PiPress article: Gophers won't allow Trevor Mbakwe to play despite trial delay

[scher215]

I'll take the fall and be the facebook stalker today:

Trevor Mbakwe wish ppl would stop playin wit my life. Yall thought I was a beast before wait till the next time im on the court in the whistle blow. All hell bout to break loose at whatever school I'm at. I have too much too prove cant wait.

Trevor Mbakwe: if I can play here I have no problem doing it but honestly I dont c maturi liftin the suspension

His Girlfriend/Fiance: do what makes u happy. even tho we both kno what that will b. but after being here behind the scenes n seeing how mn treated you... and i kno i cant post alot of it on here.. but it is rly messed up.
After visiting memphis n seeing how coo n down to earth their coach n staff was.. n how supportive every1 was.. more than ppl from ur own hometown.. its clear who has ur bak n who u can trust. I love you.. n once some1 messes wit sum1 I love than they lose my respect. So u kno what scoo has my vote. M town all day

Key: http://www.forums.gopherhole.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1155
GH: How has Tubby been through all of this?
TM: He wants me to play. He has been great, absolutely wonderful.

I don't think it is Tubby that anyone has an issue with here. Tubby has been great, wonderful to these recruits.

The people they likely are talking about not being supportive are Maturi and the majority of Gopher "fans"

 

[KSBGopher]

Gophers 2011 prospectus:

WF Rodney Williams, PF Trevor Mbakwe, C Ralph Sampson, Colton Iverson, SG Blake Hoffarber, CG Devoe Joseph, PG Al Nolen - these 7 are the nucleus of the Gophers team. Averaging 25 minutes per game.

PF/C Maurice Walker, WF/SG Austin Hollins - these 2 frosh will see action. Averaging 10 minutes per game.

WF/PF Oto Osenieks, CG Maverick Ahanmisi, CG Eric Stark, PF Dominique Dawson - these back-up players won't see much action. Averaging 5 minutes (or less) per game.

C Elliott Eliason, WF/PF Chris Halvorsen - these players will be redshirts this season.

OVERALL Gophers can get to 25 W this season.

I'm with ya all the way. I think 25W is a distinct possibility if we can get all the issues with Mbakwe and Oto sorted out before the season begins. Like you said, we have a lot of talented players returning who can play with the best.

I'm not sure they are going to let Mav play the first season, though. I've heard his Pulley performance has been nothing short of abysmal. If that's true, they might consider red-shirting him with DJ and Nolen available to split the time running the floor.

 

[NurumbiCongo]

I don't think it is Tubby that anyone has an issue with here. Tubby has been great, wonderful to these recruits.

The people they likely are talking about not being supportive are Maturi and the majority of Gopher "fans"

That was my point. His gf talks about the supportive coaching staff at Memphis, he has that here. And so what he used to play with one guy that is at Memphis, he has many more Gopher teammates right here. I don't know about the fans issue, he has a ton of fans here in his home state.

 

[uagain]

I'm with ya all the way. I think 25W is a distinct possibility if we can get all the issues with Mbakwe and Oto sorted out before the season begins. Like you said, we have a lot of talented players returning who can play with the best.

I'm not sure they are going to let Mav play the first season, though. I've heard his Pulley performance has been nothing short of abysmal. If that's true, they might consider red-shirting him with DJ and Nolen available to split the time running the floor.

No way they redshirt Maverick. You don't extend the scholarship clock of a guy who isn't going to help you--ever. Redshirts are for guys with potential. Maverick's a warm body this year, nothing more. Gone by his junior season.

 

[Friend Of Tubby]

No way they redshirt Maverick. You don't extend the scholarship clock of a guy who isn't going to help you--ever. Redshirts are for guys with potential. Maverick's a warm body this year, nothing more. Gone by his junior season.

Tubby redshirted no players in 10 years at UK. None (who were allowed to play) at Minnesota in 3 years. Elliott Eliason will be his first redshirt (if he does) in a long time.

 

[BigGopherFan]

I'll take the fall and be the facebook stalker today:

Trevor Mbakwe wish ppl would stop playin wit my life. Yall thought I was a beast before wait till the next time im on the court in the whistle blow. All hell bout to break loose at whatever school I'm at. I have too much too prove cant wait.

Trevor Mbakwe: if I can play here I have no problem doing it but honestly I dont c maturi liftin the suspension

His Girlfriend/Fiance: do what makes u happy. even tho we both kno what that will b. but after being here behind the scenes n seeing how mn treated you... and i kno i cant post alot of it on here.. but it is rly messed up.
After visiting memphis n seeing how coo n down to earth their coach n staff was.. n how supportive every1 was.. more than ppl from ur own hometown.. its clear who has ur bak n who u can trust. I love you.. n once some1 messes wit sum1 I love than they lose my respect. So u kno what scoo has my vote. M town all day

Key: http://www.forums.gopherhole.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1155
GH: How has Tubby been through all of this?
TM: He wants me to play. He has been great, absolutely wonderful.

I understand Facebook isn't a novel, but honestly, do these two know how to write a coherent sentence? Few people on Facebook that I see or are my "friends" write like that. But I digress. Thanks Joel!

 

[NurumbiCongo]

I understand Facebook isn't a novel, but honestly, do these two know how to write a coherent sentence? Few people on Facebook that I see or are my "friends" write like that. But I digress. Thanks Joel!

No, I do not know many people that write like that. But I know a young married couple that write to each other on facebook like it's their only form of communication. Maybe I just don't get how young folk are using FB.

