Brandon Wood to play on an aircraft carrier?

[mp91]

It's definitely a bizarre story, but, knowing him personally, this just doesn't seem like something he would do (not saying that he didn't but it definitely does not fit his character) so with that being said we should probably give him the benefit of the doubt, after all it wouldn't be the first time a woman has taken advantage of an athlete for publicity etc...

plus, the more info that comes out, the more holes in the (supposed) victim's argument... her story is definitely sketchy

[LaPorteAveApostle]

alcohol + wee small hours = plenty of things we wouldn't otherwise do

[vu72]

It's definitely a bizarre story, but, knowing him personally, this just doesn't seem like something he would do (not saying that he didn't but it definitely does not fit his character) so with that being said we should probably give him the benefit of the doubt, after all it wouldn't be the first time a woman has taken advantage of an athlete for publicity etc...

plus, the more info that comes out, the more holes in the (supposed) victim's argument... her story is definitely sketchy

couldn't agree more.

[valpospartan]

Battery victim's cousin: Brandon Wood said, 'Don't you know who I am? I'm the best player at Michigan State!'

http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2012/05/victim_brandon_wood_said_dont.html

I know his agent told him to keep quiet, but he needs to issue a public apology to Draymond Green ... IMMEDIATELY.

Absolutely.  And to coach Izzo, too.

[wh]

Izzo recruits Wood, uses him to help win a B10 championship and No.1 seed and now comes out against the rule, calling it a loophole that the NCAA should close.  What a load of crap.  Either he's a complete hypocrite or he just graduated from the Obama school of "evolving opinion".  I don't like the rule either, but the last person I want to hear preach agains is the first guy in college basketball to use it to gain a significant competitive advantage over the rest of the B10.

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo reiterates stance against graduate transfer rule and transfer culture Diamond Leung | dleung@mlive.com 05/18/2012 11:42 AM

GRAND RAPIDS -- Michigan State coach Tom Izzo might have benefited from the graduate transfer rule that enabled guard Brandon Wood to play his senior season without sitting out a year and help the Spartans win a Big Ten championship.

But Izzo has also come out against the rule that enables players who graduate with eligibility remaining to seek waivers to transfer to another school and be able to play by enrolling in a graduate program not offered at the former school.

Izzo said last week after attending the National Association of Basketball Coaches meetings in Indianapolis that as the NCAA examines the issue, he hoped the loophole would be closed.

"I don't like that rule," Izzo said. "I'm worried that for every one that there's really something for it, I'm worried that we're going to start recruiting people off people's campuses.

"The more success Wisconsin has in football, now they have another quarterback from Maryland (Danny O'Brien). Is that going to start happening? That's what worries me, and that wouldn't be good for us or for the profession to be honest with you."

O'Brien signed with the Badgers in March and is eligible to play in the fall, using the graduate transfer rule that allowed quarterback Russell Wilson to play at Wisconsin last season without sitting out a year and lead the program to the Rose Bowl after a win in the Big Ten championship game against Michigan State.

Izzo, who started Wood and saw him average 8.8 points, does not support the transfer culture in college sports.

"I don't think it's bad that kids transfer," Izzo said. "I think too many people are making bad decisions. You know, Jud Heathcote used to say when I was here way back when I first started (as an assistant), 'Every freshman wants to transfer.' Because none of them get what they got in high school -- 40 points and this and that. Morris Peterson I always get back to. I think he wanted to transfer. Now he's made (millions in the NBA) and has got his jersey hanging (at Breslin Center). You've just got to have some patience. I think too many people don't want to have patience in this day and age. I feel sorry for the kids more than the coaches."

Izzo also took note of the controversy created when Wisconsin originally denied a request for four schools to contact freshman Jared Uthoff, who had decided to transfer. Wisconsin eventually lifted the restrictions.

"What (coach Bo Ryan) was saying with too many kids transferring is kids should have some obligation, too," Izzo said. "There's too many middlemen getting in the way of all this stuff, so that part he was right on. But I've never held a kid back. If the kid doesn't want to be there, I don't want him there."

Izzo also took on the issue of transfers in March, tying it to the sadness he felt when his 11-year-old son asked if Washington Wizards guard John Wall might be traded in order to get to a better team. Izzo said the cause of that way of thinking is a society that "has screwed the world."

