Amauro's Corner Basketball, End of Regular Season Notes 2006-07 Return to TedSilary.com Home Page     Amauro "Amar" Austin is a headliner among our trusty observers. He is not to be confused with Ruben Amaro, the Phillies' assistant general manager. Like "Huck" Palmer, Amauro is a West Catholic graduate. He will make reports on games he sees.     You may e-mail him at Thurlbough@hotmail.com.

Amauro's game reports

FEB. 14
END OF REGULAR SEASON NOTES
    Now that the regular season is about to end and the playoffs loom, it's time for me to do one of my notes column that kind of made me famous (I guess -- smile) in city circles 6 years ago. When I first came back onto the scene back in the 2001 basketball season, things were different for me. I was a wide-eyed 21-year old who didn't truly understand all of the ins and outs of the Philly Basketball scene. I just did what I thought was right or said what I thought was just, etc, etc. It started controversy at times, but that was fine as it breathed life back into this city's high school hoops scene, something the city needed and it gave me, a young guy who'd just experienced some pretty tough times, a much needed forum and a sense of importance. It was a fun ride too, a ride I'd never thought I would be on . . .
   I had already been on the scene in the past, actually heavily, but then I was more of a fan. Even during my time at Hampton University, I'd still follow what was going on here through the Internet and through emails to Ted. And in my trips home, I'd always catch a high school game or three. Back then I'd always even think, man, when I come home, I'll start an AAU Program so that I can help our inner-city kids get to higher levels as even then I realized that National Summer/Off-Season Ball wasn't a fixture here as our kids had so much to do here in the summer that proving themselves outside the city wasn't a huge priority. It always bothered me every April in VA while working the table at the Boo Williams Spring Classic (I saw at least two dozen guys that you now see in the Pros at the 3 Tourneys I worked) that Philly was never represented especially knowing the fact that our kids could hold their own. The dynamics of the recruiting game were also changing so much that this was how the kids were recruited. Things just weren't the way they used to be. The college coaches were busier and the off-season was more for their recruiting. They also relied more on the recruiting services and experts than ever to be their extra sets of eyes. It was complicated as Philly is such a town of repetition from its sports teams, to its club scene, to its dating scene, etc, etc. People in Philly find it hard to change. They automatically have their guard up and even question new opportunity. Sure that sounds like a stereotype, but this is something that I've not only observed, but even lived all my life.
   Our hoops scene was always a close-knit family -- no outsiders. We did our thing right here. The young bucks played in the Sonny Hill League, at their Rec Center (Something that is now sorely missed!!!) and in their neighborhood playground league while the older guys played at 16th and Susquehanna, among other unlimited leagues, and that was that. There were Philly/New York Games, etc. and while traveling teams were alive and well, they weren't priorities to even some of the top kids. (Remember all of those great players that Strawberry Mansion had from the mid-90s to the turn of the century? Not one of them was a fixture on the AAU circuit from Ronald "Flip" Murray to Lanier Bradshaw to Maureece Rice).
    To make a long story short, in what is now my 7th hoops season on the scene (WOW! Doesn't seem like that long, you guys have watched me grow from young man to grown man -- smile), things have indeed changed. The national summer scene has become top priority. It's all our kids think about, how they are judged and how they get the brunt of their looks from colleges. Sure there are still throwbacks who are considered sleepers because they don't travel in the off-season (two or three arrive in the Pub every year in where-have-you-been-all-my-life fashion), but for the most part it's now what you do outside of high school ball. However, things in general aren't in the best of shape. This is the worst state in which our Public League (once and hopefully again our best in the city-area) has found itself, and to be honest, outside of the top teams, the Catholic League ain't so hot either. There are plenty of reasons for this and I won't get into the finger pointing as that could be a never-ending argument, but the bottom line is that things are not in the best of states and something must be done. Just take a look around, the rest of the state has caught us! Sure, more of our kids than ever are going on to Big Time Colleges (GREAT!!!), but it's just not the same level of Basketball that Philly used to be known for. You know that refuse-to-lose, I-don't-give-a -crap-about-you style that was the standard. That was s the same reason why some of our no-name operations would routinely go out of town and take care of business as underdogs. The kids don't go as hard or totally understand the game and even worse they don't know their RICH history. Kids also are jumping from school to school in search of something that doesn't exist. If they would just open their eyes, they could see it was right THERE for them at the place they just left. The many opportunists around have taken the place of the teachers of the game. Loyalty is foreign language and worst of all: middle schoolers and even younger-aged kids are being ranked by local and national scouting services. This isn't what I fell in love with. I'd take my trade-off with how things used to be any day.
