Sigh: Majerus Unflatteringly mentioned in new book

[TheBand]

http://www.clevescene.com/64-and-counting/...by-lance-allred

Book Review — Longshot: The Adventures of a Deaf Fundamentalist Mormon Kid and His Journey to the NBA, by Lance Allred

Posted by Vince Grzegorek on Tue, May 26, 2009 at 2:20 PM

snip

But basketball is at the heart of his story.

Allred played the game for solace. After becoming the 1998-1999 Utah Gatorade Player of the Year, Lance had a bevy of scholarship offers from around the country, but he chose to stay close to home and suit up for the team he had dreamed of joining, the Utah Utes. There, Rick Majerus made Allred’s life absolute hell. There’s a great anecdote in the book regarding Majerus. He had a habit of calling Lance “###### extraordinaire,” and despite the fact that Lance had hearing aids, Majerus would sometimes spell out “######” with his fingers to make sure there was “no miscommunication.”

“Lance, you’ve weaseled yourself through life using your hearing as an excuse,” Majerus once told Allred, as corroborated by some of his teammates. “You’re a disgrace to cripples. If I was a cripple in a wheelchair and saw you play basketball, I’d shoot myself.”

He also insisted that Allred get tested for a learning disability, even though Lance pulled down a 3.8 GPA and received Academic All-Conference awards.

[Taj79]

I happened to catch a bit of Jimmy Dykes interviewing Calipari last night on ESPN and while these are two different threads ---- including the Allred one here --- what Calipari said makes some sense. Calipari said something like "the higher you go, the more folks take more potshots at you." While I am certainly not agreeing with any thoughts that he is devoid of any responsibility for the current crisis at Memphis, the thought pattern is a common one.

I do find it interesting however that the kid WAS diagnosed as a compulsive-obsessive. From taht aspect, wasn't Majerus right in recommending he get himself tested? A 3.8 GPA notwithstanding? Who was the Chicago native, a large school basketball player, that graduated from some BCS school with a degree and was later found NOT to be able to even read? Wasn't that person looking to jump out a Chicagoland skyscaper window when his story broke?

I had a coach once in football who hovered over my best friend as he lay on the ground writhing in agony with a "sore" arm. The coach calle dhim every "clean" name in the book but basically quesitoned his manhood, his dedication, his strength, his resolve --- you name it. that kid got up, went to the front of the one-on-one tackling line and attacked the drill again because of this. He turned that "sore" arm into a compound fracture ---- it was specualted that he broke the arm the first time and in doing the second run the same way, amplified things. Coaches do things that in today's overabundance of political correctness are going to look downright awful. I like to think its the "heat of the moment" but that is the exception rather than today's rule, or so it seems. And this is not new behavior --- the broken arm occurred in 1972.

Couple the trend of political correctness with the common denominator that everything in today's world is open to public consumption --- camera phones, sat dishes, ipods, blogs, the web and so on ---- and things that used to go unnoticed are now out there for all to see. The lockerroom used to be a sanctuary, dirty laundry wans't aired outside the confines of "the family." Now, everyone's an expert. Entourages are telling today's kids "hey, you're great, and you should be playing a heck of a lot more than so-and-so who's a senior and useless." I know a kid at a local collegiate lacrosse powerhouse who is transferring because dad believes the coach hasn't used his baby's talents well enough.

Today's operations make playing with old time traditions not possible. I don't know the answers, on one hand, I don't care what Majerus or Paterno or Huggins or whomever say in the day-to-day proceedigns of their respective operations. I do care what institutions and people do in order to circumvent rules. One is not the same as the other and I think Memphis and Calipari and everyone else involved should get some death penalty like ban. That was knowingly and premeditatively circumventing the rules. Like them up and ceremoniously shoot them. Majerus and other using foul language and the like, well, that's uncouth and maybe boorish and bigoted but in the grand scheme of things, not the same.

I'm really glad Lance realized his dream and got to play in three games in a 10-day contract in 07-08 with Cleveland's Cavaliers. How he go there is likely as interesting as one of my favorite NBA books, "FOUL!" by Connie Hawkins. Allthose trial and tribulations for one 10-day contract amounting to about 10 minutes over three games with the Cavs. Sad thing is that this might be more time than over 99% of today's high school seniors get in their quest for the NBA. Although I'll bet you 100% of those same seniors think otherwise.

The real world and the politically-correct world are NOT one and the same.

Those who hate the Majerus Man will use this as another example of why. Those who don't will ignore it. Me? I don't really care.

