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| | Tuesday, August 1 Dodd: Don't forget the good | |||||
| The Amateur Athletic Union would be willing to prevent college coaches from contacting summer coaches during the annual July evaluation period, if it would help prevent abuses, AAU President Bobby Dodd said.
In a chat session with ESPN.com users as part of an Outside the Lines look at summer basketball, Dodd said he has proposed that action to the NCAA. The AAU has also considered banning the top 100 players from its events.
Dodd, who selected the questions from users, chose not to address questions about his relationship with former AAU employee Travis King. King resigned in June after he said Dodd asked that he stop coaching a high-profile summer team in Florida.
Dodd objected to him coaching the team, Team Florida, earlier this year, about the same time King became the educational guardian for a possible NBA lottery pick, Amare Stoudamire, who moved into his home. Dodd, who has known King for more than a decade and views him like an adopted son, purchased that home.
King, who has helped underprivileged kids in the past, has been implicated in no wrongdoing.
Moderator Tom Farrey: Hello everyone. Bobby's here. Send your questions!
Bill Richardson: The NCAA, according to ESPN today, wants to reduce the influence of AAU coaches and put the players back in the hands of the high school basketball coaches. I suggest that the reason for the demise of the influence of the high school coach is because of the lack of quality of coaching in high school basketball. I have found that AAU coaches are more dedicated to the sport and focused on improving their coaching than their high school counterparts. If they fail to produce, their program suffers, and kids leave for better coaches and programs. In high school, a coach is there regardless, year after year, win or lose. Have you ever tried to get a high school coach replaced? I have, and the politics involved are incredible. Every year when my son and daughters are playing school basketball, I say, "Thank God for AAU!"
Bobby Dodd: Mr. Richardson: Thank you for your glowing review. However, you raised the real issue and that is the good or not-so-good of all entities involved. We work with the High School Federation to insure the best possible environment for the student-athlete. They, like the AAU, have their challenges like we do. Keep your youth participating in the AAU events; we appreciate it.
Jerry: The system (AAU basketball) is very conducive to promote corruption with one person (AAU coach) holding so much power. Wouldn't it be more sensible to allow college coaches the extended evaluation period but disallow college coaches' contact with the AAU coaches? Or does this make an AAU coach slot suddenly unappealing? Can't AAU step up and address this situation of non-accountability?
Bobby Dodd: Dear Jerry: We have actually proposed this to the NCAA and that is, not allowing summer coaches to have contact with colleges during events. There is some merit to allowing the summer coach to work for the mid-level athlete that does not draw the attention that the "elite 100" receive. People are going to coach summer basketball and participate in events such as AAU events whether it is the "live period" or the "dead period." In fact we moved the 16-and- Under Boys event this year to the "dead period" and had the largest tournament we have had, with an increase in participation.
We do address accountability, however, some media has not given credit for our actions. To the best of my knowledge, we are the only organization in summer basketball governed by a Board of Directors, which is made up of volunteers. The teams that qualify have to participate in events and abide by the rules of the AAU. Please visit our web site and review our rules of the AAU as well as the basketball rules. Thank you for your interest. Newton: Moving forward, what's the AAU going to do to help prevent further problems in summer basketball? Bobby Dodd: Dear Newton: We are going to continue to follow our rules and regulations and continue our relationships with the NFHS, the NCAA, USA Basketball, USOC, and others involved in the sport. For the record we do have a policy that prevents "agents" from being a part of the AAU. We are going to support whatever direction the NCAA takes as we realize issues need to be addressed. We do plan to aggressively continue our focus on the grassroots programs and not concentrate on the "elite". We are about the youth of America and not just the "top 100." We have even considered running the progams and eliminating the so-called top 100. Newton: Why doesn't the AAU do background checks on summer coaches? Is it a cost issue? Bobby Dodd: Dear Newton: The AAU does not have teams, coaches or athletes. This is a myth that exist in the marketplace. The AAU does not pay the bills or select the teams or coaches. Organizations, such as churches, YMCAs, Boys and Girls Clubs, Corporations, etc., select, fund, and organize teams. We do have a membership policy and it includes a disclosure policy that I would suggest you review on our website at aausports.org. We have this policy to help reinforce what the above-mentioned groups have already taken care of. Brandon: Was Myron Piggie an AAU coach? Bobby Dodd: Dear Brandon: Myron Piggie was NOT an AAU coach. There is NO SUCH THING. It is my understanding that Mr. Piggie was selected to coach the team in question by two (2) corporations. These corporations also FUNDED Mr. Piggie and his operation. Shaw: Why can't high school athletes get paid when everyone else involved with the sport does? Bobby Dodd: Dear Shaw: Interesting question! The High School Federation would be the party that could best answer this for their athletes. The AAU is truly an amateur program and that is why athletes that participate in the AAU program should not be paid. Miles Johnson: Why is it that the media seems to only concentrate on the bad, which are less than 1 percent, than on the good these basketball programs do? Bobby Dodd: Dear Miles: Great question and I agree with the comment. It seems that the negative draws more attention that the good in anything in life, not just the AAU. The frustrating point is when the truth is supressed and not revealed because it has the lack of good selling. We could write story after story after story of successes of athletes that because of programs like the AAU have had their lives changed for the best. It would be interesting to see one media source to post good articles instead of bad and perhaps it would increase their ratings instead of decreasing. One writer, Mr. Rob Miech, of cbsportsline.com has done a great job of reporting the true story of summer basketball; understands the challenges, and has done summer basketball and the youth of America a justice; not like others.Additionally the Kansas City Star learned the truth about Myron Piggie (and his involvement with the AAU) and quickly corrected their improper reporting. We thank them for this. Even the people that were responsible for the book "Sole Influence" realized that some of the material was inaccurate and they called and admitted that they had been a little trigger happy. My comments to all of the participants of this chat page is to call your media source and ask them to write good stories about young people instead of the garbage that they think will sell. Thanks for your comments. T. Mann: I think that Eddie Fogler and Sonny Vaccaro hit the nail on the head on Sunday's OTL when they both essentially said that it is a small minority of AAU coaches that are causing a perceived image problem, and that in any large group (high school coaches, college coaches, teachers, business people) you will find some element that is lacking in competance and/or ethics. On the whole, AAU coaches have the best interest of the kids at heart and are interested in providing their players with positive experiences both in and out of the LIVE period.However, what is the AAU doing to better disseminate information about banned coaches to its general membership for the sake of other coaches, players, and parents? Some of the coaches who have run into ethical or legal problems have been high-profile coaches with considerable networks, and therefore, they are somewhat insulated. Some serious liability issues can be rasied in these cases, and the membership should NOT have to learn about them in Sports Illustrated. Bobby Dodd: Dear T Man: Thanks for the question and I agree with Mr. Fogler and Nolan Richardson that all organizations have a participant or two that you can't always control. The AAU prides itself in the fact that we have rules and the majority of our participants live by the rules. We are more than aware that our charge is to continue to strive toward helping the youth with proper supervision. Thanks for your comments and I think all people should be aware that we need to keep our programs as clean as possible. Sorry, we have to depart. We have enjoyed your questions and the opportunity to chat with you. SPORTS FOR ALL, FOREVER! | ALSO SEE Show 18 transcript: Big Business of Summer Basketball Archive: Audio chat session on summer basketball dilemma, with author Dan Wetzel, ESPN.com's Andy Katz Send feedback to the weekly OTL show Weekly Outside the Lines show Transcripts, videos of weekly OTL show Mission statement of weekly Outside the Lines show | |||||