City All Star game roster
- Thread starter SJP80
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Is he playing in another all-star game? Does he run track? Did Temple tell him not to play? I would be shocked to think they would purposely omit him from the roster. Did he play in East/West game or is he playing in Big 33?
My bad they did send people just last year they didn't talked to swift dad and said they agreed not to go last year....i think that had to do with Gil brooks coaching but that's just my opinion
In the classroom??
You're academically eligible through Fall sports/December of senior year?....then what?? I would imagine tuition support was taken care of courtesy of VC, et al.
I'll never rip a kid, but if this is true, whomever in charge monitoring this boy's welfare might provide some better answers. If personal/family, none of my/our business.... would think SJP takes care of matters like those.
You wrote "it was a productive year and a half", both player and school got what they wanted out of it?
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Like it or not, it's what it's come to. They both got what they wanted. He got SJP exposure he most likely (imo) would not have gotten and he helped them win a state title. I'm sure SJP would have rather it worked out and he graduated from there...wasn't to be. That's now the profile of the school. If you want to travel nationally and play the Oaks Christian's and all the big guys you got to get the best players....D1 players. Sometimes you can get them after their freshman or sophomore year. That's OK
I can't recall another senior on any recent SJP football or basketball team who didn't graduate with his class. If someone knows of another example, please cite it. So unless I've missed several examples, this is not the norm or even an occasional occurrence.
I know nothing about Benny Walls' situation, but we call all think of a few possible reasons he left the school (voluntarily or not). Whatever the reason, I see no reason why it has to be publicly disclosed. If prominent athletes leaving during their senior year happens with any regularity, it would almost certainly signal a problem. But one instance doesn't convince me it's now the way of the world at SJP.
I agree, it's not the norm where we don't get guys to graduate. In fact, I think great work is being done bringing our students along. I will say there is a different dynamic with the team now that is needed to compete at the highest levels. Moving towards a dynamic that you hear in very high level HS and most college programs. Bringing in athletes / student athletes to support that. People want a winner. It will help in the overall cause of keeping the school open and growing and teaching. I don't see it as a bad thing at all.
Are you joking with that statement??!!.... is that the new M.O. at SJP?? Tulla just had a grand mal seizure reading that!!
What will the SJP football brochure state now?? "Hey, you talented 3/4/5 star football recruits, come to SJP, may not be capable of graduating from here but you'll get great exposure playing national teams and you can help us win a state title or two in the limited time you're here".
That's embarrassing and a disgraceful indictment to all the student athletes currently playing other sports and excelling in the classroom at SJP. Speedy and Delaney don't follow your above mantra..
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Couldn't have said it better! I know having a top flight athletic program is a come on to perspective students and parents but what SJP80 is saying is going against any mission statement for education, especially the Jesuits!! And St. Joe's aint closing down, even without a nationally ranked football team!!
They did not get together and decide not to play in the game, nor did it have anything to do with Gil. The players who were eligible to play in the game decided not to play for various reasons. Reid and O were coming off injuries and wanted to rest before heading to college camp. Runyan had no interest in playing in the game, and the other players going to Princeton and Colgate were more concerned with finals then the game.
Benny left the Prep on his own after receiving some bad advice. When you are being told if you transfer out your GPA will be much higher in a Public school and you will not have to take summer classes in College or possibly be a academic redshirt you do the math. Obviously he respected the person giving him the info to leave the school 4 months before graduating. SJP was just as surprised as anyone when he transferred. This is not the new Mantra of the school, and I'm sure going forward they will be very much on top of any transfer who is coming in sophomore year.
How does a PREP graduate become an academic redshirt? The NCAA standards are so low you would think anyone at the school could make them. Just having a student like that at the school seems to be a new Mantra for Prep admissions.
