Going, Going, Gone - to the NCAA

Read David Grossman's story about high school athletes jumping to the NCAA to get a sense of the issue for some.

It's starting to get nasty again.

Hmm, some rather terse comments from people directed at me - and all via voice mails - reacting to stories in the Star and on our website about Canadian high school athletes deciding to go to the United States for post-secondary education and sports.

No names left. No return telephone numbers. Nothing on call display. Adult voices. It's almost as if there were a string of individuals agreeing to, one by one, blast some hot air at me. I can take it, but I was surprised.

I know everyone has an opinion, but let's keep the anger, tone and language respectable. It would be nice to know who the people are since they did take the time to call and, well, I'd like to speak with them.

The latest gust of steam follows stories we had about sensational hockey player Thea Imbrogno, from St. Basil The Great College in Toronto, and 6-foot-10 basketball player Stefan Nastic, who attends Thornhill Secondary, and is one of the best in the Greater Toronto Area.

Some people are fuming.  I could sense the saliva dripping out of their mouths because we had mentioned Imbrogno and Nastic are going to NCAA Division One schools. Great in sports, both are also doing very well on the academic side. High marks. Very good role models. So, why the outburst? Simply, because they chose U.S. schools?

I don't get it. Why aren't there angry calls when students choose European schools? It seems that people would be happier if young people chose a Canadian school.

Imbrogno has decided to go to Pittsburgh to attend Robert Morris University — and join 13 other Canadians on the hockey team. Nastic has chosen Palo Alto, Calif., which is home to Stanford University. Not bad either. Both students did their homework, got advice from family members and made "their" choice. Imbrogno is getting a full ride. I am sure Nastic is up for some form of financial assistance. Both also like the academics.

They aren't burning Canadian flags, handing in their citizenship, dumping on the quality of education or sports at Canadian universities, who also have scholarships too — but limited in amounts. Imbrogno and Nastic, who probably wouldn't know each other if they collided at a shopping mall, have a right to make their choice.

My job is to share their news with you.

And to those angry callers, if you don't want to have a conversation with me, how about an e-mail?

You Have Asked...And Here Are The Answers

Time to answer some questions.

I have been getting a number of inquiries about our high school athletes of the week - and how they are chosen. And that's not all. Lots of questions about, as one person put it, "the psychology" behind our weekly Top Ten teams in sports that range from football to basketball to hockey to baseball. And, after decades of explanations and regular reminders to school Boards, Athletic Associations and others, would you believe there are still some people who are not sure how to get their sports results in the paper?

So, I thought this might be a good forum to try to explain, educate and, maybe, better communicate.

Let's start with athletes of the week. Couldn't have said it any better. We review performances of school athletes during the previous seven days and select a male and female. Indeed, we're looking for what these athletes have accomplished - as individuals and to help their team, where applicable. There are some excellent examples on the Star website of previous winners male and female. I would not be telling the truth if I neglected to mention that we look at excellence in sports with that in the classroom. We accept suggestions from coaches, teachers, parents, officials and even students to go along with what we, make that I, see. And, I ask a Selection Committee to help me choose our winners. That's after all the info is checked and verified. We may miss someone, somewhere, which is why we keep asking coaches to offer up and submit names or call us - with performances of the week. Once the winner is picked, we ask them to provide a picture and the photo and info appears in the Star and on our website. In addition, each week on this blog I also try to single out 10 individual highlights.

Now, our Top Ten polls. I thought these were interesting, but never realized how serious some people take the weekly selections. Teams are graded based on how they did during the previous week. Not, in team by team comparisons, how they did earlier in the season or how they might end up. This allows more teams to move up, and down, the chart. Again, we ask university, college, high school and club coaches to pitch in and help. Same for officials, fans and more. The rely on scores, tournaments and league games, and what they see and hear. There is no psychoanalysis. No experts in wagering. The final picks are not scientific. This is done for fun, to create excitement and profile the sports - if you know what I mean.

And, results. Very simple. As Canada's largest daily newspaper, the Star takes same day results - and we remind people in the paper and on the website for high school sports. We ask for the results to be submitted by phone or e-mail. Technology can really speed things up after a game. Sadly, some schools only call when they win, forgetting that students do their best - regardless of the score - and deserve recognition. Some schools try to report games a day or more after they've taken place. There are also examples in which schools choose not to call us with scores - until they suddenly have a championship contender. The majority of schools, coaches, assistants, managers and captains are doing it right.

Any questions, call me locally at 416-869-4394 or toll free at 1-866-249-1387 or send me an e-mail to dgrossm@thestar.ca. And if you're up to it, I even read letters.

Things You Might Like To Know

Now that my desk is, ah, fairly clean, I've been told by the technical wizards that it's time to go through the dozens of e-mails cluttering up my computer. Hey, I get over 100 e-mails every day. So, gone is the e-mail about a shoe-sale at the Outlet mall in Niagara Falls, and an invitation to someone's party in May and one from some woman who claims she knows me in South America.

I did find some good stuff that, I think, could be of interest to you. Here we go.

Stefan Nastic, that 6-foot-10 senior-age basketball player at Thornhill Secondary, has decided he wants to be a Cardinal. Forget Canada, the Serbian-born Nastic prefers California - as in Palo Alto, home of Stanford University. The basketball team there is 11-11 this year and play UCLA this week in Los Angeles. Nastic trained with the Serbian under-18 National squad last summer.

On the subject of basketball, this weekend is the Sheridan Cup - best of the tournaments. However, make a note of Feb. 13 and the "Hoops for Haiti" event hosted by Pickering High. No champion will be determined, but some great basketball with all the biggees there - Father Henry Carr, Richardson, Pickering, Eastern Commerce and more. Gate receipts go to help those who can use the money in Haiti.

First day back to school sports after the exams, and those girls on skates were hungry for goals. Now that I think of it, some of the opposing teams may have still been in exam mode. In four games, teams outscored others, 40-2. Lawrence Park 13-0 over Danforth, Malvern 10-0 over Harbord, Martingrove 11-1 over Etobicoke and Richview 6-1 over Forest Hill.

Car drivers were warned today not to drive and talk on the cell or text message. Penalties and more. Well, another warning. At the big girls' hockey tournament, hosted by the Canlan Ice Centre at York University this week, players are not to remove gloves to shake hands before each game. Apparently, they're still worried about H1N1. Sportsmanship is still part of the game, but it's a "fist bump" with hockey gloves on.

Still with girls' hockey, remember Liz Knox? She was the two-time Toronto Star high school all-star goalie with Stouffville District several years ago. Some people thought I was a yahoo for picking her. Well, she's now at Wilfrid Laurier University playing for the No. 2-ranked university team in Canada. The team has won 22 consecutive games and Knox was four seconds shy of both the Canadian single season and career record for shutouts. Laurier beat Guelph 2-1, but it was the Gryphons goal that spoiled the shutout.

Just a few more things. Forest Hill Collegiate lineman Winston Miles is getting close to making a decision about school in the fall. Apparently, the University of Buffalo is high on his list. Oakville, and St. Ignatius of Loyola High, will be the place to be later this week for the Ontario Catholic Classic - some of the top senior girls' volleyball teams in this area. And St. Michael's senior basketball player Duane Notice has scored 25 or more points in 14 games this year. Don't think anyone can top that feat.