Friday, September 28, 2007

The WEST COAST is BACK!

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Yeah, you read that right...

The West Coast is BACK! No, Dre hasn't dropped the "Detox" yet, and Shaq hasn't rejoined the Lakers... I'm talkin' about the HS/College Hoop Scene...

The Pac-10 was already among the top conferences in the country, and this years FR Class did nothing but make it even stronger with the additions of numerous All Americans to rosters up and down the conference. From OJ Mayo & Davon Jefferson at USC, James Harden at Arizona State, Jerryd Bayless & Jamelle Horne at Arizona, Kevin Love at UCLA, and so on...

What I'm talking about is the Next Class of hoopers looking forward to gracing the courts up and down the Pac-10. Within the class of 2008 there is a group of 7 Guards, all hailing from the West Coast, who are skilled and talented enough to be ranked among the Nations Top 50 Players by many different publications... From Slam Magazine, Dime Magazine, Rise Magazine, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Scout.com, CSTV, Prep Stars, Rivals, Hoop Scoop Online, etc., the following "WestCoasters" are labeled as the Guards of the future.

I asked each of them their thoughts about the strength of the Pac-10, as well as what they think about the group of kids from the 08 class. The answers are below, along with a pic and a video of each player.


Brandon Jennings 6'2" PG, Oak Hill Academy (Compton, CA) *Committed to Arizona

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJpqtynQOAM

"There is a lot of strength in the Pac-10... I think with OJ Mayo and Kevin Love playin' in the Pac-10 helped it a lot. So their the ones that made it strong. Now the 08/09 class is going to be Crazy! You got me at AZ, you got Jrue and Malcolm at UCLA, then you got Zeke at Washington and Demar at USC! If the Pac-10 can't get any ESPN games after this year, than I don't know what else to do. You got 4 guys in the top 25 ranking from ESPN all going to the Pac-10 now... That's HEAT!"
"With the kids from the 08 class coming into the pac 10 next year, It's gonna be crazy... Everybody gonna wanna see me go at Jrue and Zeke and Malcolm, it's just a lot of good match-ups."



Jrue Holiday 6'4" SG, Campbell Hall (North Hollywood, CA) *Committed to UCLA

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ucbjbx8Ro0

"We tryin' to make the West coast the strongest conference in college basketball... We're also tryin to prove that the West Coast baller is realer and better than the East Coast Baller."
"I think we got the top players comin' into the Pac-10, and almost any Pac-10 team has a chance to get to the championship... But you know UCLA is goin back!"



Isaiah Thomas 5'9" PG, South Kent Academy (Tacoma, WA) *Committed to Washington

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http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid271552527/bctid192880237

"My thoughts are that the West Coast has always been there, it's just that we're getting better and better players every year. So the competition is coming through the West Coast (Pac-10) which means there's gonna be matchups every game, every night, and you're gonna have to bring that A game or you're gonna get embarrased... The strength of the Pac-10 is gonna be tough night in and night out. You're gonna have someone comin' after your heart, and I think that's good because it's gonna show which players really belong in that type of conference, and which players don't... I'm gonna be one of those players that's comin after everybody, so ya'll better look out for me next season"


Jerime Anderson 6'2" PG, Canyon HS (Anaheim, CA) *Committed to UCLA

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybx_dhVBrBg

"I feel like our class in general is helping to bring the West Coast Back! Everyone who's coming in from our class sooo real! Definitely gonna be the best league/conference in the country for a long time..."
"I think that a lot more kids just want to stay closer to home and their families. Especially now with the Pac-10 having the most prestigious programs, there's no point in going across the country."



Demar Derozan 6'6" SG, Compton HS (Compton, CA) *Committed to USC

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I-ywLk3860


Malcolm Lee 6'4" PG, North HS (Riverside, CA) *Committed to UCLA

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http://ucla.scout.com/2/646714.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teAtIaPr1qc

"I'm really excited. For the past few years the West has been slowly coming back to form. The EastCoast been runnin things for a while and now we gonna be up there with them. The Pac-10 is so strong rigth now, basically it's gonna be wars every night in our conference games, and that's what I'm about. I like to compete. I don't like to take the easy way out. The Pac-10 is to a point where it's like, Only the Strong Survive. The West Coast is back and we takin over... With Interest!"
"The West Coast is guard heavy in the 08 class, and now that the majority of us stayed in the Pac-10 is going to have one of the best Freshman Classes Nationally."


