Maturi - No Royce White decision

[Reserve]

Shooter has this comment from Maturi on Royce White ..

Reminds me of the Brett Favre drama.

Gophers athletics director Joel Maturi, on dropout freshman Royce White's future with the basketball program: "It's my understanding he met with (coach) Tubby

(Smith) last week, but I don't think any decision's been made whether he wants to come back, whether Tubby wants him back or whether the school will let him back."

 

[minngg]

He doesn't "think"? Well, as an A.D., maybe he should inquire.

 

[underground629]

He always seems to make comments as if he's not fully in the loop.

If Royce is going to eventually come back, hopefully he's started doing something productive with his time. I hope he's not still avoiding the gym to focus solely on music.

 

[samloupete]

Maturi

I for one would like to see Maturi replaced as the Univwesity of Minnesota athletic director. As a supposed proponent for the student athlete, he certainly hasn't been there for either Royce White or the University basketball program. He, most assuredly, has some positives, but aiding his coaches does not appear to be one of them.

 

[KyGopherfan]

Maturi is so lame. He gave about the worst possible answer you could give. He doesn't really give anyone any confidence in his stewardship of the athletic department with comments like that.

 

[sec105]

Maturi is not a very confident or decisive man. He makes decisions on what he thinks will please his bosses not on what is right.

The Jimmy Williams decision was made because Joel thought hiring Jimmy would make his program look less than pure never mind that Williams was clean enough to take over for Dutcher at a very sensitive time.

Not firing Monson when he had basically already fired him because he wasn't sure how it would look.

Signing Mason to a 5 year extension then firing him the next season.

Signing Borton to an extension because she runs a clean program that causes no trouble. Never mind they have gone totally in the tank from 2004.

Not backing White up when he needed guidance because Maturi wants to be seen as a tough no nonsense kind of guy. Rather he cut the kid free leaving him to fend for himself. That decision worked out well.

Trevor Mbakwe being Guilty until proven innocent (Joel's idea of justice I guess) was just wrong.

But he did hire Tim Brewster ...

 

[GopherJake]

he cut (Royce White) free leaving him to fend for himself. That decision worked out well.

What part of Royce quitting the team is eluding you?

Trevor Mbakwe being Guilty until proven innocent (Joel's idea of justice I guess) was just wrong

That's the law of the US, not the law of D1 college athletics. It's really not that confusing.

 

[gopherphan]

But he did hire Tim Brewster ...

Why is this a 'but'

 

[Friend Of Tubby]

What part of Royce quitting the team is eluding you?

That's the law of the US, not the law of D1 college athletics. It's really not that confusing.

Mbakwe is charged with a felony. He's not guilty until proven otherwise. He's not in jail. But he's not going to play basketball until the charge is resolved.

 

[gopherphan]

You royce haters can spout that he abandoned the team all you like, but there's a damn good argument to the team(Athletics Department) abandoned him long before that.

 

[Slim Tubby]

There's plenty of blame to go around here but the fact remains that if Royce didn't break the law at the MOA then the AD never would've had the chance to completely blow the handling of this issue. Like it or not, keeping Royce off the court was the correct move for both he and Trevor...and this is coming from a fan that would like to see both of these kids on the court next season.

 

[GopherLady]

Maturi is so lame. He gave about the worst possible answer you could give. He doesn't really give anyone any confidence in his stewardship of the athletic department with comments like that.

I don't know about that, I still the worst possible response from Joel was the "I'm not going to go there" reply.

 

[GopherRock]

I still think Maturi's complete silence during the Monson fiasco in march 2006 was his worst performance, although you could make a claim for a half dozen different situations as his worst performance.

 

[josh087]

There's plenty of blame to go around here but the fact remains that if Royce didn't break the law at the MOA then the AD never would've had the chance to completely blow the handling of this issue.

Royce was all set to come back AFTER the MOA incident. Royce stated he was going to come back after the 2 exhibition games. The only reason he wasn't playing was because he was a suspect of investigation in the laptop case that was dragged on for 3 months. Just like Trevor, if you're under investigation for a crime, you do not play. Because he was set to come back and return, the MOA incident had nothing to do with Tubby or Maturi letting him play at the time.

 

[Slim Tubby]

If you feel that what we do as people in our past has no determining factor on our present and future then I believe you don't live in the real world. I do not feel that the laptop issue alone should be enough to keep Royce off the court, but the fact remains that Royce will be held accountable for his actions no matter how great a basketball player he is and if he can't play by Tubby's rules then he will have a very tough time making it in the real world. I do truly hope that he can turn things around for himself and have a promising future.

 

[awag777]

He doesn't "think"? Well, as an A.D., maybe he should inquire.

Great line that needs credit. Haha. Very true, if he has no idea, then maybe he should make up his mind.

 

[howeda7]

Great line that needs credit. Haha. Very true, if he has no idea, then maybe he should make up his mind.

Not without a proper amount of time to waffle and dither and put off the decision until the last possible moment. All decisions are best made this way in the world of Joel Maturi.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Not sure I understand all the venom directed toward Maturi. Not a perfect AD, no, but he's a good man and Tubby Smith was hired on his watch, no matter what any of us think about how Tubby's hiring came about.

Nothing has really changed since the days he fired Glen Mason and Dan Monson. As was the case when the M&M boys were fired, it still remains today. ... Maturi's tenure as U of M AD will be judged on how his two most important (read: revenue) hires perform. For better or worse, he'll be judged on how Brew and Tubby's teams perform. It's as simple as that.

Personally, what the pasts of Joel Maturi and Royce White tell me is I should have a lot more faith in decisions made by Maturi than those made by White.

