- East Bay Prep Corner
Vierra to step down as O’Dowd coach
By Jimmy Durkin
Thursday, March 8th, 2012 at 3:22 pm in Uncategorized.
Here’s a link to the press release. We’re hoping to have a story with some additional reaction and information up later. Longtime assistant and O’Dowd graduate Lou Richie will be the successor.
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March 9th, 2012 at 8:23 am
Coach Vierra took over at Oakland High my senior year. He took an underachieving bunch of kids, and taught us to play hard and as a team. We won the OAL that year… It’s a memory I’ve never forgotten!
Thank you Coach Vierra for the team dinners, rides to and from practice, and patience with our style. You’re a great coach and an even better man!
March 9th, 2012 at 11:19 pm
Dont stop coaching Doug, not sure why your stepping down, and I hope they aren’t trying to force you out bro! U have done an awesome job over there every single year, keep doing your thing. Go back to O-High!
March 12th, 2012 at 3:20 pm
I have always liked Doug as a man and as a coach his credentials speak for themselves. Whether he was “pushed” out or not you have to admire the way he left, seemingly on his own terms removed from any turmoil. Lou is the right man for that job and this has been a longtime coming. I know he will help O’Dowd keep their “appeal” to potential hoopers, Lou has a great and positive personality that is contagious. Good luck to both men on their current paths, which I know will lead to success.
March 12th, 2012 at 11:21 pm
Well it seems like you have made my point Tenured coached, i can already tell you he was pushed out, he is still young and does a great job, why leave now, somebody up there is hatin on him and the bottom line is that this stuff has to stop! Trying to push other guys into a spot, not cool at all. Dont know Lou, dont care to know him, but heard many good things about him. Hope he does well, but hate to see Doug choose to leave becuz cats want him out!
March 13th, 2012 at 11:45 am
While I am a bigger football fan than basketball fan, I catch a few BOD games and watch a few practices a year. You might call me a big Coach Vierra fan. If BOD wins NorCal that makes it four trips to state game in six years? Enough said regarding his ability as a coach to win games. In addition, he also excels in setting high standards, holding kids accountable and being fair and firm. His teams play competitive; they are in shape and the chemistry is balanced.
Yet, as Moreaufan 2 points out, something does not add up on the hilltop. Far to much coincidence with the other multiple coaching changes at BOD since the current administration (or should we say president) arrived on the scene. It has become clear to me in a few “conversations” I have had with the president that he believes that he has all the answers and his way is the only way to skin the cat, so to speak. Other employees/teachers/coaches on the campus refer to him as a micromanager. They ask “Who’s next”? Some say BOD is a toxic place to coach. I have also overheard the president openly critical of other coaches on his campus when he is speaking to complete starngers. He will talk with anyone who is “lucky enough” to be trapped by him in his one-way conversations. He offers no support to coaches who want to run their own programs their way and who don’t subscribe to his myopic perspectives on coaching and relating to teenagers. How pathetic and how sad! It is only time before Coach K, Malik, Cobb and others will fall under the president’s “bus” and get pushed out.
Make no mistake, BOD is a one-man show; a know-it-all who undermines the credibility and effectiveness of those HE hires to coach/teach. Many of us old timers around BOD look at one another and just shake our heads and ask when will someone in a position to act start asking questions. Doug Vierra stepping away, for whatever reason, is a major red flag.
March 13th, 2012 at 11:55 am
Looks like we’ve got a new cardinal up at the hilltop.
Interesting, how coaches come and go yet the BB coach who was guilty of child molestation years back got a free pass until the case caught up with him- family ties at BO cause that?
March 13th, 2012 at 12:58 pm
The adminstration at ODowd has been exposed.
March 13th, 2012 at 2:20 pm
So bad how this whole thing has spiraled out of control up on the hill. what use to be a beacon of light in Oakland is loosing its luster and appeal and its Institutional and thats why it wont change.
#1- The coach prior to Vierra was forced out. If i can recall he had won the only state championship out of the previous 3 coaches. He was forced out for reasons that most of us on this board already know….. the same reason many local mid-major coaches cant get big conference gigs…….
#2- They (BOD) replaced the previous coach with Vierra, which was seen at the time a coup, but basketball guys new Vierra being a dam good coach at Oakland High and teaching at BOD would be a easy transition. Doug has done insanely good in his 6 years….. ridiculous record ( think its in the 80%) and 3 nor cal titles, a couple of league titles, and a couple of NCS titles….. Why in the world would you want to replace a coach doing a job as good as this?
I think I know why……. athletes…..specifically african american athletes do not want to go to BOD anymore. There are many reasons why but this move is more about trying to still make BOD attractive to athletes rather than coaching. I have heard from several perspective students parents that they are sending their kids to other private schools. The departure of Ashley last year, the academic troubles of some young up and coming athletes, and the perception of BOD sports specifically basketball, The ousting of the football coach, and many other things has the Administrations scrambling to bring some sort of stability to the sinking ship. Lou is the schools attempt to fix the many problems.
I actually think he is a great hire, but the way they did this to Doug, during a state title run is really bad taste. Vierra did not want out, trust me. There is no way he wanted out, but he is loyal and diode what was asked of him.
Lou will be successful and hopefully stabilize and teetering program, but if the Admin doest address the bigger problems that BOD has, we will be reading how Lou will be stepping down to move on to a better situation.
March 14th, 2012 at 12:11 pm
Wow.So Intheknow says african american athletes do not want to go to OD anymore.Really?Do you know why Ashley left?He left because a scum ball AAU coach hooked up with his mother and convinced her to send her son to LV beause it would enhance his NBA future and he could become his agent.It sure seems to me that there are a whole lot of talented african american student athletes up on the hilltop.My perspective in talking to people there is that the school is getting better.Vierra is a very good man and a very average coach in my opinion.Whether he was forced out,I don’t know the answer to that.I do know that from a cold blooded basketball perspective he has underachieved based on the talent and playing div 3.There is a huge difference between playing Div-3 and Div-1.That being said,I would be happy to have my son play for an avg.x and o guy who is a good man like Vierra.Lou Ritchie is a good man also and we will see how he does.
March 14th, 2012 at 12:21 pm
Change is tough.Just ask President Obama.I sense that most of you who are trashing the new admin are old Perenon lovers.The football program has been changed 100 % for the better with Nickerson,but you can’t make everyone happy all of the time.
