ASU gets McDonalds ALL-AMERICAN

[AZBALLER]

You're correct Pride, we did hire the guy from Nevada also...Man, what a splash Sendeck is making! You've got to give credit to the AD also, she made a great hire(at least it looks that way).

 

[AZBALLER]

The coach whom you speak of, was Nevada's head of recruiting in cali, and was there "big man" coach...Last year his 2 big men were pretty good, as 1 was the WAC player of the year...I'm guessing that he'll help Boateng...The other guy also made all conference too.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

All I know is Herb Sendek is making a splash, and you better believe that old man down in little mexico is aware of it.

Trust me, we're not worried. Most Arizona fans are happy to see ASU finally not being the laughingstock of the Pac-10 so we can actually have a serviceable travel partner. But the fact remains that even when ASU lands Harden, Arizona will likely have three better players coming in the same class with considerably more talent already in the pipeline. Sendek is putting things together, but you still have a long way to go until you come into the rearview mirror of Arizona, UCLA, or even Washington or Stanford.

And I like the hiring of the Nevada coach. The Wolfpack have been on the best programs out west for a few years now and getting a guy out of there is huge especially with Vegas and Northern California emerging as recruiting hot spots. The Pera package deal is bit shady, but a lot of schools (most notably USC and Kansas) are far worse with this type of stuff and as long as it isn't illegal then teams are going to keep doing it. I really can't blame Sendek for this considering the daunting task in front of him and with losing his top West Coast recruiter shortly after taking the job.

 

[AZBALLER]

Trust me, we're not worried. Most Arizona fans are happy to see ASU finally not being the laughingstock of the Pac-10 so we can actually have a serviceable travel partner.

The rest of your post was an interesting and good point of view about ASU basketball imo...

Now here's how I respond to that ignorant part: Trust me, we're not worried. Most ASU fans are happy to see ua try to get above laughingstock of the Pac in football, so that we can have an actuall rivalry, so that we can make more money in Bowl money distribution, and we can have a better traveling partner...

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

The rest of your post was an interesting and good point of view about ASU basketball imo...

Now here's how I respond to that ignorant part: Trust me, we're not worried. Most ASU fans are happy to see ua try to get above laughingstock of the Pac in football, so that we can have an actuall rivalry, so that we can make more money in Bowl money distribution, and we can have a better traveling partner...

I'm not sure how pointing out that ASU Basketball has been really bad is ignorant. Their records clearly speak for themselves in that regard and this thread has little to do with Arixona football or college football.

And trust me, I know Arizona Football has been terrible and a burden to the Pac-10 since the last couple years of Dick Tomey. Like ASU Basketball, they drag down the conference rankings with horrific records against Top 25 teams and laughable schedules. The only difference is ASU and Arizona don't travel together in football like they do in basketball.

Both schools will gain a lot if there is actually a rivalry in the only two major sports. ASU getting better in basketball is going to get the UA booster's to start opening up their checkbook even more to ensure Arizona has what it needs to remain an elite program. Similar story in Tempe. If Stoops does start putting up wins, it's going to cause ASU alums to start forking over a bunch more cash so they can remain in a class above Arizona in football. Not to mention how having good teams would trickle down to the high school levels inflating the mediocre talent pool in Arizona.

 

[AZBALLER]

The only difference is ASU and Arizona don't travel together in football like they do in basketball.

Actually they do(most of the time)...It's not Thursday/Saturday, but it is Saturday/Saturday...If you think that playing an easy football team on a Saturday, and playing a tough one the next Saturday isn't as tough as the thursday/Saturday basketball setup...Then I don't know what to tell you?

 

[AZBALLER]

I'm not sure how pointing out that ASU Basketball has been really bad is ignorant.

"The rest of your post was an interesting and good point of view about ASU basketball imo..."(azballer)

I didn't look up the numbers, but I'm guessing ASU is about .500 over the last 10 years, and have only finished last in the Pac 1 of those years...Is that "really bad"? I think you're ignorant, if you think that...I expect way more from the team, but I'd call it below or close to average.

