Anything is Possible: Shields gets Scholarship!

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Anything is Possible: Shields gets Scholarship!

Postby RMJH4 on Wed May 01, 2019 8:32 am

Anything is Possible

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National Basketball Arena - Dublin, Ireland

Introduction.


It was always my dream to play college basketball for a Divison One NCAA program. Across the country there weren’t too many kids able to do more than me on the court. In high school I always thought I was one of the best. My stats showed that. The problem was that I was playing in the wrong country. I was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland. I played for six great years at a mid-major basketball high school. I won two Senior National Championships (All Ireland Schools Titles), winning MVP in one final, and just being edged out for MVP in the second.

But now I had finished my high school education, my leaving certificate was over. I had not received any interest from overseas. Most promising players in Ireland had moved over to the US to complete their final two years of high school education, and thus making them NCAA eligible. I had just made the final cut for the U-18 Irish International team for the European Championships due to late injuries. I did not receive much playing time. But that didn't deter me. I had applied to some top Irish Universities for basketball scholarships, but I knew they wouldn't fulfill my ultimate goal of playing stateside.

I was only around 6'0" to 6'2" for most of my high school years. I was primarily a combo guard. A solid shooter from mid range, and a strong driver to the basket. In my final year I took a growth spurt, and hit 6'6". It took a while to adjust to my new gangly frame, and all of a sudden the Irish International coaches took an interest. I could always play in the post a little, but my added height made it that little easier. I had experienced some growing pains the last few months, and when referred to a specialist, he told me I might yet have another inch or two to gain. I was ecstatic at the news. 6'8" could open some doors for me. Before that I had to put in some work. Playing in the states was a Longshot, but I was going to give it my all.
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Re: Anything is Possible: A MyCareer Story. NBA 2K19

Postby RMJH4 on Wed May 01, 2019 8:33 am

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Re: Anything is Possible: A MyCareer Story. NBA 2K19

Postby Andrew on Wed May 01, 2019 12:20 pm

Great intro! Looking forward to the story unfolding. No B-Fresh, please. :lol:
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Episode 1: The Backstory

Postby RMJH4 on Wed May 01, 2019 6:33 pm

Episode 1 : The Backstory

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Schools basketball in Ireland works in the following way.

High School lasts for 6 years. There are 4 teams you can play for throughout your time in school.

A Freshman Team,

A Sophomore Team,

Junior Varsity Team (all players 16 and under)

Varsity Team (all players from the ages of 16 – 19)

We had reached the final four at freshmen, sophomore and junior varsity level. We were always one of the top teams in the country, punching above our weight, despite not being one of the historically renowned programmes. At varsity level we finally put it together and won 2 National Championships back to back. A just reward for all the hard work and near misses we had.

I had been selected for regional teams at every age group. I was captain for one of those teams too. But the National team was always a tougher task. I never had my final growth spurt until my last 2 years in High School.

The National team was pretty much a closed shop. It’s probably one of the reasons that Ireland has never been a force internationally at any age. After being overlooked initially at U-16's and U-17's, I was a late addition to the U-18 squad on the recommendation of another international coach from England. Just in time for the European Championships in Slovenia. Basketball Ireland were a poorly funded organization who spent all their money on flying dual Irish-American college players to Ireland to play for the National team.

The only player we really produced here was Pat Burke, and he moved to the US at a young age. The Marcin Gortat lookalike that played for the Suns and Magic most notably. Unless you had the cash, you literally couldn’t afford to play for the National team. My family had to pay 90% of the travel costs to play in the European championships at under 18 level this summer.

My family and I normally didn’t have that sort of money to throw around. We were good savers though, and our education was always prioritized. Going to a globally renowned University like UCD or Trinity College was the goal, for them at least. I had my sights set higher, and further afield. Although the usual route for the elite Irish players was to complete a final year in a US High School, this option had passed me by due to only recently being added to an International team.