It does not make any sense to me what so ever. This was the information given to him, and this is what his transfer was based on. I do not believe he would have been an academic redshirt or would have to attend summer classes. Just because you graduate from the Prep does not necessarily mean you didn't struggle academically. Some athletes are more diligent with classwork and some are not just like every other school has. Just like anything else you get out of it what you put into it.
A quick look at where Prep grads are playing will indicate that most players go to academically strong colleges.
This situation strikes me as an anomaly. Maybe Walls simply got bad advice; maybe there's much more to the situation than any of us knows. I would simply say that one instance doesn't make for a trend. If this became at all typical, I'd be very concerned. But that would really be jumping the gun at this point.
No offense to anyone but preps program runs itself pretty much like every other very high level hs program at this point. They take transfers like everyone else now and academic standards are stretched etc for kids who can make them better. I agree with sjp80 if you are going to compete at the highest level it has to be done. No one is immune.
There are only two things about it that slightly irk me. First is the insistence by a certain segment of prep loyalists that this can't be the case. That in no way would prep stretch the academic criteria to take players or support them financially. I call them the Harvard on girard crowd. One of these types is a very close friend and business associate who is a grad. Also sent kids. Given first hand circumstances of situations close to us even he has had to abdicate his position and admit that there are different academic standards for kids who can block, run and tackle. Again no great news flash to me. Happens at every paid institution of learning who wants to be competitive at athletics. Just odd how upset some prep guys get when this is pointed out.
Second is when Gil was removed part of the perception was an outsized ego and of both him and the program in the fabric of the school. Infante has doubled or tripled down on Gil's efforts in bringing in players. The profile of the program even higher. Know admin changed but seems that ship sailed. Infante has done great job. He's impressive in every way. I think he's way closer to the north jersey model way faster than many would have suspected.
In scheme of things it's almost like the top see pa recruiting schools are almost playing a different game than hs football. It's a regional schedule, an aggregation of the best players and almost farm systemesque. Sure a huge public can beat them on a given year but the concentration of talent in each class is statistically certain at place like prep.
As a parent you really have a choice. Is your kid going to play high school football with local kids and play local schedule or go take a shot at one of these regional powerhouses. Thing is you better be damn good because there could be a kid behind you, a transfer etc who keeps you from every getting on the field. So essentially it's like going to realities of a college program in ninth grade. For parents with scholarship and dollar aspirations that probably makes sense.
There are only two things about it that slightly irk me. First is the insistence by a certain segment of prep loyalists that this can't be the case. That in no way would prep stretch the academic criteria to take players or support them financially. I call them the Harvard on girard crowd. One of these types is a very close friend and business associate who is a grad. Also sent kids. Given first hand circumstances of situations close to us even he has had to abdicate his position and admit that there are different academic standards for kids who can block, run and tackle. Again no great news flash to me. Happens at every paid institution of learning who wants to be competitive at athletics. Just odd how upset some prep guys get when this is pointed out.
Second is when Gil was removed part of the perception was an outsized ego and of both him and the program in the fabric of the school. Infante has doubled or tripled down on Gil's efforts in bringing in players. The profile of the program even higher. Know admin changed but seems that ship sailed. Infante has done great job. He's impressive in every way. I think he's way closer to the north jersey model way faster than many would have suspected.
In scheme of things it's almost like the top see pa recruiting schools are almost playing a different game than hs football. It's a regional schedule, an aggregation of the best players and almost farm systemesque. Sure a huge public can beat them on a given year but the concentration of talent in each class is statistically certain at place like prep.
As a parent you really have a choice. Is your kid going to play high school football with local kids and play local schedule or go take a shot at one of these regional powerhouses. Thing is you better be damn good because there could be a kid behind you, a transfer etc who keeps you from every getting on the field. So essentially it's like going to realities of a college program in ninth grade. For parents with scholarship and dollar aspirations that probably makes sense.
Tulla,
Unfortunately from what I'm hearing this topic will probably be re-discussed next year on a different front. You, as the most reasonable Prep supporter, then may be concerned.
