Rival coach's email smear on Felicia & teammate

[Tonyc]

link http://www.phillyvoice.com/smear-campaign-girls-basketball-neumann-goretti/

 

[JS]

Unbelievable. That guy Gallagher needs to be hauled into court and put on the stand. Would like to know what if anything is going on with the internal investigation at Wood.

Would like to continue to follow this story. Am not a big fan, as you know, of innuendo hurled at successful rival basketball programs or their players (or players' families).

 

[Vowelguy]

I think the title of this thread is unfortunate. As the story makes clear, there is NOTHING to suggest the players are not eligible.
The story here is the bad behavior of a jealous coach, not the innocent kids.

 

[CocoHusky]

Unfortunately this hits a little too close to home for me-literally.
Just sent the following letter to the school president and Athletic director.
***************************************************************************
To: gzimmaro@archwood.org,
jsette@archwood.org

Gentlemen,
The situation described in this article is racist, uncharitable, and abusive.It is a prime example of where a coach (John Gallagher) has lost proper perspective. Athletics should be instructive and enriching for all participants. For a grown man representing your Catholic High School to turn his back on an opposing team, consisting of teenage girls and refusing to shake hands is unacceptable.
Remove this coach from his position today!
A concerned Parent, Catholic, Human being.....
http://www.phillyvoice.com/smear-campaign-girls-basketball-neumann-goretti/

 

[ChicagoGG]

How low life and petty can one disgruntled person be? They should NOT be allowed to coach kids under any circumstances going forward. Shame on that school for not at least suspending him during the investigation.

 

[zakalex]

It is predestined that Felicia "Fee" Aiyeotan will be coming to UConn. We are in danger of losing the multiple names! Bria Hartley and Brianna Banks have left and Briana Pulido and Breanna Stewart will both graduate next year. Kiah and Kia will no longer be together after next year. Obviously we need to add Fee to our next fall's incoming Napheesa "Phee" Collier in order to keep Geno's brain agile. Now that he's in his 60s, too many unique names would probably confuse him

 

[Vowelguy]

It is predestined that Felicia "Fee" Aiyeotan will be coming to UConn. We are in danger of losing the multiple names! Bria Hartley and Brianna Banks have left and Briana Pulido and Breanna Stewart will both graduate next year. Kiah and Kia will no longer be together after next year. Obviously we need to add Fee to our next fall's incoming Napheesa "Phee" Collier in order to keep Geno's brain agile. Now that he's in his 60s, too many unique names would probably confuse him

I don't think Geno concerns himself with their birth names.
They are known as Can't Pass, Can't Rebound, Cant Defend, Can't Screen, Doesn't Know Our Offense, and Worst Post Player in America.

 

[JS]

I think the title of this thread is unfortunate.

Like the new one better?

 

[Billybonggg]

Unbelievable. That guy Gallagher needs to be hauled into court and put on the stand. Would like to know what if anything is going on with the internal investigation at Wood.

Would like to continue to follow this story. Am not a big fan, as you know, of innuendo hurled at successful rival basketball programs or their players (or players' families).

The internal investigation is the usual stonewalling. The Pope is going to speak to them about this when he finishes his e-mail lessons. (Thursday Yahoo news feed and Good Morning America.)

 

[ChicagoGG]

Like the new one better?

Yes, much better!

 

[vtcwbuff]

Based on the linked article it sure sounds like Gallagher is in for some heavy weather. I'm sure that if the allegations against him are factual the guy will soon be flipping burgers somewhere.

However I'm willing to wait for the Paul Harvey moment before rushing to judgment.

 

[CL82]

Dirty stuff but it's out there now and, hopefully, he'll be held accountable.

 

[Vowelguy]

Like the new one better?

Yes, thank you.

 

[Striper69]

Pretty small of Gallagher...

 

[Sonny44]

Oh he

Unfortunately this hits a little too close to home for me-literally.
Just sent the following letter to the school president and Athletic director.
***************************************************************************
To: gzimmaro@archwood.org,
jsette@archwood.org

Gentlemen,
The situation described in this article is racist, uncharitable, and abusive.It is a prime example of where a coach (John Gallagher) has lost proper perspective. Athletics should be instructive and enriching for all participants. For a grown man representing your Catholic High School to turn his back on an opposing team, consisting of teenage girls and refusing to shake hands is unacceptable.
Remove this coach from his position today!
A concerned Parent, Catholic, Human being.....
http://www.phillyvoice.com/smear-campaign-girls-basketball-neumann-goretti/

Oh yes, let's play the race card. That must be it.

