Myron chat: Former, current players agree Tubby is not the easiest coach to play for

Donate To GopherHole
BleedGopher

BleedGopher

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 11, 2008
Messages
61,971
Reaction score
18,164
Points
113
Some interesting comments from Myron in his chat today:

Myron P. Medcalf:
First ... When I spoke to Connie Joseph, Devoe's mother, Monday ... she told me things about her son's situation that were off the record. I'm going to honor that. The reason I haven't discussed the "reasons" for Joseph's move is because of my promise to Devoe's mom.
Thursday January 6, 2011 12:03 Myron P. Medcalf
12:03

Thursday January 6, 2011 12:03
12:05


Myron P. Medcalf:
I can say, however, that I don't believe this is a simple case of "a quitter" as some have pegged Devoe. Former and current players agree that Tubby is not the easiest coach to play for. He's old school. And every player doesn't respond to that style.

Devoe is one of four players who've transferred in less than a year. Others have considered it. Trust me.

I'm not saying it's all on Tubby. But his style is not a good fit for every player. And I think that had something to do with Devoe's situation.

Thursday January 6, 2011 12:05 Myron P. Medcalf
12:08


Myron P. Medcalf:
On the flip side, Devoe was suspended for six games at the start of the season for violating team rules. He didn't start the year on a good note.

Sources close to the team say he skipped practice and wouldn't answer his phone when coaches tried to contact him over the weekend.

I've been told by a source close to the program that "it wasn't the first time" that an incident like that involving Devoe occurred.

So I definitely think it was a two-way street. And like Devoe's mom told me ... "it wasn't a good situation."

http://www.startribune.com/sports/g...kD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUycaEacyU

Go Gophers!!
 

Never a good situation for a player when he sits and watches an inferior player--who missed half a season for academic reasons, which Joseph never did--get his playing time. Joseph is a better player than Nolen, and this team would've been better had the coach admitted that.

I don't know why Joseph was suspended earlier. It doesn't appear anyone on this board does. But I do know why Nolen was suspended, and I do know the team was better last year when Tubby couldn't give Nolen too much court time. I also know that only one of those two players was suspended for reasons other than 'something Tubby didn't like.'
 

USAFChief said:
Never a good situation for a player when he sits and watches an inferior player--who missed half a season for academic reasons, which Joseph never did--get his playing time. Joseph is a better player than Nolen, and this team would've been better had the coach admitted that.

I don't know why Joseph was suspended earlier. It doesn't appear anyone on this board does. But I do know why Nolen was suspended, and I do know the team was better last year when Tubby couldn't give Nolen too much court time. I also know that only one of those two players was suspended for reasons other than 'something Tubby didn't like.'
Click to expand...

Joseph is not a better player than Nolen. He's a different player. Having both would have been great. All this aside- unless a coach abuses you- you finish the season and you respect the authority you are under- like it or not. Just like Bostick did. Life is full of unpleasant situations that you have to get through.

No coach has a style that fits every player and I'm pretty sure Tubby hasn't changed his style one bit since he recruited Joseph.
 

bga1 said:
Joseph is not a better player than Nolen. He's a different player. Having both would have been great. All this aside- unless a coach abuses you- you finish the season and you respect the authority you are under- like it or not. Just like Bostick did. Life is full of unpleasant situations that you have to get through.
Click to expand...

+Devoe did not just quit on his coach, he quit on his teammates also.
 

Allow me to translate what Myron is trying to say...

When you mess up, don't act right, don't do the right things, then you'll be on Tubby's s---list and it'll be downhill from there. Sure, some coaches like Rick Stansbury don't care if you play fisticuffs on national TV, but Tubby isn't that kinda coach.

If you do the right things, Tubby will you treat you well. I know this from his days at Kentucky. If you start missing classes, practices, smoking weed, stealing at the mall, you might as well go ahead and transfer. You'll be in Tubby's doghouse and it's not easy to be there from what I hear.

Also, Tubby is a coach that is nearly at the end of his career, so he doesn't feel the pressure to impress like an young coach might, so that's why he's less willing to forgive transgressions. He's not going to let a star player run his program in other words.
 



KyGopherfan said:
Allow me to translate what Myron is trying to say...

