Wednesday, November 19, 2008

And We Are Off!!!!!

To another season of the days of our lives in College basketball. Excited? You bet!
It is such a great time of the year for many of us. High School Basketball and College Basketball are here and it looks like an interesting season at the least.

Lets start today with the most interesting but unnecessary story hitting the local Internet boards. Yes it is the big fight between Bobby Gonzalez and Adam Z, the great HS and College Writer. Funny, I would bet both are really good and decent people who would get along well if they gave it a chance. I have never met Adam, but I love reading what he writes and find his stories most interesting. Adam keep up the great work!

But now lets talk Bobby. One of the most misunderstood guys ever to coach college basketball. But let me AGAIN tell you he is a great guy who is deeply loyal and cares about his kids as much if not more than MANY WHO GET BETTER CREDIT. BOBBY REALLY WOULD DO ANYTHING TO HELP PEOPLE, AND HE HAS. Coaching wise he is very good despite what some are trying to say. This guy can coach and folks should not get it twisted. Does he have a chip on his shoulder? YES! And let me tell you why. Unlike many others, he did not have connections to land him a Big East job when he came to NYC. He worked his ass off with junior HS kids, coached in dingy gyms in the South Bronx and manhattan. Walked the streets of Harlem, The Bronx, Brooklyn, and more because all he wanted to do was coach. He paid his dues more than 90 percent of the others coaching college basketball. What folks are really seeing is his passion for the game.

How do I know so much about him? I know because I was there in the beginning. When he came from Binghamton looking to get involved on the NYC scene. I went to games with him, debated him, and much more. Do we hang out? Never! But would he be there for me and thousands of others in NYC? YES! This guy has a temper and is so competitive that it often is taken wrong. Now this still does not change my feeling that he leans toward hiring guys he can control lol. But alot of folks do the same.

Back to his feud with Adam Z. If he cursed at Adam he was dead wrong. If he threatened Adam he was dead wrong. But the Gonzo I know will eventually reach out and apologize if he did anything wrong. Heck, I even got a call from two different buddies at mid major schools who said Gonzo and his Staff was upset with something I wrote on this blog. Ask me if I care lol? In a month or two both Adam and Gonzo will put this behind them and enjoy each other in conversation if folks just allow it to rest.

Quick Hits

Rutgers could be undefeated going into the North Carolina game and a good showing could mean a national ranking. This early cupcake schedule allows the younger players to adjust easier to division 1 basketball and gain confidence along the way. However will the early schedule prepare the Scarlet Knights for the rigors of Big East play?

Mr. Curry and Davidson is like Mr. Jackson and the Jackson Five. We all know the team is there but we are really just watching what Mr. Curry does next. 44 against Oklahoma? WOW!

Kentucky must really be buzzing. 0 and 2? Losing to a North Carolina team without Psycho T? Shows what they have down in Chapel Hill.

St. Johns is 1 and 1 thus far. Well losing to Boston College at Boston College is not the end of the world. Hopefully Norm can get his team focused for the next game. My gut is they will be a much better team this season and surprise some folks. At least that is what I hope happens. Alot of folks in NYC say I have dogged Norm Roberts. I say never. I really like him and always have. I am one of the people really pulling for him to succeed. He brings class to the local college game and I hope he is here for a long time. So lets go Red Storm!

Seton hall does not have 1 recruit signed so far. OK what do folks want the SHU Staff to do? maybe just sign that 6 ft 3 power forward from St. Cecilia by the Sea HS in Hoboken? How about the 5 ft 3 point guard from lollipop prep in Great Neck LI? Than at least they will have 2 signed players. I applaud SHU for not feeling pressure to just sign a kid just to have a kid signed. And again they have a harder job locally based on the talent already enrolled, including the kids who are sitting out this season. Kids want to play!

Lastly. Alot of kids are looking at local BE schools as future destinations.....Or are they really? UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

1 comment:

Unknown said...

LF, thank you for your observations.

As a Seton Hall fan, I look to comments from you and HallDan and a few others to keep it even and real all the way around. It means a lot to me to hear your thoughts.