[inthelou]

http://www.clevescene.com/64-and-counting/...by-lance-allred

Book Review — Longshot: The Adventures of a Deaf Fundamentalist Mormon Kid and His Journey to the NBA, by Lance Allred

Posted by Vince Grzegorek on Tue, May 26, 2009 at 2:20 PM

snip

But basketball is at the heart of his story.

Allred played the game for solace. After becoming the 1998-1999 Utah Gatorade Player of the Year, Lance had a bevy of scholarship offers from around the country, but he chose to stay close to home and suit up for the team he had dreamed of joining, the Utah Utes. There, Rick Majerus made Allred’s life absolute hell. There’s a great anecdote in the book regarding Majerus. He had a habit of calling Lance “###### extraordinaire,” and despite the fact that Lance had hearing aids, Majerus would sometimes spell out “######” with his fingers to make sure there was “no miscommunication.”

“Lance, you’ve weaseled yourself through life using your hearing as an excuse,” Majerus once told Allred, as corroborated by some of his teammates. “You’re a disgrace to cripples. If I was a cripple in a wheelchair and saw you play basketball, I’d shoot myself.”

He also insisted that Allred get tested for a learning disability, even though Lance pulled down a 3.8 GPA and received Academic All-Conference awards.

What is it with Majerus and these sexual innuendoes and obsessions? It's one thing to be a tough coach but I've never been comfortable with somebody who is obsessed with body parts and sexual references. It's one thing to use a four letter expletive in the heat of battle but to constantly be using sex organ references or grabbing or exposing your own private areas is bizzare.

[billiken_roy]

Those who hate the Majerus Man will use this as another example of why. Those who don't will ignore it. Me? I don't really care.

i am not using it as an example but i will say i wasnt shocked by it.

[Westy03]

Those who hate the Majerus Man will use this as another example of why. Those who don't will ignore it. Me? I don't really care.

Pretty much sums up the way I feel about it. It was already mentioned in the SI article last year and the comments were suppose to hamper and derail recruiting...I havent seen any sign of that.

[drkelsey55]

http://www.clevescene.com/64-and-counting/...by-lance-allred

Book Review — Longshot: The Adventures of a Deaf Fundamentalist Mormon Kid and His Journey to the NBA, by Lance Allred

Posted by Vince Grzegorek on Tue, May 26, 2009 at 2:20 PM

snip

But basketball is at the heart of his story.

Allred played the game for solace. After becoming the 1998-1999 Utah Gatorade Player of the Year, Lance had a bevy of scholarship offers from around the country, but he chose to stay close to home and suit up for the team he had dreamed of joining, the Utah Utes. There, Rick Majerus made Allred’s life absolute hell. There’s a great anecdote in the book regarding Majerus. He had a habit of calling Lance “###### extraordinaire,” and despite the fact that Lance had hearing aids, Majerus would sometimes spell out “######” with his fingers to make sure there was “no miscommunication.”

“Lance, you’ve weaseled yourself through life using your hearing as an excuse,” Majerus once told Allred, as corroborated by some of his teammates. “You’re a disgrace to cripples. If I was a cripple in a wheelchair and saw you play basketball, I’d shoot myself.”

He also insisted that Allred get tested for a learning disability, even though Lance pulled down a 3.8 GPA and received Academic All-Conference awards.

Everyone needs a kick int seat of the pants at least once in his life time. Sounds to me like Lance didn't llike it, but turned around and applied himself afterwards. RM gets no credit for waking the kid up and getting him to apply him self.

Had similar thinks happen to me during my lifetime to get me up off my a$$ and work up to my own capabilites. Not everyone is self motivated.

[jimbofive]

What is it with Majerus and these sexual innuendoes and obsessions? It's one thing to be a tough coach but I've never been comfortable with somebody who is obsessed with body parts and sexual references. It's one thing to use a four letter expletive in the heat of battle but to constantly be using sex organ references or grabbing or exposing your own private areas is bizzare.

maybe it's just me, but i live my life by these. i wouldn't say i'm "obsessed", but i'm extremely comfortable and pleased with my regular usage of these devices. majerus basically seems like a fat, real life version of morris "the blade" buttermaker and that is HOKAY! by me...

sucks that that kid was deaf, but he probably was a handful. my buddy plays in an STL indoor soccer league against a deaf team and he says they're the biggest bunch of whiney cockbags ever. to the point that refs have almost called games because they were being such cockbags.

i like to think about the way majerus' jowels must jiggle when he says "extraordinaire", esp. if he's big-mouthing it for a lipreader. try it at home, it's a giggler.

