Shamari Spears has been dismissed from the 49ers' basketball team.
Spears, a senior forward who was suspended indefinitely before Charlotte's game against Radford, was a third-team all-Atlantic 10 player last season. He was averaging 17.0 points and 3.2 rebounds through five games this season.
"After much consideration, it is the decision of our coaching staff that Shamari Spears and our team part ways at this time," said coach Alan Major in a statement. "We want to wish him the best in his future endeavors and we will continue to move forward as a team. In those efforts to move forward, no further comments will be made regarding this matter."
Spears, a Salisbury native who transferred to Charlotte from Boston College in 2009, apparently was having difficulty adjusting to Major, who is in his first season as Charlotte's coach. He indicated in his Twitter account during the preseason that he missed former coach Bobby Lutz and missed a preseason practice while his father was visiting from out of town that was described at the time by Major as a "misunderstanding."
Spears also was suspended by Major for Charlotte's season opener against Gardner-Webb and for the first game of last season by Lutz.
Against Oregon State in the last game Spears played for the 49ers, he played just two minutes in the second half despite not being in foul trouble.
The 49ers (4-6) play seventh-ranked Tennessee on Friday at Time Warner Cable Arena.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Spears dismissed from team
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50 comments:
Get Spears side, this is just more Charlotte propaganda. Ask Judy Rose if she played a part in this. This just alienated more fans - whats left.
Anybody that has had a class or has been around Spears for an extended period of time knows that he is a tool. I have heard other student athletes complain several times about how Spears is always disruptive and loud during study hall, and that he recently verbally berated his tutor when she criticized him for always being late. The guy is 23 and still acts like this. It is sad to see a great ball player get cut during such a terrible season, but Major can't expect to get the respect of his team if he lets a player run over him.
@ Tim Collie. The only person alienated in the UNC Charlotte family is you. Everyone hates you because you're a pretentious douchebag.
thats real fair, make anon comments about a kid's behavior...if you are going to accuse, put your name on it
Not only does this move NOT alienate me as a fan, Alan Major has earned my respect. Spears was a cancer on that team. It may hurt the talent level in the short run but gaining respect amongst fans, current players and future prospects is far more important. Lutz only put up with his cr@p because he was trying to save his job with wins.
Spears is an excuse now for Alan Major to go 9-22
shrewd move by AD
ANOTHER MAJOR DISASTER!!!
Y'all need to go to ninernation.net and see how they defend mediocrity. Experts at it!!!! LOL What a tool of a hire.
LOSERS.
I'm sure the IP address is different for the last few comments...
@Tim Collie.....I agree.....Your a tool. Didnt you go to that school like forever ago?
Here - I'll gladly post MY name. As a UNC-Charlotte Alum I am glad to see Spears kicked off the team. This team will go through growing pains, but there's no reason to allow a player to do whatever he wants. He's on a scholarship for a free education, one that my family paid thousands of dollars for. With that said, good riddance. If he can't behave and be a class act getting a free ride at my Alma Mater, then we are better off without him. I will gladly attach my name to that statement.
No matter how you degrade our AD or new Head Coach, it will not bring Lutz back. Everyone who reads this blog knows Tcollie misses him. However, Major had nothing to do with Lutz's firing so quit acting like Major did all this. The man is doing the best with what he has... a beat up team trying to figure out a new game philosophy. Bashing every article about Major's team with comments such as "Bobby Lutz laughs at his $25,000 check in the mail this month" is pathetic. Your coach is gone, but this is still your team (I think). Please support them and give the new coach a chance. If we're still losing to Gardner Web and Davidson in 2 years, then I'll politely eat my crow and call for Major's head along with you.
Buddym, If we are still losing to Gardner Webb and Davidson in 2 years there won't be a program left. Been to a game this season?
Idiots should not receive scholarships, I don't care what their atheletic prowness might be.
@Tim
Alienated? The fans left a long time ago buddy. Ask the 80k UNCC alums living in Charlotte if they give a crap.
@Jeff
I hope that football will help to bring you and a lot of those alums back.
@Jeff Signal, @Anon, @ Tim Collie
I am an alumni. I am from Charlotte. I am a season ticket owner. I have been to all the games this season. I am looking forward to the rest of the season and looking forward to the game Friday night although I am realistic about what the outcome will be.
