Chris Webber is writing a book about Fab 5
Chris Webber is writing a book and claims that the truth will come out in that book. I hope he comes clean and do whatever he needs to do to reconcile with the rest of Fab 5 and even UM BB program
Had it been Jalen, Jimmy, Ray, or Juwan my first thought would have been "cool, I can't wait to read that". Because it was Webber my first thought was "please no".
Sad.
will come out. I loved watching Webber play at Michigan and in the NBA, but this is a guy who lied to a grand jury and has never taken ownership of the huge mistakes he made. This book will be bullshit.
100% This.
Webber's "huge mistakes" were victimless crimes unless you count privileged white fans who love telling people who clean Michigan as victims.
Most agree the NCAA is a joke. You can't give someone the scarlett letter treatment when they broke rules few of us can respect.
Webber's "huge mistakes" were victimless crimes unless you count privileged white fans who love telling people who clean Michigan as victims.
What about all of his teammates, whose legacy was wiped out despite no wrongdoing on their part?
What about the 2002-03 team, which did absolutely nothing wrong but was banned from the postseason because of the actions of Webber/Traylor/Taylor/Bullock?
Spare me the race-baiting crap. I don't understand why this has to be an either/or thing. I loved the Fab Five and Webber was my favorite player at the time. I still have fond memories of the team. But he screwed up, and they'll never restore the banners because of it.
Taking money from a shady guy isn't the worst thing in the world and even understandable in many ways (especially since his father apparently did as well). But it's time for him to stop digging in his heels and denying everything, and just acknowledge that what he did ended up hurting the program he loved.
Webber's one "huge mistake" was lying under oath to a grand jury. As a 28 year old adult. Everything else he did, in the big picture, was wrong and against the rules he agreed to when he signed on to play ball at UM, but he was basically a kid being used by a crook(s). But perjury is serious and not taken lightly.
But that didn't have ANYTHING to do with the sanctions imposed on Michigan.
That's on him...but him lying to a Grand July wasn't why Michigan was punished.
I don't think we disagree here. I was replying to someone else. I agree with you that Webber should not have to shoulder the majority of the blame for the sanctions; my point was, if we're going to judge him harshly, it should be for the serious crime he was found guilty of within the judicial system. There's plenty of blame for the sanctions to be shared, by Webber, and by Coach Fisher even if he really knew nothing, and the AD and the administration that sat back and enjoyed the money flowing in on the backs of kids who were being used and in at least one case decided to try to get something back. But in the big picture, that stuff is small potatoes in judging his life and career.
I just don't understand why he is carrying the burden still, I understand being bitter, but especially in light of what he's accomplished since then, I don't get it.
Oh, those poor, "used" kids. How did Fischer ever get the Fab Five to agree to be "used" like that? Why do kids line up to try to, and dream about, being so callouslly "used" by The Man?
Unless, of course, they aren't being used by The Man at all, and your argument is crap. I wonder who is right: you, or the hundreds of thousands of kids who have played (or tried to play) college basketball in the last 30 years.
The argument that Webber was cheating the cheaters is, on evidence, shit.
Webber broke the rules, then lied about breaking them under oath. You might not agree with the rules, but he knew they were in effect and decided to violate them anyway. At least fess up to that; Webber remains in denial about it, and that is why I have a hard time taking anything he says seriously. You ar entitled to your own opinions but not your own facts, and members of the Fab 5 keep ignoring that reality.
that is a big deal! I don't blame him for taking money as a teenager. I blame him for not being man enough to admit it as an adult.
August 7th, 2014 at 10:07 PM ^
My point has nothing to do with Webber's character or the fact that he lied to a grand jury...neither have ANYTHING to do with the sanctions Michigan got.
My point was Webber gets blammed for everything that was handed down to Michigan and Michigan Basketball when he was just a piece of the puzzle. There were other guys who likely got more and did more. There were adults who covered it up or turned their heads.
It wasn't just Webber.
I'm not defending the guy, I'm just stating the facts. In the end, I think he doesn't apologize because #1, he feels like he shouldn't have to...when it comes to him and Michigan I don't think he thinks he did anything wrong. Especially with Ed O'Bannon and the crew fighting every day to give college athletes much of what Webber "stole/cheated" to get.
When it comes to him and the law...welllll, that's probably a different story.
In my eyes, it's over...and with time, I've learned to place Webber in a group along with the guys before and after him at Michigan that did the same thing....and the adults who should harbor much of the blame.
