Morgan Wootten Player of the Year Award Nominees Announced

The McDonald's All American Game must be nearing, March 30 to be exact, because just this week the finalists were rolled out for the Morgan Wootten Player of the Year Award. Named after the legendary high school coach from DeMatha High School in Maryland the honor puts a big spotlight on the boy and girl who have been dominating high school hoops and are ready for that next level.

On the boy's side it is some names you may be familiar with. In alphabetical order: Anthony Davis (Perspectives Charter School – Chicago, Ill.), Michael Gilchrist (St. Patrick High School – Elizabeth, N.J.), James McAdoo (Norfolk Christian – Norfolk, Va.) and Austin Rivers (Winter Park High School – Winter Park, Fla.). Rivers is of course the son of Boston Celtics Head Coach Doc Rivers while James McAdoo has uncle Bob McAdoo who had the honor of once wearing those fresh Buffalo Braves uniforms. Davis and Gilchrist are no slouches with both headed to Kentucky to be the latest high level recruits in Coach Calipari's system. Also of note both Rivers and McAdoo are heading to Tobacco Road rivals with Rivers Duke bound and McAdoo slotted for North Carolina.

The girl's do not disappoint with four equally talented ballers. In alphabetical order: Cierra Burdick (Butler High School – Mathews, N.C.), Ariel Massengale (Bolingbrook High School – Bolingbrook, Ill.), Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (Mater Dei High School – Santa Ana, Calif.) and Elizabeth Williams (Princess Anne High School – Virginia Beach, Va.) The UCONN bound Mosqueda-Lewis leads this pack from power house Mater Dei in Southern California. The ESPN High School Player of the Year last season she has kept it going this season and will continue the embarrassment of riches in Storrs. Arch rival Tennessee has secured Cierra Burdick. Will those two colleges ever play again collegiately, perhaps only in March but it is a big get for Pat Summit pulling Burdick out of North Carolina. Joining Burdick as Volunteer is Massengale, a top flight talent from the Chicago area who was also part of Team USA U17 World Championship squad along with the rest of the ladies mentioned. Rounding things out is Williams, the top rated post player and second rated recruit overall on ESPN.com who is bound for Duke.

Between these eight athletes you could make a strong case for any of them. The exciting things for fans will be the likely chance to see this group compete at the McDonald's All-American Game. The deserving winner will be announced on March 15 with the game set for March 30 in Chicago. Check it out live on ESPNU and ESPN and get a closer look at the future of college hoops.

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2011 Under Armour All-America Game Highlights

Ditka and Mooch get preps fired up.

The game features some of the biggest plays of the game including future Gator Jeff Driskel’s 63-yard touchdown run, future Seminole Karlos Williams’ pick 6 and future Aggie Taylor Bertolet’s 24-yard field goal to win the game.

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Ditka, Mooch to Coach Under Armour HS All-America Game

25 years after Super Bowl shufflin', former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Niners/Lions coach Steve Mariucci will serve as head coaches in the 2011 Under Armour All-America High School Football Game, Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Wednesday, Jan. 5, at 7 p.m. ET, on ESPN.

Love the commercial that aired this past Sunday...

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Diary of a McDonald's All-American Part I: Duke-Bound Haley Peters

It's the end of the March. Another high school basketball season has come to a close, and with that comes the annual McDonald's All-American Game. The 2010 edition takes place in Columbus, Ohio at the Value City Arena this Wednesday.

HHR enlisted a player from both the boys and girls' teams to give us a personal diary of some of their time as a McDonald's All-American.

First up is Haley Peters, a member of the East Squad from The Peddie School in Hightstown, NJ. Haley is headed to Duke, but in the meantime she gets props for being a Garden State native like so many of the HHR staffers. She takes us inside her life for two days as a member of the McDonald's East squad.


Haley Peters Journal
Written March 28, 2010

Saturday, March 27

I arrived in Columbus for the 2010 McDonald’s All American Games yesterday here from Newark at 4:00 p.m. with fellow New Jersey native Laurin Mincy. We were greeted at the airport by a few of the McDonald’s volunteers and staff members, who were friendly and helpful as usual. From there we took a short car ride to the hotel, and since then the activities and events have not stopped. Right away I met up with some former and future teammates, as well as some friends from other teams. Chiney Ogwumike was in the lobby when I walked in. Soon after I saw Maggie Lucas, my Philly Belles teammate, and fellow future Dukie Richa Jackson.

I first went to a meeting room to collect my gear and sign a few basketballs that are going to be auctioned at the banquet Tuesday night to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio (more on that later). I tried on my #33 white uniform, shirts, sneakers, and shorts for sizing and then moved on to the next meeting room for a picture in the jersey.

