Wisdom of playing Mbakwe

[augoman]

.......escapes me.

[mviale]

I thought it was a great move by Crean and it may have motivated the team and psyched out Pitt.

Mbakwe, like myself, may have no plans of staying 5 years in college.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

.......escapes me.

I see where they said he just started practicing on Thursday.

And I sure didn't think he looked 100 percent.

[TallTitan34]

I don't really like it but maybe it was Trevor's call.  It can't be easy watching your team go out there and not help.

[Thomas' Danish Delight]

Ouse had a hell of a game offensively and defensively.  Mbakwe didn't get the quadruple double a lot of us would have liked to see,  but for a freshman playing his first Big East game coming off a supposedly season-ending injury against a team like Pitt, Mbakwe did an alright job.  He wasn't pushed around on defense...sure he was scored on a couple times, but he contested the shots well. 

St. John's should be a nice tune-up game for Mbakwe.

[MuMark]

Not really hard to understand. The kid didn't want to redshirt.

Some people don't want to spend 5 years in college.

[MUFanInGreenBay]

Well, I saw one positive from Mbakwe. He forced Blair into a travel when Blair tried to take him one-on-one down on the blocks. If that was Burke defending Blair it prolly would've been 2 points for Blair And 1.

[mviale]

.......escapes me.

Burke didnt play till it was over

[superfan1387]

During the post game press conference, crean said that all along they had hoped to get Trevor back to play this season. However, he said they never mentioned it to anyone especially Trevor because they didnt want him to feel pressured into playing this season and risk coming back before he was 100%. last week he started doing individual workouts, but didnt practice with the team until wednesday. crean did say that he had march 1st as the cut off date. he said if he wasnt able to come back by march 1st, he was going to keep the redshirt. crean seems extremely excited to have him back and really confident in his ability, so we shall see, hopefully it helps us down the stretch.

[79Warrior]

I thought it was a great move by Crean and it may have motivated the team and psyched out Pitt.

Mbakwe, like myself, may have no plans of staying 5 years in college.

I doubt Trevor playing psyched out Pit in the least.

[mviale]

Ok - motivated our team

[ChicosBailBonds]

.......escapes me.

Very simple...Trevor said it himself last night.  He's not staying for 5 years so he wants to get it going now.  Nothing to do with wisdom, it's a simple desire to get on with his playing.

[SoCalwarrior]

.......escapes me.

Very simple...Trevor said it himself last night.  He's not staying for 5 years so he wants to get it going now.  Nothing to do with wisdom, it's a simple desire to get on with his playing.

I agree with this, but I think the poster is questioning the wisdom of playing him in last night's game.  Having only practiced with the team since Wednesday, it's questionable.  However, I could understand if it was Crean's way of rewarding him for the drive and hard work it took him to rejoin the team after what should have been a season ending injury.  And being such a lopsided game probably made it easier.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I guess I'd rather have him play a home game then one on the road for his first taste of college hoops.

[Pakuni]

.......escapes me.

I see where they said he just started practicing on Thursday.

And I sure didn't think he looked 100 percent.

Ahem ...

Mbakwe's rehabilitation had been ahead of schedule, however, and he had working out extensively with the team in recent weeks since receiving medical clearance to do so.

"It got to the point that my rehab workouts were harder than actually practicing and playing," Mbakwe said in a release

http://blogs.jsonline.com/muhoops/archive/2008/02/15/mu-lifts-redshirt-on-mbakwe-will-play-tonight.aspx

And besides, it never was a health issue for you, right?

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

.......escapes me.

I see where they said he just started practicing on Thursday.

And I sure didn't think he looked 100 percent.

Ahem ...

Mbakwe's rehabilitation had been ahead of schedule, however, and he had working out extensively with the team in recent weeks since receiving medical clearance to do so.

"It got to the point that my rehab workouts were harder than actually practicing and playing," Mbakwe said in a release

http://blogs.jsonline.com/muhoops/archive/2008/02/15/mu-lifts-redshirt-on-mbakwe-will-play-tonight.aspx

And besides, it never was a health issue for you, right?

Well, gee whiz genius -- Trevor himself seems to say otherwise:

"I knew I was going to come back, but we didn't predict it until the St. John's game next week," said Mbakwe. "This was earlier than we decided. I had worked out with the physical therapist and the doctor on Wednesday, Thursday I practiced with the team for the first time and then Thursday night (the doctor) told me he'd clear me to play, that everything was good and he didn't have a problem with me playing."

I'm not positive, but I believe when somebody says "Thursday I practiced with the team for the first time" it means that Thursday was the first time he practiced with the team.

Or am I mistaken?

[MUteamball98]

I still do not understand why he would not play and/or why mu would not play him.  He has the opportunity to play on an outstanding team missing one thing...size, which he brings to the table.  He is playing with three outstanding guards who are juniors with one of them possibly leaving after this year as well as one legit big man who is a senior.  There is no guarantees on the future.  He came to MU to play ball, to get an education, and to win.  He wants to play...let him if he is medically cleared and hopefully he will help the team.  Worst case scenario he gets game time experience and is that much further ahead when the season starts next year.

