Monday Musings: Don't take the edge away from Ejim
- Thread starter ChrisMWilliams
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Don't know about what he does off the court, but if he was exemplary then it would make more sense. I know some will probably disagree, but I find Kane much more likeable as a player. I'm sure he's done otherwise, but he seems to just play the game. He's gotten killed a couple times on the way to the basket recently, yet just gets up and goes to shoot his free throws. Definitely respect that. Plus I like his game. Reminds me of Woolridge back in the day. Ejim seems to be like McCabe in a sense that he was a baby/brought attn to himself early and now is getting targeted for it. Would probably explain Ejim's last T (at least by the way the board described it). Both seem to have made their bed, and are now getting those iffy calls against them.
Ejim is an academic all american. He was inducted into a really prestigious academic fraternity or something last year.
Grantland wrote an article about him here that mentions some stuff: Who
He and George are seen here volunteering to talk to kids on skype in Fairfield Iowa: Cyclone Basketball @CycloneMBB Feb 27How do Melvin and Georges spend their morning after a big win? Skyping with middle school kids from Fairfield, Iowa. pic.twitter.com/ykTFd0ygfT
Stuff like that.
I am not going to respond to the BS at the end of your post. Ejim argued a call and got T'd up a couple games ago, and the T vs KSU was questionable. Nothing to read into, although he and Kane do spend more time than I would like arguing calls. No more than any other high profile players though.
If what Ejim did vs KSU was a technical for everyone, Smart would have played about 3 or 4 games this year.
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I think Ejim would be glad that a Hawk fan doesn't like him. That's exactly what kind of player he is.
Off the court, I don't know that you could find a better representative of a student athlete. Incredibly smart, nice guy. It isn't hard to search out all of the articles and stories done about him over the last few years.
Very well put. No one likes him getting technicals, but I'll take that any day of the week if the trade off is him playing like he does. He's successful on the court because of that attitude. If he didn't have that attitude, there's no way he could go in there and be better than players bigger than him or more talented than he is.
It's going to be weird on Saturday. A crazy end of an era. Like he said, it was Hoiberg and him that have kind of seen this whole thing go from the bottom to a top 25 team. He'll always be remembered as the guy that got things going for Iowa State. Hoiberg gets a ton of credit for making the transfer thing work (and he should) but a lot of credit also needs to go to Mel. He's embraced having new teammates every year and has made things work with them.
I'll probably say it a hundred times between now and Saturday, but it really can't be said enough. Go to the game. Get there early. Get in your seats and be ready for senior night. It's been about 25 years since we've had a 4 year player play all 4 years for the same coach.
It's going to be weird on Saturday. A crazy end of an era. Like he said, it was Hoiberg and him that have kind of seen this whole thing go from the bottom to a top 25 team. He'll always be remembered as the guy that got things going for Iowa State. Hoiberg gets a ton of credit for making the transfer thing work (and he should) but a lot of credit also needs to go to Mel. He's embraced having new teammates every year and has made things work with them.
I'll probably say it a hundred times between now and Saturday, but it really can't be said enough. Go to the game. Get there early. Get in your seats and be ready for senior night. It's been about 25 years since we've had a 4 year player play all 4 years for the same coach.
I hope Hoiberg has made a few calls to the Big 12 office to make sure that we get good refs for our last home game and that they won't have ridiculously quick whistles on us for the Ts. I didn't see Ejim do anything different than most players do after a clutch play over a good defensive effort.
I don't think anyone here thinks the KSU tech was legit, BUT, I also wasn't surprised by it. Perception is reality, even with refs, and Mel has become a lightning rod. It ain't a fair world and having Mel believe he didn't do anything wrong because it was a bogus call isn't the answer.
Just because others jaw and worse doesn't justify his voiced passion. It's NOT fair, it's NOT right...but it's the reality he has to deal with.
Mel, you and me would be miserable if during a sweet 16 game he missed floor time(deserved or not) due to an outburst.
Saying the T was bogus or unfair wouldn't make anyone feel better. When these next games get intense he'll be in a zero tolerance zone.
Stinks, because I love his fire, but it is what it is.
Just because others jaw and worse doesn't justify his voiced passion. It's NOT fair, it's NOT right...but it's the reality he has to deal with.
Mel, you and me would be miserable if during a sweet 16 game he missed floor time(deserved or not) due to an outburst.
Saying the T was bogus or unfair wouldn't make anyone feel better. When these next games get intense he'll be in a zero tolerance zone.
Stinks, because I love his fire, but it is what it is.
I don't think the KSU T constitutes a pattern. I think the back to back techs in back to back games thing is overblown and just a coincidence. I'd bet Ejim doesn't get another technical all year.
Moral of the story: the T's certainly don't help us, but in no way should detract from what Melvin has accomplished in a career and what he has done this season. He is truly a Cyclone great.
Sounds like a decent guy from what you've linked, but I'm sure that award he received is supposed to reflect that he showed class on the court as well (which in multiple instances he clearly did not). Obviously you guys are going to protect Ejim as he is one of your own. That said, he's not getting T'd up just b/c. He obviously has a reputation and that is reason he's getting questionable T's. I'm sure you'd mock any Hawkeye that got an award that was flipping off opposing crowds, constantly whining about calls and getting T'd up frequently. Would you not?
Right. Melvin has acted the same way all year. It's when we get a ref was a quick trigger that a bogus T is called.
And I'm sure you would be on cyclone fanatic ripping that Hawk player too..
Here is the criteria: An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award honors the attributes of NCAA Division I senior student-athletes in four areas: community, classroom, character and competition. The award program is designed exclusively for college seniors who are utilizing their complete athletic eligibility, remaining committed to their university and pursuing the many rewards a senior season can bring. The award is managed by Premier Sports Management. Award winners are determined by a selection process that includes NCAA Division I college coaches in each respective sport, national media and fans. Public fan voting on the Senior CLASS Award website takes place each year during the month leading up to the NCAA Championship.
Sorry, Chris. You can be hard-nosed without getting stupid fouls/technicals. He turned to the ref in the WVU game while the ball was still live to complain to the ref. The guy got by him and he committed a dumb foul because he was out of position. Then he complained about that and got the T. So THAT is hard-nosed basketball?
Funny how you paint that as either/or.
Funny how you paint that as either/or.
Probably because Ejim has beaten the Hawks 3 out of 4 times in his career. Granted, Kane is batting 1.000 against you guys, but he's only beaten you once.
I don't see anyone arguing that the WVU game T wasn't stupid or deserved. I think people are upset about the one in the KSU game. Ejim definitely lost control a bit in the WVU game, and needs to keep his composure. However, I totally agree with what CW said in this article. Ejim has always played with a bit of a mean streak and a chip on his shoulder from being looked-over by the league and media. It has always been the way he has played.
Hope he keeps playing mean and carrying the chip, but the passion has to be redirected.
Chest bump Kane after a big 3, rag to Niang after a bad call. Heck, blowing kisses to the idiot hecklers will mess with them more than a flying finger.
Its tough to see him looking so miserable sitting on the bench in critical games. The touchy ref calls aren't gonna change, he has to.
Chest bump Kane after a big 3, rag to Niang after a bad call. Heck, blowing kisses to the idiot hecklers will mess with them more than a flying finger.
Its tough to see him looking so miserable sitting on the bench in critical games. The touchy ref calls aren't gonna change, he has to.