 

[Russ Smith]

Yep.

And he was considering ASU before that...

I'm probably in the minority but I just hate those package deals coach and recruit. A friend of mine who follows the ACC closely said Sendek did the same thing at NC State when he first took over to get Kenny Inge and another recruit. His take was it's not against the rules, and it's important to establish recruiting ties and often the best way to do that is hire a highschool coach in the area you want to recruit. But I just don't like the whole idea of hiring a coach just to get a player. harden is a talented kid but his school is not the only school in the area producing players and his coach, Pera, is not any more connected there than dozens of other coaches, it's pretty likely they hired him to get harden.


I think the main reason I dislike that stuff is we have enough issues like that going on now with AAU ball and coaches using kids to get jobs etc. I just don't like it when a school basically says it's ok to do that. I guess I can only assume that jobs in the basketball department don't have to pass the same sort of scrutiny other jobs within a university do? I mean if you hired a history professor because you wanted his prize student to attend your school I'm betting some sort of hiring committee would ask is that professor really the most qualified? But it's becoming so common in basketball that I gotta think nobody is going to check this out and require Sendek to explain why Pera is the choice?

Compared to Tim Floyd this is nothing, Floyd has taken this to an artform hiring coaches to steal recruits committed to other schools, hiring coaches to get recruits, not suggesting Sendek is dirty or anything I just don't like the whole concept of hiring a coach to get his best player.

But if they get harden he'll be a very good player, and if they don't, I'm sure they won't fire Pera.

 

[AZBALLER]

Pera resigned from his HS job months before Sendek was hired at ASU...He claimed that he wanted to move on to the next level...One of his HS teams finished the season ranked #2 in the NATION...Sendek was looking for a solid coach and west-coast recruiter...1+1=2, not 3.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

...Sendek was looking for a solid coach and west-coast recruiter...1+1=2, not 3.

This might be a valid point if the Director of Basketball Ops was allowed to recruit and if his contact with players in a coaching role was not diminished when compared to the assistants on the staff.

Pera was brought in because he has a lot of contacts in Southern California (most notably James Harden) and that's an area ASU must get good players from if it expects to be a legitimate Pac-10 contender. Pera will not be permitted to contact specific recruits or participate in most coaching situations.

 

[AZBALLER]

You are mostly correct Mao. Pera can't recruit prospects, and he won't be a coach.

But, the Director of basketball operations does email and set up the visits for prospects(considering his ties to H.S. coaches in socal, this is big in the way of recruiting)...

Also like any job for most people, you have to work from the bottom up...Pera wants to coach college basketball, and now he has his foot in the door.

 

[Russ Smith]

You are mostly correct Mao. Pera can't recruit prospects, and he won't be a coach.

But, the Director of basketball operations does email and set up the visits for prospects(considering his ties to H.S. coaches in socal, this is big in the way of recruiting)...

Also like any job for most people, you have to work from the bottom up...Pera wants to coach college basketball, and now he has his foot in the door.

Pera worked in So Cal for 6 years after moving from PA, I guess that's long enough to develop ties to an area and to other coaches.

he does sound like an interesting person, I read a story about him being hired after they fired the previous coach, Wayne Merino, in the wake of a scandal that he illegally recruited players from other highschools(rampant in LA btw) and that he knowingly admitted foreign players with fake transcripts.

We'll see I guess, if harden signs with ASU everyone will assume package deal, if he doesn't, it will be a non issue. But if Pera does his job well at ASU who will care?

 

[AZBALLER]

ASU's new running back coach was the head coach at Hamilton H.S.

I don't see anyone complaining about package deals from that H.S...

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

It's a bit different as RB coach is way down the totem pole when compared to Director of Basketball Operations. I'd actually be willing to bet that the guy's salary at ASU is comparable or less than what he was getting at Hamilton.

Just imagine it this way, if Mike Stoops hired the head coach at Long Beach Poly to the Director of Operations at UofA, can you imagine many fans of Pac-10 schools being okay with that hire?

