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Bleach: Blue misguided in Marquette choice
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Also by Michael Bleach:
- Izzo still cursed at Kohl as UW wins 67-49 (February 3, 2010)
- Bleach: Nanks' 3-point ability important for Badgers (February 2, 2010)
- UW ready to face MSU (February 2, 2010)
- Grades: offense, bench fall flat; Nankivil star of Purdue game (January 31, 2010)
- Offense still clicking; Leuer injury not awful (January 26, 2010)
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To: Vander Blue, Madison Memorial High School Senior and Basketball Extraordinaire
From: The Grateful Red
Subject: Signing with Marquette… Please reconsider
Vander Blue,
I’m writing this e-mail not as a Badger Herald sports columnist, but as the sorrowful spokesperson for the UW student section, the Grateful Red.
Five months ago you decommitted from Wisconsin basketball after giving an oral commitment to the Badgers following your sophomore year of high school.
Ross was less hurt when Rachel suggested they take a break than UW fans were upon hearing this news.
Still, students who follow recruiting here (Max Henson) held out hope. You kept Wisconsin on a short list of schools including Florida, Arizona, UCLA and in-state rival Marquette, and the rumors were your mother desperately wanted you to stay in-state.
Clearly, you are a bona fide recruit. Besides being given five-stars by Rivals.com, you have attracted attention of three schools outside the state that have seven Final Four appearances and two national championships between them this decade. The only other time Wisconsin finds itself on a list with those schools is in Playboy’s Top 10 Party Schools article (which is nothing to be ashamed of).
Last Sunday though, you finally picked a school and chose to become an MU Warrior, err, Jumping Jesuit, I mean a Gold…?
(Quick Google search)
Right, you chose to become a Marquette Golden Eagle.
I’m writing you not as a bitter and irrational fan, but as someone who as given much thought about which basketball program is in your best interests.
And I have to say, picking Marquette over Wisconsin is like the Bears trading for Jay Cutler. It seemed like a good move at the time, but now the over-hyped frat boy has a 10-7 TD to interception ratio, while Kyle Orton has led the Broncos to a perfect record with nine touchdowns to a single interception.
Best as I can tell, there are four major reasons you chose Milwaukee over Madison.
And you guessed it, I have a response for every one of them.
Big East vs. Big Ten — The 16 teams that are mostly on the East Coast — except for Marquette, DePaul, Notre Dame, Louisville and Cincinnati… OK, whose idea was it to call them the Big East? — form the top conference in college hoops.
This is undisputed.
It’s also a reason a top recruit who wants to play in the NBA one day should stay the hell away.
Think about it. Going up against the top competition every game can help you improve. Or it can wear you down and expose weaknesses to be picked apart on film by scouts. It also means if you aren’t among the very best, you are probably going to be overshadowed by whatever stud UConn or Syracuse produces.
We can call this the Memphis/Stephen Curry Effect. John “I swear it’s a coincidence that two of my final fours have been vacated” Calipari has seen five players taken in the NBA Draft in the past two years. For two of them, Robert Dozier and Chris Douglas-Roberts, I can confidently say would not have been drafted if they played in the Big East instead of against weaker competition in Conference USA, and I think its doubtful Joey Dorsey would have been drafted either. Curry has benefited from the same situation. The sharp-shooting 87-pound guard is definitely an NBA talent, but I’m skeptical he would have been picked No. 7 overall without being able to fire at will at Davidson.
It is pretty simple Blue. You will stand out against the weaker competition in the Big Ten, increasing your draft stock and livelihood.
Playing Style — In an interview with the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Blue said the different styles of play were a big reason for him choosing the Golden Eagles.
“I would say that had a big impact,” Blue said. “Marquette’s style of play is more fit for the Big East, and that’s up and down, in your face, hard-nosed defense. It’s like the difference between (scoring) 70 points a game and 50 points a game. There’s more shots going up.”
First a little point and then my main point.
