Looking to the Future

This morning I woke up with a friend request on Facebook. A kid named Daniel Poneman. We had two mutual friends, so I messaged him saying, "who ru?" Since then I have been talking to him all morning. If you don't know who this kid is, you should.

Daniel Poneman was 16 when he started "IllinoisHSBasketball.com." He is now a Chicago, 18-year old, who was written about in Sports Illustrated in 2007. He has taught me some great lessons in our couple of hours of contact. Poneman interviews kids who are up-and-coming high school players, and when he gets them scholarships, they become names that NBA fans know like Derrick Rose and Evan Turner.

He got to where he is "by not being selfish and putting kids first and helping myself second, by not worrying about making money and only worrying about learning and creating opportunities, and by working harder than every one of my competitors." He is the future of writing in all of basketball, along with me, and couldn't be a nicer kid. He is in contact with hundreds of division one basketball coaches such as Bill Self of Kansas and Tubby Smith of Minnesota.

So everyone, please check out his blog and YouTube videos, and keep tabs on this great reporter.

Interview with Rick Cerrone

No, not the ex-Yankee catcher, but the ex-Yankee Public Relations Director. Rick Cerrone was the PR director for the Bombers for 11 year, and also was the Vice President of PR with the Pirates when Barry Bonds played there. Here is one of the more interesting, and funny interviews I have had in a while.

BW: What was the hardest part of being the Director of PR?

RC: The hardest part of the job was probably the hours. Once spring training starts, there are very few days off during the season. You also have to be able to handle many, many things at once. You could be in the middle of doing something important and something else will come up. Sometimes maybe two, three or four things would happen at once.

BW: Who was nicest player you worked for? Why?

RC: Most players were very nice. Of the stars, I would say Bernie Williams, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Darryl Strawberry. Hideki Matsui was unbelievably nice and a pleasure to work with. Roger Clemens was also very nice and very professional.
But there were so many others like Tony Clark, Mike Myers, Ron Coomer, Nick Green, Homer Bush, Aaron Small. almost too many to name.

BW: Who was the toughest player you worked for? Why?

RC: Let's say the most challenging player was Hideki Irabu, a Japanese pitcher. Nothing I did or suggested to him worked. He seemed like a very unhappy person. David Wells was challenging because he would say and do controversial things. He even got fined for writing a book. But I liked him,

BW: How was Barry Bonds to work with?

RC: I liked Barry...still do. He was challenging as well.

BW: Funniest story of being with the Yankees?

RC: I'll have to think about the funniest story with the Yankees. That's a good question.

BW: What was your favorite press conference?

RC: There were a lot of great press conferences, Brad. The signing of Matsui was ther biggest...mayber the biggest ever held. I also enjoyed the big announcements we made at the Stadium--A-Rod, Mussina, Sheffield.

Upcoming probable interviews include Anna Kournikova, Vincent Jackson, and more.

McSuper?

Will Donovan McNabb bring a title to Washington? Are the Redskins good enough?

The Redskins created a triple-back running game (Clinton Portis, Larry Johnson, and Willie Parker), a great coach, Hall of Fame quarterback, and will continue with bringing a big time draft pick to Washington. The Redskins already have a tough defense with Albert Haynesworth, London Fletcher, and young Brian Orakpo. But do they have enough to win a Super Bowl?

No. Clinton Portis has been decent the past few years. McNabb has Santana Moss to throw to and after that, there isn't much. But since McNabb said the past is forgotten with him and Terrell Owens, could the Redskins sign the 6-time Pro Bowler? Larry Johnson and Willie Parker have been off their great years since about 2007, but they could return with good health. But you never know with Mike Shanahan. Prove me wrong coach.

When they draft with the fourth-pick of the NFL Draft, most likely Sam Bradford and Ndamukong Suh will be off the board. So who will they draft? They need an offensive lineman. Now Russell Okung of Oklahoma State is well worth there pick, but if I am the Washington Redskins, I trade down to about the 20th pick and draft Idaho's Mike Iupati. They could gain the pick back that they lost in the McNabb trade and have another great lineman.

What A Story?

The number one seed of the 2010 NCAA Tournament is the Kansas Jayhawks. The second number one is the Kentucky Wildcats. And the third number one is the Syracuse Orange.

