Nice story about a kid who will be a walk-on at Pitt.
[Craig] Sedunov, a four-year starter who played linebacker and various offensive positions at Yough, plans to walk on and attempt to play defensive back for the Panthers. He turned down offers from Clarion and Glenville (W.Va.) State.
“I don’t like the people at Penn State, and I’m just not a West Virginia fan,” Sedunov said. “I grew up liking Pitt. That’s why I want to play for them.”
The 5-foot-8, 185-pound Sedunov plans to begin attending classes June 25, because he wants to get with the team as soon as possible.
Sedunov will be playing in the Foothills Football Classic this weekend.
This weekend will also be the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association East West All-Star Football Game in Altoona. As usual, there will be plenty of players not participating because they were in the Big 33 game or simply because they have already enrolled at their college.
Maurice Williams out of Erie who will be a freshman at Pitt will be participating, but plenty of others are declining.
Donte Harden, who played with Williams at Strong Vincent High School, has already enrolled at Miami of Ohio. Meanwhile, Myles Carragein, Greg Gaskins and Dan Matha, all of whom will be incoming freshmen with Williams at Pitt this fall, also have pulled out of the game for various reasons.
Just, please, don’t get hurt.
Good quote in the article from Pope about his decision to tell the police who shot him.
“It was hard to tell because when you grow up in this environment, you always grow up with the mentality of, ‘Snitches get stitches,’ †Pope said. “But at the time when it happened you’re thinking you’re going to die. I wouldn’t have told if I knew I wasn’t going to die, and then it’d get dealt with however it’d get dealt with.â€
I think it’s a good idea that he goes as far away as possible. It just sounds like a bad environment and he knows it.
“Hopefully I make it there (New Mexico State University),†Pope said. “I hope nothing happens from now until whenever I’m supposed to leave to go down there. It worries and bothers me.â€
Kind of kicks you back into the reality that these are just kids.
I’m glad Pope seems to understand this and hopefully he can make something out of it – both on the court and off.
Jumping on a plane is much more common now too though, especially if you’re a big time hoops player perhaps getting perks like plane fare from boosters (let’s face reality). So it’s not like he can’t come back, or arrange for buddies to go there. Ultimately, it’s up to the individual to reform and (hopefully) there will be a support system at that school (Gawd knows there won’t be at WVU if he ends up there, per the rumors du jour).
link to nytimes.com