WTFchris
06-13-2007, 11:48 AM
Maurice Joseph Transferring to Vermont
Posted by Steve Grinczel (http://blog.mlive.com/spartansinsider/about.html) June 12, 2007 11:47AM
EAST LANSING -- To the surprise of absolutely no one, Michigan State backup shooting guard Maurice Joseph is transferring. Joseph has decided to leave MSU for Vermont, where he figures to eventually be a bigger piece of the puzzle and only a two-hour drive from his home in Quebec.
Joseph will have two years of eligibility after sitting out next season under the NCAA transfer rule.
Through a MSU spokesman, Joseph said he will always feel like he's a part of the Spartan family, but wanted to go to a program where he could be a bigger contributer. With three highly touted prospects coming in, playing time at his position was going to be a hot commodity the next two seasons.
Coach Tom Izzo said he always only had Joseph's best interest in mind, and this decision appears to fulfill that criteria.
MoJo was a streaky shooter who could squeeze out minutes if his shot was falling, but had trouble staying on the court even if they were because of his defensive lapses. And if his shot wasn't falling, it was a really tough deal for all concerned.
The first time I saw MoJo, I immediately cast my vote for Most Likely to Transfer. This wasn't a knock on him. He just looked more like a mid-major-level player than a Big Ten guy, especially at MSU. Having gotten to know him a little over the last two seasons, I can honestly say I haven't covered a more perfect gentleman who was usually in good humor and to his great, great credit, never ducked a reporter's question even when we posted him up on a bad decision or missed shot.
That will serve him well in the future. It's one of those decisions every athlete asks himself at some point -- would I rather sit the bench on a team that could do something incredibly special, or play a lot, and maybe even star, on a lesser team?
I think I know how I'd lean. How about you?
As for what Vermont is getting, we'll see. Joseph certainly has the athletic ability to be as good a defender as he wants to be.
Had he stayed, maybe a light would have finally gone on and he would have been a smaller version of Morris Peterson. Now that's he gone, maybe he'll be Doug Davis.
Posted by Steve Grinczel (http://blog.mlive.com/spartansinsider/about.html) June 12, 2007 11:47AM
EAST LANSING -- To the surprise of absolutely no one, Michigan State backup shooting guard Maurice Joseph is transferring. Joseph has decided to leave MSU for Vermont, where he figures to eventually be a bigger piece of the puzzle and only a two-hour drive from his home in Quebec.
Joseph will have two years of eligibility after sitting out next season under the NCAA transfer rule.
Through a MSU spokesman, Joseph said he will always feel like he's a part of the Spartan family, but wanted to go to a program where he could be a bigger contributer. With three highly touted prospects coming in, playing time at his position was going to be a hot commodity the next two seasons.
Coach Tom Izzo said he always only had Joseph's best interest in mind, and this decision appears to fulfill that criteria.
MoJo was a streaky shooter who could squeeze out minutes if his shot was falling, but had trouble staying on the court even if they were because of his defensive lapses. And if his shot wasn't falling, it was a really tough deal for all concerned.
The first time I saw MoJo, I immediately cast my vote for Most Likely to Transfer. This wasn't a knock on him. He just looked more like a mid-major-level player than a Big Ten guy, especially at MSU. Having gotten to know him a little over the last two seasons, I can honestly say I haven't covered a more perfect gentleman who was usually in good humor and to his great, great credit, never ducked a reporter's question even when we posted him up on a bad decision or missed shot.
That will serve him well in the future. It's one of those decisions every athlete asks himself at some point -- would I rather sit the bench on a team that could do something incredibly special, or play a lot, and maybe even star, on a lesser team?
I think I know how I'd lean. How about you?
As for what Vermont is getting, we'll see. Joseph certainly has the athletic ability to be as good a defender as he wants to be.
Had he stayed, maybe a light would have finally gone on and he would have been a smaller version of Morris Peterson. Now that's he gone, maybe he'll be Doug Davis.