In my senior year, I approached my Uncle Walter with the idea of continuing my further education in the US. With a view to making my way onto a college roster. It was a major risk to take, and I needed some serious funding. He was CEO of one of the leading sports merchandise retailers in the country. It’s unheard off that an Irish basketball player, even a top international player, would get a scholarship to a US college for basketball. So I knew that wasn’t an option. One of my Dad's favorite players of all time was Scottie Pippen. He couldn’t get a scholarship to college. He got a job as a walk on manager, and once he got on the court during practices, it became obvious he belonged. Long story short, he ended up with 6 championship rings and in the hall of fame. I don’t expect to do that but it just gives me a lot of hope.

This is my story. My goal is to make it as a walk-on for a Divison I college program. Am I going to get there? Well Anything is Possible.
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Re: Anything is Possible: A MyCareer Story. NBA 2K19

Postby RMJH4 on Wed May 01, 2019 6:34 pm

Andrew wrote:Great intro! Looking forward to the story unfolding. No B-Fresh, please. :lol:


Thanks man, yeah it's a very different take on that!
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Episode 2: Where to Next?

Postby RMJH4 on Wed May 01, 2019 7:01 pm

Episode 2: Where to next?

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My final examinations went well. I achieved 4 H1 grade’s, and 2 H2 grades. Which over here pretty much opens up every door you need opened college wise. I was trying to choose between an Engineering and an Sports Management degree. I figured getting into Sports Management, would allow me to stay involved with Basketball. If I don’t make it as a player, I can head down the coaching route like my Dad, and Sports Management would give me a head start in this area. I was browsing sports courses in Limerick and Dublin City when an ad popped up in the corner of my screen.

It was an ad from the St John’s University. It read
“Want to train in Sports Management in the US? Click here for our special international entry requirements.”

I clicked in and was brought to the St John’s University website. Pictures of Head Coach Chris Mullin adorned the first page. Wow, Chris Mullin is head coach. Mitch Richmond is his Assistant. Alumni included Mark Jackson, Ron Artest and Malik Sealy. Most importantly they played some of their games in Madison Square Garden. MSG, the Mecca. As an Orlando Magic fan growing up, I had never looked closely enough to realize the link between the two.

I had everything I needed to qualify for their course. Apart from the special discounted $27,000 dollars entry fee. Discounted I thought, you could easily get through your four-year degree with accommodation in Ireland for that price! But I was intrigued. I went to my guidance councillor in school, and completed the necessary paperwork. She was pretty confident I would get accepted as an International student. Now my mind was set. I wanted to attend St John’s University in New York. But there was so much to organize. Not least the money.

It was time to sit down with my parents and discuss the idea I had. Amazingly they were thrilled with the idea and Dad even entertained the idea of moving over with me for a few months to settle in. I said yes that’s amazing, but couldn’t help but ask, how are we going to afford to live there? You can’t take time off your job? My dad replied, Mike, my Dad was a decent man. He put some money away for his grand kids to pursue their dreams. Dad's dream was to see his kids succeed at anything they want. I did that, now I want to do the same for you. Mum and I have always dreamed of living in America one day. In fact if we had a choice New York would be that place, you know I’m a big Knicks fan. I think you should go for it.

My Dad was my lifetime basketball coach. His name was Gerald but all the kids called him Coach G for short, and it stuck. He gave me the love for the game. He coached me at our high school up to Varsity. I’d never known another coach. But it didn’t scare me. He was one of the best coaches our country ever produced. I knew I could make him proud and have a shot at making the St John’s Red Storm roster. I just needed a chance.

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Re: Anything is Possible: A MyCareer Story. NBA 2K19

Postby Andrew on Wed May 01, 2019 11:42 pm

Love the writing, keep it up!
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Re: Anything is Possible: A MyCareer Story. NBA 2K19

Postby RMJH4 on Thu May 02, 2019 5:41 am

Andrew wrote:Love the writing, keep it up!