Trevor Mbakwe: if I can play here I have no problem doing it but honestly I dont c maturi liftin the suspension. :: I must be in the minority of people who believes Joel will allow him to play if there is another delay. However he would much rather have the trial take place on 8/23 and not have to make that decision.

 

[KSBGopher]

No way they redshirt Maverick. You don't extend the scholarship clock of a guy who isn't going to help you--ever. Redshirts are for guys with potential. Maverick's a warm body this year, nothing more. Gone by his junior season.

Sad to say is if he is as bad as people are saying I don't even want him out as a warm body. I didn't realize he got a scholarship, though...I guess we had extra to throw around. Also, guys like Eliason can be work-in-project types. I heard a lot of that talk about Mav...that the talent is there but he needs a lot of work.

 

[Friend Of Tubby]

Sad to say is if he is as bad as people are saying I don't even want him out as a warm body. I didn't realize he got a scholarship, though...I guess we had extra to throw around. Also, guys like Eliason can be work-in-project types. I heard a lot of that talk about Mav...that the talent is there but he needs a lot of work.

You must have missed the Gophers announcing his signing to NLOI, which grants him a scholarship freshman year.

Here http://www.gophersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=38661&SPID=3302&DB_OEM_ID=8400&ATCLID=204944221 is the link.

 

[gopherfan1]

I did not realize the importance of correct grammer on facebook! My apologies! I forgot that facebook posts were a great time to showcase my expansive vocabulary and sophistication! Is this better sir? I will not allow it to happen again.

 

[GopherJake]

I did not realize the importance of correct grammer on facebook! My apologies! I forgot that facebook posts were a great time to showcase my expansive vocabulary and sophistication! Is this better sir? I will not allow it to happen again.

Chalk it up to generational differences and don't worry about it.

On another note, gopherfan1, I think that the support for TM here in MN is actually overwhelmingly positive and sympathetic. The frustration of season ticket holders and fans in general is huge. Last year's team was finally supposed to be a Final Four contender after YEARS of being pathetic. I've spent over $10,000 on season tickets watching lousy teams. I'll tell you this much, I sure wanted Royce and Trevor playing last year. Trevor endeared himself to MN fans by doing everything he could do to fly straight and keep his nose clean. He was on the bench whooping it up every game supporting his teammates. Meanwhile, the other guy in a similar situation (RW) was becoming a sideshow and acting like a jackass. The juxtaposition of this really made me feel for Trevor. I wanted his case dismissed. Month-after-month, you, me and every other Gopher fan watched the stupid thing get delayed. If he is indeed innocent, which I believe he most likely is, this has been a very unfair process overall for Trevor. And he has handled it like a man.

That said, I do not believe that Joel Maturi, with the history of this particular basketball program, had any choice but to continue the suspension for the duration of the delays, particularly when they were requested by Trevor's side. Some disagree with this, and that is fine. But it certainly wasn't a no-brainer to allow Trevor to play at any point last year.

Furthermore, there are very strong indications that Maturi will lift the suspension if the case gets delayed further, as I think is appropriate. Trevor will lose games from his career starting this year, if the suspension continues - as Maturi himself pointed out recently. A year's suspension with no lost eligibility - with the case pending and some of the delays requested by the defence - it can be argued, is appropriate. Beyond that, Maturi has indicated, is unfair. He has never said this in the past, so I believe barring something unusual, if the case is delayed - AND IF THE DELAY IS NOT ASKED FOR BY TREVOR'S SIDE - Trevor will be allowed to play. This will be decided no later than August 23, in my opinion. I would strongly encourage Trevor to continue his incredible patience and wait one more month. We sure can use him this year. I believe him when he says he will be a force on the basketball court this coming year. I sure hope it is in Maroon and Gold!

 

[98VQueens]

Thanks GopherJake... You are right on.

Trevor is going to play this year and shine as a Gopher, next year NBA... he will never regret sticking it out with Tubby, his Gophers teammates and his Minnesota fans.

Maturi may have told Trevor differently in early Fall, but I have to believe he truly intended to allow him to play. What changed his mind had to be in part because the Royce White fiasco which added pressure from his bosses and the program supporters with deep pockets to stay on the safe side. With Royce gone and Trevor already sitting out a full season, if another delay happens (hopefully not) Joel will make it official that Trevor is able to play.

 

[MN1nAZ]

GopherJake is RIGHT ON!! I could not agree more. For that matter so is 98. Jake, that's not merely an olive branch. I mean it.

There is one other consideration that I believe should be given to Trevor. That is; I think that Maturi and his handlers should think about their motivation for trying to influence Trevor's right to fully exercise his options in presenting an effective legal defensive. Those options can include requesting extensions of time.

I reason that the most plausible motivation for Maturi to push back so hard on Tevor's attorney requesting delays is that JM thinks that by requesting a delay Trevor is trying to 'game the system' and thereby delay what will be a conviction. I surmise that JM evidently considers such a move deceptive and an insult to his system of justice. By discouraging such a defensive move he is able to send a message of institutional control and infallibility.

Trevor's attorney has the right and obligation to act on Trevor's behalf without influence from Minnesota bureaucrats. I hope that JM can see this and will allow Trevor the right to present his best defence without the pressure of potential loss of University support if JM disagrees with which legal rights he exercises.

 

[underground629]

Yeah. They really aren't hard to understand. They're typing how they talk because it's FACEBOOK. Is that really hard to understand? Do you think they would write like that on a paper?

I understand Facebook isn't a novel, but honestly, do these two know how to write a coherent sentence? Few people on Facebook that I see or are my "friends" write like that. But I digress. Thanks Joel!