Free Speech Sometimes comes with a price - Vander Blue

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Sorry if this has been posted as part of another thread.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/45448857.html

Think before you post that nasty comment on the Internet.

That was one of the messages Madison Memorial High School junior Vander Blue delivered Tuesday in discussing his decision to withdraw his non-binding, oral commitment to play basketball for Wisconsin.

Blue stressed he didn’t re-open his recruitment because of a published report in which a source raised potential academic obstacles or because some UW fans, after reading the report, used the Internet to criticize his intellect and work ethic.

Tuesday was the first time I’ve ever been in the same room with Blue so I don't know him at all. However, he seemed sincere so I’ll choose to believe him when he says the reason he backed out of the commitment he gave UW after his sophomore season is that he wants to explore all his options before making his final decision.

I also believe many of the derogatory comments posted on fan boards bothered Blue, who is 16.

Listen to what he had to say.

“Just to see how these so-called Wisconsin fans, what they had to say on those blogs,” he said, “it really made me second-guess: Do people really want me here?

“Because I know if I was a fan and I heard about a recruit I’d be more like: ‘What can we do to help him?
“And not: ‘Let’s make him feel like the worst person in Madison right now.’

“That is how I felt. I felt like I was in a corner, trapped and I couldn’t get out…

“I just felt like it was so unnecessary. I don’t think I’m that worse of a guy. Sometimes I might be tired and have a little attitude…I don’t think I’m a horrible person.

“These 40-year-old adults talking about somebody who don’t got their license yet. I just felt it was so unnecessary…

“Picture yourself in my position. Rumors going around, you’re just keeping quiet. And you read the article and 1,000 people throwing you under the bus, trying to find every reason, saying: ‘Good, we don’t want him here.’

“It just made me feel bad like I was worthless here.”
Click to expand...
 


Personally, I want this kid here more than any other recruit. I know he isn't as highly rated as Barnes or Joseph by recruiting services and I really haven't seen any of them play for more than a few minutes, but going into Madison and taking one of their best and brightest would be so sweet. Come play for Tubby Mr. Blue!
 

Hey Vander !!

Stop by Williams Arena and get to know Tubby. A kid could do a lot worse than having Tubby Smith and the U of M in his life.

:clap: :clap: :clap:
 



The most frightening thing of the whole article

is that someone from Wisconsin would question the intelligence of someone. That is the scariest thing that I have ever heard. The end of the world as we know it.

Go Gophers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Taking Blue from the Badgers would probably be the highlight of me being a gopher fan. The stuff some of those fans are saying is pretty ridiculous. And I don't have a problem with him caring about what the Wisc fans say about him backing out. Now they're all saying they don't need him if he's that easily affected by fans. Shows the class of the Badger fans.
 

Vander Blue would be a great addition to the Gophers.

We want you here Vander. You'd be close enough to home to visit and far enough away to get out from under their microscope. Minnesota would be a good choice for you.
 

I wont speak for others, but it is an eye opener as to how it comes across to the one discussed!
 



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