Hype, Recognition, and Talent Doesn't Guarantee Success.

Written Saturday April 16th at 1:10 AM

When looking at individual sites like D-Zone, or shows like State Champs, or High School Hammer Time. They have a lot in similarities and there are differences in each of them and I respect that.

I look at three OAA teams, they get a lot of attention to sites like D-Zone. Sure almost all the teams in the league and throughout the State have players hyped by them and I respect that. Some maybe more than others but there are three of them that have my attention that gets a lot of hype, attention, and recognition. They are Southfield Arts and Technology, West Bloomfield, and Oak Park, all in Middle and Southern Oakland County.

That’s not even mentioning Detroit Cass Tech or Detroit Martin Luther King, whom in retrospect get their fair share of recognition despite them producing elite talent from Detroit to go to top notch Universities.

The Warriors, Lakers, and Knights have a ton of players on D-Zone’s Twitter Page and what Universities and camps they are going too.

All the hype, recognition, and talent doesn’t always guarantee playoff success.

As I looked at last season’s playoff run for these teams, all three of them have top individual talent looking at top notch colleges but all three of them didn’t have the playoff success they wanted as they didn’t to the regional round. Southfield Arts and Technology although not a school yet as they were still Lathrup and Southfield both lost to Berkley in the pre-district and district final respectably. Oak Park lost in the pre-district to Southfield while West Bloomfield was shocked at home in the pre-district by Novi, whom came into the game at 5-4, barely making the playoffs.

Berkley did not get the recognition it deserved as almost no one outside of Berkley gave the Bears a chance to pull off the big upset.

But they did especially in the district final at Hurley Field against a team whom has elite young talent, an elite quarterback, elite defensive players, elite running backs, had played in a more brutal division, and had one of most brutal schedules in the State.

Sure Harrison was upset by Groves, whom ended up winning the Blue last season in the pre-district but looking at the Hawks after their tough loss to West Bloomfield, they are ripe for an upset that night in Beverly Hills despite having Alabama bound senior Khalid Kareem. The Falcons though had their fair share of talented players led by Ernest Allen and Iowa bound Cedric Boswell.

Sometimes having too much hype, talent, and recognition is dangerous. It can lead to disaster and opens the doors up to scouters but hype, recognition, and talent gets you somewhere but it doesn’t earn anything. You got to go out there and do it, individual talent is fine but the team is all that matters if you want to get to the Ultimate Goal and that’s a State Championship.

That’s the beauty of High School Sports.

Basketball New Divisions.

Written Saturday April 16th at 12:10 AM

Here are the new basketball divisions for each team and whom could be the early favorite in each of them heading into the Winter.

Girls

Red:

Southfield Arts and Technology
Stoney Creek
North Farmington
Clarkston
Adams

When looking at this division, the Warriors are the early favorite because of whom both the former Blue Jays and Chargers return like players D'Alynna Holliman and Alexis Johnson, that's not to mention that Deja Church is a Miss Michigan Basketball candidate. The Cougars are the next best here because they return a ton led by Ally Voss and Emily Solek. The Raiders move up a division after winning the White and returns Kierra Crockett and Samantha Cherney. The Wolves return the best big girl in the league in Kayla Luchenbach to go along with Molly Nicholson and Bre Blitizer but if they can get another impact guard to go along with Maddie Beck, Clarkston could be back yet again. The Highlanders return Maggie Rogers but the question for them will be role players as whom will help Rogers score this winter.

White:

Bloomfield Hills
Orion
Oxford
Royal Oak
Harrison
West Bloomfield

When you look at this division, this one will come down to the wire between the Dragons and Blackhawks. Bloomfield Hills returns Amanda Sape, Katherine Prinna, Becca Hancock, and Maryiam Hashim. Orion returns Maddie Novak and Jordyn Marchese. The Wildcats come down from the Red bring a ton of experience led Madelyn Morris, Monae Evans, Jordyn Zyniger, Ashley Herschman, and Grace Cleland. The Ravens return Samantha Potter and Casey Joslyn. The Hawks lost Kristen Nelson and Amber Stephens to graduation returns two key players in Olivia Perkins and Tedi Pickens. The Lakers lost Charlika Stubbs, Kori Maxie, Macey Kryzakoza, and Taylor Pierce but do return Jamila and Jordyn Elam.

Blue:

Seaholm
Rochester
Troy
Groves
Oak Park
Avondale

The Maples return Mackenzie Harbort and Dana Hoerman but the schedule has been what you say a bit easy in my opinion, last season I criticized Bloomfield Hills for their non conference schedule but in 2016 its Seaholm. The Falcons are here because of their strong back court led by the returning from injury Paola Barraza and Tori Hawkins along with Jenna Norgrove in the paint pending if they stay injury free. The Colts weren't too pleased to move down a division but expect them to be in the thick of this division. The Falcons return some experience led by Shea Carter. The Knights have struggled outside the league. The Yellow Jackets return Toya Golden but they got some issues everywhere else they must address.

