Wood to Michigan State. Official

[wh]

As I've posted before, there are two Masters programs at Valpo that fit with Brandon's undergrad degree, so I'm with rlh. Clearly it is about basketball only and I understand that and wish him well.

That's right...you can only do a Master's degree in your college major.  I'm surprised no one has tried to take away my M.Ed since I have a BA in Theology.

I didn't get the impression that '72 was saying there is a law requiring a connection between a bachelor's and a master's, only that he would be looking for a "fit" between the two - as most people do.  I'm not sure what your point is about your degrees.  I see a perfect "fit" between theology and education.  An excellent choice of complementary degrees. 

[dcvalpo]

My point is that people are speaking with such certainty about things---how do any of us know what Brandon is thinking?  I refuse to put words in his mouth.  He has been nothing but a hard worker, great player, and good citizen at VU and we should wait to hear from him regarding his reasons.  Don't you hate when people make assumptions about you?

[dcvalpo]

Not directed towards you, wh.  And thanks, the degrees have actually worked perfectly together.

[valpo04]

My point is that people are speaking with such certainty about things---how do any of us know what Brandon is thinking?  I refuse to put words in his mouth.  He has been nothing but a hard worker, great player, and good citizen at VU and we should wait to hear from him regarding his reasons.  Don't you hate when people make assumptions about you?

You can hate it all you want, but there is no reason to think that a transfer to MSU isn't strictly about basketball.  If he were to stay in the NBA draft he certainly wouldn't be getting a Masters degree.  He transferred to Valpo for basketball, not a degree... he entered the draft for basketball, not a degree and he is transferring to MSU for basketball to help his chances to play professionally, and not the degree. 

Greg Paulus left Duke with a year of eligibility left and went to Syracuse to play football, it happens. I don't think Brandon is trying to paint the picture that he is going to MSU to get his Masters in something that he can't at Valpo.  It's all about bettering his chances at becoming a professional basketball player and there is no shame in that.

[rlh]

My point is that people are speaking with such certainty about things---how do any of us know what Brandon is thinking?  I refuse to put words in his mouth.  He has been nothing but a hard worker, great player, and good citizen at VU and we should wait to hear from him regarding his reasons.  Don't you hate when people make assumptions about you?

You can hate it all you want, but there is no reason to think that a transfer to MSU isn't strictly about basketball.  If he were to stay in the NBA draft he certainly wouldn't be getting a Masters degree.  He transferred to Valpo for basketball, not a degree... he entered the draft for basketball, not a degree and he is transferring to MSU for basketball to help his chances to play professionally, and not the degree. 

Greg Paulus left Duke with a year of eligibility left and went to Syracuse to play football, it happens. I don't think Brandon is trying to paint the picture that he is going to MSU to get his Masters in something that he can't at Valpo.  It's all about bettering his chances at becoming a professional basketball player and there is no shame in that.

Exactly the point I am trying to make.  There's nothing wrong with Brandon taking a chance that he feels will help him garner an NBA career...I don't think it will, but that's not my decision....but those that are trying to say it's because of educational opportunities are just blowin' smoke.  It's about basketball, and there's nothing wrong with that if that's his choice.  I truthfully hope it works for him, I just have doubts.....

[rlh]

His decision is made and just waiting for the formality of the release to go thru.  We all need to move on.......

I wish him the best of luck.  However, he still needs to learn how to play better defense and play team ball.  Those two areas have to be better if he wants a lot of mins at State.  He lead Valpo in assists but a times was very selfish.  Even after playing at State he will not be in the NBA.  Reality is he is nowhere near NBA good.

Would you rank him in the top 10 Valpo players since the 90's?  I have (in order):
Bryce Drew
Lubos Barton
Zoran Viskovic
Anthony Allison
Raitis Grafs
Dan Oppland
Casey Schmidt
Milo Stovall
Tony Vilcinskas
Ali Beridel (we need to face it, he was good..)

Casey Schmidt should be much further up your list....I'd rate him 2nd, but certainly much higher than you have him, and Dave Redmon should be in the top 5 or 6 too.....

[dcvalpo]

His choice is likely about basketball, but I'm not going to speak for him.  Maybe he wants a new challenge.  Maybe he likes the idea of a new basketball challenge AND getting a degree from a big state school.  Maybe he wants a different college experience.  I don't know all of his reasons, and neither do any of you.  Maybe you guys (rlh, valpo04, etc) are more level-headed and fair about this, but there are certainly several posters who have vilified Brandon.  He is following NCAA rules and has been great here at Valpo.  It is an embarrassment to us that people are speaking ill of Brandon or even not letting him speak for himself.  If people were talking this way about my son, on a message board I frequent, I would be really disappointed.