 

[AnotherVolFan]

Oh he
Oh yes, let's play the race card. That must be it.

That certainly might be it...you can't discount that card this day and age! Sadly.....

 

[Sonny44]

That certainly might be it...you can't discount that card this day and age! Sadly.....

How many other speculations are in order?

 

[VAUConnFan]

That certainly might be it...you can't discount that card this day and age! Sadly.....

There is no might be in it, the race card is definitely in play here; Not only with the accusation leveled by Coach Gallagher but also with the foot dragging inaction of Archbishop Wood and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and with Coach Gallagher's pregame handshake snub.

 

[ThisJustIn]

Having read the entire article -- wow, well researched and written -- I wouldn't say the racism was as overt as it has (allegedly) been in, say, the incident in San Francisco (http://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/High-school-basketball-Controversy-mars-girls-6038671.php "Berkeley’s girls basketball coach Cheryl Draper took her team off the court with 1 minute, 20 seconds left in a game in a loss to Miramonte-Orinda, claiming she and her players heard racial slurs."), but it's hard to ignore the history of racist language used by folks when referring to Africa and Africans - the recent Ebola outbreak illuminated that quite nauseatingly.

I don't know the racial make up of the various teams/programs involved, but it's not hard to imagine the emotions that inspired such classless, cruel and criminal behavior would have roots it racial xenophobia.

But, even without racial overtones, this incident is beyond bad, across the board.

 

[NewCorn]

How many other speculations are in order?

A grown man who would turn his back on young girls and refused to shake hands deserves no benefit of the doubt. Even if it turns out that these girls were somehow able to evade all the checks and enter this country illegally in order to escape a desperate situation at home, Gallagher's behavior is despicable, and could be racist.

 

[Woof 101]

Oh he
Oh yes, let's play the race card. That must be it.

You have some serious basketballs to defend this creep. Just say'n...

 

[CocoHusky]

Oh he
Oh yes, let's play the race card. That must be it.

Sonny,
as I stated this situation is literally hits too close to home and I am not talking about geography. The Coach of Neuman-Goretti mentioned in the article is better know to me as "Petey"- a name she acquired as a 13 year old playing AAU ball. Race is definitely a factor in this situation.

 

[AndyCT]

There is no might be in it, the race card is definitely in play here; Not only with the accusation leveled by Coach Gallagher but also with the foot dragging inaction of Archbishop Wood and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and with Coach Gallagher's pregame handshake snub.

Actually, it’s not a race issue, no matter how much we might try to make it out to be – it’s an African issue and that’s not the same thing as I suspect, being an inner city school, there a number of other black players at Neuman, none of which Gallagher is attacking. The original question is whether the African players – not the black players – but just the African players – are the ages that they claim to be, and there may be at least some legitimacy to that question (though probably just a little).

I write from personal experience. My siblings have adopted several Asian and African children. We have come to wonder in the last year or so if the Africans are older than what we were told at the time of adoption – they are larger and more athletic than their classmates, for example; though being siblings, an early growth spurt could just run in their biological family. But our African children do seem just generally older, further along in their growth/development – more mature – than their classmates and their American cousins.

In other parts of the world, records aren’t kept as strictly as they are here (our kids came from huts with dirt floors – literally) and it isn’t inconceivable that someone might change a person’s birth date for various reasons, including “adoptability”…or athletic eligibility. While everyone seems to be going gaga over Mo’ne Davis, let’s not forget an earlier Little League World Series hero from a decade earlier, Danny Almonte. It happens.

That doesn’t mean it did happen. But if Gallagher – and this is a very limited and specific defense – is looking at two kids, and just two kids, and they just don’t look like they’re sixteen or seventeen, it may be reasonable to ask that question, without it being a racial issue. How Gallagher handled this is a different matter, and frankly, unacceptable; but from reading the entire article, there’s nothing to indicate that this is a general racial issue, so let’s not make it one.