Thanks Andrew, just wanted to do something a bit different. Will be mainly text based, but will get some in game shots in soon hopefully.
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Episode 3: Road Trip

Postby RMJH4 on Thu May 02, 2019 5:55 am

Episode 3: Road Trip

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My Uncle was thrilled at the idea. He said if we had any short fall in cash, he would help us out. I really appreciated it and said I would send him some St John’s gear if I could make the roster. He was always good to me and my dad. He shared our love of sports and in particular basketball. I had gotten all my documents in order. I had gotten preliminary approval for a place on the Sports Management course. Last week I had a phone call from the Dean of Science to set up an interview on Skype. It went well, and now I needed to visit the campus and answer some final questions. I was confident I would be accepted into the course.

We had our flights booked. Dad has a good friend in Queens who used to drive the bus to some of our high school games when I was younger. He had moved over four years ago and trained in Security and Event Management, he was now working in MSG. He was a crazy Indiana Pacers fan, quite a difficult place to work as a Pacers fan. He mentioned to Dad he could put us up for the few days we were visiting campus. We didn't care much for the Pacers but we would listen to him for the sake of free accommodation.

It was midday as we touched down in JFK international. The heat was incredible. Coming from 14 degrees Celsius in Ireland the 30 degree heat was phenomenal. This is the life I thought. Sure enough Kevin was there to meet and greet us. We collected the bags and walked briskly through the airport and into Kevin's big SUV.

He lived in Jamaica, which was basically next door to the University. His apartment was incredibly big compared to what's on offer here in Ireland. We settled in for some food and turned the cable on. ESPN College Basketball tonight. Preseason show. The Red Storm and Syracuse Orange were previewed.

"I fancy your chances at getting a place on the Red Storm roster Mike" said Kevin. They look weak on the wings this year. I'll see if I can make some connections with recruiting and assistants for you. I’ve met Mully before in Indiana. I doubt he remembers me from years ago though. Kevin was a smart man. Really clued in. He could talk the talk and walk the walk. He was also an amateur bodybuilder when he wasn’t busy removing people from MSG that couldn’t follow rules. They were a big organization and were very generous in allowing Kevin to take time off for his bodybuilding competitions. He was in serious training for the state championships in a few months time. Most of that was on the job, as he did a lot of heavy lifting. He's not someone you would mess with.

He knew his sports inside out, and in fairness to him, he'd always been a Pacers fan. No band wagoner. He’d been through the roller-coaster Reggie Miller years. The resurgence with Frank Vogel, Roy Hibbert and Paul George. Now with Nate McMillan at the helm the Pacers were starting to turn the corner again. He often went to Pacers regular season games over the years, and even some games in MSG. I must ask him if he’s met Spike Lee, and if he’s told him he's a Pacers fan. Kevin always knew the lay of the land though. He knew who to talk to, and what needed to be said. He knew people who knew some of the outgoing Seniors on the team. He was my best shot at making the right noises around the team. I just had to go out there and ball.
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Episode 4: Campus Visit

Postby RMJH4 on Thu May 02, 2019 7:59 am

Episode 4: Campus Visit

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So here it is. St John’s University. SJU. I was awestruck. I wandered around until I found the college of Sciences. I met the Dean of Sciences. He was a lovely man. We chatted for about an hour. Seemed very informal. He loved his basketball. He loved the Red Storm. He'd been on YouTube and Basketball Irelands website. " You can play kid, I just don't have any scholarships to offer. They are like gold dust round here. The Red Storm have open tryouts next week. I'll talk to athletics and put your name down. But you’ve got to promise me something. If you make the team, I don’t want any one and done's. Make sure you finish your degree! And with that, I was accepted into my course.

My Dad was a Physical Education teacher and my Mum was a Middle School teacher. A family full of teachers, he knew I was a solid choice. I'm impressed he saw my highlights too! I returned to the car with Dad and Kevin waiting anxiously.

I'm in! The Dean is a big sports fan. He has even seen my YouTube highlights. He is very impressed with my GPA and my background. I didn’t have to convince him at all. He said he will have a word with recruiting today about putting my name down to try-out for a walk-on spot.