From there I had a minute to put my stuff into my room and met my roommate Jennifer O’Neill, a PG from the Bronx. She and I have played against each other a few times in some New York events, so I was excited when I saw we were rooming together. Not to mention that we were hooked up with the corner room in the hotel, so it’s a little more spacious and has a couple extra couches.

The rest of Saturday had more fittings, specifically for the banquet dresses. This year, they are red, and every player had the option to go with a long or short one, and everyone who was being fitted at the same time as me looked beautiful in them.

The main event of the day was the welcome dinner. So far the meals have been delicious- the first night included chicken, mashed potatoes, salad, and chocolate cake. I had to break my Lent fast of deserts for the night to try the chocolate chip and macadamia nut cookies.

After dinner we had team meetings. Coach Rogers, Schlabach, and Moser are heading up the East team this year, and the tone from the outset was that our team will not be the stereotypical all-star game team. Coach Rogers brings a lot of intensity, and as a team we established pretty quickly that our main goal was to win. We then hung out for a little while in the players lounge, watched some of the NCAA tourney games, and played EA Sports and Rock Band before heading to bed.

Sunday, March 28

Sunday started pretty early with breakfast, then optional religious services. From there we headed out for a full day. First we headed to the Ronald McDonald House in Columbus. The entire event is truly centered on this charity and one of the most surprising things for me these past two days is how central that organization is to all that we do. We ate an early lunch at the House, then baked cookies, read stories with the kids, played HORSE, and had a tour of the facility. The volunteer work there is incredible.


We headed across the street to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital and I ended up in a group with Ronika Ransford, Jenny from the Bronx, and Samarie Walker.

We visited about four rooms in the hospital and handed out basketballs, teddy bears, and signed pictures for the sick children. For most of us, this has been the highlight of the week thus far. Volunteering there put a smile on my face for the whole day.

From there we headed to practice at Ohio State. We went for just about an hour and a half after a quick warm up. The East team’s intensity from the previous night’s meeting carried over as we worked on some transition and defense.

Since then, we’ve had some time to hang out with some of the boys players during the EA Sports tournament. Tiffany Moore, Afure Jemerigbe, and I entered into the Rock Band tournament, and for a first time band we performed pretty well. Quite frankly, we should have won, but there was a little interference from some opponents... Tomorrow is another busy day with the Jamfest at night and a visit to McDonald’s and the Columbus Zoo!

------------

Tonight’s Jam Fest begins at 6:30 p.m. ET with the finals will air live on ESPN2 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

As for the games themselves, both will air this Wednesday. The girls game starts at 5:30 p.m. ET and will air live on ESPNU. The boys game will tip off at 8:00 p.m. ET and broadcast live on ESPN.

Game tickets are still available, and you can get them here.

For those in the Cleveland area, you can get POWERADE Jam Fest tickets for tonight here.

(Or you can buy tickets to both by calling (866) 909-GAME)

You can visit www.mcdonaldsallamerican.com for additional info.

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Our Boys: Q & A with Author / NYT Columnist Joe Drape

While it can be argued that amateur athletics are quickly becoming professionalized in today's day and age of television coverage, multimedia and million-dollar endorsements, high school sports reflects more than simply the games themselves, and often are an extension of a community's heritage and cultures.

In Friday Night Lights, Buzz Bissenger peeled back the curtain on Texas high school football and examined the resonating social issues surrounding the Permian Panther team and the town of Odessa.

In The Miracle of St. Anthony, Adrian Wojnarowski looked at the inner city HS hoops dynasty Coach Bob Hurley looked to preserve with a group of unproven, underachieving, now-seniors.

Joe Drape's Our Boys: A Perfect Season on the Plains with the Smith Center Redmen reflects both of these themes - a town with an identity directly tied to its football team, and the pressures faced by adolescents held to standards on and off the field of play in the shadow of teams before them.

The Smith City Redmen of Smith City, KS, currently has the longest active win streak in high school football.

With that distinction comes pressure and jealousy.

Yet, head coach Roger Barta instills the notion in his teams that the game is more than a game. That it isn't football players he is developing, it is men and future leaders, husband and fathers: "None of this is really about football....What I hope we are doing is sending kids into life who know that everyday means something."

After going on location to pen a front page article on the team for the New York Times in 2007 ("A Football Power in a Small Kansas Town"), the article's popularity and his own fascination with the team and the town lead Drape back to Smith Center to follow the Redmen's continuing journey toward perfection.

Photo: Chris Machian for The New York Times

The resulting book is a beautiful portrait of spirit and community.

