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View Full Version : Drew not the only quitter (Baron to URI)



Olympic Fan
02-04-2011, 11:55 AM
Wow,

When the Drew news broke this morning, my reaction was that I could never remember another ACC player quitting in the middle of the second semester -- especially not one who was in the playing rotation.

Within hours, I find out there is a second one today -- Virginia freshman Billy Baron, who made a last-second recruiting switch from Rhode Island (where his father coaches) to Virginia has just announced that he is transferring to Rhode Island:

http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/story/2011-02-03/virginias-billy-baron-to-transfer

He has a weird tenure at Virginia. Baron scored 19 points in his debut and followed that with 14 in his second game. He then scored just 18 points in his next 15 games.

He hasn't been a part of the rotation lately, so I guess it's not as big a shocker as Drew's departure. Still, a second ACC player quitting his team in the first week of February ... that's nuts.

PS I still remember the show his older brother put on in Cameron not so long ago.

aro24
02-04-2011, 01:50 PM
Agreed it is strange to have 2 players decide to transfer in the middle of February, however as a former college athlete that transferred in mid Soph season, I don't like the reference of calling them "quitters".
Let's not forget these are 18-20 yr old kids that are surely dealing with a lot....sometimes it takes a year or so to find out that you are just not a fit for the program.
I hope these kids find what they are looking for.

ARo24

Olympic Fan
02-04-2011, 03:23 PM
Agreed it is strange to have 2 players decide to transfer in the middle of February, however as a former college athlete that transferred in mid Soph season, I don't like the reference of calling them "quitters".
Let's not forget these are 18-20 yr old kids that are surely dealing with a lot....sometimes it takes a year or so to find out that you are just not a fit for the program.
I hope these kids find what they are looking for.

ARo24

I'm sorry ... I was brought up with the belief that during the season, the team comes first ... in the offseason, the player comes first.

I don't see what Drew or Baron gains by quitting his team in the first week of February. It won't make you eligible any earlier at your new school. You can't even practice with your new team until enrolled and that means next fall.

On the other hand, by staying, you help your old team, even if it's only as a practice player.

An unhappy player should transfer at the end of the season. I can even see the logic in leaving between semesters, since that can make you eligible at your new school in December.

But aside from family or disciplinary reasons (which doesn't seem to be the case in either of these situations) what is there to be gained by leaving at this point?

To me, that makes you a quitter.

sagegrouse
02-04-2011, 03:36 PM
I'm sorry ... I was brought up with the belief that during the season, the team comes first ... in the offseason, the player comes first.

I don't see what Drew or Baron gains by quitting his team in the first week of February. It won't make you eligible any earlier at your new school. You can't even practice with your new team until enrolled and that means next fall.


Two different cases, I believe. Baron wasn't playing, and for all we know, withdrew with the blessing of his coach. I agree with OF that it seems like the waste of an academic semester and a playing season, but so be it. His departure will not harm UVa one way or the other.

OTOH, Drew II was in the rotation for a team certain to have a chance at conference and postseason accomplishments, and he played a key role on the team. He was clearly a better defender than Kendall Marshall. Unless there are some emotional or other problems we don't know about or this was the outcome of long discussions between Drew and Roy Williams, then this is a spiteful act, and Drew II is a quitter. and I don't care if his Mom made him do it.

Look. Basketball is just a game. The coaches won't believe it, but the fans and players should.

sagegrouse