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Mike White's high school sports chat: 03.29.22
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Mike White
11:30
Again, let's go back to the main issue that people seem to forget. A public school can't take a student from another state, can they? OK. But a private/Catholic/charter school can take a student from another state. I have no problem with that. But is that an even playing field when it comes to athletics? Do you not see a public school's complaint when they can't take a student from another state, yet they might play a team that has players from another state? And those players are good.
Wpial Fan
11:30
When will the new Basketball sections come out?
Mike White
11:31
Within the next few weeks.
Bozo the Clown
11:31
Really have enjoyed your podcast and hope it continues in the future.  Enjoy the commentary and some of the things you guys talk about that are "behind the scenes" that you normally dont read about in the paper.  Keep up the good work.
Mike White
11:32
Why thank you Bozo. Much appreciated. And do you know why cannibals don't eat clowns? Because they taste funny. Wooooooo hooooooo. I'll be here all week. Tip your waitresses. Try the veal.
Dan
11:32
I used to enjoy the PIAA finals both in person or on PCN. This past year has totally turned me off with the blowouts. I am sure I am not alone. I assume the state finals are one of the biggest fundraisers for the PIAA. Will the drop off in attendance maybe be the impetus for the PIAA to change?
Mike White
11:34
No. Bob Lombardi even said to me Saturday. They are not going down the road of separate playoffs. The olden days of state basketball drawing 4 or 5,000 fans for games are over. Philly schools are one of the main reasons. They don't bring fans. But I know just the casual fan who has no school allegiances doesn't come any more. They just don't. Less than 20 years ago, with only four classifications, attendance for the championships was in the low 30 thousands. Now, they don't get half as many as that.
Dan
11:34
Has there been any talk of the state legislature getting involved? A lot of state rep and senator districts are being hurt with how the state playoffs are being currently run.
Mike White
11:35
A state legislator proposed a bill a few years ago that would make it OK for PIAA to have separate championships. But part of that bill was to have open transfers. I don't think the bill went anywhere. But I wouldn't be surprised to see a few state reps try to tackle this issue again.
MustangFever
11:36
I know Laurel Highlands basketball will have a ton back next year and will drop to 4A, but there is no way they are getting within 20 points of Neumann-Goretti in a state championship game scenario.  The sad thing is they would probably have a better chance of going all the way if they were still in 5A.
Mike White
11:36
Believe me, 5A will be no bargain, either. And don't forget. Two of Laurel Highlands' top players were transfers from two years ago, too.
go
11:37
I’m not talking about the philly schools but with OLSH canevin and north catholic. Why anytime those schools win all we hear about is how they “recruit”. Sounds like sour grapes
Mike White
11:37
Yes, I hear that all the time about OLSH, Canevin and North Catholic. People just say it even if they are ignorant to any facts.
Big2AGuy
11:38
Was there anyone else in the WPIAL 2A basketball scene that were good other than DiMichele? He’s the best player without a doubt but I didn’t hear about any other players from 2A this year.
Mike White
11:39
I said all year that 2A wasn't exactly good after OLSH. Big dropoff after OLSH. Not a lot of real good individual talent in 2A, either. Just the way it is sometimes in a class. Also, six classifications does water down things - and not just basketball.
MustangFever
11:40
Is there anything to stop a group of 50-70 public schools from just starting their own league?  That may be the only solution to just leave the PIAA for all the private schools.
Mike White
11:40
Nope. There is so much involved, though, in starting your own league.
QuakerQrew
11:40
Glad to see the college coaches are finally coming around on Adou Thiero.  Any word on Markus Frank of QV?  He put up 29 in the state championship game against D1 talents.  Surely someone could use his services.
Mike White
11:42
Adou was offered by Kentucky Saturday and Maryland Sunday. I still think Indiana might end up offering. As for Frank, he is being recruited by Division II schools. I think that is best level for him, too. Haven't seen too many players with that ability to score around the rim like him. I think the main question is can he do other things to play outside. Because if you're 6-5, you aren't going to score all your points at the D-1 level at the rim.
Hooper Fan
11:42
Only proposition is to possibly force private schools to play up one classification even though I don’t agree with it I can see that the furthest it can go.
