Posts Tagged ‘NCAA’
Duke Legend Bobby Hurley is Discussed In The War Room
Wednesday, October 17th, 20122012 NCAA Second Rd. Match-up: Syracuse vs. Kansas St. Features 3 Archbishop Carroll HS (DC) Teammates
Saturday, March 17th, 2012
I just wanted to take the time to talk about a story line in the second round of the NCAA Tournament East Region (Pittsburgh, PA). The second round match-up between (1) Syracuse Orange and (8) Kansas St. Wildcats has an interesting twist to it. Three starters for the teams actually went to the same high school in Washington, DC. That high school is, Archbishop Carroll High School, which plays in the extremely competitive WCAC (Washington Catholic Athletic Conference). Through the years Archbishop Carroll has produced the likes of John Thompson, Jr., George Leftwich, Tom Hoover, Edward “Monk” Malloy, Eddie Jordan, David Hawkins, and many other college and professional athletes in various sports. Kansas St. forward Jamar Samuels played with Kansas St. guard Rodney McGruder before he eventually transferred to a prep school. The year after Jamar Samuels transferred from Archbishop Carroll, Kris Joseph, who is a forward for Syracuse, came to Archbishop Carroll via Montreal, Canada and played with Rodney McGruder for two seasons. The three star players also played AAU together with the world renowned DC Assault AAU organization, which has produced numerous college and professional basketball players. All three players are very versatile, with the combination of fundamentals and athletic ability to play basketball at the next level. I have had the pleasure of being able to coach, train, and mentor these players while teaching and coaching at Archbishop Carroll. It has been great watching them develop into the players I knew they could become. Joseph and Samuels are seniors and McGruder is a junior. There is a chance we will see all three players playing in the NBA and if not they all have the ability to make good money playing overseas. Keep Working Hard and Good Luck Fellas!!!!!
Jamar Samuels with the Dunk, Rodney McGruder with the Jumper, and Kris Joseph with the Dunk!
Aquil Bayyan of The War Room, for War Room Sports
College Hoops Top Ten Prospects
Saturday, February 18th, 2012
The College basketball season is heading towards March, one of my favorite sports times of the year and I’ve watched hundreds of games on TV and via my laptop. Here is my third version of “College Hoops Top Ten Pro Prospects” and there are plenty of changes since my last update: http://brandononsports.com/2012/01/11/my-top-ten-nba-prospects-in-college-basketball-updated-1-11-12/ . Be sure to listen to Sports Trap Radio hosted by myself and Chris Marshall (@215_sports_guy) from 10am-2pm every Saturday from 10am-2pm on http://ueradiolive.com/ (@UeradioLive).
1. Anthony Davis PF/SF/C 6-10 220lbs Kentucky Fr. : Has jumped from 4th on my list to the clear cut #1 prospect in my opinion. Davis is on his way to probably winning the Naismith Award, Defensive player of the year award, and being the number one pick in the 2012 draft. This freshman is a game changer defensively, not only in the paint, but he’s able to cover ground and guard out on the perimeter as well. His offensive game has gotten better since the beginning of the season, and look for a big NCAA tournament out of Davis.
2. Thomas Robinson PF/SF 6-8 240lbs Kansas Jr. : Has jumped to the 2nd spot in this month’s rankings. Robinson is also a legit candidate for player of the year and while Kansas lost the Morris Twins, Selby, and Xavier Henry from last season’s roster, Robinson’s play has this team playing better with less overall talent. I told people last year if he came out, I would pick him over all of the previous named above, and I was told I was nuts. Well Robinson’s developing post game, 12-15 foot jump shot, rebounding, and defensive versatility has him locked in as a top 5 pick in 2012.
3. Harrison Barnes 6-8 220lbs SF North Carolina So. : Was previously number two on this list, Barnes drops to three this month. As I’ve said before, he is probably one of the more safe picks in this draft, even though he’s just a sophomore. Has the ablilty to score from mid range, 3-point range, the post, off picks and pull ups off of the dribble. I would like to see him drive to the hoop more and get to the line more though. Scouts are worried about his low rebounding and assist numbers, but I really haven’t put much value on them. He has an NBA skill, the ability to put the ball in the basket at a high rate.