Dad and Kevin congratulated me and hugged me. It was suddenly real. Now I have to get to a gym and start getting some shot's ups. It’s time to shine. The next day we had to head back home and get the rest of my belongings. It was a long plane ride home, about 5 hours, but I couldn’t contain myself smiling.

I had to pack everything I could possibly need. As I walked in the door I was greeted with a large banner in the hallway. Congrats Mike it read. All my family and relations were there. My mother and brothers were standing at the front with a large grey package. I opened it and pulled out a t-shirt. It had the St John’s University logo on it. I was officially accepted to the college. My acceptance letter was with it too, in-case I was in any doubt. I was ready to go. Locked in.

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Re: Anything is Possible: A MyCareer Story. NBA 2K19

Postby Andrew on Thu May 02, 2019 1:51 pm

The journey begins!
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Episode 5: NYC Baby!

Postby RMJH4 on Fri May 03, 2019 12:08 am

Episode 5: NYC Baby!

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I'm staying with Kevin for the first semester to help ease my transition over here. It also severely cuts down on the expense of the whole thing too. Kevin's training program keeps him on a strict diet all of the time, to be in peak condition I'll be taking a lot of tips from him. Turkey mince and sweet potato is his staple diet. His specialty is obviously strength and conditioning. That’s probably my weak point, and to play against some of the big guys they have here, I'm going to need to add some muscle. As the old saying goes, I've got the heart and hustle, now I need the muscle! The first set of tryouts is later today. I've been told it’s like an elite camp where some of the past, current and future players all train and learn together. I've heard some Red Storm alumni like Moe Harkless, Sir'Dominic Pointer and JaKarr Sampson might be here. A chance to meet some past and present NBA players is very exciting.

Most of the current Red Storm roster like Shamorie Ponds, Marcus LoVett, Jr and Bashir Ahmed are here.

Ponds was a 4 star recruit from Thomas Jefferson High School and the local star. The Red Storm are not expected to be one of the top teams in the Big East in 2017-18. They are ranked 8th out of 10 in the coaches preseason poll. The usual powerhouse of Villanova is ranked #1, promptly followed by Xavier, Creighton and Seton Hall. I know I'll have my work cut out in practice with some of these guys, but it sounds like a good year to try and make the roster based on how the other Big East coaches rate the Red Storm.

I've heard some of the guys I'll be trying out against for a walk on spot are Justin Cole from Rockville, New York and Jay Camus from Queens. They've had some nice YouTube videos up and I'll have to play well to beat them out for a spot at forward. Bashir Ahmed has the starting small forward spot sown up so I hope I can hold my own against him when we match-up.

Assistant coach Matt Abdelmassih introduced me to a few guys like Shamorie, Marcus and Tariq. They were very friendly and said they looked forward to working with me this week. But they won’t hold anything back, as this is their preseason.

Dad told me to get on the right side of the seniors early on. If you can get along with the seniors then it will stand you in good stead with the coaching staff. The coaches generally listen to the input from the seniors, and if I could get over with those guys, they might recommend me as a walk-on. So I made sure I talked to Bashir and Amar as much as possible. Amar Alibegović is from Italy. I thought I could engage with him a little as we were the only Europeans there today.

I passed them the rock and defended really well at all times. I always talk when I play, and this time would be no different. I see things happening on the court before they happen, and if I could show that I have this ability, I know I'll get selected as a walk on.

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Episode 6: Tryouts recap

Postby RMJH4 on Sun May 05, 2019 12:20 am

Episode 6: Tryouts recap

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So here was my chance. I'd had a pretty solid week from my own point of view. Dishing the ball to open guys, throwing down some nice dunks and being pretty solid defensively. I didn’t shoot the ball very effectively, but I had some nice spells where I hit a few shots. I took advantage of most of my post ups and scored reasonably well. I wasn’t hung out to dry, or dunked on yet, so I was pretty pleased! Shamorie Ponds who just signed this year is an incredible athlete, everyone just cleared out when he took off to flush one down.

