Mbakwe article

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He barely qualified and had a history of instability regarding basketball teams. I'd say he was a gamble. 

He had trouble qualifying, so he switched to a better educational facility.

I'm failing to see the gamble. We aren't talking Dameon Mason here.

[dennycrane]

+1.  I know he's just a kid, but its tough not to lose some respect for the guy. If reports have been true, he demanded to be on the team last year though it was clear he was not physically ready.  He denied considering transferring in April, only to catch the team by surprise by transferring in August.  Either he's getting bad advice or he's a confused kid. MU will miss him, but my guess is he'll end up missing MU more.

Mbakwe was always a risky recruit. Nobody should be surprised about the outcome. The timing is what is surprising.

[BrewCity83]

Did Buzz release Trevor to the school of his choice? If not, going JC for a year does make sense.

Going JC makes a ton of sense...it's the only way he won't have to sit out this year.

[NCMUFan]

The thing is Trevor seemed to want his degree ASAP so he demanded to play last year. Now he is missing a year of eligibility and will have to sit out a year.  Go figure, does he think he is going to be the second coming of Michael Jordon for the Gophers?  Also doesn't playing JUCO mean when he does come back he will only have two years left of eligibility?

[ChicosBailBonds]

The thing is revor seemed to want his degree ASAP so he demanded to play last year. Now he is missing a year of eligibility and will have to sit out a year.  Go figure, does he think he is going to be the second coming of Michael Jordon for the Gophers?

Actually if he goes JUCO, which it sounds like he is, I don't believe he has to sit out.

[NCMUFan]

But he will be down to two years of eligibility.   Sounds like he took an Amo pill or something.  Any signs of SuperMario Troll?

[bma725]

I'm failing to see the gamble. We aren't talking Dameon Mason here.

Actually we are talking a Mason like situation, except that Mason actually played at all the high schools he went to, and he wasn't as much of an academic question mark.

Mbakwe's first transfer(to Wheeler in Georgia) had nothing to do with academics.  It was to get him out of Minnesota and away from bad influences that his family thought would drag him down.  He didn't want to go, and even until the day he left was trying to stay in Minnesota.  Then he came back to Minnesota after a month or so, and completed his junior season only to nearly transfer back to Wheeler, before finally going to St. Bernard's.  It wasn't a case of a kid trying to find a high school where he fit in academically.

He also ditched his Pulley Panthers AAU team in mid-season in order to play with the World Wide Renegades, angering a ton of people in Minnesota.

[ecompt]

Transferring for family reasons is one thing. If he were homesick and wanted to be back in Minnesota, that's one thing. To walk out of your team now to go to Miami Dade tells me Trevor is a fool. He'll do his one year there and then sign with the Gophers, where he won't have to worry about facing more than one or two good teams a season.

[esotericmindguy]

I thought I read that he was going to a community college in MN somewhere, is that true?

[MUfan2]

I thought I read that he was going to a community college in MN somewhere, is that true?

Not to be rude, but who cares?  The guy is gone and put our program in a really bad situation, good riddance. 

[Murffieus]

supermario (a friend of Amoroso's) predicted this on MU boards several years ago-----he laid down odds that Mbakwe would be gone within 2 years-----and not to the NBA.

[ChicosBailBonds]

supermario (a friend of Amoroso's) predicted this on MU boards several years ago-----he laid down odds that Mbakwe would be gone within 2 years-----and not to the NBA.

Yes, but he also said it would be because of Crean.  Crean's gone, Trevor recommitted to Buzz and then left 4 months later anyway.  Go figure.

[bilsu]

I think he was gone, if Crean stayed. He got caught up in the hoopla of playing for Buzz. There was a reason there were all those rumors about transferring. The older I get, the more I realize that unhappiness comes from within and not from other people. Mbakwe's unhappiness had nothing to do with Crean and therefore the change to Buzz could not change his unhappiness in the long-term. If he was happy here, he could have made a difference this year. I think his attitude would of hurt the team if he had stayed. I wish him luck and hope he solves his issues.

[nola03]

I think he was gone, if Crean stayed. He got caught up in the hoopla of playing for Buzz. There was a reason there were all those rumors about transferring. The older I get, the more I realize that unhappiness comes from within and not from other people. Mbakwe's unhappiness had nothing to do with Crean and therefore the change to Buzz could not change his unhappiness in the long-term. If he was happy here, he could have made a difference this year. I think his attitude would of hurt the team if he had stayed. I wish him luck and hope he solves his issues.

Considering Buzz was essentially hired three days after Crean left, getting caught up in the hoopla doesn't jive for me. With the new coach in place well over 4 months ago, that hoopla should have ended somewhere around early July at the latest.

Odd duck.

[ATWizJr]

as one poster so aptly put it months ago, baby, mama, drama.

[ErickJD08]

I am on the boat of "Who cares and screw him".  Really, he was a top recruit and he looked like he COULD be a greater rebounder.  Outside of that, I don't know what kind of player he is going to become.  The biggest question is who is going to fill Barro's shoes and I think its either going to be Burke or Otule.  So who cares and screw him.

[NCMUFan]

It's kind of like going fishing and having a big fish on that breaks your line.  You know it was big, but never sure how big or what it was. 

[Daniel]

The timing stinks, and leaves us in a lurch for this year.  I can't imagine Buzz was totally broadsided by this,  but also don;t think he thought it would happen.  But maybe that's why he kept recruiting.  We need to land a top 100 recruit for 2009.  There is talk of using the scholie this year, but that seems really remote eith this timing.
Ugh - we are going to hurt for the 2008-2009 season becuase of this, but we do still have players who will need to step it up - if they can, we could still be fine.  If not, the bigs in the BEeast will be merciless on us - we'll have to be better and faster. 

What a blow.

[esotericmindguy]

I think I already posted this but maybe not.  Anyway, I was wondering what school TM was planning on attending??  I read somewhere that he may go the community college route, if so which one?

[reinko]

I'm not convinced the timing of this was so bad.  If he announces, let's say back in June.  Buzz would most likely feel obligated to fill that spot with another JUCO or some other leftover.

Now it is banked, and Buzz can continue to hit the recruiting trail.  Hopefully the cooling off of Jamil will prompt him to make an earlier decision.

Jamil in 2009!  Yes we can!

[Thomas' Danish Delight]

It's kind of like going fishing and having a big fish on that breaks your line.  You know it was big, but never sure how big or what it was. 

+1

[farmdaddy]

This is a blow but I am confident that Buzz will fill in the open scholly with a quality player

[farmdaddy]

On the bright side of things...at least I have more of a reason to check this board while I am at work!

[77ncaachamps]

Enough about Kinsella...

He's lighting it up abroad!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMV9vhPrLYk

[Pakuni]

It's kind of like going fishing and having a big fish on that breaks your line.  You know it was big, but never sure how big or what it was. 

Or maybe it was just a snag.