A neutral perspective on Royce...

[GopherLady]

It seems like our board is very divided, by the people who think Royce can do no wrong and blame Tubby for a lot of this, and the people who think Royce is a hardened criminal.

I know it really doesn't matter what I think - but I have to say I'm more neutral, and just wanted to get this out, after reading everyone going back and forth at each other.

As most of you know, I'd followed Royce since his sophomore year, interviewed him a few times, and coordinated the GopherHole blog he did his senior year at Hopkins. I can't say that I know him very well, but I was always very impressed with him. From his play on the court, to how articulate he was, to how he always seemed to accept responsibility. I remember after his first blog entry, he absolutely got ripped on this board, and he took the initiative to call me about it. I thought he would certainly quit, and that never even entered his mind. He asked for advice on what he should do on his next entry, and was really thankful of fans for being honest and reading. He then obviously had a great year at Hopkins, won state, Mr. Basketball, committed to the Gophers, and kept a pretty low profile his senior year. That's the Royce I got to know, just a little bit.

Fast forward to his time as a Gopher - he has clearly made mistakes, and I was the first to admit, if the allegations were true (which some were - MOA, some are still up in the air - Laptop), that I was disapointed in him. As I feel he has the world at his fingertips, he has an unreal amount of talent, and he really is a bright young man.

As for Tubby - he is not to blame in anyway, shape, or form. If he didn't care, or was a different kind of man, he would of taken 2 actions.
1. Sweep these issues under the rug, and let him play - which would not have taught him anything, and he couldn't concisely live with
2. Kick him off. But Tubby didn't, he wanted to mentor him, and from what I've heard, he wishes he could do more.

So, where does that leave us? Today, with Royce's announcement will will drop out this week. As much as many of you may say "good riddance" I hope he doesn't follow through with this. Selfishly, I would love to see him play - but for Royce's sake, this is the worst possible thing he could do for his future. For one, he looks guilty - you don't run away when you haven't done anything. We already know he didn't steal the laptop, and the charges seem to be pretty ridiculous, so fight them. I'm sure he's just looking at the basketball perspective, and getting drafted next year or playing in Europe (and yes, he is good enough - and I'm honestly guessing someone will take a chance on him), but thinking long term...he could get injured anyday, and he will have no back up plan. I know kids rarely think about this - but if he doesn't care about the education aspect of school, think about what playing a year or two or three at the U will mean in relation to draft stock. If you don't go high, you can be done in a blink of an eye, and that's no $ in your pocket.

As someone who does want him to get back up on his feet, I hope some mentors in his life can make him reconsider. For his sake, to not throw away this opportunity.

Not sure why I felt the need to write that novel, just wanted to get it off of my chest.

 

[howeda7]

I don't get the timing of this, frankly. He obviously can make it as a student. Even if you're frustrated as heck, why not complete this season/semseter and take it from there? What good comes from withdrawing now, as a basketball player or student? I realize he probably never intends to complete his degree right now, but who knows? And what harm is continuing to practice for another 2 months going to do, even if Tubby won't let him play?

 

[GophersOnTheRise]

+1

I think him claiming that he is going to withdraw from the U is just him being frustrated and not really knowing what to do, so he let his emotions get ahold of him. Instead of giving up all together, I think it would be a better option to "give up" on this season and just come out and say he's going to redshirt. I know people think he shouldn't redshirt because they don't think he'll be here for 4 years anyways, but I think by doing that it would take the pressure off of him from people constantly asking when he's going to be back. If he declares that he's redshirting then there will be no more wondering. He can stay in school, continue to practice and have a fresh start next year. Hopefully that's the route he takes instead.

 

[MilesTarver]

I don't get the timing of this, frankly. He obviously can make it as a student. Even if you're frustrated as heck, why not complete this season/semseter and take it from there? What good comes from withdrawing now, as a basketball player or student? I realize he probably never intends to complete his degree right now, but who knows? And what harm is continuing to practice for another 2 months going to do, even if Tubby won't let him play?

i think the timing is the fact that he really doesn't care about school. it has nothing to do if he can make it as a student, he has one of the highest gpas on the team. i think this is for attention, and the hopes that everyone begs him to come back, and allows him to play. all those youtube videos were all about attention. you and i would look at it as, why leave now? just finish the year off. he looks at it as now i don't have to do what anyone tells me.

 

[jmag21]

It seems like our board is very divided, by the people who think Royce can do no wrong and blame Tubby for a lot of this, and the people who think Royce is a hardened criminal.