Larry Drew 6'0" PG, Taft HS (Woodland Hills, CA) *Committed to UNC

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pbfy3nEcIs



As you can see, all but 1 of them are headed to Pac-10 programs.

Together these young men will help to keep the Pac-10 among the best conferences in the country for the next 3-4 years. Even though most of these guys are close with eachother, all of them are fiery competitors so expect som HEATED battles on the floor next season!

Oh, and here's some names to watch from the West out of the 2009 class... And ALL are considering Pac-10 programs...

Abdul Gaddy 6'3" PG, Bellarmine Prep (Tacoma, WA) *Committed to Arizona

Michael Snaer 6'4" SG, Rancho Verde HS (Moreno Valley, CA)

Renardo Sidney 6'10" PF, Fairfax HS (Los Angeles, CA)


Avery Bradley 6'4" SG, Bellarmine Prep HS (Tacoma, WA)

Roberto Nelson 6'3" SG, Santa Barbara HS (Santa Barbara, CA)

Hollis Thompson 6'7" SG, Loyola HS (Los Angeles, CA)

Peyton Siva 6'0" PG, Franklin HS (Seattle, WA)

Jordan Hamilton 6'7" SF, Dominguez HS (Los Angeles, CA)

David Wear 6'10" PF, Mater Dei HS (Santa Ana, CA)

Travis Wear 6'10" PF, Mater Dei HS (Santa Ana, CA)



Yessir! It looks like the West is most definitely back, and from the looks of things it doesn't plan on going anywhere for awhile...


'Zo


Wednesday, September 26, 2007

The Herb Pope Story...

Herb is a kid whom I've never met personally. I've seen him play once before, and had heard many stories of him and his game, so I was really looking forward to meeting him last Spring at the 2007 Sonny Vaccaro Roundball Classic. But he couldn't make it. He was shot 4 times outside of a party in his hometown of Aliquippa, PA just days before he was supposed to board his flight to Chicago to show the Country's best what he can do. Aliquippa PA??? You probably thought the same thing I did while reading that. By all accounts it's a pretty small town, but it has some serious big city problems.

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Below are links to 2 articles written about Herb and his story... One boy Luke Winn of CNNSI and the other by Thayer Evans of the NYTimes...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/luke_winn/09/25/herbpope/index.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/17/sports/ncaabasketball/17pope.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Below are a few interesting excerpts from the articles:

*Abandoned by his parents as a youngster, he had a tortuous journey in becoming one of the nation’s top high school power forwards. He endured upheaval while living with relatives, friends and foster parents. He changed schools nearly every year. And he survived violence, including a shooting during a dispute in March.

*Pope endured a tumultuous childhood. “He comes from a dysfunctional family,” said his father, Herbert Pope Sr., a recovering crack addict. “He basically raised himself. It’s amazing. He’s got a hell of a story to tell.”

*“He’s an inner-city kid that is not going to take any stuff from anybody,” Theus, a former N.B.A. star, said in a telephone interview. “Unfortunately, a lot of times the inner-city kids, the first thing they think with a problem is knocking the guy out, which is not all bad, to a point.”

*At the 2005 ABCD Camp, the two biggest junior stars were O.J. Mayo and Kevin Love, who were as close to sure things as are found on the recruiting trail. Beyond that duo, the most intriguing player present from the Class of '07 may have been Herb Pope, a slippery, 6-foot-8 forward from Aliquippa, Pa., who had committed to Pittsburgh as a sophomore. But as one evaluator remarked at the time, Pope "was probably getting too good" for the Panthers. Not that Pitt wasn't a strong program then; it just seemed that Pope was blowing up on a national scale, and there were whispers that he was being pushed toward grander destinations."

