12 @ 12: Randomness

There is no rhyme or reason for today’s 12 at 12. If you are looking for a theme or a countdown of the top players in North Dakota, isn’t happening. Not today. It’s a mish-mash of items. Enjoy.

1. The Georgia Hoops Fall Showcase is back. Mark the date down – October 17. This year’s star-studded event will be held at New Birth Missionary Church once again in Lithonia, Georgia.

We’ve had over 80 players participate in the camp that have gone on to play Division I basketball. Some of the notable players that have participated include: J.J. Hickson (N.C. State/Cleveland Cavaliers), Gani Lawal (Georgia Tech), Derrick Favors (Georgia Tech), Al-Farouq Aminu (Wake Forest), Chris Allen (Michigan State), Chris Singleton (Florida State) and many more.

This year’s event should be our best one to date. Former University of Georgia interim head coach Pete Hermann is our lead instructor for this year’s camp. With nearly 30 years of experience, Hermann is considered one of the premiere teachers of the game in the college ranks.

Our staff also includes current NBDL coaches, former Division I coaches, former NBA players and the top high school basketball coaches in Georgia.

If you would like to be considered for an invitation to the camp, please email me at georgiahoops@gmail.com.

2. I’ve fallen in love with the new Rivals.com database and player profiles. Very classy stuff from the guys in Sunnyvale, California and Brentwood, Tennessee. Check out the “View results on map” feature. There isn’t a better search feature for players on the Internet than the updated version of the Rivals.com database.

3. So Memphis had it’s Final Four erased from the history books. Whoop-dee-do. The NCAA continues to miss the boat with punishments of transgressions in the past.

Andy Katz documented the "banner ban" in a recent article on ESPN.com. According to the article, UMass still has the Final Four banner and trophy displayed on campus. Of course they do.

What should happen, but never will, is this: replace Final Four banners, conference banners, etc. with banners that read “WE CHEATED – 2008.” If you want to erase history, explain why. Hold the school accountable.

Or hit the coaches where it hurts ‘em. Make the punishment follow them wherever they go. Kelvin Sampson will likely be left on the outside looking in as a NBA coach. All he did was make too many phone calls. Worse things happen. Just ask Derrick Rose. Or the guy that took his SAT test.

It took Todd Bozeman over 10 years to get back in the game, going from the limelight of Cal to the no light of Morgan State.

John Calipari won’t be punished. You see the NCAA, the biggest hypocrites in all of sport, need Calipari. He’s the head coach at the biggest cash cow in of college basketball. That’s what makes the Memphis-Derrick Rose story so sickening. Calipari will have to answer some tough questions in the here and the now but come November, he’ll field questions about whether or not he can get back to the Final Four. And he’ll bring in millions of dollars into the college game. Think the NCAA wants to keep him away from that when all they have to do is say, “We’ll just take away his history.”

That’s the easy route.

4. I’m writing a column regarding the Washington Post story that came out earlier in the week. Good chance I don’t make many friends with it.

5. Get better Michael Beasley.

6. I’m looking forward to reading the reports from the Louisiana Select Fall Workout. Event organizer Mike Theus is one of the best guys in the grassroots world and Louisiana is one of the best states in the country for undiscovered national prospects. Suffice it to say, at least two players will go from “must see” players for low-major schools to “must see this fall” players for high-major schools.

7. My mother always said never trust a man that has three first names. St. John’s doesn’t know my mother. That’s why they are issuing a media credential to Peter Robert Casey.

And he won’t even be writing a story. He’ll be tweeting at St. John’s basketball games. It’s a fascinating first step in New Media. Casey has been invited to come to every Johnnies game and say basically whatever he wants from media row. I wonder how the NYC hoops media will treat him at games.

If any school wants me to “tweet” from their games this year, let me know. Move over mysterious Peter Robert Casey.

8. How about a little self-promotion? I’d like to get to 500 followers by Sunday night. Help me out? Follow me on Twitter.

9. I’m still confused about Austin Rivers being committed to Florida but still wanting to visit other schools. Either you are committed or not. Either you are married or you aren’t. You can’t have the best of both worlds. If you are committed, why visit other schools? If you want to visit other schools, publicly state you would like to visit other schools as a recruitable athlete and include Florida in your visit plans. Or just cancel the non Florida visits all together.

10. Nevada freshman-to-be Devonte Elliot did not receive the necessary test score to enroll this fall. That's important to note because the 6-foot-9 forward has the tools to be the next player from the Reno school to go under-recruited to potentially a big-time college career. New Nevada head coach David Carter said he hopes Elliot and freshman Jerry Evans will be eligible by the spring semester.

11. I could use some help with a Fantasy Football team name. Any suggestions?

12. This kid never had a chance. And his parents shouldn't be crying about their son's future in the slammer. His destiny is close to being fulfilled.