Recruiting Process

Well it seems recruiting has changed alot since many of us attended HS. At that time college recruiters visited high schools to observe kids play the game they loved. Now it seems the majority of recruitment takes place prior to a kids senior year in HS. It starts as far back as when kids are in JHS. Yes thats right JHS!!! Do not be surprised to see one or two local college guys at The Gaucho Gym in NYC for the 2nd annual Fred Neal JHS Tournament. We know the high schools, especially the private and catholic schools will be in the building. But now we see more and more college guys sneaking in to watch kids participate to get a head start on the recruitment competition.

Years ago the HS Coach was the guy coordinating the recruitment process for local kids with good basketball ability. That's still the case at the better programs. Gary DeCaeser, now the Associate Coach at DePaul, ran his program and did not allow outsiders to participate. He would even make kids and parents sign a form saying as much! If a kid violated the contract/form, they would be suspended and even dismissed from the team. Harsh, but necessary!!! Gary wanted to make sure his players were aware of what each college was offering and he knew the BS folks from the good guys. He also had the experience. I cannot even remember Gary having one star player attend a JUCO because of poor grades. He was on top of everything his players were involved in. He even started an AAU Program so he could keep his players close. Gary did this for ALL his players including those who he assisted in getting into good D3 programs. Other programs with similar clout with their players are: St. Benedict's, St. Anthony's, St. Patricks, Mount Vernon, Lincoln (NY), Cardoza (NY), CBA, Bloomfield Tech, Eastside (Newark) and a few others I can not think of at this time. Oddly these programs win year in and year out! Guess they are doing something right. Plus, kids at these places seem to always have grades for D1 sports.

Now I do think having rec and AAU programs involved with kids is a good thing for many. That's because alot of schools have coaches who just do not care, nor do they put in the time. They simply coach just for the stipend. Kids on those teams (they are not programs) deserve better than what they receive. But the system in place might say the coach must be a HS Teacher at that school or in that system. Thus the need for good people such as Jim Solmon (Playez), Gary Charles (Panthers), New Heights Guys, Metro Hawks, Gauchos, Brian Crawford (Rams), Rich Leary (Best trainer in NJ or NY), NJ Warriors, NJ All stars, Dyckeman (NYC) Westchester Hawks, LI Lightening, and many others. These guys assist with those at the better programs and do all the work helping those who receive little at the schools they attend.

Recruitment is really about exposure, recognition, and marketing. Somthing the group mentioned above does on a regular basis. They call schools for kids, send clippings and tapes, and even have exposure days for college coaches. Cardoza HS did it this year and I use to see Rich Leary do it all the time years ago.

Because of all the local and national tournaments kids get exposure earlier than ever before. But the coaches only come out to the better events. That old saying "if you can play they will see you" is bogus lolol. I have seen good players on bad AAU teams play on court 4 at a tournament with NO COACH EVEN WATCHING!! Than I have seen average players on good AAU Teams play on the next court and 55 D! coaches are watching. The average kid gets the CAA Conference Offer and the good kid goes to a D3 school. Or if he is lucky he goes to Ed Butlers event in New Jersey and gets a JUCO or D2 offer.

As you can see this recruitment thing is serious business. Some schools have $250,000 recruitment budgets! You should see the literature and hi-light recruitment tapes. You would think Spike Lee or Martin Scarcese (sp) directed them. Its huge business, especially with the sneaker company involvement. It could be the last time a kid and his family are wined and dined! Thats why many parents and advisors drag the process out. They love the attention! Advisors also love the attention and recognition. Sitting with coaches, getting calls, and even thinking you will join a particular staff in the near future. I know a kid who was being recruited by a certain BE team with a great guy as the HC. The HC told the HS Coach "I need a guy like you with me the way you teach and coach." The rest of the year that coach thought he was on the way to that school when an opening developed. He pushed the kid to sign at the school. And after the kid signed, the high school coach never heard back. An opening did come through, and the HS Coach called. He was told they needed a guy with NYC connections LOLOL.