Marquette plays “in your face, hard-nosed defense.” And Wisconsin doesn’t? Don’t get me wrong, I admired the man-to-man MU played when Tom Crean was coaching with Crean’s recruits. But I’m pretty sure Bo Ryan and the Badgers know a little something about hard-nosed defense. I believe Joe Krabbenhoft has the stitches and scars to prove it.
My main problem though Blue, is the implication that you wouldn’t star in Wisconsin’s boring swing offense.
Let me introduce you Devin Harris and Alando Tucker. Maybe you’ve heard of them… or seen them in the NBA.
As a combo guard, Harris is more comparable to you, so let’s look at his numbers. In Harris’ junior year, before he turned pro and was picked No. 5 overall, Harris averaged 19.5 points and 4.4 assists per game. Last season at Marquette, the Gold’s leading scorer was Jerel McNeal at 19.8 points per game. And in case you didn’t know Blue, McNeal went undrafted.
The point is, Ryan knows how to use talent when he gets it. That boring swing offense helped Harris earn a $42 million contract.
Friends at Marquette — As Blue has made clear, he thinks of MU freshman Jeronne Maymon like a “brother.” I admit, I have no defense for this. The only thing I can say is I bet Keaton Nankivil could become your brother too. Just something to think about.
Buzz Williams vs. Bo Ryan — In his interview with the Journal-Sentinel, you made it clear Blue that Williams was a huge reason for your Brett Favresque flip flop. Well stacking Ryan’s career wins next to Williams’ wouldn’t be fair, so I will omit it as evidence. Just consider this: Ryan has coached three Big Ten champs and two Big Ten tourney champs and the Badgers have been at March Madness every year under Bo.
Williams simply has a bald head. To me, there is no comparison.
I doubt this e-mail will change your mind, but you and the Badgers were a perfect match.
When you next come to the Kohl Center, its not Blueeee you are hearing, but BOOOOOO.
Michael is a senior majoring in journalism. He can be reached at mbleach@badgerherald.com for more discussion on Blue.
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IP hash: c6461082
You are an idiot
IP hash: 28d67e4c
Second that.
IP hash: 83baebc5
are you really that dumb? you have no idea what you are talking about
IP hash: 70f862ed
hey blue can go f**k himself. i cant wiat til we beat them the first time at hoe and i can laugh at him for his decision. what a cry baby. if he went here he would probably get one bit of criticism and run off to join a sorority.
IP hash: bc05f2c3
Vander cooled on me.
IP hash: ade45d35
Love Blue to MU. As a fan of both schools, MU basketball suits him much better. UW should shudder up its bball program it’s too boring to watch.
IP hash: 7e2dbe36
So what you are saying is that he should go to UW to face weaker competition so he could stand out? Then why not suggest he go to UWM or UWGB?
Is it Vander’s responsibility to make you happy or to make the choice where he will be happy?
Chug some more red kool-aid!!!
IP hash: d1afb258
Wow what a pathetic loser…Vander you’ll love the Big East. Pop in a tape of UConn vs Cuse’s 6OT game at Madison Square Garden…you’ll see the difference between the Big East and Big Tin
IP hash: f39231a5
You don’t know anything about recruiting, college basketball, or football for that matter. The comparison of Kyle Orton to Jay Cutler is ludicrous. And playing against poor competition making you stick out? Really? Did you not watch Memphis play against top 25 ranked teams? I’m pretty sure Dorsey and company played just fine against them so it’s not like they were bad players. Playing style isn’t even close. Marquette gets up and down the floor. Trevon Hughes dribbles the ball or has the big white guys pass the ball around the perimeter for 25 seconds before even thinking about a shot. Which system would you rather play in as a guard? One where you just pass the ball around and waste time or one where you move the ball up and down the floor to score? No brainer.
IP hash: f39231a5
how are you a sports columnist without knowing anything about sports?
