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Imagine if Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh informed the Miami Heat that they had no intention of playing for the NBA franchise.
Devastating, right?
Well, Hall of Fame coaches Morgan Wootten, John Wooden and James Naismith will no longer be associated with the McDonald's All-America Game, the nation's most prestigious high school all-star basketball event.
Devastating, right?
What kind of spin will Ronald McDonald put on that piece of news?
Wootten, the legendary coach at DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Md., recently announced that he has resigned as chairman of the boys and girls selection committees for the McDonald's games, which will be played in Chicago on March 10.
"The game is under new leadership and has been heading in an entirely different direction than it was created over 30 years ago by Bob Geoghan, coach John Wooden and myself. In good conscience, I cannot continue to work with the new people who have been brought on board," Wootten said in a statement.
The daughter of John Wooden has informed McDonald's officials that the family of the late UCLA coach no longer wishes to have his name associated with the games.
And the grandson of James Naismith also has informed McDonald's officials that the family of the creator of the game and former Kansas coach no longer wants his name associated with the games.
Strike one, strike two, strike three.
"It is a sign of the times. All good things must come to an end," said nationally known recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons, who has served with Wootten on the McDonald's selection committee for 32 years.
"This has all been triggered by the new group that has taken over the McDonald's game. They don't have a longstanding relationship with Bob Geoghan, Morgan Wootten and the game. I will miss working with Morgan and other founders of the game. But it still is an opportunity to continue to be involved with the No. 1 all-star game and the top players in the country."
Gibbons has been asked to remain as a top advisor to the games by the new organization, Blue Ridge Sport, which was hired to do behind-the-scenes work in setting up the game at various sites across the country. ESPN, which televises the games, also has assumed a major role in promoting the event.
All of which obviously didn't sit too well with Wootten and other pioneers of the game, who felt they were being undermined in the decision-making process. For example, ESPN lobbied to allow fifth-year players to participate in the game. Wootten opposed the proposal. Consequently, John Wall, the nation's top player, wasn't invited to play in the game last year. ESPN and Blue Ridge Sport were furious.
It has been speculated that the new management team believes Wootten is too old and is anxious to bring in fresh faces. Wootten, 79, coached at DeMatha from 1956 to 2002 and produced a record of 1,192-274 and five national championship teams.
"Losing Wootten takes away a Hall of Fame name, the most respected high school coach in the country," Gibbons said. "McDonald's is the No. 1 high school all-star game in the country. It's the dream of every high school kid to be a McDonald's All-American, the highest honor they can achieve. So it will be interesting to see how the new group will react to Wootten's resignation and who will run the selection committee from now on."
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Just as Las Vegas ran off the mob, and became a corporate entity; just as Sonny Vaccaro was run off by the big four major basketball shoe company execs (acually big two, since Nike owns Converse and Adidas owns Reebok), the McDonald's game big wigs trimmed 'the game' of long-time puppet masters who lacked the influence they once retained over the high school basketbal scene, nationally.
The AAU influence peddelers, have once again made its influence felt to fuel future regional 'game' upstarts. McDonald's leadership changes acknowledge the fear of AAU insideres, quietly. Besides, it should not be that much of a shock.
Its been said, by some high school coaches I know whom were not in the best standing with Wootten (whom have contributed many players to the game over the past 30 years); that Mc Donald's is also going in the direction to seek a younger vision whom can connect to the AAU.
The high school coach has become less and less influential in the thought process of their players as it comes to recruiting and shoe affiliation concerns, and this has played role in McDonald's forecast of the threat in competion from future games presented by the likes of Burger King, Nike and ESPN.
One thing is clear, McDonald's move or lack of movement, to make it work with the likes of Wootten and other long standing relationships set the tone for other 'big game' competitors to "make a move", and present other regionally formatted games scheduled during the same time slate as the McDonald's game in April.
Will Sonny Hill (a game life-long and respected event consultant to John Wooden) be the next significant departure?
Curtis K. Jackson Sr.
It is a young man's game, so new blood will run the game, remember the song, everything must change, well this is a clear-cut changing of the guard, the NBA is younger, guys that stay in college for four years aren't even being drafted, and that person is from Chicago, and was first team all-american, and even lead his team to a National Championship, but thank God for Michael Jordan, the young man is in camp with the Charlotte Bobcats!
You can hate on AAU all you want, if you don't play, you want get the rating you deserve, just look at the player from the Blue Division school, if he didn't play AAU ball, where would he be now, and now because of AAU ball, he is headed to Kentucky!
Thanks Phil Smith you are right and hoorah for that new Charlotte Bobcat.
To: Phil Smith Jr.,
Respect your comment, but; I wonder if your argument of the importance of "having" to play AAU ball to get rated or recognized is all too true.
Then. I have to ask, why should kids play high school basketball at all in the first place?
I mean, according to your comment, playing high school basketball has about the same importance as a kid playing in a weekend church league, as far as showcasing their skills to college coaches are concern.
I wonder if John Wooden would prefer to evaluate a player in a high school game? Or, would he feel watching the kid play in an AAU game would make all the difference in whether or not he recruits that same kid?
Curtis K. Jackson Sr.
I respect each person's perspective and I feel AAU is great for exposure, but I believe sports is education. Remember, student-athlete is the term we use in interscholastic athletics. Further, a kid cannot play in high school or qualify for a college scholarship without graduating from high school, meeting academic requirements for graduation, and meeting clearinghouse requirements for college admission. Maybe AAU should add an education piece like "Meeting Clearinghouse Requirements". Then it would be even more effective and respected by everyone. just sayin.
Great comments...
Depending on who you talk to, the entire idea of the "student-athlete" is somewhat comical. Now, I am "not" saying that education should not come first, or; that a kid blessed with more God-given (thank you Jesus) type talent, but; 'truly' lacks a spirited attempt at winning the academic marathon race of obtaining a meanigful degree is a necessary evil, either.
For example, I recently visited a school called "The Apprentice School" (admittedly for a theatrical gain) on the east coast that offers full-scholarships to students whom want to continue to play ball, but; learn a trade- that's right- building ships for the military.
I wonder, realistically speaking... how many kids would be better served at trying their luck at a school like The Apprentice School; besides traveling hundreds or thousands of miles across the country to attend a junior college hoping that their scholastic problems would be hidden by 'The Art Of Competitive Thought" classes would push them in the back door to a Big 12 school scholarship- playing ball?
My point...
We need to be honest with our kids, send them to coaches whom will honestly groom them for life, just as passionately as they groom them for that basketball dream of stardom.
Curtis K. Jackson Sr.