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Friday, February 1, 2002

One of the most controversial issues we've run across in a long time involves the relationship that now exists between the Prime Time Shootout and the media.  Earlier this week HoopsUSA.com Editor & Publisher Eddie Oliver, who also has taken over the positon as Media Director for the Prime Time Shootout, sent out a press release informing the media that they would have to pay to get into the event.  Then, he changed the requirement to a donation.  Apparently all this stems from the fact that the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, NJ is charging the tournament something like $20,000 per day for the use of the facility and, as a result, tournament director Jeff Hewitson and Oliver have decided to throw away whatever good will they might have received from being nice to the media.  And they especially have targeted internet web sites and recruiting people (like us) by giving priority to daily  newspapers. "If fans have to pay you to get information about the tournament from your website, that just won't work, unless of course you're willing to donate that money back to the event," says Oliver. "The biggest reason this event is different from others is the fact that Prime Time is required to pay a HUGE fee to use the arena.  Without mentioning any names, it is a fact that most other national events are allowed use of their playing facilities at no cost." Actually that's not true, as many events often change their venue annually in an attempt to get a better deal financially. Oliver goes on, "It is my opinion and I have expressed it many times, that this event like many others, is a huge promotion of Trenton and the surrounding area.   I think that fact should replace the rental fees, but none of us can tell people how to run their business. With that in mind, for those of you who are making money writing about this event, a donation to the tournament to help with expenses would be proper.  I have already happily done that with time and finances. Without trying to sound all knowing or arrogant, I think sometimes we all give ourselves far to much credit in regard to what we do. While many of our group are there to make money or just watch great basketball, Prime Time is stuck with all the expenses." And they are stuck with the profits, if they make money.  It's not my fault the economy is bad, they're paying too much for the facility, and they haven't set things up so they will be profitable in the short run. Obviously they could raise ticket prices, borrow money to get through the hard times, or simply go out of business.   But, instead, they have decided to extort money from those who help feed them in the first place.  Not only do we promote high school basketball in a number of other places, like Basketball Times and in the near future on FoxSports.com, but we're the ones who help identify the players early that people like Hewitson and Oliver to invite to their tournament. "Being factual, more often than not, what we receive is much greater than what we give.  On some web sites, etc., people never see what is written unless they have paid to get the information." We had to make a choice.  Either charge for our services or go out of business. Remember, this isn't our hobby, it's our livelihood.  And we work to make money, not to make the Prime Time Shootout richer. "Sometimes certain people get so cocky and deceptive, that they even ask that all their expenses be paid by the event for them to be there. That just isn't going to happen here and it shouldn't anywhere else!" I have been to the Prime Time Shootout each of the last two years and I have never asked for anything, except that my people be given access to the court area and treated properly.  However, a year ago they were not.  Instead, the guy who talked the fastest got the best treatment and the best seat at the press table.  That fellow is Stephen Wacaser, the former editor and publisher of Assists, Turnovers, and Loose Balls.  Wacaser is also a career criminal who is currently doing seven years hard time. "Jeff Hewitson is a super individual, who has done a great, great job in putting this event together. The talent we'll see at the Prime Time Shootout is unmatched. Some have said, if he doesn't do certain things he won't make many friends. What a ridiculous statement! Jeff and all those assisting with the event want to be friends with everyone, but we're not going around sucking up and begging for friends.  It's our job as writers to promote the event as much as possible.  Jeff and the other volunteers deserve huge respect and admiration for what they've done, not criticism from people who aren't getting their way for one reason or another." We're not being criticial of you for running or promoting an event.   We're are being criticial of you, because you have developed a high and mighty attitude.  Remember, we live in a free society and there is plenty of competition. As a result, we are well within our right to go somewhere else.  As a matter of fact, that's already the plan, as I will be going to the National Prep School Invitational at Bryant College in Smithfield, RI.  Actually I had planned to attend that event first and, then, go to Prime Time.  However, we will stay at the National Prep School Invitational all weekend and I'm sure we'll feel a lot more confortable, because Mike Procopio does have an understanding of the importance of media people being in attendance.  And he's even offered to help get us a special rate on a hotel, which is appreciated, but not expected.  Did you know that the last two years when we went to this event, we paid for our gas (we drove over a 1000 miles each way to this event), paid for our own hotel, and not only paid for all of our own food, but also paid for Procopio's food when we went out to eat one night after games?  While I think it is important to make this statement, I do owe it to our readers to still cover the Prime Time Shootout and, as a result, both Dave Schultz and Allen Rubin, who are two of our best people, both will be in attendance and we will give it the coverage it deserves.  And that brings me to our "Question of the Day," for today, which gets right to the heart of the issue of professional courtesy in our business.  Since Oliver is requiring me to make a donation and I want to be a nice guy, should I send him a $30-each donation for myself, Schultz, Rubin, and Les Kaune, who is a consultant for the HOOP SCOOP?   Maybe I also should pick up the tab for Norm Eavenson, who used to write for the HOOP SCOOP, but for years has written for All-Star Sports, Rob Matera, who also writes for All-Star Sports, Brick Oettinger of the Recruiter's Handbook and Prep Stars, and Steve Keller of the Hoop Group, all of whom I consider to be good friends.  And while I'm at, since they took such good care of Wacaser a year ago, maybe I should I throw in an extra $30 for him, even though he can't be there this year.   That would mean I'd be paying a total of $270 for nine people.  However, two can play this game and you know that I would love to deduct this amount from the bill for $460 that I plan to send to Oliver for his annual subscription to the HOOP SCOOP, which will begin effective immediately (in the past Oliver has not only gotten his access to the Members Section for free, but also was welcome to use whatever information he choose to make his web site better).  And that's my question.  Should I send Oliver a bill for the remaining balance of $190 on his subscription or should I just send him a $60 donation for Schultz and Rubin only and bill him for $460 separately?

