shootout

[aj_arete]

I also don't like to see cheaters and hope that they are all caught and reprimanded. So I am also discouraged and irritated by the level of cheating at the prep levels.

However, I just don't want to see any witchhunts conducted.

[kshoe]

that they attended Brittany Woods (7-8th grade of all kids in the U.City school district) with Dwayne Polk I'm going to believe that it was completely innocent that he ended up at Vashon for highschool? Similarily I went to Brittany Woods with Billy Coby (6'9 guy that played at Chaminade and went to Washington State for basketball) and I believe Larry Hughes also a U.City resident.

No doubt the private schools recruit kids but anybody that believes Vashon doesn't still recruit is kidding themselves. Who was the Vashon player that was shot a couple years ago and when the newspaper dug into his background they realized he lived in Normandy?

[aj_arete]

However, the question is did Vashon officials know that this late player actually lived out there or did the family on their own volition forged residency papers. Changing residencies to escape poor performing school districts is quite common and many school officials have been duped in the past. This is not something that only happens at Vashon.

If there is proof that they knowingly accepted an out of city limits player, then I'm all for prosecuting Irons.

[Cowboy]

do they get tax $$$??

What a cluster that org is, imo.

[aj_arete]

but I would think it is a similar setup as the NCAA. I would think the member schools provide the funding for MSHSAA. Therefore if you want to enhance their enforcement activities, then each high school would have to pay higher membership dues.

I seriously doubt they get any private funding, but that is all speculation on my part.

[VTIME]

6'10 Malik White was killed summer 2002. He lived in jennings, not Normandy. I live in Normandy. It had nothing to do with vashon, just plain ignorance. would've been nice to see him and muse together in that class of 2004 for two years.

[slufanskip]

I think we've agreed on a few things ... but I at a loss to think of any now.

Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman

[bonwich]

nm

[Major Majerus]

What were you responding to here? Do you know that he had a hoops scholarship to DeSmet? Surely he was a west county kid who lived closer to DeSmet than SLUH...at least the family funeral home is close by. I've never heard this before.

[kshoe]

he lived in Jennings and was playing for Vashon...

[Billiken Law]

let me tell you this, chief, you're wrong on age, wrong on my experience and wrong on how I would know about such recruiting going on. I saw it with guys I played ball with who moved from school to school, I experienced it when a realative approached me about moving into his district to play for him and I see it now coaching a team here in STL. To pick out Floyd Irons and accuse him of being the only recruiter because you all have some issue with him ignores the reality of the situation. Hell, Slaten and Ramsey did a whole hour on private schools and their recruitment methods a few weeks back. Spend a little time in gyms in cities like STL, Detroit, Chicago, et al and you'll get to learn what really goes on.

[Orange Julius]

>http://sportswaveonline.com/cityrec.htm

>

>they sponsor a lot of events like this

They didn't sponsor that event.

[Cowboy]

I did not hear the show about private school recruiting methods...my question is why was the discussion limited to private schools???

[Billiken Law]

>I did not hear the show about private school recruiting

>methods...my question is why was the discussion limited to

>private schools???

Probably because of the methods used and the athletics loopholes programs have found in regards to the legal recruiting of students based on academics. Kids will be sent materials by a private HS (like we all were by colleges) and some of those kids are singled out not for academics but athletics.

[courtside]

There are a lot of African American leaders, coaches, mentors in many communities throughout the U.S. who do a lot of great things for kids, without the grand-standing, questionable methods, without the arrogance, and most of all, without the need to make race the first and foremost issue all too often. Nothing gets under my skin more than racism of any kind to anyone. And Floyd Irons has long been in a position of power to be a lot more than he has been to a lot of people. It's really a shame. Instead of people mentioning his name as a great contributor to kids, athletics etc...there will always be the baggage that comes with his name. He created it for himself by his own actions and behavior.

[OrlandoStewart]

Floyd's a Racist!! He uses the race card against everybody, and makes the black race look bad. I am a young black male and I would never have my kids look up to him. None of his players ever make it in life, forget basketball. Most his players end up on the streets. Look at Antonio Bobo, he is doing time in jail. Floyd does not teach these kids about life.

I grew up in Walnut Park and my dad worked 2 jobs and my mom worked one. I really never saw them much but they taught me the lessons of life and what is right and wrong. Even my high school coach helped me when my dad wasnot there. Floyd just use these kids for basketball, once they are gone he could care less about them. I know some of his ex-players that are my age and they do not have one good thing to say about him, except he helped them win a state championship.

[AJ]

Orlando, I am curious how a man with no apparent redeeming qualities has somehow managed to produce 5 student/athletes for the SLU BB progam in the last 20 years, more than any other St. Louis High School. Of those 5, 4 were good students and good athletes who I was proud to have on our team. Anthony Bonner, Anthony Jones, R. Trice, and D. Polk and Jimmy McKinney would probably all disagree with your harsh assessment of Floyd Irons. Let's all agree that Floyd has marginalized his many accomplishments with his ego, his poor sportsmanship,and his inability to get along with other coaches. At the same time, anyone that doesn't think he has some accomplishments to be proud of isn't looking very closely. Incidentally, aren't you the same fan who made some crude comments about our AD a few months ago ? I am not sure you are right guy to be preaching sermons to others about racism, etc.

[OrlandoStewart]

Only 5 players out 30 years of coaching.Give me a break.

[bonwich]

play his freshman year at DeSmet. Funny story. (And nothing to do with the school that paid for DeSmet to be built .)

[VTIME]

Lorenzo Gordon is finishing up his degree. Curtis Muse is headed to North Texas next year. Johnnie Cooper finished up his degree in 2004 MO Baptist. He has a nice job. A lot of the big names didn't do a lot, but the lesser known, but talented kids have gone to school locally at got degrees and are doing well. I know several.