March 14th, 2012 at 2:16 pm
@Hoops:
Thanks for educating me on expectations concerning high school basketball coaches. I now know that a coach who wins over 80% of his games, has three state title game appearances in 5 years and headed for a 4th in six years, and is, in your own words a very good man, competes well against high level competition and can balance the chemistry of the current state of high school basketball youth and their parents (AAU influence on the kids) is underachieving! Well, okay then.
Next thing that will be stated on this blog is that Vierra did not get enough players scholarships. What a joke! How many D-1 players are at BOD now on this current team? We won’t know until the college coaches actually offer those kids a scholarship. Do the kids have grades necessary to get thru the clearinghouse? What about SAT scores?
What’s your point about bringing up the old FB coach? If the BOD FB program has improved/changed 100% with the new coach that is wonderful. Many of us (including some current members of the administration) would strongly disagree with your perspective, but you are fully entitled to it. The old FB coach has nothing to do with the behavior and style of the current president at BOD. It seems as if you are dismissing the opinions of others and trying to categorize them as faulty because of your contention that they are “perenon lovers” – whatever that means. Re read all of the above blogs.
You are right about one thing: you can’t make everyone happy all of the time.
Maybe if your BOD president kept his mouth shut and actually supported his coaches, more of your people at BOD would be happy!
March 14th, 2012 at 4:11 pm
@ Hoops Part 2:
BTW: Since you brought up how much the FB program has improved at BOD under the new coach, tell me what they have accomplished that wasn’t achieved under Perenon? League titles? Done under Perenon. My point is the new coach has yet to win the NCS. Which was done under Perenon 3 times. BOD not winning it all this past season was, in my opinion, a massive underachievement. BOD had as much talent as anyone I saw play last year. Losing to Campo was disappointing simply because BOD had more athletic ability, more depth, more speed, more size … but got outcoached by Macy and his staff. That makes teo years in a row that an undersized, less talented team beat BOD in the quarterfinals.
My point is this: when Perenon had teams comparable in talent and ability to this years’ BOD squad, BOD won NCS titles. Not so with this staff now at BOd so far.
March 14th, 2012 at 4:17 pm
EB…Again I am talking being cold blooded in evaluating winning and losing games.There were playoff losses like against Campolindo that should not have happened.If you have the best talent in your division and fail to close the deal…..I do not believe they have been in the state final 3 of the last 5 years,but I may be wrong.Anyway,I agree with you that he should not have been forced out if that is the case.I good man that does a good overall job in today’s coaching environment is tough to find.My only negative about Viera is that he is avg at best with the x’s and o’s,but the other positives he brings are more important.If the president is openly criticizing his coaches he should keep it shut,but as I said change is tough for people,especially people set and comfortable in their ways.That is why it is called change and people often do not like it.From what I have learned,the overall school has improved greatly under the new admin and is one of the most respected schools in the state.I know people at the school and you know people at the school and it is interesting that we have such a different view of things.I do know that the overall athletic program the last few years has been the strongest by far in the schools history so there must be some positive support somewhere.There has also been a lot of advances made academically and in modernizing the school.Vierra isn’t perfect,Nickerson isn’t perfect,the admin isn’t perfect.Change is tough and you cannot make everyone happy.You stated how tough it is to coach a team.Well it is a little tougher to run an entire school.We can agree on that.
March 14th, 2012 at 4:32 pm
EB..I am not getting into the old Perenon stuff and should not have brought him up.But I was right about you being a Perenon guy.We can argue forever just like the far right and the far left and it is a waste of both of our time.You did state that OD lost to Campo in FB because they were outcoached by a team that had inferior talent.Exactly the point I was making about Viera and the teams they have lost to in the playoffs.And again,I still believe Vierra should continue on if he chooses.
March 14th, 2012 at 5:32 pm
There’s not much differance between ODowd, Salesian, DeLaSalle, Jesuit and Mitty in BB.
All are strong traditional well coached programs. Someone has to win and someone has to loose.
These programs have been exceptional for many, many years.
When you play 30 game seasons, a loss late in the year is it.
Again, someone wins, someone looses.
Some coaches are disciplinarians and others let their teams let lose. The style is dicated by talent. The talented teams don’t always win and sometimes talent with the right matchup wins out.
ODowd has done a great job the last 6 years, just like their history dictates.
Not everyone is going to win state.
Hell, years ago it was the TOC. Never saw the southland except early season and some tourneyment matchups. Could of Berkeley beat Bill Walton’s Helix team? Frenso’s SJ Memorial with Cliff Poindexter came up and destroyed the TOC.
March 14th, 2012 at 8:26 pm
Hoops … Your point about Vierra still does not make any sense to me. If BOD beats the #1 seed in Norcal Sat night then they advance to state title game for third consecutive year and third in five seasons. 3 consecutive NorCal titles (or even just 2 if the lose to SHC) is evidence enough of his coaching ability. Vierra has proven that is among the elite HS coaches in NorCal … and that he is, as some posters state, a better man, makes many of us wonder what is going on at BOD. You sound like someone who is around BOD alot. Maybe you can get your motor-mouthed president to keep his rear end in his office, raise some money and leave the coaching to the coaches and the second-guessing to experts such as you and I!
Nothing wrong with change , as long as it is not change for the sole sake of change. Yes, I am a “Perenon guy”, as well as a Vierra guy, a Coach K guy and a fan of many of the other coaches that have been eliminated since your current president took control of the school. Many of us ask each other why these changes have been made and why the need for so many coaching changes?
Regarding FB (which is my favorite sport): I know BOD has won back to back HAAL titles, first ones since 1999. Yet, let’s be real with each other. The HAAL is a shadow of itself in the sport of football the past two seasons. SL, Hayward, CV, Arroyo are shells of themselves from the late 1990′s and early-mid 2000′s. BOD has beaten the teams they were supposed to beat in most cases (should have won over Campo and Cardinal Newman based on talent and size/speed advantages). They have not really won a game where it could be called an upset. The squad sizes are similar; the numbers playing in the lower levels actually appear to be declining since the coaching change. As I have stated in prior posts, the team looks like they lack conditioning when compared to Perenon’s squads. And I will leave the posturing nonsense (Tennyson game) alone for now. Perenon ran the program with the concept of “team” as the priority. Many complaints around the hilltop that Nickerson prioritized Hardy Jr as the focal point. This came from players, parents and BOD staff members. But, yu know what, Coach P is doing his thing at Mt Eden and Nickerson is at BOD.