When you mess up, don't act right, don't do the right things, then you'll be on Tubby's s---list and it'll be downhill from there. Sure, some coaches like Rick Stansbury don't care if you play fisticuffs on national TV, but Tubby isn't that kinda coach.

If you do the right things, Tubby will you treat you well. I know this from his days at Kentucky. If you start missing classes, practicing, smoking weed, stealing at the mall, you might as well go ahead and transfer.
Click to expand...

Ky- from your knowledge... what happens if your screw up, repent and toe the line. Is Tubby a grudge holder or can you get back in the good graces??
 

"Former and current players agree that Tubby is not the easiest coach to play for. He's old school. And every player doesn't respond to that style."

And we're supposed to believe the players weren't aware of this when they signed on with Tubby?

Do us a favor Mommy Joseph & shut up.
 

USA Chief

Its never a good thing when a kid flunks a drug test and gets suspended before the year starts and then flunks another one to earn a season-ending suspension. I don't blame Devoe for skipping town. He was done for the year either way.
 



SelectionSunday said:
Do us a favor Mommy Joseph & shut up.
Click to expand...

I'm not with Mommy on this either. However, it doesn't appear she has said anything additional. Looks like Myron doing some editorializing with the use of other opinions from sources unknown.
 

Block M said:
Its never a good thing when a kid flunks a drug test and gets suspended before the year starts and then flunks another one to earn a season-ending suspension. I don't blame Devoe for skipping town. He was done for the year either way.
Click to expand...

Can you provide a source for that claim?
 

BleedGopher said:
Some interesting comments from Myron in his chat today:

Myron P. Medcalf:
First ... When I spoke to Connie Joseph, Devoe's mother, Monday ... she told me things about her son's situation that were off the record. I'm going to honor that. The reason I haven't discussed the "reasons" for Joseph's move is because of my promise to Devoe's mom.
Thursday January 6, 2011 12:03 Myron P. Medcalf
12:03

Thursday January 6, 2011 12:03
12:05


Myron P. Medcalf:
I can say, however, that I don't believe this is a simple case of "a quitter" as some have pegged Devoe. Former and current players agree that Tubby is not the easiest coach to play for. He's old school. And every player doesn't respond to that style.

Devoe is one of four players who've transferred in less than a year. Others have considered it. Trust me.

I'm not saying it's all on Tubby. But his style is not a good fit for every player. And I think that had something to do with Devoe's situation.

Thursday January 6, 2011 12:05 Myron P. Medcalf
12:08


Myron P. Medcalf:
On the flip side, Devoe was suspended for six games at the start of the season for violating team rules. He didn't start the year on a good note.

Sources close to the team say he skipped practice and wouldn't answer his phone when coaches tried to contact him over the weekend.

I've been told by a source close to the program that "it wasn't the first time" that an incident like that involving Devoe occurred.

So I definitely think it was a two-way street. And like Devoe's mom told me ... "it wasn't a good situation."

http://www.startribune.com/sports/g...kD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUycaEacyU

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...

Izzo isn't easy to play for, either. (Just to name ONE example, there are others like Crean)

Myron Metcalf rarely adds anything useful except when he leaves the room.
 




Friend Of Tubby said:
Not this situation but Jason Parker was dismissed from UK in August 2002 when he flunked his 4th "test" in a year.
Click to expand...

Huh. Didn't know that. Well, that settles it then. There's the smoking gun. The connection is obvious.
 

DJ suspension

There is no source, as you know. Only common knowledge that has never been refuted on this board or anywhere else. I strongly believe that if it were not related to a failed drug test it would have been stated so by someone close to the program or one of the beat writers.

That said, I do not think Devoe is a bad guy for smoking pot (assuming he did). I am disappointed that he apparently did it again, despite knowing his season was at risk. As for academic problems; anyone can have them, especially if you come to college less than fully prepared. My hope is that Al and all the guys now take their studies more seriously.
 

SelectionSunday said:
"Former and current players agree that Tubby is not the easiest coach to play for. He's old school. And every player doesn't respond to that style."

And we're supposed to believe the players weren't aware of this when they signed on with Tubby?