"Then you wonder if some kid is upset because he hasn't played, is he going to transfer?" Izzo said. "If I got one kid who is upset about his minutes and he transfers, I'm fine with it. I'm perfect with it, because he's not going to win, OK? If it's my kid and you're seeing him in three years playing in junior high broom ball or something and he wants to transfer, you grab him by the back of the throat and tell that little SOB that, 'You know what, that's not the way it works.' Just because we've got some role models doing it, that's not the way it is.

"Why shouldn't these guys think like they think? Half of these kids we've recruited have been to three different high schools. Not satisfied here, move there. We've caused some of that. You've caused some of that, and so do we. So I'm taking the blame too."

[VU75]

I don't see  how this is an example of the Romney etch a sketch philosophy, nor is it  hypocritical.  Izzo has a fiduciary  obligation to put the best possible team on the court under  the rules of the NCAA. He breaks that obligation if he fails to take advantage of a rule because he is personally against it.

[justducky]

Izzo recruits Wood, uses him to help win a B10 championship and No.1 seed and now comes out against the rule, calling it a loophole that the NCAA should close.  What a load of crap.  Either he's a complete hypocrite or he just graduated from the Obama school of "evolving opinion".  I don't like the rule either, but the last person I want to hear preach agains is the first guy in college basketball to use it to gain a significant competitive advantage over the rest of the B10.

I don't see this as evolving opinion. I seem to remember him remarking against this rule while useing it to his advantage, but Brandon was leaving Valpo either way so why shouldn't he have been the beneficiary? We can argue with nothing that he said, so I for one am glad that he has stepped forward and said it. With the Bogan transfer and his 2 years of elligibility it is arguable that this rule might have been a net positive benefit to VU also. So would this  mean that Bryce should also stand aside and say nothing? I would hope that coach Drew  would also step forward and join the call for change.

Even if 85% of these transfers are not for the stated reason this rule still has some legitimacy and should not be completely abolished. I know that in todays america compromise of any kind has become a dirty word, but what if the NCAA just met in the middle and changed the rule to read that a transferred graduate would in all cases not be  elliglble until say Jan 05th of the next season? I would think that both the player and the receiving coach would have to give such a rule a lot of thought.

[lowposter]

I dont think it is a bad rule.

Colleges, witness what has happened on the Hilltop, churn their rosters in order to find the best possible team.  Players come, players go.  Now, there is an added incentive for a player to actually graduate.  Further, most D1's require the players be on campus during summer.  "We own you". 

Why not use that time to load up on extra classes and graduate ahead of time and explore the options. 

The NCAA rules are tilted against the players in most instances.  This is one that can actually benefit the player.  Let them make the choice if they fulfill their academic requirements.

lowposter

[FWalum]

Players come, players go.  Now, there is an added incentive for a player to actually graduate.

The rule maybe needs a little tweaking about how and when recruitment of these students should be allowed, but I agree with lowposter on this.  Name me one other NCAA rule that actually rewards academic achievement and rewards the STUDENT athlete. Remember that scholarships are only guaranteed by the school for ONE year, no penalty is given to the school if they pull a scholarship, but heaven forbid that the student decides the situation is not right for him or her.   

It was refreshing to hear that Andrew Luck was not in the Colts camp this past week, like most of the others in this draft class, because he was actually finishing up his degree at Stanford, when was that last time you heard anything like that?

[valpo04]

Izzo also took note of the controversy created when Wisconsin originally denied a request for four schools to contact freshman Jared Uthoff, who had decided to transfer. Wisconsin eventually lifted the restrictions.

"What (coach Bo Ryan) was saying with too many kids transferring is kids should have some obligation, too," Izzo said. "There's too many middlemen getting in the way of all this stuff, so that part he was right on. But I've never held a kid back. If the kid doesn't want to be there, I don't want him there."

Maybe Izzo should look at his colleagues before saying kids have obligations.  How many coaches jump at better opportunities (or simply jump before sanctions are levied) and leave the school and current students to pay the price?

[vu72]

You mean to tell me that coaches contracts don't mean anything??   

[bbtds]

It was refreshing to hear that Andrew Luck was not in the Colts camp this past week, like most of the others in this draft class, because he was actually finishing up his degree at Stanford, when was that last time you heard anything like that?

Sorry to get off topic some but when replacing a Peyton Manning the best you could get is probably Andrew Luck. It's at least very exciting to see how it all works out for the Colts. It could also be that Luck is "NO LUCK" for the Colts and a complete bust. We shall see. 