   Now, as one of the leaders among Philly's prep basketball people, I'm dumbfounded in a way about the answer to this question: How how do I do my part in the movement to get this thing right? What is politically correct for me to say or do? Do I go straight to the front line and fight or do I play in the background? As you have all been able to see, the Philadelphia Public League has stolen my heart and has been the main reason for me wanting to help the kids in any way I can. Sure, I'm a West Catholic grad and will always love West and the opportunities the school granted me and the lifetime friends that I made there, but this is different. I MUST make a difference and feel that I can do that by giving my ideas and opinions to a league that I always admired since March of 1993 watching the #1 Team in the country, Simon Gratz, led by its star, the #1 player in the country, Rasheed Wallace, dump Olney and its big star, Jason Lawson, then watch Franklin Learning Center (Tyrone Weeks & Michael Robinson) and Overbrook (Scottie Pippen & Michael Jordan, I mean Ronald Kenan & Laurence Pembrook), do battle with their long list of stars at the Philadelphia Civic Center in that year's Pub Semis. You see, as I stated earlier, I totally understand that if our Public League (Now District XII) is going good, everything else will fall in line here. First off, our coaches must be more aggressive in terms of making demands, teaching our kids not only basketball, but also life lessons, scheduling more/better competition, getting them into college and simply fighting harder for our kids. They have to be more aggressive and have to take more initiative. Sure they need help and in my opinion, every coach in the league should have at least two assistants and three or four would be even better. It never hurts having an extra set of eyes or three -- just ask C.M. Brown, Ken Hamilton & Rich Yankowitz of E&S. However, it's the powers that be that must be the ones to lead the charge and make the needed changes so that the coaches are going in the right direction.
    This is a delicate time and there is no need for slackers. So, as far as I'm concerned, any coach, AD, etc., that isn't prepared or simply doesn't want to go for the long haul and do a bit extra needs to step to the side and let someone who is willing to do so have a crack at it. First off we have to change the way things are done and the primary way to do that is to have JV and Varsity games together. Folks, this bothers me beyond belief as the Pub is the only league on the planet that a Varsity coach can't watch his JV or mix and match players between both teams. It is truly a growth stunter, if you ask me. Some kids need those games and the Varsity coach needs to be able to see his JV on a day-to-day basis. Also, in other aspects, only one bus is needed instead of two and if you start a shade later the kids don't need to be dismissed earlier from school and Lord only knows they don't need to be. Also if the JV game is first and then only one official shows up for Varsity (which is known to happen every so often in the Pub -- smile), then an extra official is always there for the Varsity game. Some days, the Varsity game could even start first with the JV game to follow. Personally, I'd like to see the games start at 3:30/5, 4/5:30 or 4:30/6. Teams that don't have JVs could have earlier games, but everyone else, especially on Thursdays, could play later when their parents can get out of work and the lights are on so all can watch.
    Next, we have to change the dynamics of the League. Rivalries are almost nonexistent in the Pub nowadays hence the weak crowds and often uninspired play. We have to bring that aspect back by doing a few subtle things. First things first, with a growing league we should go to a more geographic set-up. There's just no way PET Charter or Comm. Tech should be in the same division as Washington or Swenson. Does that make any kind of sense? With 53 teams this year, a league with 5 divisions of 9 and one with 8 would have been great. There could have been 14 league games with most of the teams in the 9-team divisions playing each other twice and all of the teams in the 8-team division doing so. The West Division would have consisted of: Overbrook, West Philly, Sayre, Parkway, Lamberton, University City, Paul Robeson, Bartram & Communications Tech, South: Southern, Furness, Bok Tech, Prep Charter, World Communications Charter, GAMP, CAPA, Mastery Charter, PET Charter and eventually Pierce/Audenried (two schools that WILL be coming in), etc. I'd bet most of the kids in all of these schools know someone in each of the other schools and that's what develops rivalries. Plus playing each other twice make things even more intriguing. Losing the first time would make the second game that much more special. From the district's standpoint, bus rides would be shorter and there would be one less bus in use. My little wrinkle to this would be for cheerleaders to travel on road trips. That's another thing that's prevalent in other places. Everywhere else except here, actually. This is another thing that enhances rivalries and brings out more fans and develops the school spirit that most of our schools are now lacking.
