[Rosiak's Blog] Update on Taylor-MU

[ToddRosiakSays]

Update on Taylor-MU

Written by: Todd Rosiak


Apparently there hasn't been much movement on the Tyshawn Taylor-MU front.

Taylor's coach at St. Anthony, Bob Hurley, reiterated again on Wednesday that he and Taylor still desire Taylor's release from the national letter of intent he signed with MU last fall. MU, meanwhile, said it's still waiting to hear from Taylor and his legal guardian, both of whom need to officially request a release.

Hurley has been outspoken about the situation from the outset, stating that Taylor signed to play for Tom Crean, that he is concerned about Buzz Williams' lack of head-coaching experience and also the number of guards expected to return to the Golden Eagles next season.

Hurley reiterated all three points again Wednesday, and questioned why the process was taking so long.

"It's a stall, there's no doubt about it," he said. "If they say otherwise...if this was St. Anthony's High School, and a young man's family came to me and told me that they were unhappy and would I sign our state waiver so that they would be eligible to play someplace else, if I'd done the best I could coaching and it wasn't working, I would sign it and they'd be gone and I'd wish them the best of luck.

"In a crowded backcourt to begin with, I don't know why...if all these kids are going to be returning it looks like there's going to be plenty of guards. If this kid wants to explore other options right now because the man that truly brought him there is gone, I don't know why we're still being held up by this."

Williams traveled to Jersey City last Friday to meet with both Taylor and Hurley.

Hurley said he met with Williams for about an hour and a half and that Williams met with Taylor and the school's athletic director, Joseph Whalen, for about three hours. He characterized it as a "fact-finding mission" and that while Williams came off well, it still wasn't enough to allay his and Taylor's concerns.

"I just needed to know some things about him, because I really only met him one other time," Hurley said. "They now know who he is. But in looking at things, you can't make up a coaching resume that doesn't exist. With all the things going on we haven't eliminated Marquette, but we would like him to use his two other visits as we're going through this process, just to have a little more information for him."

According to both Hurley and MU, St. Anthony has twice sent letters requesting Taylor's release. Both letters came from Whalen, however. In a situation such as this, the people who signed Taylor's letter of intent -- specifically Taylor and a legal guardian -- must also be the ones who request the release.

Hurley, meanwhile, spoke to MU athletic director Steve Cottingham shortly after Crean left for Indiana, but that apparently has been the only contact Hurley's had with the school. 

"Our obligation is to the student-athlete," said deputy athletic director Mike Broeker. "And up to this point, neither Tyshawn nor his family has informed us of his decision."

Hurley twice referenced MU's release of Nick Williams, which occurred last Thursday, three days after Buzz Williams was hired.

"Their reasoning is he was recruited by one coach and that guy's gone and that's why he shouldn't...that's nonsense," Hurley said. "He wanted to play for Tom Crean, just like Tyshawn Taylor was going to Marquette to play for Tom Crean. He wasn't going to play for any assistant coaches. You prepare the kids for the fact that they potentially are not going to be there, that they're going to be looking to get other jobs."

Hurley wouldn't comment specifically when asked whether he had heard from Tom Crean since Crean left for Indiana.

"I think our conversation has enough of a negative tone that that question will remain unanswered," he said. "And I don't begrudge (coaches) for doing this stuff because I know that's part of the college game. So I don't feel that Tom Crean is no different than an awful lot of other people who perhaps make a couple moves over the course of their career. My only feeling is we're the adults in this; we can't hold the kids hostage."

Hurley also said that while Crean was still at MU Crean indicated to both he and Taylor that he didn't expect Dominic James to return next season. James has since said he is returning, however, and it appears likely that Jerel McNeal will also be back. With Wesley Matthews and David Cubillan also returning, Hurley believes Taylor would be "the odd man out."

I also asked Hurley if he'd gotten any feedback from his son, Dan, regarding the experiences of both Cubillan and Dwight Burke at MU. Both played for Dan Hurley at St. Benedict's Prep in Newark prior to coming to MU, and Cubillan remains especially close to him.