We were divided up into 4 teams on the final day. My team (the red team) won all 3 group games and we had to face the white team in the final. I was running with Marcus Lovett Jr, Bryan Trimble Jr, Amar Alibegovic and Tariq Owens.

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We were matched up against a pretty solid team in the final of the 4 team round robin. Shamorie Ponds, Justin Cole , Bashir Ahmed , Brandon Lawrence and Sedee Keita. Keita will be redshirting this season so I thought if I could hold my own against him, I could make the roster and maybe get the coaches approval for some minutes. The roster looked pretty thin in the post if you consider they play a lot of wings at the 4 and 5. At 6’7.5” I was a more natural post guy on both ends.

The game was full of nerves early on, with Shamorie and Marcus going at it one on one. Coach Mullin let them have it about showboating, and that was that. Now we could play some proper ball. I posted up on Bashir Ahmed every time. I threw down two nice dunks on him, and had one nasty block on his dropstep move. Tariq Owens was a great finisher and I got him some nice touches down low. I threw Amar a nice lob, and all of a sudden we had a 10 point lead. Bryan was happy to get to the corners and drain the 3's. I must have assisted about 3 three pointers for him!

We won the final game by 10 points. The high 5's were all around and Chris Mullin had a big grin on his face. He gathered everyone around the center court to talk to us.

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"Well played guys. Very good matchup. I'd like to thank our new recruits Bryan and Boubacar for giving us a spectacle all week. Our transfer Sedee Keita, you’ll be a great addition next year and can’t wait to get you on the court. Our other transfer, Mikey Dixon, you just never turn the ball over. We look forward to getting you guys on the court next year. Thanks to our Seniors Bashir and Amar, our juniors and sophs, you guys have really worked on your games over the summer. It was great to see how your fitness and match sharpness is progressing.

And now to our invites. The guys who want to walk-on with our program. The coaching staff and I have reviewed your progress and performance all week long. We look at our roster and see where we need to fill in the gaps. We look at suitability, character and work rate. We have chosen three guys. And we are all fully agreed on who should make the cut. Guys put your hands together and congratulate Jay Camus, Justin Cole and Mike Shields. They have earned their status as walk-ons for this season."

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Re: Anything is Possible: MyCareer 2k19. Shields makes roster!

Postby TGsoGood on Mon May 06, 2019 5:56 am

Glad to see you have a new story.
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Mullin steps down as St Johns Head Coach.

Postby RMJH4 on Sat Jun 22, 2019 12:58 am

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Chris Mullin Steps Down as St. John’s Men’s Basketball Coach


QUEENS, N.Y. – St. John's Director of Athletics Mike Cragg announced today that Chris Mullin has stepped down from his position as head coach after two seasons leading the St. John's men's basketball program. It is extremely unfortunate timing as the NCAA Divison 1 season starts in less than 3 months. A national search for his successor begins today. An interim Head Coach will be appointed during this process, most likely Mitch Richmond.

"We thank Coach Mullin for all of his contributions to our men's basketball program," said Cragg. "St. John's basketball progressed well during his tenure, culminating with a trip to the National Invitational Tournament this past season. Coach Mullin has a deep passion for this program and he has been committed to helping our student-athletes achieve their goals on and off the court, so I know this was not an easy decision. We wish him and his family nothing but the best as they deal with these difficult circumstances."

"We are proud to celebrate the accomplishments of our student-athletes over the past two seasons under Coach Mullin," said Conrado "Bobby" Gempesaw, Ph.D., President, St. John's University. "The University community has grown closer, there has been excitement throughout campus, and an increase in school spirit and game attendance both at Carnesecca Arena and Madison Square Garden. We thank Chris for his service to our University and our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time."

Mullin was introduced as the 20th head men's basketball coach in program history on April 1, 2015. Under his leadership, St. John's improved its win total in each of his last two seasons at the helm in Queens. Since inheriting a team in his first year that had lost 96 percent of its scoring from the season prior to his arrival, Mullin orchestrated a turnaround during his time at his alma mater. The Johnnies boasted a six-win improvement in 2016-17, including seven BIG EAST victories in a league that sent seven squads to the NCAA Tournament.