When it comes to the grand jury stuff...absolutely, that's a HUGE deal and shouldn't be taken lightly, but in my eyes that has nothing to do with Michigan so I really don't care. If he goes to jail for lying, that's his damn fault, I'm not going to feel sorry for him one bit. But in terms of what was handed down to Michigan? Meh, he may have been 5-10% of the problem and I'll give him that much blame.
I strongly disagree with your perception. To this date, Webber remains the only one who has failed to admit ANY wrong doing. His guilty plea was only about lying to the grand jury.
Huge talent. Huge disappointment. We don't need his legacy to paint ours, but that is still what we're getting.
referring to him taking money as his huge mistake. I was referring to him lying to a grand jury. That's a big, stupid mistake. It was time for him to own up to what he did right then and there and he could not do it.
I am very aware of Mo Taylor, Bullock, and Tractor contributing to the downfall of Michigan basketball. All four of those players and the enablers around them destroyed a program for a decade. It was fucking depressing to watch Michigan basketball fall so far.
The main point of my comment is C-Webb's book is not going to shine any new light on what happened. I really have nothing against Webber. I have very fond memories of watching him play throughout his career. I was probably the most pissed off person in Indiana when the refs fucked him out of an NBA title by ensuring the Lakers won the series against the Kings in 2002.
Commence devil's advocate: Webber was the most decorated Michigan basketball recruit ever. He made some mistakes, but he also brought fame, success and notoriety to Michigan basketball at a level not even the '89 championship achieved, as the star and catalyst of the Fab 5. He saw as dozens of NCAA and merchandizing fat cats get filthy rich off of his merchandizing, but he was the criminal for continuing a relationship with an acquaintance who had taken care of him and other Detroit kids?
The reason Webber will never apologize is because even though he broke rules, in his eyes breaking unjust rules, when he brought so much to the university and to the fat cats is not something he should be hung in effigy for, or have to apologize for. Add that he took his punishment, and was banned, and has "done his time" and another reason why he will never, ever apologize to a university and program he enriched far more than they he.
/devil's advocate END.
Feel free to discuss.
"The reason Webber will never apologize is because even though he broke rules, in his eyes breaking unjust rules, when he brought so much to the university and to the fat cats is not something he should be hung in effigy for, or have to apologize for."
Sadly, I think you may be correct. Luckily, this kind of sociopathic behavior isn't the norm for him, and he seems to be perfectly capable of living with his condition.
I'm hoping that it is just shame and ego that keep him from 'fessing up, rather than an actual belief that he did no wrong because someone else was prospering, so it was okay to lie and cheat.
Calling him a sociopath is absurd and outlandish. People jump to use that word way too much these days to decribe to someone's behavior they disagree with. In what ways did he show a complete lack of empathy for eveyone around him and decide to emotionally manipulate/hurt others for personal gain? Yes he did things that were wrong and selfish but that does not make him a sociopath. It makes him human. Rich people were getting richer off of his talents. That's a hard thing to swallow. Expecially for a college aged kid who didn't come from much. He could have handled the situation better both then and now but a lot of other people have made those same mistakes. There's a whole lot worse things you can do than what he has done. You don't need to personally attack the guy with slander like that.
August 7th, 2014 at 10:42 PM ^
Well put C-Lord. Completely agree.
Great post and well stated C-Lord. I will read the book and this is what I expect to read. I hope I can see otherwise.
take it for granted that, in the immortal words of DMill2427, "{t}his book will be bullshit"? This place used to be better than that, or at least a lot less reductive.
Webber is a thoughtful and intelligent character with a story to tell. He may waffle, he may lie some more, he may come clean in ways that the Silas Marners of this world approve or he may not. But "bullshit"? I can guarantee that it will be a little more than that.
Again, no one gives this tiniest crap what DMill thinks--they WILL care what Chris Webber has to say. I for one will look forward to it, and make up my own mind when I have read it.
BS is a prediction.... and one I subscribe to as well. I think Webber's perception of the truth has become reality in his mind. That is the story he will stick to based on the limited dialog we have seen. ...and that story is utter BS.
I do hope that one day, the fab 5 is sitting together in the stands to watch U of M win a national championship and Chris reconciles with the U. Probably more wishful thinking on my part, but as an 11 year old boy fresh off of Steve Fisher's basketball camp in the summer of '91, who thought the fab 5 was the most awesomest thing ever - I would find joy in both of the above.