I know it really doesn't matter what I think - but I have to say I'm more neutral, and just wanted to get this out, after reading everyone going back and forth at each other.

As most of you know, I'd followed Royce since his sophomore year, interviewed him a few times, and coordinated the GopherHole blog he did his senior year at Hopkins. I can't say that I know him very well, but I was always very impressed with him. From his play on the court, to how articulate he was, to how he always seemed to accept responsibility. I remember after his first blog entry, he absolutely got ripped on this board, and he took the initiative to call me about it. I thought he would certainly quit, and that never even entered his mind. He asked for advice on what he should do on his next entry, and was really thankful of fans for being honest and reading. He then obviously had a great year at Hopkins, won state, Mr. Basketball, committed to the Gophers, and kept a pretty low profile his senior year. That's the Royce I got to know, just a little bit.

Fast forward to his time as a Gopher - he has clearly made mistakes, and I was the first to admit, if the allegations were true (which some were - MOA, some are still up in the air - Laptop), that I was disapointed in him. As I feel he has the world at his fingertips, he has an unreal amount of talent, and he really is a bright young man.

As for Tubby - he is not to blame in anyway, shape, or form. If he didn't care, or was a different kind of man, he would of taken 2 actions.
1. Sweep these issues under the rug, and let him play - which would not have taught him anything, and he couldn't concisely live with
2. Kick him off. But Tubby didn't, he wanted to mentor him, and from what I've heard, he wishes he could do more.

So, where does that leave us? Today, with Royce's announcement will will drop out this week. As much as many of you may say "good riddance" I hope he doesn't follow through with this. Selfishly, I would love to see him play - but for Royce's sake, this is the worst possible thing he could do for his future. For one, he looks guilty - you don't run away when you haven't done anything. We already know he didn't steal the laptop, and the charges seem to be pretty ridiculous, so fight them. I'm sure he's just looking at the basketball perspective, and getting drafted next year or playing in Europe (and yes, he is good enough - and I'm honestly guessing someone will take a chance on him), but thinking long term...he could get injured anyday, and he will have no back up plan. I know kids rarely think about this - but if he doesn't care about the education aspect of school, think about what playing a year or two or three at the U will mean in relation to draft stock. If you don't go high, you can be done in a blink of an eye, and that's no $ in your pocket.

As someone who does want him to get back up on his feet, I hope some mentors in his life can make him reconsider. For his sake, to not throw away this opportunity.

Not sure why I felt the need to write that novel, just wanted to get it off of my chest.

Great post, GL. It's interesting to hear from somebody who knows and has talked to Royce about his perspective. And I agree that this would be a huge mistake.

 

[anticallihan]

It seems like our board is very divided, by the people who think Royce can do no wrong and blame Tubby for a lot of this, and the people who think Royce is a hardened criminal.

I know it really doesn't matter what I think - but I have to say I'm more neutral, and just wanted to get this out, after reading everyone going back and forth at each other.

As most of you know, I'd followed Royce since his sophomore year, interviewed him a few times, and coordinated the GopherHole blog he did his senior year at Hopkins. I can't say that I know him very well, but I was always very impressed with him. From his play on the court, to how articulate he was, to how he always seemed to accept responsibility. I remember after his first blog entry, he absolutely got ripped on this board, and he took the initiative to call me about it. I thought he would certainly quit, and that never even entered his mind. He asked for advice on what he should do on his next entry, and was really thankful of fans for being honest and reading. He then obviously had a great year at Hopkins, won state, Mr. Basketball, committed to the Gophers, and kept a pretty low profile his senior year. That's the Royce I got to know, just a little bit.

Fast forward to his time as a Gopher - he has clearly made mistakes, and I was the first to admit, if the allegations were true (which some were - MOA, some are still up in the air - Laptop), that I was disapointed in him. As I feel he has the world at his fingertips, he has an unreal amount of talent, and he really is a bright young man.

As for Tubby - he is not to blame in anyway, shape, or form. If he didn't care, or was a different kind of man, he would of taken 2 actions.
1. Sweep these issues under the rug, and let him play - which would not have taught him anything, and he couldn't concisely live with
2. Kick him off. But Tubby didn't, he wanted to mentor him, and from what I've heard, he wishes he could do more.