Gold:

Troy Athens
Berkley
Farmington
Hazel Park
Pontiac
Ferndale

The Red Hawks weren't too happy they stayed in the Gold but they should roll in this division led by Maddie Crum. The Bears will be very young but they have a stable program in place led by Makoya Denham. The Vikings return Trinity Benton and Ghyanna Green. The Falcons lost some experience but they will compete in this division. The Eagles are still young while the Phoenix lost a ton of experience last season could struggle as well this winter.

Boys

Red:

Clarkston
North Farmington
Bloomfield Hills
Southfield Arts and Technology
Adams
West Bloomfield

Come on now, is there anyone going to touch the Wolves, not with Foster Loyer, Dylan Alderson, CJ Robinson all returning to go along with a 6.5 transfer from Oxford coming in. Clarkston is loaded and talented and could make it to Breslin this winter. The Raiders went to the State Finals lost a huge chunk of their team but returns Amauri Hardy. The new Warriors squad returns Michael Flowers. The Blackhawks could be serious contenders to get second place returns Kiewuan Graham and Josh Jones. The Lakers return Kevin McAdoo but question will be role players. The Highlanders are well coached and have a strong JV team coming back, Adams will be there.

White:

Hazel Park
Troy
Troy Athens
Pontiac
Avondale
Oak Park

The division could get a good dose of the Vikings because of whom they got back in David Hearns, Carl Bow, and James Jenkins. The Colts could be the top challenger to Hazel Park as they are big and deep led by Jason Ditz whom has become a well rounded player. The Red Hawks will be better as well led by Taylor McCaskill. The Phoenix will have concerns inside but they will have Jalen Kelso and stall ball to go to next winter. The Knights are not stable at all but will have Robert Zanders back. The Yellow Jackets will have some experience back as well led by Jalen Latham.

Blue:

Groves
Rochester
Orion
Oxford
Stoney Creek
Seaholm

This division is the toughest in the league when looking at it. The Falcons had an athletic JV team and returns Drew Sheckill. The Falcons will also have experience as well led by Hunter Schlatter, Ivan Barraza, and LaMarco Gillridge. The Dragons lost David Gomez, and Noah Harris to graduation but returns Steven Zjemesski and Jamie Lewis. The Wildcats return a ton of experience led by Jordan Jadan, Ray LeVine, and Justin Lavalis. The Maples will be scrappy led by Graham Girdler and Liam Neel. The Cougars lost a ton of players but their sub varsity (JV and Freshman) was strong and will be relied upon to carry Stoney Creek.

Gold:

Farmington
Berkley
Royal Oak
Harrison
Ferndale

When looking at this division, this better be the year for the Falcons despite the fact they lose some talent. The Bears return David Cobb back. The Ravens lose Cedric Boswell and Cordell DuPree but they have a good group coming back. The Hawks was young a season ago. The Eagles normally a good Class B team will still be young heading into the season next winter.

Basketball Coaching Job Openings.

Written Friday April 15th at 11:05 PM

There are three top coaching basketball jobs available as we are in the mist of the off season for basketball. Two of them are in the Boys and Two in the Girls. I feel confident whom will be the coaches at Southfield Arts and Technology. I will look at what impact the coaching jobs will give and whom are the top candidates for each job. I won’t make a projection whom will get the job, that choice will be made by the Athletic Director's who will make them.

Oxford Girls:

Oxford coach Steve Emert resigned after his Wildcats lost to Waterford Mott in the pre-district last March. The Wildcats will return a ton of experience led by Monae Evans, Madelyn Morris, Jordyn Zyniger, Grace Cleland, and Ashley Herschman. Oxford has a strong incoming Freshman Class as well which will make the job that much easier. The Wildcats will be in a division (White) in which they will compete in and is very well a dark horse.

I think the top candidate is Rachel Bryer. Bryer was an assistant under Emert and does know the players very well. Bryer would bring a ton of experience with her under the tutelage of Emert

I also like Jeff Marshall. Marshall was the Junior Varsity Coach at Oxford and does know the system quite well.  He brings experience as well which is a bonus.

Al Poynter is an interesting candidate because he coached the Wildcats until he decided to step down from coaching in 2011.

I think a dark horse candidate is Jamie Glinz. Glinz coached at Southfield last season and with the merger of them and Southfield-Lathrup to become Southfield Arts and Technology looming, the likely new coach will be Michelle Marshall over there. I think the move up north could benefit him.

I think this may be a long shot but the Wildcats could look at former Walled Lake Western coach Dave Smith. Smith resigned mid-season from Walled Lake Western would be an interesting hire because he would bring an AAU background along with coaching experience and also it’s close to home in which Smith is from Clarkston. Emert coached in Walled Lake as well but at Walled Lake Central but Smith’s name is an interesting one to look at.