We are still in Southern California and tomorrow we will be attending the NIKE Extravaganza at the Pyramid at Long Beach State University, which will tip-off at 8:30 AM with Glendora (H.S.) CA versus Westminster (H.S.) CA, followed by Costa Mesa (H.S.) CA versus Anaheim (Servite) CA at 10:00 AM, Brea (Brea-Olinda) CA versus Temecula (Valley) CA at 11:30 AM, Bellflower (St. John Bosco) CA versus Huntington Beach (Ocean View) CAat 1:00 PM, Corona (Centennial) CA versus La Habra (Sonora) CA at 3:00 PM, Rancho Santa Margarita (Santa Margarita) CA versus Henderson (Green Valley) NV at 4:30 PM, Villa Park (H.S.) CA versus Los Angeles (Crenshaw) CA at 6:00 PM, Long Beach (Poly) CA versus St. Louis (Vashon) MO at 7:30 PM, and Mouth of Wilson (Oak Hill) VA versus Santa Ana (Mater Dei) CA at 9:00 PM. Our West Coast Editor Dinos Trigonis is also has about talked us into making the hour drive each way to the tournament at the College of the Canyon Junior College in Valencia, CA late in the morning, because we'll be able to see the top two sophomores in California - 6'4 Soph Curtis Allen from Palos Verdes (Rolling Hills) CA will play at 11:00 AM and 6'10 Soph Robert Swift from Bakersfield (Garces) CA at 3:30 AM.  The key will be to get back by 6:00 PM so we can see two of the top juniors in the area in 6'7 Jr Sean Phaler from Villa Park (H.S.) CA versus 6'0 Jr Marcus Williams from Los Angeles (Crenshaw) CA.  We also are looking forward to the 7:30 PM game, which will match-up two top 100 seniors in 6'4 Jimmy McKinney from St. Louis (Vashon) MO and 6'6 Bobby Jones from Long Beach (Poly) CA.  And the final game of the day at 9:00 PM will feature the #1-ranked team in the nation in Mouth of Wilson (Oak Hill) VA with the #1-ranked player in the nation with 6'7 Carmelo Anthony versus Santa Ana (Mater Dei) CA, which features two of the top juniors in the California in 6'9 Jr Harrison Schaen and 6'4 Jr Wesley Washington.   Trigonis also has provided us with a list of schools for a number of the top juniors in Southern California, including  Schaen, Washington, Phaler, Williams, 6'8 Jr Trevor Ariza from Los Angeles (Westchester) CA, 6'5 Jr Wendall White from Redondo Union (Redondo Beach) CA, 6'2 Jr Omar Wilkes from Los Angeles (Loyola) CA, and 6'9 Jr Ekene Ibekwe from Carson (H.S.) CA.  We still think Schaen is a done deal for Stanford, but Arizona, USC, UCLA, California, and Arizona State are also on his list.  Washington appears to be much more open, as Arizona, California, USC, UNLV, New Mexico, Fresno State, Cincinnati, Kansas, Tulsa, Washington State, San Diego State, UTEP, Wyoming, Missouri, and Oregon State are all being mentioned.  Stanford, UCLA, USC, Utah, Kansas, California, Oregon, Vanderbilt, and Duke are all in the hunt for Phaler.  It already appears to be a two-horse race between UCLA and Arizona for Williams, but USC, Kansas, Texas, Oregon, and California also get a call.  Trigonis tells us that Ariza isn't the lock for Florida that everybody thinks it is.  However, that was the first school out of Trigonis' mouth, followed by Duke, North Carolina, Louisville, Indiana, Arizona, UCLA, USC, California, Memphis, Connecticut, Maryland, Alabama, UNLV, Texas, Kansas, and Kentucky, when he gave us a list for Ariza. "If UCLA offers, it's a done deal for White," says Trigonis.  Remember, White is the former high school teammate of current UCLA freshman Dijon Thompson.  But schools like USC, Cincinnati, UNLV, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Kansas are also recruit White just in case something unforeseen happens.  We also think UCLA has to the favorite for Wilkes, whose father, Keith Wilkes, was an All-American at UCLA during the Walton years.  However, Stanford and Pepperdine are also in the hunt for Wilkes.   USC and North Carolina lead for Ibekwe, but UCLA, California, Kansas, Providence, Kentucky, Texas, Oregon, and San Diego State are also on his list. 

For Hot Recruiting Information from earlier in the month click on January 2002