The O.J. Mayo mess: spread the blame

If you were surprised by ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” report alleging that O.J. Mayo received money, clothes and other gifts when he was playing high school and college basketball, you live a sheltered life as a sports fan.

We all saw this coming.

We all, in a way, are partly to blame.

The O.J. Traveling Circus first pitched its tent in Kentucky when Mayo was a seventh-grader playing for Rose Hill Christian in Ashland.

The first time I saw him play, in January of 2002, Mayo nailed a last-second three-pointer to give Rose Hill a win over Ashland Blazer on a Sunday afternoon before 4,500 fans in Boyd County Middle School.

Afterward, Mayo signed autographs for more than a few adults who didn’t seem the least bit embarrassed about seeking the signature of a 14-year-old hoops star. (I was relieved when his dad wouldn’t allow O.J. to be interviewed. It didn’t feel right to be asking a seventh-grader about his cross-over dribble.)

Over the next few years, as O.J. hopscotched from school to school — from Rose Hill to Cincinnati North College Hill to Huntington, W.Va. — he became a national sensation, and he had an entourage to prove it. It was fun watching him work his magic on the court, but it was disturbing to watch his “handlers” circle around him like vultures off the court.

While he led Rose Hill to the Sweet Sixteen, North College Hill to two state titles, and Huntington to another state championship, O.J. was always a bigger story than his team. For the most part, he handled all the attention like a pro (which, to some extent, he may have been if this ESPN report is true). He was polite to interviewers and mostly complimentary to his opponents.

I can only imagine how Mayo lost touch with reality when he enrolled at Southern Cal and was part of the glitzy celebrity scene in Los Angeles.

It seemed inevitable that the seamy side of his stardom would eventually come to light. That’s the way it works in our culture.

So now we play the blame game.

O.J. is no innocent. He’s a smart guy. If he accepted money, clothes and other stuff, he knew it was wrong.

But it’s the adults who are most culpable. The agents who schemed to get their hooks in him when he was a kid, hoping for a milllion-dollar payoff. The schools that turned a blind eye to what was going on while their athletic departments raked in the cash from SRO crowds and TV rights. The fans who idolized him and gave him a feeling of entitlement.

The media were at fault, too.

We fed the hype machine, and thus helped create the O.J. persona. We helped turn a prodigy into a professional long before he had the maturity to handle what was thrown at him.

It’s a sorry mess, and a lot of people have a reason to say they’re sorry.

Odds against playing college and pro ball

Attention all you parents who think your little Johnny or Jenny is going to grow up to play NCAA or professional sports: Make sure your kids are hitting the books more often than they’re hitting a curveball. Make sure they’re focusing on their GPA more than their PPG.

I came across some interesting numbers in a recent issue of STACK magazine, which is targeted at high school athletes:

BASEBALL

134,477 – number of high school seniors playing baseball

8,219 — number of NCAA freshman positions in baseball

600 – number of NCAA athletes drafted into pro baseball

9.4% – percentage of NCAA athletes who transition into pro baseball

.45% – percentage of high school athletes who eventually transition to pro baseball

BASKETBALL

156,096 – number of high school seniors playing boys’ high school basketball

4,735 — number of NCAA freshman positions in men’s basketball

3% – percentage of athletes who transition from high school to NCAA basketball

44 — number of NCAA athletes who transition into pro basketball

.03% — percentage of high school athletes who eventually make it to pro basketball

FOOTBALL

306,227 — number of high school seniors playing football

17,501 — number of NCAA freshman positions in football

3% – percentage of athletes who transition from high school to NCAA footbal

250 — number of NCAA athletes drafted into pro football

.08% — percentage of high school athletes who eventually transition to pro football

This week in Kentucky high school sports history

1970

Woodford County’s Larry Weathers, an all-state football player and state heavyweight champ in wrestling, wins the regional shot put title . . . Lafayette wins the region track title in Class 2A. hurdler Ricky Jones, sprinter Gary Taylor and long jumper Nolan Freeman lead the way . . . Mike Webb sweeps the hurdle events to spark Lexington Catholic to the region title in 1A . . . Doug Logan of Shelby County wins the boys’ region golf title at Juniper Hills with a 67. Clark County, led by Wesley Martin’s 73, takes the team title . . . Robin Brooks has 10 strikeouts in pitching Lafayette to a 5-4 win over Henry Clay for the district baseball title. Sonny Denniston, Kent Wade and Steve Hammond have 7 of the Generals’ 9 hits.