[Daniel]

I think the comments above about him not staying 5 years are right ont he money - so we aren;t losing a year of eligability because he probably would not have been here for 5.  So as long as he is healty, let him play.

without doubt he was rusty out there, had to be directed a coupel of times as to where to go, he did get scored on a couple of times, etc. but this was his first 8 minutes in college ball, against a pretty decent team. 

I think when he gets in  he flow, he is going to be a great contributor to our team. 

[The Lens]

I don't care about his 5 the year or about him helping this season.  I care about him.  Him playing is somewhat reckless.  If he sits out this season he can rest it for 7 more months.  I know he's cleared but we're talking abot the rest of his life.  Shouldn't we error on the side of caution.  Sitting him down until next season allows his knee more and more time to not only heal but to get stronger.  I also realize he wanted to play, well lots of college freshmen want to do a lot of things but their parents / advisors / coaches are there to advise that it's not in their best interests.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

I don't care about his 5 the year or about him helping this season.  I care about him.  Him playing is somewhat reckless.  If he sits out this season he can rest it for 7 more months.  I know he's cleared but we're talking abot the rest of his life.  Shouldn't we error on the side of caution.  Sitting him down until next season allows his knee more and more time to not only heal but to get stronger.  I also realize he wanted to play, well lots of college freshmen want to do a lot of things but their parents / advisors / coaches are there to advise that it's not in their best interests.

Even if the coaching staff agrees with you, what are they supposed to do?

The kid worked his butt off to make it back...

He's cleared by the doctor...

He obviously wants to play...

He's good enough to play...

Crean is supposed to tell him "no"?


I understand that coaches have to make some tough decisions with/for kids... but how could Trevor ever trust his coach again if after he works so hard only to have the coaching staff to still keep him out.

I hate transfer speculation... but holding out Trevor until next year might have created a strained relationship with him and the coaches.

[CTWarrior]

The only way playing him makes sense is if we're 90+% sure that he's not interested in a fifth year.  If that is the case, then why not play him?  I would rather they kept him red-shirted so they could get four full seasons out of him, but I'm sure they had good reasons to do what they did.

[Marquette84]

I don't care about his 5 the year or about him helping this season.  I care about him.  Him playing is somewhat reckless.  If he sits out this season he can rest it for 7 more months.  I know he's cleared but we're talking abot the rest of his life.  Shouldn't we error on the side of caution.  Sitting him down until next season allows his knee more and more time to not only heal but to get stronger.  I also realize he wanted to play, well lots of college freshmen want to do a lot of things but their parents / advisors / coaches are there to advise that it's not in their best interests.

Thank you, doctor.  Its clear your first hand insight into the true conditions of Mbakwe's knee enlightens us as to the recklessness of his decision.

[The Lens]

84, is the teal green for sarcasm or smugness? 

[Big Papi]

I don't care about his 5 the year or about him helping this season.  I care about him.  Him playing is somewhat reckless.  If he sits out this season he can rest it for 7 more months.  I know he's cleared but we're talking abot the rest of his life.  Shouldn't we error on the side of caution.  Sitting him down until next season allows his knee more and more time to not only heal but to get stronger.  I also realize he wanted to play, well lots of college freshmen want to do a lot of things but their parents / advisors / coaches are there to advise that it's not in their best interests.

Heck why stop at 7 months.  We should be really careful with  Mbakwe and bring him around real slow and steady.  19 months should do it.   

If he is cleared to play he is cleared to play.  I think everyone is looking out for Mbakwe's best interest.  To think you have a better sense of what is in Mbakwe's best interest is frankly silly considering you don't know any of the details.

[StillWarriors]

At this point in the season, it is very evident that MU's lack of size, and more importantly muscle in the frontcourt places a real limitation on our ability to overcome the elite teams in the Big East and make a deep run in the NCAA tourney. Despite the recent strong showings, our team's makeup had us headed towards another potential early exit in March unless we have a real good game shooting. It is tough to tell how much Mbakwe will be able to contribute given his "late arrival", but to me it is a no brainer to throw him in the mix. He surely can provide some strength inside that is desperately needed. It has been so frustrating watching our undersized guys having to try to play above their height. Despite great effort, it is often futile. At 240, Mbakwe potentially fills a great need THIS YEAR. This team has the potential to be great despite its limitations-Mbakwe can help lessen one of the major limitations. Hard to believe but Jerel, DJ and Matthews aren't going to be around much longer, so we might as well take advantage now and go for it.

The fact Mbakwe apparently has indicated he's not looking to stay 5 years makes it a complete no brainer. Finally, I highly doubt the doctors would clear him to come back if he wasn't ready to go. That would be reckless and unfair; maybe it is naive, but I have more faith in the program than to think otherwise.