So, where does that leave us? Today, with Royce's announcement will will drop out this week. As much as many of you may say "good riddance" I hope he doesn't follow through with this. Selfishly, I would love to see him play - but for Royce's sake, this is the worst possible thing he could do for his future. For one, he looks guilty - you don't run away when you haven't done anything. We already know he didn't steal the laptop, and the charges seem to be pretty ridiculous, so fight them. I'm sure he's just looking at the basketball perspective, and getting drafted next year or playing in Europe (and yes, he is good enough - and I'm honestly guessing someone will take a chance on him), but thinking long term...he could get injured anyday, and he will have no back up plan. I know kids rarely think about this - but if he doesn't care about the education aspect of school, think about what playing a year or two or three at the U will mean in relation to draft stock. If you don't go high, you can be done in a blink of an eye, and that's no $ in your pocket.

As someone who does want him to get back up on his feet, I hope some mentors in his life can make him reconsider. For his sake, to not throw away this opportunity.

Not sure why I felt the need to write that novel, just wanted to get it off of my chest.

I believe Tubby is working this situation behind the scenes, but his public support for his players is lacking. Tubby is not the type of guy that builds up players in the media. I have been to Dunker events as well as the banquets. Tubby could do more in the public eye and still not take a stand on innocent/guilty.

 

[GopherLady]

I believe Tubby is working this situation behind the scenes, but his public support for his players is lacking. Tubby is not the type of guy that builds up players in the media. I have been to Dunker events as well as the banquets. Tubby could do more in the public eye and still not take a stand on innocent/guilty.

I actually think he's not saying much publicly to protect these kids. For example - the Nolen/Westbrook fight, he just said it was a team violation, until it came out. I also think there's a lot more to Royce's story - and I'm guessing he's not saying as much to protect him, and most coaches view it as an internal matter for them to deal with.

 

[Monty519]

i think the timing is the fact that he really doesn't care about school. it has nothing to do if he can make it as a student, he has one of the highest gpas on the team. i think this is for attention, and the hopes that everyone begs him to come back, and allows him to play. all those youtube videos were all about attention. you and i would look at it as, why leave now? just finish the year off. he looks at it as now i don't have to do what anyone tells me.

I doubt this is about attention, as he gets plenty. I mean we track whether he's on the bench every game. I think he's a guy who feels like he is being targeted by the po-po and feels like anything he does will lead to issues because they are sitting there waiting for him to slip. Think about all the drama of this situation and for what? He did the MOA thing and since then........ I think he's a young kid frustrated with everything involving this, whether self-inflicted or not, and he needs some GOOD guidance from someone immediately before he does something he'll regret.

 

[Section201]

GL + 100

It seems like our board is very divided, by the people who think Royce can do no wrong and blame Tubby for a lot of this, and the people who think Royce is a hardened criminal.

I know it really doesn't matter what I think - but I have to say I'm more neutral, and just wanted to get this out, after reading everyone going back and forth at each other.

As most of you know, I'd followed Royce since his sophomore year, interviewed him a few times, and coordinated the GopherHole blog he did his senior year at Hopkins. I can't say that I know him very well, but I was always very impressed with him. From his play on the court, to how articulate he was, to how he always seemed to accept responsibility. I remember after his first blog entry, he absolutely got ripped on this board, and he took the initiative to call me about it. I thought he would certainly quit, and that never even entered his mind. He asked for advice on what he should do on his next entry, and was really thankful of fans for being honest and reading. He then obviously had a great year at Hopkins, won state, Mr. Basketball, committed to the Gophers, and kept a pretty low profile his senior year. That's the Royce I got to know, just a little bit.

Fast forward to his time as a Gopher - he has clearly made mistakes, and I was the first to admit, if the allegations were true (which some were - MOA, some are still up in the air - Laptop), that I was disapointed in him. As I feel he has the world at his fingertips, he has an unreal amount of talent, and he really is a bright young man.

As for Tubby - he is not to blame in anyway, shape, or form. If he didn't care, or was a different kind of man, he would of taken 2 actions.
1. Sweep these issues under the rug, and let him play - which would not have taught him anything, and he couldn't concisely live with
2. Kick him off. But Tubby didn't, he wanted to mentor him, and from what I've heard, he wishes he could do more.

So, where does that leave us? Today, with Royce's announcement will will drop out this week. As much as many of you may say "good riddance" I hope he doesn't follow through with this. Selfishly, I would love to see him play - but for Royce's sake, this is the worst possible thing he could do for his future. For one, he looks guilty - you don't run away when you haven't done anything. We already know he didn't steal the laptop, and the charges seem to be pretty ridiculous, so fight them. I'm sure he's just looking at the basketball perspective, and getting drafted next year or playing in Europe (and yes, he is good enough - and I'm honestly guessing someone will take a chance on him), but thinking long term...he could get injured anyday, and he will have no back up plan. I know kids rarely think about this - but if he doesn't care about the education aspect of school, think about what playing a year or two or three at the U will mean in relation to draft stock. If you don't go high, you can be done in a blink of an eye, and that's no $ in your pocket.