*Two of the bullets remained in Pope's body when he was released after 11 days. Nearly two months went by before he returned to playing basketball. On Wednesday he'll be back in Aliquippa, at a court hearing, to face Longmire. Pope says there is no animosity toward his shooter.
"I can't be mad, because of where I live and the things that I've seen," he said. "I'm more disappointed in myself, because I had chances to go to private schools and get out of the area. That was a way to stop this from happening; otherwise, I don't think it was preventable. It happened a quarter of a mile away from my house."
When he spoke those words on a recent September morning, Pope was sitting in the basketball office at New Mexico State, where he's on scholarship as a freshman. Who would have thought while Mayo and Love went to Los Angeles, Pope would go to Las Cruces?




Herb Pope is currently at New Mexico State, readying for his Freshman season where they are looking for him to be a leader both on and off the floor.

At the young age of 19 Herbs both been through and seen more than most people twice his age. From being abandoned by his parents at a young age, being shot 4 times, committing and decommitting from Pittsburgh, and last but not least being left by the coach who recruited him to New Mexico State (Reggie Theus).

He's got one of those stories that sounds like it was something written for the silver screen, making him the kind of kid whom you really pull for to succeed. Here's to hoping he can leave his troubled past behind, and make the best of a new situation.

Herb, even though we haven't met personally, I'm pullin for you lil' homie...

'Zo

Monday, September 24, 2007

Top 20 HS teams pre-season...

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(Pictured above, Brandon Jennings of Oak Hill)

It may be seem a lil' early to be puting this list together, but with just over a month before the HS season tips off I figured I'd get things crackin' early...


Zo's Top HS teams Nationally, pre-season...

1. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson VA (Brandon Jennings, Willie Warren, Keith Gallon, Malik Storey)
Oak Hill will have the nations best backcourt with Brandon Jennings and Willie Warren, as well as one of the HS ranks premiere long range shooters in Malik Storey. The question surrounding them this season will be their frontcourt...

2. St. Anthony's, Jersey City NJ (Mike Rosario, Dominique Cheek, Jio Fontan, Tyshawn Taylor, Travon Woodall)
St Anthony's returns virtually EVERYONE from last years 28-1 team, meaning they have the chemistry to have similar success this year. Mike Rosario, who is headed to Rutgers, is one of the premier shooters on the East Coast, and can get buckets with the best of them. His supporting cast rounding out their starting 5 will all play high major hoops as well...


3. American Christian, Aston PA (Tyreke Evans, Jerimiah Kelly, Lamont Jones)
Led by Tyreke Evans with the additions of Jerimiah Kelly and Lamont Jones, American Christian will definitely be one of the top teams playing on the High School level this season. They will be tough to beat, and entertaining to watch. As has been said over and over, Tyreke Evans may be the best SG in this class nationally.

4. St. Benedicts, Newark NJ (Samardo Samuels, Greg Enchinique, Tamir Jackson, Tristan Thompson)
St. Benedicts strength is in their frontcourt. Samardo Samuels is one of the most imposing figures on the low block on the High School level. He's headed to Louisville next year, and should see immediate minutes. 6'9" PF Tristan Thompson is easily among the top 10 players Nationally in the class of 2010. He's the next in a long line of Canadian imports (Via Ro Russell's Grassroots Canada) to bring their game to the US.

5. Montrose Christian, Rockville MD (Tristan Spurlock, Isaiah Armwood, Terrell Vinson)
They boast 3 top 50 talents from the 2009 class in 6'9" Isaiah Armwood, 6'7" Terrell Vinson, and 6'6" Tristan Spurlock, as well as two near 7' Footers in Temadayo Odebayo and Brian O'Kam on the low block. When you can throw a group with that size and talent on the floor it could get scary for rival squads. They are talented enough to contend for the top spot.

6. St. Patricks, Elizabeth NJ (Quintrell Thomas, Dexter Strickland)
Dexter Strickland has waited patiently to get his time in the spotlight, and this is his team for the next 2 years. After playing Tito Jackson to All American Corey Fisher for the last 2 years, it's Dexter's turn to run the show for the always talented St. Patricks squad. He will have help down low from talented big man Quintrell Thomas.

7. American Heritage, Plantation FL (Eloy Vargas, Kenny Boynton)
Led by one of the nations best scorers regardless of class in Kenny Boynton and one of the most versatile bigs in the country in Eloy Vargas, American Heritage will be extremely fun to watch this season. They're 2 stars hail from not only one of the country's best Travel Teams (Team Breakdown), but they were also members of this year's Elite 24! Look for big things this season from thsi duo.