One of the most storied programs in collegiate basketball, St. John's ranks ninth all-time in NCAA Division I with 1,854 victories. The school's .643 winning percentage is the 16th highest in NCAA history and the Red Storm's 29 NCAA Tournament appearances place among the top-25. St. John's has made 28 appearances in the NIT and has won five championships. Helms Foundation national champions following the 1910-11 season, St. John's appeared in NCAA Final Fours in 1952 and 1985. The program boasts 11 consensus All-Americans, 60 NBA Draft picks and 51 players who have scored 1,000 career points or more.
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Re: Anything is Possible: MyCareer 2k19. Shields makes roster!

Postby Andrew on Sat Jun 22, 2019 2:19 am

There's a twist!
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Re: Anything is Possible: MyCareer 2k19. Shields makes roster!

Postby wdt92 on Sat Jun 22, 2019 3:42 am

Is Mullin's decision here reflecting the decision he made in real life?
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Re: Anything is Possible: MyCareer 2k19. Shields makes roster!

Postby RMJH4 on Mon Jun 24, 2019 9:00 pm

Andrew wrote:There's a twist!

Yep, stay tuned!

wdt92 wrote:Is Mullin's decision here reflecting the decision he made in real life?


Very much, just using some real life inspiration to play around with my story!
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Episode 7: Mullin resigns, what about me?!

Postby RMJH4 on Mon Jun 24, 2019 9:25 pm

Episode 7: Mullin resigns, what about me?!

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I'm staying with Kevin for the first semester to help ease my transition over here. It's usually pretty peaceful here, but this morning I woke to find a text message on my phone from the University. Chris Mullin has resigned as Head Coach of St Johns Basketball team. All players, scholarship and walk on's must report to the gymnasium at 9am sharp.

Wow. Chris is gone?! I had heard his brother was sick, but I thought he would continue coaching. Two years and he's out of here. Wait. I haven't signed anything yet. What's my status as a walk-on going to be? Who will be Head Coach now? A lot of questions to be answered this morning at 9am. Better get up and get ready.

"Hey Mike, got some breakfast ready here, you getting up?" asked Kevin.

'I'll be out in a minute, thanks Kev'

I wonder what he's heard. This must be all over the news.

"Morning Mike, heard the news?"

'Yea I just got a text from St Johns. Chris is leaving. Major shock'

"It was in the pipeline, but nobody expected him to leave this quickly" said Kevin

'Word on the street is Mitch Richmond is going to be interim head coach for the season"

'Really? Guess I'll find out soon enough Kev. Thanks for the pancakes. They're nice, got whey protein in them?!'

"You know it Mike!"


9am SJU - Carnesecca Arena

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"Ok welcome here everyone. I'm sure you have all heard the news. Chris has had to resign as Head Coach due to personal matters. Our thoughts and prayers are with Chris and his family at this time. Now I know the timing of this is not ideal, but we have to deal with the hand we've been given. We've decided that Coach Richmond will be taking charge as Interim Head Coach for this season. Coach has been here for two years and knows the team best, we are delighted to have an experienced coach like Mitch to step up and take charge today."

"Morning fellas. Most of you know me well, some have only just met me. Either way I'm delighted to have the opportunity to build on Coach Mullins great work here the last two season. A lot of things will be the same around here. Practice times as normal, 7am every day. Get yourself showered and off to class like clockwork. Weights and Cardio after last class 3pm sharp. Then shootaround at 6pm. Nothing changed. Now onto the roster for this season. We know we now have some redshirters. Sedee, Mikey and Boubacar. Now onto our walk-ons. You have not signed your contracts with Coach Mullin, so I will talk to you all after this meeting." said Coach Richmond.

'Gentlemen, thank you for your patience, any questions, please stay behind. Otherwise, you need to be at your first summer class at 10am. Get moving."
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Episode 8: Thanks, but no thanks Mike.