As someone who does want him to get back up on his feet, I hope some mentors in his life can make him reconsider. For his sake, to not throw away this opportunity.

Not sure why I felt the need to write that novel, just wanted to get it off of my chest.

GL,

While not taking sides on Royce I do want to thank you for the excellent post... as usual.

Your perspective is always worth reading.

 

[millions2spare]

great post! I hope someone like trent Tucker can talk to the young man. I can see him being frustrated and wanting to play. He needs to be a little more patient. It sounds as if there needs to be better communications all the way around.

 

[guru]

Remarks such as those from MilesTarver and others are spot on. These behaviors by Royce are cries for help. If Royce were overtly trying any harder <b>NOT</b> to become eligible, I've yet to see it.

Subjects with the mental health issues that Royce White has, have the ability to draw people into the abyss of their personality-disorder clouded vortex. Think of how much time he has wasted for us all as fans and readers of GopherHole. Now multiply by 100s, the time the U has wasted trying to get ahead of this train wreck. They must move swiftly to force him to deal with his problems or both sides must move on.

 

[Bayfieldgopher]

A couple of things. RW doesn't seem to be getting good advice. One would think his lawyer would have his best interest(s) in mind. He needs to hear things like "Stay in school kid." "Gut it out." "Keep a low profile." "You can overcome all this.", "We will help you if you are sincere.", etc. I would hope Tubby would be putting those thoughts out there.

The other is his comments appear to be all about RW. It would go a long way if he said that he was very sorry for his actions and letting down Coach Smith who gave him a chance to play at the UM. An apology to his teammates and Gopher fans would have been good also.

But this appears to be all about RW. I for one do not feel sorry for him and the position he has put himself in. On the other hand, the truth would sure be good to hear regarding all the gossip, etc. and what actually has taken place during the short time RW has been at the UM.

 

[Brew_recruit]

look at the perspective on this board. If you defend royce you are a troll, if you call royce a thug you are defending the program.

 

[gopherphan]

I think the fact that UMPD took 4 months for a trespassing charge gave him the feeling that the UMPD really can do whatever it wants without repercussion and i wouldnt even want that.

i seriously think some kind of investigation needs to be made into why it took FOUR months to bring out these comical charges

 

[GopherJake]

A couple of things. RW doesn't seem to be getting good advice. One would think his lawyer would have his best interest(s) in mind.

Like, say, perhaps maybe, "Royce will have no comments at this time," as he exits the courtroom after a) not having sealed a hoped-for deal and b) not speaking to OTS in the 3 minutes since the hearing ended.

 

[Facts34]

I actually think he's not saying much publicly to protect these kids. For example - the Nolen/Westbrook fight, he just said it was a team violation, until it came out. I also think there's a lot more to Royce's story - and I'm guessing he's not saying as much to protect him, and most coaches view it as an internal matter for them to deal with.

Agree.

As much as many Gopher faithful state their frustration about not knowing more than they do, it is not Tubby's responsibility to communicate every detail of the operations of the basketball program.

 

[leftyslefty]

guru.......

is my new guru. He says it much better than I could have.

 

[Drex96]

Remarks such as those from MilesTarver and others are spot on. These behaviors by Royce are cries for help. If Royce were overtly trying any harder <b>NOT</b> to become eligible, I've yet to see it.

Subjects with the mental health issues that Royce White has, have the ability to draw people into the abyss of their personality-disorder clouded vortex. Think of how much time he has wasted for us all as fans and readers of GopherHole. Now multiply by 100s, the time the U has wasted trying to get ahead of this train wreck. They must move swiftly to force him to deal with his problems or both sides must move on.

Agree with this post, guru. But suggesting that White is a sociopath (as you did on the other thread) may be taking it a little too far. The young man needs an intervention that includes a psychological evaluation, IMO.

 

[jovs]

As for Tubby - he is not to blame in anyway, shape, or form. If he didn't care, or was a different kind of man, he would of taken 2 actions.
1. Sweep these issues under the rug, and let him play - which would not have taught him anything, and he couldn't concisely live with
2. Kick him off. But Tubby didn't, he wanted to mentor him, and from what I've heard, he wishes he could do more.