IP hash: 13275987
I really hope you don’t plan on making a living in sports journalism because you’re an idiot
IP hash: aed741d6
100% right. blue can go fck himself. hes nothing more than a piece of sht
IP hash: 9fe79db8
Was this article a joke? Or did you write it thinking you were making valid points? Try reading what you wrote once again, and if you still don’t see how stupid you are, go hang yourself.
IP hash: bd4193bb
By your “logic,” Vander should sign with UW-Green Bay, where the talent and competition level is even weaker. Or, better yet, Vander should just play D-3. What a stupid, stupid article.
IP hash: c7e2cd17
The real question that arises from this article is quite obvious: How does Timothy Bleach not hang himself for knowing he brought this abomination into the world???
Just look at how some of your other opinion columns have panned out. How’s Brett Favre doing this season? Oh yeah, that’s right, he’s 6-0 with two 4th quarter comebacks. But you said he he was old and washed up…
How can this guy write about football when the only pads he’s ever worn were between his legs???
IP hash: 14b8ed75
yea man this article is pretty fcking dumb. As someone who played ball in high school and got some recruiting i would NEVER think of going to a worse team to “stand out”. you play the best to be the best. your a moron. pure pure moron
IP hash: b02d52b9
Bo needs players that want to play for him. Vander doesn’t want to. Nothing more you can do about it.
By the way, did you see Michigan St destroy Louisville (“best in the Big East”) in the tourney last year? And did you know that no conference has more Final Four berths in the last ten years than the Big Ten?
IP hash: 56e0df76
Yes - thanks to Michigan State.
IP hash: 9307a6cd
I’m pretty sure the Big East had 9 players drafted into the NBA last year and the Big Ten had 2. The Jay Cutler comparison makes no sense because no one got traded…
IP hash: 9307a6cd
and whose idea was it to call it the Big 10…11 teams wtf?
IP hash: aad805bb
they added an 11th team after they were 10 already and didnt change the name, do a little research moron
IP hash: 0f3b7f80
I feel like the person who wrote this was referring to the quote in the article about how Marquette doesn’t belong in the Big East because they’re not on the east coast (a ridiculous claim in itself, but it went right along with everything else said). I sense some slight sarcasm in the rebuttle about the Big Ten…
IP hash: 9eccbcce
Wow, I go to Madison, and I just have to say this is one of the most poorly written articles I’ve ever read. Your comparisons make no sense, and you make Madison sound just desperate (which we are, because our program is weak compared to MU’s right now). Props to Buzz Williams for landing this guy, in all honesty, who WOULD wanna play for the awful swing offense? By the way, Joe Krabbenhoft is the worst player in the history of college basketball.
IP hash: c6f42521
He chose the school and style of play he wanted. Get a better recruiting coach, and maybe you won’t lose out to Mr. Basketball every year. Take it easy BROWSKI and don’t freak out just because a player doesn’t like your schools style of play. There are other tall possibly white players that might like your swing offense. This is the point where you made yourself look like an idiot “it can wear you down and expose weaknesses to be picked apart on film by scouts. It also means if you aren’t among the very best, you are probably going to be overshadowed by whatever stud UConn or Syracuse produces.” Who in their right mind would not want to play against the best competition they can. I mean this kid is a stud, he’s not scared. What do you think the NBA is faggot….Uh lets see…THE BEST IN THE WORLD!
IP hash: 0f3b7f80
Breaking news: Vander Blue decommits from Marquette and verbally commits to UW-Stout. When in doubt, go to Stout!!!
IP hash: 13275987
whos bigger than anyone to come out of UW? Dwayne WAAAAAAAAAAADE
IP hash: 0f3b7f80
Marvin Williams came off the bench for UNC on their national championship team and was then drafted #2 overall in the NBA draft (suprisingly not #1 seeing how it was the Bucks selecting first). So much for not standing out…
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Stephen Curry - Would that be the 87 pound guard that humiliated the Badgers at Ford Field?
Would that be the 87 pound guard with the multiple athletic, fast, sharpshooting, superb passing and tenaciously defending teammates who ALSO humilated the Badgers at Ford Field.