In most of the Final Four scenarios there was a lot of Jayhawks, Wildcats, Orange, and Villanova. I fell for the Villanova curse even though they clearly weren't good enough to go to the Final Four. I picked Baylor twice to go to the Final Four, but people hate Duke. People (me) had a problem with picking 'Cuse, so they picked Pitt(me)(YUCK!) and K-State.

Not once Butler. Not once Michigan State. Except for the crazy 200 people on ESPN that had perfect Final Fours. Now this gut feeling about Duke to the Final Four back at the beginning of March, tells me I gotta trust my gut. People picked Duke because it has been a common phrase, "Don't EVER trust Duke."

Well now here we have a National Championship between an under-estimated, small conference program, Butler, against the most hated one-seed and courageous Duke Blue Devils. This is a year where everyone was expecting that two of the biggest programs in college basketball, Kansas and Kentucky, would square off in a coaching duel and a game featuring seven first round draft picks. I should've thought that like most one-and-done's (Durant, Derrick Rose) usually never get the prize of a National Title.

Now to my prediction. After my dead on Finals prediction, of Butler by 2 and Duke with a Scheyer explosion, I think that I have to go with the villain. I mean the odds most definitely face the Butler Bulldogs. Home court, on a great run, and two future NBA pros, but I think if Duke could blowout WVU, they can take on Butler.

Butler 62, Duke 65.

Final Four Predictions...Last Minute

Ok, game time is in three minutes. Just finished part of my English homework. Recommend the book I read, Feed by M.T. Anderson. I am excited!

I think that in the first game, Butler will win the game. Michigan State has too much questions. Despite playing so well lately, I am going with the underestimated, home team in Butler. It feels like Davidson back in 2008. I think Butler wins by 2 and Gordon Hayward goes for 28. Would you ever guess that a fifth seed would be in the finals in a year with great Kansas and Kentucky? Or that Michigan State would be back in the Final Four?

On to the next game, the tough game, I love the Mountaineers, especially after the Big East Title game. I have this gut feeling about the Dukies, but I think I'm going with my gut. Duke's seniors played West Virginia in 2008 and lost. I think Scheyer goes crazy and Duke meets Butler in the championship.

Interview with Dan Gutman

Dan Gutman is one of my favorite authors. He is a great writer from New Jersey who's books such as Babe and Me and Honus and Me are so enjoying to read. Here is my interview with him:

1. What gave you the idea to start writing your Baseball Card Adventures?

I knew a lot of kids collect cards, and I knew a lot of kids are fascinated by time travel stories, so I just thought I'd put the two together.

2. Who was your favorite athlete as a kid and why?

Cleon Jones of the Mets. I just kinda liked his style.

3. Are your books going to become movies on the big screen in the future?

I hope so. "Honus & Me" was a TV movie about 6 years ago, starring Matthew Modine and Kristin Davis. It was really awful. Don't see it. I hope somebody will make better movies of my books someday.

4. Which Baseball Card book was your favorite to write?

The newest one, "Roberto & Me." This time, my kid not only goes into the past, but he also goes into the future.

5. What deceased or living athlete do you dream of meeting?

Babe Ruth

6. What are your thoughts about steroids in Major League Baseball?

It is a horrible stain that will mark this past decade the same way the Black Sox Scandal marked 1919. There's plenty of blame to go around--the players, the commissioner, the owners,and the Players Association. Cheating has always been a part of baseball (my first baseball book was "It Ain't Cheatin' If You Don't Get Caught"), and I guess it always will be.

Interview with Coach Gary Williams

Gary Williams is the head coach of the Maryland Terrapins. He has won 649 games and won a national championship in 2002. Thanks Coach for this opportunity? Here is the Q/A:

1. Was Grevis Vasquez the greatest player you have ever coached?

I have been fortunate to coach many great players. Greivis is certainly in
the top two or three.

2. How would you describe beating Duke this year?

Beating Duke was a great feeling because it meant we had a chance to win the
league championship.

3. Who was your idol?

My first idol was my high school coach.

4. Is Maryland your dream job?

Very few coaches ever get the opportunity to coach where they went to school
and played basketball.