Do us a favor Mommy Joseph & shut up.
Click to expand...

Real mature argument.
 

Put me in the camp that could care less what momma Joseph says.. it means ZERO to me. She is his F'ing mother for gosh sakes, what is she going to say, "Tubby was fair and Devoe is making a poor decision"???

Come on, and if you only cite players that had problems with Tubby (every coach has players that did not like the coach), then that also means nothing. Give examples from a lot of former players and see how many enjoyed tubby vs not. Otherwise, its just a slanted arugement that's worth as much as the paper its printed on.
 

Block M said:
There is no source, as you know. Only common knowledge that has never been refuted on this board or anywhere else. I strongly believe that if it were not related to a failed drug test it would have been stated so by someone close to the program or one of the beat writers.

That said, I do not think Devoe is a bad guy for smoking pot (assuming he did). I am disappointed that he apparently did it again, despite knowing his season was at risk. As for academic problems; anyone can have them, especially if you come to college less than fully prepared. My hope is that Al and all the guys now take their studies more seriously.
Click to expand...

There has been no report of a failed first test (although widely believed) and no report of a second failed test. the second failed report is BS IMO. Tubby did not suspend Devoe a second time. Devoe was suspended only when he missed practice. He missed practice because he decided to transfer. Anything else is just conjecture and unfair.
 

Block M said:
There is no source, as you know. Only common knowledge that has never been refuted on this board or anywhere else. I strongly believe that if it were not related to a failed drug test it would have been stated so by someone close to the program or one of the beat writers.

That said, I do not think Devoe is a bad guy for smoking pot (assuming he did). I am disappointed that he apparently did it again, despite knowing his season was at risk. As for academic problems; anyone can have them, especially if you come to college less than fully prepared. My hope is that Al and all the guys now take their studies more seriously.
Click to expand...

Block- they can't go around undoing every rumor about a student athlete. You may be right but you have zero evidence. The fact that they didn't refute it means nothing. I will say this- I doubt Devoe is a "bad kid". However, if it is pot and and he wouldn't quit despite knowing he would jeopardize a gold platter D1 scholarship and his "Dream of being a Gopher" -per Ma Joseph, and knowing he would be retested and caught.... well that's just plain immaturity.
 

Jodie Meeks nearly left Kentucky for Minnesota when Tubby left. He's a player that loved Tubby. Myron should interview him and see what he has to say...
 


"Others have considered it. Trust me."

Imagine that. Basketball players at a major university have considered transferring from their original school because they're not happy with the coach? That just never happens. More "shocking", edge-of-your-seat information from one of the local beat writers. "Journalism" is becoming more & more amateurish every day.
 


I get sick of all the over-analysis what happened in these type of situations - almost invariably the coach is blamed and used as a scapegoat, by the fans if not the player/his family. Just take it as a sign of the times - these players want what's best for them, are willing to transfer if they think that will put them in a better situation, and there are a lot of places they could go to in order to get what they're looking for.

I keep going back to Noopy Crater, because he transferred & I believe that was right before he was going to get suspended for failing a drug test. But of course no reports of the drug test came out at the time due to privacy laws - the report of the failed drug test at OSU didn't surface until an unnamed "Big Ten" source revealed it after Crater failed a drug test at South Florida and reporters were searching for reasons why he was going to be suspended for so many games (i.e., he was being suspended for more games than he would've had it been a first offence). But what did Crater do in the process of transferring in the middle of the season? He had his AAU coach Carlos Fordham go to the media and talk about how 'miserable' Crater was at OSU because he wasn't starting and thought he was promised a starting spot, how playing in every game off the bench wasn't good enough for him because he was on the "two year plan" (i.e. was planning on going to the NBA after two years), and cited how little Matta played BJ Mullens (who was at the time projected to be a lottery pick in the next NBA draft) as evidence that Crater was similarly being held back minutes-wise in spite of his "NBA" talent.
 


OSUfan said:
I get sick of all the over-analysis what happened in these type of situations - almost invariably the coach is blamed and used as a scapegoat, by the fans if not the player/his family. Just take it as a sign of the times - these players want what's best for them, are willing to transfer if they think that will put them in a better situation, and there are a lot of places they could go to in order to get what they're looking for.

