[Matt Velazquez] Wojciechowski not anxious to fill roster spot

[Tugg Speedman]

You do realize that very few recruits would be willing to talk to a coach who has zero scholarships to give. Very few coaches oversign, instead, they cut the worst player (Wally) from the team to clear up space and help facilitate the conversation. Cutting Wally wasn't a blunder. The potential of landing Gill, Young, or a future player is much more valuable than anything Wally was going to bring to the program.

And as other's have said, the conflict with the Ellensons was not about Wally's scholarship. It was about the fact that Wojo saw him as a benchwarmer and the Ellensons saw him as the starting PF for this next season.

So is this going to be an annual thing?  Cut the worst player in the team to troll for something better?  And if nothing pops up, and empty seat is better than the worst player.

I'm actually ok with this if it is known upfront that is how Wojo is going to work.  Did anyone know this?

[tower912]

Go ahead.   Call him squirmy.   

[Loose Cannon]

De-commits, transfers, coaching changes, assistant coaching changes.      Lots of stuff to still play out.

 So True.  This door is still open.   

[Herman Cain]

So is this going to be an annual thing?  Cut the worst player in the team to troll for something better?  And if nothing pops up, and empty seat is better than the worst player.

I'm actually ok with this if it is known upfront that is how Wojo is going to work.  Did anyone know this?

Every case is unique. So no reason to have arbitrary policy provision like that.

Going back to the beginning I believed Wally was a good transfer prospect on his own merit even if we never got Henry (or even if he was not related to Henry). My reasons were he was a Big Ten quality recruit, who had a lot of athleticism, things didn't work out for him at Minnesota but he we needed a practice body his first year  and we had need for a  high energy pogo stick guy this year, plus from a total perspective of MU he brought to the table All American status in a prestigious track event.  So net he worth a scholarship and worth us taking the risk and investing two years in him. A fair deal so to speak for both parties. Remember when we took him there was absolutely no guarantee of any kind Henry was coming . So we had to evaluate him on his own merits.  On his own merits he deserved the scholarship opportunity

So now we come to this seasons post season coach player  review.  Marcus92 posted a very detailed analysis of the depth chart earlier in this thread. Wally was clearly 13th on the team.  So we took a risk on him improving and while he did improve on an absolute basis, there were 12 guys ahead of him on a relative basis.  We only have 13 available scholarships. The coach needed to make another scholarship available for whatever reason , not necessarily just this year, and Wally's was not renewed. That did not mean Wally was cut from the team, it meant per NCAA regulations he would have to become a walk on in both basketball and track because it is not NCAA legal to have a basketball player on a Track scholarship. His other choice was to give up basketball and remain in Track as a scholarship athlete.

When Wally evaluated his options, he chose to stick with Track and not become a tuition paying walk on like Cam Marotta and others.  He has one more year of indoor track eligibility and that is the sport he will likely go pro in. The more he builds his resume in that sport the more opportunities he will have in the big meets.  Improve in track, most of the big meets are in Europe and possibly play on a low level European basketball team like Jake did.

Life is dynamic, and this may ultimately be the best thing that ever happened to Wally

[avid1010]

Every case is unique. So no reason to have arbitrary policy provision like that.

Going back to the beginning I believed Wally was a good transfer prospect on his own merit even if we never got Henry (or even if he was not related to Henry). My reasons were he was a Big Ten quality recruit, who had a lot of athleticism, things didn't work out for him at Minnesota but he we needed a practice body his first year  and we had need for a  high energy pogo stick guy this year, plus from a total perspective of MU he brought to the table All American status in a prestigious track event.  So net he worth a scholarship and worth us taking the risk and investing two years in him. A fair deal so to speak for both parties. Remember when we took him there was absolutely no guarantee of any kind Henry was coming . So we had to evaluate him on his own merits.  On his own merits he deserved the scholarship opportunity

So now we come to this seasons post season coach player  review.  Marcus92 posted a very detailed analysis of the depth chart earlier in this thread. Wally was clearly 13th on the team.  So we took a risk on him improving and while he did improve on an absolute basis, there were 12 guys ahead of him on a relative basis.  We only have 13 available scholarships. The coach needed to make another scholarship available for whatever reason , not necessarily just this year, and Wally's was not renewed. That did not mean Wally was cut from the team, it meant per NCAA regulations he would have to become a walk on in both basketball and track because it is not NCAA legal to have a basketball player on a Track scholarship. His other choice was to give up basketball and remain in Track as a scholarship athlete.

When Wally evaluated his options, he chose to stick with Track and not become a tuition paying walk on like Cam Marotta and others.  He has one more year of indoor track eligibility and that is the sport he will likely go pro in. The more he builds his resume in that sport the more opportunities he will have in the big meets.  Improve in track, most of the big meets are in Europe and possibly play on a low level European basketball team like Jake did.

Life is dynamic, and this may ultimately be the best thing that ever happened to Wally

How can you state that information like you know it is factual?