[Westy03]

maybe it's just me, but i live my life by these. i wouldn't say i'm "obsessed", but i'm extremely comfortable and pleased with my regular usage of these devices. majerus basically seems like a fat, real life version of morris "the blade" buttermaker and that is HOKAY! by me...

sucks that that kid was deaf, but he probably was a handful. my buddy plays in an STL indoor soccer league against a deaf team and he says they're the biggest bunch of whiney cockbags ever. to the point that refs have almost called games because they were being such cockbags.

i like to think about the way majerus' jowels must jiggle when he says "extraordinaire", esp. if he's big-mouthing it for a lipreader. try it at home, it's a giggler.

I played in that same indoor league and the deaf team would always get in fights with the refs and other players. I hated playing against them because the game would either be called due agruments with refs or someone would get injured by a dirty play. Majerus probably wanted to treat him the way he treats his other players at practice which is being extremely tough on them.

[slufanskip]

maybe it's just me, but i live my life by these. i wouldn't say i'm "obsessed", but i'm extremely comfortable and pleased with my regular usage of these devices. majerus basically seems like a fat, real life version of morris "the blade" buttermaker and that is HOKAY! by me...

sucks that that kid was deaf, but he probably was a handful. my buddy plays in an STL indoor soccer league against a deaf team and he says they're the biggest bunch of whiney cockbags ever. to the point that refs have almost called games because they were being such cockbags.

i like to think about the way majerus' jowels must jiggle when he says "extraordinaire", esp. if he's big-mouthing it for a lipreader. try it at home, it's a giggler.

The word he used was cu%t not ******

[jjray]

Majerus' actions in regard to Lance Allred are inexcusable. I wouldn't waste my breadth trying to do so. I'd be willing to bet RM regrets it as well. How many of us have not done something we regret within the last 10 years, something that exhibited poor judgment? It will always be on his record. You keep it in the back of your mind when judging his actions going forward. But it's one incident in a very long career.

[cheeseman]

As what has been mentioned previously - this is not a new story. In fact if memory serves me right, RM discussed this kid in his book - My Life on a Napkin - I lent the book to someone so I can not go look the section up but I am pretty sure he talks about this kid. What I remember being said was that the kid was someone who was very sensitive and took offense to any criticism that was made. RM also said that the kid used his handicap to justify why he was having trouble learning the system. So, there is always another side to a story - now that being said, should RM use the curse words and obscene gestures he did while at Utah or make abusive comments to players - of course not but unfortunately that is apparently how he did it there. Once again, while he was winning, nobody said boo but now that he is gone or his last couple of years were not stellar there everybody has found their morale outrage. It was wrong when he was winning so it of course it is wrong when his winning % dropped. When we were trying to hire RM, all these stories of his bad behavior at practice were shared with us but we decided to hire him anyway - why to bring us a winner. So, nobody should be surprised by anything that he says or does like this - does not make it right but if you hang out with people who stay up late partying then don't be surprised when the stripper shows.

[Box and Won]

Who knows, maybe the kid really is a Cee U Next Tuesday.

[jimbofive]

Who knows, maybe the kid really is a Cee U Next Tuesday.

Don't cuntaminate this board with your negativity. In all seriousness, try to cuntain the derogatory talk.

[bonwich]

All the boys and all the girls are wanting to If You Seek Amy.

[Quality Is Job 1]

All the boys and all the girls are wanting to If You Seek Amy.

Olive juice?

[thetorch]

I side with Majerus on this one.

No one made the kid go to Utah and play for Majerus. He was free to leave at anytime.

I run into these problems at my job all the time. It used to be you could berate someone who sat on their ass all day. Now the only socially acceptable place to use language like that is in the military. I manage a grocery store, we have a alot of kids who sit and smoke all day and refuse to do their jobs. These employees take food out of my mouth by slacking off. When they sit there I really give it to them. They have 3 choices take my constant criticism, do their jobs and not hear a peep out of me or leave. Sometimes you have to kick asses to get people to do their work but nowadays it is frowned upon and poor work habits and work ethics are downright encouraged. It is a shame.

[bhayes520]

What's worse, being called a cuuunt by RM or seeing RM's bare ass?

[kevinfootes]

I side with Majerus on this one.

No one made the kid go to Utah and play for Majerus. He was free to leave at anytime.

I run into these problems at my job all the time. It used to be you could berate someone who sat on their ass all day. Now the only socially acceptable place to use language like that is in the military. I manage a grocery store, we have a alot of kids who sit and smoke all day and refuse to do their jobs. These employees take food out of my mouth by slacking off. When they sit there I really give it to them. They have 3 choices take my constant criticism, do their jobs and not hear a peep out of me or leave. Sometimes you have to kick asses to get people to do their work but nowadays it is frowned upon and poor work habits and work ethics are downright encouraged. It is a shame.

