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Mike White's high school sports chat: 03.02.21
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Mike White
11:01
This is always my favorite time of high school sports year. WPIAL basketball playoffs. To me, nothing like WPIAL hoops semifinals and even some quarterfinals. It won't be the same this year - and I'll miss the electric atmosphere in gyms. But hey, we should be happy they're playing games. Good luck to all players, coaches and teams. May get some of those everlasting memories. Now let's start chattin'.
Hoops fan
11:01
Do you think NA could win 6A? If so what would it take? They are deep and have great shooters. Also Khalil Dinkins is a force.
Mike White
11:04
Oh, here we go right off the bat with one of these questions. ... No, North Allegheny has absolutely no chance. They should forfeit. I have a better chance of throwing down a 360-degree windmill dunk today than NA has of winning WPIAL title. C'mon, man. Of course, they have a chance. I think a decent chance, too. Now, I think so many of the Class 6A teams are even, but NA is good. I think a key for them will not be offense, but defense. Will they be able to create some turnovers from their pressing? Will they be able to speed teams up with their pressing? Will Central be able to control the pace of the game tonight?
Mackdaddy
11:04
Can you comment on the situation that left the west mifflin girls out of playoffs?  According to WM coach, wpial was told of COVID situatuation and WM’s ability to play on Wednesday 3/3 due to COVID but wpial refused and told WM they would not move ONE GAME ONE DAY and we’re out of wpial playoffs!!! Sad and wrong in my opinion
Mike White
11:06
Sorry, I don't know the whole story, but that's what I heard. WPIAL did say before playoffs that you have to be ready to play on certain scheduled days and they're not holding up tourney. But I hear you. Could you maybe bend one day? But then what if the next team wants to bend two days?
Highlander
11:06
I was very interested to read about the saga of Joe David last week and him basically blackballing a WPIAL official from working any of his games.  His comments after the hearing only have seem to make him bolder.  If he didn't have a problem with the offical working the game, why did he request a conference with the opposing head coach and another ref working the game.  It really seems like the WPIAL let him off the hook on this one.
Mike White
11:08
Joe said he never said he would not play the game. I don't know. Based on testimony in hearing, WPIAL felt there were no rules broken and nothing was done wrong. Joe is still one of the best coaches in the WPIAL, regardless of what happened. I'm not backing one side or the other, but if WPIAL received testimony that no rules were broken, it's kind of hard for them to do something, isn't it?
Tiger on the Prowl
11:08
I agree about your beef with the Class 6A Boys' Brackets.  Every year it seems like Fox Chapel gets a favorable draw.  Any coindence that Mike O'Brien (AD at FC) is on the committee?  Shouldn't those ADs work on other brackets that their school isn't competing in?  That is what the NCAA Basketball Selection committee does when they talk about a school of someone on the committee.  That member steps out of the room for the discussion.
Mike White
11:10
I don't know what's going on. That's why I called on my Podcast that the WPIAL needs to clean up the "goings on" of this basketball committee. I do not know one person - coach or fan - who says, "Yeah, the committee got 6A right." But let's forget about that for a second. Maybe clean up the workings on the committee and get everyone on same page of who is on committee and who isn't.
11:16
More on previous question. WPIAL web site lists members of basketball steering committee. Mike O'Brien and Brian Geyer are not listed as members. Then the night of pairings, basketball committee chairman Bill Cardone says they are indeed members. So I ask WPIAL boss Amy Scheuneman that I thought it was a rule that members of board of directors aren't allowed on sports steering committees. Geyer and O'Brien are now on WPIAL board of directors. Amy says board members are welcome to sit in on any committee and offer "insight." Then Bill Cardone goes on another Podcast and flat out says Brian Geyer and he make the brackets and seedings the night before committee meeting and then the committee discusses them the next day. So are you on the committee or not? And is making the brackets offering "insight?" Nothing against any of those people, but the league would look a lot better if they just clean things up a little bit with this committee. And no matter what they say, the 6A seedings still are head scratchers.
11:19
Think of it. What if a team in football was tied for third in a conference and lost head-to-head tiebreakers with the first- and second-place teams in the conference ... then when the playoff pairings come out, that third-place team is seeded ahead of the top two teams ... there might be a mutiny. And in this case, Butler actually finished fourth in its section and is the No. 5 seed overall. Now how in the world do you explain that?
Wpial hoops fan
11:19
If Mike O'Brien was trying to give fox chapel a beneficial seed wouldn't you think they would of got the 1 seed come on now Mike what you were saying on the podcast doesn't even make any sense. Look how easy Upper St Clair's path is compared to fox chapels. They most likely are going to get a NA team who should of not been a 7 seed.
Mike White
11:24
Well WPIAL hoops fan, we discussed this some above. I would say first off, could maybe there be something of a team not wanting to play Butler. To me Butler, should've been seeded 7th. If you tied Matt Clement down and made him tell, he'd say the same thing. So by placing Butler 5th, Fox Chapel stays away from Butler. And Fox Chapel, if they win, their first game, gets an NA team that has been leaking oil or a Central Catholic team that Fox Chapel has beaten twice. I have nothing against Mike O'Brien, but it's the third or fourth time in five years coaches have questions about what's going on and what about Fox Chapel? I went and checked stories. Three years ago, Central Catholic coach Chuck Crummie said, ""Just make sure to check who's on the committee. That's all I'll say." More and more coaches are speaking up.