8. Fairfax, Los Angeles CA (Renardo Sidney)
Fairfax was already a talented team, but with the addition of Renardo Sidney, the nations top Jr, they are even more talented. Renardo is the 6'10" do everything man child, whose ready to bring home his 2nd state title albeit with a new school/team. As many of you know he can shoot the rock like a Wing, dominate the block whenever he wants, and handle the rock on the break. There's not much he can't do.

9. South Kent Academy, South Kent CT (Isaiah Thomas, Maurice Creek, Christian Morris, Jin Soo Kim, Assane Sene)
With one of the nationss best scorers and most exciting playmakers in Washington bound Isaiah Thomas and one of the most intimidating inside presences in Rutgers bound Christian "Beast" Morris, look for South Kent to be among the nations top 10 teams all season long. They've added stud Jr Guard Maurice Creek, and a 7' Footer from Africa in Assane Sene.

10. Mount Zion Academy, Durham NC (Terrence Jennings, Karron Johnson)
Mount Zion will boast one of the nations top front courts in ultra-athletic 6'10" Sr Terrence Jennings and the versatile and also athletic 6'7" Jr Karron Johnson. They should be very entertaining to watch as usual.

11. St Edward, Lakewood OH (Delvon Roe, PeShon Howard)
With one of the countries top PF's in Michigan State bound Delvon Roe and one of the top SG's in the 2010 class nationally in Pe'Shon Howard, St Edwards should have one of the best inside out combo's around.

12. Wheeler, Marietta GA (Dequan Jones, Ari Stewart, Richard Howell)
Even with the loss of McDonalds All American PF JJ Hickson to NC State, Wheeler should still contend for the State Championship and it;'s possible they'll be even better than they were last year. With arguably the nations most athletic swing man in Miami bound Sr Dequan "DJ" Jones, and with two of the class of 2009's top forward prospects (Ari Stewart, and Richard Howell), Wheeler will be tough to beat and a highlight reel waiting to happen.

13. Mater Dei, Santa Ana CA (Travis Wear, David Wear)
With the 6'10" Wear twins (Travis & David Wear) patrolling the lane, Mater Dei will be one of the West Coast's best teams.

14. Lincoln, Brooklyn NY (Lance Stephenson)
Lance Stephenson!

15. Campbell Hall, North Hollywood CA (Jrue Holiday)
Jrue Holiday!


16. Dunwoody, Dunwoody GA (Chris Singleton, Delwan Graham, Pierre Jordan)

17. Rice, New York NY (Kemba Walker, Durand Scott)

18. Hargrave Military Academy, Chatham VA (Demarquis Bost, Eshaunte Jones, Chris Braswell, Roscoe Davis)

19. Findlay Prep, Las Vegas NV (DeAndre Liggins, Clarence Trent)

20. Norcross, Norcross GA (Al Farouq Aminu, Taariq Muhammed)

Who else is excited about this years NCAA FR Class???

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The above 2 kids, DeAndre Jordan (Texas A&M) and Anthony Randolph (LSU), are not only two of the Biggest McDonalds AA Snubs in recent years but they are also two of the most talented kids coming into this years NCAA season. Look for both of them to make an instant impact at their respective schools.

WOW! now that I think about it this should be a VERY entertaining season... Is it just me or does it look like this class of incoming Freshman could possibly one of the most talented classes to come through College Hoops in a looooong while??? (Obviously the NBA rule had a lot to do with it)

I was going to write this blog on DeAndre Jordan and Anthony Randolph, and talk about how they are both talented enough to be on NBA rosters right now but somehow they were left out of the McDonalds AA game last year, giving both of them even more motivation to do what they do in their 1st, and possibly last collegiate seasons. But the further I dug into this topic, I started to see how deep this incoming FR class truly is...

Check it out...