We caught up with Drape to talk about Our Boys and his experience.

HuggingHaroldReynolds: Buzz Bissenger drew criticism from Odessa residents after Friday Night Lights was published when they felt he portrayed them unfairly, namely on the social front. Conversely, "Our Boys" paints Smith Center in almost an entirely positive light. As someone who admittedly became so entrenched in the Smith Center community, do you feel you were able to remain entirely objective given your relationship with the town, players and coaching staff?

Joe Drape: I got there with the mission of being fair and accurate and to let the reporting lead me to wherever it went. I checked with the police and the county attorney and around town to make sure I wasn’t missing some huge scandal or dark side. What’s between the covers is the story I left with: About a small community that takes its children seriously, and emphasizes values like love patience and hard work. Did I like the people and way of life? Absolutely. Did I make friends for life? Yeah. But I can look anyone in the eye and say that Our Boys is a fair, accurate and objective look at Smith Center, Kansas and it’s football team.

HHR: Does the book's subtitle ("Perfect Season") take away from the drama unfolding in the chapters?

JD: This was a point of spirited discussion at the publishing house with folks on both sides. I suggested adding the “perfect,” because a) I thought we were burying our lede. The Redmen do have the nation’s longest winning streak, and in this day and age of information over load I didn’t think we should act like nobody knew that. b) I believed there was enough tension in the narrative to keep the story moving. c) I thought it worked metaphorically. My family and I had a perfect season, too.

It’s funny – I’ve heard from readers who totally missed that word in the title, and were surprised and satisfied when they end up reading. I’ve heard from some who thought the picture of “67” in the photo section ruined it for them.

HHR: You talk about how a loss would affect the book's narrative/story - not necessarily in a bad way. In retrospect, how different would "Our Boys" have been if the streak was snapped in the beginning of the season or in the playoffs?

JD: I thought then, and now more than ever, that when the Redmen lose, it will be one of Smith Center’s greatest hours. I think the town will rush the field and hug those guys and give him a big ovation. Coach Barta and the community really don’t focus on winning and losing. It’s about competing and being proud of their town and their way of life. It may have been a more poignant ending, but perhaps not as a well-read one. I think people are picking “Our Boys” up and it’s a New York Times bestseller because they are still winning, and folks want to read and be engaged by a successful team and town that has it’s priorities straight.

HHR: Coach Barta has been accused of running up the score. He, the team and town have been accused of phoniness in relation to their wholesome, classy image. How would you address the coach and Smith Center football's critics? Is there even a hint of truth?

JD: The Redmen are like the Yankees , the Red Sox and Notre Dame – you either love them or hate them. In the book, someone at a national coaches clinic accused him of running up the score after Smith Center gained national attention for the 72-point first quarter. The coach of the opponent that day, Plainville, was the first to come to his defense and said his team did it to themselves.

If you go on, youtube.com, you’ll see fumble and interception returns and one calamity after another. It’s mainly message board folks who make the accusations. There’s no truth at all to it.

HHR: You and your family wholeheartedly embraced the small town living you experienced. Why head back to the Big Apple after the experience? How has your young son adapted?

JD: I have a job, and a good one, at a time when too many very good journalists can’t say that. Job-wise it would be impractical, right now, to live there. So I’m following the example of my 4-year-old Jack who is happy anywhere we go. He cruises into Smith Center and picks up with his friends. He scooters between people on the sidewalks of New York City smiling all the way. We got a foot in both places.

HHR: What sort of pressure do the players feel to live up to on-the-field standards of perfection - from their peers, to their schoolmates to the townsfolk? Is it a fair expectation of 15-17 year olds?

JD: They do feel the pressure, especially the seniors, because that winning streak is handed down like Excalibur in King Arthur. It’s all part of growing up, and I don’t think it is unreasonable for anyone to want to be the best. I think we all should want to that. At the end of the day, though, they do realize it is only a game.

HHR: How closely do you follow the seniors in their collegiate careers? Do you remain in touch?

JD: I just got back from Kansas, and I met three of the seniors Marshall McCall, Kris Lehmann and Trenton Terrill in Salina and we all had dinner. Marshall and Kris are playing at Hutchinson Juco in the Jayhawk league; and Trenton’s playing baseball at Bethany. I also went to the Redmen’s opening game and caught up with some other seniors. We’re all in good touch, and they know they have a friend in New York.

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Film's Best Obscure Townie Jocks

While the Johnny Lawrences of filmdom are immortalized in Sports Guy columns and No More Kings videos, American cinematography is filled with villainously-portrayed athletes who play the foil to the movies' socially awkward outcast stars.