I disagree with you completely, keeping him suspended from all activities including practicing is unconsiousable. I don't disagree with having him suspended from games, that is reasonable and expected.

What does suspending him from practice do other than Tubby's personal preference. He didn't handle this to Whites benefit at all. This is a business, that kid has as much at stake as Tubby does. He got nothing other than sit out. Sure Whites go alot of blame, but if it was me I would be gone to. He's got a limited time frame and needs to take advantage of it. Sitting and waiting for Maturi and Tubby is a waist of time.

 

[pmgz]

Nice post Gopher lady however

It seems like our board is very divided, by the people who think Royce can do no wrong and blame Tubby for a lot of this, and the people who think Royce is a hardened criminal.

I know it really doesn't matter what I think - but I have to say I'm more neutral, and just wanted to get this out, after reading everyone going back and forth at each other.

As most of you know, I'd followed Royce since his sophomore year, interviewed him a few times, and coordinated the GopherHole blog he did his senior year at Hopkins. I can't say that I know him very well, but I was always very impressed with him. From his play on the court, to how articulate he was, to how he always seemed to accept responsibility. I remember after his first blog entry, he absolutely got ripped on this board, and he took the initiative to call me about it. I thought he would certainly quit, and that never even entered his mind. He asked for advice on what he should do on his next entry, and was really thankful of fans for being honest and reading. He then obviously had a great year at Hopkins, won state, Mr. Basketball, committed to the Gophers, and kept a pretty low profile his senior year. That's the Royce I got to know, just a little bit.

Fast forward to his time as a Gopher - he has clearly made mistakes, and I was the first to admit, if the allegations were true (which some were - MOA, some are still up in the air - Laptop), that I was disapointed in him. As I feel he has the world at his fingertips, he has an unreal amount of talent, and he really is a bright young man.

As for Tubby - he is not to blame in anyway, shape, or form. If he didn't care, or was a different kind of man, he would of taken 2 actions.
1. Sweep these issues under the rug, and let him play - which would not have taught him anything, and he couldn't concisely live with
2. Kick him off. But Tubby didn't, he wanted to mentor him, and from what I've heard, he wishes he could do more.

So, where does that leave us? Today, with Royce's announcement will will drop out this week. As much as many of you may say "good riddance" I hope he doesn't follow through with this. Selfishly, I would love to see him play - but for Royce's sake, this is the worst possible thing he could do for his future. For one, he looks guilty - you don't run away when you haven't done anything. We already know he didn't steal the laptop, and the charges seem to be pretty ridiculous, so fight them. I'm sure he's just looking at the basketball perspective, and getting drafted next year or playing in Europe (and yes, he is good enough - and I'm honestly guessing someone will take a chance on him), but thinking long term...he could get injured anyday, and he will have no back up plan. I know kids rarely think about this - but if he doesn't care about the education aspect of school, think about what playing a year or two or three at the U will mean in relation to draft stock. If you don't go high, you can be done in a blink of an eye, and that's no $ in your pocket.

As someone who does want him to get back up on his feet, I hope some mentors in his life can make him reconsider. For his sake, to not throw away this opportunity.

Not sure why I felt the need to write that novel, just wanted to get it off of my chest.

Tubby really must be held accountable, as he is the person that recruited the young man to MN. I would guess he does, indeed care about the kid. And his actions are as you suggest well intentioned no doubt. However, accountability and his actions are very different animals.

As for RW, it appears as if he requires a great deal of attention. Why else would he do the video thing? I am guessing Tubby wasnt pleased, as he (I would guess) was trying to get RW back - fast.

And what does the kid do? He is forever creating attention to himself.


And now he feels picked on by the police? No sympathy from here - stealing is stealing where I grew up. And the consequences are not pretty. Worse if you CONTINUE to make terrible choices.

Much is being made of the slow police work - if RW had followed the rules and not been where he wasnt supposed to be, there are no issues. And no waiting for the police.

Thus far, another case of wasted youth.

 

[benlaur]

Nice thoughts on Royce. Royce is a talented basketball player who wants to play -- no harm in that thinking. Everyone should remember that he is 19-years old and there are a lot of things 19-year olds do that are result of being 19. The kid has a long life in front of him with a lot of tough decisions. You only get your college years once and they go very quick. Hopefully he will get some good advice, reevaluate and get back to playing for the gophers. Then, 10 years down the road he can look back at the decisions he made, even in the face of difficulty and uncertainty, and feel good about his choices…or not.

