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Mike White's high school sports chat: 03.24.20
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Mike White
10:59
Happy stay-at-home Tuesday. Into second week of no schools, no sports. But we will still try to chat. Let's get started.
11:02
Obviously, nothing going on with games. But upcoming: Fab 5 basketball teams for boys and girls this Sunday. This is 40th anniversary of first Fab 5s. Interesting project we are working on at P-G. Picking a Fab 5 from 40 years, but also a top 20 from 40 years. That will come out in April. Current coaches, a few former coaches and Post-Gazette high school staff and few retired P-G workers make up committee that is voting.
GH
11:02
Any chance schools will begin playing virtual reality games against each other?
Mike White
11:04
Reality is that PIAA is waiting to make any decisions on canceling basketball championships and also spring sports. I think that's good. Just wait. Maybe things could be a little different at end of April. Hurts no one to wait. Heck, I say if you have to play state basketball championships in mid June.
11:05
With weather, baseball and softball teams usually don't start playing games much until first week of April. So you miss a month or so. Maybe you can come up with some kind of season starting in mid-May. Maybe you can't. But point is, why not wait a while to decide?
William of Covfefe
11:05
Since the Steelers signed former Central and PSU standout lineman Stefan Wisniewski, will the Steelers try to sign former USC and PSU standout linebacker Sean Lee down the road.
Mike White
11:05
Sean Lee just signed with Cowboys again for a year.
William of Covfefe
11:05
Mike - Any word from the WPIAL and PIAA allowing 8 man football for the lower classifications?
Mike White
11:08
There is no movement from PIAA or WPIAL to start 8 man football. A league started in Philly area this year with a few schools playing 8 man football. PIAA director Bob Lombardi said there has been discussion among board, but PIAA probably won't consider it unless there is movement among member schools that they definitely want it. Me? I say it definitely should be seriously discussed and I don't think we're that many years away from more teams at small schools wanting to maybe try it.
Hoops lover
11:08
When will the fab 5 be announced
Mike White
11:09
Comes out this Sunday. The 40-year Fab 5 teams will come out in April. Few pages in print will be dedicated to it and also will be on our web site. Interesting stuff. Final votes are in from committees. But the Godfather has sworn me to secrecy. If I tell, I might wake up with a horse's head in my bed.
paullochrane@yahoo.com
11:10
how good was springdale dynamos boys team this year and what do except out of them next year? possible wpial title?
Mike White
11:12
And from way out in left field comes the Springdale Dynamos soccer question. Well, they made it to WPIAL semis last year and PIAA quarterfinals. So I would imagine Dynamos might be dynamic next season. You like that?
Hoops lover
11:12
Ever think of doing a all-time Fab 5 of coaches boys and girl?
Mike White
11:13
No we didn't. But wouldn't be worst idea. Hey, maybe we can add it. But I don't know about coaches voting for other coaches.
Zman
11:13
Mike, I love history of the WPIAL, all time records of teams, conference titles, etc., what  is your go to source when you come up with all those nuggets like when xxx team just won first section title in 40 years and so forth?
Mike White
11:16
Ahhh, honestly my go-to source many times is ... Mike White. I have kept a lot of records over years and we at the Post-Gazette started keeping individual leaders for WPIAL and City in 1979. Plus, a gentleman named Mike Kost (Spelling?) gave us basketball records many, many years ago. Others at P-G have helped keep the records updated.
William of Covfefe
11:18
Who are the favorites in 5A and 6A for baseball?
Mike White
11:21
Well, we were just starting to get into the heart of what teams to rank. North Allegheny had some players back from last year, most notably Cole Young, Duke recruit who led team in hitting last year as a freshman. You know Pine-Richland always going to be good. I think Bethel Park would've been a top 3-4 team heading into. Sean McGowan, Anthony Chiccitt, Eric Chalus (pitcher) all back. 5A West Allegheny might have been No. 1. Some pitching back. Hendrick projected to be first-rounder in draft.
pghcoach
11:21
Was the fab5 photo shoot done before all of the lockdowns?
Mike White
11:23
Honestly pghcoach, no group picture this year. No theme. No group shot of all players somewhere. That was always fun. We had planned to do a photo shoot with players maybe in our office studio, but we thought it wise to cancel and not ask players to all get together. We plan to still have a full page for boys and girls, but photos will be action shots from the season. Talking to players, a few of them were bummed also.
All American
11:23
Just want to know why Colt Corral is so hard on Danny Holzer. Great guy, great coach & great influence on our youth as a teacher & coach. Cut him a break Colt Corral.
Mike White
11:23
Please no more of this Danny Holzer stuff.