11:26
WPIAL had to know with what they did in 6A this year, they were going to get criticized. And I feel rightly so. And when you do seedings or pairings, if you can't handle questions or criticism, then don't be on the committee. It's just more and more coaches are taking notice. One very prominent coach who's not even in 6A said to me last week, "It's embarrassing what they did."
Westmoreland Guy
11:27
I see that the Greensburg CC vs. Serra Catholic boys playoff game got moved to Serra Catholic.  There is no way that the Serra gym holds 700 people!  Did the WPIAL "fact check" the reported capacities or take schools at their word?
Mike White
11:29
I don't think the WPIAL has a "seating capacity policeman" on their staff. What do you want them to do? Could a few schools "overstated" their capacity. OK. But it was still only 70 people in a gym. I don't think that's too bad.
MarsPlanets
11:29
Hearing there was a COVID scare within the North Catholic Boys team.  Do you know if all is on for their 1st game on Thursday?
Mike White
11:29
I have no idea.
Alan Jackson
11:29
Already saw our first upset with beaver beating uniontown, any other ones you can see happening?
Mike White
11:32
I don't know if I'd consider that a big upset. Seed numbers say might be an upset (19 over 14) and Beaver had only one win. But Beaver's section is really good and look at some of their games in that section the past month. They gave some good games to some decent teams. This was not a very good Uniontown team. All that said, I don't think it was a big upset.
MarsPlanets
11:32
I know you always joke that when someone asks if a team has a chance that they should "just cancel the games and award the title to the favorite."  In all honestly, isn't that was the 2A boys bracket is with OLSH?  They are proabably 25-30 points better than any team in the field.
Mike White
11:32
It would be absolutely shocking if OLSH didn't win it. Major, major upset.
JZ
11:33
Can you admit that schools like North Hills and Greensburg Salem are just not able to compete in 6A?  Both last in their sections. North Hills didn't even have JV team because there numbers were so bad. If you say that I am wrong you are admitting that the coaching is the problem.
Mike White
11:36
No, I can not admit it. Greensburg Salem? Yes. I don't know why they played up in 6A. Looks like will be a big struggle for them. As for North Hills? Well, coach said he wanted to continue to play the teams he always played. Also, consider North Hills has had five different shutdowns because of COVID this year. Not easy. Plus this: They beat North Allegheny, beat Butler, took North Allegheny to overtime two other times, lost to Butler by one, lost at the buzzer to Seneca and played Seneca pretty tough one other time. Is that not at least competitive? Last season, they went into final night of season with a chance to make playoffs. I'm not saying me personally wouldn't play 5A, but I think they have been competitive.
jack
11:38
If you would have to pick a sleeper team in 3a who would it be.
Mike White
11:38
Ahhhh, Shady Side Academy. They're the Bulldogs now. Don't Bulldogs like to sleep?
Mackdaddy
11:38
West mifflin coach was interviewed on rebel yell.  Just think wpial could have made exception due to bracket wasn’t even done yet especially in these COVID days
Mike White
11:40
I don't disagree with you. You really wonder sometimes. However, if they made an edict before playoffs that they were going to stick to a schedule no matter what, then they lived up to their word. Now I want to see what might happen if, say, New Castle needs an extra day to play a game because of quarantine?
Proud Big Mac
11:40
Great to hear the Gov open up gyms and rinks!  Any word/rumors of the WPIAL/PIAA planning to move the finals to larger arenas?
Mike White
11:41
Supposedly they will consider it later this week. Would be kind of neat to have them at Pete again. But that will take a lot. Games are back to back there and I don't think any place likes doubleheaders now without clearing out the place. We'll see.
Mr. Silly Foot
11:42
What team is gonna shock the world this year Mike ? Most intriguing 1st round match up ? Who is flying under the radar ?
Mike White
11:43
Ellis School girls team. WPIAL semifinalist last year. One of best players in WPIAL in Natalie Jasper. They're definitely flying under the radar this year. Oooops. They decided not to have a season. But that does make them totally under the radar.
Hoops D Do
11:43
Who you like in the USC- Canon Mac game ?
Mike White
11:43
USC in a close one.
Bridger Proud
11:44
Ambridge has struggled this year with ineligibe players for grades that lowered overall performance but they had some kids play well like the big kid Bowens and the coach's son Damon Astorino who scored over 20 points a game. Do you think they can get a playoff win if those kids keep playing well?
Mike White
11:45
Well they play South Park. It's an 8-9 game. I most certainly think they can win. 8-9 games are close a lot of times.
Todd
11:45
Now that governor wolf has permitted more people to attend indoor events, it is ridiculous there is a limit any way, what are the chances that the WPIAL basketball championships will be held at a college venue?
Mike White
11:45
Touched on this above. WPIAL said they will consider it.
Hoop fan
11:45
Kyrell Hutcherson Was ruled eligible for playoffs. Has there been hearings or rulings on any other Junior transfers? Gales (canevin) and Laure(Rochester) are leading scorers on their respective teams. Will they get a chance to play in the playoffs?
Mike White
11:46
There have been rulings on tons of kids in many sports who have been ruled ineligible for playoffs. Two of Canevin's won't be eligible. I don't know about Rochester. Unless kids get in court in next few days, their previous rulings will stand.
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