 

[GoldInDirt]

This whole thing is mostly just sad, and mostly for Royce. If he drops out of basketball, I think he'll get in more trouble very quickly and that we'll be hearing sad stories about him for years to come. I think he'll essentially be throwing his life away.

It doesn't appear he has any good role models, or role models that he trusts and will listen too. With a good role model he should have perspective, in that while the last few months have been tough - a lot of people have it worse and have overcome so much worse.

All he needs to do is keep it together and stay positive and he'll have a phenomenal future. He'll have a good paying job, a job that he likes (playing basketball), he can afford to have a nice house and car, he can support a wife and children, if he invests wisely with financial planners (diversity and security) he'll have his retirement put together. With a degree after basketball he can continue to make money at a reasonable rate with an easy job until he decides to retire.

This is mostly a tragedy for Royce, but it'll all in his hands and I have to believe that there are people reaching out for him. He is obviously extremely emotional and those emotions that they're going to kill a great future.

From am outside perspective, Royce is totally to blame for the MOA incident and for being in the wrong place at the wrong time in the dormitories. I can understand his frustration, but Maturi and Tubby have no choice. They need for the court thing to play out, there's way too many other problems on the basketball team to take things lightly. If Trevor, Devron and Al were in good standing, Maturi and Tubby would have a lot more leeway, but they don't.

I can't believe how people can fault Tubby for anything related to Royce. Tubby is, and has been, Royce's best opportunity for a good future. Tubby is a phenomenal individual and a phenomenal coach. Without Tubby's position, I think the administration would have caved on Royce a long time ago and would have kicked him out of school and off the team. People have such trust in Tubby that they believe, if given the opportunity, Royce could mature and flourish.

 

[Mikie S]

Nice thoughts on Royce. Royce is a talented basketball player who wants to play -- no harm in that thinking. Everyone should remember that he is 19-years old and there are a lot of things 19-year olds do that are result of being 19. The kid has a long life in front of him with a lot of tough decisions. You only get your college years once and they go very quick. Hopefully he will get some good advice, reevaluate and get back to playing for the gophers. Then, 10 years down the road he can look back at the decisions he made, even in the face of difficulty and uncertainty, and feel good about his choices…or not.

Royce's personal decisions say otherwise. He's been handed more chances than anyone without his skills on the court could ever expect to see, yet he has refused to take advantage of them.

 

[figi]

It seems like our board is very divided, by the people who think Royce can do no wrong and blame Tubby for a lot of this, and the people who think Royce is a hardened criminal.

I know it really doesn't matter what I think - but I have to say I'm more neutral, and just wanted to get this out, after reading everyone going back and forth at each other.

As most of you know, I'd followed Royce since his sophomore year, interviewed him a few times, and coordinated the GopherHole blog he did his senior year at Hopkins. I can't say that I know him very well, but I was always very impressed with him. From his play on the court, to how articulate he was, to how he always seemed to accept responsibility. I remember after his first blog entry, he absolutely got ripped on this board, and he took the initiative to call me about it. I thought he would certainly quit, and that never even entered his mind. He asked for advice on what he should do on his next entry, and was really thankful of fans for being honest and reading. He then obviously had a great year at Hopkins, won state, Mr. Basketball, committed to the Gophers, and kept a pretty low profile his senior year. That's the Royce I got to know, just a little bit.

Fast forward to his time as a Gopher - he has clearly made mistakes, and I was the first to admit, if the allegations were true (which some were - MOA, some are still up in the air - Laptop), that I was disapointed in him. As I feel he has the world at his fingertips, he has an unreal amount of talent, and he really is a bright young man.

As for Tubby - he is not to blame in anyway, shape, or form. If he didn't care, or was a different kind of man, he would of taken 2 actions.
1. Sweep these issues under the rug, and let him play - which would not have taught him anything, and he couldn't concisely live with
2. Kick him off. But Tubby didn't, he wanted to mentor him, and from what I've heard, he wishes he could do more.

So, where does that leave us? Today, with Royce's announcement will will drop out this week. As much as many of you may say "good riddance" I hope he doesn't follow through with this. Selfishly, I would love to see him play - but for Royce's sake, this is the worst possible thing he could do for his future. For one, he looks guilty - you don't run away when you haven't done anything. We already know he didn't steal the laptop, and the charges seem to be pretty ridiculous, so fight them. I'm sure he's just looking at the basketball perspective, and getting drafted next year or playing in Europe (and yes, he is good enough - and I'm honestly guessing someone will take a chance on him), but thinking long term...he could get injured anyday, and he will have no back up plan. I know kids rarely think about this - but if he doesn't care about the education aspect of school, think about what playing a year or two or three at the U will mean in relation to draft stock. If you don't go high, you can be done in a blink of an eye, and that's no $ in your pocket.