4. Perry Jones III 6-11 235lbs PF/SF Baylor So. : Was the number one prospect previously, but his two disappearing acts over the last month against Kansas and once against Missouri has caused me to move him down on the list. Jones III has all of the physical tools, along with skills and game to be the clear cut number one pick in this draft. I don’t know why, but he appears mentally gone in big games during the season. If I’m a GM, I have to take a look at that. Mental make-up is just as important as physical talent and basketball skills.
5. Jared Sullinger PF/C 6-8 275lbs Ohio St. So. : Has come back after an All-American freshman year in which he could have been a sure top ten pick in better shape and it’s pretty obvious. Sullinger has more endurance, quickness, and is getting up and down the court much better than he did as a freshman. He’s become a better mid range shooter, even though he rarely needs to display the talent because he’s soo dominant in the paint in college. Is a great rebounder on both ends and the weight loss has made him a better out of space rebounder as well. He won’t be a superstar, but he will be a solid pro for the next ten years.
6. Andre Drummond C/PF 6-11 275lbs UConn Fr. : Is a legit big man, with freakish athleticism and if he puts in the work as did Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum, he could be a star in this league for a long time. But honestly, I really believe he could use another year in college to hone his skills and just play more basketball. But if he comes out this year, he will most likely go in the top 3 picks. He’s one of the biggest risk/reward picks to come through in a long time. He could be Howard/Bynum good, or be Kwame Brown or Patrick O’Bryant.
7. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist SF/SG 6-6 215lbs Kentucky Fr. : Is one of the fiercest competitors I’ve seen in college basketball in a long time. And the fact that he’s soo talented and was heavily recruited and puts forth this effort makes me as a scout drool and I know NBA scouts and GM’s love this kid. He is an elite defender, great rebounder for a player his size, and has a knack for driving to the hole and drawing contact while being able to finish as well. His outside shot needs work and maybe his ball handling, but he seems to be the type of kid who will live in the gym and get better.
8. Bradley Beal SG/PG 6-5 198lbs Florida Fr: Is a well built player for a 18 year old kid, with classic combo guard skills. Has range on his jump shot, the ability to put it on the floor and finish at the rim in traffic. Is a very good and willing defender as well. His long arms allow him to play bigger than his actual height. Loads of potential with this kid.
9. Jeremy Lamb 6-5 185lbs SG UConn So. : Lamb has spent a majority of the season in the top 5, but his play has fallen off and I’m starting to get a little worried. I still believe he’s a lottery pick, but he needs to have a strong finish in the regular season and a good showing in the Big East tourney to lock himself in as a 10 top pick. His energy’s been low over the last five games, and its obvious on the defensive end of the court.
10. Meyers Leonard C 7-1 245lbs Illinois So. : I’m starting to like this kid and his game more each time I watch him play. He has so much ability, but I think he defers to the wing players on his team, such as Brandon Paul too often. He is a great athlete, really gets off of the ground well for a player his size, has a nice touch in the paint and goes up hard, trying to dunk pretty much everything close to the basket. Another year in college might do him well, but if I were giving him advice right now, I wouldn’t be against it.
Next Five: Terrence Jones PF/SF 6-8 250lbs Kentucky So., Cody Zeller PF/C 6-10 215lbs Indiana Fr, Quincy Miller SF/PF 6-9-210lbs Baylor Fr , Tony Wroten Jr PG/SG 6-5 210lbs Washington Fr, Terrence Ross SG/SF 6-7 190lbs Washington So.
Brandon Pemberton of Sports Trap Radio, for War Room Sports
Shabazz Muhammad……..#1 Ranked High School Player In Nation!
Monday, September 5th, 2011Recent Episode of The War Room
Saturday, March 26th, 2011Hey Coach Tressel it’s 5 games now. FOH!
Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011Athletes misusing Twitter Pt 2!
Thursday, March 10th, 2011Cam Newton: “Rules of Engagement”
Thursday, January 13th, 2011
Why is it that we now live in a society where we live to put you up only to knock you down? When did we become social predators showing the fangs of jealously instead of patting your fellow man on the back?
