Bubba Speaks

[Zippy989]

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...150330/1063/SPT"Bubba Walther didn't mean his Mid-American Conference hop to Ohio to be a slap in the face to Akron fans." "Because Walther didn't like living in the dorms, his parents persuaded him to try living in an apartment as a sophomore. But he said by the time Akron got back from a three-game trip to Puerto Rico on Dec. 21, he knew it was time to leave." "Basketball was not going to get any better for me there, so I needed to make the move," Walther said. "I liked my teammates a lot, but I was already playing less than I was last year, and I felt like the opportunities to earn more minutes weren't going to be there. ... We had four people in the same position." "I don't have any hard feelings (toward Akron)," Walther said. "... I hope they do well, except when they play Ohio."

[zip37]

AT THE CSU GAME LAST NITE, A GUY LIKENED LOSING BUBBA WAS LIKE LOSING A CANCER, ALTHOUGH I LIKED THE KID, I COULD NOT DISAGREE WITH HIM. ANOTHER PERSON THAT HADEN'T SEEN THE ZIPS PLAY SINCE DEC THOUGHT THAT THE TEAM LOOKED MORE COHESIVE, AND HAD GREAT CHEMISTRY-- HE ALSO ATTRIBUTED THAT TO THE EXODUS OS SAID BUBBA.WITH BALL AMMUNITION LOCK AND LOAD

[maggiemoo]

The thing that I am not understanding is that if it had to do with apartment life or dorm life, how is that going to get any different at OU? It would be a different story if he were going to be going to a school in Cincy, and living with Mom and Dad, but he isn't - sounds like a bad excuse.He saw the writing on the wall and knew that the talent level at UA had gone up, and he would be losing PT.

[Quickzips]

Sounds like a kid who is trying to save face so the Zips don't have any locker room material to get them even more pumped up for games against OU.

[Valpo Zip]

All these dorms/apartments stories are non sense... Bubba's problem was (Nick Dials).Just watching the first 2 home games in the season, i noticed that something is wrong with Bubba, like he was not passing the ball to nick even when he was open and he was making faces everytime he was benched... I honestly did like Bubba's 3 pointers at some games and i used to cheer for him a lot... However, If i had to choose (which i don't), i would definitely pick Dru, Nick and Ced over a million Bubba !

[basketballman31]

Ok i am a mac basketball fan and i go to bowling green and ive been curious to see how akron people have responded to the Walther kid leaving.I see that you are not taking it well and are bashing the kid for leaving and going to the best team in this conference.I just want to know why u guys dont appreciate a kid who helped you win 19 games this year and five this year? the kid made the all mac freshman team, lit my falcons up for 15 last year and hit a ton of big shots during that game. i see his stats and he was averaging more points assists rebounds and steals in less time. while the dials kid is logging all of these minutes and had not done anything to help the akron basketball program other than being on the practice squad. now i saw the dials kid play in high school at willard when they came up here and i thought he was a good player and he def. is but what about when his knee goes out like it already is and he is limping around like a 60 year old man out there are you going to wish you still had bubba then? i agree the dorms comment was an excuse but he mentioned the playing time and honestly i dont blame him. the kid was getting screwed and he said he thought about it last year so do you think dambrot knew and maybe told him a line of b.s.? anyways zip fans you all are know it alls on this message board a and nd i find it odd that the best team in the league would gladly have him but hes not good enough for akron?please and i know my falcons could use him. Stop bashing the kid for making the best decision for himself.show some classGo MAC!!!!

[zipper]

A high school buddy.

