Brandon Wood to play on an aircraft carrier?

[agibson]

Nice photo of Brandon diving for a ball
http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/nwitimes.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/56/2567aefe-7b7c-5435-8eed-693143430d93/4ebe7ceab2c48.image.jpg

His line was
3-9    1-4    0-0    0  1  1   1   7  1  0  0  0  22

At least I'm 90% sure that's his - the box score up at MSU's page has him listed... at center?
http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/m-baskbl/stats/2011-2012/nc-msu.html

Started, played 22 minutes (4th high on the team - one player of the bench had a couple more).  1-4 from beyond the arc, with other players at 1-4, 0-5, and the team at 2-20.  2-5 from inside.  From the box score, a relatively quiet game.  But, starting, and playing significant minutes, in the Big 10.

The whole team shot abysmally.   2-20 from beyond the arc, 22-72 for 30.6% overall.  Another guard went 6-19, 0-2 in 38 minutes (oh yeah, with 18 rebounds!).

[valpospartan]

I watched the game last night, (had the Valpo game video feed on my lap! and the MSU game on the TV)  What I saw was Brandon playing well, and hit a bomb early in the game but finished with maybe 5 or 6 points.  His role is so different than at Valpo.  He moves around trying to get the ball but in general once it goes inside it is all over one way or another.  His playing time was limited as well.

If he wants to showcase his game, I think it will be difficult at MSU.  Their style looks more like the NBA than a college team.  Lots of one-on-one efforts.  I hope it changes for the good of Brandon who is a fine young man.  I wish him nothing but the best.

Tom Izzo does not coach one on one basketball.  He has many, many set plays that the team runs.

[lowposter]

valpo89....well said.

This one experience should have been well worth it...aircraft carrier, Commander in Chief, Magic Johnson. 

Let's get over the whole Brandon Wood thing and wish him nothing but success.

lowposter

[humbleopinion]

Nice photo of Brandon diving for a ball
http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/nwitimes.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/56/2567aefe-7b7c-5435-8eed-693143430d93/4ebe7ceab2c48.image.jpg

Maybe once he gets used to shooting on an aircraft carrier deck, his shot will come around.   

His line was
3-9    1-4    0-0    0  1  1   1   7  1  0  0  0  22

At least I'm 90% sure that's his - the box score up at MSU's page has him listed... at center?
http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/m-baskbl/stats/2011-2012/nc-msu.html

Started, played 22 minutes (4th high on the team - one player of the bench had a couple more).  1-4 from beyond the arc, with other players at 1-4, 0-5, and the team at 2-20.  2-5 from inside.  From the box score, a relatively quiet game.  But, starting, and playing significant minutes, in the Big 10.

The whole team shot abysmally.   2-20 from beyond the arc, 22-72 for 30.6% overall.  Another guard went 6-19, 0-2 in 38 minutes (oh yeah, with 18 rebounds!).

[EddieCabot]

Terrible mistake?

Lets see. Last night, the VU basketball team was in Statesboro, Ga. It took a flight to Atlanta followed by a 3-hour bus ride to get to Statesboro. After the game, they took the long ride back to Atlanta, spent the night and caught an 8 a.m. flight back to Chicago. The game was against one of the worst teams in Division I basketball last year.

Brandon Wood shook the hand of president Obama last night. He got to play a high-level college basketball game in one of the most unique venues of all time. He is starting for a Big 10 team. He is traveling in style.

Ultimately, I don't think it matters tremendously if he stayed at VU or transferred as far as his NBA potential is concerned. He's either good enough or he's not. He will get more exposure at MSU and play against better players not only in games but also in practice. Also, maybe he will be "exposed" which could be a problem. That's the chance he was willing to take, and I don't blame him at all for taking advantage of this opportunity. As a matter of fact, I say congratulations for chasing after his dream in the best possible manner in his mind.

For one night, at least, it was an awesome decision.

That's a great explanation ... hard to argue with Brandon's decision when it's explained that way.  He'll also be playing in the NCAA tournament, which is something every college player wants to experience.

[Pgmado]

The only issue that I'll ever have with this whole thing was when I asked Brandon what he would be studying at Michigan State when he decided to enroll there and he said he didn't know. The reason for the rule that allows graduated student-athletes to transfer is that the student can only transfer if they want to enroll in a graduate program that isn't offered at their former institution. I don't think there is a question that MSU is far superior in every aspect to VU in basketball, but the integrity of the rule was violated if he chose MSU for basketball instead of the graduate program. I know I'm being nit-picky, but I think this rule is a horrible rule and I still think that even after watching Will Bogan lead VU to victory on Friday night and I still think that even after purchasing my Russell Wilson Wisconsin jersey.

All that said, I am cheering for Brandon this year. He's a great kid, I enjoy my conversations with his father. I just don't like the rule.

