Have To Tell It Like It is

[buckchuckler]

I know you and the others in the Derrick fan club will go to the ends of this green earth to try to justify we he is needed to be on the floor, but let's not exaggerate the reasons.

Does it ever make you wonder why the majority of people defend a PG that can't score, that can't shoot threes, and can't shoot free throws?  

It is because of how crazy you are.  You are a complete antagonist.  You make everyone circle the wagons for a PG shooting 30% from the line.  It isn't because we all love missed free throws.  It is because you are completely nuts. 

[GGGG]

Ners, simple solution.  Go be a fan of a team whose coach matches your basketball acumen.  Leave us alone to root for the team coached by a bunch of dumbasses.  We apparently don't  know the difference, and are too busy wiping up our own drool to care.

[MU82]

Ners, simple solution.  Go be a fan of a team whose coach matches your basketball acumen.  Leave us alone to root for the team coached by a bunch of dumbasses.  We apparently don't  know the difference, and are too busy wiping up our own drool to care.

Agreed. I hear Bo is looking for more fans.

[brewcity77]

This team had 7, Top 100 players on its roster at the start of the year.  There is talent there.  Enough talent that it should finish at least in the top half of The Big East if it is coached well.

Why do people keep insisting star rating equates to talent? The most talented player I ever watched in a Marquette uniform had fewer stars coming out of high school than Erik Williams or Jamail Jones. Ners, your favorite player for so long (other than John Dawson) was Davante Gardner, a 3-star that did more in a Marquette uniform than any of those top-100 players.

Recruiting rankings are great for publicity, but Butler and Creighton would happily tell you that results don't require top-100 recruits, they require the right players in the right system. Hype is just that until it proves itself, and these kids haven't proven anything yet.

[ATL MU Warrior]

It's boiled down to this: Well, two coaches who get paid millions of dollars seem to think Derrick being on the floor 30 minutes per game gives us the best chance to win.  And the whole premise of course that NEVER, EVER could a head coach have it wrong about a player.  Just simply can't happen, because they get paid millions of dollars.

1)  Last year's coach is gone at an outpost at Va Tech - and his team finished perhaps the most disappointing 17-15 team in school history.  This board collectively thought that team would go to the NCAA and make some noise.  It didn't even make the NIT.  So, what happened?  Buzz turned in a crappy coaching performance.

2)  This year's coach just lost our All Big East Freshman, Top 50 recruit.  We've lost to Nebraska-Omaha.  Snuck by NJIT.  We've glorified our "close losses" to OSU, MSU, and WI.  Prior to Deonte's defection, Ken Pom had us going 2-16 in the Big East based on how we played through 8 games.

So, once again, if Wojo, like Buzz rides Derrick 30 minutes, we won't win more than 5 conference games this year.  What won't be a coincidence is that our 2 worst years since entering the Big East coincided with Derrick Wilson being GIVEN (not earning) 30+ minutes per game.  This team had 7, Top 100 players on its roster at the start of the year.  There is talent there.  Enough talent that it should finish at least in the top half of The Big East if it is coached well.

Just when I thought you couldn't possibly be any dumber, you post this....and totally prove me wrong.

[Wojo'sMojo]

It's boiled down to this: Well, two coaches who get paid millions of dollars seem to think Derrick being on the floor 30 minutes per game gives us the best chance to win.  And the whole premise of course that NEVER, EVER could a head coach have it wrong about a player.  Just simply can't happen, because they get paid millions of dollars.

1)  Last year's coach is gone at an outpost at Va Tech - and his team finished perhaps the most disappointing 17-15 team in school history.  This board collectively thought that team would go to the NCAA and make some noise.  It didn't even make the NIT.  So, what happened?  Buzz turned in a crappy coaching performance.

2)  This year's coach just lost our All Big East Freshman, Top 50 recruit.  We've lost to Nebraska-Omaha.  Snuck by NJIT.  We've glorified our "close losses" to OSU, MSU, and WI.  Prior to Deonte's defection, Ken Pom had us going 2-16 in the Big East based on how we played through 8 games.

