Leave Jay Cutler Alone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I live in Chicago and I know people here are disappointed that the Bears lost to Green Bay in the NFC Title Game. Their quarterback Jay Cutler had to leave the game in the third quarter with a knee injury. People are questioning his toughness (or lack thereof) in Chicago and all over the country. I will say I am not a Bears fan, I am a Steelers fan. I feel that Cutler is very tough standing in there this year with a porous offensive line. No complaints just tried his best to play QB in the NFL for the Bears. A torn MCL is nothing to play around with. Thing is people (as usual) rushed to judgement about his toughness. I say those folks are a bunch of idiots who have no clue about the game of football. I will say try and go cut, and move with a torn MCL and see how you the ordinary person fares with that prospect? Now maybe his demeanor on the sideline wasn't good enough for you yahoos. Too bad. We are all built differently and deal with adverse situations differently. There is not a book on how to deal with an injury that takes you out of the biggest game of your career. Stop throwing stones at Cutler. HE'S better than any QB the Bears have had in a long time. So support the guy and maybe he'll get the Bears back to the Super Bowl. And GO STEELERS AND THE STEEL CURTAIN IN THE SUPER BOWL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

AAU and Summer Basketball: A bunch of scoundrels

Well to start with I coached in an AAU Basketball program for one spring. I did not enjoy it much at all. I will expound on my reasons that summer basketball has ruined the game. 1) Too many games in the spring and summer: Yes it's good that these kids are being seen by scouts but it's too much. Kids need to work just as much individually on their skills as they do playing games. Fundamentals are almost non existent these days. 2) So called "coaches": Most of these guys are not coaches at all, they are guys who are enslaved by the shoe companies trying to get their "brand name" out there. Also these coaches are selling their players to the highest bidder. They get into these kids lives as early as 9 years old and establish a "relationship" with these kids. 3) Shoe companies: The shoe companies are having these kids were their products, giving them free shoes,gear, and such. These are bribes to get this kid to wear their shoe IF they get to the NBA. Also the kids get a warped sense of reality, they think since they took the gear it's okay to take money from boosters when they get to college. 4) The High School Coach: Some of these guys double as summer basketball coaches but if the high school coach was not withholding recruiting mail from the kids, you would not need the summer basketball coach at all. So the high school coach is just as at fault as the summer basketball coach. 5) The crooks that run the events: These guys are only out to try and get a buck from these kids that's really it. They disguising it as saying "I am trying to help the kids". NO YOU'RE NOT!!!!!!!!! It's exploitation at it's best. Then when they run camps like the "Lebron James Skills Academy". It's a meat market for college coaches. It's almost like cattle or a horse sale that they run at Keeneland for the thoroughbreds. I will say one positive is more kids are getting seen by colleges but at what price? When these scoundrels stop exploiting these kids maybe the quality of basketball in the NBA will go back up to previous levels. Until then the quality of play will get worse. Some blame it on high school players or kids coming to the pros early. Remember there have always been busts that came out of college as juniors and seniors also. Ed and Charles O'Bannon to name 2. This is my rant for today. Have a blessed day folks.

Holiday Basketball Tournaments Illinois High School Basketball

Well I got around to more than a few holiday tournaments during the holiday season. I got to the Proviso West,McDipper, and Chicago Public Schools Tournaments. Here's my take on what I saw: Best Teams: Thornton(Harvey)-This is the best team I saw over the holidays, Brian Green Jr is a division one prospect. He's 6 foot 3 athletic guard who has a great midrange game and can shoot the three also. He absolutely dominated the McDipper in leading Thornton to the title. Thornton also is very athletic, crashes the boards and has a good back court along with a good frontcourt. Will be a tough team to beat. Benet(Lisle)-They won the Proviso West tournament. They are a good team lead by Northwestern signee point guard David Soblewski who was MVP of the tourney. Very good team but I see some weaknesses down the line for them. A great three point shooting team though and Frank Kaminsky the 7 footer headed to Wisconsin is a force inside. Farragut(Chicago)- Very underrated team in the Chicago Public League. Dee Toliver and Rashaun Stimage who is the next great big man at Farragut. Could be a darkhorse for the City Title. Will challenge Whitney Young(Chicago) in the Red West.      Players: Brian Green Jr(described above), David Soblewksi (described above),James Crockett (Crete Monee) 6 foot 4 forward athelticism off the charts led his team to the Finals of the McDipper and showed an improved jumper. Still needs work on perimeter game before he gets to DePaul. Julian Lewis (Homewood-Flossmoor) 6 foot 5- took his team on his back to a runner up finish at Proviso West. He's a junior who is moving up in the Class of 2012 charts. He is a 2 guard in college who can play some point. Was in foul trouble in the title game. Rashaun Stimage (Farragut)- 6 foot 7 poward forward who is good on the boards and can score inside. Another junior who could move up the charts and who's recruiting has taken off. Kierre Woods (Crane) Chicago- 6 foot 1 guard who is a junk yard dog. Plays out of control right now but took his team on his back to runnerup finish in the Chicago Public League Holiday Tournament. Rumor is he's headed to junior college. Well this is my rant for today. More to come.