[GooooMarquette]

Yes, let's torture logic to protect Wojo.

So your alternative is to accuse our coach with nothing more than speculation.  Got it.

[wadesworld]

Your fatal flaw is in thinking it was Wallys idea to leave.  Stop protecting Wojo.

He was given 2 options. He chose one. Best of luck to him at what he's good at, and congratulations him to making the smart decision. It's really that simple. You keep trying to make up a story.

[Marcus92]

And I agree that Wally should be able to graduate by the end of summer school so he could grad transfer but apparently he cannot.  That is on him.

Even if Wally could transfer, what coach would want him? Fifth-year seniors who averaged 8 minutes, 1.9 points and 1.6 rebounds a game aren't in high demand among major Division 1 schools.

Wally was barely good enough to see the court this past season when we only had 10 eligible players. A fourth-year junior, he managed to beat out 2 freshman in minutes. And the amount of playing time he got may have as much to do with Henry as it does with Wally's ability.

Wally just didn't pan out as a Division 1 basketball player. Not at Minnesota. Not at Marquette. Even if he were still on the roster, chances are the only time he'd see the court this year is in garbage time. Why string him along? Fortunately he's a good enough athlete to have other options and can finish his degree on scholarship.

I'm sure Wally thinks he's a better player than he is. I'm sure his family thinks the same. As the coach, Wojo's opinion is the one that counts.

As to the team morale issue, I don't think it's an issue. The team wants to win. And they know they need elite basketball talent to do that. Wally wasn't that guy, no matter how high he could jump or how much he hustled. You might be surprised how much the upgrade in talent and depth energizes this team.

[brewcity77]

I'm sure this will just incite the masses, but I'm so sick of the term pogo stick. Wally, Kostas, Young, Gill, they're all pogo sticks. FFS get a new descriptive term. Further, the simple ability to jump does not make one automatically a high value player. Can we maybe discuss the actual merits of a player's game rather than throwing out the same idiotic label for every single player in an attempt to sound savvy?

For the love of God, there have been 21 mentions of pogo stick prior to this post and 57% have been since April 17. Before that, most references included a Jumping Jesus, which is a far more entertaining way to talk about a pogo stick. Just stop, it sounds silly and not remotely clever.

[bilsu]

So within the next 3 years we will either have 2 NCAA Tournament Championships or we will have gone from a 20 win season with a bunch of freshman regressing over 3 years to a 10 win team with a bunch of seniors?  And if it's the latter, a guy who spent 20 years next to one of the greatest college basketball coaches in the history of the game, winning 2 National Titles and helping recruit a 3rd class that won a National Title, and spent 5 years running his own program will not be able to land an assistant coaching job anywhere?

The crazies are out in full force, folks!

Wojo does not need to win two NCAA titles to get the Duke job. He needs to make the NCAA three straight years and go farther every year. We will see what happens this year, but I am not betting on MU making the NCAA tournament this year.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

So is this going to be an annual thing?  Cut the worst player in the team to troll for something better?  And if nothing pops up, and empty seat is better than the worst player.

I'm actually ok with this if it is known upfront that is how Wojo is going to work.  Did anyone know this?

Could be. Depends on if next year we have 13 players on scholarship and a gaping hole at a specific position. And if you are ok with it, why are you raising a stink about it?

[Herman Cain]

Wojo does not need to win two NCAA titles to get the Duke job. He needs to make the NCAA three straight years and go farther every year. We will see what happens this year, but I am not betting on MU making the NCAA tournament this year.

Brad Stevens will get the Duke job.

[brewcity77]

Brad Stevens will get the Duke job.

I highly doubt Brad Stevens would want the Duke job. I've heard from Indy that he never enjoyed recruiting. And to coach at Duke, he'd have to up his recruiting tenfold. College would always be an option for him, but I'd be surprised to see him ever back in the collegiate game.

[Herman Cain]

I highly doubt Brad Stevens would want the Duke job. I've heard from Indy that he never enjoyed recruiting. And to coach at Duke, he'd have to up his recruiting tenfold. College would always be an option for him, but I'd be surprised to see him ever back in the collegiate game.

Duly noted.

I still think he would be on their short list.

Pro Coaches eventually all get fired so he may change his posture. 

[wadesworld]

Brad Stevens will get the Duke job.

Brad Stevens hates pampering teenage boys and is the biggest rising star at the highest level of basketball coaching. He doesn't want the job at all.

Wojo does not need to win two NCAA titles to get the Duke job. He needs to make the NCAA three straight years and go farther every year. We will see what happens this year, but I am not betting on MU making the NCAA tournament this year.

Anyone who wants to coach Duke right after Coach K is going to have to do more than have 3 NCAA Tournament appearances with no Final Fours.

[Marcus92]

Brad Stevens will get the Duke job.

Agree that it's not likely to be Wojo. Even if we make the NCAAs the next 3 years, and Coach K announces his retirement.