But none of our ramblings alter the fact that your president actively undercuts his own people and compromises his coaches ability to manage their programs according to their own personalized coaching styles. Lord help any BOD coach who has a viewpoint that differs from your president. You will be reading about their departures also. Just a question: does BOD have an AD or is that person a puppet for the dictatorial president? And to think, this is just high school athletics!
BTW: your president does not limit his diatribes to coaches only. He will run down a teacher just as ruthlessly in the presence of parents and total strangers! I guess power corrupts.
March 15th, 2012 at 9:13 am
it is what it is, move on.
March 15th, 2012 at 9:56 am
@BBFAN2
“It is what it is” … does that phrase make the behavior of the BOD admin (president) okay? Justifiable? “Move on” … are you suggesting that bloggers should not be questioning the behaviors and decisions regarding good coaches and good men at BOD that seem to be underhanded and undermining, at the least?
BBFAN2, something for you to ponder: I have a sense that you are a parent of a BB player at BOD. If you are pleased with your son’s experience there have you communicated that positive feedback to his coach? To his teachers? If you/your son have not been satisfied with his experience, have you communicated THAT lack of satisfaction to his coach? To his teachers? Or, have you bypassed the coaches/teachers and gone directly to “the top” with your complaints? If the later is your choice of actions, then you, also, have served to undermine the ability of the coach to do his/her job in coaching your child. Have you had serious, on-going talks with your child about the expectations of his coaches/teachers regarding his sport(s)/classes? Are you encouraging your child to meet the expectations of the coach? Or do you expect the coach to set up a series of differing expectations for each member of the team?
As I have watched BOD “change” over the past six years, it has become apparent to me (and a whole bunch of others, as well) that this president and admin cater to the needs of “everyone” at the expense of fostering a sense of what is best for the “greater good” of the whole. Coach Vierra is about team. Yet the more athletic and talented kids do shine, earn their post season awards and get offered college scholarships – as long as their grades and test scores are aligned appropriately. The chemistry is balanced from my point of view.
My point is that BOD is out of sorts. It is not okay for nor should it be acceptable for the president of the institution – the face of the school, its leader and chief role model – to run down his employees/ teachers/coaches as he does. It is also poor practice to accept/allow parents to have an audience with the president to vent their complaints about a teacher/coach
/employee without first dialoging with said teacher/coach/employee. Many use the term “toxic”, others use “dysfunctional” to describe the climate and behaviors of those governing the once bright-shining beacon on the hilltop and the work environment there now. Rest assured, there are far more than just me who see it and feel it. Other bloggers have opened up this discussion. This topic should not be simply dismissed because, as you state, “it is what it is”. Those governing the school should also be held accountable for the words they claim in their charism and core values to guide their purposes. BBFAN2, you come off as myopic as the president of your high school. Sad. Bordering on pathetic.
March 15th, 2012 at 10:20 am
EB FB Fan & Hoops:
I have close friends at BOD as well as friends who have gone there in the past, so I have some perspective on this. Vierra is a good man, but he has proven to be an average coach. As Hoops accurately pointed out, he has had exceptional talent, which has taken him as far as it could. When he has run up against a team with similar talent, his team typically loses (Castro Valley last year, for example). This is not to knock him – he has just not shown himself to be a great x’s and o’s guy (I think he was a football player in college). That being said, I take Doug at his word – High School coaching at a high level is incredibly stressful and time-consuming. As these blogs demonstrate, coaches are under constant scrutiny, which can be painful. I think he just wanted some time off, like he said.
Regarding the BOD president, I am not sure what EB is talking about. Since his arrival, BOD’s academic rating has soared, applications are up, and the four winter sports teams all just won NCS championships. They have a strong and active AD, who seems to be independent but supported by the president. What’s not to like?
Finally, with regard to Football, it is hard to argue that Nickerson has not done a good job. He has initiated a very organized program which focuses on conditioning and commitment, and his record speaks for itself. I agree he probably got outcoached against Campo this year, but you need to remember that this is only his second year of head coaching at any level. It will be very interesting to see how BOD does in the new league this year.
March 15th, 2012 at 10:33 am
EB….As I stated,if the pres is running his mouth as you say,than he should keep it shut.For the last time,I do not think Vierra should be forced out.The fact that a team wins nor cal,when they have vastly superior talent to the other Div 3 schools does not mean the coach is a great coach.I am not saying Vierra is a bad coach.He is a good coach,with great values and very avg in terms of x’s and o’s.Is he being forced out?I don’t know.If he is being forced out I think the admin is wrong.In the case of Perenon ,I believe the admin was right.I will say that you have very strong negative opinions of an administration that has transformed the school into the 21st century.I can see your intense loyalty to Perenon and that is clearly the basis of your hatred of the new admin who removed him.I am not going to waste our time rehashing the saga of Perenon,but I will say that myself and MANY other people have a totally different view than you and his supporters.It is pointless to continue this discussion because we both know where it will end up.I hope OD and Vierra win it all,he deserves it.OD is a great school and getting better,even if the pres has a big mouth.
March 15th, 2012 at 10:47 am
EB…My final thought on OD.Acadmic ratings are up,the school is being recognized as one of the most innovative and top schools in the state and the overall athletic program has reached a level of success unheard of in the history of the school.Tough to argue how horrible the new admin is.As I said nobody is perfect and you can’t make everyone happy.
March 15th, 2012 at 12:10 pm
Hoops …
Who/What educational organization is recognizing BOD, in your words, as one of the most innovative and top schools in the state? I believe that BOD was named as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the US Dept of Ed in the late 80′s or early 90′s, according to school literature. And has long been known as an outstanding college prep secondary school. Nothing new with that. As a matter of fact, when my kids attended BOD, the school touted itself as “Excellence in Education”. New admin has nothing to do with the achievements that BOD had prior to their arrival in the fall of 2005.
Athletically, if I recall, BOD was selected as Cal Hi Medium School of the Year in the ’90′s. New admin had nothing to do with that, either. Nor with the decades of success BOD has had PRIOR to these new admins arriving in 2005. Yes, winning NCS in both soccer events and both bball events is commendable. But it has been done before (and in one of those years the FB team also won an NCS title). Ah, Hoops, you are not doing well as a revisionist historian. I have been around too long for you! LOL! My kids went to BOd in the 90′s and my last attended during the first years of the, as you say, new admin. My last child fully regretted the admin changeover and did not find these new faces to be what she wanted in a school leadership position. She felt that the principal (Salamack) was miscast for the position and did the students a disservice by trying to be their friend, as opposed to holding the students to the rules and expectations of the institution. And she was totally uncomfortable every time he tried to shake her hand. Still gives her the creeps when it is brought up. And she said that the president (Steve Phelps) was a weird, strange man who talked alot but said nothing.