Postby RMJH4 on Mon Jun 24, 2019 9:51 pm

Episode 8: Thanks, but no thanks Mike.

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"Hey Mike come on in."

'Hey Coach, congrats on the promotion.'

"Thanks Mike. Ok Mike I'm going to cut straight to the chase here. I realise Coach Mullin selected you as a walk-on last week. Unfortunately I wasn't in agreement with him. You're a good kid, but you're a forward on a team full of forwards. We just don't have enough guards here. I'm sorry to say I have to select Bradon Lawrence over you for the final walk-on spot."

'Oh, but I thought I really put in work last week Coach? I mean, I put up great numbers against Bashir, and my team won the tournament.'

"Yes Mike, you put up great numbers, and yes your team won. But I need more guards. You are more than welcome to practice with us all year, but I can't hold down a position for you on the squad. I'm sorry. Look I know you want to play. And I know you have taken a chance coming over to the US this summer. So I can make some calls around for you, and see if anyone needs a 3/4 to fill out their squad. I can speak to the Dean and we can see what we can arrange to help you out. You're a victim of circumstance unfortunately kid."

'Thanks Coach. I've got a lot to think about. I always value my education alongside my sports, so I have to pull my thoughts together."

"I have some contacts in the state of New York, or even further afield if you want to play ball. I think I can make something happen for you. There just isn't a spot for you on this roster, but I know you're a good player and I don't want to be the one who ruined your dream. Keep your head up."

'I will do. Thanks again Coach.'

So there it is. I didn't make the roster. No spot as walk-on. I came to the US to play ball, and I don't think that's going to happen here now. What are my options? Summer school starts in less than an hour. Can I back out now? Will I lose my deposit? I got to talk to Kevin. He has a level head, and he'll calm me down.This is a mess. Do I just suck it up and take my course?
I think I want to go home. I like New York, but maybe this life isn't for me.

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Re: Anything is Possible: Mullin resigns, is it all over?

Postby wdt92 on Mon Jun 24, 2019 11:59 pm

Oh man! What a blow for Mike.

Realistically, even though the Coach was offering help, I completely would understand a kid freaking out and jumping now to try and make a rash decision. From even the shock of that bombshell, I could see him not even able to hear the rest of what the Coach had said after "I select __ over you" and already thinking of what to do next.

It will be interesting to see what happens next for him.
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Re: Anything is Possible: Mullin resigns, is it all over?

Postby Andrew on Tue Jun 25, 2019 12:36 am

Wasn't expecting that! Love the detail of the dejected and sleepless scenes in the screenshots as well.
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Episode 9: Just get over it.

Postby RMJH4 on Wed Jun 26, 2019 3:15 am

Episode 9: Just get over it.

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‘So that’s it for me Kevin. I’m done with this game. I’ll either stay at St Johns and get my degree, or drop out and head back home.’

“I understand Mike. I don’t think you should give up on your dreams like this though. As Coach Richmond said, you’re a victim of circumstance. Maybe you should go back and talk to him.”

‘I don’t know, it seems like it stinks of desperation. I don’t want that bandied around about me.’

“I know, image is everything. Listen, I hear Gerry McNamara is coming down to speak to the local AAU team today at 12pm. You should go down to listen and see if you can pick up any tips.”

‘Yeah why not, you want to come with?’

“Alright let’s go Mike. Give me 5 minutes to grab a few things.”

Kevin was right. I googled it. McNamara was asked to speak to a youth AAU basketball team in Queens coached by Adrian Autry Sr. McNamara is an Assistant Coach with Syracuse, and played when the Orange won the National title in 2003. To make the trip worthwhile for everyone, Autry was rounding up some players for an open tournament after the speech. There were open spots for local ballers to join in too, I might bring my shoes.

Kevin was “retired,” so to speak, but still loved basketball, so he thought he’d bring along his gear too, couldn’t hurt to lace them up. I wanted to see if I could earn a spot to play against the best of the local ballers. I wanted to see how I stacked up against Oshae Brissett, Syracuse’s 4 star recruit this summer from Canada. McNamara and Autry Sr. brought a few of the Syracuse guys down for a workout.