Harrison Girls:

The Hawks job is interesting since Allen Walker resigned due to parent pressure near the end of the season but the Harrison job is toxic especially when you know you will only have three years to coach at Harrison before the school closes. The Hawks are in a favorable division and do return Oliva Perkins and Tedi Pickens but did lose two all-State players in Kristen Nelson and Amber Stephens.

The question will be will Stefon Wilson coach both the boys and girls teams or will he stay coaching the Boys???

Another name mentioned could be the Junior Varsity coach Darlene Taylor. Taylor was the Junior Varsity Coach at Bloomfield Hills under coach Jeff Rubin at both Andover and Bloomfield Hills. She could be a perfect fit if Wilson doesn’t coach the varsity team. Taylor brings experience and the passion to get Harrison ready for the season.

Oxford Boys:

The Girls at Oxford is open but so is the Boys. Dave Brown served as the interim coach for Stephan Henning whom was forced out after he got caught in a scandal. The Wildcats do return a ton of talent led by Jordan Jaden, Ray Levine, and Justin Lavalis and will be in a division in which they can compete in this upcoming winter.

I think it’s a wide open job search with the early favorite being Billy Keenest because of the loyalty to the program but experience could be an issue for him.

Jeff Jayson’s name has been mentioned a ton. Jayson coached at Waterford Mott and his name was mentioned for other jobs. He was a strong candidate for the Orion job until coach Jim Manzo got the Dragons job last season. Jayson led the Corsairs to the 2012 regional finals where they lost to Orion but hasn’t had the talent at Waterford Mott scene. He would be perfect for the Wildcats and it could very well be his job to lose.

The dark horse candidate is Tom Risi. Risi coached at Orion until he resigned in 2015 after a tough 4-16 season and like Jayson, Risi led the Dragons to the State quarterfinals in 2012 and brings a ton of experience to the fold.

Oak Park Boys:

The Knights will be looking for their eighth coach in nine years after Jamie Thomas resigned after the season but this choice that Athletic Director and Football Coach Greg Carter decides to do must be committed in stabilizing the Oak Park Boys Basketball program.

The top choice will be Jamie Arnold. Arnold played at Oak Park and bringing in a former player has done well for their high school Ala Manure’s like Shay Lewis at Rochester Adams for the Girls Basketball team. He could be a good choice for the team.

Another possible candidate would be Al Katalla whom coached Varsity at Oak Park before until 2007. Katalla has coached in the sub varsity roles of the program ever since but he could be the one that could bring stability to a program that really needs it in the worst way possible.

Thoughts on New NCAA College Football Ruling and How it Impacts High School Football.

Written Saturday April 9th at 8:15 PM

The High School Football world suffered a setback courtesy of the NCAA last week.

The NCAA voted down Satellite Camps which means that teams can have camps but at their own facilities not at other schools or other facilities. No FBS coach will be allowed to attend these gatherings.

A lot of people view this rule as a shot against Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh whom has developed and endorsed satellite camps in non-Big Ten areas.

SEC, ACC, Big 12, and Pac. 12 officials supported this new rule while the Big 10, American, and MAC opposed this.

The rule means this summer is that schools like Michigan and other schools must abandon plans to work summer high school camps unless at their facility.

One specific camp most known is the Sound Mind-Sound Body Academy which is expected to take place in June at Wayne State in Detroit and is one of six sites around the Country. The academy is specially well known to get players exposed to Division One College Football and teach kids important lessons of day to day life.

Last year the academy was at Macomb Dakota and it produced a lot of success.

Michigan State recruiting coordinator and co-founder of the academy Curtis Blackwell talked to the Detroit News on why this new rule hurts the kids and also colleges whom will not get a chance to look at the kid they want. “The biggest losses are for the kids, the under the radar recruits. They get exposure at these camps. You get schools like Youngstown State, Bowling Green, and Kent State and they find kids they normally wouldn’t get a chance to see. Kent State doesn’t have a camp. They go to other camps. If you take them away how do they effectively recruit?”

Blackwell has talked to kids and parents whom had booked flights just to see their kids get exposed. He talked to parents about the decision the NCAA handed down and they were distraught about the decision, “I can relate to their struggles. Parents are distraught over this. They don’t understand why this is happening.”

Blackwell plans to ask the NCAA if it will allow FBS coaches to attend the Sound Mind-Sound Body Academy because of life skill and classroom skills. He is hopeful the NCAA will let it happen.

The academy will go on as planned but for now there will be no FBS coaches allowed and it is unfortunate for Blackwell that those coaches won’t be able to see what the State or Metro Detroit has to offer. “These camps keep hopes alive for some of these kids. They promote opportunity for young people. That’s what we’re supposed to be about. What do you tell a single mom in Detroit? You think about what we created in Sound Mind-Sound Body, we created this in a bankrupt city and we brought 300 coaches here to give opportunities to kids they might never see.”

