Yagizhan Selcuk commits to Towson

[TSU88 1,073]

I have a feeling we’re going to get some good news on the basketball recruiting front shortly, which will help put last season even more in the rear view mirror, where it belongs

[TuTigers2012 1,070]

31 minutes ago, TSU88 said:

They could be referring to whether Towson has officially granted them their respective releases. As I understand it, without an official release, a transfer can enroll at a new school, but must pay his own way (or I guess take out student loans) for the year he has to sit out. In other words, no free ride scholarship during the sit out year.

So, let me say this-when I 1st heard ZM & Gorham were leaving I was, as a TU basketball fan, devastated. But, the more I ruminate on this, I’ve come around on my way of thinking-I’m now glad that the dark cloud from last years team-of which ZM & Gorham were a part of-has been lifted. Between EK’s bickering, Ingram’s quitting over minutes, Morman being kicked off the team, & now obviously ZM & Gorham having formed their own clique, I say good luck to all of them & its time to look forward, not backwards. My own sense (with the caveat that I’ve never met either young man) is that neither, especially ZM, embody the characteristics I’d like to see in a real “student athlete.” The vibe I get from ZM is that school is an annoyance, to be (barely) tolerated in order to play basketball. If that’s his mindset, fine, leave college & go play for pay. As to Gorham, I seem to recall he was suspended as a senior from his HS team. I’m not privy to why, but it should have raised a red flag as to his character. 

Bottom line, both have undeniable basketball skills. 1, or both, will eventually get paid, at some level, for their skills. But, they may learn a valuable lesson from all this, which is that the grass isn’t always greener someplace else. I have no sympathy for either. If they want, they’ll get an opportunity to continue playing college basketball at another school & will have a chance to parlay that opportunity into a degree. For either to infer they’re a “prisoner” demonstrates a mindset of one who is spoiled, immature, lacking a certain degree of education, & in complete denial. I’d rather lose without them, then win with them. Frankly, we’ve already lost with them, so their departures are hardly the end of TU basketball as we know it.

Solid post. All student athletes seem to be spoiled now a days. from high school, to AAU, to people talking in their ears and kissing their butt.  And they hear all this BS about "being paid to play."  They all are with a free education, books, food, travel, apartments, stipend, trainers, medical insurance, tutors, gear, etc. Talk about spoiled!

 

I do think the coaching has some to do with it. Skerry has always had a short leash and takes players out if they make one mistake. We can agree/disagree on this style/strategy, but it is what is.

I wish mat could elaborate on the entire story but.. Also watching them all year, you had to be living under a rock to think that both Justin and Zane wouldnt bolt after this year. Way to obvious.

 

[TSU88 1,073]

TU2012, your post brings to mind a larger debate now going on in some quarters-whether D1 basketball & football players should be paid, seeing as they generate huge income for the schools they play for. Without getting in to that in detail, it’s fair to point out, as you did, the multitude of benefits these kids already get, that the overwhelming majority of their fellow non-athlete students don’t. So, while the ZM’s of the world may feel “used” in some sense, it should also, in the interest of fairness, be pointed out how the ZM’s of the world are being given a golden opportunity to “use” the university to hone their playing skills, get a platform to audition for the pros, & get a degree, all while getting free tuition, room & board, and all the other perks attendent to being a D1 football or basketball player 

[mat1992 2,235]

Quote

Also watching them all year, you had to be living under a rock to think that both Justin and Zane wouldnt bolt after this year. Way to obvious.

Huh? First, you said you assumed Gorham would leave because he had a frown on his face all year and now Zane? Nobody was living under a rock and sure, the season sucked. Nobody was happy the way it ended and though you'd think he was to stuff stats. He basically took every shot on offense or maybe he was upset that Pat forced him to play defense or occasionally pass the ball. The one player who was allowed to make mistakes and wasn't given a short leash was Zane. That's also a bit of a stretch as far as the leash goes. I think that leash was longer with this team because they made so many mistakes. Hell, on net year's team, everybody is so new, there might not be much of a leash. But you also can't let a player make mistake-after-mistake without replacing him. 

