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Recap 10-10-2004
SHOUT OUTS!!!!!
NJSIAA
slaps Caracter with a 15-day suspension
Reply:
In the recap of the Caracter's "punishment", is
described as "light".
That's an understatement!
But given how much adults have to lose, I'm not
surprised.
His new school would lose "Appearance Money" in all
the made foe media games
this winter,
Promoters would lose out because arena would not be
filled and TV might
not buy into the events.
Coaches and administrators might lose their jobs, if
their schools lose.
The NBA or a NCAA school might not get the looks
they need to make more money
on this kid.
Do you think is latest ranking on
hoopituprecruiting.com had anything to
do with the "punishment.
In the high pressure big bucks world of Blue Chip
high school sports,
how else could the NJSIAA have voted. Agree on a
"punishment" and hope to
keep the money flowing and the lawyers off your door
step.
Do what you have to do to survive, but do'nt tell us
this is "punishment"
I can only hope that Caracter does not get used the
way Eddie Griffin got
used.
In "The Punishment of Eddie Griffin" I wrote that
Griffin's punishment
for for being expelled fron Roman Catholic High (Oh
yea--after the basketball
season ended) was a scholarship to Seton Hall. When
he was "dismissed" from
the Hall, his punishment was a three year NBA rookie
nillionair's contract.
When Griffin was suspended, he was "punished". With
another contract. Now
after his latest suspension, He was "punished" his
latest big buck contract.
What do you think the odds are that this will be his
last "Discipline".
--------------------------------------------------------
>
> BY MIKE KINNEY
> For the Star-Ledger
> Derrick Caracter transferred
to St. Patrick's from Scotch Plains-
> Fanwood for reasons of athletic advantage, the New
Jersey State
> Interscholastic Athletic Association ruled
yesterday, but the Union
> County basketball star will miss only 15 days of
the regular season
> for the rules violation. Not only was Caracter's
punishment
> relatively light -- he could have been sidelined
for the entire
> season -- but the 6-9 junior center also was
informed that his
> mother's purchase of a new home in Elizabeth last
summer was deemed
> a bonafide change of residence.
>
(http://ads.nj.com/RealMedia/ads/click_nx.ads/www.nj.com/xml/story/star_ledger
/v/vbbb/@StoryAd?x)
Under NJSIAA rules, transfer
students who have earned a
varsity letter are ineligible for the first 30 days
of the season at their
new school unless they have had a bonafide change of
address. Because
Caracter's mother moved out of the Scotch
Plains-Fanwood school district, he
was not bound by the 30-day waiting period Go here
for full story: _NJSIAA
slaps Caracter with a 15-day suspension_
> (http://www.nj.com/hssports/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-
>
0/109721100072080.xml)
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Recap 9-29-2004
MESSAGE BOARD TOPIC OF THE DAY
What is your take on
the recent rash of top HS player transfers and is it
good for the players and schools in the long run? What
is the point of it all?
From:
Kenneth Horowitz <khorowitz@strat4wealth.com>
Date: Wed Sep 29, 2004 6:05pm
It starts from the top, the NBA, and the money and press
players receive. No
doubt the same holds true at their collegiate level, the
money is less
discreet but still very important to the schools.
There is more and more pressure to produce competitive
teams and showcase
talent at all levels. Schools are doing all they can do
to make that happen.
What is happening to our
youth? We have allowed corporate greed to seep deep into
our communities. These traveling AAU teams and others
have created a climate where there is no longer any
loyalty to a team. Kids are made to believe that they
are some sort of gift to basketball. When actually
basketball is a gift to us. It had allowed many of us to
change our lives for the better. It created Sportsmen
and better citizens out of many people I know. Today's
game is not the same. This is not the game we grew to
love. Transferring for basketball is not in the best
interest in fair competition. Parents and coaches need
to take back this game. We must reject the big corporate
apparel companies who buy our kids and don't do a thing
for our communities. There are numerous pros who went on
to make big monies but how many have contributed to the
schools they attended. How many have gone on and never
gotten a college degree? More then you can count. Our
kids need to refocus on their future careers and they
are not. Many can't even fill out a college application.