Lastly, you are correct that nobody is perfect and you can’t make everyone happy. But that perspective does not justify the toxic manner in which your president undermines his coaching and teaching staff. NO excuses for that, no matter how “well” you perceive the school to be doing. BTW, what coach is next to “step down”?
March 15th, 2012 at 12:15 pm
@EF FB FAN,
Yes, I am a parent of a BOD student-athlete(BB)and I think that you are doing Coach V a disservice by insinuating he was”pushed” out when he chose to resign. “it is what it is” means, getting on a highschool sports blog and bashing the admin over the fact that a coach decided to resign is useless. A blog is not going to produce results either way. I won’t even answer as to whether or not I communicate satisfaction or dissatisfaction or go through the proper channels. I am not sure if you are part of the Odowd community, but I think it’s in bad taste to get on a blog and air what you consider BOD’s dirty laundry if you are. Of course everything is not perfect but overall, I think Odowd has a great community(students,parents,teachers,etc.)
March 15th, 2012 at 1:01 pm
Hoops and Jfree,
I do not “hate, as you say, the new admin nor the president. I comment on only what I see and observe. I have no “intense loyalty” to Perenon. I happen to have a kid who played for him. I observed multiple practices, games and team dinners over the years (before my kid arrived, while he played in the program and after my kid graduated). I still get out to watch practices and catch a handful of games under Nickerson. My point is that, in my opinion, the players were better coached, better prepared and more unified as a team under Perenon. Practices were better organized, were more physical and conditioning received more attention under Perenon than Nickerson. Nothing more than my perspectives based on my observations. Yes, I do respect the long run of success Coach Perenon had at BOD. I respect and admire how he went about his business and that all of the players were coached the same. “Equal opportunity for all – special privleges for none” is what I heard him say often. The one thing that I was always most impressed with, though, was how he did hold the more talented players (Brown, Martin, Ward, etc. in the last years) to higher levels of expectations. I asked him once about that. He explained to me that when he had a kid who showed unique talent he would let the kid know that the young man had more to gain with FB (college, scholarship, and beyond) than most all of the other participants. Perenon also would tell the kid that since he had more to gain in Fb then he would have more to lose if the he abused and neglected his talent and did not do the necessary things to maximize his potential. Hence, he would actually be more demanding of the more talented kids and at times less tolerant when those kids were not taking care of their business in either football, academics or home life. He was actually getting them ready for the next phases of their careers while also coaching them as high schoolers. I don’t think most HS coaches are like that, at least the ones I have observed. I know that some of the big names did not like that there was a higher level of expectation placed on them. But Perenon’s record with the more talented players shows that those who bought in to what he was doing for them learned it in HS and did not have to struggle when they went on to college. Those that fought it, or had their parents run interference for them or make excuses and place blame on the coach, did not learn about what was coming in their futures and struggled/are struggling once they left BOD. I also know how far Perenon extended himself to assist his players in the recruiting process (even after BOD did not renew his contract, I observed him in his office making DVDs and phone calls for TJ King, Trent Trammel, Tyrone Ward, Chad Washington and even for hardy Jr.). I respect Coach Perenon, plain and simple.
And he and his staff were never “outcoached” in my opinion. When they got beat it was by a superior opponent, who was well coached and made plays. BOD was rebuilding in his last year there (’09) and they did play a highly favored team close well into the 4th quarter in the NCS play off game. His ’08 team finished 10-2, lost to MC in the 2nd round and played the last five games of the season with a WR/DB at QB. And he was dealing with some questionable characters on his roster, who we all know and who will remain nameless in this post. I also often heard him take the “blame” and accept the responsibility for losses, never publically throwing his kids under the bus. Some current “high profile” coaches in the East bay should take note.
I have made my point known about the current BOD president. Just my observations based on first-hand experiences with that him and being around him. Not many folks on that campus that I speak with enjoy working for him. Many report that they “go in another direction” when they see him coming and fear that he will somehow turn on them.
March 15th, 2012 at 1:35 pm
@BBFAN2 …
The inference that Coach Vierra was “pushed” out was initially made by Moreaufan2, Tenured Coach and reinforced by YoMama. I am also suggesting that something is out of sorts in BOD land. No dirty laundry here. Just the facts, my friend. I do believe that all is not being said relative to the politics at your school. Too many have commented here and off the blog that suggests a foul scent surrounding the athletic department at BOD. A blog is not designed to “produce results”. A blog is designed to allow a forum for opines (like mine and yours) and give and take.
Glad for you that you feel the way you do about BOD. After 3 kids and nearly 2 decades associated there as a parent and fan, I wish I could feel the same way.
But, you have to admit that I “nailed” your connection to BOD. I only hope that you were as up front and credible with your relationships and communcations with your kids teachers and coaches as you want me (us) to be
on this blog.
The BOd coaching merry-go-round has found its way into public forums. If BOd does not release its business (see the press release issued by the school and released to the media last Thursday) then this “stuff” just becomes speculation.
And, BTW, I have not bashed the admin over a coach resigning. I am questioning the competence and professionalism of the school’s public face – its president – and his merciless treatment of long standing and loyal employees. You wouldn’t want your superiors/bosses to tell your customers and/or fellow employees, potential clients, etc about how incompetent you are, what you lack, or anything related to your job performance, would you? I didn’t think so. When your president does that sort of “trifling” it is destructive to your community, undermining of the coaches/teaching staff and sends the most inappropriate message to your constituent. Your product is being severely compromised by the inability of your president to function in a healthy manner. I f he cannot function in a healthy manner and is doing irrational things like bad-mouthing his staff, what might his admin team (including your AD) be saying/doing? I have heard organizations such as this referred to as a “snake pit”. And the school has a charism, a mission statement and core values? The school leader and his minions should follow their own script. Yet, as you say, it is a “great community”. From my POV, the president should should be sending a press release announcing his resignation and taking with him some of the other dysfunctional pieces as he heads out the door.
