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BigGopherFan

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What Royce did was absolutely ridiculous. But let me say, I got to know him on a professional level last year and NEVER once did he hint of such bazaar and idiotic behavior. In fact, he was one of the nicest "high-level" prep athletes I have dealt with.
But I digress. The season is not lost. Minnesota still has every meaningful player back from last season and from what I understand, each has either bulked-up or improved their skills. Let's not write this season off before it even starts. Let's not sit here and pass judgment on Tubby and assume that he's going to take the next train out of Minneapolis. He is going to deal with the situation and then everyone is going to move on. For some people to go on here and say that Royce is headed down the road of NBDL and Euro-league "stardom" or that he should be kicked off the team FOREVER is a bit excessive in my opinion. What happens if he comes back after a nine-game suspension and becomes a freshman All-American? I'll tell you what will happen: People will love him. Forgive and forget.
I've already seen the media (Dan Burraro) demonize White by spewing out FALSE facts like "Royce has already been kicked out of three high schools" or that he has a temper problem and a "technical foul issue." I watched almost every Hopkins game last season up close, and Royce had ONE technical foul the whole season for pumping his fist to the crowd. Then, some moron calls KFAN and says that he reffed one preseason game for Hopkins last season and didn't like Royce's attitude. False. Royce made a point get his teammates involved and admitted to me that he wanted to lead the team in assists. Do you want to know why he wore No. 52 in the state title game last year? — to honor DeLaSalle (that was his number there), stating that he had no hard feeling toward his old school.
I'll end with this: I think the punishment should be swift and harsh. What Royce did was inexcusable. But let's not jump all over the kid just because it's the easy thing to do right now?
Again, what happens if he comes back and becomes a great basketball player? Then everything is forgiven. That, my friends, is not fair...
 

What a great guy! Honoring DeLaSalle in the title game was a class move! I'm sure his old school (which he was kicked out of) was very proud!
No offense Big Gopher, but it sounds like you might have the blinders on.
 

Nice post, Big Gopher. No excuses can be made for what Royce did, if it's true as reported. Never the less we need to help the young man get on with his life and eventual return to the Barn. Royce, if you read the drivel on these posts, we're really disappointed, but don't sulk and please don't take the next few weeks to get yourself flunked out of school and into a worse situation. We'll be mostly united in welcoming you back.
 

BigGopherFan said:
What Royce did was absolutely ridiculous. But let me say, I got to know him on a professional level last year and NEVER once did he hint of such bazaar and idiotic behavior. In fact, he was one of the nicest "high-level" prep athletes I have dealt with.
But I digress. The season is not lost. Minnesota still has every meaningful player back from last season and from what I understand, each has either bulked-up or improved their skills. Let's not write this season off before it even starts. Let's not sit here and pass judgment on Tubby and assume that he's going to take the next train out of Minneapolis. He is going to deal with the situation and then everyone is going to move on. For some people to go on here and say that Royce is headed down the road of NBDL and Euro-league "stardom" or that he should be kicked off the team FOREVER is a bit excessive in my opinion. What happens if he comes back after a nine-game suspension and becomes a freshman All-American? I'll tell you what will happen: People will love him. Forgive and forget.
I've already seen the media (Dan Burraro) demonize White by spewing out FALSE facts like "Royce has already been kicked out of three high schools" or that he has a temper problem and a "technical foul issue." I watched almost every Hopkins game last season up close, and Royce had ONE technical foul the whole season for pumping his fist to the crowd. Then, some moron calls KFAN and says that he reffed one preseason game for Hopkins last season and didn't like Royce's attitude. False. Royce made a point get his teammates involved and admitted to me that he wanted to lead the team in assists. Do you want to know why he wore No. 52 in the state title game last year? — to honor DeLaSalle (that was his number there), stating that he had no hard feeling toward his old school.
I'll end with this: I think the punishment should be swift and harsh. What Royce did was inexcusable. But let's not jump all over the kid just because it's the easy thing to do right now?
Again, what happens if he comes back and becomes a great basketball player? Then everything is forgiven. That, my friends, is not fair...
Click to expand...