Bill Walker (Redshirt) 6'6" Wing, Kansas State
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G33_XkeVS8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eISP-7c3aiE

Kevin Love 6'9" PF, UCLA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZpljX-jnFk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAyYfQl1MHc

Mike Beasley 6'9" F, Kansas State
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hYfDCxUX9I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dGLwJaayL0

OJ Mayo 6'5" G, USC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53ssZaWoWEs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAdyefoownk

Eric Gordon 6'5" G, Indiana
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNQRKsZYXZ8&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asXHPc0wnMQ

DeAndre Jordan 7'0" C, Texas A&M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSjNQjdb2kI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O31vY5StdX8

Anthony Randolph 6'10" PF, LSU
http://www.draftexpress.com/viewprofile.php?p=1069
http://nbadraft.net/admincp/profiles/anthonyrandolph.html

Derrick Rose 6'3" PG, Memphis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6G_RRGHzfA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mk7QSoF02T0

James Harden 6'6" SG, Arizona State
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivJl_-Wn650
http://www.presstelegram.com/preps/ci_4613504

Jerryd Bayless 6'4" G, Arizona
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHYd40OFTXI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2QJQZ7F3gc

JJ Hickson 6'9" PF, NC State
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW5oU8HbSqA
http://www.draftexpress.com/viewprofile.php?p=1239

Gani Lawal 6'8" PF, Georgia Tech
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVp6pxn-k8A
http://www.draftexpress.com/viewprofile.php?p=1269

Donte Greene 6'9" PF, Syracuse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1Fh6BOw-uQ
http://www.nbadraft.net/admincp/profiles/dontegreene.html

Kyle Singler 6'8" Wing, Duke
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOrmXKJIbV0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etarE-rRNMg

Kosta Koufus 7'1" C, Ohio State
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCWR1bzG3rI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWXuBbhrjU8

Patrick Patterson 6'8" PF, Kentucky
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T65zYF6XF0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd3d1tNVMwc

Jonny Flynn 5'11" PG, Syracuse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2L_LGxyTys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZeEPNmAvFE

Chris Allen 6'4" SG, Michigan State
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2USASnAzbnk
http://www.usabasketball.com/biosmen/chris_allen_bio.html

Corey Fisher 6'0" PG, Villanova
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCwc4j_uJxU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4Fk_-SLza4

Corey Stokes 6'6" SG, Villanova
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ik_JmaYnpc
http://ssbasketball.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=1132&CID=636006

Austin Freeman 6'5" SG, Georgetown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwA5pWm5ah0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc_us9bmXhw


People will be saying the same things about this years FR class that they have said about last years, but I think this years FR class will prove to be even deeper and more talented from top to bottom. It also has much more star power, as many of these guys will be the leader and go to players on their teams. It may not produce the top 2 picks in the NBA draft like last years FR class did, but it will produce a majority of the lottery picks and you can take that to the bank... Cause if the season goes like I think it will, I know a lot of these guys will and deservedly so!

'Zo

Friday, September 21, 2007

This post is in Memory of Dante "DA" Anderson...

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DA was one of my lil' homies with whom I spoke with weekly... He was a very talented kid, with a personality and smile that could light up a room... He spoke with that Down South Florida drawl, that always made conversation with him memorable (Especially for those of us not originally from the South).

He's the perfect example of a kid who had literally came outta nowhere! He made it into our 2006 ABCD Camp through one of our Try-out camps that we had down in Florida. And once he came to camp it was obvious to everyone watching that he was a man on a mission! He played well enough throughout the week to earn a spot in the Underclassmen All-Star game, where he wowed EVERYONE in attendance and was named one of the Co-MVP's of the game (along with Brandon Jennings). Dante finished with a team high 22 points, and he shot 8-15 from the field & 5-10 from beyond the arc... He left the camp with his name on the top of every college coaches list, and with the reputation he came to camp looking to build...

This past spring, Dante was still out on the hunt as if he hadn't accomplished anything. He's the type of kid who was ALWAYS looking for respect out on the court. He had played well enough to earn a spot on Team Rbk USA, a group of 12 kids hand picked by Rbk's Global Director of Basketball Chris Rivers which included:

Isaiah Thomas, 5'9" PG *Committed to Washington
Malcolm Lee, 6'4" PG *Committed to UCLA
Will Buford, 6'5" SG *Committed to Ohio State
Darius Miller, 6'7" SF *Committed to Kentucky
J'Mison Morgan, 6'10" C *Being recruited by UCLA, Kansas, Alabama, Baylor, etc
Quincy Acy, 6'7" PF *Being recruited by Baylor, Texas, Texas A&M, etc
Eric Frederick, 6'7" SF *Being recruited by Baylor, Texas, Texas A&M, etc
Kenny Frease, 6'11" C *Committed to Xavier
Philip Jurick, 6'11" C *Committed to Tennessee
Bill Walker, 6'6" SF *Freshman @ Kansas State
Dante Anderson, 6'4" SG

Who were put together to tour Italy, and play against the U-20 teams over there.

