I don’t see how he doesn’t help the program. Even if he’s 1 and done, he brings success (and therefore publicity) to this university. It’s no secret that good teams like UNC, Memphis, Kansas, and Arizona are schools that top recruits want to go to. More publicity equals more future success for this program.

(Posted previously on another subject..copied and posted here)

 If you know a player is or has stated he intends to stay one year and gone, leave him alone. Where is K-state right now. Are they even being considered in the national rankings now? NO! Because they did not establish a pattern of recruiting and DEVELOPING players. At this level players are essentially learning the game with the possibility of advancing to the next level if they have the goods to do so. What happens to the multitide of players who "think" they are the next LeBron but get shown the door at the NBA level. How many if them come back to finish their degrees once the scholly drys up? How many of them end up in the big dance? I am sure one of you guys has the stats. What real good does it do a PROGRAM to have 1&dones overall. How many programs have had them only to have a fleeting moment with notority, and soon to be forgotten in the big picture.

And that is not what is is all about in my view anyway. As much as I hate Duke, look at what has happened at that school. They are ALWAYS mentioned as a potential final 4 or whatever because of the recruits. Same with NC now. Who on these teams screams…I AM ONE AND DONE!!!! Yeah, they do get a few guys who bolt, but overall, most stay for the duration……Team Chemistry….play to each persons strengths and weaknesses (sp?).

(Where is the spell checker on this site?)

"Lance is extremely competitive and seemingly always wants to win".

BB…..do you think that the players we have don’t feel that way? The current crop of players may not be as "talented" physically as LS, but I would rather live and die by the David Neals of the college basketball world, than to deal with the Lances. Give me Greivous, Neal, Tucker and other guys with HEART, PASSION AND DESIRE anyday over any prima donna wanna be. Just me sayin……..It translate to the real world.

The caveat to this senario in my mind….I am an onlooker…only informed by the media….I don’t know Lance, I don’t know Gary Williams, I did not go to U of MD, but am a torrid fan as a life long resident of this state and a long time follower of all things U of MD. (I went to a private school in WV). I don’t know the actual circumstances behind his recruitment, I don’t know squat, when you get right down to it, as most of us are in the same boat here….. I know that Gary will do what is best for the school and the program. If he thinks that Lance is a good get, then I will go with that choice. I don’t think Gary would intentionally jeapordize the school just to get someone who could in theory send him back to where he came 20 years ago…..sanctions.

When do you draw the line? How far does GW go before he becomes a Calipari or Calhoun. Yeah these guys are “winners” but at what cost. Maybe history will overlook the shady dealings of the most successful coaches and Gary eventually will be mentioned in that group on a regular basis, but I would rather he be noted for just what he is noted for…..a great game day coach who develops “high -mid level” players to their full potential, just like he did with Juan and others, not sacrificing his morals just to get the next superstar. Yes, it would be great to get all these 5 star players, but as you know they don;t always pan out to their potential (ie Nik Caner-Medley,etc). Didn’t we have 3 McD allstars on that subsequent team, but the NC team prior to them had how many to start with?

How do you know these current guys won’t turn into AA or all ACC caliber this year? Thats the beauty of the sport, you don’t know from one year to the next. I could do my research and come up with names of 5 star high school recruits who busted at the college level, but we all know this happens at all schools. It happened at MD. My whole point was to say that when you have a TEAM that plays on each others strengths you get winners. Yes, 2-3 of the 2002 team are in pro ball now, but who projected that when they were recruited? Certainly nobody thought Juan would go pro when he was recruited.

I bet I could find examples of “todays” pro athletes who show their ass just like you found the hit on Tucker. (See LeBron NBA championships) It happens.

We all know the K-State thing was payola central, I think Gary would rather stick an ice pick in his eye than do that. Point taken.

I can’t explain why some guys excel and others flounder. It is like that in all aspects of life. Sometimes you get Juan lucky and sometimes you get, well, not so lucky.

Dave Neal stepped up to the the plate and delivered this year. Exactly to my point. Who will it be next year – among the players on the team. Maybe if Lance comes and is willing to be coached, he might be the guy, maybe at a different level than Neal….I am OK with that if it is the case. I just don’t think GW will tolerate alot of BS from a Prima Donna. Lance will ride the pine if he flips an attitude and maybe that is just what the kid needs at this point in his life…a huge dose of humility. If GW can corral the Born ready attitude and make him a team player then OK. Otherwise pass and go with what we have.

Spell Checker? I don’t need no stinking Speel checker.

I agree with you about this really. Gary would be great for Lance and a disciplined Lance would be great for the team. Maybe if Lance got away from all the hoopla in NY and was focused on basketball in a more organized setting with guys who were close to his skill level, he would thrive under Gary;s teaching. I guess I would give that a try if the opportunity presented itself. Lets just say that it could ….possibly…..work.

It looks like the poll on this question is running about 50/50 right now, so it appears others have some doubts about Lance coming here as well. And there will be no Gary bashing from me….he has earned everything he has gotten. BTW, you guys do a great job with this website. Thanks for all your efforts keeping us up to date. I come here first to get my info.

I suspect that Gary was concerned about the following scenario:

1—Lance enrolls, is great, and leads us to an ACC title, Final Four, etc…

2—After the fact, he’s ruled ineligible because of any number of violations that occurred before he even enrolled. Stuff stemming from that ridiculous website of his, for example.

3—Whatever the program achieved with Lance is voided, a la John Calipari’s banner year at UMass and (soon) Memphis.

Not worth it. Move on.

I just think for so many long time UMD fans that this recruitment has been far from the norm for us. Gary tends to go after the " High-Mid level " guys and get that extra little bit out of them( like someone mentioned above ). Lance just doesn’t fit the proto-typical Gray recruit and I think that makes alot of fans uneasy. If Lance had just committed in a reasonable amount of time then we would all be on the Lance BandWagon. The longer and longer his recruitment wore on the more and more people he turned off to him. All of Gary’s great players have been under the rader type recruits ( i.e. Joe Smith, Steve francis, Juan Dixon ) so its not that I dont want Lance he just doesnt give out that warm trusting im not going to leave your program in probation-type feeling.