 

[CocoHusky]

Actually, it’s not a race issue, no matter how much we might try to make it out to be – it’s an African issue and that’s not the same thing as I suspect, being an inner city school, there a number of other black players at Neuman, none of which Gallagher is attacking. The original question is whether the African players – not the black players – but just the African players – are the ages that they claim to be, and there may be at least some legitimacy to that question (though probably just a little).

I write from personal experience. My siblings have adopted several Asian and African children. We have come to wonder in the last year or so if the Africans are older than what we were told at the time of adoption – they are larger and more athletic than their classmates, for example; though being siblings, an early growth spurt could just run in their biological family. But our African children do seem just generally older, further along in their growth/development – more mature – than their classmates and their American cousins.

In other parts of the world, records aren’t kept as strictly as they are here (our kids came from huts with dirt floors – literally) and it isn’t inconceivable that someone might change a person’s birth date for various reasons, including “adoptability”…or athletic eligibility. While everyone seems to be going gaga over Mo’ne Davis, let’s not forget an earlier Little League World Series hero from a decade earlier, Danny Almonte. It happens.

That doesn’t mean it did happen. But if Gallagher – and this is a very limited and specific defense – is looking at two kids, and just two kids, and they just don’t look like they’re sixteen or seventeen, it may be reasonable to ask that question, without it being a racial issue. How Gallagher handled this is a different matter, and frankly, unacceptable; but from reading the entire article, there’s nothing to indicate that this is a general racial issue, so let’s not make it one.

Andy,
I appreciate your perspective but disagree. Africa-perhaps more than any other continent-is equated with a race. If the only basis of the age check is based on knowing that these girls came from Africa then the basis of the check is racist-in my opinion. The rest of the team, to the best of my knowledge was not asked to prove their age. The Africans- Probably the only two in the league were. Believe it or not the two African are not the best players on the NG team. So your Almonte example does not hold up. If they were dominating as Almonte did and someone says they don’t look like 17 I can see that. They are in their Senior & Junior years respectively -3rd year on the team for both.
If you and I are traveling in the Southwest US and we come across a border patrol check. You have olive complexion, and speak with a Hispanic accent. If you get asked to provide identification and I do not, I would reach the same conclusion- that is a racist act.

 

[Outside Shot]

A year ago there was a major scandal story in the DC boys Catholic basketball league that centered around a Nigerian named Junior Etou, who played at O'Connell High School. If you google his name and deadspin, you'll see the stories by Dave McKenna The documents strongly suggest he was overage. I believe he is now playing at Rutgers.

So, while I don't know anything about these two young ladies and only wish them the best, there is precedent for falsified birth records. In addition, it wasn't too long ago that at one of the FIBA championships, one of the Nigerian youth girls teams either didn't participate or had multiple players disappear at the last minute- I can't remember the details.

Actually, it’s not a race issue, no matter how much we might try to make it out to be – it’s an African issue and that’s not the same thing as I suspect, being an inner city school, there a number of other black players at Neuman, none of which Gallagher is attacking. The original question is whether the African players – not the black players – but just the African players – are the ages that they claim to be, and there may be at least some legitimacy to that question (though probably just a little).

I write from personal experience. My siblings have adopted several Asian and African children. We have come to wonder in the last year or so if the Africans are older than what we were told at the time of adoption – they are larger and more athletic than their classmates, for example; though being siblings, an early growth spurt could just run in their biological family. But our African children do seem just generally older, further along in their growth/development – more mature – than their classmates and their American cousins.

In other parts of the world, records aren’t kept as strictly as they are here (our kids came from huts with dirt floors – literally) and it isn’t inconceivable that someone might change a person’s birth date for various reasons, including “adoptability”…or athletic eligibility. While everyone seems to be going gaga over Mo’ne Davis, let’s not forget an earlier Little League World Series hero from a decade earlier, Danny Almonte. It happens.

That doesn’t mean it did happen. But if Gallagher – and this is a very limited and specific defense – is looking at two kids, and just two kids, and they just don’t look like they’re sixteen or seventeen, it may be reasonable to ask that question, without it being a racial issue. How Gallagher handled this is a different matter, and frankly, unacceptable; but from reading the entire article, there’s nothing to indicate that this is a general racial issue, so let’s not make it one.