[PaintTouches]McKay sheds light on decision to transfer from Marquette

[keefe]

its been 23 years now, thanks for reminding me 

[GOO]

Agreed, no way Buzz is letting him practice, work out with the team, etc.

After Midnight Madness, in a post, I speculated that McKay would be near the end of the bench.  And I questioned if Red Shirting was in order.
I have a feeling that McKay may have noticed that he is not as good, right now, compared to to the competition on this team.  

Choice: Work hard or blame others?

Stay and fight or flight:  It can be a bruise to an ego, especially if he thinks the NBA was in his near term future.  Reality can hit one hard.  He has a ways to go.

I wish him well.  I don't think he would have played much this year, but he would have added nice depth and hopefully would have been ready to start next year.

Again, stay and fight or flight.  Seems like a hasty decision, hope it works out for him.

Edit:  Here is part of my post after midnight madness as it pertains to McKay (McKay will be on the bench to start the season.  I hope their is consideration to red-shirting him, but I doubt it, given our history of not red-shirting players.)

[brandx]

Agreed, no way Buzz is letting him practice, work out with the team, etc.

After Midnight Madness, in a post, I speculated that McKay would be near the end of the bench.  And I questioned if Red Shirting was in order.
I have a feeling that McKay may have noticed that he is not as good, right now, compared to to the competition on this team.  

Choice: Work hard or blame others?

Stay and fight or flight:  It can be a bruise to an ego, especially if he thinks the NBA was in his near term future.  Reality can hit one hard.  He has a ways to go.

I wish him well.  I don't think he would have played much this year, but he would have added nice depth and hopefully would have been ready to start next year.

Again, stay and fight or flight.  Seems like a hasty decision, hope it works out for him.

Edit:  Here is part of my post after midnight madness as it pertains to McKay (McKay will be on the bench to start the season.  I hope their is consideration to red-shirting him, but I doubt it, given our history of not red-shirting players.)

See ya later McKay!!

He was not going to take minutes away from Otule or Gardner. But, he didn't want to play power forward either? What could be more valuable than a wing that can't shoot from more than 4 feet?

I think the program will survive 

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

I know what some of you guys are saying, but if the kid isn't happy, then it's a good move to transfer.

Done deal.

[MerrittsMustache]

I know what some of you guys are saying, but if the kid isn't happy, then it's a good move to transfer.

Done deal.

+1

[brandx]

I know what some of you guys are saying, but if the kid isn't happy, then it's a good move to transfer.

Done deal.

+1 - I totally support any player's right to transfer for whatever reason. More power to him and hope he does well.

But our only interest in him here on this board was as a basketball player at MU. If he would have signed with Iowa out of JC, we never would have mentioned his name here.

So, since he is no longer going to play at MU - 'See ya' later, McKay'.

[brewcity77]

McKay seemed to have the size and ability to play here, but he was missing the key attribute that made guys like Jae, Jimmy, DJO, and other JUCO transfers so successful -- the heart. If he doesn't have the sack to play here, good riddance. I'm sure some less successful program will take a flier on a 6'9" JUCO All-American. But the run-and-hide from adversity tact won't make him a star and certainly won't get him to the NBA. I hope it gets easier for him. And I'm glad he realized it now, because I'd rather not have guys looking for the easy path suiting up for our team.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

McKay seemed to have the size and ability to play here, but he was missing the key attribute that made guys like Jae, Jimmy, DJO, and other JUCO transfers so successful -- the heart. If he doesn't have the sack to play here, good riddance. I'm sure some less successful program will take a flier on a 6'9" JUCO All-American. But the run-and-hide from adversity tact won't make him a star and certainly won't get him to the NBA. I hope it gets easier for him. And I'm glad he realized it now, because I'd rather not have guys looking for the easy path suiting up for our team.

Nope.

Don't do that.

WE don't know the kid. WE don't understand his thought process or what he is doing.

We just don't know. Let's not pretend like we do.

He made his decision. He feels it's his best option. Best of luck to him.

[Badgerhater]

Once games start we will all forget about the reincarnation of Trend Blackledge.

