[Matt Velazquez] Wojciechowski not anxious to fill roster spot

[forgetful]

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.

We could always take a flyer on a player to fill the empty seat and if they don't pan out just kick them off the team to take a flyer on another fringe player.

Is that what you are advocating?

[wadesworld]

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.

Again, you go to incredible lengths to make yourself look completely foolish just for a little attention on Scoop, even if it's negative.  It's really odd.  You literally have absolutely zero knowledge about what you're saying.  If every poster on this board agreed with you and all you got were a few "+1" posts, you'd be posting the complete opposite of what you are now.

[MU82]

Heisy: If you have some inside knowledge share it. Otherwise, everything you say is based on speculation, and your arguments are worthless.

As for Brad Stevens, why the hell would he want to leave the NBA for Duke? As another Scooper said, even if he got fired for some reason, he would quickly land another NBA job. Why would he want to follow a legend, deal with mommies and daddies again, etc.?

I'd bet on Wojo following K before Stevens, although I don't really think it would be Wojo, either.

[Tugg Speedman]

You seem to be arguing that the new policy of the program.   Every March figure out with the 13th player is and cut him so they can try and find somebody better.

Again I don't have a problem with that but say it up front.  On the first day of practice in October say their are 13 guys here one of you is going to be cut from this team in March.  So don't be the last guy.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

You seem to be arguing that the new policy of the program.   Every March figure out with the 13th player is and cut him so they can try and find somebody better.

Again I don't have a problem with that but say it up front.  On the first day of practice in October say their are 13 guys here one of you is going to be cut from this team in March.  So don't be the last guy.

There's no need to announce a policy. Its the policy of every single D1 college basketball program. If you are the worst player on any team with 13 scholarship players, and the team has a glaring need at another position, and there is a reasonable chance the team can get another player at that position, than you are likely going to be cut.

But again, as others have said, this isn't the whole story with Wally.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

You seem to be arguing that the new policy of the program.   Every March figure out with the 13th player is and cut him so they can try and find somebody better.

Again I don't have a problem with that but say it up front.  On the first day of practice in October say their are 13 guys here one of you is going to be cut from this team in March.  So don't be the last guy.

My lord. Just let it go, dude. You're just arguing with yourself on endless circles.

[avid1010]

Brad Stevens will get the Duke job.

You are hilarious...you state a lot of crap lIke you know it to be true, and then when people call you out, you backtrack mighty fast.  Who cares who is on "Duke's shortlist." 

I've never read anything that stated Stevens is interested in coming back....and I've read plenty about how many GM's and players respect the heck out of him.

[Tugg Speedman]

There's no need to announce a policy. Its the policy of every single D1 college basketball program. If you are the worst player on any team with 13 scholarship players, and the team has a glaring need at another position, and there is a reasonable chance the team can get another player at that position, than you are likely going to be cut.

But again, as others have said, this isn't the whole story with Wally.

We seem to be saying the same thing as me.  Wojo cut Wally to make room for someone else.  This has been my point and all the tortured logic like this post below is a bunch of crap.

I'm also making the point that Wojo seems to overestimate a lot of these late season recruits, transfers which is why we are now with one open schollie

I understand the points you are making here.  Let me give you a different side of the issue that you may not have considered.

As you know, because you post on it frequently, Wally is a top level high jumper.  What if Wojo decided not to renew Wally's basketball scholarship( that is what actually happened he was not cut)  only when he had another bird in the hand. Wojo had no way of knowing when that would happen. What if it happened the weekend Wally was at the NCAA track championships. It would have been a shock to Wally for sure and potentially screwed up the intense focus and preparation he needed to compete for a national championship.  How fair would that have been to Wally? 

I am not a Wojo Slurper or apologist by any means., but in this case I believe part of the consideration among the coaching staff and administration  was that it would be most fair to Wally  and best to deliver the bad news up front as part of the regularly scheduled review process. This way he had plenty of time to digest it and move on .

Wally also limited his own options by not being in a position to graduate by the end of the summer.

[Jay Bee]

I'm also making the point that Wojo seems to overestimate a lot of these late season recruits, transfers which is why we are now with one open schollie

It's only May 22nd.