Jsteve
11:24
Mike, any way this postponement in PIAA baseball season could impact MLB draft prospects Austin Hendrick and Mark Black? Do you think that many scouts and teams already have seen what they needed to see for these two or is this senior season a very important factor in their draft stock? I saw yesterday Hendrick was slated to go 7 overall in a mock draft and have been hearing Mark Black could go anywhere possibly from rounds 3-10. A few other sleepers as well in the WPIAL... Peters TWP 6 foot 6 RHP Mark Lehman has apparently been up to 94 this Winter could have some draft stock.
Mike White
11:27
Hard question jsteve. There has been talk that MLB might cancel the draft completely. But if they have the draft, I guess it will all depend on what players have already done. For example, in showcases and travel events last summer. With someone like Hendrick, he looks to be a first-rounder. And if there is no season, but still a draft, I would think he definitely goes first round. During high school season, you see a lot of scouts at games of someone like Hendrick. Checkers. Cross checkers. Regional scouts. Maybe scouting directors. But with Hendrick, a lot of his rep with MLB teams has come from outside of high school. I mean look, coaches in his section did not even vote him honorable mention all section last year.
11:29
I think Hendrick is one of the most interesting players in Western Pa. in years, just from this fact: Opposing coaches don't even put him honorable mention all section, but he is projected to be a first-round draft pick. High school ball is much different. You know most teams try to pitch around Hendrick. Don't give him anything good to hit. Doesn't see many fastballs. In those travel games and showcases, he is pitched to much differently.
Guest
11:29
How do you determine Fab 5 - is it the five players you'd pick to win one game if your life depended on it? Or is it more about their accomplishments (team/individual)? Or some combination of both?
Mike White
11:33
Number of things go into it. We don't just pick on scoring stats. We talk to a number of coaches and get opinions from them which play a big role. We even might talk to a college coach and not necessarily at the Division I level. We look at all section voting by the coaches. The high school sports staff talks among ourselves and we also vote.   We do look at how a team does and some stats. A lot of things go into it. But the final decision is made by our Post-Gazette high school staff.
Tom W
11:33
Best overall athletic facilities in WPIAL?
Mike White
11:35
Oh geez. Hard to say who has "the best." Many have good facilities. Right off the top of my head, I'd say it's hard for me to imagine any school doing better than Bethel Park. Since they renovated and built the new gym few years ago, have you been there? Facilities better than some small colleges.
11:40
Throw these out there for a few factoids. When researching info for the top players in 40 years of Fab 5, I found a stat on Suzie McConnell that was amazing. Did you know that in the history of NCAA Division I basketball, Suzie is still tied for third for most triple doubles? Incredible. She had seven in her career at Penn State. And she's about, what, 5 feet 4? Sabrina what's-her-name from Oregon is first by a lot. Also, this about Deandre Kane of Schenley: Iowa State said Kane was the first player in NCAA history - I said history!!!! - to have 2,000 career points, 700 rebounds and 600 assists. Wow.
Hoops lover
11:40
Any truth to the rumors Jeff Ackermann is looking into the Peters Township Boys Basketball coaching position?
Mike White
11:41
I don't know where Peters Township or North Allegheny is in the search for new coaches and I have not talked to Ackermann. I do know that a few people hoping to maybe get the NA job said the shutdown of schools has kind of shut down the process of hiring anybody. Understandable.
HS Baseball
11:43
If Baseball doesn't start until May.  It would be nice to see the WPIAL and PIAA to do each Playoff tournaments in a weeks time.  With the pitching rules it would make the Playoffs more interesting. Or they could do a double elimination tournament.
Mike White
11:50
Well, let's say schools are allowed to start spring sports May 11. You could still do something. Give a week's worth of practice. Starting May 18, every team plays one section game..
11:51
Continuation of baseball-softball idea: June 1-7 is section tournaments and top two teams go playoffs. June 9 WPIAL playoffs start. Many fewer teams with only two from each section going. June 20 PIAA playoffs start. State championships July 4 weekend wherever. Call me crazy, but why not something like that?
Guest
11:51
I'm betting that all PIAA basketball games are over. It's a shame but health issues are first do we agree?
Mike White
11:54
Maybe. But I think the PIAA is doing right by waiting. Maybe things could be different by first week of May. I've talked to numerous coaches and players from teams still alive. They are glad PIAA is waiting. They say why not play state championships in June or July 4th weekend if have to? Why not? And this junk about players would need at least a week to get ready for basketball again. Give me a break. They're teenage kids. Give them three days. That's plenty. I don't know of one high school basketball player who, if you told them state playoffs are in two days, they'd say, "Oh, I won't be ready."
11:55
Look at Aliquippa kids. They'll play a state championship football game on a Saturday and play a basketball game 2-3 days late. Remember Darrelle Revis' best three days by a WPIAL athlete ever? Had maybe the greatest performance in a state football championship on a Sunday, and scored 30 some points against Beaver Falls two days later. I was lucky enough to be at both games.
The Ham
11:55
Any idea what Pitt's chances are to land the Jeffrss kid from Erie?
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