[tower912]

Sorry, gents, not going to beat the kid up.   He made his choice, he will live with it.   I hope it works out for him. 

[hairy worthen]

McKay seemed to have the size and ability to play here, but he was missing the key attribute that made guys like Jae, Jimmy, DJO, and other JUCO transfers so successful -- the heart. If he doesn't have the sack to play here, good riddance. I'm sure some less successful program will take a flier on a 6'9" JUCO All-American. But the run-and-hide from adversity tact won't make him a star and certainly won't get him to the NBA. I hope it gets easier for him. And I'm glad he realized it now, because I'd rather not have guys looking for the easy path suiting up for our team.

You don't know what's in the kids head or all the circumstances. If he doesn't want to be here, fine. Wish him well and move on. No need to call out a kids character.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Nope.

Don't do that.

WE don't know the kid. WE don't understand his thought process or what he is doing.

We just don't know. Let's not pretend like we do.

He made his decision. He feels it's his best option. Best of luck to him.

+10,000 (it's allowed because McKay is a big)

[brewcity77]

You don't know what's in the kids head or all the circumstances. If he doesn't want to be here, fine. Wish him well and move on. No need to call out a kids character.

He was here a week. Real practice started with Boot Camp and he made it a week. So either the coaching staff lied to him throughout the recruitment process or he experienced what a week of real work at the D1 level was like and couldn't take it.

At this point, it is ALL about character. McKay put in one week and quit. Character revealed, as Buzz would say.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

He was here a week. Real practice started with Boot Camp and he made it a week. So either the coaching staff lied to him throughout the recruitment process or he experienced what a week of real work at the D1 level was like and couldn't take it.

At this point, it is ALL about character. McKay put in one week and quit. Character revealed, as Buzz would say.

Stop.

We don't know what is going on with this kid. We don't know everything.

Wish him luck, and let it go.

[Pakuni]

Nope.

Don't do that.

WE don't know the kid. WE don't understand his thought process or what he is doing.

We just don't know. Let's not pretend like we do.

He made his decision. He feels it's his best option. Best of luck to him.

+ whatever number we're using these days.

The guy's got two years to do whatever he can to fulfill his dream of getting paid to play basketball. If he doesn't believe his time at MU is going to help him do that (regardless of whether or not he's correct) he has every right to make the decision to leave without being labeled some kind of miscreant.
I'm pretty sure none of us would be p*ssing all over an engineering student who decided to transfer because the course offerings don't mesh with his career goals. (Yes, I know it's an imperfect analogy)

Also, the whole "he was here a week" thing is nonsense. He may be been part of "official practice" for a week, but he's been here much longer than a week, took part in boot camp, individual workouts, etc. The coaches have had plenty of time to discuss with him his role, and he's had plenty of time to consider that and evaluate whether it's right for him.

We may think it's a terrible decision. We may  be right. But let's not impugn his character, pretend we know how he arrived at his decision, etc., because we don't like his choice.

[GGGG]

I am going to speak against his character.

If the guy had character he would hold out for more than a week.  It was a selfish decision that left a hole on the basketball program.  It wasn't done because of family...it wasn't done because of grades...it was done because after one, f*cking week, he decides he doesn't like his role.

So after MU recruits him, works with him to get him eligible to transfer, stops recruiting other players, etc., he decides AFTER ONE WEEK that he doesn't like his role?  ONE WEEK!!!

[Pakuni]

I am going to speak against his character.

If the guy had character he would hold out for more than a week.  It was a selfish decision that left a hole on the basketball program.  It wasn't done because of family...it wasn't done because of grades...it was done because after one, f*cking week, he decides he doesn't like his role.

So after MU recruits him, works with him to get him eligible to transfer, stops recruiting other players, etc., he decides AFTER ONE WEEK that he doesn't like his role?  ONE WEEK!!!

So, boot camp, official practice, individual summer workouts, meetings with coaches ...these all took place over just ONE WEEK????

Look, I'm not defending his decision. I think it's a poor one. But I'm not going to shred a kid's character because he wants to maximize his opportunities or do what he thinks is best for his future.