These same characters remind us of the individuals we reconnect with over Thanksgiving break at our hometown bars or at municipal park slo-pitch games channeling their inner Uncle Rico and reliving their glory years just-a-bit-too-fondly.

Today we honor you, townie jocks.

Rick Derris - Clerks



Wiki: Rick Derris first appeared in Clerks. He was played by Ernest O'Donnell, a childhood friend of Kevin Smith.

Rick Derris is a sexual deviant in the Askewniverse. In Clerks, he reveals to Dante Hicks that he had sex with his ex-girlfriend Caitlin Bree during their five year relationship.

In Mallrats, Gwen Turner, T.S. Quint and Brodie Bruce recall an incident at a costume party in which Derris and Turner had sex on a pool table. While Turner thinks it was a trivial event, Bruce and Quint remember the event very well because Derris and Turner were having sex on a pool table while dressed as Jackie Gleason and Burt Reynolds, respectively, from Smokey and the Bandit. In the most memorable and important sexual act, he and his friend Cohee London were in a three-way with Heather Jones's older sister Alyssa Jones during high school, which gave her the nickname "Finger Cuffs". When Alyssa is confronted by Holden McNeil about this occurrence during Chasing Amy, Ernest O'Donnell makes a cameo sitting next to them and listening in.

San Dimas High School Football Rules Guy - Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure



The lone bright spot in an abysmal film franchise that unfortunately catapulted the career of Keanu Reeves.

Trip McNeely & Mike Dexter - Can't Hardly Wait


Mike Dexter: Trip McNeely!
Trip McNeely: Trip McNeely.
Mike Dexter: No way, man!
Trip McNeely: Trip McNeely.
Mike Dexter: Trip McNeely! Geez. You were a sexual icon! You know girls at Huntington still talk about you?
Trip McNeely: Really? Which ones?
Mike Dexter: You must be racking up at college. College!
Trip McNeely: I wish, bro. I can't even get digits as a freshman.
Mike Dexter: Shut up! Come on, you can tell me.
Trip McNeely: Seriously, man. I thought college was gonna be a 24-7 orgy. Hell, that's even why I broke up with Janeen before I left.
Mike Dexter: So, what happened?
Trip McNeely: College chicks are totally different, bro. They're all serious and shit. They all talk about world issues and ecolomological crap. They all wanna date older guys.
Mike Dexter: Yeah, but... not all of 'em, right?
Trip McNeely: Way it goes. Hell, I even tried crawling back to Janeen. She was all cozy with some senior. He's a pre-med. They ALL are. Guys like us... we are a dime a dozen.
Trip McNeely: Speaking of which, you still with that Amanda chick? She was a prize piece if I ever saw one.
Mike Dexter: Yeah, me and Amanda. Definitely. Yep.
Trip McNeely: You're lucky, bro.
Mike Dexter: I sure am.
Trip McNeely: Stay with her. It's the best advice I can give you. Oh, that, and bring rubber flip-flops in the shower. I got warts all over my feet.
Mike Dexter: Take it easy, Trip! Trip McNeely! All right...

Roy Stalin - Better Off Dead



Filmdom's only known townie ski jock, Stalin was best known for inspiring the classic Season 6 South Park episode, More Like Stan Darsh.



Randall "Pink" Floyd - Dazed & Confused


While the most "sensitive" high school athlete on this list, to quote Sonny LoSpecchio, "The saddest thing in life is wasted talent." While he could have been a local hero, no one will ever remember his legacy of drinking beer and smoking pot. Likely ended up a poor man's David "Alright, Alright, Alright" Wooderson.

Chet Donnelly - Weird Science



An avid hunter and outdoorsman, an even more avid-er dickhead.

Ricky Slade - Made


Classic underachieving high school football player (with no heart), Ricky's chief ambition in life (like most local washed-up meatheads) is to break kneecaps for a local mob boss, while coat-tailing on his more (albeit not by much) respectable best childhood friend.

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Bob Hurley: "Holding Court And Performing Miracles"

Yesterday we published a post agreeing with the Star Ledger's assessment that Bob Hurley, Sr. undoubtedly deserves recognition in the Naismith Hall of Fame.

This past Sunday, prior to the 2009 Hall class announcement, CBS News' Sunday Morning broadcast a piece by Armen Keteyian reenforcing our thoughts on the matter.



I again implore you to pick up a copy of Adrian Wojnarowski's The Miracle of St. Anthony: A Season with Coach Bob Hurley and Basketball's Most Improbable Dynasty.