So, once again, if Wojo, like Buzz rides Derrick 30 minutes, we won't win more than 5 conference games this year.  What won't be a coincidence is that our 2 worst years since entering the Big East coincided with Derrick Wilson being GIVEN (not earning) 30+ minutes per game.  This team had 7, Top 100 players on its roster at the start of the year.  There is talent there.  Enough talent that it should finish at least in the top half of The Big East if it is coached well.

Great post and I couldn't agree more! Derrick plays 30mpg here on out, we win 2 conference games in my estimation. Last year and so far this year have been by far, the most frustrating and perplexing years as a Marquette fan. I won't mention why, but you can draw your own conclusions.

[Texas Western]

I'm curious TW, what did Wojo not do that you think he should have done. I don't have details but I imagine that Wojo tried just about everything he could to keep Burton in the fold and help him in this difficult time in his life.

When a kid gets to the level of a high D-1 program it is not something that just happened. It is a function of a lifetime worth of work. I know you have been around enough college programs to know that. For the vast majority of these kids their identity and their sport are one and the same.  So when a kid who has been the top guy suddenly falls out of favor, for probably the first time in his life, it is a big big deal. This is what happens when you reach D-1 and you first realize there are other guys just as good as you, who want it just as much.  When this fall from grace happens the very first thing a kid thinks is I will transfer. I have seen this first hand. I know you know this because you publish the transfer stats. Typically this a problem of the kid not being able to see the forest through the trees.  Which I what I think transpired here. As many observers have pointed out, it was just a matter of time for Luke to arrive and Deontes role was going to change significantly for the better. In normal circumstances I think the kid would have been able to see that more clearly. Right now he is a lot more vulnerable with the loss of his mother. Remember there are all sorts of people around these kids telling them they are going to the NBA etc , so this very public loss of playing status gets blown up to epic proportions in the kids mind. Now through in the whole notion that Wojo was peddling about the team being family. These kids bought into that. They are also extraordinarily close to each other. So when Dawson, who everyone knows is very tight with Deonte, got nailed to the bench, there was collateral damage done with Deonte. Misery loves company and it becomes a very pronounced downward cycle and trust in the coach is lost. Things are seen in the worst light and it gets ugly for them there.

Wojo on the other hand is an adult and  should be able to see the forest through the trees. I think he didn't either. He got caught up in being a tough guy and delivering tough love by benching the kid. In this case tough love was not  a wise  thing. Not necessary because he is dealing with a quality individual. Deonte by all accounts and my own personal observations is a hard working student and worked hard in practice. For whatever reason, things weren't exactly clicking the way they should have been this year.  So what, they haven't for almost everyone else on the team at one point or another. The mistake I think Wojo made was not throwing the bones to the kid in a way that kept him him fully engaged in a positive way. The kid only has one tool to respond with when he feels cornered which is to transfer. Wojo has multiple tools to keep the kid from feeling that way. In this case it was of paramount importance  to understand teenage group psychology also due to our small roster size.  

Wojo was running 8 kids. Equal play time was 25 minutes apiece. By necessity, Juan and Steve needed to be 30 plus. Evenly spread out the rest and your at 22-23. Then be smart about  the staging of it,  For example why not show the confidence in Deonte and have him play the last 6 minutes of the Badger game. That way the kid knows in the biggest  game of the year the coach believed in him. That also gives him a segway into reinforcing things in practice etc etc.

It just seems to me this particular case called for more flexibility on the coaches behalf than normal. Some might call it coddling, I call it being realistic and pragmatic given the bigger picture. Wojo was unflexible and looked at is a plain vanilla playing time dispute and we are where we are with a mid season transfer. He pulled no punches about that in the JS article.

The cursing incident with Juan I think showed a side of Wojo that is coloring some of my view here. Why the heck would you get in the face of the kid who has actually worked the hardest of anyone on the team this year. I think he is very narrowly focused at times. Wojo may be able to sell the big picture recruiting, but he is still a rookie coach and he is going to make rookie coach mistakes and they will be colored by his own personality traits.  I underestimated the learning curve part about him going into the season and thought he would step right in . I still support him and believe his heart is in the right place. Hopefully he learns as he goes along .