Allow me to just provide a few things you should know:

• A letter from a college is not a scholarship offer
• Most large programs have a clerical staff sending out letters on Mail Merge making them more personalized. They have state of the art equipment!!
• 98% of Assistant Coaches can not offer a kid a scholarship without the Head Coach seeing the kid play. Lazy Head Coaches allow this however.
• A kid should not sign UNLESS the Head Coach visits him and sees him play. That way no one is surprised!
• Kids who wish to work in certain ares or parts of this country should attend school on that coast. Exceptions are IVY League, Stanford, Northwestern, Tier 1 Big Ten, etc.
• Sometimes advisors live through players and where they sign. Its the reason kids might choose the largest school recruiting them.
• Better to commit in fall and sign in spring. That way if a coach changes or gets fired the kid will have options
• Always look at graduation rates as well as job placement statistics. I really do not understand folks celebrating a kid taking a job he could have gotten without a college degree. Still remember a great PG from a BE team working as a security guard at a community center in Brooklyn and he had a degree. Just could not find employment.
• Always visit the campus before deciding. Unofficials are great, but sleeping overnight give you more insight.
• Go to an interested school un-announced!! Sneak by to get a true feeling. Remember alot of stuff is staged on visits. Some places have special parties, the team eats out in a great restaurant, etc.
• Do not get fooled by huge arenas 2000 miles from your home. Nothing like playing in front of 647 in a 12,000 seat old arena that smells like popcorn.
• Would it be better to go to a strong D2 school with a huge following and great academics or a D1 school with a poor graduation rate that plays in front of 450 people a game. A good example is Gannon College that seems to always sell out. Good academic school way on the other side of NYS.
• Choose a school you would like even if you did not play basketball. That way you are covered and will have a life in addition to basketball.

Well I guess we will be watching the junior and sophomore class this HS season because most seniors committed to schools already. It should be fun. Just take a minute to watch that team (not program) because they just might have a kid who is good but no one knows about!

It's Cold Outside so How About Some Summer Hoop History!!

Basketball In The Summer
New York Playground Legends
(1st of 4 parts)

I know it is not summer. But I thought you folks might enjoy some reading about summer basketball.

It was a hot summer day many years ago that I ventured to the local park outside of my home in the St. Nicholas Projects in Central Harlem to watch the most famous summer basketball league in America, The Holcombe Rucker Summer Professional League. Besides the great basketball, it was a great place to collect empty soda bottles in order to cash them in for the .02 deposits on the small bottles and .05 deposits on the larger bottles. Growing up this was one of the many ways to earn money for purchasing candy, or attending movies. Besides hustling at the local food chains carrying bags, this and opening taxi doors at local churches was the next best thing for enterprising 11 year old kids.

As I sat down in a small space under the basket watching the great Wilt “The Stilt Chamberlain” from Philadelphia dominate the paint, I was amazed at his size and ability. He was a true super star!!!! But what has remained with me for over 40 years is what happened with less than one minute to go in the game. Big Wilt stepped on my foot going for a loose ball under the basket and all I could do was scream. Being the enterprising person I was at the time, I turned my pain into gain by tapping him on the shoulder with a smile minutes after the game reminding him how he hurt me. Well Wilt Chamberlain decided to treat me and a few other kids to sodas and Ice cream for my suffering. We were so pleased just to get him to acknowledge us. But to get him to treat us to goodies! That was the greatest! I would imagine if the same thing happened now, kids and parents would be seeking much more compensation via law suits, etc. lol.

That day was my first real initiation into New York City Summer Basketball. Summer basketball in New York City has been popular for 50 years or more. We all know the story about the legendary Holcombe Rucker. But many do not remember the other legendary figures associated with NYC Summer basketball. People such as Ollie Edinboro who was a protege of Mr. Rucker, Snookie Walker who owned the Famous Snookies Sugar Bowl which was a popular local restaurant filled with basketball trophy’s. Oddly, Snookie was even more famous for standing up to organized crime to protect his vending machine business. His exploits against organized crime was legendary!

Other heroes were Leroy Otis, One Eye Sam, Rodger “Buster” Bryant, Bob McCullough, Sand Man Sims (of Apollo Theater Fame), Jaws, Artie George, John Black, Jelly Roll, Cecil Watkins, Leroy Watkins, Lester Roberts, Rap Perez, Gil Reynolds, Jim Couch, The Tallifarro Twins, Don Adams, Skinny Reeves, and Hilton White. These gentleman ran tournaments without receiving compensation because they just loved helping kids.

