Marve: True colors shining through…

I didn’t want to dedicate another blog to the ongoing Robert Marve saga, but there’s new news to discuss before dragging this story out to pasture.

The UM athletic appeals committee upheld the ruling regarding Marve’s transfer stipulations. No ACC. No in-state schools. No LSU, Florida or Tennessee, though the rest of the SEC is open.

The three-SEC school ban, a result tampering rumors the Marve family denies.

Last week Eugene Marve revealed his battle with prostate cancer. He was diagnosed in 2003 and stated that he selfishly wants his son to play closer to home.

In a gesture of good faith, Miami lifted restrictions on Central Florida and South Florida; both schools the Canes will face a few times over the next few years. In what should come as no shock, the Marves remain disappointed.

Crazy how the three schools the Marves and/or high school coach Robert Weiner are accused of talking to seem to be the sticking point for both sides. Miami won’t budge and Team Marve won’t be satisfied until the get it all. 

If the elder Marve’s health and son’s proximity were top priority, then why aren’t South Florida and Central Florida good enough? Both are closer than Florida, Tennessee and LSU. 

Not to sound callous, but The Cancer Card was played to gain more public sympathy. I know prostate cancer is no laughing matter. My father in law was diagnosed last year, had his prostate removed and is going about life in remission. Cancer is serious business and I understand what the Marves are going through. For that, they have my sympathy.

That said, their bluff was called. They cited proximity as an issue, so Miami backed off the ‘in state’ ban. Still not good enough.

The Marves are frustrated, but their frustration is misdirected. Instead of blaming their son’s college coach, they need to look a little closer to home at Weiner. As you put together the pieces of this puzzle, all signs point to the overprotective high school coach speaking on the Marves’ behalf and tampering away.

Over the holidays I re-read Bruce Feldman’s “Meat Market”. I’d forgotten the ink Marve got in this tale of recruiting in the deep south:

A few feet away, his high school coach Robert Weiner beamed like a proud father. Weiner and Marve had spent weeks mapping out their summer schedule to showcase Robert. On the docket: trips to Alabama, Mississippi State, North Carolina, South Carolina, Duke, NC State, Purdue, Iowa and Minnesota.

“This is the hardest-working human being I’ve ever seen,” Weiner said of his protege. “He comes in by 5:30am and he’ll stay until 10pm at night. He’s smart too. He got a 3.4 last semester. And he’s a slave to the weight room.” 

Saying that Marve is Weiner’s protege is an understatement. The way Weiner has handled himself since Marve left Plant, it’s as if his entire legacy will be defined by the quarterback’s collegiate career.

In an effort to hype Marve, Weiner simply blew hot air that his quarterback never backed up. Hardest-working human being he’s seen? Marve wasn’t even one of the hardest-working players on Miami’s squad this year.

Slave to the weight room? 3.4 grade point average and a scholar athlete? Doesn’t really sound like the kid who skipped class and checked out mentally as the season wound down.

For all those who chastise universities for big talk and overselling during the recruiting process, here’s further proof that players and their high school coaches play their own set of games, too.

The kid Weiner described above doesn’t sound a lick like the quarterback Miami signed two years ago.

No ACC. No Florida schools besides USF and UCF. No Tennessee. No LSU.

Marve family, you have a slew of options. Be happy with that, weigh your options and move forward. The Canes have moved past this dramatic situation. You should do the same.