Lord help us if we do not begin to be more critical of
what's happening to our kids. As a Parent and coach I
find myself struggling with these issues. I hope I'm not
alone on this topic. Thanks for letting me vent.
From:
Mcgheea5@aol.com
Date: Wed Sep 29, 2004 10:01pm
I coach AAU ball and I tell you the kids are going to
the team with the money and the big name. Some kids can
benefit from going to a school that will help him get
into college. Some high school programs are just bad. We
have several kids from Norfolk, VA. that should be in
college, however the coaches did not do their homework
and the kids are on the streets. Put the same kids at a
school 30 minutes away and they may become a house hold
name. Changing schools are not for everybody, however
sometimes you got to think about the kids future. I'm
not talking about the slam balls that pimp the kids.
Many of these kids are from single homes with little
income therefore who would not jump at a chance to
improve their chances of being looked at by a D 1
school. Everybody wants to be on ESPN, therefore kids
will travel to different States to get recognition. Some
coaches will bend the rules by finding apartments,
families, transportation and what other means to get
these players. They do it in Wrestling, Baseball,
Football and so on. How can a high school stay on top
without transfers? High school have recruited for 100
years and it will continue. This is a free country,
therefore just hope that these kids get better guidance.
Recap 8-07-2004
MESSAGE BOARD TOPIC OF THE DAY
Why does basketball reward being
left back in school?
The AAU has age exemption rules
(i.e., A 16yo 8th grader can play with the 14 - 15yo 8th
graders. You gotta see these horses at the AAU Nat'ls).
Older high school students, who have been left back, can
play with there appropriate students and get props for
being better than their classmates as they should be
because they are older and more mature physically. Some
even get drafted in the NBA and others are touted as the
next Lebron James.
Question? How old is 8th grader, Lance Stephenson?
The differences between a 14, 15, 16 and 17 year old is
much different from the differences between a 18, 19 and
20 year old from a physical
perspective. At the earlier ages the differences are
more extreme.
Why does basketball reward kids who get left back in
school? Shouldn't kids be forced to play in their own
age group? This will tell us how good they really are.
Or should we just continue with these illusions of
greatness?
Thoughts?
Opinions?
From:
Largent47@aol.com
Date: Thu Aug 5, 2004 7:43am
Its Insane. The rule for aau should be age only until
you get to be a sophomore in high school and are at a
recruitable age. I saw Kearis Pinkney (Hoopscoop #1
6th grader) at the 12 and under nationals. He will be
14 in early September. Has playing against teams
with mostly 12 yr olds. How is this helping him and
what message is this sending teams that don't have
these grade exemption kids. Most teams that advanced
far had their allotted 3 grade exemptions. What's the
point play your age till High School then go grade.
From:
emerge ebony <emergee@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu Aug 5, 2004 7:53am
I'VE BEEN ON THIS
QUESTION FOR YEARS, IT MAKES NO SENSE
AT ALL TO HAVE A TEAM OF 16YROLDS PLAYING 14UNDER WIN
CHAMPIONSHIPS, CALL THE COACHES THE GREATEST EVER,
REWARD THEM WITH NIKE CONTRACTS. ITS UNFAIR, BUT WHO
CARES, ITS ALL ABOUT THE KIDS RIGHT. IF YOU WANT TO
SEE SOME EXCEPTIONAL 16YR OLD 7TH GRADERS COME TO
MARYLAND.
|
I feel bad that i have to say this but if you are
in the 8th grade and you are 16-17-18 y/o you
should NOT be able to play.
There should be a rule about this!!!!! They
should enter the student in another team so that
he/she can play with their own kind or they
should say,'' until you pass this class you are
not eligible to play.'' Because when you think
about it, it makes no sense. imagine a 13-14 y/o
playing ball w/ a 17 y/o . Basketball
shouldn't reward kids who get left back in school.
This is coming from a 15 y/o female.
I know from experience that i wouldn't be too
happy
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I agree with you. We shouldn't
provide those who have failed in the classroom with
opportunity to excel on the basketball court. An
additional year of experience is a big difference at
the younger age groups. AAU should eliminate the grade
exception rule and have all kids play within their
correct age group.