Having watched him play in the Howard Pulley League, I would say he has an attitude and technical foul problem. Royce seems to have problems when things don't go his way and many people were worried about this when we were recruiting him.
 

BigGophFan,
I am not doubting you knew Royce a little or/and were a huge fan of his and the teams last year. But the FACT that he wore 52 for ENTIRE state tournament last year and not just the championship shows me that you were more watching from afar.
I agree with everything that you say as I actually believe this is being blown out of proportion a little bit (I used to work for campus security, you know how often stuff like this happens??) Am I saying I condone what he did, absolutely not. But do I believe that he should be kicked off the team or suspended for half the year? Absolutely not. He made a bad decision and should be suspended for a couple of games.
Also, this is not comparable to the Sconnies incident(s) last fall. A $100 is not even close to the level of which the stole from their own classmates.
 


Gopherholefan said:
BigGophFan,
I am not doubting you knew Royce a little or/and were a huge fan of his and the teams last year. But the FACT that he wore 52 for ENTIRE state tournament last year and not just the championship shows me that you were more watching from afar.
I agree with everything that you say as I actually believe this is being blown out of proportion a little bit (I used to work for campus security, you know how often stuff like this happens??) Am I saying I condone what he did, absolutely not. But do I believe that he should be kicked off the team or suspended for half the year? Absolutely not. He made a bad decision and should be suspended for a couple of games.
Also, this is not comparable to the Sconnies incident(s) last fall. A $100 is not even close to the level of which the stole from their own classmates.
Click to expand...

"I am not doubting you knew Royce a little or/and were a huge fan of his and the teams last year. But the FACT that he wore 52 for ENTIRE state tournament last year and not just the championship shows me that you were more watching from afar."

OK, I hate doing this, but I was sitting in the dead-center of press row for the ENTIRE state tournament. I simply stated that he wore No. 52 in the title game because that's what people on here would remember. I probably talked to him two dozen times in a three month period. I was there on signing day and met grandpa and mom. Great people. That's why this is so confusing to me.
In terms of being a huge fan, that's not true. I respected his talents and how he conducted himself, but no, I wouldn't say I am a "fan."
 

CP Gopher said:
What a great guy! Honoring DeLaSalle in the title game was a class move! I'm sure his old school (which he was kicked out of) was very proud!
No offense Big Gopher, but it sounds like you might have the blinders on.
Click to expand...

Maybe I do have the blinders on a little bit. Shouldn't we all! ;)
 

Kids are typically going to be cordial and nice to members of the media. You have to look past how they talk to you specifically and look more at their on-and-off court demeanors and actions.

Being close to Jefferson I got a great sense of the type of people that Moses Alipate and Cole Aldrich were, not from how they related in interviews, but how they interacted with teammates, how their teammates talked about him, and on the court in game situations.

From what others are saying (I haven't seen anything of Royce besides on TV) it sounds like many suspected the issues that are popping up now.

Not to mention the two players above I witnessed never were kicked out of any school or had any discipline issues. Other warning signs.

Just my $.02
 

Again, what happens if he comes back and becomes a great basketball player? Then everything is forgiven. That, my friends, is not fair.
Click to expand...

I disagree. I think we know he's a great basketball player. That's the problem. People have overlooked his behavior because he's a great basketball player. He thinks there's no consequences for his actions because he's a great basketball player. Tubby obviously has a little news for him. The highway is littered with great basketball players that didn't realize it was only half of the equation. Forgiveness isn't the issue with Royce, trust is. If this were my child I would attach myself to his hip until he demonstrates he can make adult decisions.
 