[valpotx]

Definitely was not for school, but there are loopholes to just about any rule out there, as you can see from people with millions of dollars not paying any taxes :-)

[KL31NY]

Lets see. Last night, the VU basketball team was in Statesboro, Ga. It took a flight to Atlanta followed by a 3-hour bus ride to get to Statesboro. After the game, they took the long ride back to Atlanta, spent the night and caught an 8 a.m. flight back to Chicago. The game was against one of the worst teams in Division I basketball last year.

Brandon Wood shook the hand of president Obama last night. He got to play a high-level college basketball game in one of the most unique venues of all time. He is starting for a Big 10 team. He is traveling in style.

I'm still on the fence about the rule that creates this opportunity, but Brandon is definitely getting opportunities he would never have at Valpo. Adding to everything Valpo89 posted, Wood's first two regular season games are on ESPN... not just ESPN3.com or ESPNU, the freakin' mothership itself as some call it. Game one is on an aircraft carrier. Game two is at MSG against Duke with Coach K trying to surpass his former coach as a player and assistant Bobby Knight for the DI wins record. That is some great national exposure for B-Wood, and given MSU's status, all of his games will likely end up on ESPN, BTN, and other big outlets.

I am grateful for his two years of service here, and while I would love to have him here at Valpo, I understand the benefits to going elsewhere and I would love to see him get into the NBA some day.

[lowposter]

This transfer certainly has worked out well so far for Brandon.  Shaking the President's hand, chatting it up with Magic Johnson, playing on an aircraft carrier, Madison Square Garden, playing in an historic game, and shaking and chatting with Coach K (the alltime winning coach of mens college basketball).

Can we now declare that BW is the "Forest Gump" of college basketball?   At least in 2011?

I hope he has a big scrapbook.

good luck on the rest of the season.

lowposter

[FWalum]

Pretty decent game against Duke for Brandon who shot 50% from the field was 2 of 2 from the line and played 26 minutes. His 15 point night was second in scoring for the Spartans.  I hope he continues to play like he did tonight. 

[wh]

Pretty decent game against Duke for Brandon who shot 50% from the field was 2 of 2 from the line and played 26 minutes. His 15 point night was second in scoring for the Spartans.  I hope he continues to play like he did tonight. 

This sounds a lot more like the Brandon we know.  As others have pointed out he is going through a heck of an adjustment - new team, new coach, new teammates, different offensive and defensive schemes, different level of competition, etc.  As time goes on, I would not be surprised to see numbers like these on a fairly regular basis. 

[valpofan56]

Pretty decent game against Duke for Brandon who shot 50% from the field was 2 of 2 from the line and played 26 minutes. His 15 point night was second in scoring for the Spartans.  I hope he continues to play like he did tonight. 

This sounds a lot more like the Brandon we know.  As others have pointed out he is going through a heck of an adjustment - new team, new coach, new teammates, different offensive and defensive schemes, different level of competition, etc.  As time goes on, I would not be surprised to see numbers like these on a fairly regular basis. 

I don't know if it means anything or not, but Brandon was absent from the floor for most of the last 5 minutes of the game when MSU was trying to make a comeback.

[PatVU07]

@BrandonWood30 "Coach K said great game Brandon and you had a great coach at Valpo in Homer Drew

This was Brandon's tweet shortly after the game last night.  Thought that was pretty cool of both Coach K and Brandon after such an important game.

[lowposter]

Nothing against Brandon on this...but is it normal these days for this much info by twitter.   Is it normal to report such details right after a game? 

Perhaps this is the new form of communication and that is normal.  It seems to me one could state some things that really arent for public consumption.  Didnt he break the news on Coach and Mrs. Drew's cancer? 

Slightly different topic, but there sure were considerable number of Indiana natives on the floor last night.  Basketball is alive and well in the high schools in the state.  Obviously the Plumlees didnt play at Warsaw, but are natives.

lowposter

[StlVUFan]

Nothing against Brandon on this...but is it normal these days for this much info by twitter.   Is it normal to report such details right after a game? 

Yes, absolutely.  Anything and everything is par for the course these days.

[valpo84]

Twittering is a fact of life with college hoops players. They tweet on everything. It has flowed to HS players too, who emulate college and pro players. One HS player, now college, was nicknamed "Tweety" because he was literally 24/7 tweeting, JT Terrell, now transferred to USC. They tweet about their lives, their recruiting, their college choice, their practices and games. BWood is doing what everyone else is doing. Interesting story from last year or year before's ACC Tourney was that Coach Hewitt banned phones from all meals during the practices leading up to and during the Tourney. The team communicated and bonded and went on a run in that tourney. Heck, even the ValpoAD has an account and tweets about games. It's today's media and communications.

[valpotx]

Watching the MSU and FSU game right now, and both Mike Tirico and the other announcer are talking about Brandon Wood and the FSU player who transferred in for his 5th year as well.  Both are saying it is a terrible rule for mid-major basketball, as it allows programs to be on the watch for players at mid-majors who are high performers, and then essentially steal them away for a year if they graduate before eligibility is exhausted.  I like these announcers  .