    Now you ask, how will we do the playoffs now, genius? Of course I can answer that as well. We would then come up with a suitable Points system that would give us a Top 12 in AAAA, a Top 8 in AAA, a Top 8 in AA & a Top 4 in A. All teams would then play one another in each bracket to come up 4 Champions who would then play against one another to decide a League Champion and then eventually a City Champion as the CL works its way back into things. Take this year for instance, a team like Bok or Furness is GOING to get a home game in this year's AAA playoffs. Both teams are likely to end the season at 4-10 in league play. If a strength points system were put into effect, Bok would probably make the playoffs because of their respectable Non-League exploits, while Furness would probably be home watching because its games were basically non-existent and therefore it could have accumulated many points, let alone a good average.
    Lastly, in all my travels to other cities, I've noticed that there are multiple events based around other cities Public Leagues. New York has a half dozen weekend events based on its PSAL over the course of the season. Baltimore has its Function in the Junction at Walbrook High School and its famed Basketball Academy challenge (nee the Mayor's Cup) at Morgan State University and the list goes on and on . . .
   We MUST start that here. How about a West Philly Day (At Overbrook or U-City), A South Philly Day (At Southern), a North Philly Day (At Gratz or Franklin), a Northwest Philly Day (At Germantown), an Eastside Day (At Mastbaum or Penn) & a Northeast Philly Day (At Northeast or Lincoln). These would be all-day Saturday events where each team in all 6 divisions could play a league game at one of the basketball supersites. If one of the days falls on an SAT Day, then all the juniors and seniors can take their test at the site before the games begin. How about the second weekend in December? Allow the Pub to have its own tip-off mixer, spanning two days, in which the top 10 girls and boys teams in the league take place in 5 boys/5 girls showcase games. An event like this will get the people talking about the league. That's a start there, but I myself will be involved in doing a boys Mixer to complement the GREAT Girls mixer at University City high school this December and I'm also trying (DETERMINED TO MAKE IT HAPPEN) to start a DOOZY of an event this February just for The Pub. Stay tuned...
    This basically sums up my thoughts. There could be more to come before the end of the season. I hope everyone enjoys. Feel free to e-mail me your thoughts.

Your Contributions . . .
(Please send to Amauro at thurlbough@hotmail.com or Ted at silaryt@phillynews.com. Thanks!)

YOU COULD NOT HAVE SAID IT BETTER!!!...  This was the best article I have read in a long time on PL and a true True true statement.  You touched base on all aspects of Public league.     I am always talking to my son about the way the game used to be PLAYED No comparison.  I am a parent that wishes I could see my son play more often, but because the games start so early, it is impossible to leave early every Tuesday and Thursday.  I absolutely love the game, even though it has changed dramatically, whether my son is playing or not I have to know what is going on in the PL.  It is hard to explain the game to my son, or tell him how I think it should be played, how the league should be ran, or the political BS in Philly hoops because I am his mother.   Of course, his mother cannot know the game.  I like to thank you for an article well typed, and good luck.
YOU HAVE YOUR WORK CUT OUT.
-- Frankford Mom
--
Amar -
As a college coach I could not agree with you more in your thoughts and comments.  Coach Johnson and I would like you to know how much we appreciate everything you do and we would like to make available Holy Family's Gym for any of the events you would like to schedule.  Anything you need, please let us know.
Chris Razler
Holy Family University Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
--
Amar,
I thought your notes were extremely needed, well thought
out, and inspiring to say the least. I am only 21 now and
can honestly say that I felt like you did at the same age. I
consider myself a HS and College hoops junkie to say the
least. I have decided to pursue a career in coaching because
I genuinely love the game in its simplest form so much. I am
starting grad school in the fall at Eastern University for
Education. Also, I have a meeting with the head coach their
this spring to hopefully become the graduate assistant next
spring. I want to become a HS teacher in the city and coach
that schools team. Many of the things you stated in your
report are exactly how I feel. Anyway, enough banter...I
just want to let you know that if you ever need any help for
your mixer/pub special whether it be volunteer, book keeping,
planning, etc. that I would be more than willing to
contribute.
PS-really looking forward to watching the guys this aau
season
Sincerely,
John Brennan
--
DEAR A,
GREAT article, as a former player in THE PUB, I agree wholehearted with you bro.
YOU have great vision, & passion, hope you can get through to the power's that be.
THOSE ideas sound great especially the division part of it.
DONT give up the good fight, you have more people in your corner than you think.
KIND REGARDS,
BIGGAME
--