5/19/04 Rob WIlliams, NYC Heat/ Bistate Pythons- 'Kudos to Rich Kosik, all his points are excellent. I am passing this on to all my St. John's alums family and friends that are Big Red Storm basketball fans.

They are not readily on the High School AAU/Club basketball scene, they have a limited idea what the recruiting process entails, but they do have lots of (varied) opinions regarding the program.

Then I give them my take.

I read in another article that the average St. Johns fan may have a misconception as to where St. Johns falls in the college basketball community. This may not be there fault as it is overly inflated by the media here. The average alums get lots of hear say passed along from those that may have there own agendas as coaches looking for opportunities at the next level or the venerable sneaker deal.

There are a lot of sharks out there that are currently trying to flex and influence public opinion towards a program before it even gets started. As a family member of a future St. Johns athlete, all I talk about is the great alumni association and the opportunities he will have when he graduates. And the sharks, well, I know for a fact they do not have his best interest at heart, when it comes to his future, as their sole conversation is the League (EBC or NBA doesn't matter to me) and their laughing behind his back is noted.

The sharks truly lack faith and fortitude to advise a kid to pay his dues and put in the work.

Only two people can call a Red Storm player "my kid", and that is the parents, who have a lifetime invested in the well being of any student-athlete. Do you think carrying a kid from game to game constitutes ownership? Pay a hospital bill, change a diaper, clean up some vomit, even prep for an exam, then call a child your own if you can. Extend your interest from September to June rather than October to March (or April to July) and we can have some real conversations of what is important.

Oh by the way that fifth year/ prep player, the NCAA may go after that next and impact eligibility. Prepare now before you too are not looking so attractive to the ACC or SEC.

I have requested the recent PSAL kids report cards from Bistate Pythons players before I proceed with my spring and summer schedule. The CHSAA report cards I've seen weren't great and are on my alert list for June. I informed them I will stop all travel tournaments dead in their tracks. But I truly realize they'll just play for someone else who really doesn't care. My players keep pestering me about posting the roster and schedule. My response is where are the report cards? No grades, no recognition, how do you like that?

I see a few of my kids posted for other teams, and I know they are failing one or two classes, regularly.  How are you going to catch up in school, unless you cut one of our programs out. I'll take the loss, go study, miss the practice, miss the game. I've lost playoff games due to missing a star player after he had to be properly disciplined by his parents, for a wise mouth.

I was glad to hear it and gave another opportunity of his to another player. It's only going to make him a better person, more coachable, down the line.'

5/19/04 LFBALL: 'I do not know Mr. Williams but great comments. It irks me everytime I hear some coach say "My Kid". Where did that come from? Like Mr. Williams says, those kids belong to the parents, and biological family members. Of course there are kids who need parental type support and the parent(s) may be missing. In those cases coaches provide more and the role can be expanded. I would love to see those coaches use the term "My Kid" in reference to the 14th man on the roster. Its so easy to claim the star and take all development credit.'

5/19/04 Coach Rock Eisenberg: ' I wanted to echo Mr. Williams feelings regarding the "Sharks" i have coached on the CYO, AAU, High School DI, 2 and 3 levels and have always been close to the Student/Athletes I have had the chance to work with. M best friends today are my former players and all of them reach out and help the young men and women I am privileged to coach today! This year at Tilden High School I have been forced to meet the "Sharks" and I for one will not have it. The "Juice All stars have taken two Tilden student athletes, Phil Jones a senior and James Mills a sophomore and against the wishes of their families have helped cause both of these high quality young men to believe that school is only an afterthought. Both of these "Kids" are good people and like most young people need love, respect and discipline, not "toys" that come and go like the wind. I challenge the coaches of the "Juice All-Stars to meet with me and these two young men anywhere anytime to go over the future plans for these two young men, oh yes Ms. Mattie Thomas and Ms. Ethel Foy will also be invited to this meeting, because as Mr. Williams stated none of us except the families of these young people should decide there future!'