 

[Brew_recruit]

Tubby hired himself here, giving Maturi credit would be like saying that Chilli was the man who got Favre to the Vikes

 

[UpnorthGo4]

Top 10 Reasons why the Joel Maturi is the best U Athletics Director since the 1960's:

1. Because Joel did what was necessary to hire Tubby Smith who was not begging to become the Gopher's next basketball coach. Tubby had many other options available to him rather than taking the Gophers job. It is a ridiculous notion that any coach of Tubby's stature would pursue the Gopher's job.

2. Because Joel should not be blamed for Tubby Smith's failings as a coach.

3. Because Joel should not be blamed for Don Lucia's failings as a coach.

4. Because Joel should not be blamed held solely responsible for his inability to elevate a football program that has been a miserable failure for over 40 years, and which has been significantly hampered by the local professional football team that has impacted media attention, fan support, and financial resources for Gopher football during that entire period of time.

5. Because Joel should not be blamed for President Bruinink's decision to fire Glenn Mason one year after Bruininks ordered Joel to extend Mason's contract to help persuade the state legislature to approve funding for the new Gophers Stadium.

6. Because the financial condition and operation of the Athletics Department is light years ahead of where it was when Joel was hired.

7. Because the overall performance of the men's and women's athletics teams during Joel's tenure has made the U's intercollegiate athletics program one the most successful in the entire country.

8. Since Joel would have received most of the criticism if Gophers Stadium had been poorly designed, he should receive most of the credit for its wonderful design.

9. After the new baseball stadium and basketball practice facility are built the U's athletic facilities will be among the finest anywhere in the country.

10. During Joel's tenure as AD the U has won seven National Championships. The only Big 10 school with more is Penn State with nine.

 

[98VQueens]

Royce was all set to come back AFTER the MOA incident. Royce stated he was going to come back after the 2 exhibition games.

That may be what Royce thought, but he was never going to be allowed to play after only missing two exhibition games.

 

[scher215]

That may be what Royce thought, but he was never going to be allowed to play after only missing two exhibition games.

i believe that is what devron bostick thought too with his suspension and he wasn't back after the exhibition games. My complete guess is that Tubby told them one thing and Maturi decided something else or vice versa.

 

[GopherJake]

i believe that is what devron bostick thought too with his suspension and he wasn't back after the exhibition games. My complete guess is that Tubby told them one thing and Maturi decided something else or vice versa.

"Complete guess" is right. Based upon the maturity level of all four involved - the two players, Tubby and Maturi - my educated guess is that you are wrong.

 

[matt]

UpNorthGo4,

Nice try but you failed miserably. Only about 4 of your reasons are actually valid. It is one thing to say that people are being too hard on Joel for Tubby's issues with the team, but it is completely ridiculous to say that he's a great AD for that reason.

 

[Brew_recruit]

10. During Joel's tenure as AD the U has won seven National Championships. The only Big 10 school with more is Penn State with nine.

What about no one cares about women's swimming don't you understand.

 

[scher215]

"Complete guess" is right. Based upon the maturity level of all four involved - the two players, Tubby and Maturi - my educated guess is that you are wrong.

I know its right (complete guess) that's why I included it in my post.

 

[GopherLady]

i believe that is what devron bostick thought too with his suspension and he wasn't back after the exhibition games. My complete guess is that Tubby told them one thing and Maturi decided something else or vice versa.

I'm going with another guess here - that the kids misinterpreted it. Possibly, Tubby had said you will have at least at 2 game suspension, and then you can earn your way back, or something to that effect. A kid dying to play just hears 2 game suspension.

Who knows?

 

[NurumbiCongo]

I'm going with another guess here - that the kids misinterpreted it. Possibly, Tubby had said you will have at least at 2 game suspension, and then you can earn your way back, or something to that effect. A kid dying to play just hears 2 game suspension.

Who knows?

Your correct and we will never really know. I believe he would have been suspended 10 or more game considering he already had several other issues prior to the MOA deal.

 

[PriceyGopher21]

Top 10 Reasons why the Joel Maturi is the best U Athletics Director since the 1960's:

1. Because Joel did what was necessary to hire Tubby Smith who was not begging to become the Gopher's next basketball coach. Tubby had many other options available to him rather than taking the Gophers job. It is a ridiculous notion that any coach of Tubby's stature would pursue the Gopher's job.

2. Because Joel should not be blamed for Tubby Smith's failings as a coach.

3. Because Joel should not be blamed for Don Lucia's failings as a coach.

4. Because Joel should not be blamed held solely responsible for his inability to elevate a football program that has been a miserable failure for over 40 years, and which has been significantly hampered by the local professional football team that has impacted media attention, fan support, and financial resources for Gopher football during that entire period of time.

5. Because Joel should not be blamed for President Bruinink's decision to fire Glenn Mason one year after Bruininks ordered Joel to extend Mason's contract to help persuade the state legislature to approve funding for the new Gophers Stadium.

6. Because the financial condition and operation of the Athletics Department is light years ahead of where it was when Joel was hired.

7. Because the overall performance of the men's and women's athletics teams during Joel's tenure has made the U's intercollegiate athletics program one the most successful in the entire country.

8. Since Joel would have received most of the criticism if Gophers Stadium had been poorly designed, he should receive most of the credit for its wonderful design.

9. After the new baseball stadium and basketball practice facility are built the U's athletic facilities will be among the finest anywhere in the country.

10. During Joel's tenure as AD the U has won seven National Championships. The only Big 10 school with more is Penn State with nine.

Nicely said. People forget there is more then just basketball and football. The U of M is actually a great college for sports overall! To bad its not football or basketball though