Summer ball in the city was played in all 5 boros but dominated by tournaments in Manhattan, The Bronx, and Brooklyn. Later Queens became a major tournament player with the legendary Ray Felix Tournament, and now boasts the best HS tournament in America, IS8. Summer ball became so competitive that the original youth Rucker League and City Wide League which was new at the time, decided to have end of the summer championships which were held at St. Johns Recreation Center in Brooklyn. All the champs from leagues in the five boros went through a playoff with the winners meeting in Brooklyn on a Sunday for the overall City Championship. This was huge and as a youngster I had the privilege of participating as a member of Leroy Otis’s Church of the Masters/Young Life midget team. I remember the game as if it was played yesterday. It was so exciting to be part of an event that unfortunately no longer exits. By the way we did win the game against a strong team of future Boys High Stars including Earnie Douse, Gus Washington, and a guard named Bo who was great to say the least. Well this is not about my limited basketball exploits. Its about a few of the many players who left their mark on the hard top.

I remember the first time I watched Richard “Pee Wee” Kirkland play basketball. He was a 6 ft 2 guy who honestly was dunking on guys in Mount Morris Park playing for Milbank Center. He was one of the greatest guards I have ever seen. I could care less about the NBA. The summer in NYC had all I wanted to see. Pee Wee dominated the game and was very smooth off the court. I remember watching him score 50 in a game when he played in the Pro Rucker, and driving a luxury Dusenburg automobile around my Harlem Neighborhood later that evening in a blue suit with 4 beautiful women all dressed in blue riding with him. Now in our eyes, that was a star!

Joe Hammond? The greatest player I have ever seen who was fundamentally sound yet never made a legit dollar for playing the game. He dominated NBA players since he was 17 years old. He made NY Knick players including Reed, Bradley, Russell, and Stallworth look silly on the court. I wish there was video for people to see. By the way, he teamed with Pee wee Kirkland in the Milbank backcourt.

The first time I saw Pablo Robinson play basketball I thought he was doing magic. How could he do so much with a basketball. He was simply amazing the way he dominated. He had a brother Walter who was also good but not the player Pablo was. Still remember how folks always talked about his dad, who according to many was one of the top Chefs in NYC. Pablo made all of us proud by making the Harlem Globetrotters and even having a cartoon character in his image on the Globetrotter Cartoon Show.

People always seem to think Earl “The Goat” Manigualt was the greatest athlete and player during his time. He was a great one but the person often forgotten is Willie Manguam. I personally saw Willie Manguam take a quarter off the top of the basket in a park on 130th street and 7th avenue at 11 PM at night 45 years ago. I saw it with my own eyes as he took the quarter after a bet with a few other players. Besides jumping, Willie could just play!!! He could shoot, run, jump, and defend, Unfortunately we rarely hear his name. But he was a true playground legend.

Rodney Butler was the Charles Barkley of his time. When he entered a gym initially folks got a good laugh because he was a fat guy. Yes I said fat as opposed to big. Around 6 ft 1 and 280 ponds of White Castle Muscle. He would dominate every game he played. If he did not score 40 or 50 points it was a bad game. All he did was play hard and dominate. Rodney led the country in scoring while attending college at Springfield or American International.

Anyone recognize the name Red Cotto? Well Red was at one time the cover boy for American HS Basketball. A 6 ft 2 combo guard for Commerce HS in NYC, he was on everyone’s recruiting list. I was so proud the first time he called me by my first name. It was such an honor lol. Red was smooth and consistent. As a youngster he dominated the court all the way from JHS to HS. At the time HS basketball magazines were on the racks and he graced the covers of most.

The guy from back in the day who would contend for a NBA dunk championship was none other than Jackie Jackson from Brooklyn. Jackie was strong and athletic. He could fly to the rim and was strong enough to hold folks off. Jackie eventually played for the Harlem Globetrotters and had a long career.

Theres a guy out there now in his 50”s still playing in a few tournaments each year. Oddly he scores 20 to 30 when he plays. The story of the Sundance Kid is legendary. Sonny is just an efficient player who knows how to score. I remember him from his days at Charles Evers Hughes HS where he never even played on the team. In fact we ate lunch together often and none of us even knew he played basketball. One summer when I was home from college I heard about this great player down at the King Dome. My entire neighborhood made the 17 block walk to watch this soon to become legend play. As I sat in the stands looking for “The Sundance Kid” I was amazed to find out it was my HS buddy Sonny. As they pointed him out I said, “that’s not him, its only Sonny.” He went on to score around 60 points in that game and has not stopped yet. Trust me he still plays and gets 30-40 a game against college stars!!