At this point we are going to need a big contribution from Luke and JJJ needs to take advantage of the opportunity he is now being given.

[GGGG]

Texas, I really liked this post.  I wish you would have started the thread with something like this because it was a little more reflective than the first one.

The only disagreement I have is throwing him a bone by playing him the last six minutes of the UW game.  Not worth debating any longer however so I won't.  But thank you.

[jesmu84]

The only "side" I'll agree with, is that it is absolutely dumb to play any kid at any level simply for fear of them transferring.

[MarquetteDano]

When a kid gets to the level of a high D-1 program it is not something that just happened. It is a function of a lifetime worth of work. I know you have been around enough college programs to know that. For the vast majority of these kids their identity and their sport are one and the same.  So when a kid who has been the top guy suddenly falls out of favor, for probably the first time in his life, it is a big big deal. This is what happens when you reach D-1 and you first realize there are other guys just as good as you, who want it just as much.  When this fall from grace happens the very first thing a kid thinks is I will transfer. I have seen this first hand. I know you know this because you publish the transfer stats. Typically this a problem of the kid not being able to see the forest through the trees.  Which I what I think transpired here. As many observers have pointed out, it was just a matter of time for Luke to arrive and Deontes role was going to change significantly for the better. In normal circumstances I think the kid would have been able to see that more clearly. Right now he is a lot more vulnerable with the loss of his mother. Remember there are all sorts of people around these kids telling them they are going to the NBA etc , so this very public loss of playing status gets blown up to epic proportions in the kids mind. Now through in the whole notion that Wojo was peddling about the team being family. These kids bought into that. They are also extraordinarily close to each other. So when Dawson, who everyone knows is very tight with Deonte, got nailed to the bench, there was collateral damage done with Deonte. Misery loves company and it becomes a very pronounced downward cycle and trust in the coach is lost. Things are seen in the worst light and it gets ugly for them there.

Wojo on the other hand is an adult and  should be able to see the forest through the trees. I think he didn't either. He got caught up in being a tough guy and delivering tough love by benching the kid. In this case tough love was not  a wise  thing. Not necessary because he is dealing with a quality individual. Deonte by all accounts and my own personal observations is a hard working student and worked hard in practice. For whatever reason, things weren't exactly clicking the way they should have been this year.  So what, they haven't for almost everyone else on the team at one point or another. The mistake I think Wojo made was not throwing the bones to the kid in a way that kept him him fully engaged in a positive way. The kid only has one tool to respond with when he feels cornered which is to transfer. Wojo has multiple tools to keep the kid from feeling that way. In this case it was of paramount importance  to understand teenage group psychology also due to our small roster size.  

Wojo was running 8 kids. Equal play time was 25 minutes apiece. By necessity, Juan and Steve needed to be 30 plus. Evenly spread out the rest and your at 22-23. Then be smart about  the staging of it,  For example why not show the confidence in Deonte and have him play the last 6 minutes of the Badger game. That way the kid knows in the biggest  game of the year the coach believed in him. That also gives him a segway into reinforcing things in practice etc etc.

It just seems to me this particular case called for more flexibility on the coaches behalf than normal. Some might call it coddling, I call it being realistic and pragmatic given the bigger picture. Wojo was unflexible and looked at is a plain vanilla playing time dispute and we are where we are with a mid season transfer. He pulled no punches about that in the JS article.

The cursing incident with Juan I think showed a side of Wojo that is coloring some of my view here. Why the heck would you get in the face of the kid who has actually worked the hardest of anyone on the team this year. I think he is very narrowly focused at times. Wojo may be able to sell the big picture recruiting, but he is still a rookie coach and he is going to make rookie coach mistakes and they will be colored by his own personality traits.  I underestimated the learning curve part about him going into the season and thought he would step right in . I still support him and believe his heart is in the right place. Hopefully he learns as he goes along .

At this point we are going to need a big contribution from Luke and JJJ needs to take advantage of the opportunity he is now being given.

I have no problem with this post.  However, it is much different in tone and words compared to the original post of this thread which basically said Wojo was dishonest to Dawson and wasted a year of his eligibility.