"I don't know. I guess you'd probably have to call him about that," said Hurley. "I've never heard any negatives. But I guess you'd have to talk to Danny about that."



http://blogs.jsonline.com/muhoops/archive/2008/04/16/update-on-taylor-mu.aspx

[Coobeys Oil Depot]

I think the bridge for Buzz to land anyone at St. Anthony's or St. Benedict's has officially been burned by playing hardball with the Taylor case.

[🏀]

Hurley, get off the phone with the press and get the guardians sigs. NOT THAT HARD

[BrewCity83]

"I think the bridge for Buzz to land anyone at St. Anthony's or St. Benedict's has officially been burned by playing hardball with the Taylor case."

I'd wait and see.  If the hardball results in TT ending up here, and then flourishing here under Buzz, then the bridges are unburned.  Of course, that is highly unlikely now.

[bma725]

Hurley, get off the phone with the press and get the guardians sigs. NOT THAT HARD

Makes it sound like maybe the guardians don't want to sign it, and this whole thing is orhestrated by Hurley.

[MUCam]

This Hurley guy is a class A jerk, plain and simple. Even if he has the kid's best interests in mind, he certainly is doing just about everything to sabotoge those interests.

His statements, as well as those of Taylor's, have changed from day to day and from week to week, as he attempts to further his agenda at MU's expense.

What a classless a** clown. I know we have a moratorium on name calling with respect to Hurley, but enough is enough.

Finally, I say that this guy's weak comparison to the St. Anthony's case is laughable and doesn't hold water. What a joke.

[Tom Crean's Tanning Bed]

I think the fact that Taylor and his guardians haven't submitted a letter to MU requesting the release very telling.  

Perhaps Taylor is going to tell Hurley to "stick it" with this one.

[LastWarrior]

This Hurley guy is a class A jerk, plain and simple. Even if he has the kid's best interests in mind, he certainly is doing just about everything to sabotoge those interests.

His statements, as well as those of Taylor's, have changed from day to day and from week to week, as he attempts to further his agenda at MU's expense.

What a classless a** clown. I know we have a moratorium on name calling with respect to Hurley, but enough is enough.

Finally, I say that this guy's weak comparison to the St. Anthony's case is laughable and doesn't hold water. What a joke.

ditto... I share the same feelings with regard to the moratorium and Hurley.

[RJax55]

Hurley, get off the phone with the press and get the guardians sigs. NOT THAT HARD

Agreed.

Coach Hurley, stop grandstanding and get Taylor's paperwork in order.  

[IAmMarquette]

I think the bridge for Buzz to land anyone at St. Anthony's or St. Benedict's has officially been burned by playing hardball with the Taylor case.

I wouldn't say we're playing hardball, rather playing by the rules. If TT and his legal guardian have not yet requested release from the LOI, then MU has no obligation (and might not be able to? just a guess) to do so.

Hurley isn't doing much to endear himself to the MU community, though, that's for sure.

[TallTitan34]

How does Hurley, being the expert he is in this matter, not have the player or guardians sign the paperwork?

Sounds like MU is going to release him once the required signatures come so this is all on Hurley right now.

[BrewCity83]

I think the fact that Taylor and his guardians haven't submitted a letter to MU requesting the release very telling.  

Perhaps Taylor is going to tell Hurley to "stick it" with this one.

My thoughts and hopes exactly!

[NYWarrior]

"It's a stall, there's no doubt about it," he said. "If they say otherwise...if this was St. Anthony's High School, and a young man's family came to me and told me that they were unhappy and would I sign our state waiver so that they would be eligible to play someplace else

Coach Hurley ........ if that happens, maybe MU will follow the same tact.

[MU_4_Life]

I can understand Hurley's questions about Buzz's lack of HC experience, but this quote puzzles me:

Hurley also said that while Crean was still at MU Crean indicated to both he and Taylor that he didn't expect Dominic James to return next season. James has since said he is returning, however, and it appears likely that Jerel McNeal will also be back. With Wesley Matthews and David Cubillan also returning, Hurley believes Taylor would be "the odd man out."