When you put an inkling of doubt into someone’s head, you will never get it out. There will always be whispers of “what if he did it, what if he didn’t”. There are countless examples of what I mean, but for this instance I will choose just one.
Cam Newton is one of the best, if not the best athlete to have hit college turf. He’s won The Heisman, he just won the BCS Championship along with his team, but yet he is being overshadowed by exploitation, greed, and the wrong doings of others, and you better believe that sooner or later it’s going to bite him right where it counts. Instead of a “congratulations”, he is getting the “Scarlett Letter” of sports stamped right on his chest…the BIG “C” for cheater.
I’m not going to pretend that I know all the facts, because really nobody does. This investigation has been so screwed up from the beginning that I’m not sure the real truth will ever come out.
Here is what I do know…
First, the story is the Auburn quarterback and his father had put him on the auctioning table to be bought by the highest bidder. Now we find out that he had no idea what was going on and that his father acted alone.
It didn’t matter that the NCAA had all the facts. All they wanted to do was make this go away. So what do they do decide to do? Deem him ineligible following the NCAA amateurism rules, only to reinstate him the next day, finding they had no sufficient evidence to keep him from playing football and winning every trophy he was eligible to receive.
After all is said and done, this blemish on Cam Newton’s record is very present and does not seem to be going away anytime soon.
If the NCAA later finds Newton was involved along with his father and other unknowns in selling himself on the black market of football, then I will come to the conclusion that the NCAA has found no more use for Cam Newton and has thrown him to the wolves to satisfy the blood craving of those who need to see an artificial justice to make themselves feel relevant and important.
My ramblings are not about the boy and whether or not he made a poor choice, but a much bigger picture. A picture of how the NCAA and the universities & colleges recruit these young men and women, only to have them “slum it” for four years eating Oodles of Noodles, secluding themselves and cutting off their social circles, because if you just so happen to buy them a drink, they may get kicked out of their selected program. These kids have special talents, but they are much more than the talent they have. They belong to a family that may depend on them. They give up a lot to reach their potential, only to become sacrificial lambs. They are human and they make mistakes and may want or need more than what these prospective organizations can offer.
I do not condone rule breaking but there is nothing to lose in changing the rules. I am sure I will be perceived as giving these guys an excuse to take the gifts that are given to them, but this is my opinion and if you don’t like it then you should stop reading right now. Like it or not this is a business, a profitable business that should be held accountable for their part in why this happens to what seems like all the time with young athletes. I can’t tell you how it is to be a highly skilled athlete in college, but I can tell you what it is like to be me in college, and it wasn’t all gum drops and rainbows. I had a full-time job plus a full course load, so I can imagine what these highly publicized athletes have to endure.
Maybe one day someone with authority in the NCAA will look at the rules and see that they are a little lopsided. Maybe one day it will change, but for now I’ll look to papers to see which young athlete will be next to get the “Scarlett Letter” of “C” on their chest.
Stephanie C. Curry, Guest Blogger for War Room Sports
I have a problem with the NCAA and their treatment of so-called “Student Athletes”.
Wednesday, September 29th, 2010Does the NCAA really believe that eligibility is a more punishable offense than DWI’s, Assaults, Stalking, or any of the offenses committed by the University of Florida players. When you juxtapose the situation in USC and The University of Florida do you really believe that USC should be punished? That is a joke!!
The problem is the special treatment given to great athletes. Outstanding athletes, especially on the collegiate level are allowed to get away with pretty much anything because of their talents. No one holds them accountable for questionable morals as long as they help schools make millions of dollars. By the time these athletes get to the professional level these behaviors are exposed. The amalgamation of their fame and the amount of money they are paid only adds fuel to the fire. Two hours at a rookie symposium does not erase 21 years of ignorant behavior. At the professional level, players get fined, suspended, cut or traded for behavior that is not new. How do they expect these boys to become men and show good judgment when their behavior has been allowed for years? These moral transgressions have been allowed for years and now the organizations and the fans expect them to magically disappear. That won’t happen. More than likely they will end up like Braylon Edwards.