[mattyv1908]

The only "side" I'll agree with, is that it is absolutely dumb to play any kid at any level simply for fear of them transferring.

That's not what he's saying at all.

Let's put it differently.  I have a guy right now who's fairly inexperienced but has all the talent in the world and has been doing well.  Three months ago him and his wife said goodbye to their six month old who had some complications from childbirth.  Now to his credit he shows up to work every day but I can tell he's just not 100% with it and his production is diminished.

Should I handle his loss of productivity a little differently given the circumstances?  I think so.  If anything I've gone out of my way to throw him some bones to get him going because I know that the faster he gets his head together the better it is for him and ultimately the better it is for my numbers and my staff.

[GooooMarquette]

I have no problem with this post.  However, it is much different in tone and words compared to the original post of this thread which basically said Wojo was dishonest to Dawson and wasted a year of his eligibility.

+1

If this had been the original post, this thread would have ended after a couple of pages with most of us thanking TW for his insight.  It was the statement about Wojo not being honest with John that set me off, and I suspect many others.

[Nevada233]

Great post and I couldn't agree more! Derrick plays 30mpg here on out, we win 2 conference games in my estimation. Last year and so far this year have been by far, the most frustrating and perplexing years as a Marquette fan. I won't mention why, but you can draw your own conclusions.

+1

8th or 9th in the Big East easily....

Plus win 2 Games maybe since Depaul is no pushover.

[jesmu84]

That's not what he's saying at all.

Let's put it differently.  I have a guy right now who's fairly inexperienced but has all the talent in the world and has been doing well.  Three months ago him and his wife said goodbye to their six month old who had some complications from childbirth.  Now to his credit he shows up to work every day but I can tell he's just not 100% with it and his production is diminished.

Should I handle his loss of productivity a little differently given the circumstances?  I think so.  If anything I've gone out of my way to throw him some bones to get him going because I know that the faster he gets his head together the better it is for him and ultimately the better it is for my numbers and my staff.

I wasn't referring to Ners. But it has been implied and mentioned in this thread that that is exactly what Wojo, or other coaches, should do in the situation.

Also, yes you should do that. But, during your employee's difficult time, do you lighten his workload, allowing his mental health/well-being to recover and time at home to be focused on "home"? Or do you increase his work?  Further, can you precisely define these "bones" that you keep mentioning?

[Lennys Tap]

That's not what he's saying at all.

Let's put it differently.  I have a guy right now who's fairly inexperienced but has all the talent in the world and has been doing well.  Three months ago him and his wife said goodbye to their six month old who had some complications from childbirth.  Now to his credit he shows up to work every day but I can tell he's just not 100% with it and his production is diminished.

Should I handle his loss of productivity a little differently given the circumstances?  I think so.  If anything I've gone out of my way to throw him some bones to get him going because I know that the faster he gets his head together the better it is for him and ultimately the better it is for my numbers and my staff.

I think you keep the guy on the payroll but you don't have him making the presentation to your most important client until he's ready. In other words, he on scholarship but on the bench until he gets his head together

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

When a kid gets to the level of a high D-1 program it is not something that just happened. It is a function of a lifetime worth of work. I know you have been around enough college programs to know that. For the vast majority of these kids their identity and their sport are one and the same.  So when a kid who has been the top guy suddenly falls out of favor, for probably the first time in his life, it is a big big deal. This is what happens when you reach D-1 and you first realize there are other guys just as good as you, who want it just as much.  When this fall from grace happens the very first thing a kid thinks is I will transfer. I have seen this first hand. I know you know this because you publish the transfer stats. Typically this a problem of the kid not being able to see the forest through the trees.  Which I what I think transpired here. As many observers have pointed out, it was just a matter of time for Luke to arrive and Deontes role was going to change significantly for the better. In normal circumstances I think the kid would have been able to see that more clearly. Right now he is a lot more vulnerable with the loss of his mother. Remember there are all sorts of people around these kids telling them they are going to the NBA etc , so this very public loss of playing status gets blown up to epic proportions in the kids mind. Now through in the whole notion that Wojo was peddling about the team being family. These kids bought into that. They are also extraordinarily close to each other. So when Dawson, who everyone knows is very tight with Deonte, got nailed to the bench, there was collateral damage done with Deonte. Misery loves company and it becomes a very pronounced downward cycle and trust in the coach is lost. Things are seen in the worst light and it gets ugly for them there.

