Good points Annie, but I think you misunderstood the last comment.

Note that it was panther94 that said Dan 72 comments were ridiculous, not yours.

Don’t worry, I’ve misread / misinterpreted messages a large handful of times here. Your comments are welcome here like just about everyone’s else.

@others–Interesting discussion on Catholic HS’s recruiting. Same thing in NYC and in the DC Metro where I live now. But, the recruiting issue is really more complicated than just hoops and Football. Parents of inner-city athletes in major metro areas who really care about their kids realize that the Catholic School will provide a better education and thus a better opportunity to meet the NCAA academic requirements to get into college to play sports. And, yes, they will get tuition breaks or waivers at the Catholic School on a financial need basis. They understand that if they left their kid in an inner city school over-run with gang problems and a culture that regards academic success as a huge negative that their kid would most likely never get to college and in some cases the opportunity to eventually make money as a pro-athlete.

It seems many have taken for granted how far Pitt basketball has come. I wonder how many remember the Williard years. I do not need a weird coaching formula for JD. He’s a top 25 coach who would be hired within days of being let go. The best thing about him is he wants to win here.

DeJuan Blair, as we were reminded by ESPN during every Pitt telecast, went to school 600 yards from The Pete. He went to Schenley which is now closed. He turned out okay.

I am happy for the Pitt women. However it is absolutely ludicrous to draw sweeping conclusions about Serio’s ability to coach and recruit relative to JD’s based upon an upset of a 10 seed from the ACC over a 7 seed in the women’s game.

Brian, asking if we remember Willard is like asking if we remember Majors II, it has little relevance to the argument.

I think Jamie is an excellent coach, but you have to question his ability to recruit. Randall, Ochebo, Haughton, and Nix are hardly competitive to what we see in the Tourney. None of last year’s recruits were highly sought after. Wilson should be good. Heron and Manigault probably a step up. But where is the center? No competitive point guard next year.

I see a dramatic difference in talent when I am watching these NCAA games.

The McConnell comparison is somewhat tongue in cheek, but you have to respect what she has done after a team that won 3 games in two years.

Comparing a private school to a public one cannot be done because we have to take everyone and work with everyone. If you screw up in a private school, you are gone. Did you know that Catholic Schools usually won’t admit special ed. kids? I’m Catholic and kind of think that attitude is rather contrary to the church’s mission.

I’ve taught kids in pgh who have been in multiple fights, threatened staff with violence, ruined a learning environment…and if you expel them, there is a good chance the district loses in a lawsuit from the student’s parent. Schools are afraid to get rid of the small group that makes the place feel unsafe and disruptive.

Aside from dealing with bad behavior and disrespect from maybe only a quarter of the students on average, it is tough for a teacher to succeed because of how classes are set up.

Urban public school classes have about 30 students on average in them. I’m sure in nice places like Fox Chapel where I did my student teaching or like my alma mater Pine-Richland, I did not remember classes of that size. Out of the thirty students, you may have a couple of non-English speakers, there are various learning disabilities, a handful of behavior problems, there will be a few average kids, and a few above grade level. With our new feel good culture where we don’t want to track kids until the last minute, it is usually a hot mess trying to have all of these kids trying to learn the same material.

Finally, if anyone thinks charter schools are the answer…they are a con job. Republicans love them because they are not union and teachers usually don’t make over 45 grand even after years of service and Democrats love them because a lot of unqualified people that are active in the Democratic party get leadership positions in those schools.

But the original issue here was that Catholic schools get to recruit thus have an inherent advantage over public schools. Then, Emel, as he sometimes does (as well as other conservatives I know), tried to take this issue out on a tangent
and make it a conservative – liberal issue. (Don’t worry Emel, I have liberal friends who sometimes do the same.)

But the fact is that Clairton, a public school which has an inner city environment, has outdone what any Catholic school in PA has ever done — 4 straight state titles and 62 straight wins. Talent wins more games …

.. and frankly Emel, you come off as quite a hypocrite here since you are at the top of the list for blaming JD’s lack of recruiting the necessary talent for Pitt’s current problems.

On top of that, she has experienced coaching success, which makes her “sell” more compelling to prospective athletes. That she has turned around a program at Pitt should only help her “sell” to better players. It is an exciting time for our women and I wish them well tomorrow against Tennessee. I think Chattanooga may have beaten Tenn earlier in the year.

As for the discussion about Catholic Schools versus Public, it is church versus state, which is a great way to alienate friends from each other. Look, we all can agree that recruiting takes place in all walks of life. Doesn’t mean one way is any better than the other. Just sayin…

But the amount of talent that these large urban Catholic schools accumulate is over the top and you cannot expect public schools to compete. That’s all this discussion was about (or supposed to be) … that’s it!

Comment by Barvo 03.22.15 @ 7:50 am

Yes, he went to Schenley and wouldn’t it be nice if the Pittsburgh City League would produce lots of D1 bball recruits like it once did. Pitt has had like 2 kids out of the City League since circa 1990. So in 25 years, we’ve had Darelle Porter and DeJuan Blair. I might be missing someone, but you get the point.

Btw my dad went to Schenley as well, albeit in a different era, so I was sad to see it close.

As far as what knowledge I have of inner city Pgh schools, living in NC. Well first off, I read the Post-Gazette and the Trib online. And 2nd the inner city Pgh school problems are similar if not identical to the inner city school problems of Charlotte(although they do have busing for the whole county here as opposed to Pgh, which excludes the mostly white suburbs), as they are to DC, where I’ve lived before, as they are to Philadelphia, as they are to most any urban inner city schools.

