Tai Webster video

[faqlsr]

Not sure if this has been posted...if so, sorry for the duplicate.

Here is a site with a couple of complete games of Webster. I was excited to see him play as video of him has been hard to find.

Hope the link works...

http://new.livestream.com/accounts/1103671/events/1586711

[Huskerpapa]

Thank you for posting...interesting game...the award celebration is a bit...interesting as well. 

[Nebrasketballer]

Cool.  Thanks for the video.  I haven't been able to find much video on Webster. 

 

It looks like he could've taken it to the rack and scored every single time if he wanted to.  He looked like he was actively trying not to show off.  Kind've reminds me of when you are playing with a group of people that have never really played, so you just pass it around to everyone else on the team to avoid being "that guy" that takes it too seriously and just makes everyone else look foolish.  His skill level and even physical build are on a completely different level than everyone else on the court.  Thanks again for the video.

[doc1394]

Looks like he gets caught in the air a few times

[basketballjones]

That was arguably lower than Class D2 JV competition....

Agreed with the previous poster that inferred he looked very bored out there and probably could have done whatever he wanted to if he really tried.  

 

He is very fast with the ball in his hands though - good to see.  

[Norm Peterson]

I'm surprised there's actually any talk of him staying in New Zealand to develop.  I know his coach there has recently claimed that he can develop a player better over there than a kid going to the states to play in college.  But that isn't remotely realistic.  He simply won't face the level of competition there that he will here.  And if this is a kid who is thinking American professional sports, I don't think there's a legitimate substitute.  Especially for a guard.  You might get the random Pau Gasol coming out of Europe.  But I think a lot of these foreign players are taken on potential rather than what they can do right now.

 

Tai, if you read this, please understand a few things:

 

1)  The sharpest steel gets tempered in fire (i.e., the tougher the competition you'll face, the better you'll be);

 

2)   You won't face any better competition at your age than here at Nebraska playing in the Big 10;

 

3)   You won't find facilities better than ours anywhere in the world;

 

4)   March Madness is a phenomenon unlike anything else you'll ever see, and you'll only find it here playing college basketball; and

 

5)   There is NO place like Nebraska.

[TheKamdyMan]

I'm surprised there's actually any talk of him staying in New Zealand to develop.  I know his coach there has recently claimed that he can develop a player better over there than a kid going to the states to play in college.  But that isn't remotely realistic.  He simply won't face the level of competition there that he will here.  And if this is a kid who is thinking American professional sports, I don't think there's a legitimate substitute.  Especially for a guard.  You might get the random Pau Gasol coming out of Europe.  But I think a lot of these foreign players are taken on potential rather than what they can do right now.

 

Tai, if you read this, please understand a few things:

 

1)  The sharpest steel gets tempered in fire (i.e., the tougher the competition you'll face, the better you'll be);

 

2)   You won't face any better competition at your age than here at Nebraska playing in the Big 10;

 

3)   You won't find facilities better than ours anywhere in the world;

 

4)   March Madness is a phenomenon unlike anything else you'll ever see, and you'll only find it here playing college basketball; and

 

5)   There is NO place like Nebraska.

 

I agree.  In the pro league over there Jonny Flynn is the front runner for MVP going away.  Now Flynn obviously did well in college at certain times but he could barely stick in the NBA as a bench player and was out after 3 years and 3 different teams..

 

It just goes to show their league is nowhere close to competing with the top leagues here.

[hhcmatt]

I'm surprised there's actually any talk of him staying in New Zealand to develop. 

 

The idea of developing New Zealand player in New Zealand was floated by the people who would be employed with developing the players.  You might actively persuade people that cell phones are no good if you're a beeper salesman. 

[Silverbacked1]

Hey,

 

I still have a typewriter you can use, newer ribbon included.

[Hooper]

I'm not going to worry about Webster. I made both Robin Washut and Brian Rosenthal aware of the tweet about a week ago, and neither has said a word about it since. I have to believe they asked the staff and were told that there was nothing to report. Like Atewe's shoe tweet, it was a vague comment that was probably nothing.

 

When I read it, I thought it might be either a serious injury or something about his college plans, but maybe it was just about a girl or something.

[Concrete]

I rarely check HuskerOnline, but I was browsing it a few days ago and ran into this: http://nebraska.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=287&tid=163314276&mid=163314276&sid=928&style=2

 

Again, I rarely check that board so I have no idea if that guy is even a Nebraska fan or if he's just trying to stir things up.  I'm not going to worry about it until there's some more solid info than a random message board post and ambiguous tweet.

[Norm Peterson]

Hooper, it surprises me that Washut hasn't done anything with it.  The business model for Rivals is to get people to join because of access to inside or early info.  They often post articles over there dispelling rumors with teaser headlines like "Will Nebraska be getting a visit from a 5-star DT?"  They've figured out a way to make money just by writing articles that say, "nope, nothing to see here folks."  Any opportunity to dispel a rumor about a Nebraska-involved player is an opportunity to milk the Husker fan base for more subscriptions.  Therefore, the fact they haven't written about it one way or the other is curious to me.  Maybe they haven't written about it because they DON'T have an answer.

 

And, Concrete, a single post like that I would ignore.  But then that post was followed by Tai's New Zealand coach coming out publicly and proclaiming that his players are better off developing there (utter rubbish for the kids with real potential) than playing college ball in the U.S.  And then shortly after his coach's comments, Tai tweeted about being at a crossroads again and how life just got a little tougher.

