Miller, Bello officially headed to Baylor
by Mike Rutherford on Oct 21, 2010 7:12 PM EDT
in Basketball
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PrintAfter all the posing and drama, the end was pretty anti-climatic.
Without any flashing lights or fanfare, top 50 recruits Quincy Miller and Deuce Bello both announced late this afternoon that they would be playing their college basketball at Baylor University.
"I just feel like it’s a great situation for me," Bello told Scout.com. "I like their style play, they way they play defense and the way they run the pick and roll. They get up and down the floor.
The commitments come in the middle of an NCAA investigation of Baylor's recruitment of a Colombian prospect now in high school in Indiana.
Miller and Belllo were both considered Louisville leans before their visit to campus on Sept. 4. Each player reported that the visit went tremendously, but multiple members of the media - including Fox Sports' Jeff Goodman - have stated that U of L backed off their recruitment afterward.
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There had to be money involved
Look at it, Bello and Miller said the KFC YUM! Center was the “Sickest building I have ever seen, We would definatley put two to a seat in there” and then alll of the sudden
He eliminates Duke from the equation, then Louisville, ok you have 2 top 5 most prestigious basketball schools ever and you pick a sub-par school that just made the lime light just last year.
Somethings fishyyy
by Austin Montgomery on Oct 21, 2010 7:24 PM EDT reply actions
"U of L backed off their recruitment"
?
________________________________________________
www.lordkayoss.com
Had to be money involved?
Sorry, but I’m not buying that. I think we just lost out again.
I have defended Pitino, time and again, on this board, but I’m starting to get impatient. The regional final seems like an awfully long time ago, and I just can’t escape the fact that a lot of talented players who have shown some degree of interest in the past 18 months have either not qualified or picked another school.
Everyone on this board knows that with our facilities and our fan support, we can absolutely be an elite program. But the bottom line is that the elite programs find ways to compensate for bad luck and recruiting losses. Despite the fact that it’s felt like an inordinate amount of bad luck for the past year and a half, we’re hardly the only program with these issues.
We can sit here and gripe all we want about bad luck and make excuses, or we can demand he be fired and find a replacement who likely isn’t as good. Yet it’s pretty clear to me that neither of these options is the best decision. Pitino can still succeed here. The staff should be able to get talented players and, at the very least, keep transfers and mid-level players eligible and on freaking campus. As much as the program and the fans have endured recently, I don’t think it’s asking too much.
And that’s why something like the Tony Woods signing has left me scratching my head. I don’t want to hear anyone apologizing for this fool. Not only has he been a disappointment, but he broke his pregnant girlfriend’s spine. Nobody who says that is the line in the sand is being too self-righteous, okay? I don’t care if he didn’t mean to do it, he pushed her down a flight of stairs. Under no circumstances is it acceptable to allow him on the team, plain and simple. Go to a spine center and see what a patient with spinal issues looks like/deals with, then imagine that they’re pregnant. It is infuriating and embarrassing, and I will not applaud anything he does ever, if he in fact comes to campus.
One of the loyal readers of this site (can’t remember who) wrote a great article back in the spring titled, “What is Rick Pitino Supposed to Do?” His point was that he’d done everything possible to get Teague, and it didn’t work out. I agreed completely with everything he said. In the past six months, however, we’ve had three excellent players ruled ineligible and lost out on several more recruiting battles. He may not have been able to do anything else about Teague, but this trend of not getting guys on campus is just too loud for me to not say anything. This is a critical time for our program and it needs to change right now.
Does anyone have any solutions on this? I am at a loss right now.
P.S. if you want to fire Pitino, talk to N.C. State fans and ask how that bitching and moaning worked out for them with Sendek.
i'd probably think it would be money if pitino didnt choke so much
at recruiting
by yourteamsucks on Oct 21, 2010 8:19 PM EDT up reply actions
FYI
This is KentuckyWild, and this is the 4th screen name he’s been banned for.
by Mike Rutherford on Oct 21, 2010 8:25 PM EDT up reply actions
KentuckyWild
Is like a bad case of herpes. No matter what you do he just continues to show up. Nobody likes it, your forced to acknowledge it, and yes… he turns red. Has the ability to ruin a good thing, and just flat out sucks.
No offense to the people suffering from this unfortunate STD
by bjack357 on Oct 21, 2010 8:51 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I owe you a debt of gratitude, my friend
Although I was starting to get fond of the little dingleberry (blasphemy?).
I am not sure if that is a possibility Ken......it is definitely not one of his strong suits....
I Shall Always Be The Cat......In The Hat!!! The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Oct 22, 2010 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions
Had to be money involved?
Well….it was reported by a national sports writer that UofL backed off the duo (not the other way around), and Duke did not want him to even visit. Two elite schools in elite conferences with elite championship winning coaches. One somewhat up and comer with a young Calipari-ish coach who has already been publicly reprimanded for his recruiting “ethics.” Add on to the fact that the notorious Cliftons have been known to demand a little more for their guys than what the NCAA allows, and um……I’m gonna go with a big fat YES, something happened that was shady, and both Pitino and K are two coaches who do not put up with that crap.