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Star Ledger: Bias Kept Hurley Out of Hall of Fame

Photo: William Perlman/The Star-Ledger

HHR has a deep appreciation for the contributions long-time St. Anthony HS coach Bob Hurley has made to the sport of basketball. Hurley has 950-plus wins, 24 state championships, 90 percent winning percentage, has had over 100 former players receive D1 scholarships and had five taken in the NBA draft's first-round NBA.

Today, when one of the most star-studded classes for the Naismith Hall of Fame was announced, Hurley's name was not among those to be enshrined this fall.

I've written before (in regards to Yahoo columnist Adrian Wojnarowski's The Miracle of St. Anthony: A Season with Coach Bob Hurley and Basketball's Most Improbable Dynasty): "It transcends sports and takes a look at the struggles and hardships of a community where little is offered in terms of advancement outside of athletic success...What Bob Hurley does, not just for his team and its players, but for the school itself, is nothing short of, appropriately, a miracle. The man is a saint."

Upon learning of the Hurley Hall omission, The Star Ledger's by Steve Politi takes the argument further (with help from former St. Anthony's standout and NBAer Terry Dehere):

David Robinson was a great NBA player. How many high schools did he single-handedly keep from shutting down? How many teenagers did he help get a college scholarship?

How many lives did he shape?

"Michael Jordan is one person," Terry Dehere, one of Hurley's best players, said by phone Friday. "I don't know if Michael Jordan had a role in getting over 200 kids into college. He never had to be part psychologist, part father, part protector to all those kids for four years.

"Coach Hurley is the type of person in our community that we should put on a pedestal. Hitting jump shots is great, but what we should also value is the quality of a person's character."

Of the 81 coaches currently in the Hall, only two are high school coaches, Morgan Wootten of DeMatha High (Maryland) and Bertha Teague of Byng High (Oklahoma).

Politi thinks he knows why: "The 24-person-selection committee, according to three people familiar with the process who are forbidden to talk about it publicly, is loaded with officials and coaches with ties to the NBA who fail to see that borders of basketball extend beyond the 20,000-seat arenas and million-dollar contracts."

As North Carolina coach Roy Williams put it after his press conference Friday, "Bob Hurley is a Hall of Famer -- period. It's going to happen. It's just a matter of when."

Without Bob Hurley Sr., it's a Hall of Shame.

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HHR Talks With McDonald's All-Americans and UNC-Bound David & Travis Wear

The McDonald’s All American Games are about more than just the Games themselves. It’s truly an experience – it’s about being a good person on and off the court, and succeeding through other avenues like giving back. In addition to McDonald’s All American Game striving to teach its players through its Advisory Council which features the likes of Alonzo Mourning, Dwight Howard and Candace Parker, the Game is played for Charity (Ronald McDonald House Charities), where most other prep games aren’t.

The Games will go down this week down in Miami, Florida. The men's game features the best of the best divided into East and West squads, takes place Wednesday night at 8pm est at the University of Miami. It airs Wednesday night on ESPN2 at 11:30pm EST.

HHR had a chance to catch up with two members of the West squad. David and Travis Wear, twins out of Huntington Beach, California (Mater Dei High School), both of whom are headed to the University of North Carolina.


David was named the Orange County Register’s player of the year and Travis was right there with him on the All-County First Team.


David Wear
Height/Weight: 6'10", 220 lbs.
Position: F
PPG: 16.2
RPG: 7.4
College: Committed to North Carolina

HuggingHaroldReynolds: What has the whole McDonald’s All-American Game experience been like thus far?

David Wear: It’s a great experience. I flew in two days ago and ever since I got here we have been running around. It’s a lot of fun. It’s really hectic hanging out with all these guys, all the media and how busy we are, the practicing, but its a lot of fun, we’re pretty busy.

HHR: What was your reaction to being named to the team?

DW: Every high school player, one of their goals is to make this team. I feel great to have this opportunity to play with some of the best, play on TV in front of everybody, and show what we got.

HHR: You were also named to the team with your brother Travis, that must be a great feeling?

DW: It was a great thing. I didn’t know we were both going to be named. I was hoping one of us would be named. That was one of our goals. When we found out we both made, it we were really excited. Some of our goals growing up were to be at the same college and to make the McDonald’s All-American team, and we have gotten to do both.

HHR: What is the process for even making this team?

DW: You get nominated, I think it is a 100 person group in each region, and then they go through process of cutting it down and narrowing it down to the final team. My coach told me about a week before that we were both selected for the west team, we were very excited.

HHR: You played with your brother in high school at Mater Dei in California, now again on this team and in the future in college how are you two different on the court?

