[EagleMom]

My responses:

1. Murray is not a bad kid! -- No he isn't a bad kid...but he has made some really bad choices in his life and they are not being addressed as they should by those in his life who are supposed to love him....even if it means tough love for a change.
2. He does not have anger issues! -- This I absolutely do not agree with. He does have anger issues especially to those in authority over him because he does not deal well with authority....case in point his coaches...for his entire life!
3. He has the ability to be a great player and teammate! -- Justin has alot of talent but his problem is he thinks he is the only one on the floor who has the talent. He thinks he is the only one who can shoot. He thinks he is the only one who can make his team win. Therefore, he refuses to pass and he will shoot the ball with three other players on him. That does not make him a great teammate....sorry but the truth hurts.
4. About his dad and whatever happened there....Starns has no right to ever kick a player off the team, considering HE QUIT ON THE TEAM ALSO! -- Starns has had alot of heat on him and he put up with alot of crap from players, parents, and opposing fans. I don't blame him for being tempted to leave. But the fact remains that he stayed. He realized that there were players who believed in him....and that he believed in and he decided to stay for them. Starns is a top notch coach. He knows basketball and he is the coach.....so he has every right to kick any player off of the team for that simple reason. I believe that he allowed players to come back last year out of compassion. A few of the players in question...I would never have allowed back on the team but he showed class in letting them come back....and he had to eat crow on a couple of them but he did it anyway.
5. This wouldnt be a heated debate if the rivalry between the 2 schools wasnt so great. Kids switch schools all the time for sporting reasons, get over it and move on. The basketball program at JC in the dumps, hell, i dont blame him for wanting to have a chance with a coach that knows how to connect with the students in a positivie, constructive manner! -- JC's basketball program is not in the dumps. Yes, they had a rough season but that was not anyone's fault but the players. We had too many players trying to be the hero and not looking for the open man. You had players.....such as Justin Murray....who would come down the floor and dribble into the zone and shoot the ball with several of his own players wide open under the rim and refuse to pass the ball. You had players who refused to listen to the coach.....when he called a play and they just jack the ball up from wherever so they get the glory instead of making the team look good. Disgusting. They did not play as a team and they flat out refused to play as a team most of the time. Basketball is a team sport....and therefore if you don't play as a team then you deserve to lose. Period.