That is an interesting question. When I started out
coaching AAU, I went by the exact age and grade. When
I started competing and seen that kids are older than
my kids, but the same grade. It really made a
difference in the outcome of the game. Physically the
older kids wore us down. The skill level could be the
same, but the physical play is a big part. Now when I
compete I try to look for 1 to 2 exemption players to
play with my kids to give us balance. I think the
rule is horrible. It does not prove anything if you
can dominate a grade that you are older than.
Nice Subject...
totally agree with the opinions expressed. I have
been associated with the Mitchellville Trailblazers
boys basketball team and we are about to begin our
sixth year in existence(14U). We have never had an
overage kid on our roster. I think it is incredibly
unfair for our kids who are excellent students to be
forced to play against AAU teams with 3 players in
their starting lineups who are 1 or almost 2 years
older than our players. Kids should play against kids
their own age. What this has encouraged is so many
parent to "fail" or as they call it "reclassify" their
child so that their child can play against younger
kids, look good and hope that it leads to some type of
scholarship. AAU and both need to abolish the
grade exemption rule because it hurts far more kids
than it helps. Additionally, it is simply a fairer
system. Each year most of the teams that get
nationally ranked have grade exception players. The
bottom line is this. If the player is so good then he
should play against kids his own age. By the way, for
those
of you who may read this and think that it is jealousy
talking in 2002 we the Mitchellville Trailblazers were
ranked 9th in the nation. We were the only "pure"(i.e., no grade exceptions) 11U team
that was nationally ranked in our age group that year.
Jeffrey M. Groce
NOT! TRUE!!! The
grade/age exemption rule only allows for
a player to play one age below his
current age provided that he is one
grade back, i.e. a 15 year old may play
in the 14U division provided that he is
in the eighth grade and that his birth
date is after September 1, 1988 (Note
that all AAU competition is competed by
September 1).
Please
go to aauboysbasketball.org, double
click on 03-04 Handbook/Rules, and then
on Competition Rules. Review Section
A.3, Age Determination Date/Grade
Exception Rule carefully!
While
AAU has an extensive certification
process for all team qualifying for the
Nationals, a lot of the policing of AAU
policy must be left to the honesty of
the coaches, programs and clubs that
make up the individual State
Associations. For the integrity of
the sport itself to be maintained for
the players, sometimes people with
documentation about a coach or program
bending the rules has to step forward to
AAU! This should be done with all due
privacy to the individual player, as
well as, the other players on the team.
For the most part players do not bend
rules, adults do! Too publicly
question, by name, a player's
eligibility should be done with the
utmost caution!
Why reward kids left back is complete
debate in itself! The basic context of
grade exception is that a player is
allowed to play with his current class
mates. For example in many states the
eighth grade is in middle school! If a
kid has turned 15 an is still in middle
school, with out grade exception he
would be forced to play with high school
kids who, for the most part, he does not
know, and who may have a full year of
Junior Varsity ball under their belts.
Should this kid be forced to try-out
with these JV players? Should we also
give some thought to the fact that for
many players it is not a case of left
back due to things they themselves did
or did not do? I am willing to bet that
if you were able to look closely at a
lot (not all) of the players playing
under the grade exception rule you would
find that once again an adult is at the
route cause of the issue!
Kids today are at
double and triple jeopardy at the hands
of adults, parents, administrator,
coaches and teachers, and all others who
would exploit them for some gain whether
it is an AAU National Championship
trophy, State High School Championship,
personal gain, personal dislikes, adult
ego, drugs, etc! Until we adults
step back and revaluate motives,
ourselves, the reasons we coach, our
relationship with the players, and then
question ourselves (When this young man
or young woman is an adult what will be
the most positive things he took from
this sports experience?), we will
continue to mired in things have very
little to do with what should be a great
sport experience!
Sign me!
Sports for all forever!
(Please not use my
name or e-mail address when posting or
other wise using this reply.)
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The Staten Island Stingrays....S.I.New York
We have been saying this for 4 years
now.Our
organization has 13 teams and not 1 grade
exception. We believe that the boys who play
sports should first excel in the class
room.As for
your question Why does Basketball reward being
left back ? Money Money Money ..
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