However if the mission is to relax the standard as stated by others above, bring in premium quality football players to compete at the highest level, then perhaps you won't? We'll see...
I don't know if I'm the most reasonable Prep guy, but thanks for the compliment.
I don't entirely disagree with GG. It's a question of degree. I would be very surprised if the Prep started taking in 4th year transfers unless it were a case such as a kid coming to the area because of a parent's job transfer. And I'd be concerned if junior transfers became the norm. Why? Because I generally don't think it's good for high school kids to transfer after the end of freshman year. There are exceptions, of course.
One thing to consider about the Prep: there has never been a single academic standard when it comes to admissions. When I was there, some sons of alumni were admitted even though their scores on the admission test were somewhat below the bar. Some of them left after a term or two for academic reasons; some did fine academically. And for some decades the school has admitted students who, mainly because of disadvantaged backgrounds--and not just athletes, may also have needed extra consideration. But there had to been some indication that they could succeed academically at the school and beyond--maybe with the help of a pre-8th grade or pre-9th grade program. I have no problem with that. The whole school has benefited from this. If an increasing proportion of the kids who are admitted with lower test scores are athletes, including and perhaps especially football players, that's also OK with me as long as the kids are capable and willing to do the academic work required. But if they're not required to meet the same standard as all the other students once they enter the school, then something is really wrong.
As for Brooks, there was more to the story than GG suggests. With the advantage of time, I think most people at the Prep agree he did a lot of good for the school and the players. There were also problems, though, unrelated to recruiting.
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This was an anomaly. Time will tell and time will prove it. It most certainly was bad advice. It will clearly raise a red flag at the next level. The criteria remains the same for all students in all activities. Keep in mind, 68% of total population participates in varsity sports. Not all students maintain elite grades and some students require tutoring and support. While Prep doesn't have David School, it does have resources and a process in place to help students when needed. Ironically, the new alignment will not allow for a 'power' school schedule, which is fine. Prep has always played a 'big' preseason game or two for decades now. Does playing games like that help? ... Somewhat, but the student/player still needs to perform ... On the field and in classroom. Conversely, there are likely some players that won't be back due to academic standards but never a senior. Frankly, I've never heard of a player transferring within a few months of graduating ... From any school. In my opinion, they got their money's worth and likely didn't want to pay the balance.
GG that was a well thought out post. You echo my thoughts that the coach may be closer to the North Jersey model than anyone realizes. What that means I have no idea. But I know kids in certain areas are trying to pick between a Don Bosco and a Prep. That is how far the program has come. No judgements here, it will all play out.
pclfan1,
It is absolutely the No. Jersey Union league model, it is where Infante cut his teeth as a young coach. You don't survive against Bosco, Bergen and the rest unless you're willing to be super aggressive in acquiring talent and have an administration committed to relax it's standard somewhat to accommodate and provide the type of tuition support needed.
This is no secret to anyone, including my Prep friends whom of my age group I have respect for. IMO the Prep has had the richest talent on the roster/field in the state for the last 4 years running, and they will this year. That doesn't necessitate a state title, but they'll not be devoid of the players needed.
It's also my opinion if Drew Gordon was given the similar keys to the kingdom starting in '08, he might have had 3-4+ state titles? LaSalle's different, the administration prefers to spread their love and support to all the athletic teams equally. Which is probably why most of their team sports have done so well on the PCL and state level, but there's only so much money to go around.... and also giving the same amount of support to the music department, forensics, debate and academic endeavors.
Agree with GG and our Prep friends above regarding the commitment currently be made to the SJP football program. "It is what it is"...and it's the price one pays for becoming elite and prominent in a sport......It's also what makes it so enjoyable when we beat them!!
btw... Speedy Morris is a legendary iconic HOF basketball coach, I don't believe he's ever been afforded the riches and commitment that has been directed currently to the football program. IMHO..
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