Friday, January 10, 2014

Football Players Hoopin it Tonight

       Long week of cold, cold, and more cold. Being poor, I keep both the office and my house as chilly as I can make it. My coffee is good, but after 5 minutes, it freezes in my office. Hunter, my Labrador, lays on her recliner and never complains. Anyway, I am taking a break and traveling to Akron St Vincent St Mary to watch a hoops game with Athens High School.
       Joey Burrow, my number one QB prospect in the Ohio 2015 Class, also is a really good basketball player. Excellent shooter. Last fall, he was the best QB prospect that I personally saw in action. Better, he has worked hard to improve his core strength. Guess he is 6'4 for sure. The biggest thing that I am looking for from Joey is how he handles the pressure, and he will get pressure from St V's.
      Trae Williams a RB/DB from Athens also will be interesting to watch. Listed 6'0-190, his quickness and overall burst will be two things that I need to watch. Athens also has Ryan Luehrman, a WR/OLB who will need to be evaluated. Listed 6'4-184, Ryan's toughness and aggressiveness will be important in this game.
      As for St V's, I heard they are loaded with talented basketball players. Honestly, I am not familiar with them, but I do know there are some football players on the varsity. Names that you may recognize. Dante Booker and Parris Campbell are two recognizable players. Travonte Junis, a St V DE, flew under the radar, but it will good to see his overall improvement. Last year, when I saw Parris, he played mostly junior varsity, but worked hard and ran really well. At the same game, Dante Booker showed me quickness and speed that are his strengths. Looking forward to seeing the two Buckeye recruits.
      Just a quick note to those who play another sport beside football. Doing the right things and playing hard, and showing good character are really important. I tell my combine guys, that someone is always watching you.
      If you are a bad character in another sport, colleges are going to find out. If you do not hustle, colleges are going to find out. If you are not coachable, colleges are going to find out. If you show little motivation, colleges are going to find out. I will be one of the first guys to tell colleges about "an attitude player." A loser's effort is unacceptable.
      One example. A few weeks ago, I attended a basketball game to watch a young player. A varsity football player as a sophomore. A terrible attitude. No hustle. No aggressiveness. No talking to teammates. In fact, he acted like playing in a junior varsity basketball game was the last place he wanted to be that night. Problem is, that is the only time that I have seen him. What conclusion do I draw?
     Tonight at the junior varsity game I will see two sophomores who were starters on the state championship football team. Tyrece Speaight and Marcus Hurd will not let me down. If they do not hustle and play aggressive, I will blog it tomorrow. Of course, Booker and Campbell, when they get into the game, will give the old 110 percent. They have the "it," and better show it.
      Somebody is always watching you.
     

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