Our plan to try and play Brissett was foiled when we were put on what looked like the worst team. Kevin’s friend Sean was well known on this court, and he managed to get us a spot on a team. We got eliminated after losing two games, but we won the final one 5-4. I hit the game winner.

The Bullets team topped the pool with 3 wins and the prize was supposed to be to face a team consisting of Brissett, and 4 guys who were walk-on’s at Syracuse last season, Adrian Autry Jr, Braedon Bayer, Ky Feldman and Ray Featherston. But Coach McNamara and Autry Sr decided to mix it up and select new teams. They decided to pick an All-Star team of 5 based on what they had seen for the last 2 hours.

“Hey big guy with the Nuggets throwback on, what’s your name?”

‘It’s Mike…’

As I turned around I realised it was Carmelo Anthony. I was wearing his Nuggets powder blue throwback uniform. I had heard a commotion during our last game, but didn’t pass any heed to people crowding around off the court. They saw Melo walk in and were swarming him for selfies.

“I want you to play in this game, on my 5. I’m coaching. Show me more of what you did earlier kid.”

I said yes, thank you sir and turned to Kevin and Sean who high fived me. I had to calm them both down as they were dancing like two little kids.

The ball was checked up. All of us just kind of stood there and watched Brissett, like, ‘Let’s see what you got'

But Brissett was equally curious as to what his teammates could do. Before the tournament, Brissett had asked Autry Sr. what kind of players he expected to show up, and Autry Sr. trying to build his players’ reputations, boasted that many of them could contend at the college level. Hell most of the walk-ons last season were spotted by McNamara and Adrian Autry Sr, so they were good talent evaluators.

“A couple of them are going to go D-II, but I think there’s one kid that can go play D-I. He’s a big Irish kid, has been down here a few times. Think he’s playing for St Johns” Brissett asked who it was, and Autry didn’t know. “That’s what I want you to tell me.”

Brissett drove toward me on the wing, looking to pass. I took a backdoor cut past my defender, received Brissett’s bounce pass and dunked over a second defender for the first basket of the game. He gave me a wide-eyed look and said “Whoa, I didn’t know you could jump like that kid!”

It wouldn’t be my last good play, either, as Brissett, his Syracuse teammates and I destroyed the opposition 11-3. Kevin and Sean told me later they overheard Brissett talking to McNamara. “We just started hooping, and I was looking at Mike and (thinking), 'This kid is pretty good”. “He’s a really athletic kid who can shoot too.”

Curious as to just how good his teammates and new friends were, Brissett asked Davonta and I where we are playing next year. Davonta mentioned that he was going to walk on at Buffalo, I said I was just going to St John’s as a student. I was overlooked as a walk-on with Mullin resigning his post last week.

Ray Featherston who had nearly done the exact same thing two years prior before enrolling in a prep school and getting a walk on spot at Syracuse didn’t approve of what had happened me. Neither did an interested eaves dropper Mr Carmelo Anthony.

“Hey man, you’ve got to be playing college basketball. I’ll talk to a few people. I think all these Cuse kids saw something from you here tonight. You have a similar playstyle to me. Doing work inside and out. I like that.” Anthony told me. The three of us hung out a little bit more, trading stories of life growing up in basketball-crazed families.

I made a comment to Carmelo as I was leaving, completely jokingly honestly, that ‘If coach Boeheim needs any walk-ons, you know where to find me.’
But Anthony wasn’t laughing. He just smiled and turned to Gerry McNamara. After five players graduated in May, and three walk-ons left for various different reasons, Syracuse actually did need walk-ons.

“Hey Mike, most of our walk-ons actually just walked,” shouted Gerry McNamara. “You should look into that. Leave your contact info with Adrian please.”
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Re: Anything is Possible: Mullin resigns, is it all over?

Postby Andrew on Wed Jun 26, 2019 12:45 pm

When one door closes...
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