On another note, Wood is lighting up FSU with 10 pts in the first 10 minutes.

[agibson]

On another note, Wood is lighting up FSU with 10 pts in the first 10 minutes.

On ESPN, in fact.

As for the rule specifically being detrimental to mid-majors.  It's not a freebie, except maybe for redshirts, or people who have already transferred once before.  Otherwise, players have to manage to graduate in three years.  Presumably high performers at mid-majors aren't likely to have red shirted.  So, maybe, the losses from mid-majors would mostly be serial transfers?  Like, in fact, Brandon.

[agibson]

Missed the alley-oop!  But, he has a chance at his best numbers of the season, which otherwise come in the last outing, against Duke (50% shooting for 15 points), unless you like other bits of the box score (6 rebounds, 4 assists, 6 pts against Milwaukee).

[FWalum]

Brandon has a season high tonight and gave VU a tremendous amount of press.

[valpotx]

Double-double no less with 16 pts and 10 rbs.  The announcers mentioned VU quite a bit throughout the game

[valpospartan]

I didn't think that it would be easy for B Wood, mostly because of Izzo's somewhat complicated system.
However, I am happy to admit that my concerns were unfounded. 

[78crusader]

I am in a minority of one on this issue, that much is clear.

I felt earlier this year this guy was disloyal to VU in leaving.  I still feel that way, and I don't care how many times he plays on an aircraft carrier, or shakes the president's hand, or gets to play on ESPN.  As noted on Nov. 13 on this board by pgmado, when asked what graduate program he was going to pursue at MSU -- which of course is the reason he could leave the Crusaders in the first place -- he said he did not know.  This despite the fact we were all assured that he was leaving VU to pursue a graduate degree.  So what if VU gets mentioned on TV -- it's always in the context of a very good player leaving the program.  Am I the only one in the world who thinks that puts VU in a bad light?  And I don't care how many nice things he says about Valpo -- actions speak louder than words. 

Loyalty matters.

I think we should talk about our current players, not one who was disloyal to VU and no longer plays here.  Let me paraphrase what Norman Dale said in Hoosiers: You should cheer for the guys who went out for the team, not for the guys who didn't. 

Paul

[valpotx]

I will always be one to support the student-athlete side of situations such as these given my history of being on that end.  While I was not happy/still am not happy he is not in a Valpo jersey, I believe that athletes should have the ability to better themselves if they complete their commitment to a university in completing their degree.  I still believe this rule hurts mid-major basketball as a whole, but it helps those players who were not given an initial shot with the big boys because of what recruiters thought of their skills as a 14-18 year old kid.  Since the NCAA's mission is to technically promote the 'student' athlete, as long as they complete their Bachelor's degree, they are completing their initial commitment, much like a coach not getting rid of a scholarship player at a moment's notice would be completing the university's commitment.  Many schools rescind their scholarships to players that aren't cutting it, leaving them out to dry.  Only fair that athletes have the same opportunity to better themselves however they see fit, especially with the money some of these schools are making off the athletes.  Again, I understand that is not the case with mid-majors for the most part, but it should be applied across the board.

[covufan]

I am in a minority of one on this issue, that much is clear.

I felt earlier this year this guy was disloyal to VU in leaving.  I still feel that way, and I don't care how many times he plays on an aircraft carrier, or shakes the president's hand, or gets to play on ESPN.  As noted on Nov. 13 on this board by pgmado, when asked what graduate program he was going to pursue at MSU -- which of course is the reason he could leave the Crusaders in the first place -- he said he did not know.  This despite the fact we were all assured that he was leaving VU to pursue a graduate degree.  So what if VU gets mentioned on TV -- it's always in the context of a very good player leaving the program.  Am I the only one in the world who thinks that puts VU in a bad light?  And I don't care how many nice things he says about Valpo -- actions speak louder than words. 

Loyalty matters.

I think we should talk about our current players, not one who was disloyal to VU and no longer plays here.  Let me paraphrase what Norman Dale said in Hoosiers: You should cheer for the guys who went out for the team, not for the guys who didn't. 

Paul

How was he disloyal?  I still don't get that term.  I understand the disappointment.  Did he tell VU that he would be in a VU uniform after graduation?  How many of us have cheered for a VU graduate when they no longer played for VU.  Granted, all of the previous cases were at the pro level - Bryce in the NBA, others in Europe or elsewhere - but shouldn't we support all VU graduates?  I would leave the question of loyalty to those closest to the situation - the coaches and players.  If you think Brandon was disloyal, go ask Homer.  I'm sure he'll tell you that Brandon gave everything to VU, on the court, at practice and in the classroom.  Brandon transferred twice, and was still able to meet VU graduation requirements in two years. 

I do get the disappointment, and wish he were still in a VU uniform.  I also wish him the best, as I know he gave everything he could while wearing the VU uniform.