Thoughts

Love surfing the various message boards on Rivals, as well as Redmen.com, and BigEast Boards. I also enjoy reading Johnny Jungle, which is way more than just a blog, and Smokin Musket, which is an exceptional West Virginia blog. Reading all the various blogs is often far better than reading regular news articles about college basketball. I really encourage folks to take some time and check out all these sites to get great information on various teams.

Reading those various blogs allows me to keep up with alot of happenings. Between these blogs,reading newspaper stories, speaking to connected people in basketball, and talking to college coaches, provides all of us with great insight into many of the local college and HS programs.

What is happening with Danny Jennings? Danny is a fine player but anytime a player goes after someone with a chair he needs to be disciplined by his Coach and the Tournament Director. No excuses! I am not saying schools should stop recruiting him, but I do say it again makes travel/aau tournaments seem bogus and political. How do they allow him to play additional games? Did they not even think about the insurance coverage? To top it off they name him MVP. Are you kidding me?

This is so typical of how these travel team tournaments and teams kiss up to players in fear of getting people upset. What message does it send to other players, especially younger ones who watch games and hear the stories? Unfortunately, I heard a few players uptown in a local tournament talking about it as if Jennings was a super hero. It was like, "Danny was not taking nothing" and "They are lucky yo, that Danny did not get to them." MVP? Jim Hart, who does a great job with his now area event, should be ashamed of the message this sends and the lesson that was failed to be taught to a normally good kid.

Recruiting wise? Most coaches will look at it as if Danny is this tough kid who they need. It's about toughness and kids who take no mess they will say. I would doubt any school will stop recruiting him. I really have no problem with this if he exhibits better control and behavior the rest of the summer. But personally, he is a very good player but not a great one.

Derrick Caracter will now transfer. GREAT news for a true nice kid who got caught up in the hype and bad advice. I am sure schools are lining up. Watch schools like USC, Kansas State, New Mexico, Texas, UMass, Texas A&M, etc. fight it out for his services in a back room setting so they will not alarm Alumni and others. Everyone will deny they are recruiting him until the official announcement about his new university is made. I think Caracter will be exceptional if he goes to a place that allows him some freedom in the way he plays. Sitting out a year will allow him to work hard on his game and gain a new hunger for competing.

Summer League news from NYC. JR Inman, Antonio Pena, Jeremy(sp)Hazell, and Anthony Mason Jr., all will be on the same team in the NY based Nike Pro Am Tournament. The point guard on the Dyckman team they will play for is Chudney Grey, ex St. Johns player who will be tough and demanding. One of the coaches for this team will be Jerry McCullough, the ex Pitt Star, when his team is not playing. The first game is Thursday at Hunter College in NYC against a team with 3 NBA players with the names Murphy, Dunlevy, and Gomes, on the roster. This league is a tough one and very competitive with crowds of 2000 plus once the season gets into full swing.

Saw the Barn schedule and rosters on Jay Gomes site. Seems like a nice league and decent alternative to going to Philly or NY to play. I still think the talent though good, is not what is needed for College rising Juniors and Seniors, but great for incoming freshmen, and rising sophomores. But it will be interesting to watch Rosario, Morris, Theodore, and others compete with Chandler, Farmer, and others.

Coaching jobs continue to be filled wrong. I just found out FDU is rumored to be ready to hire a new assistant coach who at one time worked at UNLV. I remember the coach because he really is a good guy who got caught up in the hype. At one time he played for me in some tough NYC tournaments during his time at CW Post on Long Island, a school he attended after starring at Bergen Community College. I Knew this coach well and really like him alot. But there is such double standards with FDU and many others. I remember when a friend of mine was close to getting hired at FDU and at the last moment they changed up based on him trying to cover tracks of a former FDU assistant who kind of sorta played with his expense reports. based on that alone they took back the offer after my friend had accepted. I really like Tom Green, but this clearly shows a double standard because the new assistant coach was caught up in the huge NCAA ruling at UNLV when Bill Bayno (A GREAT GUY ALSO), was let go for recruiting violations. Now I think EVERYONE deserves second and third chances, especially good people like the new FDU assistant and Bayno. I for one am glad to see both back in the college game. I just question how my buddy was eliminated based on him covering some other coach on a minor expense account snafu.

Looking forward to attending this weekends Hoop Group event at Rutgers. I really like the HS team set up for tournaments. In most cases St. Anthony, St. Patricks, and St. Benedict's players show up to play for the HS program even if they do have AAU/Travel team games going on. Games should be great!