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AB new coach at Vashon


Supersonic

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I was at the press conference on Monday. Anthony Bonner did everything he could to downplay the basketball coaching position and highlight his position with the school district.

The district is going to use Bonner as an example of what St. Louis city schools can become.

Apparently, they are paying him a lot of money for this.

Despite having some good players returning, if they all return, Bonner will probably struggle some as the Wolverines' coach. At the press conference he admitted he hadn't talked to any of the players and had not been to Vashon yet. He has basically no coaching experience.

If Bonner is the stand-up, hard-working class act that a lot of people say he is, I think he'll be good for the district and the school. It may take some time, but he can be a good role model there.

- Nate

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again, i love anthony bonner. but as a basketball player and a new high school basketball coach. a new high school basketball coach doesnt get paid as such.

if the salary is based on the other position, one has to question his qualifications and justify a salary of that magnitude. if it is as vtime suggests, a lobby position, my gosh do lobbiests with no experience and zero qualifications start at $125K? if so, where do i sign up?

unless someone can explain what i am missing, i think this is a perfect example of misplaced values of the st louis school district.

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Roy you would be surprised what an inexperienced lobbyist can get paid. The pay is based upon the access to state house and senate members and their staff the lobbyist is believed to be able to deliver. It has nothing to do with experience or qualifications. They pay is based on the access you can deliver almost exclusively.

Also they are paying him for the good pr he brings to the school system. Bonner is extremely well liked by the big sports media figures in town.

Lastly if there is a high school basketball program that can justify the economics of such a large salary to a coach it is Vashon. The money that the program can generate from ticket sales, tournaments, apparel deals, special events (The Shootout) and possibly merchandise sales should be more than enough to offset the salary, cover team expenses, and leave some money left over for the school system.

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good pr? anyone with an ounce of priorities cant see this as "good pr" considering it has been amplified tremendously that he school district has their values messed up. this only seems to reenforce that the school district doesnt put education first on their list imo.

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Ok Roy. You have your mind made up. Nothing pointing out how the salary can be more than justified will change your mind.

The fact that the amount of money that the school system gets from state directly effects the health of the school system, that the school board believes that Bonner's name will open doors for in Jefferson City, and that the doors that will be opened belong to the people who decide if the funding level will be is a misplaced priority. The fact the Vashon is most high profile city school and they believe Bonner can help improve that school's tarnished image is a misplaced priority. That said school's image doesn't have a direct effect on the opinions of city voters and business leaders and that changing that image in their minds is a misplaced priority. If you don't believe all of the above has direct effect on the job the school system does on educating it students, you are wrong.

It's funding from the state directly effects the system in multiple ways when it comes to education. It affects the ability to pay quality teachers and administrators. It affects the ability to keep the buildings from falling apart. It affects the ability to provide computer labs and internet access. It affects the ability to provide books to the students.

Its image has a direct effect on its ability to educate to. It affects the ability to attract top teachers and administrators. It affects it with the voters when it is time to vote on tax and bond issues. It affects the systems when it attempts to attract business people to serve as mentors inside the system.

Is Bonner hiring going to fix the whole city public school system? The answer is no. The board thinks he can help and I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt on this one. I am willing to do that because I think the Vashon basketball program can generate the revenue needed to cover his salary.

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so you think a european pro basketball player that went to high school at the school 20 years ago but has zero political experience and is likely not known outside of st louis county is a better choice to be a lobbyist than say a former mayor, or a retired supt of another school dist, or a retired state legislator etc that can actually speak effectively of the issues presented? ok.

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Roy, Jeff City is overloaded with former legislator who are lobbyist. To hire one that would stand out would cost you an arm and a leg and that lobbyist wouldn't be working just for you but would have multiple clients. You wouldn't always know if you were an important priority. If you were to hire one of these individuals full time it would cost you more than you are paying Bonner and you would still have to hire a basketball coach. Then you will still need to hire one from the other political party, so you will be able to work both sides of the aisle. Bonner is not seen as a member of either party and can work both sides of the aisle.

Do I think being a former euro pro will help him? No. Do I think being a former NBA first round pick will help him? Yes. I grew up with and around politics and still am friends with a lot of politicians and people involved with in the political process. Musicians and actors are the only people they like to be able to hang around with more than pro athletes. This isn't D.C.. He doesn't have to be a star.

Bonner doesn't need to know the issues inside and out. His job will be to get in the door. The school district has people who do that will be there with Bonner.