March 15th, 2012 at 5:38 pm
EB…You are EXTREMELY biased in your opinions.I have been around for a very long time as well and you apparently have the ability to see only what you want to see.You are becoming very personal in your attacks and it is clear you have an axe to grind.The overall success and improvements in the school the past 5 years clearly cannot be denied by a rational human being.What it comes down to is this.If you,for example,believe Sara Palin should be the next president of the USA and worship Rush Limbaugh you will see nothing positive in ANYTHING Obama says or does.The former fb coach at OD is your Palin so to speak.Your view of Perenon is such a polar opposite of mine that we cannot even discuss it.The reason I brought him up initially was that generally speaking the PP supporters were the admin critics for obvious reasons.Anyway it is a waste of my time and yours so Iam done.
March 15th, 2012 at 7:55 pm
Eb,,,,What started out as a discussion about Vierra quitting has morphed into you attacking the president of OD.I guess all of the people I know are afraid of him and say good things out of fear of reprimand.I will end this on a different note.You are an avid supporter of PP and consider him to be a great man and a great coach.I on the other hand disagree with your opinion.I would put forth the argument that a great coach would be able to turn Mt.Eden’s program around.Let us come back in 2 years and see how Mt.Eden’s football team is doing and we will also see how the overall school at OD is doing under their incompetent leader.And please do not compare Vierra to PP BECAUSE THERE IS NO COMPARISON.Now I am done.
March 15th, 2012 at 7:59 pm
Hoops … you said you were done in your previous post. But, as a true revisionist historian here you are still rewriting the story.
My feelings and opinions are formulated on what I have observed and from what first-hand experiences I have had with your president at BOd and from my experiences being around Coach Perenon and other coaches at BOD. What is your connection to BOD (I have revealed mine in previous posts)? And to Coach Perenon? And to Coach Vierra?
You continue to reference that it’s only Perenon supporters who are critical of the current BOD admin. Coach P has moved on. I am extremely disappointed in the manner in which the president of your school conducts his business with regard to his employees (coaches and teachers). Read my other posts. Please show me that the BOD athletic department has not become a coaching merry-go-round. What are the circumstances surrounding the lacrosse coaching change? Ask some questions and you will get a familiar answer. All signs point at your president. I personally had your president criticize the performance of your lacrosse coach to me when I was at a baseball game last Spring. I had to stop him, excuse myself and walk away. That is what, as you state, I “see”. Pathetic. Unprofessional. And I wonder what else he has said to others about your current coaches in all sports. And your president wouldn’t know me from the next visitor on your campus. Please try to justify his behavior so that I can change my point of view of the toxic nature of your situation at BOD.
March 16th, 2012 at 1:34 pm
Hoops (again!) … If you read the entire stream of posts on this blog, you will find the following:
1. The blog began with the statement from BOD announcing Coach Vierra is “stepping down” as BBall coach.
2. The first post was a testimonial to Coach Vierra
3. The next posts, from Moreaufan2 and Tenured Coach raised the issue of Coach Vierra being “pushed out”, and I followed it with posts concerning my point of view on something being out of sorts at BOD. I reported on my observations concerning the behavior of the president of BOD and his undermining of the coaches and teachers at BOD (all based on first-hand experiences a along with input from others connected at BOD).
4. You and a few other bloggers have weighed in with your points of view (notice that I have not challenged any of your opinions – just make sure to keep the history real!). Re read Inntheknow, BigDog, Yomama for others commenting on the perception of what went down concerning Coach Vierra. Not my posts.
5. You (Hoops) chose, in post #10, the bring up Coach Perenon’s name and lump anyone raising an issue with the new admin (your president) to being Coach Perenon lovers. I did not mention Coach P’s name in any of the posts until you opened that door.
6. You then proceeded to, for what reason I don’t know, make some ridiculous statement about what Coach P needs to accomplish at Mt Eden as a validation of his coaching abilities. None of this has anything to do with Coach P and mt. Eden. Perenon did great things at BOD – that is a fact. What he accomplished at BOD has no impact on what will transpire at Mt. Eden.
Hoops, if there is any denial on this blog I suggest you look into your mirror. You will discover the source of your frustration and where the blinders are being worn. BOD may have made strides in academics, etc. as you and others point out. But any strides made during the past few years by the new admin are overwhelmed by the dysfunctional manner in which your president operates his institution. And, you cannot deny that the BOD athletic department resembles a revolving door with regard to coaching changes. Why? An institution such as BOD, that you claim is so successful and improved shouldn’t be in such a flux. That type of situation is reserved for places that are broken. No way was BOD broken when this new admin group came in.
March 16th, 2012 at 1:47 pm
EB….I have no experience with the pres shooting his mouth off and being critical of coaches in public.I will take you at your word on that .The pres if doing this should refrain from it.I know that he use to coach so he probably looks at coaches differently than an admin who was only an academic.That is not an excuse and that behavior, I would agree is unprofessional.As I said,nobody is perfect and that apparently is one of his imperfections and it he should be called out on it.BUT…….to say that he is incompetent,toxic along with some of your other comments shows an intense personal bias.He stepped into a difficult situation where the old guard was coasting along into retirement and had to make some painful changes to bring the school into the 21st century.Of course the group most connected to the old guard,you, is not going to be happy.He has in my opinion,made a lot of tough but correect choices to improve the school and the educational experience of the students.I sincerely doubt that he sat down knowing the firestorm it would bring,and made the personnel changes he made lightly.In his opinion it was best for the school or he would not have done it.It is always easy to do nothing and not rock the boat.Just take a look at our wonderful public school system.You are an intelligent man and I really believe that you can understand the point that because OD has been good academically traditionally,does not mean that it cannot or should not strive to get better,WHICH IT HAS.The school has been transformed into a cutting edge modern institution.I also totally disagree with your evaluation of the athletic dept.Never has OD been so good in every sport.Do they even have a sport that they are not dominant or very good in?If you can see nothing positive the pres has done in his time there then you have a serious problem dealing with reality.Regarding the coaching merry -go-round,exactly how many sports have had new coaches in the last couple of years that the pres fired or forced out???And before you name Vierra,I did a little research into that and he has been saying for a couple years that he just wanted to get out and be an assistant in fb and maybe bskb.I promise this is my last post.I am truly tired of this.I will,on my word of honor,talk to someone who knows the pres very well and get the message delivered about his public comments about coaches.
March 16th, 2012 at 1:59 pm
Eb…I just saw your last post so here I go again.I really question how a dysfunctional ath dept could be winning championships in virtually every sport,and why more and more great athletes keep choosing to come to the school and applications are up in a terrible economy.I am sorry burt your evaluation of the ath progam does not hold water when you look at the facts.Your opinion of the ath prog is a personal biased observation not based on the overwhelming evidence to the contrary.now I am turning off the comp and I am really done.