Here’s a hint kid, when you get your ass kicked by someone, don’tuse the experience as a reference point for why you are better than another someone. It makes you look like (1) you’re stupid and (2) you got your ass kicked so badly you have purged the experience from your memory, like the pain of childbirth.
IP hash: bb536d8f
Stephen Curry - Would that be the 87 pound guard that humiliated the Badgers at Ford Field?
Would that be the 87 pound guard with the multiple athletic, fast, sharpshooting, superb passing and tenaciously defending teammates who ALSO humilated the Badgers at Ford Field.
Here’s a hint kid, when you get your ass kicked by someone, don’tuse the experience as a reference point for why you are better than another someone. It makes you look like (1) you’re stupid and (2) you got your ass kicked so badly you have purged the experience from your memory, like the pain of childbirth.
IP hash: 76289e45
well it is pretty simple to me ( and im not rocket scientist). The kid blue was 15 when he first verbally (that means he said he would go) commited to UW. Well lets see he is 17 now and has been to basketball camps and matured with the enviorment and people he has been around.So the kid saw a better oportunity and a better program that fits him better. Heck wisconsin fans be happy he didnt go to michigan state or Indiana, At least now you only have to watch him beat the heck out of you once a year. The marquette program is becoming an elite program again. Buzz knows what he is doing. Just be glad that the kid didnt sighn then say no wait i dont want to be here. then you would have been without a scholarship for that year. Now Bo can go after another recruit to fill that spot.
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Wasn’t Devon Harris and Alando Tucker recruited by Dick Bennett?? The knock on Bennett was he was a poor recruiter yet Ryan has not brought in a “Blue Chipper” in eight years. Compound that with coaching upgrades at Michigan, Purdue, Indiana, Minnesota and Wisconsin is now a second-tier Big 10 School. Bo will do a great job coaching up his players but you need athletic players, and Wisconsin cannot recruit them.
IP hash: cc17e265
“Wasn’t Devon Harris and Alando Tucker recruited by Dick Bennett?? “
1.) Who is Devon Harris? 2.) NO.
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“stand out against the weaker competition in the Big Ten” I love how this guys admits that the Big Ten sucks…
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What kind of a loser tells someone to compete against lesser talent to get more attention from recruiters? In that case shouldn’t he go to UW-Stevens Point over UW Madison? He would be all world and made $100 million per year in the NBA with that logic - gee, why doesn’t every good recruit do this???
As for MUs playing style, yes it is much more suited to Blue’s game. Wisconsin plays a style of basketball whose strategy includes trying to put their opponents to sleep with myriad passes and little to no action…really, it’s not well publicized but its true.
And lastly…D-Wade baby! Tucker and Harris would’ve gone to the NBA no matter the program they attended, and they are both good, but both lick the sweat off the sack of D-Wade…’nuff said.
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“Tucker and Harris would’ve gone to the NBA no matter the program they attended”
Both were very lowly touted out of high school and it is HIGHLY unlikely they would have flourished like they did at another school. Great coaches produce great talent. Wisconsin has one, Marquette doesnt.
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There are a few things to remember here. First, The big east is a much better conference than the the big 10, er 11, maybe 12, will ever be. Secondly, no matter how you put it Marquette, with its bald headed coach, beat up on UW last year, and then with Crean the year before. Finally, he probably wanted to play for a team that has produced some mighty fine players. For example,Dwade, Glenn “Doc” Rivers, Travis Diener, Steve Novak, and as of yesterday, Wesley Matthews (Utah Jazz), yes the son of the beloved Wes Matthews. Go Marquette/warriors/jumping jesuits/gold, what ever they are they are better than a badger.
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If the organization of the “Big East” is strange, explain why the “Big 10” has ELEVEN teams…
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Chris Douglas-Roberts is going to be a STARTER in the NBA this year! Are you freaking brain-dead?
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WE ARE MARQUETTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU ARE JUST A JEALOUS BABY HAHA