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The recruitment of Mateen Cleaves and him as a freshman

  • Cleaves was leaning to MSU before the rollover accident. The accident pretty much ended any possibility Cleaves would go to SCum, even though Cleaves was tight lipped about it until his announcement there was no realistic way Fran Cleaves would let her son go to SCum after what happened that night.

    Cleaves was definitely heavy and out of shape his freshman year due to the injuries of the accident. He shed all the weight he gained from the accident during that offseason and the rest is history. He had an amazing 3 year run. Its too bad he basically lost a year to the injuries from the accident.

    This program has been blessed to have some amazing players and men come through MSU. Magic, Mateen and Draymond Green headline a list that includes Respert, Kelser, Johnny Green, Sam and Jay Vincent, MoPete, Skiles and Steve Smith to just start the list. The best about it, is that every person on that list was an amazing basketball player and nearly every single one of them is a much better human than they were a basketball player.

    Posting member of tRCMB since 1997. It is ALWAYS a great day to be a Spartan!!!!

    Raytooth Morgan

  • 17_Gene Parmesan said...

    If I remember correctly Cleaves tried to sue either Traylor or Taylor for the injuries he sustained in the accident.

    Probably Taylor and only technically. If Cleaves put in a claim against Taylor's auto insurance and it went into litigation then he would technically be suing the policy holder, presumably Maurice Taylor. He never would have received a dime from Taylor, only the insurance company.

    Posting member of tRCMB since 1997. It is ALWAYS a great day to be a Spartan!!!!

    Raytooth Morgan

  • RaytoothMorgan said...

    Cleaves was leaning to MSU before the rollover accident. The accident pretty much ended any possibility Cleaves would go to SCum, even though Cleaves was tight lipped about it until his announcement there was no realistic way Fran Cleaves would let her son go to SCum after what happened that night.

    Cleaves was definitely heavy and out of shape his freshman year due to the injuries of the accident. He shed all the weight he gained from the accident during that offseason and the rest is history. He had an amazing 3 year run. Its too bad he basically lost a year to the injuries from the accident.

    This program has been blessed to have some amazing players and men come through MSU. Magic, Mateen and Draymond Green headline a list that includes Respert, Kelser, Johnny Green, Sam and Jay Vincent, MoPete, Skiles and Steve Smith to just start the list. The best about it, is that every person on that list was an amazing basketball player and nearly every single one of them is a much better human than they were a basketball player.

    Thank you! Especially the last paragraph.

    The twits around here who forget or just don't know the history of MSU players are a sad, sad bunch.

    This post has been edited 2 times, most recently by Bender on 3/20/2012 at 8:27 AM

    Nίκη για MSU

    Bender

  • msu steingr3 said...

    He passed away, just let him RIP.

    So did Ed Martin.

    This post was edited by Lawre167 on 3/20/2012 at 8:44 AM

    Lawre167

  • Yep he sued Taylor

    CNN/SI - College Basketball - Mateen Cleaves sues Maurice Taylor for 1996 accident - Thursday July 29, 1999 08:38 PM

    Cleavess negligent operation of the Ford Explorer.

    sportsillustrated.cnn.com

    Gene Parmesan

  • has been said...

    Good gravy, there are a lot of conflicting facts in this thread. Are you guys all guessing?

    I have some insider knowledge, and would like to set the record straight. I was riding with the AA police that night, doing field research for a short chapter in my first novel , "Fast Break". When we first came upon the scene of the rollover of the Range Rover, Cleaves was obviously hurt worse than the rest of the occupants. Still he helped all of them - Glen Rice, Bo Shembechler, Maurice "Tractor" Taylor, Antoine Joubert, Manny Harris and LaVelle Blanchard - out of the wreckage before the vehicle was engulfed in flames.

    He was already close with some of the other Flintstones, having played a lot of summer and AAU ball with them, so he called them to come pick him up and take him to Izzo's house. IIRC, the guys who came down that night from Flint were Skiles, Respert, Bell, Smith, Hutson, Steve Cherry and Mike Chappelle. Jason Richardson, who played for Flint Northern, was in the NBA dunk contest that night and couldn't make it, but did call back on his cellular bag phone afterwards. Z. Randolph would have come, but was serving an in-school suspension for having a flare gun in his locker. Apparently, a shop project had gone awry, and he was really bummed.

    Cleaves started every game as a freshman and led the B1G in scoring (though we called it the Big 13 minus 2 back then). He was the fifth player-coach in Big 13 minus 2 history, following in the footsteps of Terry Furlow, Bill Russell, Scott Skiles, and Antoine Joubert.

    The rich history of Flint hoops and MSU carries on to this day. From original Flintstones like Magic and Mateen, to today's rugged Flintstones like Austin Thornton and Branden Dawson, this is a legacy that started in a leased Range Rover - registered to Gary Grant, BTW - on that rainy August night.