Mike White
11:44
I don't think that will appease anyone.
Cash
11:44
Maybe there should be a rule that you have to live in the state of Pennsylvania for at least a year to be eligible for playoffs
Mike White
11:45
No. What if you are a legitimate transfer from out of state?
J$Money
11:46
Any rumors on who will be the next Mars football coach?
Mike White
11:46
Still no word.
Hooper Fan
11:46
Can I get an explanation on the Cardinal O’Hara girls so they are 1-27 state champs??
Mike White
11:48
They are not 1-27. The PIAA had them with five wins coming into finals. The story is this. They forfeited, I believe, most of their regular season games because they used an ineligible player, a player who was a transfer and paperwork was never filed on her. So she was never approved to play. So they had to forfeit a bunch of games. That's the reason for the record.
ET2Brute
11:48
When coaches from public schools make recruiting accusations against private/parochial/charter schools when they themselves have done so over the years, it wreaks of hypocrisy.  I mean coach look in the mirror. You know who you are and so does the rest of the PIAA. If you create a separate league for those schools, the elite players will still go play for coaches who will get them to the next level.  Mike don't you agree?
Mike White
11:52
No doubt recruiting goes on at public schools and kids transfer to public schools with athletic intent. But they have to move into that district, even though some lie about living in a certain district. Again, that's not the issue. The complaints are about schools that can draw students from anywhere. They have no geographical boundaries. I had in my Sunday story about Roman Catholic. They are perennial power in Philly. Right on their school web site it says their school has students from 90 different zip codes. I said 90. Do you think there is not some inequity when there is a school like that playing against public schools?
Todd
11:52
I’m sure you have talked about this already.  But if Lombardi is so obtuse to not see that attendance was down this year at the basketball championships because of the non-boundary schools,  he needs to move on with his life’s work.
Mike White
11:55
Philly schools are the main reason for drop in attendance. But not the only reason. What I find funny is that attendance at WPIAL championships continues to rise. It has for something like past 3-4 years. WPIAL had almost 25,000 this year for championships. PIAA had close to 10,000 less than that. I remember going to state championship games and watching them on Channel 13 days in the 1970s and big school championships would have at least 6,000 and sometimes more. Even lower class games might have 4,000. Here are attendance figures for two decades ago when there were only 4 classes. 2007 – 30,340 (Penn State)
2006 – 33,008 (Hershey)
2005 – 33,293 (Hershey)
2004 – 34,772 (Hershey)
Mr Obvious
11:55
Oh, didn't New Castle have a couple of kids (just happened to be really talented) move in from Texas in the past too.
Mike White
11:56
Yes, and it was very controversial. John Sarandrea was the coach then and New Castle took all kinds of heat for it. Was Rick Steele and Marcus Thomas. Season was 1993. They were known as "Texas Rangers." Many in New Castle these days knew that was wrong.
Hooper Fan
11:57
Do you think they will ever make a tournament of the state champs w 5a 6a getting byes
Mike White
11:57
Sorry, but I don't know what you mean?
Hooper Fan
11:57
Not saying public schools are bad, but some have gone undercover and used not their address to go play somewhere.
Mike White
12:00
Without a doubt. I personally know that students - and not even athletes - who transfer to a public school and use an address when they don't even live at that address. It happens. Sometimes it's hard to prove. But you know, say you live in School District A and you have an aunt who lives in School District B. You can go to a notary and have it written up that your Aunt is now your legal guardian, so you can go to school in School District B. And School District B has to accept you.
Guest
12:00
How about all schools can recruit / accept players for High School sports from outside district.  Seems logical.  Current system seems unfair since only one type of schools seems to have the ability to recruit/ accept players outside district so why not let all schools do it.
Mike White
12:02
No. C'mon, man. You're saying let a student go to another school district even if they don't live in that district? That's absurd. You know schooling a student costs a school district money? So you want a school district to school a student and pay for that student when they don't even live in the district?
Hoops Lover
12:03
Mike, Can you do a podcast or a few videos on proper foot work when shooting.  I have seen your 9th grade teams shoot and feel that the rest of the WPIAL could use your expertise.
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