[mat1992 2,235]

2 minutes ago, TSU88 said:

TU2012, your post brings to mind a larger debate now going on in some quarters-whether D1 basketball & football players should be paid, seeing as they generate huge income for the schools they play for. Without getting in to that in detail, it’s fair to point out, as you did, the multitude of benefits these kids already get, that the overwhelming majority of their fellow non-athlete students don’t. So, while the ZM’s of the world may feel “used” in some sense, it should also, in the interest of fairness, be pointed out how the ZM’s of the world are being given a golden opportunity to “use” the university to hone their playing skills, get a platform to audition for the pros, & get a degree, all while getting free tuition, room & board, and all the other perks attendent to being a D1 football or basketball player 

I have no problem with athletes getting some stipend or getting paid for ads or whatever, if teams are using their likeness to promote school events That wouldn't really happen at this level. Even getting a $2,000 stipend for the year is tough for us to afford because every scholarship athlete has to get paid. When the P5 separates from the NCAA, they'll probably start with stipends for all athletes and go from there. 

[TuTigers2012 1,070]

28 minutes ago, mat1992 said:

Huh? First, you said you assumed Gorham would leave because he had a frown on his face all year and now Zane? Nobody was living under a rock and sure, the season sucked. Nobody was happy the way it ended and though you'd think he was to stuff stats. He basically took every shot on offense or maybe he was upset that Pat forced him to play defense or occasionally pass the ball. The one player who was allowed to make mistakes and wasn't given a short leash was Zane. That's also a bit of a stretch as far as the leash goes. I think that leash was longer with this team because they made so many mistakes. Hell, on net year's team, everybody is so new, there might not be much of a leash. But you also can't let a player make mistake-after-mistake without replacing him. 

Zane picking up, what 5 technicals in a 7 game stretch to end the season? he was obviously frustrated at the end and it clearly showed, he looked disinterested and worn down..not that difficult to understand there..  most players transfer after sophomore year, and when you have that big of a jump from year 1 to year 2, it seemed pretty obvious that he would look for greener pastures.

The constant quick benching wasnt just towards zane (who yes, besides JB, had the most slack of any player under Skerry)  Its skerrys' reputation and style to do that.  The constant shuffling of players in and out breaks any momentum you build. He also brings freshman along slow. again, not a bad idea, but players who sign with towson should do their homework and know what they are getting into.

 

Sorry to rain on the happy town parade here, but tons people leaving for tons of different reasons over the past 2-3 years is extremely dis-concerning

[TSU88 1,073]

Given the death of returning players next year (Tunstall, Thomas and McNeill) & the large incoming freshman class (Solomon, Betrand, Dottin, Selcuk, Drayton (redshirt) & a 6th, yet to be announced, Skerry is going to have to force feed some of the freshman, it would seem. The 6 incoming freshman doesn’t even include Fobbs & Howard, the 2 JUCO’s. 

[mat1992 2,235]

The techs are on him. He's the best player on the team and maybe he couldn't handle it as a sophomore. Leaders don't act like that and I guess he wasn't a leader. If you want to blame it on Skerry, fine. Blame it all on Skerry. Maybe they shouldn't have gone to N. Ireland and Florida within two weeks. And then Canada over the summer. Maybe they shouldn't have won 10 games against mediocre competition. Their heads got too big? 

It's certainly disconcerting here and all over the country.

[mat1992 2,235]

BTW, how the hell did this thread about the commit of Yagi turn into the talk of Zane and Justin potentially leaving the program and of course, 2012 knowing that it would happen because we're all naive. There have been hundreds of unhappy players over the years throughout the nation and many that have left here. They just happen to stick out for a reason because they were productive.

Sorry if I'm glass half full too often, but maybe this will be a good thing at least in the near future. But I guarantee they won't be the last to go. I'll now be immune to the ones I assume would leave like Prophete and the ones who are looking to further their career elsewhere.

[Bay Area Tiger 347]

You make too much sense TSU88.  Well said.  

I’m biased being a PS supporter and I’ll love Towson no matter where we finish in the standings.  

Something didn’t work last season.  Maybe a partial mutiny I don’t know.  The coach calls the shots and if certain players aren’t buying in then I’m happy they are moving on.  

This board has been super fair to all of them.  We may question certain things but we’ve always had their backs since I’ve been reading Matt92 and the rest of you.  

New Arena and plenty of nice gear...  trips.  

Almost wish some of these guys could understand how far the program has come.  

Welcome to the new guys...  the show must go on.