    Edit: Forgot to answer the OP's question on how Izzo landed Cleaves. With no Ed Martin on our payroll, Izzo had to take care of bizness on his own. He got Cleaves a fake ID (thanks to the connections of a certain Texas Ranger whose name rhymes with "truck taurus") and a $20 QD gift card. Deal done.

    biggrinclap

    Spartan_Don

  • RaytoothMorgan said...

    .

    Cleaves was definitely heavy and out of shape his freshman year due to the injuries of the accident. He shed all the weight he gained from the accident during that offseason and the rest is history. He had an amazing 3 year run. Its too bad he basically lost a year to the injuries from the accident.

    .

    Based on watching Mateen play in high school, I would say he was never completely the same after the rollover. Obviously, he was an unreal college player and leader but he was not as explosive as he was in high school. IMHO.

    duffy munn

  • duffy munn said...

    Based on watching Mateen play in high school, I would say he was never completely the same after the rollover. Obviously, he was an unreal college player and leader but he was not as explosive as he was in high school. IMHO.

    I agree. I saw him play at the Breslin my freshman year in the semis and final (Battle Creek and Pershing) and there's no comparison in atleticism between pre and post back injury Mateen. That's quickness and jumping ability.

    I recall him going over people to throw it down in the half court.

    As a side note, it was said in far more limited recruiting analysis in those days, pre injury, in a matchup with Mike Bibby, that Mateen matched Bibby in quicks and dominated him with physicality.

    Larry Kazamias

  • Larry Kazamias said...

    I agree. I saw him play at the Breslin my freshman year in the semis and final (Battle Creek and Pershing) and there's no comparison in atleticism between pre and post back injury Mateen. That's quickness and jumping ability.

    I recall him going over people to throw it down in the half court.

    As a side note, it was said in far more limited recruiting analysis in those days, pre injury, in a matchup with Mike Bibby, that Mateen matched Bibby in quicks and dominated him with physicality.

    Yep. I was going to post about the dunking in traffic in HS and I don't recall Mateen ever dunking at MSU. Imagine how great Cleaves would of been a half-step faster. Without the rollover and freaking Teddy Dupay, I think Mateen would still be in the NBA.

    duffy munn

  • duffy munn said...

    Yep. I was going to post about the dunking in traffic in HS and I don't recall Mateen ever dunking at MSU. Imagine how great Cleaves would of been a half-step faster. Without the rollover and freaking Teddy Dupay, I think Mateen would still be in the NBA.

    The accident was a lot worse than most people understand. Gary Grant's Range Rover was on top of Cleaves, who had been thrown clear - only to have the SUV methodically slide down the giant tree until it was on top of him. While pinned, Cleaves performed an emergency tracheotomy and held the critically injured Bobby Hurley until help arrived.

    It was just a mistake; I didn't mean to let them take away my soul. Am I too old? Is it too late?

    has been

  • has been said...

    The accident was a lot worse than most people understand. Gary Grant's Range Rover was on top of Cleaves, who had been thrown clear - only to have the SUV methodically slide down the giant tree until it was on top of him. While pinned, Cleaves performed an emergency tracheotomy and held the critically injured Bobby Hurley until help arrived.

    What?

    duffy munn

  • duffy munn said...

    What?

    Sorry, I got my MSU-related rollovers mixed up. You were right about Cleaves, though. It took him a while to recover, and then I don't think he ever got back to full athleticism.

    It was just a mistake; I didn't mean to let them take away my soul. Am I too old? Is it too late?

    has been

  • bpmcgant said...

    Wasn't the SUV registered to Maurice Taylor?

    yep, it wasn't Traylor's but Mo Taylor's Ford Escape. It was Traylor's grandmother who had the custom built SUV.

    I remember talking to a teammate of Mateen's the weekend he was taking the UM visit. The kid told me Mateen was going to MSU but he got 5 visits and wanted to take another one.

    "If you have the right to be offended I have the right to offend you." - Ricky Gervais

    Enrico Palazzo ●

  • Larry Kazamias said...

    I agree. I saw him play at the Breslin my freshman year in the semis and final (Battle Creek and Pershing) and there's no comparison in atleticism between pre and post back injury Mateen. That's quickness and jumping ability.

    I recall him going over people to throw it down in the half court.

    As a side note, it was said in far more limited recruiting analysis in those days, pre injury, in a matchup with Mike Bibby, that Mateen matched Bibby in quicks and dominated him with physicality.

    I've often thought this as well.
    The most impressive thing about the Cleaves/Antonio Smith alley-oops back at Flint Northern was that, more often than not, Cleaves was on the receiving end.

    Claretts Folly81462

  • has been said...

    The accident was a lot worse than most people understand. Gary Grant's Range Rover was on top of Cleaves, who had been thrown clear - only to have the SUV methodically slide down the giant tree until it was on top of him. While pinned, Cleaves performed an emergency tracheotomy and held the critically injured Bobby Hurley until help arrived.

