Nice reporting Josh - thanks for keeping the local basketball geeks informed!

Well, we need to support Gus's decision. I hope he finds a school where he is truly comfortable. VaTech is not the same place it was when he committed.

As I have stressed in another posting, the rumors about JT III's interest in Gilchrist are pure propaganda. Actually they are a form of preemptive attack, whose aim is to discourage Coach Thompson from going after Gilchrist, now that he is no longer interested in Virginia Tech. This technique was used last year when Reynolds made it known that he wanted out of his LOI. But Coach Thompson was not interested in Reynolds, even though GU was his favorite school. Regarding Gilchrist, Coach Thompson should do what is best for his program, especially since he has nothing to do with Gilchrist's changing his mind.

Gus needs to realize that he needs to come to Blacksburg because slavery isn't over when it comes to Hokie athletics (unless we steal one from another school) and we own him when he signed his LOI. He should just feel uncomfortable, come to Blacksburg unhappy, and hate his first year of college all because I want to brag to my accounting geek friends that "we're #1" in basketball and football. P Envy Rules!

If the arrest record of the VT football program the last 10 years didn't scare him before he signed his LOI, then 4/16 should not have bothered him at all. I smell a conspiracy!!@#$%!

A personal trainer giving press releases? There is no way in hell that this "Woody" didn't convince Gilchrist to use that reason to get out of his obligation. Is he a wuss? If he was a seventeen year old sheltered girl from Potomac I could understand it. What a disgrace.

do we still think JT III has anything to do with this?

So who is authorized to speak for Gilchrist (and claim the award for turning him away from VT and leading him another direction)? Seems like Woody wants a little piece of the action, or he doesn't want to share the prize.

Sounds to me like Gus has plenty of folks giving him advice on what he should do and proclaiming that they are able to speak on his behalf. I'll be interested to hear from Gus himself on the entire situation and stop hearing from the coaches, trainers, etc.

I don't think anything that's been said by either the coach or the trainer clears it up as to whether other coaches have been in Gus' ear after he signed his LOI.

worried about crime in Blacksburg more than crime in DC?

Wow - I assume Mr. Woody is a street agent looking for a "piece of the action". Whether he is or not, the corrupt nature of hoops recruiting is sick. Wake up Mr. Gilchrist, and take some ownership over your future.

Lamentable.

It is sad that high school basketball elite attract such scum. Where were the leaches in the winter of 06, when Gus Gilchrist the project first committed to Virginia Tech? Why is it that those that currently influence Mr. Gilchrist did not recognize his potential as soon as Coach Seth Greenberg did? Where were his currently good friends back then???

Young Mr. Gilchrist, if you want out of your LOI, please understand what that means about your "word". Sometimes that's all that a good man has...and if people are encouraging you to break your "word", then who's interest do they have at heart. If you are truly concerned about security, you should have been at the VT Minority Recruitment event at Falls Church. We had parents and students there a week after the event, and everyone understood the circumstances. They are all coming. Mr. Gilchrist think about a place where people will support you if you have a knee injury or if you are a superstar. Think about a place where people care about each other and alumni support you, athlete or not. Remember the person who saw something in you and was willing to invest a scholarship in you before you became Top 75 or Top 100. Isn't that someone that will stick with you. Just think about this? And then, make the best decision for your future, your character, your well-being... but make that decision yourself, for yourself.

This is just a smokescreen that belies the truth. It could be a myriad of things - including cutthroat coaching, or even fear of not qualifying or passing the clearinghouse and wanting out of his LOI simply so he won't lose a year of eligibility when he goes to prep. school. This is an unfortunate turn of events because Greenberg was on this kid before any other coach was, and we thought we had a real steal at VT. Unfortunately, things didn't turn out that way. Whether it's lack of ethics or just qualification problems that have swayed Gus, nothing will be settled through speculation right now.

I wish Gus luck in the future wherever he endeavors to go, however.

Leave the kid alone. He has already made up his mind, based on several factors, including the April 11 tragedy at VT. Since Virginia Tech is no longer in the picture, let us hope that he goes to a school that will have his interests at heart, and where he feels comfortable.

If this kid doesn't want to come to VT, that's fine and I hope he finds somewhere that he likes better.

Just let him be a man about it and say he changed his mind instead of reading a statement written by a handler (I guess parents are out of the picture) that shifts responsibility. His AAU team is named the Assault, which I'm sure everyone thinks is cool and tough as they flex their street cred, but even with the recent tragedy, Blacksburg's crime stats are still favorable compared to the greater DC area. It's about as funny as NBA players with tattoos of "warrior" and "assasin" express concern and worry about going to New Orleans for the All-Star game next year - are you guys tough all the time or only when it helps your image to sell shoes?

For the Hokie fans, I wouldn't be too worried about it - more times than not, big time recruits who will be trouble give early indications, ala Justin Holt, Marquie Cooke since 2004 and of course, there's Dennis Mims and Tony Dobbins from back in the late 90's. VT is better off sticking with kids who really want to come to class their with at least a thought of graduating before they try to get to the league.

For Gus, I hope one person will step up and look at your future without considering you being their meal ticket - there's a chance you'll be in the NBA in a few years, but there's even more of a chance you won't and without a degree from a good college, you'll be loading trucks somewhere playing in a rec league on Tuesday and Thursday nights.

We'll take him at Kentucky and make him feel real safe.

vt has and wiil continue to lose players now and in the near future because their staff is not straight forward,and kids pick up on that kind of stuff very fast

vt has and wiil continue to lose players now and in the near future because their staff is not straight forward,and kids pick up on that kind of stuff very fast

vt has and wiil continue to lose players now and in the near future because their staff is not straight forward,and kids pick up on that kind of stuff very fast

vt has and wiil continue to lose players now and in the near future because their staff is not straight forward,and kids pick up on that kind of stuff very fast