DW: I think I’m more comfortable playing in the post, he is more comfortable putting the ball on the ground, shooting the ball, but we can both rebound and run the court so I don’t see too many other differences.

HHR: So when you two match up one on one, who usually wins?

DW: Half the time we don’t finish our games, they end up in a fight (laughs), but I’d say it would be me winning.

HHR: You are both headed to the North Carolina, how did that recruitment process work, did you bill yourselves as a package deal?

DW: We basically told everyone that we are going to the same school, we knew we wanted to go to the same school, going to separate schools was never an option. Everyone just recruited us as players they both wanted and North Carolina happened to offer both of us.

HHR: North Carolina is now headed back to the Final Four after this past weekend’s action, you must feel even better about your decision now.

DW: I’m really happy, I’m really comfortable in my decision, and maybe I’ll be in the Final Four next year.

HHR: Finally, what do you hope to take away from this whole McDonald’s All-American Game experience?

DW: Just to enjoy my last high school game, meet new people, take it all in, the whole media session, even the game being on TV, I know its an all star game, but its always good fun, I just want to enjoy my last high school game.


Travis Wear
Height/Weight: 6' 10", 230 lbs.
Position: G, F
PPG: 15
RPG: 6.4
College: Committed to North Carolina

HuggingHaroldReynolds: What has been like to be named to this team?

Travis Wear: It’s a great honor being able to come out here and play with all the good players in the country. It's a lot of fun to come out here.

HHR: You were both picked for the squad, was that a surprise at all?

TW: I think I knew, if one of us was to get it, that we would both get it. To be out here competing against guys I grew up playing against, it’s really cool.

HHR: Outside of basketball what else have you done on this trip?

TW: We went over to a Ronald McDonald house and played with the kids, and we also went over to the Sea Aquarium and got to swim with the dolphins. Actually, we haven’t really been on the court all that much.

HHR: Do you look at other great brother combos like the Griffin brothers at Oklahoma or the Lopez brothers at Stanford and how they play as you get set to enter college?

TW: No, not really. I watch them to see how they interact on the court. I don’t look it how they play they game, I like looking how they interact on the court (as brothers).

HHR: For someone that doesn’t know your game, how would you describe it?

TW: I am pretty versatile, outside and inside, good court vision, I can pass the ball very well, I can bring the ball up the court, and I just play hard all the time.

HHR: You are both headed to UNC next year, they are headed to another Final Four you have to be pretty excited about your college choice?

TW: Yeah definitely. The expectations next year will be high. They have a pretty good recruiting class coming in, and hopefully with the guys that are there we could get back to the Final Four.

HHR: Lastly, what do you take away from this whole experience of being a McDonald’s All-American?

TW: It’s an opportunity to see how you do against better competition. Also, it’s not only basketball, but charity work. It is just good to give back to the community, and just a good experience all around.

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McDonald's 2009 High School All-American Team Announced

Since 1977, the McDonald's All-American teams have showcased some of the most talented players to ever lace up hi-tops, and have given hoops fans a glimpse of what to expect in the near future of the sport.

Alumni of the list includes elite NBA stars and legends such as Shaq, Zo, MJ, Magic and Zeke.

Today, the 2009 squad was announced and is listed below. Also be sure to check out their phenomenal website and blog for information, as well as past highlights on their YouTube page.

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Teaching Kids New Steroid Lingo

High School baskethoops games are a wealth of cultural information.

For instance, had I not been to a game lately, I wouldn't have known that steroids are alson known as "Arnolds," "Gym Candy," "Pumpers," "Stackers," "Weight Trainers" and "Juice."

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Cleveland Steamer

Like many Trenton-area sports fans, we watched Hamilton native Kevin Johnson's progression from All-State high school quarterback to his position battle at Syracuse with Donovan McNabb to his conversion to wide receiver and being drafted by the Cleveland Browns.

For a good five year stretch, his #85 Browns jersey stood proudly in Quakerbridge Mall beside Eagles and Giants greens and blues.

And then, it was gone. The jerseys and the player.

Despite being the Browns' leading receiver since being drafted, his inablity to coexist with then-coach Butch Davis lead to his being cut by the team, and subsequent downfall from NFL stardom.

While at first the transacton perplexed football fans, and fueled rumors that he would soon be an Eagle, stints with the Ravens, Jags and Lions proved unfruitful and Johnson, now at age 32, has been out of the game for 3 years.

The best idea anyone had was that he punched his ticket out of the League for being a malcontent.