On his way back to Florida after his 1st "Training Camp" with the team, he had an overnight layover here in Atlanta, so I picked him up from the airport and he spent the night at my home. We talked all night long about the things he had in mind for the circuit this spring/summer, and he was really looking forward to his trip to Italy, as well as his return trip to our Reebok All American Camp (RbkU) where he planned on putting on a show all over again...

Not too long after that evening Dante passed away as result of a tragic car accident. He is sadly missed, and we now have an award that we will give out annually at our camp (Rbk U) in honor of our fallen friend.

Below is a link to a video of Dante playing shortly before his passing...

RIP lil' homie... You will always be missed...

'Zo

http://s172.photobucket.com/albums/w10/Bestof2009/?action=view&current=Dante.flv

Some advice for the lil' homies... (Myspace/Facebook)

This post is for all the young hoopers out there with goals and dreams to play in college and beyond, to tell you to be careful on both of these websites (Myspace & Facebook).

There are actually people out there that will stalk HS/College Basketball players. Especially ones whose names are in the papers, on the websites, in Magazines, and on TV. When you get a chance, you should go through your friend list and delete all of the people that you don't know. Because you never know, they could be a fan from another college or high school, or just some hater who is looking for something to use against you.

There have been situations where stuff like this happens, and entire cheering sections are chanting a players cell phone number, or holding up signs with the players e-mail address or a BIG picture of the player and his girlfriend, etc. That's why it's important to know who you're talking to, or who you're letting into your personal life. Because the info that's on these pages such as: pictures of you with your fam, friends, details about your personal life, etc. Is all stuff that can and will be used against you if the wrong people have it. Especially if you're one of the best players on a rival team.

After you read this, get back on your pages and delete all the names of people that you have no clue who they are. But if you're going to let people you don't know on your page, at least delete your personal contact information like your phone number, e-mail address, or AIM screen name...

Sonny lecture's @ Harvard...

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As many of you know and should know, "The Godfather" Sonny Vaccaro, has taken a heiatus from Grassroots Basketball in the sense of running camps an tournaments. But he is currently on a speaking tour, going to many of the nations best law schools and speaking about his life and goals. Below is an article from the Washington Post about his most recent speach at Harvard University on September 19, 2007...

If you have ever met Sonny, he is the kind of guy who's mere presence demands respect. He's one of the friendliest people I've met since being involved with Basketball, period. He's as inviting as they come, and when you're around him it's easy to tell that his mind isn't on himself. he genuinely cares about the kids he helps.

Now onto the article...

'Zo

-------

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/19/AR2007091902506_pf.html

Marketing Pioneer Takes Message to Campus

By Eric Prisbell, Washington Post Staff WriterThursday, September 20, 2007

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 19 -- Sonny Vaccaro, the former shoe company executive who helped turn the youth basketball scene into a multimillion-dollar industry, has long been an outspoken critic of the
NCAA. Now, he has a unique and unlikely audience. One of college basketball's most controversial and influential figures of the past 40 years has taken his fight to the halls of higher learning, starting with the Ivy League.
Nine months after leaving the shoe company business, Vaccaro began an East Coast university speaking tour Wednesday at
Harvard Law School, where he criticized both the NBA and NCAA during a spirited, 90-minute lecture. Vaccaro, who said he hopes to "awaken America" with his message, will follow Wednesday's appearance with a lecture at Yale on Friday and another at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business on Sept. 26.

"I always prayed this would be my ending," Vaccaro, who will turn 68 on Sunday, said during an interview before Wednesday's lecture. "I have been working for this day for 68 years. This is the most significant thing I have done in my life, and it is payback for all the kids and parents who have been with me for 43 years. I'm fighting for kids I don't even know, who have no idea I'm fighting for them."