1980

Buddy Bryant of Paducah Tilghman shoots 69-71–140 at Fort Knox to win the state golf title by 10 shots over Dave Peege of Trinity. Tates Creek wins the boys’ team title behind the play of Peter Freeman, Jay Wainscott, Doug Feldman and Jim Simpson . . . Bonnie Overmann wins the girls’ state title and leads Notre Dame to the team title . . . Defending state track champ Bryan Station wins the region title behind Anthony Jackson’s wins in the hurdles and triple jump . . . Henry Clay outslugs Tates Creek 11-7 to win the district baseball title. Mark Cole hits a grand slam for the winners. Todd Kessler hits a grand slam for the Commodores . . . Madison Central outfielder Keith Kidd makes a running catch for the last out as the Indians hold on to beat Henry Clay 3-2 in the regional tournament.

1990

Former Bryan Station basketball star Mike Allen, who helped Connors State (Okla.) win the JUCO national championship, says he will take more time to decide what Division I school he’ll attend . . . Lafayette standout James Crutcher, who averaged 22 points and 9 rebounds, signs with Western Kentucky . . . A few days after he is named Clark County principal, Guy Strong, 59, announces his basketball coaching career is over. Strong led Clark County to the semifinals of the Sweet Sixteen a couple months earlier. He coached 14 years on the high school level, and 15 on the college level, highlighted by an NCAA Division II title at Kentucky Wesleyan. “I’m sure I’ll miss basketball, but I’ve put in a lot of years,” he said . . . The final regular-season baseball rankings: No. 1 Boyd County, No. 2 Male, No. 3 Henry Clay, No. 4 Trinity and No. 5 Lafayette . . . Two-time defending state champ Lafayette beats Lexington Catholic in its district opener for its 19th consecutive post-season win over the last three years under Coach Steve Chandler.

Clark Stepp to Austin Peay

June Buchanan all-stater Clark Stepp, the only boys’ basketball player in state history to total 3,000 points and 1,000 assists, will sign with Austin Peay on Friday. Stepp said that he was torn between going to Hargrave Military Academy (Va.) for a year, or signing with Austin Peay. He decided on Wednesday that he’ll go with the Governors.

“At Hargrave, I could improve my quickness and strength, and maybe get a scholarship to a big-time SEC-caliber school,” he said. “But nothing would be guaranteed. I decided I’ve already got what I wanted — a Division I scholarship to Austin Peay. I really like Coach (Dave) Loos. He’s pretty straight-forward, pretty honest, and I like that about him.”

Stepp said it’s also nice that Austin Peay, in Clarksville, Tn., is close to his grandparents, who live in Hopkinsville.

Stepp said Vanderbilt had shown interest in him in recent weeks, and probably would have offered a scholarship if it had one available. But Brad Tinsley, the fifth leading scorer in Oregon high school history, took the last spot last weekend.

Stepp averaged 25 points and 7 assists for June Buchanan this season. He led the Crusaders to the Sweet Sixteen in his junior year.

Harrison County’s Graham joins LCA football staff

Ray Graham, who has won almost 200 games in 28 years as a head football coach, is leaving Harrison County to become an assistant at Lexington Christian Academy.

In letter to Harrison County fans, Graham said he made his decision “after much introspection, prayer and many sleepless nights.” He will be assistant head coach and defensive coordinator to LCA Coach Paul Rains, and will be Senior Bible instructor at the school.

Graham coached Harrison County to the Class 4A semifinals last fall before the Thorobreds lost to eventual state champion Lexington Catholic. He had an overall record of 196-122, including a stint as coach at Rowan County.