[Ryno aka Menace]

I wonder what would happen if athletes were not allowed to transfer unless they were kicked out of the university....what if athletes were bound..ya know like a "real contract!" The university has to honor their scholarship offer, so why shouldn't the athlete? I mean if you became a professional you would have to honor your contract or you would be subject to fines and penalties.....Now I know some people are gonna say there is a penalty you have to sit out a year...yeah so what the university loses that scholarship money. IMO sports directly relates to preparation for the real world. You just gonna quit your job cause a new hire is getting more praise than you? Better yet you have problem in a marriage so instead of working harder or sticking with it your just gonna quit! Some people are so afraid of competition, or playing a backup role. So the guy from BG who is obviously friends with this pu$$y tell him good ridance. We are trying to build something special here and we don't' need quiters.Quitters never win and winners never quit.....I believe everything happens for a reason...when a door is close look for a window (of opportunity)!!

[zipper]

Oh, to the buddy, btw, Dambrot doesn't B.S. anybody. In fact, imho he is painfully honest with his kids. Isn't it entirely possible Bubba has an inflated view of his abilities?

[UADavid]

If he doesn't want Akron so be it. Instead of working harder to earn the minutes he felt he deserved he chose to transfer. This team has a ton of upside with or without Bubba. We get a scholarship back and he's not part of something special here at Akron. Let's call that a push and move on.

[maggiemoo]

basketballman31,If bubba was doing so much more than dials, he wouldn't have been losing minutes like he was. For what I saw at the beginning of the season, bubba couldn't hit the broad side of a barn (from the inside!). I'd say the other guards are doing better than that since Akron is leading most of the MAC stats for offense.And what it tells me that OU will take him when AU doesn't use him is that OU isn't the #1 team in the MAC anymore.

[zip37]

basketballman31--- you evidently have only a surface knowledge of basketball-- offenseis not the only aspect of the game: there is that thing called defense-- which is more critical than offense. Bubba did not play defense--as Bob Huggins said many times "Defense is effort related."With ball ammunition l;ock and load.

[Valpo Zip]

To the guy from BG,Welcome on board and thank you for sharing your point of view.Even though, i respect your opinion but i absolutely do not agree with it ! No body here is trying to bash Bubba or hate on him, we are just stating our flat opinions about what happened... as a matter of fact, if it wasn't for him talking to the Cincy news paper, i don't think any body would have brought it up !You feel that Bubba is a top notch player and that he deserves more playing time but you only watched him play in one game (i guess) while the coaches are daily watching him and observing him in all games and practices and if he was outperforming nick dials than why would the coach give him less playing time ?Bubba had 6 or 7 games last year when he scored big numbers and had a high 3pt shooting percentage but he had some other nights off when he didn't score anything and than the only thing he was good at (in some games) was his 3pt shooting... Nick is a more all around player.Moreover, coach Dambrot expects a 40 minutes all-energy performance from all his players that is why he has a 9-10 players rotation to keep everybody fresh. The team has a balanced scoring... In almost all the games, we have 3-4 players scoring in double figures but none of them scoring more than 15... this tells you that we play a team game and that everybody gets benched and Bubba simply couldn't accept that because he thought that he would be the star of the team which he isn't.The last question i have for you and Bubba, what is it that guarrantees him more playing time at Ohio ? he is a walk on player who would start playing next January, how would he feel if he doesn't get more playing time ?

[MACReport]

Oh, to the buddy, btw, Dambrot doesn't B.S. anybody.  In fact, imho he is painfully honest with his kids.  Isn't it entirely possible Bubba has an inflated view of his abilities?

As another ousider looking in, but one who has had ample opportunity to speak with the coaches around the MAC, I want to back up what you said Zipper.There is not a coach in the MAC that has more respect among his peers and his honesty is unquestioned.

[Dr Z]

"Basketball was not going to get any better for me there, so I needed to make the move," Walther said. "I liked my teammates a lot, but I was already playing less than I was last year, and I felt like the opportunities to earn more minutes weren't going to be there. ... We had four people in the same position."

Bubba, competition is not a reason to quit, you will find competition where ever you go.Akron, Ohio, your first job out of college, your third job out of college, competition is whatmakes people and product exceed. Good luck getting your minutes. :wave:PS Dorms are even a worse reason.