BigGopherFan said:
What Royce did was absolutely ridiculous. But let me say, I got to know him on a professional level last year and NEVER once did he hint of such bazaar and idiotic behavior. In fact, he was one of the nicest "high-level" prep athletes I have dealt with.
But I digress. The season is not lost. Minnesota still has every meaningful player back from last season and from what I understand, each has either bulked-up or improved their skills. Let's not write this season off before it even starts. Let's not sit here and pass judgment on Tubby and assume that he's going to take the next train out of Minneapolis. He is going to deal with the situation and then everyone is going to move on. For some people to go on here and say that Royce is headed down the road of NBDL and Euro-league "stardom" or that he should be kicked off the team FOREVER is a bit excessive in my opinion. What happens if he comes back after a nine-game suspension and becomes a freshman All-American? I'll tell you what will happen: People will love him. Forgive and forget.
I've already seen the media (Dan Burraro) demonize White by spewing out FALSE facts like "Royce has already been kicked out of three high schools" or that he has a temper problem and a "technical foul issue." I watched almost every Hopkins game last season up close, and Royce had ONE technical foul the whole season for pumping his fist to the crowd. Then, some moron calls KFAN and says that he reffed one preseason game for Hopkins last season and didn't like Royce's attitude. False. Royce made a point get his teammates involved and admitted to me that he wanted to lead the team in assists. Do you want to know why he wore No. 52 in the state title game last year? — to honor DeLaSalle (that was his number there), stating that he had no hard feeling toward his old school.
I'll end with this: I think the punishment should be swift and harsh. What Royce did was inexcusable. But let's not jump all over the kid just because it's the easy thing to do right now?
Again, what happens if he comes back and becomes a great basketball player? Then everything is forgiven. That, my friends, is not fair...
Click to expand...
Do you know what the word "inexcuable" means?
 



ditto

Blizzard said:
People have overlooked his behavior because he's a great basketball player. He thinks there's no consequences for his actions because he's a great basketball player. Tubby obviously has a little news for him. The highway is littered with great basketball players that didn't realize it was only half of the equation. If this were my child I would attach myself to his hip until he demonstrates he can make adult decisions.
Click to expand...

He'll need to learn to listen to Tubby. At this point, the best thing for RW will be to sit and watch until he realizes that he doesn't want to be further litter upon the highway. I am skeptical that he can bring it around for a taskmaster like Tubby. I would agree that he is probably on his 9th life.
 



glovedgopher said:
Having watched him play in the Howard Pulley League, I would say he has an attitude and technical foul problem. Royce seems to have problems when things don't go his way and many people were worried about this when we were recruiting him.
Click to expand...

I've watched plenty of Pulley games as well and I would say most of the players there have attitude/technical foul problems.
 

I've watched plenty of Pulley games as well and I would say most of the players there have attitude/technical foul problems.
Click to expand...

Pulley didn't exactly give Royce a ringing endorsement.

Howard Pulley AAU basketball founder Rene Pulley, who had White and Mbakwe in his program, was disappointed to hear White was involved in another negative situation.

"I would have hoped that Royce would have grown up and realized the break he got and privilege that he got," Pulley said. "But evidently Royce hasn't learned."
Click to expand...
 

Are you guys seriously comparing playing in pulley to playing for the gophers right now? Do you really think he will have the same attitude playing in a structured environment under tubby that he does playing in what is basically a refereed pick up game?
 

Gopherholefan said:
Are you guys seriously comparing playing in pulley to playing for the gophers right now? Do you really think he will have the same attitude playing in a structured environment under tubby that he does playing in what is basically a refereed pick up game?
Click to expand...

Not comparing them but you could see he has a bad attitude when you watched those games. The kid was fighting with his own team half the time he was on the court.
 

So back to my question (which none of know the answer to by the way), do you think he will have the same attitude playing in a structured environment under tubby?
 

Gopherholefan said:
So back to my question (which none of know the answer to by the way), do you think he will have the same attitude playing in a structured environment under tubby?
Click to expand...

Based on his history yes. This kid is just too emotional. Form a Myron Metcalf story last year: White's mother says she has seen a growth in maturity since his dismissal from DeLaSalle. But the temper outbursts on the court have not stopped. He got kicked out of a Howard Pulley game this summer after throwing a ball at future teammate and current Gophers forward Damian Johnson. Clearly, his temper got the best of him again at MOA and he has been under Tubby's wing for a few months now.
 

walleyedude said:
I've watched plenty of Pulley games as well and I would say most of the players there have attitude/technical foul problems.
Click to expand...
I've watched plenty of Pulley games over the years, and I don't agree. For loose games, its pretty well played by most players
 

Moonlight said:
I've watched plenty of Pulley games over the years, and I don't agree. For loose games, its pretty well played by most players
Click to expand...