If Crean had not left and everyone was coming back would TT still be looking to explore his options?  To me they should have thought about that before signing the LOI not now.  To me this whole situation is being used by Hurley becuase Taylor's stock rose during the year and now he might have better options.

[NCMUFan]

Sorry about the name calling, but an idiot is an idiot.  Marquette can't do anything without the required signatures from TT & his guardian.  What is Hurley's IQ by the way?  Something doesn't appear kosher with this guy Hurley.

[The Man in Gold]

"It's a stall, there's no doubt about it," he said. "If they say otherwise...if this was St. Anthony's High School, and a young man's family came to me and told me that they were unhappy and would I sign our state waiver so that they would be eligible to play someplace else

Coach Hurley ........ if that happens, maybe MU will follow the same tact.

Exactly.  Talk to Taylor's family first before you start grandstanding. 

[mviale]

Give me Jimmy Butler

[Pakuni]

Wasn't there even more of a logjam at guards (i.e. the current bunch, plus Christopherson plus N. Williams) when TT signed? The idea that DJ's return makes the difference just doesn't hold, because even with that there are fewer guards now than were expected in the fall.

The more this guy speaks, the less credible he becomes.

[Tom Crean's Tanning Bed]

Anyone else pick up on this?

"Hurley wouldn't comment specifically when asked whether he had heard from Tom Crean since Crean left for Indiana.

"I think our conversation has enough of a negative tone that that question will remain unanswered,"

Uh, if we do release him, we better darn well stick him with a conditional release so he can't go to IU.  Better yet, perhaps maybe place a call to the NCAA compliance office and ask them to investigate a possible tampering charge.

[lurch91]

I'm stunned that Hurley is still playing this out in the media, when he's acknowledged that the request of release didn't come from the student and/or gaurdian.  This story is making Hurley out to be 1) clueless to what's required to get a player released from an LOI, and 2) a complete a##.

And it does seem that Hurley is pushing Taylor along this route.  Why Taylor hasn't spoken up and why Hurley is the only one to speak for him is beyond me.

Edit:  Does it strike anyone else funny that Crean would have actually told a recruit, "I don't expect so-and-so back after this season...".  Talk about counting your chickens before they're hatched.

[NCMUFan]

Something smells fishy with this guy Hurley.

[mu03eng]

Wasn't there even more of a logjam at guards (i.e. the current bunch, plus Christopherson plus N. Williams) when TT signed? The idea that DJ's return makes the difference just doesn't hold, because even with that there are fewer guards now than were expected in the fall.

The more this guy speaks, the less credible he becomes.

Here is what I don't get....and Hurley is looking like a bigger idiot with every passing day

-TT himself said he had a better relationship with Buzz than Crean....in fact I believe he said he only met Crean once.  Hurley says Crean was the reason TT was going to MU.  These statements seem to directly counter each other.

-Cottingham despite all his supposed faults is a Lawyer first, I'm sure he follows both the letter of the law and an ethical code.  If it were proper to release Taylor at this time I would imagine he would.  Sounds like Taylor and his family either don't know the rules or perhaps know the rules and aren't as set on giving up his LOI as Hurley indicates.

-Even if DJ left next year we would have more have a much bigger logjam at guard with Crean than we have now.  With Crean(assuming DJ was leaving) we would have had 6 without TT.  With Buzz as it stands now we have 5 without TT.

-Why is this being conducted through the press?  I don't understand why Hurley needs to attack MU in this manner, especially when he has previously indicated that MU isn't out of running to land TT.  Isn't that cutting off your nose to spit your face???

Nothing makes sense about all this and I'm really starting to dislike/get suspicious about Hurley.

[mviale]

What does Tayshawn want to do?

[warthogdriver]

It's St Anthony's...It's St Anthony's...

[LastWarrior]

What does Tayshawn want to do?

Best post yet... one quote from the kid saying he wants out ends this whole process!