Thus, I found it disheartening as he channeled his inner Al Bundy to pen a piece for this year's 50th Anniversary of the Hamilton HS West (Johnson's alma mater)/Steinert High School annual Thanksgiving Day game:

I cannot help but smile and laugh thinking of the “We’ve got Kevin, Yes we do, We’ve got Kevin, How about you?” chanted by the Hamilton fans in my senior year or the importance to my teammates and I that we win every Thanksgiving Day game.

His humble reflection on family, tradition and community brings this once bright, shining star back to earth and leaves some locals wondering, "What the hell happened to his guy, that, only a decade after his being on top of the world, he's sitting in Trenton with the rest of us this holiday?"

JESUS CHRIST! Look at Him Run

Under the radar, Christ has been putting up some pretty impressive number in the South Jersey high school football ranks.

After a 23 carry, 232 yard performance against Woodstown in October, headlines blared: "Christ runs for 232 yards in Catholic victory."

Well, Christ hasn't slowed down since getting the opportunity to carry the Gloucester Catholic High School workload. This week "Christ ran for two touchdowns in the first quarter to set the tone."

YOU CAN'T STOP HIM, YOU CAN ONLY HOPE TO CONTAIN HIM.

Can't Say We Blame Them

Thanks to NJ.com's Shabe for passing along this story that was posted last night by Mike Kinney and Mark Mueller of The Star-Ledger.

Two suburban schools refuse trips to Newark for football

Two suburban high schools refused to play football games tonight in Newark, citing worries about safety after a spate of drive-by shootings in the city Friday left two people dead and another injured.

Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School and Cranford High School balked at playing games rescheduled from last Friday and Saturday. Newark school Superintendent Clifford Janey had suspended all athletic events districtwide while police were hunting for suspects in the Friday afternoon shootings.

Sure, Newark has made strides in reducing violent crime. But fact is, it's still a major issue. For the life of me, though, I can't understand how officials, who are well aware of the area's troubles, can be in such denial in regards to childrens' safety.

The decisions by the suburban schools underscored Newark's struggle to shake its reputation as an unsafe city, even as it has seen far fewer homicides this year than last year. The city has recorded 52 slayings so far this year, compared with 83 over the same period a year ago.

A Newark city spokeswoman, Esmeralda Diaz Cameron, called the schools' choice "unfortunate.":

"This past Friday's shootings were not random acts of violence and did not occur on the premises of any of our schools. Newark is the largest city in the state, and over the past two years we've made dramatic progress in fighting crime. Newark is currently the number one city in the country for violent crime reduction, and we have had a 40 percent reduction in crime compared to last year's statistics."

While Central High School agreed to a neutral field in keeping with a decision by the Mountain Valley Conference of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, Shabazz athletic director Faheem Ellis rejected a similar decision by the NJSIAA's Watchung Conference.

Shabazz athletic director Faheem Ellis: "That's not fair to our home fans and the people of Newark. And it's definitely not fair to our kids. We have plenty of protection at our home games in Newark. It is not an unsafe situation for an opposing team."

In a perfect world, the City teams and the Suburban ones would put aside differences, play their game, band together ala the Wanderers/Del Bombers and take it to these gang bangers Ducky Boy-style.

Selfish Coach Kutcher, Offers Little, Takes Much

I played football since I was 5. My coaches were always the biggest baddest mothers I knew. More importantly, they dedicated themselves to the sport. They taught you the sport, and in many ways, how to be a man - on and off the field. Never can I remember the situation being reversed. And never did they wear a Kaballah bracelet.

People: Ashton Kutcher Loves Coaching Football

As for why he started coaching, Kutcher says that he's always wanted to coach, but was "afraid of the time commitment. I was afraid that I would look stupid. I was afraid that the players wouldn't listen to my football advice, I was afraid that the advice that I gave wouldn't be very good."

Ok. He's essentially admitting that he doesn't know much about football, much less coaching.

Ahhh why the hell not. Let me take a shot at shaping young, impressionable minds in a violent sport which can leave their bodies crippled or paralyzed if they don't learn proper technique.

It's all about the kids.

Or is it?

And he's also found he's gotten something out of the job as well. "Though coaching a football team is no great step for man kind I finding that it's a great step for me," writes Kutcher, adding "I'm not there to teach them, they are there to teach me."

Just what you want in a coach. Vince Lombardi would be proud.

Let's get naked and play some Steal the Bacon

We hope this guy doesn't turn out to have been an actual threat but we also hope there is more to the story...

Naked person arrested at Ewing High School

A disoriented and ranting man entered the gymnasium at Ewing High School Monday afternoon and stripped off his clothes before being arrested, police and school officials confirmed. About 100 students were preparing to be dismissed from gym class around 12:30 p.m. when a man, later identified as 23-year-old township resident Jovan Ramos, got into the gymnasium lobby through an outside door, Superintendent Raymond Broach said in a statement.