[valpo04]

His choice is likely about basketball, but I'm not going to speak for him.  Maybe he wants a new challenge.  Maybe he likes the idea of a new basketball challenge AND getting a degree from a big state school.  Maybe he wants a different college experience.  I don't know all of his reasons, and neither do any of you.  Maybe you guys (rlh, valpo04, etc) are more level-headed and fair about this, but there are certainly several posters who have vilified Brandon.  He is following NCAA rules and has been great here at Valpo.  It is an embarrassment to us that people are speaking ill of Brandon or even not letting him speak for himself.  If people were talking this way about my son, on a message board I frequent, I would be really disappointed.

Well, he has spoken for himself:

"I've talked a couple times with Draymond," Wood said. "We've talked about how we could work together on the court, and how I could be that last piece to make this team a contender for a national championship."

"I'm just thankful and blessed to be in this position," Wood said. "It's obvious just by the people who've contacted me that my hard work has paid off. I've gotten better; I haven't gotten complacent, and it's known. People know that I put in the work and I feel blessed just to be in this position, to have an opportunity to play with some of the best programs and best colleges in the country."

He has at least publicly let it be known that he has "an opportunity to play with some of the best programs and best colleges in the country" and that he thinks he could possibly win a championship at MSU.  Those are more than enough reasons to take the opportunity if its available.   The Masters rule is the instrument that is getting him there and good for him for taking advantage of it.

[hoopfan22]

Lol anyone who believes that this is about anything other than basketball, i have a few magic beans i'm letting go for the low low price or 2 million bucks.

[dcvalpo]

His decision is made and just waiting for the formality of the release to go thru.  We all need to move on.......

I wish him the best of luck.  However, he still needs to learn how to play better defense and play team ball.  Those two areas have to be better if he wants a lot of mins at State.  He lead Valpo in assists but a times was very selfish.  Even after playing at State he will not be in the NBA.  Reality is he is nowhere near NBA good.

Would you rank him in the top 10 Valpo players since the 90's?  I have (in order):
Bryce Drew
Lubos Barton
Zoran Viskovic
Anthony Allison
Raitis Grafs
Dan Oppland
Casey Schmidt
Milo Stovall
Tony Vilcinskas
Ali Beridel (we need to face it, he was good..)

Casey Schmidt should be much further up your list....I'd rate him 2nd, but certainly much higher than you have him, and Dave Redmon should be in the top 5 or 6 too.....

In my humble opinion, Schmidt was a softer version of Cory with a bit better shooting touch.  I will grant you that he was good, but not great.  Prove me wrong!

[covufan]

His decision is made and just waiting for the formality of the release to go thru.  We all need to move on.......

I wish him the best of luck.  However, he still needs to learn how to play better defense and play team ball.  Those two areas have to be better if he wants a lot of mins at State.  He lead Valpo in assists but a times was very selfish.  Even after playing at State he will not be in the NBA.  Reality is he is nowhere near NBA good.

Would you rank him in the top 10 Valpo players since the 90's?  I have (in order):
Bryce Drew
Lubos Barton
Zoran Viskovic
Anthony Allison
Raitis Grafs
Dan Oppland
Casey Schmidt
Milo Stovall
Tony Vilcinskas
Ali Beridel (we need to face it, he was good..)

Casey Schmidt should be much further up your list....I'd rate him 2nd, but certainly much higher than you have him, and Dave Redmon should be in the top 5 or 6 too.....

I thought Redmon and Tracy Gibson were missing from this list as well.  I might have Urule up there before Ali as well.

[rlh]

His decision is made and just waiting for the formality of the release to go thru.  We all need to move on.......

I wish him the best of luck.  However, he still needs to learn how to play better defense and play team ball.  Those two areas have to be better if he wants a lot of mins at State.  He lead Valpo in assists but a times was very selfish.  Even after playing at State he will not be in the NBA.  Reality is he is nowhere near NBA good.

Would you rank him in the top 10 Valpo players since the 90's?  I have (in order):
Bryce Drew
Lubos Barton
Zoran Viskovic
Anthony Allison
Raitis Grafs
Dan Oppland
Casey Schmidt
Milo Stovall
Tony Vilcinskas
Ali Beridel (we need to face it, he was good..)