Wojo on the other hand is an adult and  should be able to see the forest through the trees. I think he didn't either. He got caught up in being a tough guy and delivering tough love by benching the kid. In this case tough love was not  a wise  thing. Not necessary because he is dealing with a quality individual. Deonte by all accounts and my own personal observations is a hard working student and worked hard in practice. For whatever reason, things weren't exactly clicking the way they should have been this year.  So what, they haven't for almost everyone else on the team at one point or another. The mistake I think Wojo made was not throwing the bones to the kid in a way that kept him him fully engaged in a positive way. The kid only has one tool to respond with when he feels cornered which is to transfer. Wojo has multiple tools to keep the kid from feeling that way. In this case it was of paramount importance  to understand teenage group psychology also due to our small roster size.  

Wojo was running 8 kids. Equal play time was 25 minutes apiece. By necessity, Juan and Steve needed to be 30 plus. Evenly spread out the rest and your at 22-23. Then be smart about  the staging of it,  For example why not show the confidence in Deonte and have him play the last 6 minutes of the Badger game. That way the kid knows in the biggest  game of the year the coach believed in him. That also gives him a segway into reinforcing things in practice etc etc.

It just seems to me this particular case called for more flexibility on the coaches behalf than normal. Some might call it coddling, I call it being realistic and pragmatic given the bigger picture. Wojo was unflexible and looked at is a plain vanilla playing time dispute and we are where we are with a mid season transfer. He pulled no punches about that in the JS article.

The cursing incident with Juan I think showed a side of Wojo that is coloring some of my view here. Why the heck would you get in the face of the kid who has actually worked the hardest of anyone on the team this year. I think he is very narrowly focused at times. Wojo may be able to sell the big picture recruiting, but he is still a rookie coach and he is going to make rookie coach mistakes and they will be colored by his own personality traits.  I underestimated the learning curve part about him going into the season and thought he would step right in . I still support him and believe his heart is in the right place. Hopefully he learns as he goes along .

At this point we are going to need a big contribution from Luke and JJJ needs to take advantage of the opportunity he is now being given.

TW, thank you for the thoughtful and reflective post. I really enjoyed reading it.

I am sure there were mistakes made by Wojo. A rookie coach will make a lot of them. I think "bones" can be tossed Deonte's way. I think giving him time, space, support, whatever he needs to recover (as much as anyone could recover from that terrible of a situation). But these need to be given during practice, team meetings, off the court. Not during game time IMHO. It may sound cold, but Wojo is here to win basketball games. A coach needs to stick to the game plan that he thinks gives him the best chance of winning. Based on this team's lineup and his production, Burton was getting about I would expect. Same goes for Dawson. Wojo was running a 8 man rotation and Dawson was the 9th man. He played in our one blowout game and sat in the seven close games. I don't think he was nailed to the bench, I think he just wasn't in the rotation.

I think Wojo was also flexible with his playing time. When Deonte played well against Michigan State, he played a season high 22 minutes. When he wasn't playing well, he played a season low 11 minutes. He was getting chances and was rewarded when he was doing well. You mentioned letting him play the last six minutes of the Wisconsin game. I disagree. We were in that game until about 1:12 left in the second half. In a rivlary game, at home, against the number two team in the nation, you play to win. That isn't the venue to "throw some bones."

I also remember the Juan incident a little differently. I could be wrong, but I remember Juan swearing at Wojo, than being pulled away by Steve, and then afterward Wojo and Juan talked one on one. Whatever they talked about worked because Juan came back with a vengeance.

I am sure there are things that Wojo could have done better. Both on the court and off the court. I think with more experience, he may have been able to navigate this situation to a different outcome. But my impression of the situation is that Wojo tried his damnedest and was upfront and honest throughout the process.

[Lennys Tap]

Great post and I couldn't agree more! Derrick plays 30mpg here on out, we win 2 conference games in my estimation. Last year and so far this year have been by far, the most frustrating and perplexing years as a Marquette fan. I won't mention why, but you can draw your own conclusions.