Haven't read book in awhile. This will be something I can't wait to get my eyes on. The Fab5 from Webber's side. Should be very interesting.
August 7th, 2014 at 10:11 PM ^
You could always wait for the movie. Rumor is Will Smith has signed on to play CWEBB and Justin Beiber has been cast as Jalen Rose.
Well he swore to tell "the truth" once before and was busted for lying under oath. I don't really believe this book will ever come out, but if it does, I doubt there will be anything in it to compel me to read it. I"ll wait for Jalen's book.
does it come with a pack of 4 crayons at dennys?
This will end well
He was asked a general question about the current program: "I don't know them."
I know it's been cool in these parts to dismiss Jalen and the others for any number of reasons - some deserved - but the non-Webber crew seems very supportigve of the University.
I imagine the University will not be portrayed kindly in the book...
And Uncle Ed will be a kindly neighborhood gentleman who just happened to only "loan" large amounts of money to NBA hopefuls. A misunderstood man of the people.
IMO, Chris is a day late and a dollar short. Webber has spent the last two decades blaming everyone else for his mistakes, trashing the University, and seldom showing any concern for the basketball program his actions helped bury for a solid decade.
Go ahead, Chris, write your book, just like Jalen got his documentary. At the end of the day, we've got a great coach and a great group of kids who are accomplishing more on the court than the Fab Five did, without this self-important talk about "legacy" and "style," and without even the smallest trace of impropriety. It's time the Fab Five realized their time in the spotlight is over. Enough is enough.
I'll take my negbang now.
...from me. I generally disagree with the hostility shown towards the fab five (see my post below), but I understand it. The one thing I want to call out is that it is flatly wrong to blame our 10+ years of mediocrity on the Fab Five. Many a program have bounced back immediately from similar sanctions. it's not the fab fives fault that we hired bad coaches after Fischer. 2-3 years, okay. 10? Nope. Not their fault.
.
He may turn on Martin in the book. In the 30 for 30 film, he's shown criticizing Martin. I doubt he'll accept responsibility in any event though.
August 7th, 2014 at 10:50 PM ^
As for the current Michigan program, one led by eighth-year head coach John Beilein, Webber said, "I don't know them."
Quit splitting hairs WD!
Stop reading between the lines WD!
Refrain from putting your spin on things WD!
... CWebb, but over time I've grown to appreciate what I hate is a system that makes CWebb the bad guy in this scenario. Scapegoating young men for the ills of a corrupt system that profits off the same young men is deplorable. Did he break the rules... yes. Were the rules a farce? Yes.
i'm tired of the narrative that these young men are the problem... that they are ungrateful for the opportunity they have... it's elitist, patriarchal bullshit.
Let him have his say. My hope is that it will shine an even brighter light on the cancer that is the NCAA.
Hope he dishes on Micheal Talley too.
I'll buy it..
Webber apologism is one of my favorite things on the web. Its the Michigan equivalent of "we didn't come here to play school." Webber had the same opportunity, and better prospects, than any but a handful of people who have player the college game. You can argue that he was only greedy because he was young, and only lied because its okay to lie when the NCAA exists, but that's all crap. Millions of guys have played the game cleanly, and with character. Character is what you do when no one is looking, and Webber's character is a liar and a cheat. He could have redeemed himself as he grew older, but either a pathological streak or a too-big ego has kept him from it.
The book won't do a thing for him. Hell, he could own up right now and few would care. As Bando says, the world has moved on. Michigan basketball doesn't need him, and I'll bet fewer people remember who he played for in college than remember who Paul McCartney played with before Wings.
Just note the number of replies on this topic.
If this was the summer off of the 2010-11 season when Basketball started the climb and the Fab Five movie was released, this thing would be maybe 100-deep by now.
Alas, Michigan Basketball doesn't need a Fab Five reunion to raise spirits anymore. The spirits are sky high due to John Beilein & staff's player development bringing in championships on a yearly basis now.
Something tells me Webber's "truth" is going to be long on excuses and short on mea culpas. I hope he proves me wrong.
Question:
Allegedly, Chris took over 200 grand. BUT Mitch Albom was following the Fab Five quite a bit during their time on campus correct? I remember in the book Webber was asking Mitch for money all the time. Mitch says in the Fab Five documentary that he never saw Webber with that kind of money. Was Webber just that good at hiding it or is Mitch full of crap?