“It’s difficult to leave young men and coaches I love,” Graham said in his letter. But I have always believed that decisions should be based upon one’s perceived will of God, and what is best for one’s family.” Graham’s mother, sister and daughter live in Lexington.

Rains called Graham “one of the most respected coaches in the state of Kentucky.” Beyond Graham’s football expertise, Rains said “Graham is even more respected for the Christian example that he has set for coaches all all levels.”

Decisions, decisions for basketball stars

A few weeks into college basketball’s signing period, most of Kentucky’s high-profile high school stars have made their decisions. The only senior on the Herald-Leader’s first-team All-State team still making up his mind is Clark Stepp (shown at right) of June Buchanan. Gary Stepp, his uncle and former coach, said Clark is weighing his options, including going to a prep school. Oklahoma has talked to him about walking on. Vanderbilt has been in touch recently. Austin Peay is still in the picture. “Clark hopes to make a decision by the end of this month,” Gary said.

Here’s where the rest of the first-team senior all-staters are going:

• Darius Miller of Mason County: UK
• Shelvin Mack of Bryan Station: Butler
• Scotty Hopson of University Heights: Tennessee
• Landon Slone of Paintsville: UK (walk-on)
• Aaron Morris of Madison Central: IUPUI
• Arrez Henderson of Holmes: Louisiana Tech
• Tyshwan Edmondson of University Heights: St. John’s
• Taylor Stewart of Lexington Catholic: Air Force Academy

Second-team all-stater Adam Delph of Pleasure Ridge Park is going to walk on at UK. Tyler Brown of Apollo is headed to Morehead, and Michael Sparks of Tates Creek is going to the VMI. Still undecided are Nathan Novosel of Lexington Catholic, Victor Moses of Henry Clay and Nick Gagel of Jeffersontown.

This week in Kentucky high school sports history

1973

Clark County’s Bart Mahan shoots a 74 at Longview Golf Course to take medalist honors in the Mid-State Conference tournament . . . Woodford County basketball star Larry Blackford, who averaged 19 points and 10 rebounds in his senior season, signs with Eastern Kentucky . . . Most of the 1,173 students at Male High School are boycotting classes to protest the suspension of basketball coach Jim Huter. The city schools’ council suspended Huter after reports surfaced that a man indicted on gambling charges had contact with Male basketball players . . . Tates Creek’s baseball team is led by defensive standouts Kevin Foster (second baseman) and John Vandermale (shortstop), centerfielder Butch Schneider, pitcher/outfielder Bob Bunting, and sophomore catcher Chuck Ross.

1983

Lexington has three players make the Kentucky All-Stars’ boys’ basketball team — Gary Butcher and Vince Sanford of Lafayette, and Greg Bates of state champ Henry Clay. Winston Bennett of Male is Mr. Basketball, and Clemette Haskins of Warren Central is Miss Basketball. Three UK Lady Kat signees make the all-star team: Julie Duerring of Boone County, Debbie Miller of Casey County and Melissa Napier of Knox Central . . . Jon Shepard of Henry Clay shoots a 73 to edge Rob McNamara by a shot to win region medalist honors at Longview Golf Course. Jill Mattingly of Lafayette shoots an 86 to win girls’ medalist honors at Woodford Hills . . . Henry Clay’s Mark Ward throws a three-hit shutout to beat Lexington Catholic 3-0 in the opening game of the 40th District baseball tournament. LexCath senior Rodney Martin, who pitched only 4 innings in the regular season, throws a five-hitter in going the distance against Henry Clay. Martin also has 2 of the Knights’ 3 hits.