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Roy, it is not misplaced values, but rather misplaced funds. They decided they would pay AB whatever funds were left over in the Vashon athletic department petty cash box. With Floyd's abrupt departure, the petty cash box had not been completely spent down.(jkidding)

On a serious note, if Anthony will be spending significant time in Jefferson City lobbying, then it may be a decent deal. There are very few people who could step into the Vashon coaching position with the stature and credibility to render Irons' lawsuit and coup d'etat moot, AND to bring the Vashon bball program out of its renegade financial position. Anthony is one of three PHL alums that come to mind who also could be a standard bearer in the fight to keep local control of the school system.

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Seems to me that the discussion regarding AB providing help as a lobbyist is misguided. Another possibility is that his role is to interact with St. Louis businesses. This could include many different types of support to the school district. Given AB's reputation in St. Louis, and that many of today's business leaders have a high regard for him as a person, as well as a basketball player, he might be a perfect hire for this type of position.

Given all of the issues with the school district, a $125,000 salary for a b-ball coach seems totally out of touch with what there priorities should be. However, if I'm right and AB's role is to represent the school district with the local community, he just might be the right man to solicit support.

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or were you serious. What skills do Grawer bring to being an effective lobbyist for the St. Louis Public Schools.

Yes, he was an athletic director at Clayton, but Clayton is an elite, suburban public school. Plus, he committed a well-publicized gaffe involving Jarius Byrd. His other experiences were coaching SLU basketball, assisting under Norm at Mizzou, and coaching at a elite private school.

None of the above experiences will help him understand the environmental issues within the St. Louis Public Schools. He would also not be effective in unifying factions within St. Louis City because he doesn't have any relationship with anyone there.

As for Anthony Bonner, he'll gain instant respect and credibility within the city and plus he's been through the system. Albeit, it's been awhile. Having said all that, I am skeptical of this hire because I feel money could be better spent in the system, but Bonner is a better fit than Grawer.

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Grawer has been in education for over 40 years. That's 39 years and 366 days more than AB. Grawer had decades experience as a high school history teacher and as a high school administrator. Bonner has done neither for one day.

Grawer has far more name recognition in Jeff City and throughtout the state of Missouri than AB's.

Based on his educational experience, and having spent 99% of his coaching and teaching career in the St. Louis area, Grawer would have a far better understanding of the issues in the St. Louis Public Schools than AB. It's about knowing how to deal with your administrative bosses, your fellow teachers, budget management, parents, and students.....be it in Clayton or downtown St. Louis. Grawer has done it for a live-time and AB....well, maybe two-days!

I'm guessing that Grawer would have a far better understanding of the teacher's union than AB. Futhermore, I'm guessing Grawer would garner far more respect and support from the other PHL teachers and coaches than AB.

If Grawer and AB each spent one-hour today with the same group of congressional leaders in Jeff City.....who do you think makes the best presentations on behalf of the public school students of St. Louis?

As a bball "coach", Grawer is a master and AB a raw rookie.

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I think this is great for Anthony!

What a positive role model Anthony has an opportunity to become. This is also great for SLU Basketball when these local kids see how great he is doing as a grad from SLU. I hope him and Brad develop a wonderful friendship (I don't know they may have already) and he influences them to his alma mater.

Tarheel

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care to comment on why you still support Grawer after he and coach

Lee Winfield were fired. I remember how he handled Clagget, letting him sit on the bench so both their sons could start; I remember him

getting beat by Spoon's SMS short teams. I remember how he could not

coach bigs like Melvin Douglas and made Carlos Skinner into a rebond

only 4.

I really am thankful that he got the program going with Roland Gray,

Monroe Douglas, and Anthony Bonner but we were outcoached worse then than in Sodaberg's first year which was pretty awful.

Grawer's charisma versus Bonner's is doubtful and as you or someone said he is retirement age.

Please tell me why Grawer still is important to many on this board?

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goslu68 asked, "tell me why Grawer still is important to many on this board?"

because i lived through ekkerball and colemantime. i remember the administration ready to pull the trigger on becoming a division III school. had rich grawer not come to slu and brought the program to a higher level than what had been seen in a decade we wouldnt have had another opportunity to continue to rise to higher levels with spoon or be in the position that we are now to possibly break through to a level never seen at saint louis university.

i thank rich grawer every time the ball goes up at every game and i hope no one ever forgets why he is still important.

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