    That's the Myth Album version of what happened. He was there to report it. Yet he never saw Weber take any money.

    reg_hartner

  • I still believe that the #1 reason Mateen committed to MSU was that he was a competitor and wanted to win. He knew if he went to scUM he'd be on payroll for that bookie Martin and be asked to shave points and throw games like Weber and Traylor did.

    You can't tell me that the intentional travel and time out against UNC was caused by anything else than the star player ebing in the pocket of a known bookie.

    reg_hartner

  • Clemenza said...

    All these cute threads this past week in digging up the past are well orchestrated. They should be spaced out further so its not so obvious.

    Can anyone tell me WTF this douche is talking about? Did I miss something where he has some conspiracy theory about people talking about MSU basketball history?

    MiamiSpartan

  • reg_hartner said...

    I still believe that the #1 reason Mateen committed to MSU was that he was a competitor and wanted to win. He knew if he went to scUM he'd be on payroll for that bookie Martin and be asked to shave points and throw games like Weber and Traylor did.

    You can't tell me that the intentional travel and time out against UNC was caused by anything else than the star player ebing in the pocket of a known bookie.

    dude, you're an idiot if you think Webber threw that game.

    "If you have the right to be offended I have the right to offend you." - Ricky Gervais

    Enrico Palazzo ●

  • MiamiSpartan said...

    Can anyone tell me WTF this douche is talking about? Did I miss something where he has some conspiracy theory about people talking about MSU basketball history?

    Great question. +1

    duffy munn

  • 0915426 said...

    IIRC, Mateen acknowledged (during ESPN gameday at MSU, I think)that Florida State was interested in him as a QB. What an athlete!

    Yeah, I think Corso mentioned it, but Mateen agreed.

    Saban wanted him for football, too, though I think he let Izzo take the lead. I remember at the football signing day press conference, Saban mentioned something subtle about it, like that he hoped Izzo could help him add one more, or maybe even was bouncing a basketball as he said he hoped to get another player to join the team.

    I remember a lot of talk about Mateen playing both. Certainly the accident killed that notion, but coming from Flint it was a natural question. Andre Rison and Courtney Hawkins were both D-1 quality basketball players coming out of Flint, and I think both played a little for MSU. I heard Matt Trannon (also from Flint) played both sports at MSU, too!

    MiamiSpartan

  • What I'm told is that Coach promised little to Mateen but the most important was to name his future son after him. After that offer the deal was done and the Flint pipeline began.

    What the Spartan Nation doesn't know is that id we win a championship Coach plans to adopt 2 more kids and name them Draymond and Austin.

    MLeagueGreen

  • Enrico Palazzo said...

    dude, you're an idiot if you think Webber threw that game.

    Dude, you're an idiot if you think a bookie had all those kids on payroll for anything other than throwing games for his bookmaking operation. Tell me how they had the Fab Five and then the next group with Traylor, Baston, Taylor and Bullock and never won a B1G or a championship (NIT doesn't count).

    There is a reason that this was an federal investigation and not and just limited to the NCAA.

    reg_hartner

  • reg_hartner said...

    Dude, you're an idiot if you think a bookie had all those kids on payroll for anything other than throwing games for his bookmaking operation. Tell me how they had the Fab Five and then the next group with Traylor, Baston, Taylor and Bullock and never won a B1G or a championship (NIT doesn't count).

    There is a reason that this was an federal investigation and not and just limited to the NCAA.

    the federal investigation was for tax evasion.

    Look at the Big Ten in those years, it was as strong and deep as it's ever been. UM lost the Big Ten to loaded Indiana and Ohio State teams during the Fab Five years. After that you had loaded Purdue teams and that Final Four Minnesota team. The 1998 team did win the Big Ten tourney title though.

    Why did Martin have them on the payroll? The same reason other boosters have kids on the payroll at other schools, because they are obsessed fans and they want those schools to win and don't care if they are breaking the rules. They are often doing the bidding of dirty coaches. That's why Fisher has his San Diego Ed Martin at SDSU. It goes back to John Wooden with Sam Gilbert.

    "If you have the right to be offended I have the right to offend you." - Ricky Gervais

    Enrico Palazzo ●

  • MiamiSpartan said...

    I heard Matt Trannon (also from Flint) played both sports at MSU, too!

    I'm no expert, but I don't believe that to be true

    DCSparty05

  • Clarett's Folly said...

    I've often thought this as well.
    The most impressive thing about the Cleaves/Antonio Smith alley-oops back at Flint Northern was that, more often than not, Cleaves was on the receiving end.

    He'd better have been.

    As I recall, in those games at Breslin there were a couple Mateen to Antonio, perfectly thrown, narrowly completed (Tone had himself some 30 year old Laimbeer hops).

    Funnier was one Mateen threw to Robaire, who had Laimbeer now hops, who caught it, came down, and completed a layup off the glass.

    Larry Kazamias

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