1993

Former UK star Patty Jo Hedges-Ward is named girls’ basketball coach at Lexington Catholic. Asked about a possible matchup with husband, Steve Ward, who coaches Bryan Station, Hedges-Ward quipped, “I’d probably wind up hollering at him to sit down and fix his tie.” . . . Pineville boys’ basketball coach Marc Dukes, upon leaving to coach at Northwest Mississippi College, says of Kentucky high school hoops: “These kids getting shopped around is not what high school athletics is supposed to be about. There’s no way to stop it unless the KHSAA enforces the rules.” . . . Trinity assistant Dale Anderson is named head football coach at Southwestern, a new school in Pulaski County . . . Raceland pitcher Ryan McKenzie has thrown 42 consecutive scoreless innings, and has 90 strikeouts and 14 walks during the streak . . . Defending state baseball champ and No. 1-rated Lafayette improves to 24-3 with a win over Bryan Station. Rob Hauswald homers for the winners; Darron Ingram homers for the losers. Lafayette hasn’t lost to a city opponent in two years.

LCA avoids boycott by Fayette County schools

Lexington Christian Academy won’t be targeted by Fayette County’s public schools in the “schedule reduction” plan proposed by the Kentucky Association of State Superintendents last week.

After months of talks — talks that began long before the KASS unveiled its plan last week — LCA has agreed to self-impose “Proposition 2,” which means that any student who transfers to LCA from a Lexington public school after the seventh grade is ineligible to play athletics for a year. In turn, Fayette County will impose the same restriction on students transferring from LCA to any of its schools. Don Adkins, athletic director for Fayette County’s public schools, said Bryan Station, Henry Clay, Lafayette, Paul Dunbar and Tates Creek have been told they are free to schedule LCA next school year.

Adkins said that his boss, Fayette County superintendent Stu Silberman, informed the KASS of the agreement with LCA and that it was supportive. At the same time, Adkins said Fayette County is “very supportive” of the KASS’s plan.

“We want to show that we’re willing to work to make sure that what we’re doing is, No. 1, best for the kids, and No. 2, developing a good relationship between everybody involved so we can all sit down and work this out,” Adkins said.

Sayre was already exempted from the scheduling boycott because it has had a good relationship with Lexington’s public schools. Adkins said that if Lexington Catholic agreed to self-impose Prop 2, it could avoid the scheduling boycott. But Lexington Catholic athletic director Dave Bunnell said his administration decided it would “not be in the best interests” of the school to do that.

LCA athletic director Brad Walls said this is a one-year agreement that he hopes will lead to a “long-term resolution” to the public-private sports controversy. “My hope is that the rest of the state will pick up on the fact that here in Lexington we’re trying to work together,” Walls said, “and that this is a starting point for working things out. There’s a lot of fighting going on, and a lot of people don’t really know what they’re fighting about, just that there’s a battle and they’re on one side or the other.”

Walls said that LCA and Lexington Catholic hope to put together a proposal that would tweak Prop 2 that they could take before the KHSAA Delegate Assembly in the fall of 2009.

Just how much effect the schedule-reduction plan has state-wide is unknown. The superintendent of Louisville’s public schools has said it’s not going to change its way of scheduling. Owensboro’s public schools apparently aren’t going to boycott Owensboro Catholic.

Walls said he thinks the scheduling boycott will be felt most in central Kentucky. “I don’t think most places aren’t going to jump on this to a huge degree,” he said.

KHSAA readjusts football playoff format

Just three months before the 2006 football season kicked off, the KHSAA Board of Control called a late audible and changed the post-season format so that teams stayed within their districts for the first two rounds of the playoffs. It was supposed to be a way to cut travel expenses and boost gate receipts.

After two years of mostly negative reviews, however, the KHSAA board has decided to go back to the old (and better) playoff format. The 2008 playoffs will match teams from different districts in the opening round of the playoffs. It is a readjustment that will be applauded by most players, coaches and fans.

Henry Clay Coach Sam Simpson was an outspoken critic of facing a district rival in the first round of the playoffs. “What did you earn by finishing first or second in your district? You turned right around and played the same people again,” he said. “Why they thought that’d generate more of a crowd, I don’t know. I think everybody would rather play somebody different in the playoffs.”

The 2008 playoffs will follow a straight-forward format for classes A through 5A. District 1 will be matched against District 2, District 3 vs. District 4; District 5 vs. District 6; and District 7 vs. District 8. The top seeds from one district will play the fourth seeds from the other district; while the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds will square off.

