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Mike White's high school sports chat: 05.05.20
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Mike White
11:03
How goes it, everyone? Hope y'all still hanging in there. I might even hit the links for a late afternoon round. But first, let's talk. Always some happenings in high school sports. Little bit of basketball coaching news. Always some recruiting things. So let's have a jump ball and start this chat. Fire away with any questions.
D9 Dave
11:03
Do you think this Caronavirus pandemic will encourage more high school athletes to play multiple sports in the future seeing how spring sports athletes had their entire seasons taken away this year?
Mike White
11:05
I truly don't think it will affect multi-sport athletes. If you're going to play more than one sport, you just do it. Don't stop because of this. Heck, they should all be well-rested. The only way it could affect things is if, say, football would be moved to the spring and sports would really be bumped up against each other, with one running into the next even more.
D9 Dave
11:05
What affects do you think lack of summer programs and camps will have on high school sports, particulary football and basketball, this upcoming season assuming there is one?
Mike White
11:08
Maybe a little. Take basketball, for example. It's often said the time for basketball players to improve is in the summer. But you don't have to stop picking up a ball just because of this pandemic. Even if you don't have a hoop, you can still go do ballhandling drills even in your basement. Run the neighborhood to stay in shape. I know football teams having workouts with kids on video. I know one WPIAL football team having 50-60 kids for workouts a few days a week on video. Kids without weights are lifting doing curls with paint cans. I've heard some great stories.
Timmy R.
11:08
Mike, what was up with Narduzzi subtly throwing shade at Donovan McMillon for not having Pitt in his top 10? Doesn't seem like a smart move for landing local recruits going forward. What say you?
Mike White
11:11
I don't know anything about that. But you're speaking about Peters Township's McMillon. He announced his top 10 and it didn't include Pitt. Oh well. It is surprising for a local kid not to have Pitt at least in top 10. Even if local kids aren't seriously considering Pitt, they usually "say" they're considering Pitt, just out of respect for local school. This year's talent in Western Pa. is most certainly better than last year, at least in terms of top-end talent. Currently, 12 players from WPIAL have Power Five offers. Last year, a total of eight signed with Power Five schools. Lowest ever. So what I'm saying is there are more fish in the pool for Pitt than just McMillon.
George
11:12
Mike-I’m all for being positive. But, I just don’t see any way they’re going to be playing high school football in the fall. There’s no way a vaccine will be ready by late August. The virus will still be circulating and if anything, be picking up again in the fall (if we even get past the first wave by then). I would love to be wrong, but I just don’t see any way. What say you?
Mike White
11:14
Well George, you might be right. Organizations have to think about contingency plans, but I'm going to take advice of what I heard NY Gov. Cuomo say a few weeks ago. Can we stop making predictions about three months down the road. Because so many of the predictions have been wrong already. I mean, go backward three months. Who would've predicted we'd be where we are now?
William of Covfefe
11:14
Mike - Any high school athletes entering the "transfer portal" moving from public to private and vice versa? Any update on the kids from Vincentian?
Mike White
11:15
Well just to clarify because some people might think you are serious. There is no "transfer portal" for high school sports. That being said, I haven't heard any news on the basketball players at Vicentian - and doubt we will until maybe the summer.
Zman
11:16
Hey Mike, who is the AD at Baldwin? That person deserves a nice raise for hiring Sweeney and Ackerman! That’s another school that you wonder why those football and basketball programs have struggled for so long?
Mike White
11:19
That would be John Saras. Of course, he is AD and assistant principal. In its infinite wisdom, Baldwin decided two years ago that it did not need a full time AD. So they fired Vince Sortino. And Saras does both jobs now. How? I can't imagine, but he has done a nice job. A nice hire in Sweeney and Jeff Ackermann should be approved by the school board as the new basketball coach Wednesday night. He has five WPIAL titles. Baldwin has none in its history. You know, Baldwin football was much better the past two years. THey had some talent there. And I know Ackermann believes there is some talent in the basketball program as well. If anything else, the hires certainly brought some attention to Baldwin athletics.
Zman
11:19
Mike, you have any long-standing pet peeves about high school sports? Two of mine are bleachers on only one side of a stadium and coaches who have their football team walk rather than run onto the field.
Mike White
11:19
Yes, parents.
#1MikeWhiteFan
11:19
Who's your bet to replace Ackermann at Pine?
Mike White
11:21
You will see some of the same people who applied for the NA job now apply for Pine-Richland. And you would think Pine assistant coach Bob Petcash will get a good look. He's been an assistant under Ackermann. Well-respected - and I know he does a wonderful pulling an infected tooth. I know.
PTPRIDE
11:22
Thoughts on Ethan Carr from Penn Trafford  . Will he get Power 5 offers ?
Mike White
11:23
Well, PTPRIDE, first a shameless P-G plug. Friday, we will have our top 15 college prospects in WPIAL-CIty. Ethan Carr is on there. I won't tell you where. He's a 6-2, 200-pound senior-to-be who has played WR and RB. But he will play this year at QB.