The last person in the segment I want to talk about is a Harlem fixture to this day. Willie Hall is one of the toughest and meanest guys to step on the court. I first saw him when I was a youngster watching the Bowman Basketball League for men at Wagner Center on the east side of Harlem. He was unique because before the game he found time to sit with all of us young kids and laugh and joke. As the opposing team ran through warm-ups he looked at us and smiled saying watch what happens in the game. Well true to his word the game was not the lay-up line. It was man to man combat and Willie Took no prisoners. Willie was a star at St. Johns University years earlier but never made the NBA because he had a hot temper. According to many, even the great Oscar Robinson attempted to get him a spot on the Cincinnati Royals but it did not work out.

One of the funniest scenes I have witnessed on an outdoor court was when Willies Hall’s team faced off against Pee Wee Kirkland’s team in the Real Pro Rucker. Willie was never intimidated by Pee Wee and his crew. During the game Willie got into it with Pee Wee and shoved him. The entire stands became quiet waiting to see what would happen next. Pee Wee’s crew and friends all stood and started shouting at Willie. Willie walked over to them and told them to come out at him. Oddly they all seemed to be holding each other back because they knew that Willie was gentile off the court but a terror when confronted. Basketball wise Willie Hall was a real star who was tough before tough was something NBA guys admired.

Yes playground basketball in NYC has a lot of colorful figures in its history. It’s a history that needs to be shared. For many attending free games during the summer, it is more exciting and affordable than attending an NBA game at Madison Square Garden. It’s the reason the “And 1” tour is so successful. When young playground legends such as Kareem Reid, Bone Crusher. Half Man Half Amazing, Headache, I’ll Be Right Back, Master Rob, Future, and others enter a local neighborhood park, its as if true royalty has entered the room. Royalty that many in the inner city relate to better than the players on NBA teams. Its what makes NYC Summer Basketball so attractive. It’s a place where even NBA Players have to earn respect. Just as past players including Willis Reed, Dr. J, and others had to.

Please look for additional articles about New York City, New Jersey, and Pa. Summer Basketball coming soon. I have great Dana Lewis, Sonny Hill League, Newark stuff including Cleo Hill, and much, much more!!

Rutgers Loss

Bad loss at Nebraska. Not just the final score, but the way the Scarlet Knights competed.

When will Jeron Griffin stop shooting first and making plays only when he does not have room to get one off from the perimeter?

Corey Chandler is a breath of fresh air and a tremendous talent. Better talent than I imagined!! I know Rutgers fans are going to kill me for this but HE NEEDS TO PASS sometime!! Yes he is a tremendous talent. But basketball is a team game. But in all honesty, I would still want him if he never passes because he is just that good. But if the RU Coaches are charting they will notice something I have seen the two times I watched RU play. I will refrain for now but I hope its corrected!

JR will hopefully one day step it up as a leader. THIS WAS the game he should have stepped it up!! He played ok. But OK is not good enough. He needs to get 9 or more rebounds every game.

Rutgers staff needs to get the team in the gym doing defense drills badly. These guys seem to sometimes play D like they are at a bull fight.

Well things can only get better because they play NJIT next LOLOL. But they need to be nice because NJIT Grads are future leaders in America even though they are having a bad season thus far.

OK Freddie time to re-group!!!! I guess Jeron will shoot great in the next game. Oh yes, they are playing NJIT!!

Time for Farmer to lead!!!!!!!

When will someone realize the potential of the big fella?

Big Game For Rutgers

Big game today in Lincoln Nebraska for Rutgers University.One thing for certain is they will need to have their A game to escape with a win. Is it possible? Yes! Here's what needs to happen:

- Follow the lead of FHJ and keep with the game plan

- Keep composure even if Nebraska takes an early lead

- Play TEAM basketball.

- Jeron Griffin needs to watch his shot selection. What will happen is teams will give him room
to shoot hoping he will. Take the wide open shot but if you are off, get inside and to the line.

- Team has to play better defense. Especially on the perimeter

- JR needs to play aggressive on Offense and better D with his feet and legs

- Guards need to play under control. Especially Coburn!!! Farmer needs to lead and
Chandler needs to just play his game.

- Rebound, rebound, and rebound.

Side Note

RU does not have one player in the top assist category in BE.
This again is a big test for RU

Saturday Basketball Stuff!!!!!