[GP1]

There may be more to this than meets the eye, and it has nothing to do with KD, UofA, living in dorms, etc.Bubba is an adult and as such he can do whatever he wants. I could care less. Personally, anyone on scholarship is a fool to leave a sports program and transfer somewhere where that person has no scholarship. Having a full athletic scholarship is a privilege and is frequently not viewed that way by the recipients. If he was a walk-on, then that is a different story...he would have been given nothing and would owe nothing. His leaving just doesn't make any sense unless there is another possible reason outside of basketball.When I went to school, there was not an easy way to keep in touch with your high school or home town friends and you quickly lost touch. Now with the e-mail and cell phones, kids stay in touch easily. Maybe he met a girl or something back home that is going to OU and he wants to be close to her. You all know how bearded clams make guys crazy, especially at that age.Maybe Bubba just doesn't want to play basketball and wants to be close to some friends he had prior to Akron. If he doesn't want to play basketball, nobody has a gun to his head to do so and he should do the program a favor and not play. The scholarship is obviously not important to him either. If his familiy can afford to send him to the high school he went to, they can afford to send him to OU.Maybe Bubba didn't like the guys on the team. If that is the case, I guess I could see him leaving. They all spend a huge amount of time together and it would be hard to swallow being around a bunch of guys you don't like all the time. I don't see how going to OU could change this problem...what if he hates the guys at OU?What if the season falls out from under OU? The coach could get fired and if that happens, Bubba will NEVER get a scholarship from a new coach.I just question how much Bubba wants to play basketball and I wouldn't be shocked if he never played again. It seems to be the only thing that makes sense, because I don't think he will be able to contribute to OU any more than he would to Akron.

[Ryno aka Menace]

Everyone makes great point and I don't mean to single this kid out but as someone mentioned earlier a scholarship is a pribiledge and it isn't viewed as such in todays world and kids are to afraid of competitiond. This is a competitive world whether you like it or not and the sooner a young adult realize this the sooner they will learn nothing great comes effortless. Even if my parents had the money to send me to any school in the country why would I pay to go to a comparable school and pay for it when i could go for free, I mean it's not like he is leaving Akron to go to Harvard. And dude dorms are apart of college life, and if he doesn't like his teamates??? Man I don't like everyone i work with but I act in a professional manner and take care of business, Good luck young man especially if it is the bearded clam isthe reason for which you are leaving.

[RACER]

well put.im sure he had his reasons for leaving. sports (teamwork)is a reflection of what is ahead of your life. you don't always like the people you work with, or every one in your family. sometimes you have to do things in life you don't like doing.going to work ect.to throw away a full ride does not make sense to me. im not trying to judge anyone only pointing out how college life gets you ready for the real world. life ain't always easy.later in life you can't just walk away from certian things;so he might as well get used to it now.

[Ohiofan]

Wow, classy guys, call out a sophomore in college for wanting a change of view... I completely beleve the apartment/dorm room... If you look at the difference between Ohio and Akron as far as campus and surrounding areas, it's huge... if he wasn't a fan of living in the city why wouldn't he want to go somewhere like Ohio, or maybe Miami... if he transferred to Toledo or Buffalo I wouldn't buy it.. but I can see him wanting to move to Athens..I think you guys might want to lay off the kid and start wondering why you just went to Overtime with Central Michigan...

[Valpo Zip]

Hey Ohio fan... before you talk about central michigan (which we beat), why don't you tell us about your loss to NIU (that we beat by double figures).Something to think about !

[RACER]

listen ohio fan. no one is calling bubba out.it's his choice and i wish him all the best.i just know if i was getting my school paid for no way in hell would my parents ever let me leave to go to another school where i had to pay.

[Zipsrifle]

Wow, classy guys, call out a sophomore in college for wanting a change of view... I completely beleve the apartment/dorm room...

