Is ex-LSU 6-10' CMagnum Rolle thinking about USF?

[CyberBull]

Hey Greg....care to do some digging?

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LSU is Thinning Out

Posted May 27th 2007 1:26PM by Charles Rich

Filed under: LSU Basketball, SEC Basketball, NCAA Basketball Coaches, NCAA Basketball Gossip, LSU

There have been rumors of discontent with the way Coach John Brady runs his basketball program. They've never been loud rumblings or else Brady would never have coached for 10 years at LSU. It's just the stories of being a little thin-skinned, not big on taking blame, and not shy about complaining about his contract. Still, Brady has landed numerous talented recruits the last several years and is only a year removed from a Final Four appearance.

Even with the losses of LaMarcus Aldridge Darrel Mitchell and Tyrus Thomas, LSU was supposed to at least be an NCAA Tournament team. A very disappointing follow-up season -- in part because of some key injuries -- has brought some of the rumblings closer to the surface. Especially as highly recruited players have failed to develop, keep up their academics, and/or several transfers elsewhere.

This past season saw the dismissal of Tack Minor from the team for academic reasons. Back-up point guard, Sophomore Ben Voogd left the team and the Oregon native is going to walk-on at Washington State. Glenn Davis left school early to enter the NBA Draft. Now Magnum Rolle has announced his intent to transfer. The good news, that means lots of open scholarships to offer for 2008.

Individually, many of the transfers don't seem like a big deal, and would reflect worse on the transferring player. Minor never matched the hype or his own distorted view of his talents. Voogd, wanted to be closer to home and maybe some more playing time. Davis nearly turned pro last season and wasn't expected to stay past this year. Rolle comes off like a typical selfish player who saw his own talent as being higher than it actually was.

But a herniated disk slowed his progress, and Rolle never established himself as a reliable scoring threat. Although his defense improved, Rolle's inconsistency prevented him from playing a larger role on a team with Davis and senior Darnell Lazare absorbing most of the playing time at the forward spots.

Rolle played in 60 games in two years, averaging 2.8 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.

Asked if he was given a fair chance to prove himself, Rolle said "I don't think so. I wasn't given the leeway to make mistakes and learn from them. I was put on a leash more than other players. Every coach has their plan, and I have a lot of respect for (LSU coach John Brady), but I wasn't given that chance to play to my limits."

This would come off as a typical spoiled player not interested in the team. Indeed, Rolle is undecided as to his future. Whether he will transfer and sit out a year (FSU and USF both recruited him hard and has family nearby, additionally another former LSU player, Kentrell Gransberry transferred and is enjoying success at USF) or spend the time preparing for the 2008 NBA Draft. How does that not seem like a player with an overinflated sense of his abilities? He was a top recruit nationally, but that's no guarantee of success or playing time.

Coach Brady in a press release announcing Rolle's departure, hardly took the high road.

"Despite the development of several players who have had the patience and made it to the next level in our program at his position, sometimes the parties involved do not agree on a developmental process of the player as it relates to the team," said Brady.

Rather than simply wish him well and say something about how things didn't work out the way expected, Brady went out of his way to put the blame on Rolle. Not exactly the adult approach, even if you agree. It does nothing to dispel the notion that Brady is a bit thin-skinned and doesn't take blame when things don't work.

http://www.aolsportsblog.com/2007/05/27/lsu-is-thinning-out/

[BullsDude08]

I am unsure about his credentials and I'm hoping that is just LSU's side of the story. Because, we don't need a cocky player here at USF.

[crambone]

Cocky?  CJL can work on that (a la "Sharpiegate").

Bad grades/Likes to steal?  Now that is something that we have a hard time working on...

[Rabbi Bull]

Cocky?  CJL can work on that (a la "Sharpiegate").

Bad grades/Likes to steal?  Now that is something that we have a hard time working on...

you mean CSH, as the kid is a basketball player not a football player.

[crambone]

LOL I did!

I read everything and realized it was basketball, but I still typed in "FOOTBALL MODE"...

Chalk it up to the off-season maybe?!?!

[Velcro]

Magnum Rolle would be a HUGE get, even if he did only have 1 or 2 years left.

A big man that is as athletic as they come that can fit into a high paced system without being a liability in the half court sets.

I don't know any of the baggage involved, but I have seen him play and I would be very happy if he came here.

[Bulls 8_va]

Yea, not too fond of the off the court issues...

But, C'mon!!! HIS NAME IS MAGNUM!!!

lol

GO BULLS!!!

[USFMikeB]

I hear he's looking at going pro, not a transfer...

[Velcro]

Sounds reasonable.  Probably not the smartest move, but it does sound like something he would consider.

[CyberBull]

Brett did a little digging for us regarding Rolle:

Bulls on a Rolle?

Posted By Brett McMurphy at May 30, 2007 at 12:13 PM

Updated May 30, 2007 at 12:18 PM

Former LSU forward Magnum Rolle, considered one of the nation’s top recruits out of high school, has six schools he’s considering transferring to, including the University of South Florida.

Besides USF, the 6-foot-10 Rolle is considering Wyoming, Marshall, Oral Roberts, Delaware and Louisiana Tech, said Darrell Sears, Rolle’s high school coach at St. George’s in Freeport, Bahamas.

Read more: http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/sports/comments/bulls-on-a-rolle/

Gotta love having two regularly update blogs...