Lots of stuff happening all over the basketball community. People are talking HS bball anticipating great match ups. Next weeks Oak Hill vs St. Benedict's game should be a great one!! I now think I will even venture down to the Hoop Scoop Event at SHU to check out the last games because the first two games seem nice but they are not as exciting for me. I bet those two will turn out to be the best games of the day so I better now get there early. Maybe stop by that Cluck You Chicken place for some wings on the way.

College Ball Saturday

OK how long will the honeymoon last for Gillespie (sp) at Kentucky? Those fans live and die with the Kentucky Wildcats. Losing by 19????? They must be going crazy in Lexington and all over the state!!! Speaking of the Kentucky Fans, they are so unique and different than what people think. I have spoken to 50 or so different die hard UK fans over the past 3 years in my travels. Most are just average everyday blue collar workers and many have never attended the university. They are hard working people who take pride in the basketball and overall sports program at Kentucky. They buy mobile homes to travel and follow their team. They use hard earned money to support the team and some even struggle getting the money together for the tickets. Of course they have the wealthy alums and fans who support the team. But the number who do not fall into this category is extremely large.

Poor NJIT! What have they gotten into? I hope the earned money for playing is worth it. They are win-less but have a good shot against Stony Brook Monday because besides Stony Brook just being decent, they do not seem to draw fans exceptionally well in the beautiful building they have on campus.

Local NYC Product Russell Robinson has completely changed his game from when he was attending Rice HS in NYC. At Rice he never met a shot he did not like. During his first year at Kansas he was moody and upset with playing time. Some one must have spoken to him because he made a complete 360 degree turn. He became A TEAM PLAYER!!! He seems to be the glue on a very good Kansas team despite only scoring 7 points in the last win. If he did this in HS he would not talk to anyone for days lolol. Maybe his OUTSTANDING DAD has gotten through to him. If you ever met this kids dad you would be extremely impressed!! Russell could sneak on to an NBA roster because he understands the role of a point guard and now loves to defend.

Does Marquette remind anyone of what St. Johns used to be? They play to packed houses at home and beat a tough Wisconsin team in a rivalry game at The Kohl Center in Madison Saturday. I know how hard that is because I have been to quite a few games in that building. Wisconsin remains a big time athletic program with a big time academic reputation. How much longer can Marquette hold on to TC is the big question in Wisconsin?

Arizona without Lute is like South Beach without Luke lol. Anyone know the Luke from South Beach? he is the guy that makes things exciting for alot of celebs and maybe a few U Miami recruits when they visit. Throws great parties I hear. But really, Lute will be missed because the interim guy, Kevin O'Neil is a great X and O guy but from what I hear hard to communicate with. JUST ONE TOUGH COOKIE!!

RI over Syracuse? WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! At Syracuse! What happened to the 37,000 at the Dome? Where is the home court advantage? Is RI really that good? Syracuse looked pretty good when I watched them early in the season. On my way to my home in Newport RI, I must stop at a RI game. Well I can go to a game at RI but I really do not have a home in Newport lololol. But the big home tours are great!!

NC State loses to East Carolina? I remember a buddy of mine, Larry Gilman, was the Head Coach of East Carolina. He came from San Francisco where he had recruited Bill Cartwright, Winfred Boynes, and James Hardy. Remind me to tell you folks about the recruitment of Winfred Boynes and Denny Crum one day lol. Anyway, they scheduled a game against Concord College, a small school in the West Virginia Conference, an NAIA league. The late great Frank Marino of 5 Star fame was his assistant and had saw Concord the year before in a game during his travels and said they would be an easy early win. When Larry came out to the court he watched in amazement as the Concord Players were jumping through the roof doing having a dunk exhibition in warm-ups. Larry was stunned and scared. When the game started Concord scored the first basket on an ally oop. The Concord player had his chin on the rim according to Larry. He turned to Frank Marino and said, "If we lose this game just catch the train back to NYC in the morning because I will send your clothes." They won by a few points in a hard fought game. I guess East Carolina was similar to Concord against NC State. What should have been an easy victory turned to defeat.

NC State has definitely been a disappointment to date. But as soon as Costner gets it together they will be better. It seems he has that sophomore jinx thing going. But he is too skilled not to shake it off and have a productive season.

I guess I was wrong about 7 wins in a row for Seton Hall University. But losing to Penn State in happy Valley is nothing to be ashamed of. Plus fans are starting to show up for Penn State Games again it seems. But If Penn State does not show do better this season...............