Casey Schmidt should be much further up your list....I'd rate him 2nd, but certainly much higher than you have him, and Dave Redmon should be in the top 5 or 6 too.....

In my humble opinion, Schmidt was a softer version of Cory with a bit better shooting touch.  I will grant you that he was good, but not great.  Prove me wrong!

I said I'd rate him 2nd...that's my opinion.....is there a reason you keep trying to antagonize people on this board?

[vu72]

He doesn't compare to most--different positions.  As for who he does compare with, I'd say he is the second best guard we have had and that is saying a bunch. As for the NBA, we'll just have to wait and see.

[dcvalpo]

His decision is made and just waiting for the formality of the release to go thru.  We all need to move on.......

I wish him the best of luck.  However, he still needs to learn how to play better defense and play team ball.  Those two areas have to be better if he wants a lot of mins at State.  He lead Valpo in assists but a times was very selfish.  Even after playing at State he will not be in the NBA.  Reality is he is nowhere near NBA good.

Would you rank him in the top 10 Valpo players since the 90's?  I have (in order):
Bryce Drew
Lubos Barton
Zoran Viskovic
Anthony Allison
Raitis Grafs
Dan Oppland
Casey Schmidt
Milo Stovall
Tony Vilcinskas
Ali Beridel (we need to face it, he was good..)

Casey Schmidt should be much further up your list....I'd rate him 2nd, but certainly much higher than you have him, and Dave Redmon should be in the top 5 or 6 too.....

In my humble opinion, Schmidt was a softer version of Cory with a bit better shooting touch.  I will grant you that he was good, but not great.  Prove me wrong!

I said I'd rate him 2nd...that's my opinion.....is there a reason you keep trying to antagonize people on this board?

I'm sorry rlh, just having a tough week and trying to stir up some conversation.  I apologize for offending you.

[StlVUFan]

I'm not going to jump on the If-it's-best-for-Brandon-it's-OK-bandwagon, now or ever.

Loyalty is important.  Without it, we turn into a transactional society where relationships are brief and ephemeral.  Leaving is not always the best option.  I see this more and more in the law business, where firms invest large sums of money and time into developing their young associates, only to see them leave for greener pastures.  I should say "so-called" greener pastures.  

While I agree that what is best for the student athlete is an important consideration, it seems that the flip side of the coin -- loyalty to the institution -- always takes a back seat, if indeed there is any room in the car at all for such an antiquated notion as loyalty.  In our society over the past 20 years or so the concept of "loyalty" has been degraded, it seems, into something akin to subservience and passivity.  This, of course, is wrong.  

Brandon Wood says he is a Valpo guy (or words to that effect).  What he says is important but I also go by what he does.  And what he is doing is not loyal to the university.  Sorry, that's the way I feel, and I shouldn't be derided because I place importance on loyalty.  I will pass, thank you, on watching broadcasts of the MSU games next year (if in fact that is where he is going) since there will be at least a couple references in each telecast to the fact that he left VU for another school.  We can sugar coat it all we want, but here is the truth -- VU comes out looking like a loser, a second-tier institution not worthy of a pro-caliber athlete.  

It has been pointed out, sort of in defense to the idea that he can consider a transfer, that he attended class, will graduate on time, and was a good teammate.  That's nice, but, after all, as a scholarship athlete he was supposed to do those things.  

I am sure he is a nice young man from a good family.  But what he is doing is, in my opinion anyway, disloyal to VU and Coach Drew, and I will not yield to political correctness and join those who say this is an acceptable decision on his part.  Paul

Emotionally, I feel the way you do, Paul.  I'm just not sure I can justify how I feel.  Of course, my angle is different: I'm a fan who is hurt that the team I follow isn't good enough anymore for him.  I wish he would say, "I'd like to take VU to that next level" instead of going somewhere that is already at that next level.

At the same time, I think you're probably angry that you can't lock the barn door only to be told that the horse left years ago.  People stopped putting academics above sports ages ago.  I'd like to think they are on even terms at Valpo (and at Butler, and perhaps at the other HL schools, though I don't know enough to be sure).

And frankly, I'm not sure there's anything wrong with that.  But it means that there are competing goals at work.  On the other hand, students are training for a professional career.  If they go to graduate school, they often trade up.  And Brandon is training for a career in professional basketball.

Perhaps we could say that Brandon should've gone to a big school to begin with, but of course, that's not something you can just do, you have to be wanted there first.  Like it or not, we developed him, but we probably can't shepherd him to the finish line that he's looking for, not like MSU can.

