Ironduke1981 wrote:

What?

The snake invited the team out to Arizona with the intention of luring TJ away. Guess what, it worked.
TJ said Miller was like a father to him. Made me gag.
 

duq81 wrote:

Ironduke1981 wrote:

What?

The snake invited the team out to Arizona with the intention of luring TJ away. Guess what, it worked.
TJ said Miller was like a father to him. Made me gag.
 

I have to acknowledge that TJ is a great college basketball player, but all the laurels and praise are difficult to listen to given how he turned his back on Duquesne and Ron Everhart. I know you might not be able to blame him for transferring, but loyalty is still a big deal in my book. I also took note of the comment about Miller being like a father to him. And yes, it makes me puke too. Where was Sean Miller when TJ was getting out of high school?? We all know there is one guy who was with him from the time he was a sophomore. If there is somebody who was like a father to him besides his own father, that's the guy. I guess TJ forgot about him.

I think it is time to give that guy a break. He knew he was in a situation other star players at Duquesne found themselves in. A losing environment where they would play exceptional basketball in front of empty seats.

I give him credit for his ability to perform on basketballs biggest stage, and as a local kid he has made good where ever he has played.

Even his Aunt had the sense to move on, on to the NCAA's.

T.J. was loyal for a while. His dad said after he accepted Duquesne's offer that he would come to Duquesne no matter who else would offer.  Never said he'd stay here though.

T.J. McConnell’s journey from NCAA tournament spectator to Duquesne transfer to Arizona's Engine

Washington Post article with very classy quotes from Everhart. Certainly one missed fact in this story makes it look like RE was fired before TJ announced his intention to transfer. A good read.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2015/03/25/how-t-j-mcconnell-went-from-ncaa-tournament-spectator-to-duquesne-transfer-to-arizonas-engine/?tid=hpModule_a4df998e-86a7-11e2-9d71-f0feafdd1394

Both TJ and RE in Sweet 16....

I am new to this Board.  I have been a fan of Duquesne basketball for a few decades.  For the record, since this topic seems to have no end, I was a fan of RE; I thought he was the best thing to happen to Duquesne basketball in 30 years and I was dissappointed when he was fired.  However, I try to live in the present and I want Duquesne to succeed regardless of the name of the coach, AD, etc.

As for TJ, I don't see him or his family as disloyal, etc.  He committed to Duquesne when he was 5'8" and a sophomore in high school I believe.  If I were his parent and he had grown to 6' and had better offers from better programs, I would have been reluctant to send him to Duquesne in the first place.  After all, your first loyalty is to your family.  I didn't blame him for moving to Arizona.  There was no way he could realize his dream and his potential at Duquesne and he only had two years left.  There are no do overs.  Also, when RE interviewed for the Penn State job, I would not have been upset with him if he had been offered the job and taken it.  I would not have thought of him as disloyal. I would have felt bad that he was leaving but I liked him personally and I would have been happy for him if that is what he wanted.

For those enjoying that AZ lost last night and that TJ is upset, I find that position to be terribly immature and mean-spirited.  TJ will probably go on to have a professional career playing basketball.  After that, he will be hired as an assistant coach at a high level college program.  From there he will be hired as a college head coach.  If that is the way it plays out, good for him.  Again, if I were his parent I would be proud of him.  As a Duquesne fan, I'm glad we saw him here for two years.  He certainly contributed to RE's success here. 

theprofessor1099 wrote:

I am new to this Board.  I have been a fan of Duquesne basketball for a few decades.  For the record, since this topic seems to have no end, I was a fan of RE; I thought he was the best thing to happen to Duquesne basketball in 30 years and I was dissappointed when he was fired.  However, I try to live in the present and I want Duquesne to succeed regardless of the name of the coach, AD, etc.

As for TJ, I don't see him or his family as disloyal, etc.  He committed to Duquesne when he was 5'8" and a sophomore in high school I believe.  If I were his parent and he had grown to 6' and had better offers from better programs, I would have been reluctant to send him to Duquesne in the first place.  After all, your first loyalty is to your family.  I didn't blame him for moving to Arizona.  There was no way he could realize his dream and his potential at Duquesne and he only had two years left.  There are no do overs.  Also, when RE interviewed for the Penn State job, I would not have been upset with him if he had been offered the job and taken it.  I would not have thought of him as disloyal. I would have felt bad that he was leaving but I liked him personally and I would have been happy for him if that is what he wanted.