How long before Rick Majerus decides to retire again? I have the speech already written. "After thinking about this long and hard, I realize the game is a bit different from what it was when I last coached." than he will say "I have decided to step down and allow a person better qualified to assume the coaching position at St, Louis University." I really hope he sticks it out for a few years but his past history shows he might not have the patience. Especially looking at his loses already this season. HANG IN THERE RICK!!!

Is Dayton that good or Louisville that overrated? Or maybe Louisville is just young and inconsistent. But losing to Dayton at Louisville is almost unheard of. Its a new trend with the face of college basketball changing. Mid majors with good guards are here to play and compete.

Lastly. Is Lance Thomas and Brian Zoubek (sp), great HS players really happy at Duke? Sure its a great campus and great part of the country. Sure the fans are great. But most kids want to play!!!!! Hope it works out for them. I also hope current HS players watch closely and not make a mistake of attending a college that will continue to recruit over them year in and year out.

Bobby G getting it done!!!!

I have known Bobby G for over 15 years and though I still feel he is a control guy I have to say its a pleasure to see him doing well. In fact, that has always been my only issue with him. In fact its shocking because to meet him is to love him.

I remember when he signed Jared Johnson, who played with a program I worked with in NYC, we were all blown away by the way Gonzo, as we called him, made Jared and his family feel. Gonzo was so good he had me dreaming of trying to get eligibility back to play college basketball for him and I was around %&^% years old at the time lolol. Even Jim Couch who ran the program and his son Sean, who now is Editor of Bounce Magazine (a great publication) became excited!! Jared, who was a very good player, but somewhat on the lazy side at times, was ready to run through a brick wall.

Here is why Gonzo has been so successful and will continue to be even more successful in the future.

He Has Paid Real Dues

Bobby G came to NYC from upstate NY (I think Binghamton Area) and became involved in youth basketball. He was a volunteer and did all he could coaching young and old kids and learning along the way. He coached Gauchos, Riverside, came to Dyckeman practices, went to every HS game, went to all the summer league games, and much more. NO ONE GAVE HIM ANYTHING. He gained respect in the basketball community of NY the old fashioned way, HE EARNED IT!!

The Bobby G you see now is far from the one that was on the scene in NY for years just staying involved. He did not get paid but LOVED what he was doing.

Bobby went on from the various rec leagues to coach Freshmen and JV ball at a few local schools including Tolintine and Rice, where he became good friends with the varsity coach Lou Demeo (sp). Lou, who is a great guy currently owns and runs that huge and beautiful sportsplex in Beacon NY.

As Bobby worked he made contacts with many others in basketball. This led him to coming close to getting jobs on Rick Patino's staff at Kentucky. I still remember how excited he was as he told me he was close to getting a GA position at Kentucky. He also told me to keep it a secret, which I did. He did not get the position but did catch on with NY Legend Pete Gillin (sp) at Xavier. From there it was off to Providence with Pete, and than to Virginia.

I say all this because VERY FEW GUYS in coaching has paid these type of dues. Its usually an ex player going straight to a GA spot. Or connections landing a kid on with a nice college program. Believe it or not, the only person I can think of that came from a similar background is John Chaney, the ex Temple coach.

Gonzo has always been able to communicate with EVERYONE. He also has been willing to be of assistance with anything people ask of him. This includes unknown grass root rec teams needing tickets or a speaker. Getting him or his coaches to watch a showcase of unknown players like I had about 6 years or so ago. By the way at that unknown camp was JR Inman, Antonio Pena, Kojo Messia (sp), and 14 other future D1 players. Gonzo did not even think it would be a D1 player in the gym, but had his asst. sit there all day as a way to show support!!

The Seton Hall Community has a real winner in Bobby. He is intense, smart, a great communicator, and a very good coach and teacher!!! People have no idea how hard he has worked to get to where he is!! It definitely did not come to him on a silver platter. Maybe that's why he and Dermon Player are together. VERY SIMILAR BACKGROUND!!!

Lastly, as people get to sit with him and have talks, they will find him to have a special gift to make a kid run out of the meeting saying "CHARGE, Lets Go"

Mr. Drummond!!!!!!!!!!

I received an email from someone reminding me about my comments concerning MR. DRUMMOND of Villanova. MR. DRUMMOND is playing very well and has proven why I never made it to the college level as a Coach! He is having a wonderful season to date. My hat is off to him because he has done what I need to do (lose alot of weight) and excelled on the basketball court. So Mr. Drummond. I salute you for Most Improved Player To Date!!!!!!