Class 6A’s districts will be matched up by a randon draw, which is good news for Lexington’s public schools. Since 2000, powerhouse Trinity has beaten a Lexington team in the state semifinals six times, and in the third round twice. But under the 2008 plan, the districts that include Trinity and St. Xavier are in the opposite bracket as Lexington’’s district. That means if a Lexington team advances through the playoffs, it wouldn’t play Trinity of St. X until the state finals.

Lexington’s 6A District 7 (Henry Clay, Lafayette, Paul Dunbar, Tates Creek) will face District 6 (Boone County, Campbell County, Conner, Ryle, Simon Kenton) in first-round games.

Whoever out of that group advances to the 6A semifinals would face the survivor from the District 4 (Bullitt Central, Fern Creek, Male, Southern) vs. District 8 (Clark County, Madison Central, Scott County, Shelby County) matchups.

This week in Kentucky high school sports history

1959

Ralph Kimmell’s Manual High School’s baseball team takes a 15-0 record into a game against UK’s freshman team. Manual starts ace lefthander Bob Marr, who has three no-hitters already this season. UK beats Manual 10-9 . . . Jock Sutherland, who led Gallatin County to the Sweet Sixteen, is given a set of golf clubs at the team’s awards banquet. The guest speaker is Ralph Carlisle, who coached Sutherland at Lafayette . . . Julius Berry of Dunbar is third player named to the Kentucky All-Stars, joining Pat Doyle of North Marshall and Leland Melear of Manual . . . Lafayette’s sports teams are suspended from competition for two weeks because the track team used an ineligible athlete in a meet . . . Roger Huston’s triple in the bottom of the seventh drives in Larry Bass as Lexington Catholic beats Bryan Station 1-0 at Woodland Park . . . Former Cynthiana High School sports star and UK basketball player Joe B. Hall, 30, is named head coach at Regis College in Denver. Herald sports columnist Billy Thompson says of Hall, “He’s a real swell guy, and I’m sure he’ll come through with flying colors.”

1969

Mason County baseball coach Jim Mitchell, whose team has been rained out of several games, schedules a quadruple-header for his Royals on a Saturday, with games against Tollesboro and Deming, and two against Fleming County . . . Flaget all-state football star Kenny King, a 6-foot-5 end, signs with UK. His brother Jerry plays basketball for Louisville . . . Bill Harrell, who led Shelby County to the 1966 state title and went on to become an assistant at the University of Nebraska, is hired as Morehead State’s head coach . . . EKU Coach Guy Strong signs Lily guard Phil Storm, who averaged 27 points as a senior . . . Bryan Station’s baseball team has a 13-3 record. The Defenders are led by Doug Flynn, Pat Byrne, Mike Isaacs, Frank LeMaster, Mike Belcher and Freddie Hillard . . . Lafayette’s track team, led by Larry Foster’s victories in the discus, and high and low hurdles, wins the Fayette County Invitational.

1982

Virgie basketball star Todd May, Mr. Basketball, signs with UK after weeks of waiting. May, who averaged 31 points, 19 rebounds and 6.5 blocked shots in leading Virgie to the Sweet Sixteen semifinals, also considered Vanderbilt and Wake Forest. “He’s a Kentucky boy and he’ll stay a Kentucky boy,” said Virgie Coach Bobby Osborne . . . U of L signee Billy Thompson’s 27 points lead the U.S. All-Stars to a 144-85 rout of the Kentucky-Indiana All-Stars in the Derby Festival. Len Bias has 21 points for the winners. Keith Berry of Bryan Station leads the Kentucky-Indiana team with 16 points . . . Transylvania Coach Don Lane signs Marvin Watts of North Hardin to go with earlier recruits Bobby Storie of Clinton County and Kip Hagan of Henry Clay . . . Trigg County track star Sam Love, who will run for UK, is prepping to win the state 800 and 1,600 for the third year in a row.