For those enjoying that AZ lost last night and that TJ is upset, I find that position to be terribly immature and mean-spirited.  TJ will probably go on to have a professional career playing basketball.  After that, he will be hired as an assistant coach at a high level college program.  From there he will be hired as a college head coach.  If that is the way it plays out, good for him.  Again, if I were his parent I would be proud of him.  As a Duquesne fan, I'm glad we saw him here for two years.  He certainly contributed to RE's success here. 

Unlike you I'm a long time reader and ocassional poster on this Dukes' basketball forum. I agree with your comments.  TJ was a hell of a player for the two years he played for Duquesne.  At Arizona he proved he was a big time high quality player garnering high praise from most of the broadcasters of regular season and NCAA tournament games that I watched.  I rooted for Arizona because he was on that team.  

My contacts with the McConnell family over the years that Suzie was the women's head coach and TJ was on the Dukes' roster have always been pleasant and cordial.  I was disappointed with their departures from Duquesne, but I do not harbor any ill will agasint them for leaving.  While I generally root against Pitt, I must admit that Suzie and her staff , comprised of several former Duquesne players, did an impressive job in their regular season and the NCAA tournament.  I note that the Dukes did beat them by 10 points during the regular season, and that victory turned out to be over a team with the highest RPI among all of the Dukes' wins.

All that being said, let the Dukes beat Pitt in every sport in which they are opponents.   

 


 

Mike Ignelsi wrote:

That's a very fine sentiment Professor.  As for yours truly, that kid is dead to me.  And has been.  Loyalty isn't something that's convenient; a commitment is a commitment.  

I agree with you Mike. I can understand TJ's desire to transfer, but there have been many good players, some better than TJ, who remained loyal to their teams and resisted  the urge to tranfer to better programs for their own satisfaction and self-aggrandizement. And I believe he threw some people under the bus in the process, but that didn't matter.

theprofessor1099 wrote:

This is nice conversation but it doesn't matter.

RE is an assistant coach.

TJ had a great college career and his future is bright.

DU Mens Basketball is in the toilet and the future is unknown but, to the untrained eye, it doesn't look too good.  

Professor, I agree that this is a nice, but essentially irrelevant conversation. However, a question and a comment:
Question: What is your purpose or point in stating that RE is an assistant coach??
Comment: TJ would have had a great college career and a bright future if he had stayed at Duquesne.
And I agree that DU Men's Basketball stinks as if it were really in the toilet. Maybe the new President will fix it.

 

KenOTR73 wrote:

Westender wrote:

Mike Ignelsi wrote:

That's a very fine sentiment Professor.  As for yours truly, that kid is dead to me.  And has been.  Loyalty isn't something that's convenient; a commitment is a commitment.  

I agree with you Mike. I can understand TJ's desire to transfer, but there have been many good players, some better than TJ, who remained loyal to their teams and resisted  the urge to tranfer to better programs for their own satisfaction and self-aggrandizement. And I believe he threw some people under the bus in the process, but that didn't matter.

A gentleman by the name of Stephen Curry who played at Davidson comes immediately to mind. He didn't go anywhere. And his father Dell even played in the NBA. Probably could've ended up wherever he wanted. And, no, TJ is headed directly to the coaching ranks. He will not even get a look by the NBA. Unpaid assistant at Arizona year 1 then ultimately D1 head coach. A pox on the Millers and McConnells...
 

I disagree here. TJ can definitely go to Europe if he wants to. In my opinion, he'd be foolish not to at least give it a try.

T.J. McConnell: Point Guard, Arizona

Potential top-five pick D'Angelo Russell struggled against Arizona, in large part due to T.J. McConnell's efforts on the defensive end. McConnell is only 6'1 with limited athleticism, but he played stout defense by racing through screens and staying in front of the speedy Russell.

McConnell hits threes at an efficient rate and has a fantastic 3.2 assist-to-turnover ratio, which ranks fifth in the nation. The 22-year-old could go undrafted, but he would likely make a team very satisfied as a deep bench reserve that can be used in a pinch to reliably run the point.