5/17/04 Rich Kosik (BOOKSNBALL): 'Reactions to Dick Weiss article.You're not going to make everyone happy all the time. But here goes some observations. When Mike Jarvis got hired he had the reputation as the then President of the NABC (National Assocaition of Basketball Coaches) of being publicly anti-Summer hoops culture. He often used the analogy of his H.S. coaching in Mass. at Boston Ridge & Latin (Patrick Ewing era) and how important the "high school coach" is in the development/recruiting process. So what is one of the first thing he does? Hires an AAU Coach from Riverside Church. He ticked off most H.S. coaches & practically all the AAU rival coaches to Riverside (both locally & nationally)! Combine that with the man's reluctance to get out and be seen and put in the time needed to stay highly visible and the downward spiral of SJU hoops was started.

Now to the question at hand in regard to coach Norm Roberts, the Hoops Weiss article and his not hiring Ron Naclario of the PSAL or Mo Hicks of the CHSAA. Both guys are good guys who are passionate about the game & their kids' success. They are successful, as their records indicate. Are they perfect? No, but who is?

If Coach Roberts hired Ron does he tick off the CHSAA guys? If he hired Mo does he tick off the PSAL guys? Some coaches in both leagues have told me they're not fans of either guy from their respective leagues (PSAL-CHSAA) becuase they've told me they don't appreciate the recruiting methods of either guy! Is this right? Is this wrong? Can't say, but the thoughts are out there.

It's obvious from who coach Roberts has hired that you can come up with some pretty accurate assumptions. One, familarlarity, he hired a college teammate who he is obviously comfortable with (Glen Braica), he hired another assistant with high profile program (Fred Quartterbaum) experience and a former CHSAA assistant with college coach experience, Chuckie Martin. All of these guys have good reputations and experience on the college level. Famililarity! Coach Roberts has probably interacted with them numerous times when he was on the recruiting trail when he was a assistant at Tulsa, Kansas & Oklahoma. He is comfortable with them! he knows them!

Secondly, experience, all of his assistants hve been out there! They have all recruited successfully at their former colleges. They are known &  respected already on the recruiting trail. Coach Roberts has a massive rebuilding job to do, does he need "rookies" (on the college level) on his staff? I don't think so.

Who does get hired? From my experience I can say the following with pretty good accuracy. Coaches hire other coaches that they know, get to know and/or have seen in a coaching situation. This mostly happens at summer basketball camps. Eastern Invitational, etc., etc., and a variety of college camps where high school coaches interested in making contacts with college coaches call up & see if they can get themselves hired at that colleges' summer basketball camps. That is where the bonding, trust level & feeling that "I like this guys style. If I ever get a head coaching job, I think I'd like him on my staff." How many of these camps have Ron Naclario & Mo Hicks worked? I don't know & I don't think Hoops Weiss knows either. So before everyone thinks that their not being hired by coach roberts & SJU, just think about all the reasons that go into a new coaches decisions when he has to hire guys he has to trust & know that they will help him do a great job, win & help him keep his new job! It's called survive & thrive!

Now if we can only get the media to focus their eyes on the academic preparedness of our high school student athletes and which teams/ adults really have their best interest at heart. Now, that's a story worth exploring. Finals coming! Keep your passes sharp & your pencils even sharper! Good luck!'

5/17/04 Alinda Angerville: 'Good rebuttal by Booksnball regarding the Norm Roberts situation. Best line of the article "Now if we can only get the media to focus their eyes on the academic preparedness of our high school student athletes and which teams/adults really have their best interests at heart."

Two things it seems that only a major upheval in the sport here in the city would bring. As with anything you have good people and bad people. HS basketball is no different from anything else. The perception however at times seems to err towards there being a lot more bad than good. What if anything can we that are involved in the sport do to change that...One thing is for sure it will take a united effort....and that in and of itself would require a revolution....'