I am a fan, and an alumni. Not going anywhere.
With that said - I WOULD like to know the real story behind the Spears deal.
When will the AD pick a football coach? Someone tell her picking her nose is not the same as picking coaches.
Spears had issues at BC and obviously didn't grow up when he came here.
Kudos to matter for taking control.
Anon 12:54,
The deadline is April 28th according to a recent trustee meeting, so the coach can be on site for the ground breaking of the stadium. Supposedly there are interviews being conducted now.
FIRE Alan Major! He is useless.
He "missed" Lutz because Lutz put up with his fat ass and immaturity.
I still think Major was a bad hire for UNCC, but at least he is willing to show the door to disruptive players.
Reality check, Shamari, you may be a big fish in a small pond in Salisbury, but in college (especially the A10) guys like you are a dime dozen.
Good grief, why all this hatred? All you haters, I have some advice for you: Zoloft. Paxil. Prozac. Lexapro. See a doctor and get one of them. You desperately need it.
@ Anon 12:54 - If you had been paying attention, you would know that the plan has always been to have a coach in place by May 2011, in time for the stadium ground-breaking in July 2011.
As for Spears, I'm not sorry to see him go. I don't think he deserved any all-conference consideration last year and was worse this year. He is obviously a spoiled brat and we don't need that when we're trying to rebuild the program. And Major cannot send the message that if you are the biggest name on the team, you get different rules. Now everyone knows who's in charge. Hopefully he will get some good players in the next recruiting class and we can start building things back up.
GO 'NINERS!!!!!!!!
After an exhaustive and comprehensive search Charlotte decided Alan Major was the best coach available. Now, imagine who the football coach will be.
I'll post my name as well. I am an alumnus of Charlotte and a season ticket holder for basketball until moving away made it prohibitive to buy tickets to all games.
I am behind Major's decision to dismiss Spears if he was interfering with the team. How Alan Major will turn out in the long run, no one can predict now, not Tim Collie, not Judy Rose, not me, not anyone. Hell, not even Alan Major.
The truth is however that we need to support our team and our program. If Major is looking like a bad hire in 3-4 years, we would have to reevaluate. Not withstanding that, most coaches don't come into programs 5 years removed from the NCAA tournament and get instant results. Also, saying we have players really ignores the depth issues due to injury.
It is ridiculous to act like children on here about Alan Major before he has been given a chance.
Judy should get on the ball about hiring a FB coach though, the longer we wait, the more it hurts recruiting.
Go Niners!
Marc S. Asbill
UNC Charlotte, 2006
Spears was suspended at Boston College and also at Charlotte under Lutz last year. I can tell he will go far in the world.
The team plays better without him. I wish he had decided to grow up.
Over says
I hate to see his departure, but it was probably best for the program. He seemed disinterested in playing this year, and it looked like he was putting forth close to zero percent effort in the games he did play.
Alan Major is a loooser. If you cant deal with attitudes then you shouldnt be coaching college kids, and you definitely shouldnt be making 500k to do it. Major and his staff have destroyed this team because he can. He doesnt care whether we win or lose because he has a free ride and is obviously looking for an excuse to lose. What kid will he kick off next because it takes to much time and energy to make that relationship work, Braswell, Briscoe, Sherrill. Judy Rose you hired a man that gives up on kids/children well I give up on UNC Charlotte being anything but a bush league program. I WILL NOT GIVE ANOTHER DIME TO THIS UNIVERSITY.
Wake up Charlotte, after this season you can kiss Chris Braswell goodbye. Judy's edict was they have to wait one year and you can bet they'll be beatin down the door to get out.
Hey Anon 2:55, the fans are already leaving. Seen a game in person this season? HORRIBLE
You're an idiot 2:47pm. Everyone on here who criticizes Major is. You all are thinking of the 18-5 Niners of last year and not the 19-12 Niners of last year. Obviously you have no idea how spears was. I have actually talked to players off the record about him and let's just say I'm surprised he hasn't already faced murder charges. Get your facts straight and support your team or stfu that is all.
"I've have actually talked to the players off the record." Really? What did they say on the record you tool? Take your wanna-be journalist self and STFU. Your coach and your program SUCK!