I think the Teague situation was obviously shady, but I honestly don’t think it would have mattered, as you look at how Pitino handled Siva, and how Calipari handled Wall, and I don’t blame Teague. That one was on Pitino. Yet Miller is a different story. You have two schools in Duke and UofL who are the top of the food chain in every category of the game. Coaches, trophies, fanbases, and facilities. The fact neither of these programs wanted a top 5 guy who is a true game changer…….yeah, that is odd. Sorry, I know he wanted to play with Bello, but more than that contributed to the due committing to play in middle of nowhere, Texas for a year on a possible sweet 16 team.
Also, Blackshear and Behanan are both on board. Top 10 class. Quit forgetting that.
And I should assume Blackshear and Behanan are coming because?
I’m not saying to stoop to anyone’s level. I’m saying that there are plenty of coaches who get good, solid players, and get them in uniform, and if you’re paid like a top 10 coach, you’d damn well better do that. In the past six months, the following players, who were either supposed to play for us this year or down the road, have opted elsewhere:
Marquis Teague
MIchael Chandler
Roburt Sallie
Gorgoi Dieng
Justin Coleman
Tony Wroten
Quincy Miller
Deuce Bello
Read what I said. I like Pitino and think he can succeed. The people who want him fired are morons. But he has lectured the media in his scandal and whiffed an awful lot recently for someone who is getting paid so well. I don’t care about his off-the-court exploits, I care about him getting elite players and not embarrassing the program further by signing off on losers like Tony Woods. I think most of the fan base, particularly those who are season ticket holders and paying hefty sums to see this team, would agree.
Recruiting is only half the battle, of course. But if you don’t think this year is going to be a reminder that that’s a pretty damn important half, you might be pretty damn disappointed. I made no mention of Cal and would never, ever want Pitino to replicate what that slime ball does with his program. Ever. But Pitino needs to do better, his way, than he’s been doing recently. If I tell you that I won’t be convinced that Blackshear and Behanan will be Cards until they’re suited up and at The Bucket, can you really fault me?
I think we’re more on the same page than you realize here, but there are plenty of rational people that want some positive news, set in stone, about this program, and just feel like Rick needs to give that to us sooner than later. Hopefully it’s in the form of Blackshear and Behanan, two players who look like absolute studs, but like I said, I’m not assuming anything on the recruiting trail at this point.
by doctorofdunk on Oct 22, 2010 1:45 AM EDT up reply actions
I admit it is very suspicious that Louisville and Duke both backed off.
I voted no in the poll but I’d probably abstain now. Not ready to say there WAS money involved, but it does smell fishy.
"Screech, you CAN'T elope!"
"Who are you calling a cantaloupe, you melonhead?"
about our fan support...
I post on here occasionally… I’ve bitched about things in the past and will more than likely do it again. However, with “Twitter” and “facebook”, as many people follow recruits and wish them well in the recruiting process… When that recruit pick an opposing school, some followers that just wished them well hours before their decision, are now tweeting and posting that they hope they suck and break an ankle or get caught cheating at their new school they have just chose. Recruits follow fellow recruits and word gets out… regardless if 1000 UL fans wish him well… if that 1 jackass of a fan says, “hey i hope you get caught cheating and break an ankle and never live out your dreams” that will be the re-tweet and that is a blemish we shouldn’t want.
Yes, we should’ve been upset with the way Teague and Wroten played us… but we shouldn’t wish them harm…
get over it… in the end they are kids playing the game trying to get the one thing they want… MONEY…
chillin villian
We already have a top 5 class
Who cares about these guys? You can only play five at a time. To say Pitino has lost his touch because these two players decided to go to another school is crazy. A lot of you have too short of memory. No program is immune to a rebuilding year or two. We still have one of the best coaches around. I tend to care about the guys that are coming and the ones already here.
"You win some, You lose some but you never stop trying to do your best" Denny Crum
Agreed
Duke and Butler made it to the Championship game without top recruits. The sky is not falling. I expect Louisville to be decent this year because we have so many freshman who will have developed since last— Siva, Marra, SVT, Buckles. Also, TJ getting lots of playing time excites me. Top recruits are fun, but let’s not forget that Pitino develops players.
by REALISTICCARDSFAN on Oct 21, 2010 10:01 PM EDT up reply actions
Let's not get carried away here...
Duke had plenty of top recruits on that roster. Jon Scheyer was #3 in his class according to Scout. Lance Thomas was #4. Brian Zoubek #7. Kyle Singler #1. Nolan Smith #7.