As someone who does want him to get back up on his feet, I hope some mentors in his life can make him reconsider. For his sake, to not throw away this opportunity.

Not sure why I felt the need to write that novel, just wanted to get it off of my chest.

I certainly agree That Royce needs mentoring. Other than that:

1. In hind sight, the best thing that Tubby could have done for the program and for the High School League, was to back the administration at De La Salle and not offer Royce a scholarship.

2. The best advice you could have given concerning White's blog would have been to keep his mouth shut and let his actions speak for themselves (which they have).

3. He was charged with trespassing because the police felt he knew more about the laptop than he was saying. So do many others. Given his actions the charges are far from "ridiculous". They are a tool to protect the student population and find the guilty party.

 

[station19]

Quote from jovs

"I disagree with you completely, keeping him suspended from all activities including practicing is unconsiousable. I don't disagree with having him suspended from games, that is reasonable and expected.

What does suspending him from practice do other than Tubby's personal preference. He didn't handle this to Whites benefit at all..."

I thought Tubby was his coach, not his attorney or publicist.

 

[GopherLady]

It doesn't appear he has any good role models, or role models that he trusts and will listen too. With a good role model he should have perspective, in that while the last few months have been tough - a lot of people have it worse and have overcome so much worse.

He actually does - it's just whether or not he listens to them. From what I understand, he has a great Uncle, Tubby, Rene Pulley, and of course, his grandfather, Frank White. He is a very wise man who loves Royce and wants the best for him. Those are just the ones I know about - like I said, it's just if he listens to them, or his "boys."

 

[spackler]

i think the timing is the fact that he really doesn't care about school. it has nothing to do if he can make it as a student, he has one of the highest gpas on the team. i think this is for attention, and the hopes that everyone begs him to come back, and allows him to play. all those youtube videos were all about attention. you and i would look at it as, why leave now? just finish the year off. he looks at it as now i don't have to do what anyone tells me.

I think Miles is right here, when he says it's all about attention. This appears to be the first time he has not been getting a lot of attention, unless he makes it for himself. He has never been in trouble to the point that it took him away from basketball. Now it has.

If Tubby would have let him practice after the MOA incident, would being that much involved have satisfied his need for attention? Maybe.
If GL interviews him twice a week while he's away from the team, would that satisfy? Maybe.

Talking when his attorney advises him not too, and putting out videos seems to give him the attention he wants.

I hope he straightens out, thinks things through, and gets back on the team.

 

[goldenboy]

A couple of additional thoughts that are rattling around in my brain today...
A lot of attention as been paid to the UofM police and their slow progress (are they trying to sweat some additional info out of Royce by letting things drag out? Seems plausible and folks can decide if they feel it's fair or not, but it had/has the potential to work from their point of view). Even more attention has been focused on Royce and they way he shoots his mouth off when he would be better served to keep it shut. The statements he makes do nothing but reinforce the perception by the AD and coach that he is not mature enough to control himself and therefore not ready to rejoin the team. Tubby is also getting some heat, although no one knows what kind of conversations he has had or how things have been spelled out for Royce. If I have a concern about Tubby, it's that he has said that he hasn't talked to Royce. If that is the case it seems like there isn't much active mentoring going on or active monitoring of Royce's behavior. Even if he has had privileges withheld (playing/practicing), it doesn't make much sense to me that he be distanced from the team or the coaching staff. It's pretty obvious that flying solo for long periods of time leave the kid frustrated and alienated. Too much stick and not enough carrots.
The thing that I haven't heard anybody else weigh in on is his buddies. I find it entirely plausible that one of his friends took the laptop and returned it when the heat was turned up on the situation. I can understand Royce not wanting to name his less-famous-than-him running mates when they were casing - er, I mean cruising - the dorm. I've been there and done it myself. But it's become such a big deal the longer it's dragged on and I can't believe that his "alleged" friends have hung Royce out to dry. If the cops are trying to squeeze a few names out of Royce there are some (perhaps many) who may admire that he hasn't fingered his friends. But those slimeballs are flushing their buddy's basketball future down the toilet because they aren't manning up to take responsibility for their part in the story. Why pressure Royce to squeal? Pressure the selfish bastards that would rather duck out than help clear their more-famous friend. And these are the guys that Royce is hanging with, and apparently (given his statements and behavior) listening to instead of Rene, his uncle, grandfather or others who would give more measured and valuable advice.
I don't expect Royce to act like an adult (at least not a significantly older one) but I'm embarrassed that he and his friends are behaving like junior high kids (don't tattle on me or we won't be friends anymore). Talk about arrested development.
The hope for Royce to ever grace the floor of the barn is dwindling.