Yikes! Those Pacers gave one of their better performances yesterday and fell to an overwhelming talented Heat team. No doubting the Pacers made multiple mistakes but it was one of their better games through the playoffs. If only we could get Hansbrough to learn how to anticipate a pass and be ready to dribble before heading to the basket.

Of course this whole thread is kind of getting away from the Brandon Wood situation.

[valporun]

bbtds, you mean the Brandon Wood situation that lost its nuance after the game was played, but yet no one made a new thread to focus on how the "Graduate Player Rule" is really working for some schools? It would be nice to have a list of all the players who took advantage of this rule, and how it worked out for them.

[bbtds]

bbtds, you mean the Brandon Wood situation that lost its nuance after the game was played, but yet no one made a new thread to focus on how the "Graduate Player Rule" is really working for some schools? It would be nice to have a list of all the players who took advantage of this rule, and how it worked out for them.

Yes, I was pointing out the obvious. I'm guilty of throwing the thread off topic at least 2 or 3 times. 

[wh]

The title aside, everyone has been using this as the "anything and everything related to Brandon Wood" thread.  IMO it's served it's purpose pretty well.

[vu72]

So anybody know what's up with the charges?

[valpospartan]

Izzo also took note of the controversy created when Wisconsin originally denied a request for four schools to contact freshman Jared Uthoff, who had decided to transfer. Wisconsin eventually lifted the restrictions.

"What (coach Bo Ryan) was saying with too many kids transferring is kids should have some obligation, too," Izzo said. "There's too many middlemen getting in the way of all this stuff, so that part he was right on. But I've never held a kid back. If the kid doesn't want to be there, I don't want him there."

Maybe Izzo should look at his colleagues before saying kids have obligations.  How many coaches jump at better opportunities (or simply jump before sanctions are levied) and leave the school and current students to pay the price?

Some of his colleagues may be be jumpers, but Tom Izzo is not, and not because there haven't been opportunities.

[wh]

BW's agent says Brandon's story different than accuser's:

http://www.statenews.com/index.php/article/2012/05/former_basketball_player_wood039s_agent_talks_about_legal_troubles

[valpotx]

Well of course it would be.  No one in their right mind would claim to have done what was stated in the original story, let alone someone that is going to play a professional sport in Europe

[bbtds]

Cook County Courthouse (Daley Center) now has the Picasso sculpture. northeast corner of Washington & Clark. 6 blocks west of the Walgreens at Michigan & Washington.

I was only there to testify as a witness. But the case was similar to Brandon's. If Anthony is reading this it will cost about $32 to $38 to park all day downtown and you may need to go back another time. Good time to learn to use the Southshore. You may need the cash for Brandon's fine. The lawyer is not going to be cheap either. Are you using a Valpo law grad? You know, just in case the basketball thing doesn't work out.   

[EddieCabot]

FWIW, the verdict is in.  http://www.freep.com/article/20120601/SPORTS07/120601049/brandon-wood-arrest-michigan-state

I'll leave it up to you guys to determine if this is good or bad.

[bbtds]

He's not as decision challenged as I once thought. Brandon has learned a lesson, I hope, that alcohol impairs decision making and one must always know one's tolerance. Also that there is no tolerance for driving while under the influence and you don't make the correct kind of friends if you must use alcohol to make those friends.

[wh]

He's not as decision challenged as I once thought. Brandon has learned a lesson, I hope, that alcohol impairs decision making and one must always know one's tolerance. Also that there is no tolerance for driving while under the influence and you don't make the correct kind of friends if you must use alcohol to make those friends.

From an earlier article:

Soria said Wood did not appear intoxicated and she did not smell alcohol on him throughout the incident. She added one of her cousins said he had not consumed any alcoholic beverages that evening.

[vu72]

knowing Brandon a little and knowing his dad, I would venture an opinion that he was drinking apple juice that night.  Brandon is on a mission, whether anyone thinks he can or not.  That mssion is to make it to the NBA and a night of partying isn't in the plan...

[bbtds]

knowing Brandon a little and knowing his dad, I would venture an opinion that he was drinking apple juice that night.  Brandon is on a mission, whether anyone thinks he can or not.  That mssion is to make it to the NBA and a night of partying isn't in the plan...

So it was all about ego and libido?