I think Duke will look for someone who won't be completely overwhelmed by the shadow of college basketball's greatest coach. Brad Stevens would be a great choice — young, smart and successful at both the college and pro level. I could see Mike Brey, Tommy Amaker or Johnny Dawkins getting the nod ahead of Wojo.

[fjm]

Cutting Wally and leaving the schollie open is a good plan?  Face reality, it's a signal of a screw up.

So you're saying we should have kept Wally who 1) wouldn't have committed full time to basketball like the rest of the team this summer. 2) would have contributed very Little but still gotten to play minutes?

What message does that send to the rest of the players Heisenberg? By your account it's ok to say "hey cheatam, JJJ etc... You don't have to commit to this program to play! You want to take practice off to try your hand at lacrosse, or hit up a local dinner place with your girlfriend, feel free, it's only practice! No commitment necessary!"

[AZMarqfan]

I've always felt of Stevens as the Duke heir apparent.  By the time Coach K retires in several years, Stevens will likely be canned given the typical short reigns of NBA coaches, even those with considerable success. 

[Folks,,,]

So is this going to be an annual thing?  Cut the worst player in the team to troll for something better?  And if nothing pops up, and empty seat is better than the worst player.

I vote that we cut you from scoop; it would definitely be better for all of us.

[Tugg Speedman]

So you're saying we should have kept Wally who 1) wouldn't have committed full time to basketball like the rest of the team this summer. 2) would have contributed very Little but still gotten to play minutes?

What message does that send to the rest of the players Heisenberg? By your account it's ok to say "hey cheatam, JJJ etc... You don't have to commit to this program to play! You want to take practice off to try your hand at lacrosse, or hit up a local dinner place with your girlfriend, feel free, it's only practice! No commitment necessary!"

Wally came in as a all-American high jumper.  That was part of the deal.  After two years that is now not ok?

If JJJ or Cheatham came in as two-sport athletes from the beginning, that would be ok too.

Again nothing has ever been mentioned about Wally being a loafer or lacking commitment.  That statement, like the long post by NY above, are just tortured logic to protect Wojo.  It's simple, a coach needed a spot so he could get someone better, cut Wally to make that spot, and misjudged and now has no one to fill it.

This is not hard to understand, it is only hard for some that Wojo misjudged Gill and Young and needlessly ended Wally's basketball career because of it.

-------

Again, cut Wally to bring in someone better, and they actually come, that's how life works.  Welcome to reality.

Cut Wally and that someone better does not show, your coach misjudged and I worry about his ability to recruit.  He blew it.  That is also reality.

[brewcity77]

I've always felt of Stevens as the Duke heir apparent.  By the time Coach K retires in several years, Stevens will likely be canned given the typical short reigns of NBA coaches, even those with considerable success.

Everyone says that. But he has no ties to Duke and reportedly doesn't like all the BS that goes with coaching college.

I don't get why the Stevens to Duke talk is so prevalent. Is it because he's clean cut and white? I seriously can't think of any reasons a guy who has no ties to the school and bailed on the college game at the first chance while showing no interest in going back would be such a lock for that job.

[MUDPT]

Stevens would be considered near the same level as Thibs if Boston somehow fired him next year. He would have the pick of any open NBA job. Have you seen who has gotten head coaching jobs the last couple of seasons?

[Groin_pull]

So you're saying we should have kept Wally who 1) wouldn't have committed full time to basketball like the rest of the team this summer. 2) would have contributed very Little but still gotten to play minutes?

What message does that send to the rest of the players Heisenberg? By your account it's ok to say "hey cheatam, JJJ etc... You don't have to commit to this program to play! You want to take practice off to try your hand at lacrosse, or hit up a local dinner place with your girlfriend, feel free, it's only practice! No commitment necessary!"

You're actually comparing being an elite track athlete to hanging at a diner with a girlfriend??? Wow, didn't think it was possible, but this site has established a new level of idiocy. I'm going to take a wild guess and say you've never played a sport in your life and have no idea what's involved.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Again, cut Wally to bring in someone better, and they actually come, that's how life works.  Welcome to reality.

Cut Wally and that someone better does not show, your coach misjudged and I worry about his ability to recruit.  He blew it.  That is also reality.

No, recruiting misses are also how life works. It's a normal part of coaching college basketball. You almost never have a situation where a player is a guarentee get. You have to cut the weaker player before you can get the better player. You always run the risk of the chair staying empty. Even if you don't fill it, it was still the right decision to cut the kid. The possibility of a young, Gill, or future player (again recruiting season is far from over) is much more valuable than anything Wally was going to give us next year.

[DUNKS45]

No, recruiting misses are also how life works. It's a normal part of coaching college basketball. You almost never have a situation where a player is a guarentee get. You have to cut the weaker player before you can get the better player. You always run the risk of the chair staying empty. Even if you don't fill it, it was still the right decision to cut the kid. The possibility of a young, Gill, or future player (again recruiting season is far from over) is much more valuable than anything Wally was going to give us next year.

Well said TAMU, I think this is how must of us see it. Many things can still happen. Go Warriors!