Yes, it's truly unfortunate that this country has legislation like the Americans with Disabilities Act. Isn't it our right to berate people who have disabilities...because of their disabilities?

[TheA_Bomb]

I did like Majerus now I love him. This country, hell this world is filled with a punch of p____sies. When you show up on that official visit and stay in the room of player x and y. Don't you think prospective recruit asks "how is practice" or "what is Coach like". Or player X or Y says, "you know coach will really ride your butt." They know.

The deal is some people respond to this type of motivation some don't. I do. Nothing wrong with it. In the light of day read in the news or watched on a video it looks rough. Life is rough and these kids are so damn lucky to be going to school being pampered just to put a damn ball in a hoop for a bunch of dudes like us. So get that a$$ in gear and get working or get someone in there who will.

There is more than one way to skin a cat. Other forms of motivation work, you just have to be the type of motivator that you are naturally. I found that in general I was a very laid back leader but I could snap like a rubber band and that was it. Those points had shock value and emphasis because I didn't do it all the time. My soldiers wanted to work because they respected me and knew I would take care of them. Others were extremely demanding/harsh all the time and got results because their soldiers knew they had to meet high standards.

I like Majerus I want to go out and get a bowl of chili with him and talk some sh#%.

[Majerus Magic]

Yes, it's truly unfortunate that this country has legislation like the Americans with Disabilities Act. Isn't it our right to berate people who have disabilities...because of their disabilities?

To be fair, he wasn't the only one called a c**t. According to Majerus anyone who doesn't run a play right is a c**t.

[kevinfootes]

To be fair, he wasn't the only one called a c**t. According to Majerus anyone who doesn't run a play right is a c**t.

True, he's an equal opportunity insulter!

[slufanskip]

I did like Majerus now I love him. This country, hell this world is filled with a punch of p____sies. When you show up on that official visit and stay in the room of player x and y. Don't you think prospective recruit asks "how is practice" or "what is Coach like". Or player X or Y says, "you know coach will really ride your butt." They know.

The deal is some people respond to this type of motivation some don't. I do. Nothing wrong with it. In the light of day read in the news or watched on a video it looks rough. Life is rough and these kids are so damn lucky to be going to school being pampered just to put a damn ball in a hoop for a bunch of dudes like us. So get that a$$ in gear and get working or get someone in there who will.

There is more than one way to skin a cat. Other forms of motivation work, you just have to be the type of motivator that you are naturally. I found that in general I was a very laid back leader but I could snap like a rubber band and that was it. Those points had shock value and emphasis because I didn't do it all the time. My soldiers wanted to work because they respected me and knew I would take care of them. Others were extremely demanding/harsh all the time and got results because their soldiers knew they had to meet high standards.

I like Majerus I want to go out and get a bowl of chili with him and talk some sh#%.

I'm with the Bomb on this one. First, it's just a word. Would it be different if he said you're a freaking nincompoop? Personally, it's not my style and I wouldn't do it, but what percentage of big time coaches haven't berated a player at one time or another? In basic training, I along with every other Airman was berated, cussed at, told we were gay, stupid, worthless, you name it, I was it. (It doesn't matter that most of it it was actually true in my case, that's not the point) The same can be said for some of the greatest leaders this country has ever produced, they've been through it, and they've dished it out. Do you believe Patton never berated a soldier? Do you believe Vince Lombardi never berated a player? So maybe they didn't actually use the same word, so what ... they're just words. Suck it up, do the drill right and you won't get abused. Get some thick skin, you'll need it in life, and move on.

[jimbofive]

True, he's an equal opportunity insulter!

Kids need to man the f#$% up. Period. I'm too much of a ***** for my own liking and I'm not near as bad as most. I'm going to be worried when the last of the old guard dies off. My 90-year-old grandma used to wait until my parents were gone and then eat my f#%&ing lunch. "Mommy and daddy are gone and I'm grandma, and it's time for more chores and less talk, mother f#$%er." That's how that went and that's how it should go. Although, I'll assume, since homeboy was deaf, that talking too much wasn't the problem.

[Box and Won]

Yes, it's truly unfortunate that this country has legislation like the Americans with Disabilities Act. Isn't it our right to berate people who have disabilities...because of their disabilities?

[Box and Won]

Maybe Rickma meant to call him a "beloved c@nt."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpDiZLrTHX4