.

Student section used to chant "Shaw's a b**ch!" That's some stone cold s**t from the home fans. I don't remember anything remotely close to that with Vander.

BTW, great news on the combine. Love Vander. He will absolutely shine at the combine. He will be drafted. I hope he sticks in the NBA.

[Lennys Tap]

   I know....I'll use teal next time.  I agree with you entirely....too many times here if you disagree with someone or something one is labeled as a hater of Buzz, hater of VB, hater of <Fill in Blank> 

Blank = Tom Crean, often.

[real chili 83]

Goose, Skink, Keefe, Chicos....

You are spot on.  Bottom line, these guys are nothing more than kids/young adults, who happen to be really, really good at a sport.  At the end of the day, put aside the BBall piece, they are just like our own kids.  Let's not forget that.

It's easy for all of us to view these KIDS as some sort of elite.....and judge them based on their ability to win "for us".  Guilty as charged.

Vander is a young man trying to make his way in the world as best he can with the gifts he was born with.  Good luck Vander!

[keefe]

Goose, Skink, Keefe, Chicos....

You are spot on.  Bottom line, these guys are nothing more than kids/young adults, who happen to be really, really good at a sport.  At the end of the day, put aside the BBall piece, they are just like our own kids.  Let's not forget that.

It's easy for all of us to view these KIDS as some sort of elite.....and judge them based on their ability to win "for us".  Guilty as charged.

Vander is a young man trying to make his way in the world as best he can with the gifts he was born with.  Good luck Vander!

When I showed up at Marquette I had no idea what I wanted from life. As a 17 year old my horizon was dime taps at the Lanche and trying to find short-term female companionship. I had a vague notion that flying jets would be fun thing to do but getting drunk and laid were more compelling.

Vander Blue had a far more focused view of life. From the moment he set on campus he knew he wanted to go the NBA. And over the next few years he gave us some of the best memories any of us will ever have of Marquette basketball.

Dwyane Wade was the better player at Marquette but Vander Blue gave us one of the most singular thrilling moments from any sport. If I live to be 100 I will never forget Whitehead's basket against UNCC and Vander's lay-in against Davidson. I will always thank him for that moment.   

[real chili 83]

When I showed up at Marquette I had no idea what I wanted from life. As a 17 year old my horizon was dime taps at the Lanche and trying to find short-term female companionship. I had a vague notion that flying jets would be fun thing to do but getting drunk and laid were more compelling.

Vander Blue had a far more focused view of life. From the moment he set on campus he knew he wanted to go the NBA. And over the next few years he gave us some of the best memories any of us will ever have of Marquette basketball.

Dwyane Wade was the better player at Marquette but Vander Blue gave us one of the most singular thrilling moments from any sport. If I live to be 100 I will never forget Whitehead's basket against UNCC and Vander's lay-in against Davidson. I will always thank him for that moment.   

Worst post ever.  What were you thinking.

You left out nickel beer night at Good Time Charlie's.

[keefe]

Worst post ever.  What were you thinking.

You left out nickel beer night at Good Time Charlie's.

How silly of me. On my death bed it will be Whitehead's bucket, Vander's lay-in, and nickel beer night at Charlie's!

[Dawson Rental]

Blue has been the most criticized player I have ever seen at MU. Truthfully do not know anyone even close. I talk with anyone who will talk MU ball and aside from my sons have not spoken to five people in person not critical of Blue. To be honest I almost feel sorry for him that a large segment of his university fanbase thinks poorly of him. Obviously off court issues did not help, especially with female fans, but he never got over that with many people.

I do find it very ironic that a fanbase that jumps on other schools whenever given a chance has been so critical of one of their own. Vander Blue is far from our best player ever and further away from being our worst kid ever. I actually am happy he is leaving simply because tired of all the negative stuff about him on here or in conversations with fans.

I'm not sure I understand this.  Isn't jumping on other schools and being critical of one's own just being consistent?

[Goose]

Little Murs

Understand your confusion. My point is simply that it seems on here that some are very critical of other schools or players and aside from Blue have blinders on when it comes to our kids. I look at responses that we make about ither programs or kids and cringe from time to time. That said, it seems that Blue fell more into opposing program mindest than one of our own.