March 16th, 2012 at 2:15 pm
Let”s be honest, Perenon and Vierra were pushed out by the President. What is going on up there?
March 16th, 2012 at 3:07 pm
The same stuff that went on years back. Always an elist school with a lot of sissies.
We routed them in football, hung in in BB with all that Odowd talent, beat ‘em in baseball and ran with them in track. The atheletes were OK, actaully some good guys. The rest of the school were pussies, in fact their male population was called the women of ODowd. Remember crashing some parties and taking their real women out to El Cerrito to Doggie Diner to eat a hot dog, chilidog of course.
They dared crossing senior park one night after a basketball game and some football players ran their boys cheerleaders pansie asses up an oak tree at Perelta Park. we even got their statue out in front of the building one nite and burned SM in their field
March 16th, 2012 at 3:27 pm
Remember going to one of their parties in the Oakland Hills. Had the northern california beer drinking champ with us. After he drank them under the table, he went outside to stand on his head to show them he was still functional. The ODowd guys urinated on him.
There was 6 of us, after seeing that a couple of well placed punches to the heads and jaws of the attackers was all it took. The six of us cleared the deck of 30 ODowd punks. Then decided to trash the house so the rich parents out of town could see what their sissie kids caused us to do. We never took any crap from ODowd, NEVER.
March 16th, 2012 at 3:43 pm
I completely relate to the posts from EB FB FAN. Hoops doesn’t know the history of O’Dowd academics nor athletics well. O’Dowd has been a top notch school for decades in academics and athletics. Basketball for years (boys and girls), baseball, football, track (Coach Green), soccer (both boys and girls), Volleyball; many league and NCS champs, sometimes many in one school year (like this year). But, as EB FB FAN points out, the coaching changes never went down like they have since the priests left. Yes, the school has changed. It started to change my junior year. And alot of us who were there during that time were very skeptical of the new people. It does not surprise me that this stuff is happening up there now. The alums I speak with are not happy with the attitude and message that comes out of O’Dowd now. Seems all they want is money and donations. Can anyone explain to us why Mr. Roza and Mr. Rossi are no longer there? What about Ms. Bonjean? These were some of our favorite teachers and good people. They were all very dedicated to O’Dowd and don’t think they would have left on their own. Does lacrosse have a new coach? What about Coach Newman?
March 16th, 2012 at 3:44 pm
Wow- brings back memories. Remember DLS boys attacking St. Mary’s campus in ’69. Senior class pres was dating girl from CHS, found out details and had over 40 guys waiting for DLS at Perelta Park one nite.
DLS got it’s clocked cleaned. Bats, chains and cars!
Interesting, a lot of the same guys that played Riordan at El Cerrito under the lites earlier that season, coach told the bench to charge the field after SM running back caused a fight with Riordan players. Big mistake- Riordan had lots of toughs on that team from the city. Several SM players, including the running back who caused it, put out for the year. Lots of black eyes and cuts the following Monday morning, including both St. Mary’s ball boys(Frosh) also beat up.
Moral of the story, don’t mess with Catholic schools.
March 16th, 2012 at 4:05 pm
Any one ever think Vierra knows his team will be average at best nest year. their are only 2 players that get any minutes this year and thats Gomes and RAbb… he has by far had the best players in the NCS for the last 5 yrs….Midas well go out on top
March 16th, 2012 at 8:15 pm
Beg to differ with ya Dragon; my opinion is the best talent in E Bay / nCS over the past five years in basketball has been at Salesian in Richmond; they can line it up with anyone in NoCal or SoCAl; maybe not win each time out, but sure make it dang close. DLS maybe next; O’Dowd somewhere in top 10. I knew Coach Vierra while in HS; great teacher, hard worker, fair and demanding. His team is proving that they might just be better off without Ashley; playing as a team, no distractions; as another O’Dowd coach would say “addition by subtraction” (great line, never forgot it!)
March 17th, 2012 at 9:42 am
Actually it was a covert operation by the pilots.
March 17th, 2012 at 1:27 pm
Congrats to the OD girls and their Nor Cal title probably the most talented girls team I have ever seen in the east bay with all key players back next year.Congrats also to the boys for a good year and best of luck to coach Vierra,a good man.
March 17th, 2012 at 1:51 pm
EB…One last thing I forgot to mention in our discussions…the current pres is the one who hired Vierra,clearly a good decision,who coached for 6 seasons and retired for reasons he clearly stated and are consistent with what I have heard the last couple of years.In this day and age of AAU influence and crazy parents,unless you are a real basketball junkie,which Vierra is not,running a high level program forever is not in the cards.
March 17th, 2012 at 5:33 pm
Yes, current o’Dowd pres hired Vierra, but there is more to that hire than is being made known here. Actually, the current pres wanted to hire the JV coach, an o’dowd alum, for the var position after releasing former coach Morales, but many of the coaches on campus raised hell on behalf of hiring Doug. Pres backed off and did the right thing. Never got the feeling that he really believed in or supported Doug.
Coaching opinion: guard play is THE KEY to success in high school basketball, not big men. O’Dowd has not had a big time guard since Johnnie Bryant and, no matter who the coach was/is, the Dragons have struggled against teams with superior guards. Today’s game no different. O’Dowd point guard is good, but not the quality of SHC’s guys. Same thing in recent years, also. Doug (and Pete Morales, too) did a great job of getting his teams to NrCal and state games without great guards. Next coach will have similar results until guards like Salesian and DLS get come to O’Dowd. Maybe the pres needs to recruit some guards!!
March 17th, 2012 at 7:30 pm
Hoops Please… Can you say the same for Perenon? He was forced out too!
March 17th, 2012 at 8:33 pm
Vierra was not forced out.Perenon and Vierra are polar opposites as people and in the way they ran their programs.Different endings and different reasons.PP has a new job so lets just move on.I apologize for bringing up his name to begin with.Maybe they will beat OD next year
March 17th, 2012 at 10:15 pm
“Hoops”
You seem to have the inside track on BOD. The demographics have changed at BOD. Do you think that it is a coincidence that African Americans were hired as the head coach for football and now basketball?
March 17th, 2012 at 10:50 pm
Hey Hoops; Perenon and Vierra are not as polar opposite as people as you might want them to be. As a former basketball assistant coach at O’Dowd, I watched closely how Perenon ran his program and admired his ability to get results year after year. Some years great talent; some years he did it with smoke and mirrors. Just like Doug, Perenon was demanding, fair and had high expectations for his players on and off of the field. Always felt like we in the hoop program should have conditioned our players harder using Perenon’s program as a model.
March 19th, 2012 at 11:57 am
We all have our opinions and I respect but disagree with yours.I honestly would have to say neither one of them ever won anything using smoke and mirrors.As far as African Americans being hired I would guess it was because they were considered the best candidates for the job,not because of their ethnicity.Lou Ritchie has certainly paid his dues and was a good hire in my opinion and Nickersons qualifications are obvious and was also a good hire.
March 19th, 2012 at 12:25 pm
I guess it is time to put all of this to rest.This is my last post.Vierra is a very good man and an average coach with the x’s and o’s which he proved over his 6 years.I do not recall them ever beating a superior team but I do recall them losing a bunch of big games to teams with less talent.That is simply my opinion.If I had to choose between Vierra or a better x and o guy who was not as good with the kids,I would choose Vierra.I hate to even criticize Vierra at all because he is such a good man.This all started because someone said he was forced out and then it evolved.Would another coach have won more games?Who knows and at this point who cares.I hope Lou Ritchie does well but it of course is a difficult position to make everyone happy.
March 19th, 2012 at 4:52 pm
Ah, Hoops … you said in post #27 that you were done on this blog. But,seven posts later, you reiterate a final post. Your credibility certainly is open to be questioned. I agree with you (I can’t believe that I am writing that!) that Coach Vierra is a very good man. But, I find your logic and understanding of average to be flawed when we look at Vierra’s overall coaching record (over 80% win percentage). That ain’t average, my friend.
I also agree with former BOd ball coach who commented on the guards at BOD. Hit it dead on. Games that I have seen BOD lose over the past decade were against teams with better guard play. Name the last BOD guard to get a scholarship out of O’Dowd (probably Bryant). BOd’s guards were very good, but not elite. That has been the major difference in my opinion, not BOD losing to inferior talented teams as you suggest. And, just so you know, more people around the campus (at the game in Sactown) suggested that Coach Vierra’s retirement was not unilateral.
March 19th, 2012 at 5:52 pm
EB…I am sorry man but you just inspire me to post again.I know it is pathetic,toxic,wierd and unprofessional.I guess then that Vierra is lying about why he is retiring. WINNING 80 % OF YOUR GAMES IS MEANINGLESS IN DETERMINING HOW GOOD A COACH IS.What is important is what you do with your talent.You can do an awesome job and go 6-20 if you have no talent.As an example I would venture a guess that any faculty member on the entire staff at OD if forced to coach the girls BB team this year would have gone undefeated in the HAAL.Now please do no take that as a knock on the girls coach who I believe really improved and has done an excellent job this year.I never said Vierra was an avg coach overall.I said he was avg in terms of x’s and o’s which is only part of being a good coach.He had plenty of good guards in the last 6 years.Your opinion that he has to have div 1 guards to go along with all the great big guys he had to win is ridiculous.You can coach for 20 years and NEVER have a Div 1 player.Can you name me several big wins in the last 6 years that would be considered beating a better team where people walked away saying wow…a great win I didn’t think we could beat those guys.I know there were more than a few where people walked away saying we should have beat those guys.Great guy,great with the kids,good for the school,avg with the x’s and o’s.I rest my case.
March 21st, 2012 at 10:13 am
When are baseball ranking coming out?
March 21st, 2012 at 4:26 pm
Hacksaw, we’re aiming for next Wednesday. Who ya got up top?
March 22nd, 2012 at 9:29 am
I have been trying to get out to as many games as possible (the rain just killed last week), but here are my early thoughts (as always, I focus on this side of the tunnel) on some “under the radar” teams:
- Castro Valley. Solid team, maybe the best coach in the East Bay in Mario Eglesias, and some good young pitching, including the little brother of last year’s ace, Narahara. Just beat a good De LaSalle club.
- Bishop O’Dowd. Extremely young, but solid starters. Will lean on Dominic Miroglio for hitting (also probably one of the top catchers in Northern California), and lefty sophmore Channing Nisbett for pitching. Watch for them at the end of the season.
-St.Marys. With two top pitchers, Junior aces Devin Mahoney and Kevin Flemer, they will be in every game. Those guys can both hit, too. Another junior-heavy team that looks to get even better as the season goes on.
March 22nd, 2012 at 9:50 am
EastBay Ray, thanks. I’ve seen the St. Mary’s box scores as they get submitted and yeah, they look pretty set on the mound. I liked Nesbitt when I saw him last year. Gotta check out Castro Valley. Thanks again for the info.
March 22nd, 2012 at 11:31 am
This may be one of the strongest junior baseball classes in many years here in the East Bay. Along with Flemer at St.Mary’s and Miroglio at BOD, the best include Tenerowicz at Campo, and Mercado Hood at DeLaSalle. All have either committed to or are mulling over Div. 1 offers.
March 23rd, 2012 at 8:49 am
@ #50 Hoops, you asked if BOD had any big wins in the past 6 years “that would be considered beating a better team”. You may have rested your case, but I thought some additional information might be interesting.
Here is a list of wins for O’Dowd against higher ranked opponents in the past 5 years (Freeman Rankings):
2011-12 O’Dowd ranked #117 Nationally
#39 Centennial (Corona, CA) (61-54)
#41 Loyola (Los Angeles, CA) (67-58)
#106 St. Edward (Lakewood, OH) (57-54)
2009-10 O’Dowd ranked #113 Nationally
#39 Leuzinger (Lawndale, CA) (63-62)
2008-09 O’Dowd ranked #742 Nationally
#235 St. Anthony (Jersey City, NJ) (69-40)
#323 Newark Memorial (Newark, CA) (62-55)
#397 Castro Valley (CA) (56-47)
#662 Hayward (CA) (58-55)
2007-9 O’Dowd ranked #1803 Nationally
#370 Oakland (CA) (64-60)
#1063 San Leandro (CA) (61-48)
#1461 Garces (Bakersfield, CA) (83-73)
So that’s 11 wins against higher ranked opponents. In that same time frame, they lost 7 times to lower ranked opponents. That’s 11-7… Not too bad given the level of competition that BOD goes up against.
March 23rd, 2012 at 12:12 pm
Come on, Hoops … we are all eagerly awaiting your reply.
Those wins look like W’s against some big name programs.
I still stand by my assessment of BOD guards over the past 10 years. Great big men for the HS level; guard play a cut below in games BOD lost against teams that had better guards. I would compare Coach Vierra’s record and accomplishments right with those of Mike Phelps’ time at BOD – not quite as long a tenure, but equally successful in its own right. Coach Vierra did as well with his “talent” as Coach Phelps did with his while at BOD.
March 23rd, 2012 at 8:08 pm
EB….A big difference of course is Phelps played D1 and I would go out on a limb and say that no knowledgable basketball person has ever said that Vierra is as good a coach as Phelps,unless of course they have a personal animosity.By big wins I was referring to NCS finals,nor cal games or state finals.I can care less about some post that has teams ranked 400 or 1100 in the country by some service or games played in holiday tourneys out of the area.Of course one could also say in terms of guard play that there were plenty of good guards that could have been better if coached by someone a little better at developing guards and a little better in executing an offense.The difference between a pretty good coach and an exceptional coach is the ability for example to get wide open shots for their 3 point shooters vs. a hurried shot with a hand in your face.As an example the kid from Denmark last year was a GREAT shooter but because of they way they played he was always taking difficult shots instead of open on balance shots.I am sorry but when you have Ashley,and all the other big guys they had and you struggle to get good looks for your perimeter guys it says a lot about your ability as a tactician.Their is a fine difference that most people do not even realize that seperates coaches.Just like DLS football.They execute so much better than anyone else and you see the results when they destroy so many teams that are bigger and stronger.I am not saying Vierra never beat a good team in 6 years but I am saying they should have been better in terms of execution and based on x’s and o’s he is certainly not in the class of a Phelps or an Alloco.Lets just put the Vierra thread to rest.I have my opinion and you have yours.In terms of being an offensive tactician Vierra was very average.His strength as a coach was on the defensive end where they played solid D.As I said many times…a good man.
March 23rd, 2012 at 8:52 pm
Hoops, Just so you know Perenon did not want to leave BOD. After years of success he was let go. Horrible mistake!
March 23rd, 2012 at 10:12 pm
Hoops, why does everything you rail always end up with a “personal” stigma to them? My opinion is that Vierra was as productive during his tenure with his talent as Phelps was was his talent during his tenure. No animosity, not hating, nothing to do with anything but my take on Vierra’s six years when evaluated against Phelps’ years. Obviously Phelps had a longer tenure, but the numbers match up very evenly and Doug did have three trips to the state title game in six years. And, a good man, an honest man, a fair man. Those last few adjectives might make Doug the better “coach” at the end of the day. Just my opinion. Nothing more to it then that is how I see it.
March 24th, 2012 at 12:30 pm
EB….OK I understand what you are saying.To be honest the animosity statement was tied to the things you said about the pres.If you make statements like you did about the pres than I am assuming you would have a bias against the coach.Does that make sense?Anyway there is so much of it in our society now I feel like an idiot when I do it as well.When all is said and done it is really impossible to say who was a better coach in terms of motivation,life lessons and having a positive influence on a young person’s life.You would have to talk to all the players these guys coached and they are all going to have different opinions based on their individual relationship with the coach.It is quite possible that Vierra rates higher in that area but there is no way I really know that.It is much easier to evaluate the tangible things like skill development,the plays a team runs and how well they execute.To me,the bottom line that seperates average,good and exceptional coaches as tacticians is the ability to get your players easier shots and play to their individual strengths.I would respectfully say on that issue there is a large gap in the ability of the two coaches on the offensive end and they were both good on the defensive end.I am pretty sure if you talked to Vierra he would agree with the x’s and o’s assessment I gave.The bottom line is that it is all opinion and there is no way to ever really setttle the argument and less than 50 people in the world even care.
On a side note since we had argued about the pres so much,I forgot to mention an interestig experience I had a couple years ago.I was at a game sitting next to an african american man around 50 or so and the pres walked up to him and it seemed like they were old friends.I asked the man how he knew the pres and he told me that he played bb for him in cyo years ago.He said the pres taught and coached in the inner city for about 10 years or so and really did great things for a lot of kids in really difficult situations.He helped change a lot of lives.I had heard somebody talk about it before but did not realize he had spent so much time there.Anyway…..People all have their opinions about coaches,teachers,administrators and the truth is probably somewhere in the middle when you weigh all the positives and negatives.Running a school and not pissing some people off is impossible.Coaching a team in this day and age is impossible to do without having criticism from somebody.All I know is I would not want either of their jobs.
March 24th, 2012 at 1:42 pm
Speaking of coaches- Bob Salini- line coach at Alhambra and SMCHS R.I.P. 58 years young. Services/Memeorial at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church- 30 Mandalay Rd. off Broadway Terrace- Oakland, ca.
Sunday 3:00 pm, 3/25/12.
If yoy know Bob, please honor him with your pressence.
Great coach, great athelete, great man.
March 24th, 2012 at 2:30 pm
EB…Watching OD girls up 32-10 and looking great.I will predict next year they just may be be the most talented team,male or female, in the history of east bay prep basketball.Only criticism is they have too many careless turnovers but they play hard,unselfishly and take the shots they should be taking.Their coach really did a good job with them this year.
March 26th, 2012 at 12:05 am
Preseason Football Predictions
1. De la
2. Cal
3. MACK
4. Campolindo
5. SRV
6. Pitt
7. Freedom
8. Logan
9. San Leandro
10.Berkeley
4
March 26th, 2012 at 5:08 pm
Valley Boy – That could be the top 10, but I would put Logan higher and Mack lower. Pitt & Freedom should be better than SRV or Campo as well.
March 27th, 2012 at 12:34 am
Prep Fan,
I guess I would agree with you on moving MACK down. Although I do think that I am right aboutn Campo and SRV. Keep in mind, Kline is not there anymore.
March 27th, 2012 at 7:09 pm
“Prep Fan” I would like to see you 2012 football predictions.
March 27th, 2012 at 10:28 pm
How about:
1) DLS
2) Logan
3) Freedom
4) Cal
5) Pitt
6) Encinal
7) Campo
8 ) Mack
9) Salesian
10) SRV
Logan and Freedom return some absolute studs and Cal’s JV team was solid last year, losing only to DLS. There is a lot of work to do for all teams prior to the season, but that is my top 10 projection at this time. I’m sure I may have missed someone but I just threw that out there without really delving into it.
March 27th, 2012 at 10:31 pm
I didn’t mean to put a smiley face on Mack, but the website automatically makes the 8 & ) combo into the smiley face. 8)
March 28th, 2012 at 9:09 am
I added a space in between the 8 and the ) for you Prep Fan. That keeps it from turning it into a smiley face.