Again, the fan in me couldn't care less.  I can't stop dreaming about what next year could be like with him leading the way.  But, that's not exactly a healthy attitude on my part either.  You might say I'm being selfish.

[agibson]

Casey Schmidt should be much further up your list....

Apparently he started his professional career playing here in Geneva,
small world!  (Also, apparently, he has a German passport.)

[hoopfan22]

http://valpoathletics.com/news/default/173/10795/

[rlh]

Okie Dokie....time to move on

[agibson]

He's not even officially withdrawn from the draft yet, has he?

Best of luck at Michigan State, BWood.  I hope it works out well for you.
It could have been a great season at Valpo!

And, indeed, time to move on.

[valpo04]

Some quotes from the press release:

Homer:
"We are very pleased that Brandon will be graduating from Valparaiso University," said Drew.  "He has had two wonderful years here where we saw him grow, both on the floor as a basketball player and off the floor as a person.  We will miss him."

Brandon:

"First of all, I just want to thank God for putting my family and I in the positions we are in, both on and off the court," said Wood.  "He's blessed me with two great years living, going to school and playing basketball in Valparaiso.  Most importantly, over these last two years, I have grown as a man."

"I have been provided abundant resources by the coaching staff in order to graduate with a sports marketing and business degree, and was given the opportunity to work on my game and get better every day," said Wood.  "Without these things, I would not be where I am today, and I would like to thank Coach Homer Drew and his staff for taking me under their wing."

[sectionee]

Hopefully he can make it to the professional ranks and then make his alumni donations quite substantial.

[dcvalpo]

Rlh, vu72 and some of the other long time posters---

How will we fill the void created by Brandon leaving?  Do we look to Kenney to step up?  More scoring from Buggs?  Maybe one of the new guys can step in and add some scoring punch?  Would like to hear your perspective on this..

Also, I must eat some crow here and admit that it certainly does look like Brandon is leaving for basketball-related reasons.  I truly believed that this young man simply wanted a different educational pursuit.  How foolish of me to assume that after all the games we have attended, the pep rallies we have supported, the BWood merch that has been purchased, and not to mention the blood sweat and tears that Homer has poured into him, that he would be loyal to us?  Well, I hope he enjoys his time in Michigan with Coach Izzo, but I for one am now convinced this is addition by subtraction.  Good riddance to all who don't want to be here.

This one stings.

[dcvalpo]

Okie Dokie....time to move on

[valpopal]

Like most, I would have preferred that Brandon stay, be the Horizon League Player of the Year, and perhaps help the team win its first league championship. Undoubtedly, the team would have been stronger with him in the lineup. It will be interesting to see if his gamble pays off, and I can't blame him for taking the step.

Time to face reality and rebuild the team without Brandon as the prime scorer. Though it is hard to imagine, I hope the new guys can make up for the loss of Brandon and Homer discovers an ace up his sleeve in last-minute recruiting.  

Finally, good luck to Brandon!

[vu72]

Rlh, vu72 and some of the other long time posters---

How will we fill the void created by Brandon leaving?  Do we look to Kenney to step up?  More scoring from Buggs?  Maybe one of the new guys can step in and add some scoring punch?  Would like to hear your perspective on this..

Also, I must eat some crow here and admit that it certainly does look like Brandon is leaving for basketball-related reasons.  I truly believed that this young man simply wanted a different educational pursuit.  How foolish of me to assume that after all the games we have attended, the pep rallies we have supported, the BWood merch that has been purchased, and not to mention the blood sweat and tears that Homer has poured into him, that he would be loyal to us?  Well, I hope he enjoys his time in Michigan with Coach Izzo, but I for one am now convinced this is addition by subtraction.  Good riddance to all who don't want to be here.

This one stings.

The "whose going to score the points " question is a good one, and I need to be careful here because in no way do I want to imply that Brandon will be easily replaced.  I do think however, if you looked back to the year after Bryce left, that the total points per game for the team didn't drop off much if at all.

I did just check a couple of things: Brandon was our leading scorer but also took the most shots.  He took 22.3% of the total shots and scored 22.8% of the points.

Ryan Broekhoff on the other hand, took 12.9% of the shots and scored 14.1% of the points.

Not sure what my point is other than to say that we have plenty of guys who can score and my guess is that nobody will take 22% of the shots. At this point it is hard to say what a team will throw at us defensively and that includes who might be double teamed leaving others open.

Guys like Ryan, Matt, Jay and the new guys all can score and will obviously need to take on a different role next year rather than assuming Brandon will handle the bulk of the scoring.