[tower912]

50/50 that another player is added before school starts in August.    A whole lot to shake out. 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

We seem to be saying the same thing as me.  Wojo cut Wally to make room for someone else.  This has been my point and all the tortured logic like this post below is a bunch of crap.

I'm also making the point that Wojo seems to overestimate a lot of these late season recruits, transfers which is why we are now with one open schollie

We are not. I am saying Wojo did the right thing despite not landing Young or Gill. You are freaking out about it and questioning Wojo's judgement.

Wojo doesn't need any defending. But if you think the Wally situation was as simple as a player getting cut for a better player, you are kidding yourself.

[Golden Avalanche]

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.

You're dumb.

[Spotcheck Billy]

We seem to be saying the same thing as me.  Wojo cut Wally to make room for someone else.  This has been my point and all the tortured logic like this post below is a bunch of crap.

I'm also making the point that Wojo seems to overestimate a lot of these late season recruits, transfers which is why we are now with one open schollie

I bet Calipari is getting a ton of grief for missing on Bolden last week

[fjm]

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.

False. Played sports. Many. Never pulled a groin either...

What I was saying is why is it ok for Wally to play on the team with a lower level of commitment to the team than other guys? Sorry I didn't dumb it down enough for your groin.

[hdog1017]

So Wojo brings Wally in to get kid brother Henry for a year.  Henry jumps to the NBA where he'll be overdrafted and then you cut Wally?

No wonder why these late season recruits won't commit to Wojo

[JakeBarnes]

So Wojo brings Wally in to get kid brother Henry for a year.  Henry jumps to the NBA where he'll be overdrafted and then you cut Wally?

No wonder why these late season recruits won't commit to Wojo

Oh hi. You must be new here. All the handwringing has been done about this topic and has been done for weeks now. Scoop moves at a very fast pace to the newest and shiny topic.

Furthermore, unless these recruits have siblings I imagine none of them care who got cut to give them a scholarship--just that they are important enough to get one.

[MuMark]

Being drafted(over under or otherwise) is the dream of every kid that plays college basketball.

If you think the Wally situation has anything to do with Gill or Young you are an idiot.

Carry on though....

[wadesworld]

Being drafted(over under or otherwise) is the dream of every kid that plays college basketball.

If you think the Wally situation has anything to do with Gill or Young you are an idiot.

Carry on though....

Yup.

[Class71]

Just be prepared for a very long season. We do not have the tools to be a factor.

[GGGG]

Yeah we do. I expect we will be better than last year.

[4everwarriors]

Just a hunch, but, I'm figurin' we add a scholarship playa between now and da start of da fall semester, hey?

[martyconlonontherun]

We probably will never know the full story. Even under the best scenario we are still left with a black eye by not setting proper expectations with the family and public. It never should have came down to one side or the other parting on bad terms.


That said, black eyes heal. I don't think any top 75 recruit will care we cut Wally. I just hate wasted scholarships so we better use it.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

We probably will never know the full story. Even under the best scenario we are still left with a black eye by not setting proper expectations with the family and public. It never should have came down to one side or the other parting on bad terms.


That said, black eyes heal. I don't think any top 75 recruit will care we cut Wally. I just hate wasted scholarships so we better use it.

What black eye. Outside of scoop no one even realized this happened

[Dawson Rental]

We probably will never know the full story. Even under the best scenario we are still left with a black eye by not setting proper expectations with the family and public. It never should have came down to one side or the other parting on bad terms.


That said, black eyes heal. I don't think any top 75 recruit will care we cut Wally. I just hate wasted scholarships so we better use it.

Oh?  We'd better?

Sign a stiff, if you have too, Wojo, but for God's sake don't piss off martyconlonontherun.

[HoopsterBC]

As much is it is important to have 13 scholarship players, the bigger question is how you keep them all happy?  You only play at most 9 or 10 players so the 13th player
to accept a scholy to just a fill a spot is ridiculous.    Yes, MU needs a power forward, and for the second year in a row Wojo has come up short  filling a need.  I am having a hard time digesting his inability to close at the end.  Right now MU has more to sell in the future then 90% of the programs in America, not sure he is getting it done.  2 years new arena, first class facility right near campus where an NBA team and MU players will be able to work with each other.  I would think next year will be
a big year as well as the following year as the building goes up.  No excuses going forward in my book.  Lots to sell.