Agreed.
Another line from a Royce White strory:
During White's senior season at Hopkins, Royals coach Ken Novak Jr. said he had some problems with him when he first arrived. But for the majority of the year, Novak said, White was a good student-athlete. And he is confident that he will flourish under Smith.

"At the beginning of the year, I was a little worried," Novak said.

"Once practice started, I think he was really pretty good. He had a few times where he got a little emotional, but never was there a confrontation between me and him or him and his teammates. I think he might have gotten one technical for the year and it was more of a misunderstanding than anything. I think he learned to control his frustration."
 

glovedgopher said:
Based on his history yes. This kid is just too emotional. Form a Myron Metcalf story last year: White's mother says she has seen a growth in maturity since his dismissal from DeLaSalle. But the temper outbursts on the court have not stopped. He got kicked out of a Howard Pulley game this summer after throwing a ball at future teammate and current Gophers forward Damian Johnson. Clearly, his temper got the best of him again at MOA and he has been under Tubby's wing for a few months now.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure that was last summer. So, for the time at Hopkins at least, he was better behaved.
 


The point is the kid does have have a anger/tech foul problem. The OP was trying to claim that Royce doesn't have an anger/attitude problem. He clearly does and we have various examples of it on and off the court.
 

josh087 said:
Kids are typically going to be cordial and nice to members of the media. You have to look past how they talk to you specifically and look more at their on-and-off court demeanors and actions.

Being close to Jefferson I got a great sense of the type of people that Moses Alipate and Cole Aldrich were, not from how they related in interviews, but how they interacted with teammates, how their teammates talked about him, and on the court in game situations.

From what others are saying (I haven't seen anything of Royce besides on TV) it sounds like many suspected the issues that are popping up now.

Not to mention the two players above I witnessed never were kicked out of any school or had any discipline issues. Other warning signs.

Just my $.02
Click to expand...
Very true. Watching Royce interact with players before games would make think he's a great guy. However, once the game started he did a complete 180 which gave me a bad feeling about him.
 

glovedgopher said:
The point is the kid does have have a anger/tech foul problem. The OP was trying to claim that Royce doesn't have an anger/attitude problem. He clearly does and we have various examples of it on and off the court.
Click to expand...

So from reading that he had a total of one technical foul for the whole season that Novak described as "a misunderstanding," you conclude that he has a technical foul problem? Really?
 

GophersOnTheRise said:
So from reading that he had a total of one technical foul for the whole season that Novak described as "a misunderstanding," you conclude that he has a technical foul problem? Really?
Click to expand...

Not from just reading that do I conclude he has a technical foul problem. That quote points out more of his attitude problem (The quote was also taken from a article that was about White turning things around) which is the real problem. For the record the kid has gotten his share of techs in his basketball career. You must have missed the part where he got tossed for throwing a ball at DJ.
 

So in conclusion can we say that Royce is/has battled a anger/technical problem on the court, but it has not been seen for close to 16 or 17 months now since the Damian Johnson incident? (which I was in the stands for, and I would have to say that Damian was just as heated as Royce was at that moment)
 

glovedgopher said:
Not from just reading that do I conclude he has a technical foul problem. That quote points out more of his attitude problem (The quote was also taken from a article that was about White turning things around) which is the real problem. For the record the kid has gotten his share of techs in his basketball career. You must have missed the part where he got tossed for throwing a ball at DJ.
Click to expand...

I didn't miss anything, I just think people hate on him a little too much. What he did was stupid and there is no excuse for it, but pretty soon this whole thing is going to blow over and all of the poeple hating on him are going to be bowing down to him for dropping 25 points on Michigan State.
 

"poeple hating on him are going to be bowing down to him for dropping 25 points on Michigan State."

Yes, that's exactly what the kid needs. ... more people cow-towing to him because he can play basketball. That's a significant part of the problem. But you're right, that's exactly what will happen.
 

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