You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
Mike White's high school sports: 09.06.22
powered byJotCast
Mike White
11:03
It's a little dreary outside, so come inside and let's talk some high school sports. Store is now open for questions.
MK
11:03
what do you think about Peters Twp football. Did they play a weak Fox Chapel and SV or are they that good?
Mike White
11:07
Peters is 2-0. Blew out Fox Chapel, which is not a great team, and FC had bunch of turnovers. But the win over Seneca opened eyes. I really think Seneca can challenge for 6A title. Obviously, you'd have to say Peters is good. But 5A is loaded with good teams. I don't think there is a great team in 5A, but a lot of good ones. Best class in WPIAL as far as depth of quality teams. And this Peters QB Cibrone, what a surprised. 5-10, 160 and first year as a starter and he's second in WPIAL in passing. Cibrone is no jabroni.
Country Roads
11:07
Mike, you seemed like a school boy with a crush when describing James Franklin attending the Belle Vernon game.  Plus all the photos of the helicopter and his attendance in the PG.  Is it any wonder you are affectionately known as Mike "Blue & White"?
Mike White
11:09
Oh, so here we go about the Mike White Penn State bias. Makes me laugh. I tweeted one sentence saying he was in the house along with Terry Smith. In story I wrote one graph saying he came in on a helicopter, which you have to admit is a little unusual, but left at halftime. I'd have done the same exact thing if Pat Narduzzi was there. It's worth mentioning if either of them are there - and if they come in by helicopter.
D9 Dave
11:12
What position do you think Belle Vernon’s Quinton Martin is best suited to play in college?
Mike White
11:12
But getting back to Country Roads. Yes, there were a number of pictures of Franklin attached in the story. That's a picture gallery. Whether you want to believe it or not, I have nothing to do with those. Our photo department puts them together from some Friday night games. Look back. They are on a number of stories on Friday nights. I don't take the pictures, I don't know what pictures they have and I don't decide what pictures are used in those photo galleries. But if you want to believe it shows Penn State bias by me, go right ahead. Although I do agree that maybe 5-6 pictures of Franklin was a little much. But there are 20 total pictures on there from game and photographers are told to get feature shots for the gallery.
11:15
Hey D9Dave. That's hard to say. I was thinking same thing after watching him Friday. I think it might be a case of wait-and-see. We don't produce many Power Five running backs. I don't know if people around here realize how good you have to be to make it as a running back at a Power Five school. Look at Gateway's Derrick Davis and how good he was at running back. He's a defensive player at LSU. If I had to guess right now, I'd say Martin would be a defensive player. But let's wait and see.
Coach O
11:15
Fedko is one of a kind. I know he’s not everyone’s cup of tea but his opening segments and enthusiasm are classic. Listening to you two talk high school football every Friday evening is a must listen if you love WPIAL football. And his enthusiasm Mike is real, right? Can’t imagine that’s a put on.
Mike White
11:19
I think it was a great move by KDKA and The Fan to get Fedko for pregame show. And KDKA is doing it up big. They had a KDKA tent set up at Belle Vernon right inside the stadium where Fedko does pregame show live. It's like a GameDay. Some say his schtick is a little hokey. So what? It's high school sports. I've heard his opening the past two weeks. I think it's hilarious and tremendous. It's what he does. I love the enthusiasm. And he's working hard, doing plenty of research. It's a great thing for KDKA to do this.
RoddyK
11:19
Mike, North Hills starting 0-2.  Is there any hope for this season?  Please don't tell me it is a talent issue, I don't see Pitt or any other P5 school camped out at USC or Bethel Park games.
Mike White
11:22
Plain and simple, it looks like average at best for North Hills. You say don't tell me it's a talent issue. Well, I hate to tell you that Bethel and USC are just better. And it doesn't get any easier this week with Gateway. I haven't seen either North Hills game and doubtful I'll see any. But just looking at stats, it looks like they don't have much offensively.
Girls soccer
11:24
Last week, you had talked about an apples to oranges comparison with girls soccer and the large amount of talent we have locally going on to play at all levels (but a ton at D1).  It’s true that some girls take partial or little money to play. A school only gets 14 full scholarships (rosters are typically 24-35) at fully funded at D1 - but doesn’t that mean that we should really celebrate those girls getting any money?  Why do you view that as lesser?  If you are a girl getting money to play soccer in college - that’s pretty awesome…right?
Mike White
11:28
I think you took it the wrong way. That's great for any athlete to get any money to go to college at any level. Yes, it's nice we have girls soccer players going to Division I schools. I was just saying it's hard to compare numbers of soccer players going Division I to, say, number of basketball players going Division I because just about all of basketball players are on full scholarships. So it's not really a fair comparison. Yes, we have talented soccer players. It's great what they are doing. And when we find out a soccer player going Division I we try to at least get a sentence or graph in our recruit report that we have in Varsity Xtra every week, not to mention stories on soccer teams and players, athletes of the week. And we will start soccer highlights from games this week. So, soccer gets coverage.