 

[AZBALLER]

No I couldn't Mao...But it wouldn't be because it's wrong...It'd be because UA would be getting a good up and coming coach, who has a ton of recruiting ties to maybe the best high school football program in the nation...Doesn't a coach like that deserve to move up to the college level?

If you worked your arse off at any position at any job, wouldn't your goal be to get to the highest level possible? If I were a H.S. basketball coach, my goal would probably be to be an NBA coach some day...You don't start at the top, even though sometimes you deserve to be at the top.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

No I couldn't Mao...But it wouldn't be because it's wrong...It'd be because UA would be getting a good up and coming coach, who has a ton of recruiting ties to maybe the best high school football program in the nation...Doesn't a coach like that deserve to move up to the college level?

But the argument against this type of recruiting is that a HS coach does not deserve to make that big of a leap and only is getting consideration for that job because he's bringing along certain players. The progression unless you're a former player is supposed to be high school to a small college onto bigger colleges and then to the pros. Or at least a menial coaching job at a big college straight from the high school level like graduate assistant or film coach or something like that.

None of this stuff is illegal (although many would argue it should be), but just because something is within the rules does not mean there is nothing wrong with it. If Stoops pulled something like that off, I'd defintely roll my eyes and call a spade a spade. Although you could never not see me root for my team because of it.

 

[AZBALLER]

I dissagree.

If Stoops hired the head coach of Cal Poly, then I'd be upset only because Stoops was ahead of the game, and got a great coach and recruiter...How do you think the coach at Poly got his job? Don't you think he's probably a good coach? Why shouldn't a good coach get a promotion?

I hear what your saying, but I just don't agree 100% I think you might be correct in some cases, but I don't agree with your blanket statement/idea.

 

[AZBALLER]

BTW, ASU has gotten a few verbal commits from Hamilton for next year's recruiting class for football, but I don't hear anyone bitching?

 

[AZBALLER]

kid sounds pretty good...

http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=564916

 

[PAQ77]

http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=564916

Yup, if you guys ink him, it'll be a great pickup. Definitely a step in the right direction...

Would he be the highest rated player ever signed by ASU? What was Ike?

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Yup, if you guys ink him, it'll be a great pickup. Definitely a step in the right direction...

Would he be the highest rated player ever signed by ASU? What was Ike?

Harden's basically a lock for ASU, most teams aren't even recruiting him anymore. He's a terrific player, easily Top 25 nationally who will provide an impact from Day 1. The question is how long he'll stay in school as he got himself on a lot of scout's radars this summer because he excels at aspects of the game people say you can't teach. Having that Glasser kid around might keep him at ASU which is probably the biggest reason he got a scholarship.

 

[PAQ77]

Harden's basically a lock for ASU, most teams aren't even recruiting him anymore. He's a terrific player, easily Top 25 nationally who will provide an impact from Day 1. The question is how long he'll stay in school as he got himself on a lot of scout's radars this summer because he excels at aspects of the game people say you can't teach. Having that Glasser kid around might keep him at ASU which is probably the biggest reason he got a scholarship.

I heard that's the ONLY reason he got a scholarship offer was to get Harden to sign. Glasser was going to be a walk on at USC and then get a scholarship his sophomore year, according to Gambo and Ash several weeks ago. If it wasn't for Harden, Glasser would be at SC still. I think that Harden will leave after a year, maybe two max. I don't think he'll stick around when he sees that there's basically nothing around him on this ASU squad.

 

[AZBALLER]

No offense, but to take your college sports info from gambo and ash isn't the smartest thing...

Furthermore, when a kid is practicing with a transfer from Duke, then maybe he see's something around him?

 

[AZBALLER]

And to answer your question paq...I think Harden is more highly rated than Ike.

Which shows that sometimes these rankings are stupid.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Harden finally officially commits to ASU. Contrary to popular opinion, this was a done deal months ago. He'll be in next year's McD AA game barring any injury or anything else unforeseen happening.