Thoughts:

When I look at this rule, there are some that I like and there are some that I don’t like of this new NCAA rule. What I like about this rule is that this rule forces high school students to go to the University camp at the University site and not set at a neutral site where other coaches can evaluate and recruit players. College teams can still have their camps but at their own university and with their own coaches. I don’t like what that this an SEC motivated move and that it is seen as an attempt by the SEC to prevent other universities from recruiting on their own turf.

Kids and parents are not happy about this because now they have to travel instead of a coach going across the Country to have a camp. Blackwell is not happy because there a few kids who don’t have the funds to travel to their respective university and they make an effort to have camps that are closer to their hometowns so they can witness the experience and potentially get recruited.

In the State of Michigan there are a lot of blue chip players that are underrated and people use the camps and academies to get their name out there. In today’s world where you have social media, kids use these sites to promote themselves and writers tend to go out of their way to promote them.

Knights Changing Boys Basketball Coaches Again.

Written Saturday April 2nd at 9:00 PM
Updated Monday June 13th at 12:10 AM

The Oak Park Knights will be getting a new Boys Basketball Coach again this winter.

Jamie Thomas resigned as Knights Coach last month according to MIPrepZone's Scott Burnstein. Oak Park finished 10-11, losing to Detroit Renaissance 63-40 in the district playoffs last season.

The Knights will be going with their eighth coach in nine seasons in the 2016-2017 season but what was odd was that Thomas was not on the bench for the final four games of the season as long time Oak Park Football Coach and Athletic Director Greg Carter took over the team.

Carter is no stranger of taking over the Boys Basketball team as he had to take over the team in 2014-2015 after then coach Bryan Tipton was forced out after he was caught tampering two of his best player's grades.

Thomas was ejected for arguing with officials during it's 64-55 loss to St. Clair and served a one game suspension because of it. He had been in his first season coaching at Oak Park. Thomas previously coached Boys and Girls Basketball at Walled Lake Central and was an assistant at West Bloomfield.

The Knights coaching search could feature four interesting candidates in Jamie Arnold whom played at Oak Park in the 1990's, Bobby Thompson's name has been mentioned as well as he coached at Oak Park Academy and is an employee at Oak Park, and also long time Knights Coach Al Katalla whom coached the Varsity and Sub-Varsity teams at Oak Park. If the Knights go out of the box then they could look at former Waterford Kettering, Southfield, and Pontiac coach Ben Kelso. Kelso would be an interesting fit for Oak Park if hired.

Whomever the new coach will be will get the luxury of playing in the White this winter against teams such as Troy, Pontiac, Troy Athens, among others.

Stay tuned to OAA Now for this developing story as it unfolds. Now there are two openings in the OAA in Boys Basketball, the one at Oak Park and also at Oxford.

Volleyball Divisions in 2016.

Written Friday April 1st at 12:55 PM

Red:

Orion
Seaholm
Stoney Creek
Clarkston
Bloomfield Hills
Oxford
Harrison
West Bloomfield

Early Thoughts: Clarkston has to be the early favorite because of experience and they have a clean slate to start the season. Orion, Seaholm, Bloomfield Hills, and Oxford will compete for a division crown. Harrison and West Bloomfield returns some talent but the move from the White to the Red will be a difficult challenge for both teams. The Wildcats return the balk of their team from last season while the Dragons and Maples have to replace a lot of talent that graduated but still have strong programs. The Cougars have a new coach in Ross Talbott but they too lost a ton of talent to graduation.

White:

Adams
North Farmington
Royal Oak
Avondale
Groves
Troy
Farmington
Troy Athens

Early Thoughts: When looking at this division it's wide open, any team could win it but if you have to go with an early favorite, it's got to be Troy. The Colts come down from the Red and returns a solid core of players but you can't count out their rival Troy Athens. The Red Hawks return some experience as well. Adams is a team that went through a tough transition a season ago comes down to the White from the Red while North Farmington, whom won the Blue last season and Farmington had strong seasons and bring back experience as well. Groves is also solid as well. Royal Oak will struggle this season. There could be four or five teams that have a strong shot at winning the crown this season.

Blue:

Southfield A&T
Pontiac
Berkley
Hazel Park
Oak Park
Rochester
Ferndale

Early Thoughts: The favorite in this division is Rochester whom moved down from the White to the Blue. The Falcons are the most consistent team of the bunch though the new Southfield squad could give them a run at the crown this season. Berkley lost a ton of talent, Oak Park lost some talent from a season ago while Ferndale whom won a district crown could struggle this season playing Class A schools along with Hazel Park. Pontiac will struggle this season as well but right now this division could be colored in Royal Blue and White.