RoddyK
11:28
I have a different opinion of Fedko.  In the later years, the Fedko zone used to be 90% self promotion and 10% football coverage.  How much time needs to be devoted showing banners welcoming Fedko?  KDKA should look to develop new talent, not recycling old, especially someone that is more about himself than the sport he covers.
Mike White
11:32
Yes, they would show a lot of the signs instead of plays. But I can tell you this. Many of the players knew who Fedko was and would look forward to his highlights. So would some parents. Everyone doesn't like every sportscaster. Everyone doesn't like every sports writer. Some don't like me. So be it. But believe me, some people have noticed John Fedko is doing this pregame show. As for the sport he covers, I've heard parts of two of the pregame shows. I have been on with him. He covers a number of topics.
Pittfan
11:32
Hi Mike. When is Westinghouse going to get some love from the media?
Mike White
11:35
Hey Pittfan, you know what I would love? For you to maybe look on Post-Gazette web site or check out our e-edition from yesterday before you pop off. Westinghouse was in a headline and I wrote that their win was the biggest for a City League team in years. Check it out: https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/high-school-football/2022/09/04/we...
Ryan
11:35
When do my cavaliers get the first win of the season was close at halftime against pine Richland i say next week against Hampton
Mike White
11:35
Now that they have Donovan Mitchell, I think the Cavaliers will challenge for a top 4 spot in the Eastern Conference.
11:36
And hey Ryan, I'll be glad to talk NBA any time on his chat.
Oh, you meant the Kiski Area Cavaliers? My bad.
Overrated
11:36
Now that all their talent has graduated is Lebo proving they were a one hit wonder and overrated this season? If they were in any other conference they'd be bottom feeders but they'll likely back into the playoffs
Mike White
11:39
There was no way Mt. Lebanon was going to be nearly as good as last year. I wouldn't call them a one-hit wonder. That team was simply one of the better ones in the past decade or so in the large school classification. They weren't overrated this season. Good lord, there are five teams in WPIAL 6A. Hard to overrate anyone when there are five teams in a class and you have a top five rating. We had them at number 3. I know they have been hit hard by injuries. They were ahead of Bethel for a while. This is not a great Mt. Lebanon team, but I don't think anyone expected them to be. Simply lost too much from last year.
What the ?
11:40
What is wrong with Chartiers Valley ? They aren't even putting up a fight at this point. Its awful
Mike White
11:41
What do I think is wrong with Chartiers Valley? Ahhhh, a number of things. Offense doesn't score - and teams score a lot on the defense. Other thing that's wrong is the conference they are in. It's very good.
Ryan
11:42
Yes i meant Kiski do they get the win next week against Hampton or when do they get a win
Mike White
11:43
Oh, I forgot about those Cavaliers at Kiski Area? Looks like it will be a struggle to maybe make the playoffs. But fear not. Have faith that Sam Albert The Great will make them competitive and have those Cavaliers at least fighting for a playoff spot.
Its all about the U
11:43
Which do you think is more important for a team at the HS level ? Good talent or good coaching ? I am inclined to say coaching is more important because a good coach can make average talent better (like Jim Render used to do at USC for instance)
Mike White
11:45
It's both. The special coaches, the ones who motivate, relate to kids, have discipline, can at least make a team competitive. Coaches can have a profound effect on a high school kid - and program. But I haven't seen a coach yet who goes to say, the WPIAL semifinals, with mostly tomato cans.
Pittfan
11:45
Sorry Mike. I saw your article on Westinghouse after I pushed send. Thanks for writing about them.
Mike White
11:47
See. And we tell teenagers to think twice about what you're saying and be sure you know the facts before you hit that "send" button. So, you don't get use of the car this weekend and no phone for the weekend. So you'll have to miss the root beer float party down at Arnold's that Fonzie and Pottsie are running.
11:49
Best games this week: Belle Vernon at McKeesport, Bethel at Central, Aliquippa at North C., EF at EA (the alphabet bowl)
What the ?
11:49
Why is it some districts like CV and Baldwin and others are just perennially bad at Football ? You would think they have the resources financially to succeed. They aren't distressed districts.  The community seems to be at least interested in the program because people go to games. The youth programs seem to have good numbers. Is it poor coaching at the HS level ? What could it be ?
Mike White
11:52
To be honest, I don't have answer. And neither do about 99.9 percent of people. Because things don't seem to change much. But really, look at other areas and other states. It's also the same top teams over and over. But let's give some credit to some teams. They break through and have pretty good teams here and there. You see it every year with some surprise teams. But what is the saying, "Sometimes, staying on top can be harder than getting to the top." How true.
12:00
OK, it seems questions have stopped. Thanks. Time for sandwich. Maybe turkey on a wheat roll that wonderful Mrs. White brought home. See y'all. Be good.
Connecting…