I keep going back to Noopy Crater, because he transferred & I believe that was right before he was going to get suspended for failing a drug test. But of course no reports of the drug test came out at the time due to privacy laws - the report of the failed drug test at OSU didn't surface until an unnamed "Big Ten" source revealed it after Crater failed a drug test at South Florida and reporters were searching for reasons why he was going to be suspended for so many games (i.e., he was being suspended for more games than he would've had it been a first offence). But what did Crater do in the process of transferring in the middle of the season? He had his AAU coach Carlos Fordham go to the media and talk about how 'miserable' Crater was at OSU because he wasn't starting and thought he was promised a starting spot, how playing in every game off the bench wasn't good enough for him because he was on the "two year plan" (i.e. was planning on going to the NBA after two years), and cited how little Matta played BJ Mullens (who was at the time projected to be a lottery pick in the next NBA draft) as evidence that Crater was similarly being held back minutes-wise in spite of his "NBA" talent.
Click to expand...

Nice info on Crater, except Tubby came out and said that all Devoe had done was miss weekend practices. Nothing else to get suspended.
 

KyGopherfan said:
Jodie Meeks nearly left Kentucky for Minnesota when Tubby left. He's a player that loved Tubby. Myron should interview him and see what he has to say...
Click to expand...

I've talked to him in the past. He loves Tubby. A lot of former players do.

In my chat, I said that some former players have told me that Tubby's coaching/influence "changed their lives."

But many say he's tough to play for. As most on this board know, it's Tubby's way, or no way at all. He's won a lot of games that way. A national championship. And he's one of many "tough" coaches at the DI level.

But his coaching style hasn't worked for some of the guys he's recruited. I don't think the Devoe situation is as simple as a coach-player conflict. Just saying that Devoe quit for what he believed to be proper reasons. And Tubby is certainly upset that he left.

As far as the rumor about a season-ending suspension. He played at Michigan State Friday. Told his mom that day that he'd decided to quit the team. Didn't attend the next practice.

When Tubby talked to reporters Monday, he said, Devoe has missed the last couple of practices ... he won't play Tuesday. If a player is suspended, Tubby usually says that.
 

You hit the nail on the head OSUfan. I, too, get sick of the overanalysis. What'll make it worse is I'd bet my bottom dollar writers the ilk of what we have around here will do everything they can the rest of the season (all 15 games+ worth) to make sure the topic keeps getting rehashed, even after the decision to transfer happened days/weeks/months ago.

Maybe I'm too old school, but I want to read about the rest of the season from here forward. We've been told about Devoe's decision, have read about it, discussed it in length, now let's turn the page. However, I suspect -- much like last season became about the absences of Royce White & Trevor Mbakwe -- this season the writers (I'm thinking specifically Myron) will again make this season more about what the Gophers don't have than what they do have. I just don't think that's right, and it's not fair to the guys (happy or unhappy) that are sticking it out.

If he can go one game story/blog/tweet/chat without mentioning Devoe's absence, color me shocked and I'll tip my cap to him.
 

I don't think the Devoe situation is as simple as a coach-player conflict. Just saying that Devoe quit for what he believed to be proper reasons.
Click to expand...

The only thing it seemed that Tubby remotely alluded to was that there was an issue with his playing time, from Devoe's point of view. Personally, I think Devoe made a brash and rather stupid decision.
 

First off, only two players have left Tubby's program "unhappy" with Tubby, Justin Cobbs and Devoe Joseph. Paul Carter transferred because of his family situation, and Royce White was an idiot, and even in all he went through here, never once said a bad thing about Tubby. I'm sure there's a few guys who have and probably even ARE considering transferring cause they don't like Tubby's style, most players don't like being coached in an "old-school" style. I think almost anyone knows he's not the easiest coach to play for, especially for a lead guard, he seems to be especially demanding of his guards. Most guys who come out though, usually praise Tubby for making them who they are as players.

EDIT: Also, this is not to say Devoe is wrong in all of this. He's perfectly justified in trying to find a place where he feels comfortable and happy with the situation. Same with Cobbs. It just didn't work out for them, but that doesn't mean there's anything specifically wrong with Tubby.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom