ESPN aires high school games with meaning

[mrjohnnynofear]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/preps/football/2007-07-18-esp n-highschool_N.htm


The ESPN family of networks will kick off its high school football coverage featuring a coaching legend. John McKissick, whose 543 career wins tops all coaches on any level (pro, college or high school), leads Summerville (S.C.) against Florida powerhouse Booker T. Washington of Miami on Aug. 25.
It's the second year in a row that ESPN will feature a Florida-vs.-South Carolina matchup in the Old Spice High School Showcase opener. Last year, Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.) hosted eventual state champion Glades Central (Belle Glade, Fla.). Summerville and Washington will likely start the season in USA TODAY's Super 25 preseason football rankings, which debut Aug. 23.

"This year's school (football) schedule will showcase many of the sport's traditional local rivalries, key national matchups and future stars of college and pro football," says vice president and general manager Burke Magnus of ESPNU. "Our combined platforms will take football fans from the regular season, to the ESPNU High School All-American Game and on to national signing day (in February)."

The regular-season's most highly anticipated game, Northwestern (Miami) and Southlake (Texas) Carroll on Sept. 15, will pit two elite teams in Dallas.

Other high-profile players appearing include quarterback-defensive back Will Hill of St. Peter's Prep (Jersey City) and Terrelle Pryor of Jeannette (Pa.), the nation's No. 1 quarterback

Aug. 25 Booker T. Washington (Miami) at Summerville (S.C.) ESPN Noon

Aug. 25 First Coast (Jacksonville) at Berkeley (Moncks Corner, S.C.) ESPNU 4 p.m.

Sept. 14 Yough (Herminie, Pa.) at Jeannette (Pa.) ESPNU 8 p.m.

Sept. 15 Northwestern (Miami) at Southlake (Texas) Carroll ESPNU 7 p.m.

Sept. 20 Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) at Birmingham (Van Nuys, Calif.) ESPN2 11 p.m.

Sept. 21 McDonogh #35 (New Orleans) at St. Augustine (New Orleans) ESPNU 8 p.m.

Sept. 28 North Bergen (N.J.) at Saint Peter's Prep (Jersey City) ESPNU 8 p.m.

Oct. 4 Daphne (Ala.) at Foley (Ala.) ESPN2 9 p.m.

Oct. 5 Parkway North (St. Louis) at Parkway West (Ballwin, Mo.) ESPNU 8 p.m.

Oct. 12 Cherry Creek (Englewood, Colo.) at Grandview (Aurora, Colo.) ESPNU TBD

Oct. 18 Cy-Fair (Houston) at Cypress Falls (Houston) ESPN2 7 p.m.

Oct. 19 Clovis (N.M.) at Artesia (N.M.) ESPNU 10 p.m.

Sept. 7 Wichita East at Dodge City (Kan.) ESPNU 8 p.m.


I will personally be in the stands for the Oct. 8th game to see QB Blaine Gabbert play for the Parkway West Longhorns. He will be going to Nebraska and the kid has a cannon.

Oct. 18 Sam McGuffie will be playing against their crosstown rivals. ESPN2 will be airing it instead of ESPNU so alot more people will get to see the talented back. Hopefully he can have a great showing and get in some Sportscenter highlights.

Sept. 14 (they say) #1 rated HS football player QB African-American Terrelle Pryor comes to play. Just watch enough to see what all the fuss is about. They say he's supposed to be the next Vince Young which I'm not sure is a good or bad thing

But the biggest game of all is on

Sept. 15 Southlake Carroll vs. Miami Northwestern. 2 different lifestyles, cultures, attitudes, even state football pride. 2 of the most powerful teams in the nation. I'm sure everyone knows the 2 stories of these schools. Hopefully the Carroll Dragons will win and show the nation how to get it done!

 

[whiteCB]

Oct. 18 mark it on the calanders!!!!!! I usually avoid those stupid h.s. games ESPN televises but with McGuffie playing I'll nmake an exception!

 

[SteveB]

Oct. 18 mark it on the calanders!!!!!! I usually avoid those stupid h.s. games ESPN televises but with McGuffie playing I'll nmake an exception!

I'll be watching. If it is like last year's game, Sam will have 250 yds and 5 TDs by half time.

 

[Jimmy Chitwood]

i caught a big chunk of the high school game on ESPN last night between Sherman Oaks -Notre Dame (CA)High School and Birmingham (CA) High School. it featured a match-up between mixed (black and white) Notre Dame and all black andhispanic (except for the starting quarterback who is the coach's kid and was only playing because the "real" quarterback was hurt) Birmingham.


i noticed something very quickly as the announcers kept talking about the "talents" in the game and had already been offered D-I scholarships. aside from Notre Dame's starting quarterback Dayne Crist (committed to Notre Dame), ALL of the "talented" prospects were the blacks and hispanics.


the black tailback from Birmingham, Milton Knox, must taste like cotton candy, because the announcers couldn't quit drooling over him. he is a solid running back, and he ended up with 136 yards on 32 carries. but he certainly didn't look fast, although he did run hard. i think his long run of the game was 9 yards. certainly not impressive numbers except from a durability standpoint.


it was interesting to note that not a SINGLE comment was made about his lack of size or speed being a problem at the next level. Knox is genereously listed at 5-7 and 195 pounds, and he also only runs a 4.6 in the 40. but somehow UCLA (among many other schools) thinks he is a "phenomenal talent."

he has a verbal commitment to UCLA which is why i singled them out.


the Costa Rican tight end dropped enough passes for me to think he was black.

it was clear the best athlete in the game was NDHS cornerback/wide receiver Jeff Dickman, but of course he is a white kid and as such isn't worthy of consideration. even though he was flying all over the field making HUGE plays on both sides of the ball, includinga 27-yard touchdown catch(the only one Crist threw) and nearlyhalf of the receiving yardagefor NDHS.but at 5-8 he is "probably a Division II or III player at the next level."

NDHS did have a good looking white linebacker, Anthony McDonald. he was a beast! he has committed to play for Charlie Weis next year for the Fighting Irish, as well.

as an aside, Crist didn't look very good to me, but he does have a big arm. the announcers loved slobbering over him, too.

 

[Ground Fighter]

Sept. 28 North Bergen (N.J.) at Saint Peter's Prep (Jersey City) ESPNU 8 p.m.

Hell yeah baby! North Bergen High School. My alma mater. We bad! I'm debating if I should watch this game on t.v. or just go in person.

Edited by: Ground Fighter

 

[backrow]

in person, obviously!