I’m sure you understand this, so I don’t really understand the question.

No I just get tired of all this jumping on the Catholics all the time. Frankly I’m sick of it.

Do you have a problem with kids going to Shadyside Academy ?? They have good sports teams too.

You have no idea what the dynamics were at Clairton, what these kids were being taught/not taught and how their grades were conceived.

The fact is that 2 of the 4 Clairton kids have dropped OUT of Pitt.

Anyway, I went to Queen of All Saints grade school. I lived two short block from Bishop Laughlin High School, but actually went to Don Bosco in Ramsey, NJ from B’klyn and commuted 3hrs. round trip everyday for awhile. I transfered. I loved the country which was what Ramsey, NJ was in 1956.

I thought our ladies were going to Spokane. I guess they have to win another game?

Not happy with the present academics at Don Bosco regarding the football players they are turning out.

Come on guys! Dixon is the best we can get and for that matter would be one of the best no matter where he goes. I agree he is a top 20-25 national coach. Case closed!!!

Now of course, if things don’t look better in a few years, we’ll need to address the topic again.

“But the fact is that Clairton, a public school which has an inner city environment, has outdone what any Catholic school in PA has ever done — 4 straight state titles and 62 straight wins. Talent wins more games …”

Kennedy Christian (now Kennedy Catholic- Sharon PA.) won 4 straight boys basketball championships.

1998 Kennedy Christian (10) Reading Holy Name (3 ) 51-48

1999 Kennedy Christian (10) Bishop Hannan (2) 78-51

2000 Kennedy Christian (10) Bishop Hannan (2) 64-57

2001 – Kennedy Christian 87, Fairfield 45

Allentown Central Catholic won 4 straight PIAA titles as well.

2001 – Allentown CC 56, West Mifflin 45
2002 – Allentown CC 45, Villa Maria (D-10) 39
2003 – Allentown CC 52, Villa Maria (D-10) 43
2004 – Allentown CC 47, Lewistown 42

St. John Neumann – Maria Goretti Catholic HS or Neumann-Goretti.

HERSHEY, Pa. – The Neumann-Goretti boys’ basketball team can attribute part of its most recent PIAA Class AAA state championship to the free-throw shooting work it put in at 10th and Moore.

In the final Friday night at the Giant Center, the Saints went a respectable 21 for 29 from the stripe compared with Catholic League rival Archbishop Carroll’s ghastly 10 for 25 showing.

The result was a 69-67 triumph for the Saints, marking the program’s fifth state crown in six seasons and its 13th consecutive victory over the Patriots.

“This is the best free-throw- shooting team I’ve ever had,” N-G coach Carl Arrigale said. “We’ve made them all year. We have three guys who shoot 80 percent or better.”

5 state titles in 6 year !

Well if I’m not mistaken that kid’s parents are still paying school district taxes to that local public HS. So is that kid not entitled to tax funded transportation ? Since his parents are paying taxes to the local school district even though that kid is not attending that local school district.

Wasn’t aware I posted any where advocating that. Can you show me where. At least not at the time you posted this. But after you brought it up, see my post above.

Going to Catholic school isn’t a pre-qualifier on determining whether someone is anti-Catholic. Perhaps you’re a self-loathing Catholic. Lots of them out there.

Emel, AS ALWAYS YOU’RE MISSING THE FREAKING POINT!!! … because you always go off on you own made-up tangents. Of course, Catholic schools have a lot of championships … that was my original point!! But you said it was because of the discipline and not the talent. I just merely pointed out that Clairton had every characteristic of an inner city school .. and how about Schenley … was it their discipline or Blair, Kennedy or Bryant? 5th Ave won it all with Clance, Macklin and Kennedy. in 71, Schenley had Lucas and Coleman. In 67, Schenley won it with Durrett and Gibson.

All inner city schools … when they had the TALENT, they won!

The streets and playgrounds of NYC are littered with talented kids, who never made it, because they lacked discipline.

GOT IT !!!!

Xavier beat a 14 seed yesterday to make the Sweet 16. That’s hardly a huge accomplishment.

Xavier was one and done last year after being blown out by NC State.

Xavier missed the tourney in 2013.

Xavier made the Sweet 16 in 2012 (lost to Baylor).

Xavier was one and done in 2011 (Marquette a Catholic school!).

Xavier made the Sweet 16 in 2010 (lost to K-State).

Xavier made it to the Sweet 16 in 2009 and lost to…wait for it…Pitt (a state affiliated school).

Given that tourney record and the conference in which they played during that time, I don’t really see how that demonstrates that they are a better program than Pitt (a one seed twice in that span and made the Elite 8).

However I have little doubt that your strident beliefs can be swayed.

Publicly educated at every level and doing well!

Barvo

The words liberal and progressive have come to mean socialism. If you disagree don’t bother to respond. I’m right and your’ll wrong, that’s it!

Catholic schools recruit like crazy in the Metro NYC area. Basketball- every area of Metro NYC. Football- big in NJ. I see kids at the local catholic schools bigger and more defined than the football/gymnastic players at Pitt when I was there.

Soccer is now an academy sport and will not allow the kids to play in high school.

This whole thing stinks. Parents are the ones with the dreams. How few get the scholarships.