As a non UNCC fan, this sounds like the case of a talented player who was treated very gingerly by the prior coach and now, hey, new sheriff in town and he wasn't getting a pass on things. For any program with a new coach, its better to clean house of these types of players if they can't adapt. UNCC is terrible this year but if the coach can put in a system and work ethic this year, it will pay benefits down the road.
you all sound like a bunch of high school bitches. shut up.
"off the record" meaning as someone who knew one since school. Do you know what a friend is? No one is trying to be a journalist dumbass. This whole deal with Spears started last year though. Lutz just got walked on by him.
It is now illegal to retain any IP addresses without consent and class actions are already filed in Fed District courts.
Hopefully McClatchy is aware of this and needs to stop this unlawful practice.
As a Davidson fan we think your new coach is fine and will work out in a few years. Dont change a thing. Its take time as you know.
Good luck for Shamari and hope he finds his way eventually.
NinerNation! get ready for the game vs. Tennessee. Let's support this team (both players and the coaches) no matter what. Let's see the bright side and get excited for every little achievement. We need to see and celebrate growth and not necessarily victory.
Hatred doesn't solve any problem, support does!
If Braswell leaves its a nuclear meltdown of epic proportion. KJ could be the other candidate. Brisco and Green have already transferred once.
With Spears gone, maybe Canjo and Flockabutt will wake up and start playing ball. Curb the stash!
Green Tinted Glasses(The blog that cares) takes a look at the suspension:
http://greentintedglasses.net/2010/12/shamari-spears-dismissed/
I'm in the coach's corner with this decision. I would have loved to see Spears back on the court but not at the expense of team chemistry. It will be interesting how the team will look with Major's recruits and transfers next year. I have faith... (Side note: If we lose to Davidson again, I don't what I will do with myself.)
Marc:
Do you no feel your school could have made a bettr hire than Major? Your passion and loyality to your school is something many of those colors do not share, I applaud you for your dedication.
With that said, Judy Rose is not a major college AD. There were bigger and better names available for this position.
As for football...if they go with Mike Minter it will be a mistake. I would like to see him involved with the program but not as a head coach.
You can have your high moral standards and willingess to give people time. I prefer winning. Period.
@ Anon at 6:16
I'll be honest, I knew nothing of Alan Major before he was hired. I don't know what other options we had, so it's rather difficult for me to say. In a perfect world I'd like to hire someone with some experience winning, at least making the NCAA tourney at a low level DI school.
I think the Charlotte job is attractive for a multitude of reasons, but I imagine a lot of coaches in that situation might be interested in waiting for a large payday. Despite my dedication to the University, I also realize that most of our alumni are very young in relation to other institutions. I further realize many go through school without making any connection at all to the University. These things hurt donations, which in turns limits the scope of a coaching search.
Although an avid basketball fan, I'm not sure I'm qualified to make a statement one way or the other regarding our hire versus other possibilities. I think it will be interesting to see how Buzz does at UNCW over the next couple of years for comparison within our price range.
Finally, regarding the AD, I will say that I did not feel as though the hire came as fast as it should have for basketball, and feel the same way regarding football. Minter is not my first choice for football, and I would only find him acceptable if he were hired for the limited purpose of recruiting and goodwill towards the community for the first 2-3 years of the program (unless he turns out to be a stud of course).
Finally, I will say that I am probably most discouraged by the AD in their lack of ability to sell the Niners to the community as a whole, particularly after seeing old videos from the 70s after the NIT and FF, and the enthusiasm the community had then. This, coupled with our apparent slow-down for FBS football move, rather than a quick schedule like USF it appears we may have scaled back to FCS for the indefinite future. I think at a university like Charlotte, keeping us FCS would be incredibly detrimental.
Thanks for the opinions expressed. I chose Charlotte over ACC schools; I could have gone anywhere in NC, and I chose Charlotte. Go Niners!
Last year he tried to fight the entire Fordham coaching staff after the game and the prior regime did nothing to discipline him. Where there is smoke there is usually fire.
People who say "I WILL NOT GIVE ANOTHER DIME TO THIS UNIVERSITY", never gave one in the first place? We all get donation list each year, what's your name so we can look it up?
spears was the one who decided to quit the team he turned his gear in over a week ago
Why do attitude issues always seem to be associated with this entitlement scum mentality?
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