We're small, can't shoot very well and don't guard people. And there are only 8 available bodies. No matter the combinations and permutations employed it's going to be a tough year. And that's true whether Derrick plays 40 mpg or quits the team tomorrow. Blaming him is as wrong as it is mean spirited.

[Dawson Rental]

Great post and I couldn't agree more! Derrick plays 30mpg here on out, we win 2 conference games in my estimation. Last year and so far this year have been by far, the most frustrating and perplexing years as a Marquette fan. I won't mention why, but you can draw your own conclusions.

So the Mojo that Wojo has is that he is incompetent.  Humm...okay.

[NersEllenson]

We're small, can't shoot very well and don't guard people. And there are only 8 available bodies. No matter the combinations and permutations employed it's going to be a tough year. And that's true whether Derrick plays 40 mpg or quits the team tomorrow. Blaming him is as wrong as it is mean spirited.

The issue is that with both Deonte and Dawson on the roster, Ken Pom was still forecasting us at 1-17/2-16 in Big East play.  So, our body of work through 8 games, what was being tried, was such that we projected out that poorly.  6 of the 8 guys that were being played are Top 100 recruits.  And that doesn't include Carlino, who's arguably been our best player.  There was a good foundation of talent for us to win games.  Having said that, even if the minutes were distributed differently - we still probably lose to OSU, MSU.  Think the WI game and Omaha game were winnable with a different mix of players.

Losing Deonte was a big blow to the program.  And I was disappointed with Wojo's relatively cavalier comments on the matter.

Nonetheless, given that we still have 6 Top 100s, plus a 5th year senior in Carlino - I do think we will win more than 2 Big East Games.  But, will be surprised if we win more than 5.  Unless JJJ, Cohen REALLY step up big time.

[Eldon]

This is good stuff right here

[tower912]

+1

8th or 9th in the Big East easily....

Plus win 2 Games maybe since Depaul is no pushover.

(A) KenPom has been saying 1-2 Big East wins all along.
(B)  Every outsider looking in picked MU for the bottom part of the Big East
(C)  This year isn't about the results.   They aren't going to be great.   It is about the process and building for the future, both the players and the coaching staff.   

[MU82]

When a kid gets to the level of a high D-1 program it is not something that just happened. It is a function of a lifetime worth of work. I know you have been around enough college programs to know that. For the vast majority of these kids their identity and their sport are one and the same.  So when a kid who has been the top guy suddenly falls out of favor, for probably the first time in his life, it is a big big deal. This is what happens when you reach D-1 and you first realize there are other guys just as good as you, who want it just as much.  When this fall from grace happens the very first thing a kid thinks is I will transfer. I have seen this first hand. I know you know this because you publish the transfer stats. Typically this a problem of the kid not being able to see the forest through the trees.  Which I what I think transpired here. As many observers have pointed out, it was just a matter of time for Luke to arrive and Deontes role was going to change significantly for the better. In normal circumstances I think the kid would have been able to see that more clearly. Right now he is a lot more vulnerable with the loss of his mother. Remember there are all sorts of people around these kids telling them they are going to the NBA etc , so this very public loss of playing status gets blown up to epic proportions in the kids mind. Now through in the whole notion that Wojo was peddling about the team being family. These kids bought into that. They are also extraordinarily close to each other. So when Dawson, who everyone knows is very tight with Deonte, got nailed to the bench, there was collateral damage done with Deonte. Misery loves company and it becomes a very pronounced downward cycle and trust in the coach is lost. Things are seen in the worst light and it gets ugly for them there.

Wojo on the other hand is an adult and  should be able to see the forest through the trees. I think he didn't either. He got caught up in being a tough guy and delivering tough love by benching the kid. In this case tough love was not  a wise  thing. Not necessary because he is dealing with a quality individual. Deonte by all accounts and my own personal observations is a hard working student and worked hard in practice. For whatever reason, things weren't exactly clicking the way they should have been this year.  So what, they haven't for almost everyone else on the team at one point or another. The mistake I think Wojo made was not throwing the bones to the kid in a way that kept him him fully engaged in a positive way. The kid only has one tool to respond with when he feels cornered which is to transfer. Wojo has multiple tools to keep the kid from feeling that way. In this case it was of paramount importance  to understand teenage group psychology also due to our small roster size.  