Though I agree that it is easy for someone well established to pass judgement on a sophomore in college, I don't think that the comment makes sense in the medium we are all working in. IMHO, it's that guy's life and he needs to make the best decision for him. OTOH, if you want to look at it that way, then everyone over 24 needs to stop posting about their college team because we shouldn't care about what's going on and even if we do care, we can't express it. Bottom line, this is a place for people to talk about their team, and they are going to post their opinion, so get used to it.

[ziplock]

Wow, classy guys, call out a sophomore in college for wanting a change of view... I completely beleve the apartment/dorm room... If you look at the difference between Ohio and Akron as far as campus and surrounding areas, it's huge... if he wasn't a fan of living in the city why wouldn't he want to go somewhere like Ohio, or maybe Miami... if he transferred to Toledo or Buffalo I wouldn't buy it.. but I can see him wanting to move to Athens..I think you guys might want to lay off the kid and start wondering why you just went to Overtime with Central Michigan...

Yeah, we all aspire to live in Athens. Gateway to Appalachia. If you read anything Walther DID say, he indicated that many of his high school brethren attended OU. That could be a big plus for him. BTW, if your campus and surrounding area are a "huge" departure from all of the urban areas you mention, why is your football program not recruiting studs and dominating? You are not even competing at a reasonable level. Your football program S-U-C-K-S (and will continue to do so). Maybe you can communicate the greatness of the campus and its surroundings before letter-of -intent day.Buena suerte.Go Zips.

[Ohiofan]

lol, you guys kill me... I wasn't saying anything that meant our campus is better than yours (I think it is, but I'm obviously bias), I'm simply stating that it's completely and totally different than Akron. Maybe he simply didn't want an urban location, but wanted to still play ball in the MAC...Please show me how Bubba Walther transferring has anything whatsoever to do with our football program? You guys won the MAC last year in a COMPLETE shocker (Congrats by the way), but remember that you also got shut out by Army in the rubber bowl. (I wonder what the attendance for that one was? 2,000? 5,000?). Yeah, you beat Northern, they came to Akron and you won by 13, congrats. We went there and had an absolute meltdown.. Leon and Sonny combined for around 5 points, that's not normal, and very unlikely to happen again. Meanwhile we set a new NCAA record against Central for worst fg% in a half EVER (Central shot 8% against us beating Miami's record VS UD when the redhawks shot 9%). 7 first half points. Then they take you to Overtime. I have a VERY hard time believing that their home court advantage was that much of a factor, with all 2,000 (maybe) fans they had there. I'm not on here to bash at your school/basketball/football program (I have no right to say anything whatsoever about basketball especially until after we play you guys this year), but I do think you've got a little bit of Sour Grapes due to Bubba leaving. I'm happy as hell that he's in Athens, if nothing else than the fact that he's not playing for you guys, I don't think I could stand to watch him hit 3's like he did last year in the Convo against us...So before you call him all sorts of names, make fun of him for coming from a wealthy family etc. etc. etc.. just give the kid a chance... We have a legend about a kid named Grunkenmeyer around here, you might want to look him up before you start bashing Bubba all over the place...I'm sure miamihawktalk.com would be glad to tell you all about him...

[Ohio]

Could it be that the kid possibly didn't like going to school in Akron?People transfer school all the time because it is not the right fit, not because they are weak and don't like competition.Now I can't say I know nearly enough about the program up there in Akron, but like the BG fan said:Walther was an All-MAC Freshmen selection.He lit up @ Ohio as well: Leading scorer 14 pts, 4 ast, 30 minsLed you in Anderson.Those are two of the hardest places to play in the MAC.Plus he led you pts. in the Gund.Bottom line: You seem to give him no benifit of the doubt. Why?I think everyone will be happy to have him down here. We seem to run a very deep, quality bench. I think he will be happy and play well.Maybe it wasn't he who gave up on you, but you that gave up on him.