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Random thoughts:
When I launched my blog, I established a policy -- all postings that didn't include a legitimate return e-mail address would be deleted. I vowed I would respond to all readers, whether we agree or disagree, as I did during a 50-year career in newspaper journalism. I always have felt that it is beneficial to carry on an intelligent and rational dialogue with those who take the time to comment on my opinions. And so we shall, as long as you play by the rules.
It isn't too late to return to the two-class format in boys basketball. Marty Hickman, executive director of the Illinois High School Association, said at the outset of the four-class experiment that if it became clear that the new format wasn't working, he would have no regrets about returning to the two-class system.
Well, it may be too soon for the jury to render a final verdict. But after three years, there are no signs that the four-class system is working. Attendance is so embarrassing that the IHSA no longer announces the figures. With no clearcut champion (small or large) as there was in the two-class format, tournament fans are choosing to stay home.
One reader asked: "Who were the top 10 big men in state history?" My top 10 are Kevin Garnett, Russell Cross, Dan Issel, George Wilson, Juwan Howard, Jim Brewer, Eric Anderson, LaPhonso Ellis, Dave Robisch and Ted Caiazza.
But the list of candidates is long and distinguished. Critics could argue in behalf of Terry Cummings, Jack Sikma, Archie Dees, Terry Bethel, Roger Suttner, Bob Guyette, Lowell Hamilton, Jeff Wilkins, Owen Brown, Art Day, Deon Thomas, Ed Horton, Michael Payne and Rashard Griffith.
Another reader asked: "Who were the top 10 point guards in state history?" My top 10 are Isiah Thomas, Derrick Rose, Shaun Livingston, Kiwane Garris, Bruce Douglas, Ronnie Lester, Glenn (Doc) Rivers, Sam Puckett, Paxton Lumpkin and Tracy Webster.
Again, the list of candidates leaves plenty of room for debate. Others are Maurice Cheeks, Tom Kivisto, Howard Nathan, Everette Stephens, Raymond McCoy, Larry Moore, Len Williams and JoJo Johnson.
Nationally known basketball recruiting analyst Van Coleman of Hoopmasters.com rates two Chicago Public League products among the top seven players in the class of 2013 -- No. 2 Jabari Parker of Simeon and No. 7 Thomas Hamilton of Whitney Young. The top-rated freshman is Nigel Williams-Goss of Henderson, Nev. De La Salle's Alex Foster is rated No. 27 on Coleman's list of the top 50.
Joe Henricksen, editor/publisher of City/Suburban Hoops Report, reveals his revised post-tournament list of the top 10 juniors in Illinois: Wayne Blackshear, Morgan Park; Mycheal Henry, Orr; Tracy Abrams, Mount Carmel; Chasson Randle, Rock Island; Ryan Boatright, East Aurora; Sam Thompson, Whitney Young; Nnanna Egwu, St. Ignatius; Mike Shaw, De La Salle; Bruce Baron, Carbondale Brehm Prep; and George Marshall, Brooks.
Experts? In Henricksen's last issue, none of the seven analysts or members of the media who were asked to predict the winners in the Class 3A and 4A picked Hillcrest or Simeon. In fact, none even had the two teams advancing to the state championship game.
Fans who are calling for DePaul to hire Simeon's Robert Smith as its new men's basketball coach are reminded of two things:
1. DePaul has made it clear that the school is only interested in hiring a person with head coaching experience at the college level.
2. It is a huge leap from high school to college coaching. Ask Gerry Faust. Can you name any major college basketball program in recent years that has hired a high school coach?
My fourth book, "Dusty, Deek, and Mr. Do-Right: High School Football In Illinois," will be published by University of Illinois Press on Aug. 1. There have been many books written about Illinois high school basketball -- I've written two of them -- but, to my knowledge, this is the first book devoted to Illinois high school football. In it, you'll be acquainted or re-acquainted with the great players, great coaches, great teams and great games in state history. I personally interviewed more than 350 former coaches and players. My first interview? Dick Butkus.
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For me, sometimes the most telling or useful information you get in the area scouting, is the unsolicited evaluation process some take to making determination on the new meat market- the skills futures.
You wrote- reported- about several issues in your most recent post that sparked a response::
"Nationally known basketball recruiting analyst Van Coleman of Hoopmasters.com rates two Chicago Public League products among the top seven players in the class of 2013 -- No. 2 Jabari Parker of Simeon and No. 7 Thomas Hamilton of Whitney Young".
To me, and I make this statement in no disrespect to Van Coleman, but; my immediate thought was are his evaluations based on game-to-game play; the futures- with consideration to the level of coaching these two "kids" are getting, or is his evaluations based off a combination of recommendation, first sight scout-in person or the interest the kid is generating from the top college programs, and/ or a combination of the above-mention?
I asked this- with consideration to your earlier query into my having evaluated Jereme Richmond via game tapes- because, in scouting a talent, the game performance is the last thing that I am watching for. I am evaluating a player based on the position he plays currently and is projected to play at "his" particular next level- his pure skill set- not just his athletic ability.
You also reported the following:
"Joe Henricksen, editor/publisher of City/Suburban Hoops Report, reveals his revised post-tournament list of the top 10 juniors in Illinois: Wayne Blackshear, Morgan Park; Mycheal Henry, Orr; Tracy Abrams, Mount Carmel; Chasson Randle, Rock Island; Ryan Boatright, East Aurora; Sam Thompson, Whitney Young; Nnanna Egwu, St. Ignatius; Mike Shaw, De La Salle; Bruce Baron, Carbondale Brehm Prep; and George Marshall, Brooks. Experts(?)".