 

[beowulftom]

Thank you for this post, gopherlady.

Still new here, Still learning who people are.

Thought I'd be debating team strategy with die-hard fans like myself to help me feel closer to home, but this season's problems have become an unfortunate focal point. If we are forced to discuss this stuff, which it seems we are, thoughtful, well-reasoned posts like yours make the discourse rise above all the blaming and name-calling.

I would rather Royce White find a path for himself that is fulfilling and healthy, than the Gophers to make any tournament.

It does seem he's missing mentors in his life.

The blaming of UMPD, of Tubby, of maturi for this is deeply misguided in my opinion.

My own father has passed on but I can hear his advice to Royce.

1. keep your mouth shut.
2. If they let you back to practice, go, show up early, work harder than anyone, and don't expect anything to happen, just keep doing that.
3. Sooner or later the coach will see you're serious about your commitment and things will begin to change.
4. handle your legal stuff quietly, again, keep your mouth shut, you may feel you're wrongly accused, so what, just get it handled and move on
5. if you lose a year, it's only a year, this may be hard to understand now, but hold the thought in your mind that whenever you're allowed to play, you are going to dominate.
6. you got yourself into this pig-$@!+, its your job to get out, nobody else's, and you can do it.

One thing I would ask some of the more senior posters is to remember to judge newbie's by the content of their posts rather than the quantity of them. IMO there is no correlation between the two.

 

[beowulftom]

A couple of additional thoughts that are rattling around in my brain today...
A lot of attention as been paid to the UofM police and their slow progress (are they trying to sweat some additional info out of Royce by letting things drag out? Seems plausible and folks can decide if they feel it's fair or not, but it had/has the potential to work from their point of view). Even more attention has been focused on Royce and they way he shoots his mouth off when he would be better served to keep it shut. The statements he makes do nothing but reinforce the perception by the AD and coach that he is not mature enough to control himself and therefore not ready to rejoin the team. Tubby is also getting some heat, although no one knows what kind of conversations he has had or how things have been spelled out for Royce. If I have a concern about Tubby, it's that he has said that he hasn't talked to Royce. If that is the case it seems like there isn't much active mentoring going on or active monitoring of Royce's behavior. Even if he has had privileges withheld (playing/practicing), it doesn't make much sense to me that he be distanced from the team or the coaching staff. It's pretty obvious that flying solo for long periods of time leave the kid frustrated and alienated. Too much stick and not enough carrots.
The thing that I haven't heard anybody else weigh in on is his buddies. I find it entirely plausible that one of his friends took the laptop and returned it when the heat was turned up on the situation. I can understand Royce not wanting to name his less-famous-than-him running mates when they were casing - er, I mean cruising - the dorm. I've been there and done it myself. But it's become such a big deal the longer it's dragged on and I can't believe that his "alleged" friends have hung Royce out to dry. If the cops are trying to squeeze a few names out of Royce there are some (perhaps many) who may admire that he hasn't fingered his friends. But those slimeballs are flushing their buddy's basketball future down the toilet because they aren't manning up to take responsibility for their part in the story. Why pressure Royce to squeal? Pressure the selfish bastards that would rather duck out than help clear their more-famous friend. And these are the guys that Royce is hanging with, and apparently (given his statements and behavior) listening to instead of Rene, his uncle, grandfather or others who would give more measured and valuable advice.
I don't expect Royce to act like an adult (at least not a significantly older one) but I'm embarrassed that he and his friends are behaving like junior high kids (don't tattle on me or we won't be friends anymore). Talk about arrested development.
The hope for Royce to ever grace the floor of the barn is dwindling.

I have to agree. If put into this situation (which MIGHT be what happened) I can honestly say I would accept the punishment myself and not finger my friends, IF this did indeed happen, I have to say I have to respect Royce for doing that. He still has to accept the punishment, (and the UMPD should not be blamed for putting the thumb-screws to the kid, they're trying to find a thief, they're doing their job) ,life just sucks for awhile, but you take it and move on.
You would hope his friends (again IF it went down this way) would stand up and not let their buddy take the fall, but if they do, there is a way out. keep going to practice, and sooner or later the knots will work themselves out.