Come on, the guy just wanted to join in a friendly game of punch ball. And we all know it's hard to run in jeans. Or underwear.

"While in the gymnasium, an obviously disorientated Mr. Ramos began disrobing and shouting religious platitudes," Broach said.

We couldn't tell you how many times we did this in our high school career. In the locker room right before gym. Went something like this...

"Jesus H. Christ, this gym crap is Goddamn joke. I just got dressed and showered for school an hour ago now I have to sweat like a whore in church. All for the amusement of that loser Mr. _______. You know he likes kiddie porn. Swear on the bible I saw it on his computer."

Let the guy play. He can be captain of the skins team.

Lil Wayne To Play a Patriot

I still can't get that damn "Lollipop" song out of my head.

And with that in mind...some more Lil Wayne news:

It appears "The Carter" aka "Young Weezy" will take his iced-out grill to the big screen, starring in a movie called Patriots.

Apparently he will play Lamont, a high school basketball player, and was elevated to a lead role after reading well in the early rehearsals. Filming has already begun in New Orleans.

*Spoiler alert*

This one could be headed straight to VHS (or laser disc) as it does not even have an entry on IMDB (although, it does have Forest Whitaker).

*End Spoiler*

My big question is will they airbrush out the tear drop tattoos on his face, that in my limited experience, stands for murders completed...just wondering.

-Posted by Cadillac Mescalade

Bonnie Richardson is badass

Check this chick for the Clear, the Cream, and a penis.

Richardson, only one from school to qualify for state, wins track team title

Bonnie Richardson ran. She threw. She jumped. And when it was time to hand out the team trophies, Richardson accepted the 1A team championship for Rochelle High School -- by herself. Bonnie Richardson of Rochelle High School scored 42 team points to win the Texas 1A track title.

Richardson won the high jump, placed second in the long jump, was third in the discus, won the 200 meters, and finished second in the 100 meters to defending champion.

Fine, Richardson, you win. But I bet the other teams had better after-parties.

Applebees. Table for one.

Former Navy Wideout, HS Coach Charged With Sexual Assault

Former Navy Midshipman Wide Receiver and current Steinert High School (Hamilton, NJ) football coach was arrested Friday and charged with fourth degree criminal sexual contact.

The details of the incident seem a little shady, but authorities apparently found enough evidence to charge the former naval officer.

The official police statement did not describe the nature of the alleged offense; however, law enforcement sources said the alleged contact took place between Jordan and a female student. The female student was said to be bothering another girl, who may have been at the school for Take Your Child to Work Day. Jordan may have pulled the allegedly harassing female student from behind to restrain her, sources said.

Jordan played during the 1987-88 seasons and was Navy's leading receiver in '88.

Without knowing full details, this seems like an unfortunate case that doesn't seem to have been intentional. Hopefully he'll be cleared of wrong doing.

Had this been Bo Kunkle, we'd have had a different assumption.

HS FB Coach Looking for a Shot at Love

Flipping through the channels last night, I happened to pass the trainwreck that is "A Shot at Love 2." While the show is probably a Dunbar favorite, it doesn't get much play in the McCormack household.

But something caught my attention last night. One of the contestants, "Bo," is described as a high school football coach.

Tell me all you ex-high school superstars out there - can you recall ever once playing for a guy vying for a bisexual's love interest on MTV, nonetheless taking one seriously?

A quick search tells me that Brandon "Bo" Kunkle of Fairborn, OH not only coaches for the Fairborn High School Skyhawks (of which he is a 2001 graduate), but is a bartender (Wallaby's in Beavercreek) and a DJ as well. He also intends to continue coaching through this fall's season.

OH YES. HE HAS A BLOG.

And the kiddies are all over him.

Don't get me wrong, if a dude wants to pursue his Hollywood dream by chasing a dirty tramp, then that's his prerogative. But where does the school board draw the line?

This is a student-teacher affair in the making. A camera-friendly pseudo-celebrity roaming high school halls when not pouring kamikazes or spinning shitty music? 15-year-old broads are gonna eat that up.

Fairborn commentators seem to be split. While some feel his "personal" life should be regarded as separate from his coaching duties, how do you deem a facet of your life as "personal" when you choose to be on a sexually charged reality-show? Check out some of the comments below this article.

I say he's fair game.

Should he ever send a player on a lap or make them run suicides I wish they laugh in his face and ask him to do one of the many humiliating things Tila will undoubtedly put him through.