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johnb
01-30-2014, 02:06 PM
I came away with mixed feelings after reading the front page article about Hurley and St. Anthony's. It sent me online, to a 60 Minutes show that I'd seen before (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/coach-bob-hurley-the-sage-of-st-anthony/) and to the St. Anthony's web site.

Part of me thinks: Inner city kids getting an education from a great and underpaid coach (whose son was one of Duke's all-time greats). Long tradition sending kids to college and the pro's. Why shouldn't the Nets let them use an empty gym? Selfish jerks...

Another part of me: A parochial school with under 60 kids (boys and girls) per grade has won 4 high school national championships and 23 NJ state championships? So it's just one of the many schools that caters to and attracts great basketball players. Maybe it was one of the first, and maybe it's not glitzy, and maybe their kids do go to college, but it's still a basketball team with a high school that is almost an after thought. If their rich basketball alumni, local fans, and the parochial system aren't able to support them, why should the school continue--those players will find other schools that would salivate to get them on their team. And should they be given use of an NBA court? Why? Are they the only hs team without a home court? Of course it sets a precedent...

And it set me to wondering further about specialization at a young age. For example, many of Duke athletes have gone to such schools. And not just for basketball players. Look at where our golfers and tennis players went. Often, they are online courses or specialty sports academies that allow the focus of the day to be on sports. Lacrosse is one exception (while we can argue that the kids reflect the heterogeneous American culture, the high schools they attended reflect a broad spectrum of affluent America (but the schools don't really focus on sports). Football is another exception and may actually feature kids from a broad array of high schools (though typically large high schools, presumably, which tend to field the good teams).

Anyway, no real point aside from the possibility that Mr. Hurley has done a great job with his kids but that the school just won't make the transition to another generation. And that may be okay.

Billy Dat
01-30-2014, 02:47 PM
I came away with mixed feelings after reading the front page article about Hurley and St. Anthony's. It sent me online, to a 60 Minutes show that I'd seen before (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/coach-bob-hurley-the-sage-of-st-anthony/) and to the St. Anthony's web site.....

I get your take, and this could probably quickly devolve into the kind of public policy debate that has been banned from DBR.

The big picture, what Bob Hurley Sr. and that program have meant to that corner of the world and how it represents the best and most selfless of agendas and intentions - literally only the desire to serve a community and only step into the spotlight if it meant keeping that little oasis afloat, is one that I think isn't debatable. Whether the school survives or not won't be because the guy didn't give every ounce of passion he had in him, and nearly every dollar he earned, to keep it going. If it doesn't survive, it will be a very sad day. To his ultimate angst, it likely won't survive his passing, whenever that happens.

The separate issue about the Nets and their gym, it just feels like a case where common sense could have ruled the day instead of "exposure", "precedent", "liability" and every other excuse that keeps people from helping each other.

DukieInKansas
01-30-2014, 02:51 PM
I'm not so sure they have that many "rich basketball alumni". I know it is Wikipedia, so it may not have the complete list, but not that many alumni are listed as playing in the pros: ="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Anthony_High_School_(New_Jersey)"]

I went to their fundraising website - for the school, not the gym - and read the story about Noelle Staudt: http://stanthony2020.com/2013/12/17/noelle-staudt-the-voice-that-gave-music-to-st-anthony/ She doesn't play basketball - she sings. But she benefited from the basketball program because it gave her exposure. There are some other inspiring stories of students on the sight. Edon Molic made a 3 hour round trip commute to go to school there - even though he might not see much playing time and there was a public bball powerhouse 5 minutes from his home. He decided to go to St. Anthony's for the bball and because it would be more demanding.

They have a great basketball program -- mainly because they have a wonderful and dedicated coach that gave up chances to coach other places for more money and better facilities. It might be that the basketball program enabled the school to stay open as long as it has, sending 100% of their graduating seniors to college. When I saw the St. Anthony 2020 campaign website several months ago, I meant to make a donation to the school. I have now. It won't get them a new gym but it will help them continue to educate kids and help them on the road to success.

throatybeard
01-30-2014, 04:05 PM
Wojo's HS went out of business, if I'm not mistaken.

Edouble
01-31-2014, 03:26 AM
Wojo's HS went out of business, if I'm not mistaken.

Yes sir, The Cardinal Gibbons School is closed.

jv001
01-31-2014, 06:59 AM
Yes sir, The Cardinal Gibbons School is closed.

Was Cardinal Gibbons Carrewell's high school as well? GoDuke!

NashvilleDevil
01-31-2014, 08:52 AM
Was Cardinal Gibbons Carrewell's high school as well? GoDuke!

He went to Cardinal Ritter which is still open

jv001
01-31-2014, 09:51 AM
He went to Cardinal Ritter which is still open

Thanks ND. I had the Cardinal right anyway. Guess I remembered that much because I'm a longtime St. Louis Cardinal fan. GoDuke!

gus
01-31-2014, 10:37 AM
THis is just a question, and not a defense (or criticism) of the NBA here.

Considering how many St Anthony's players go on to play on scholarships, could making the pro facilities available to them open the door to problems with the NCAA clearinghouse?

DukieInKansas
01-31-2014, 11:38 AM
THis is just a question, and not a defense (or criticism) of the NBA here.

Considering how many St Anthony's players go on to play on scholarships, could making the pro facilities available to them open the door to problems with the NCAA clearinghouse?

That thought crossed my mind, too. It would be nice if there could be a temporary exemption while they get the funds raised to fix their gym.

throatybeard
01-31-2014, 02:13 PM
He went to Cardinal Ritter which is still open

So too did Jahidi White and Loren Woods.

This might have escaped the world's notice, but for a helpful, bald, one-eyed, screaming older fellow on ESPN who mentioned this tidbit during Every. Single. Telecast. For about five years. Even telecasts that did not involve Duke, Georgetown, or Wake Forest/Arizona. I think he even managed it at games he wasn't working, somehow. It was the finish-your-drink prompt of ESPN around the turn of the millennium.

Cardinal Ritter is about three miles east from my house as the 97/Delmar bus flies. The school, which isn't very old, interrupts Delmar for a couple blocks, making the east and west sections of Delmar non-contiguous. So Ritter is in the way if you're headed to Powell or the Sheldon or the Fox or wherever from the west. I've wondered what the site was previously used for before it was built.