The highest ranked recruit on our roster right now is Siva (#7) then Swopshire (#18).
by CardinalEmpire.com on Oct 21, 2010 10:09 PM EDT up reply actions
You know
I thought about looking that up, but who really needs to fact check. How about Butler?
by REALISTICCARDSFAN on Oct 21, 2010 10:59 PM EDT up reply actions
Rivals
Current Team Ranks out of high school:
JS was 20 for his position and 130 overall.
TJ was 5 for his position and 18th overall.
GG was 20 for his position and 101 overall.
RB was 11 for his position and 36 overall.
PS was 8 for his position and 39 overall.
No one else was ranked.
Recent history:
SS was 2 for his position and 9 overall.
JS was 16 for his position and 82 overall.
ES was 13 for his position and 74 overall.
EC was 8 for his position and 22 overall.
AM was 18 for his position and 107 overall.
TW was 25 for his position and 111 overall.
JP was 6 for his position and 30 overall.
TD was 12 for his position
FG was 9 for his position
Bottom line: Pitino’s done more with less. Let’s not get carried away in the Calipari one and done era.
by REALISTICCARDSFAN on Oct 21, 2010 11:19 PM EDT up reply actions
Let's not go there...
Honestly, Miller said it himself 2 weeks ago. I can’t find the direct quote but he said he was worried about Pitino preventing him from being a one-and-done. Miller was planning on spending one year at whatever school he went to and I’m betting Baylor sold him on that. It’s no use to run around saying he was paid because that won’t get anyone anywhere and, as of right now, I think it’s a little bit of some wishful thinking. Bello went to Baylor because he is Miller’s lackey. He was going wherever Miller went. The coach at baylor, Scott Drew, has good connections and that’s why he is getting players.
tired of almost getting top recruits
sebastian telfair, james lang, amir johnson lost to the nba
somehow lose jeremy tyler to europe
and then lose michael chandler and marquis teague
now we lose wroten, miller, and bello
There isn't a coach in the country
who wouldn’t give his left nut to have a pair of elite level recruits like Behanan and Blackshear joining a veteran team. I hope most of us see that instead of whining and caring about recruiting more than the actual game of basketball. And since recruiting is so important to you, maybe it will ease you to know that we were never the leader for Wroten, and Pitino stopped recruiting Bello and Miller. Would you rather have Bello, or Blackshear? Would you want us to cheat like Calipari or Drew to get these guys only to see them flame out in the tourney with teams with less heralded recruits? Here’s a news flash for ya, Coach K not only did not recruit Miller, but he also quit recruiting Wall, and which team won the national championship last year? The one with Wall and the top recruiting class, or the one without a true point guard? I forget. The whininess of some members of this fanbase is ridiculous. You call Calipari a cheater (rightfully), then get all pissy when we don’t sink to his level to get recruits. What a joke. Top ten recruit class and we still have people crying.
Some coaches might offer their right nut instead.
Our 2011 class still should be excellent so long as Blackshear/Behanan sign and show up. Hoping that Dieng gets cleared as well, but not holding my breath on that one.
by cardsinindy2010 on Oct 22, 2010 1:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Guys, you cant get hung up on all of this money/no money nonsense.
If the kid wanted to be paid then it is better that he is not there. If he did not want to be paid, I cannot see where the situation at Baylor could be any more beneficial to either of them than your situation at Louisville. Can anyone remember the last time they saw Baylor play anyone on TV? You guys are on once a week. You have the Big East, you have the rivalry with us. There are so many more positives on your side it is not even close. So if they went for money let them go, if they didnt go for money, their intelligence is not what it was reported to be in the first place.
And no offense to Rock Card, but the Calipari payment references are complete fertilizer.
I Shall Always Be The Cat......In The Hat!!! The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Oct 22, 2010 11:47 AM EDT reply actions
Assuming Baylor didn't pay them...
There is a reason why they would go to Baylor over Louisville
Who is the last freshmen that has had success and played a lot in Rick’s system? I honestly can’t think of one. We all know that guys like Miller want to play a lot and start too. They want to be the star. Call if selfish if you want but that’s the way it is. Rick’s record doesn’t suggest that Miller could do that at UL.
As for Bello, I think he was always going to go wherever Miller went. It was obvious they really wanted to play together.
As far as the Clifton thing does, I don’t buy that Rick pulled out on Miller because of that. Clifton has always been around since the beginning. This isn’t Pitino’s first rodeo and I’m sure he knew what he was getting himself into. Maybe Clifton made some outrageous demand but like I said, Rick had to know what he was getting himself into.
Rumor was that Clifton didn't stick his hand out until about 2-3 weeks ago...
conveniently the same time that Duke and UofL both “cooled” on Miller. I think that QM’s association with Clifton wasn’t enough to make CRP back off, but payouts certainly would be.
Also, we’ve had many freshman start and play major minutes (see Sosa, Smith, Garcia, Samuels, etc.) Difference is, none of those players were “big time” like QM is believed to be (it does remain to be seen). They all had their opportunities to shine as freshmen and just didn’t.
by Remote Cardinal on Oct 23, 2010 10:41 PM EDT up reply actions
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