[bilsu]

I think we can take the game to seriously and thus we criticise players for not being as good on the court as we want them to be. I know I have been guilty of that. However, I do not criticise players like Derrick Wilson, because he does not make bad on court decisions. Blue his first two years would consistently make bad on court decisions and I was very critical of that.

[willie warrior]

Because he's 7-feet tall.

Plus 1 million. That was a no brainer. And he will probably get signed after the draft--probably even drafted.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

I don't think Vander is even close to the most critiqued player. I thought he struggled mightily at times, but most everybody acknowledged his enormous improvement. For my money, guys like James and Merritt were much more criticized. I hope Blue succeeds, I just happen to think he made a bad decision. He's proven me wrong before.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Amen, Goose. Those mocking him for his decision to leave will be the most vocal applauding him when he finds professional success.

To the contrary, I hope he succeeds and will applaud any success he has....still think it wasn't a great decision on his part.  I'm not sure who is out there mocking the decision, but certainly many of us think it was the wrong decision.  Are the two the same?  Can one question the decision without mocking?  I think so.

[MUHoopsFan2]

I don't think hate is the right word but Vander himself cited the hostility and criticism of him, including from the Marquette community, in post announcement interviews. If he feels it then there is something to it.

I share this on the Jsonline forum and in here... It was obvious to me why he left. He nailed those 3 games...and was in the right place at the right time. It worked for him...
             
IMO, In this order.

#1. He was tired of the fans and the criticism
#2. Did not want to risk a strike three incident of some kind killing his dream
#3. Did not want to go to class anymore and deal with whispers
#4. Factored in a weak draft this year
#5. Factored in a strong recruiting class and guys taking up his shots and shine
#6. Factored in his friends Juan and Junior leaving [Feared Leadership, Support]
     
He said that he prayed about and met with his family and whatnot and maybe he did. But I am sure these had to play a HUGE PART in his decision making. He didn't take very long, so to me this was on his mind all season from January on...

For me:

#7. Did not want to be a leader to this young group coming in and increase his stock and make a real run to the Final Four or the Title Game.

A pity.

I am sure he knew if he came back the team would have been great. He knew that but he knew Buzz would be harder on him than ever as I noticed time again that is what he kept saying, "Buzz was very hard on me..."He probably got tired of that too as he is a very stubborn and strong willed kid it seems to me. Yu have to coach him in a certain way.

Buzz probably coached him in a way where he thought, "damn if I am going to be rode like a horse like this, and hear it from the fans and then have all eyes on me waiting for me to slip I might as well get paid doing it!..." And just left.

Now that is just my impressions, that might not be what he is thinking at all. But it is how it seems to me. Honestly he did the right thing and what he wanted. He should have only come back here if he was fully committed and he would not have been.

I regret not having Blue, D. Wilson, D.Burton, J. Wilson and J. McKay on the floor at the same time next year playing in the Tournament and being on the floor in a Final Four game all from "the City" and Winconsin!

Man that would have been sweet as it gets for me...a tearjerker as I am a big fan of In State kids making it Big so I wish him well. I would have loved to have see that. Fans can dream too you know...but that is gone so we move on.      

 

[MUHoopsFan2]

Chicos... you've been in California way too long.  You don't have to hate someone to disagree with something they said/did.

I'll happily go on record saying I think Vander made a poor decision by declaring early.  That doesn't mean I hate the kid.  That doesn't mean I don't want him to succeed.  It only means that I think he made a poor decision.

Draft class wise...no he didn't. I wish fan would stop saying that. On the business end, no he didn't make the wrong decision for how he played in the Tournament and what his team did and what kind of draft class is coming out to make it advantageous for him.

I only hoped he stayed for fan selfish reasons. I wanted to see all 5 Wi guys on the court just once... and be there to see that.

But he made the right decision. The holes in his game he can work on with an NBA, or he can take the path of Wesley Matthews and not get drafted and go to the right team.

I am sure he considered that a great deal. He made the right decision if he was getting harassed and ridiculed in the Community as I see now as that being the case. 

If this deep seated resentment and hostility is real then he did well to leave now as a player and as a person.

I am sure he regrets much of what went down off the court and he knew no matter what he did or said it would never be enough to some MU faithful so why bother if he was not getting paid for it?

And he's right. I bet he did want to risk any of that again and walk on pins and needles another year. He's what 20? Who wants to go through that? Do you?

He'll be fine. I might check in with him and see if everything is ok. Good kid.