11:24
More on Ethan Carr. He has offers from Army, Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Central Michigan and Kent State. Will he be a Power Five guy? I'm sure a lot will depend on this season, but I don't know if a Power Five school will pull the trigger on him? He might be a MAC guy - and there's nothing wrong with that. But he can hope.
pghcoach
11:24
Why does it seem the Pitt's womens' hoops program is missing out on the local talent?  Lot's of DI talent!
Mike White
11:28
Well PGHCOACH, this is a little complicated issue - and a few things need pointed out. Yes, WPIAL is producing a number of Division I girls players again. It's a really good area. But there are Division I players - and then there are those who can play in the ACC and Power Five. They're two different things. Don't be fooled. This area isn't exactly producing a plethora of Power Five women's players. And Pitt did get some Power Five players when Suzie McConnell Serio was there. But some of those players didn't pan out. That being said, it sure would be nice for Pitt to get players like Makenna Marisa (Penn State) when they are here. But Duquesne's Dan Burt might be doing the best with local recruiting.
Thomas
11:28
I will just assume that there will be no fall sports in high school this year.   If so, how does that effect recruiting, say for football?   Are coaches just going to need to get a height and weight update on a player, base things off 2019 play, zoom meetings, and hand out offers that way?  Do you think players will want to stay closer to home now?
Mike White
11:30
I'm not assuming there will be no fall sports. Can we please just wait a little? As for recruiting the seniors-to-be, many of them already have their scholarship offers. So I don't think those players are going to be affected all that much in recruiting. If there isn't any high school football at all, then the juniors-to-be will be hurt most.
Georgia Steeler
11:31
Mike Thanks for the chats. It looks like they are going to open up the South Carolina Beaches before Memorial Day Weekend. Yeah boy golfing on the coast. Will the Black & Gold add another QB ? If so don't let it be Camile Newton. What do you think ?
Mike White
11:32
I think I'd rather see Camila Cabello.
Ted
11:32
Great job with Fab 5 articles. In terms of quality of play, is there any era that stands out since 1980?  Judging by the top 20 player selections, maybe early 90s or mid 2000s?
Mike White
11:33
Thanks Ted. Since 1980, I'd probably agree with you. Early 1990s and the mid 2000s. We had a run on Division I big players in the mid 2000s. Blair, Pope, Zeke Marshall. This area doesn't produce many Division I big players.
green machine
11:33
Ackermann to Baldwin may have been a mild surprise but him leaving PR isn't.  Even winning didn't stop the complaining rams. Was it a forced resignation?  The shorter commute time, according to mapquest, isn't much different.
Mike White
11:37
Believe me, it wasn't forced. He left on his own. He has nothing but good things to say about Pine. And according to Jeff, Baldwin is about 15 miles from his house and Pine is 32 miles. Yes, he has to cut across town, but he said it will probably be 15 minutes closer. And sometimes with I-79, it might take him closer to an hour. I know people might not think it's much, but 15 more minutes at the end of a long day, or later at night, can mean a lot. Do it every day and see if it matters. Plus, Jeff is originally from Brentwood. Baldwin is close to a lot of his friends, family, etc. His family always goes to games and now section games will be all close at USC, Peters, etc. I will have a story on him once it becomes official.
Rich H
11:37
Mike, would you include the great Eric Renkey as one of the top 5 high schools players you ever saw play live in any sport?  be careful, if you don't answer correctly he "may be included to fist you..."
Mike White
11:40
Rich H. Ahhhhhh, the one and only Eric Renkey. The quote was "inclined to fist you" after losing in the WPIAL Class 6A final. On the high school level, Renkey was one of the best I ever saw. Seriously. Intimidating, physical, agile enough. I still remember Pat Carey telling me the story against Erie Prep when Renkey hit someone so hard that Carey told me, "I got scared. I seriously thought he might have killed the kid." Remember, Renkey was starting as a true freshman at Penn State. But so many injuries and problems with his weight really hurt his career. Was also one of the most intelligent, engaging, introspective interviews I've had.
fat boy
11:41
That PR job I am sure will attract a lot of interest.  What job has more pressure/expectations NA boys or PR boys basketball?
Mike White
11:41
I'll go NA.
CYO MVP
11:41
Are there any coaches in the WPIAL who have contracts longer than 1 year?
Mike White
11:41
Yes.
Up North
11:41
Were you shocked by Jeff Ackerman leaving Pine Richland?  Any discussions of who takes his place?
Mike White
11:42
We discussed Ackermann's departure above. As for replacements, we also discussed that above. You'll see those who applied for NA job also apply at Pine.
CYO MVP
11:42
What are your thoughts of coaches coaching their own children in High School?
Mike White
11:45
It's been going on for ages. Coaching three sons at various levels (not high school), I know it can be hard. But it also can be some of the best and most memorable times ever for you and your kid. I once talked to legendary Bob Hurley Sr. about this. I got to know him after he coached in Dapper Dan Roundball. I loved that guy. And he told me something that is so true. Coaching your son is not a problem if he is one or two of the best on the team. And coaching your son is not a problem if he is one or two of the worst. Where it can become difficult is when he's mediocre or in the middle of the pack.
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