Wojo was running 8 kids. Equal play time was 25 minutes apiece. By necessity, Juan and Steve needed to be 30 plus. Evenly spread out the rest and your at 22-23. Then be smart about  the staging of it,  For example why not show the confidence in Deonte and have him play the last 6 minutes of the Badger game. That way the kid knows in the biggest  game of the year the coach believed in him. That also gives him a segway into reinforcing things in practice etc etc.

It just seems to me this particular case called for more flexibility on the coaches behalf than normal. Some might call it coddling, I call it being realistic and pragmatic given the bigger picture. Wojo was unflexible and looked at is a plain vanilla playing time dispute and we are where we are with a mid season transfer. He pulled no punches about that in the JS article.

The cursing incident with Juan I think showed a side of Wojo that is coloring some of my view here. Why the heck would you get in the face of the kid who has actually worked the hardest of anyone on the team this year. I think he is very narrowly focused at times. Wojo may be able to sell the big picture recruiting, but he is still a rookie coach and he is going to make rookie coach mistakes and they will be colored by his own personality traits.  I underestimated the learning curve part about him going into the season and thought he would step right in . I still support him and believe his heart is in the right place. Hopefully he learns as he goes along .

At this point we are going to need a big contribution from Luke and JJJ needs to take advantage of the opportunity he is now being given.

TW, I really like this take. Thanks for taking the time to present it.

I disagree that Burton should have been handed the final 6 minutes of the Wisconsin game -- it was still winnable and he clearly was not one of our best players that day. And isn't it possible that Deonte had made up his mind before then, anyway?

My only other slight disagreement is that I am not the least bit surprised by Wojo's learning curve. You are smart enough to know that a guy who had never been a high-major head coach rarely "steps right in." Going from an assistant to a head coach is a HUGE step up, and Wojo will still be learning -- especially in the ego-management and game-decision departments -- for several years.

Otherwise, I am on board with everything you said here. Great job.

[Lighthouse 84]

I think you keep the guy on the payroll but you don't have him making the presentation to your most important client until he's ready. In other words, he on scholarship but on the bench until he gets his head together

  Exactly my view as well.  You obviously aren't going to fire him.  You give him time to get his head together and become productive again.  In this case, exactly as Lenny said.  Wojo didn't cut him and obviously shouldn't.  He put him out on the court when he saw a spot Deonte could help the team and maybe where it could help him be productive.

[GGGG]

So the Mojo that Wojo has is that he is incompetent.  Humm...okay.

Remember that this guy's name was "Buzz Crush" or something similar last year.  He's pretty fickle. 

[mu03eng]

Based on everything I've read on the board and in conversations I've had with people outside of the board I think Texas's last post is a pretty good summary of what went down.

Burton is in a negative space due to his circumstances and that carried over to his perception of the team, especially with what was going on with Dawson.  He also is self-aware enough to know his performance hasn't been great and struggles with that because he's a competitor.  He has his coach hammering away on him with what he's not doing right in an effort to improve him but it isn't always received well.  Lastly, he's got a lot of outside influences in his ear that only feed into the negative viewpoint.

Meanwhile Wojo is a competitor and is trying to fight with a roster not of his making and with some pretty obvious gaps.  He is trying to get the pieces to fit, some of which he needs to force in practice, etc.  He has to also try to manage teenagers especially through some very difficult challenges while himself trying to fly with out a net for the first time.

With the benefit of hindsight, I think both Wojo and Burton will recognize this as an opportunity missed.  Wojo and MU will be fine, and in some ways better for it as Wojo will have a lesson learned as will the rest of the team.  It is my sincere hope that Burton will be better for this as well and at a minimum lands on his feet and in a situation that meets his needs.

I truly think as fans, we chock this up to a missed opportunity with fault on all sides.  I also think it is ridiculous to assign the various playing minutes as anything other than a factor that clouded the issue, it's certainly not the root cause.