One thing is very clear: Marquette freshman Vander Blue is writing checks he simply can’t cash.
I watched Blue play all through high school at powerhouse Madison Memorial in our state’s capital. I was there when, as a junior, he was simply at another level from his peers at the state tournament.
Then came his senior year, and he did not have nearly as good of a season. Part of that could be credited to the departure of 2009’s Mr. Basketball Jeronne Maymon from the Spartan’s lineup and, as everyone knows, he decommitted from Wisconsin. Blue was also not happy with how his academics were reported as being poor.
With a click of a mouse, kids who will never play college basketball blasted him.
This is when Blue started to head down the wrong path. He let a bunch of high school and college kids mess with his mind and probably his game.
Come on, Vander. Those were just words. Why care so much about what kids on forums say? I bet if you talked to students in the “Grateful Red” section – students who actually know the game – they would have a much better take.
What will always stand out to me is the way Blue was angry about not winning Mr. Basketball after losing to Hartland Arrowhead in the 2010 State Final in the Kohl Center.
Blue said he felt committing to Marquette swayed the decision to give the award to T.J. Bray of Catholic Memorial, who had a 4.0 grade point average and was going to Princeton. As the press conference ended, the state-wide media, including myself, were all saying the same thing: Blue was making excuses and whining.
I will be the first to admit that I am a huge fan of Blue. He plays the game like it should be played and has been blessed with skills that could get him to a professional level. However, getting to the NBA and being successful there are worlds apart.
I thought Blue was putting this all behind him and growing from a talented teenager to a respectable young man. But instead of working on his game quietly to prove all the Internet haters wrong, Blue starting running his mouth.
In a piece written about him in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Blue said, “All that hype I had coming in here – I believe it’s true. I can do that.”
Nobody asked for a story to be written about you titled “Marquette’s Vander Blue says he’ll live up to hype,” but when you’re looking for attention, it happens.
Why are you making statements like that knowing very well back in October you received a citation for hitting a kid at 1:30 a.m.? According to Blue’s statement, a racial slur was used against him.
So using a racial slur is a reason to fight? You do know you’re Vander Blue right? You do know you are getting a MU education for free? That kid was probably under the influence of something and is paying $30,000 while you are not. Jokes on him, not you, Blue.
In a time where education costs are skyrocketing, I hope Blue knows he has everything in front of him and realizes if he loves basketball as much as he says he does, he won’t lose his game when someone taunts him next time.
why is a UWM site writing about a Marquette student athlete?
Because I can
I’m also confused as to the relevancy of Blue’s legal issues. I suppose when our own basketball program is filled with players of good character and academic standing, there’s not much to write about.
I look forward to reading what you can dig up on Paris Gulley and Demetrius Harris – also, look for a possible commitment from Larry Nance Jr.
Vander didn’t even win conference player of the year his senior season…..he really had no chance to win Mr. Basketball as a senior but then ran his mouth and cried about it when Bray clearly had a better season than Blue. Vander was a cancer to Memorial while he was there, is it any surprise that with significantly less talent (and without Vander) this year Memorial went on to win the state championship? They didn’t have to deal with Vander demanding to take the shot and control the ball on every possession down. At Marquette he made comments about how he’d consider the NBA after the season was done, I don’t see that happening anytime soon after a very underwhelming freshman season. Van is just incredibly immature and until he grows up (which I don’t see happening anytime soon) he’s never going to make anything of himself.
Why do you have a problem with an athlete saying that he plans to live up to his hype? Would you prefer if an athlete said that he plans on being a big disappointment? What exactly was the point of this article?
Sorry that you didn’t get into MU, Jeremy, but no need to take out your bitterness on Vander.
Although he didn’t win conference player of the year, Vander was hands down the best player in the Big 8 his senior season. He also was the furthest thing from a cancer to memorial. He was their best player and therefore it would make sense for the team to trust him in situations where the pressure’s on. There’s no way that they would have even made it to the state championship game had it not been for him, and Arrowhead shot an unbelievably high percentage from three point range (11 for 13) which is very rare at the high school level.
No story should be published like this unless you know the true Vander Blue. He’s not like what he is on the court. Don’t hate on someone because they want to live up to their hype. What is SO wrong about him wanting to do that? He did have hype going to Marquette coming from Memorial and good for him if he wants to prove to kids back home that he can do well. Vanders stories are just like the ones that give kids hope that they can make it somewhere someday. He’s in college give the kid slack for acting “Childish” and don’t judge a person till you fully know them.
I’m sorry that UWM is a cheap state school with a bad academic reputation. Don’t take out your anger on Marquette because the kids are smarter and richer than you.
What about Marquette’s numerous sexual assault cover-ups? Are we allowed to get upset about those? Or is it not our place to notice the heinous crimes of privileged sociopaths above our station?
I happen to agree with many aspects of this article. Vander does need to mature, he needs to realize the hard work, fundmentals and the simple fact that this is a team game. He has now entered a world of comparable athletes to his skill level and for him to suceed will require not only a change in self peception, but an attitude adjustment about the game in general.
I hope this epiphany comes to him as he could be a special player on a really good team if it does.