 

In isolation, none of that stuff means much.  Taken collectively, experience tells me where there's smoke there's generally some fire.  We've had too much experience getting snake bit by decommits or kids leaving the program that these three items taken together are enough to at least raise some eyebrows.  Tyler Moore quitting the football program, for example, was preceded by just this kind of thing. 

[Hooper]

I rarely check HuskerOnline, but I was browsing it a few days ago and ran into this: http://nebraska.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=287&tid=163314276&mid=163314276&sid=928&style=2

 

Again, I rarely check that board so I have no idea if that guy is even a Nebraska fan or if he's just trying to stir things up.  I'm not going to worry about it until there's some more solid info than a random message board post and ambiguous tweet.

 

Wow, that is not good if true. I'll see what I can find out.

[Concrete]

I guess I should rephrase what I'm saying.  I don't think there's any question that Tai's coach has been in his ear about staying in NZ and that Tai has probably considered it as recently as the last couple of weeks.  Tai's coach would be stupid not to get in his ear about that (even though staying in NZ would probably destroy Tai's career, it would certainly help that coach out) and Tai would be stupid not to heavily consider every available option.  However, at the end of the day I just have a hard time seeing Tai stay overseas.  His parents realize the value of getting Tai more experience and exposure via college ball, and he has a NZ teammate playing at Pitt and doing well.

 

It's pretty easy to sell Tai on coming to Lincoln as opposed to staying overseas.  Even if it's for financial reasons (I have no reason to believe it is, I'm just going off that post on HuskerOnline), he's already proved himself in NZ and will always have a basketball paycheck waiting for him over there no matter how he does at Nebraska.  However, if he comes to Lincoln and plays well in the Big Ten, he will be getting a much larger pay day than what any New Zealand team can offer him.  Tai would definitely be laving valuable experience on the table by staying in NZ, and potentially millions of dollars.

[Silverbacked1]

So is Mum/Dad have more pull than supposed coach?

 

Time will tell.

[TheKamdyMan]

I think the fact that his dad and brother played college ball in the states and went back to play pro is example enough they know they can try and cut their teeth here and always go back if pro ball in the states doesnt work out for them.

[uneblinstu]

Speak of the Devil...

 

https://twitter.com/RobinWashut/status/316233849753436161

[Hooper]

Guys, Robin Washut just put this to bed. I tweeted him about it. Robin talks to the staff all the time. Take this to the bank.

 

I'm taking us to Defcon 5 (lowest security alarm).

 

 

Robin Washut  @RobinWashut

To those who are worried about the rumors of @Tjawtherula not coming to Nebraska: He will be a Husker. Trust me on this. #Nebrasketball

 

FYI, Norm, we're still at Defcon 4 on Matt Atewe.

[Norm Peterson]

OK, let's just be real for a moment.  If you want some idea of how strong basketball is down in Oceania, I have one name for you:  Shawn Redhage.

 

Shawn graduated from High School at Lincoln East and went on to college at Arizona State where he, y'know, was OK. 

 

He then went to Australia to play ball professionally.  Ended up converting to Australianism and made Australia's last Olympic team.  Shawn Redhage would not have sniffed the NBA. 

 

New Zealand is a great place.  They have a lot going for them down under.  Would love to visit.  But good basketball players there should know that their best bet to make the biggest stage (the NBA) is by going to college in the U.S.)  And if you have that kind of potential (and I believe Tai does) then the U.S. is where you need to hone that talent.

 

Tai, there is no place like Nebraska. 

[Norm Peterson]

LOL, everyone.  Thanks Hoops.  That Defcon thing cracks me up every time. 

[TheKamdyMan]

OK, let's just be real for a moment.  If you want some idea of how strong basketball is down in Oceania, I have one name for you:  Shawn Redhage.

 

Shawn graduated from High School at Lincoln East and went on to college at Arizona State where he, y'know, was OK. 

 

He then went to Australia to play ball professionally.  Ended up converting to Australianism and made Australia's last Olympic team.  Shawn Redhage would not have sniffed the NBA. 

 

New Zealand is a great place.  They have a lot going for them down under.  Would love to visit.  But good basketball players there should know that their best bet to make the biggest stage (the NBA) is by going to college in the U.S.)  And if you have that kind of potential (and I believe Tai does) then the U.S. is where you need to hone that talent.

 

Tai, there is no place like Nebraska. 

 

reminds me of playing ball over in Russia.  I spent 5 years playing minor league baseball and was always around a 4+ era in most of those years.  Russia wanted me to come over and play in their league to make their players better in anticipation of the olympic trials that fall.  I went over there and was like Roger Clemens and Nolan Ryan on a regular basis.  My only loss was a 1-0 loss to my roommate and groomsman because he threw a no-hitter against my team (he was undrafted and only ever played independent baseball like the Saltdogs).  There's a reason our country is the best of the best when it comes to the big 3 sports.

[Cookie Belcher]

Does anyone know if Robin Washut has tweeted about this?

[ajb5856]

Oh boy you guys...don't know where this goes but I'll plop it in the Atewe tread too since he just tweeted it.

@MatthewAtewe41: @RobinWashut @tjawtherula what u mean?..

[Silverbacked1]

Defcon 2

[Norm Peterson]

Oh boy you guys...don't know where this goes but I'll plop it in the Atewe tread too since he just tweeted it.

@MatthewAtewe41: @RobinWashut @tjawtherula what u mean?..

Oh, shit.  Here we go, LOL.