Vaccaro, who has worked for
Nike, Adidas and, most recently, Reebok, is usually seen in public wearing a velour sweat suit and hobnobbing with college coaches, high school players and handlers at summer basketball camps. On Wednesday night, Vaccaro wore a button-down shirt and dress pants and hugged most of the few dozen law students in attendance.

Jihad Beauchman, a second-year law student, said: "Sonny and I don't necessary agree on the issues, but I like that he is so passionate about it. It's amazing that he has accomplished so much, but he still sees that his greatest goal is forthcoming."

Vaccaro criticized the NBA age restriction that stipulates a player must be 19 years old and one year out of high school before being drafted. International players must be 19 years old by the end of the calendar year in which they turn draft eligible, but they do not have a one-year waiting period after high school.
"We did not preclude these [foreign-born] kids from earning a living at the age of 18," Vaccaro said. "We forced our own people to do what -- go to college, because that's what we do in America. Why aren't all kids given the same chance to play in the league?"

Vaccaro also took aim at schools that profit from selling images from games starring their former athletes. He believes players should profit from such business transactions once their eligibility has ended.

"When did it become the right of NCAA to sell me into perpetuity?" Vaccaro said to the students. "They don't have the right to sell me forever. What the hell? You have to speak. You have the choice."

Vaccaro entertained the audience with stories of past and current battles with the NCAA. He said the NCAA requested Southern California freshman basketball player O.J. Mayo take a handwriting test to prove the validity of his standardized test scores.

Michael Menitove, a third-year law student, is the president of Harvard's Committee on Sports and Entertainment Law, which invited Vaccaro to speak. Menitove said: "We wanted someone who was controversial. We wanted someone who was opinionated. Agree or disagree, the NCAA is an issue that has certainly been at the forefront of conversation."

Vaccaro said
Harvard only paid for his hotel room because he does not want to profit from the lecture.
"I am not Dick Vitale," Vaccaro said. "I'm not going to give pep talks to the football team. I wanted to go to these kind of universities, with these kind of students: journalists, business [people], lawyers. The new generation, I believe, are the ones who will carry the word. If there is going to be change, I want them to at least have the story correct."

Vaccaro left Reebok in January but remains active. He is writing a book about his career. He is meeting with officials in
Los Angeles about his concept of a national basketball academy. He also is a consultant for the upcoming HBO film "ABCD Camp," the name of Vaccaro's New Jersey-based camp for high school players that ended in 2006. Vaccaro will be portrayed by James Gandolfini.

But he is not without critics. Brian McCormick, the author of "Cross Over: The New Model of Youth Basketball Development," said in an interview earlier this week that while Vaccaro has had a positive impact on youth basketball, "in the grander scope, when he turned grass-roots basketball development into part of the shoe company marketing plan, development was ignored and a generation of players have been raised in a system that values exposure and player rankings more than learning the game and competing."

Many college coaches remain reluctant to praise Vaccaro publicly because he is a polarizing figure. Vaccaro said he recently has received the most attention from scholars at prestigious universities.

"They have paid attention to Sonny Vaccaro more than the people [coaches] I have done business with," Vaccaro said. "As I get toward the end of my quest, I find that my friends are people I had never met who were so opposite my quest. That is what makes what I am doing now so interesting."

First Blog Ever...

What's up ya'll? This is my first time ever blogging, and I figured it'd be a good way to just type out my thoughts, etc. Some of ya'll know that I send out a lot of e-mails sharing either my advice or my thoughts, and information such as articles on Basketball from the Grassroots Level, high school level, college level, and professional level, so I figured I'd do something like this to put it all in one place.

As most of ya'll know I have been involved in the game of Basketball for most of my life, and have become deeply immersed in the Grassroots Basketball Circuit, High School Hoops, College Hoops, and on the professional over the past few years.

Here's a lil' bit about me... I'm 26, was born and raised in Tacoma WA, moved down to Atlanta for College after HS (Morehouse College), lived in B-More for a few years, and am now married and back living down here in the ATL aka Atlanta GA...

That's enough about me, now onto the bloggin'!