Now, I don't question the validity of Henricksen's business or his ability as a talent scout. That's not my thing to do, that's his.
However, I am curious as to how a state tournament performance is directly liked to evaluating a player for ability to perform at the major or mid-major college level with his particular "skill set". So, how can a players performance during a single tournament, change his skills for the college level?
Finally, you wrote:
"In Henricksen's last issue, none of the seven analysts or members of the media who were asked to predict the winners in the Class 3A and 4A picked Hillcrest or Simeon. In fact, none even had the two teams advancing to the state championship game".
As I explain to a college coach last week- using the Public League as an example- in breaking down, and understanding- the coaching tactics of... let's say Simeon's Robert Smith and Morgan Park's Nick Irvin. It is actually kinda easy to see why Irvin was more successful in the city than state, and; just the opposite results for Smith.
It was the officiating.
Smith's teams are built for a wide variety of officiating styles or- I dare say- lack of consistency.
Irvin's team are built for the "run-n-gun" format CPS encourages via the officiating. Whereas, Smith's team was capable adjusting on the fly, to the change in "personality" of a officiating crew from one half, to the next.
Personally, I think the current city/state format can also be "blamed" for the failures and successes of some coaches, particularly in the city.
So, to see Simeon and Young do well in state, was a predictable "format".
Curtis K. Jackson Sr.
HEY CURTIS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, PLAYERS GET THEIR RANKINGS FROM AAU BALL, PARKER AND HAMILTON HAD A RANKING IN GRADE SCHOOL, AND ANOTHER RANKING BEFORE THEY EVEN PLAYED A HIGH SCHOOL GAME!
I WILL NEVER FORGET WHEN A PLAYER THAT IS CURRENTLY IN THE NBA CAME UP TO ME AND SAID, THAT A SCOUT HAD GIVEN HIM ALL AMERICA STATUS, I DIDN'T FULLY UNDERSTAND AT THAT TIME, BUT I DO NOW!
CURTIS I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WERE IN TOWN LAST SUMMER, BUT CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS WERE UPSET WHEN THEY ATTENDED AAU TOURNAMENTS AND WERE ASKED FOR A SIZEABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR A PROGRAM, THEY WERE FURIOUS ABOUT THE PRICE OF THE PROGRAM, NOW THEY HAD TO PAY IT, BECAUSE THEY ARE IN THE SCOUTING BUSINESS, BUT THEY DID NOT LIKE THE CHARGE!
CURTIS, AAU BALL IS BIG BUSINESS, AND I MEAN BIG BUSINESS, DO YOU KNOW YOUNGSTERS ARE GOING TO PREP SCHOOLS IN THEIR FOURTH YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL AND THEIR FIFTH YEAR AS WELL!
I BELIEVE CHRIS HEAD WAS ONE OF THE FIRST CHICAGO PUBLIC LEAGUE COACHES TO START HIS OWN AAU PROGRAM, HE KNEW IT WAS A WAY TO KEEP HIS PLAYERS TOGETHER, THIS WAS WHEN HE WAS AT WESTINGHOUSE, I CAN'T BLAME HIM!
YOU HAVE YOUNGSTERS LEAVING THEIR HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS TO LEAVE AND GO PLAY FOR THEIR AAU COACH!
VAN COLEMAN HAS BEEN AROUND FOR YEARS!
FINALLY IT IS INTERESTING THAT YOU DID NOT MENTION WHITNEY YOUNG AND YOU MENTIONED MORGAN PARK, MORGAN PARK MAY HAVE HAD THE BEST PLAYER IN THE STATE, BUT AFTER WATCHING KENTUCKY GO DOWN TONIGHT, A VETERAN TEAM HAS A GOOD SHOT AT KNOCKING OFF A YOUNG TEAM FULL OF NBA DRAFT PICKS!
YOU DO KNOW THAT BOATRIGHT WAS OFFERED A COLLEGE SCHOLARHSIP BY TIM FLOYD WHEN HE WAS IN THE EIGHTH GRADE!
HE IS A VERY GOOD PLAYER, BUT THE EIGHTH GRADE?
FINALLY I LIKE THE 4 CLASS SYSTEM, WHEN THE CPS GAVE UP THEIR AUTOMATIC BID, THEY WERE SOLD THE IDEA OF MORE THAN ONE CPS TEAM MAKING IT DOWNSTATE, AND POOF, THREE MADE IT DOWNSTATE THIS YEAR!
I KNOW SOME OF YOU ARE UNHAPPY ABOUT THE ATTENDANCE, BUT UNLESS YOU TAKE THE CITY YOUNGSTERS DOWNSTATE, THEY AREN'T GOING TO GO, YOU NEED CHAPERONES, AND YOU MUST DO ONE OF TWO THINGS, EITHER TAKE THEM EACH DAY, OR GET THEM ROOMS AND GUARD THEM ALL NIGHT!
Did Quinn Buckner play point guard and if he did how could he not make the ten best in state history?
Curtis Jackson ... Just to clarify, the "state tournament" reference was more of just being a timeline (through state tournament play) rather than simply being an evaluation (positive or negative) tool. Sure, there were some things seen in March that impacted my thoughts and perceptions on players, no doubt, but that was over the course of a period of time, not just a weekend in Peoria or one sectional game. Thanks! .... Joe H
Taylor can't wait to read your book on HS Football