And, I've got to wonder, would the role MU's coaching staff had in mind for him have changed after ONE WEEK???? If he had stayed TWO WEEKS!!!! would Buzz have decided to use McKay differently? Would his role have changed after FOUR WEEKS????

My guess? The same people making a big deal about ONE WEEK!!!! would have ripped the kid just as much, if not more, if he left in December like Maymon and Reggie Smith. I don't recall many saying "I give that kid credit for sticking it out for two months" of Smith or Maymon.

[hairy worthen]

He was here a week. Real practice started with Boot Camp and he made it a week. So either the coaching staff lied to him throughout the recruitment process or he experienced what a week of real work at the D1 level was like and couldn't take it.

At this point, it is ALL about character. McKay put in one week and quit. Character revealed, as Buzz would say.

Except you don't know it's because he couldn't handle the work. You don't know what's going on with the kid. He has to live with the decision and its his. Move on.

[brewcity77]

I am going to speak against his character.

If the guy had character he would hold out for more than a week.  It was a selfish decision that left a hole on the basketball program.  It wasn't done because of family...it wasn't done because of grades...it was done because after one, f*cking week, he decides he doesn't like his role.

So after MU recruits him, works with him to get him eligible to transfer, stops recruiting other players, etc., he decides AFTER ONE WEEK that he doesn't like his role?  ONE WEEK!!!

+1 (Because that's enough)

He is quitting on his team. Guys that are busting ther asses to achieve mutual success. As as soon as he's told "we want you to play in the post" he quits? Give me a break. I want guys like Lazar and Jae that don't care about being small forwards or centers, they just care about being good basketball players and putting the team before themselves.

McKay only cares about himself. This isn't a move like Juan who is trying to do something for the good of his family. McKay's family is here and he doesn't have a clue where he's going. Events like Boot Camp are meant to bond a team together. To get these guys to understand that when the chips are down and they feel like they have nothing left, they still have each other. Well, I guess for McKay, now they don't.

[brewcity77]

Maybe the PC thing is to pat every kid on their head and tell them they're making good decisions and it'll all work out. But sometimes people make bad decisions. Sometimes guys show their character and you are disappointed. Go back to Buzz's quote in the Journal. It's rather telling.

[chapman]

My guess? The same people making a big deal about ONE WEEK!!!! would have ripped the kid just as much, if not more, if he left in December like Maymon and Reggie Smith.

Indeed I would have.  Smith and Maymon don't get any extra cookies either.  If a kid transfers after legitimately trying and working at it for a season I wish him the best and there doesn't need to be a rhyme or reason given for wanting to look elsewhere.  Quitting after a week, a month, or after 10 of the least important games of a 35 game season due to not liking a role on the team at that point in time is shortsighted and immature.  Character revealed.

[Lighthouse 84]

I couldn't agree more than I do with both Sultan and Brew.  JK quit on the team.  Period.  Character revealed.  Period.  Maybe he was told there weren't trophies for everyone at the end of the year regardless of how the team did....

[Markusquette]

The reasoning doesn't add up for me. If he spent any time watching MU the past several years - particularly the likes of Jamil Wilson, Crowder, Butler he would have nothing to fear. He was gonna get his (and the NBA guys would love it, BTW). Having heard that (limited) explanation, my personal opinion as a total outsider is that he was starting to fear/realize he just wasn't going to be good enough to play here. I could be wrong.

I gotta agree.  Just a hunch, but maybe playing against big guys like Chris and Davante caused him to have second thoughts about taking on centers in their likeness next year.  This year he figures he gets some PT behind Jamil and Steve, but not as much.  Then he plays exclusively at the 5 next year and doesn't get to show off his other "skills," for whatever position he believes.  And I think he may not have been good enough to play ahead of our current 4 big men, limiting his time this year.

[We R Final Four]

No shot. Can't jump. Skinny as a rail. 0 min of D1 bball on your resume. Did not listen to those who have excelled where you have not. No heart.


Good luck young man.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Sorry, gents, not going to beat the kid up.   He made his choice, he will live with it.   I hope it works out for him. 

+1