skank;996905 wrote:Another nice article.
Please read it all....But especially the highlighted words/sentences.
Coach Crable denies allegations [HR][/HR]Letter details complaints
By Michael D. Clark
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Rival public schools accuse Moeller High School — a nationally known Catholic football power that has waned recently — of two clear violations of player recruiting rules and of violating the spirit of the rules.
Greater Miami Conference documents obtained by the Enquirer show allegations that Moeller illicitly recruited public school students with a postage-paid pamphlet soliciting personal information and through a coach's visit to a church. The schools also complained that Moeller recruited at a Pee Wee football practice, against the spirit of the Ohio High School Athletic Association's bylaws.
The Enquirer reported earlier that Columbus-based OHSAA officials traveled Monday to both Princeton and Moeller in the initial stages of investigating the storied football program. The GMC documents, obtained this week through the Freedom of Information Act, include the letter that triggered the investigation.
“The principals of the (GMC) view this as a very serious matter,” stated Princeton High School Principal Raymond Bauer, who is also president of the GMC's Principal Committee, in a Dec. 7 letter to OHSAA officials.
His letter detailed two alleged recruiting instances that he said were “in clear violation of OHSAA bylaws” — the brochure “regarding the football program requesting information ... and also if they are in need of financial assistance,” and “a sport-specific flier directed at 7th and 8th grade students at (a Catholic church) which services both public and parochial schools.”
Moeller coach Bob Crable on Thursday denied any illicit recruiting and said the GMC complained because “they are trying to protect themselves, protect their players and their districts.”
Mr. Crable agreed that the school distributed the pamphlet and that he had arranged to speak to young players at Good Shepherd Church in Montgomery and at a Pee Wee practice in Princeton's school district.
Moeller officials earlier said the now-discontinued pamphlets were designed only to “generate enthusiasm about Moeller” and its new coach. The color pamphlet asks young players to provide personal information such as school, team, coach, parents' name and whether they are interested in financial aid from Moeller, and to mail back the stamped card.
GMC athletic officials from Princeton, Sycamore and Lakota West have already met with OSHAA officials. The GMC also includes football powers Colerain and Hamilton.
Recruiting rules are meant to help competitive fairness among schools of varying resources and to guard against improper enticements of young athletes. The accusations of recruiting violations and the rare OHSAA investigation come as Moeller is rebuilding after a disappointing season. The school has won seven state championships and five mythical national championships.
The Crusaders were 5-5 last season as three Greater Cincinnati teams — Colerain, St. Xavier and Elder — were among the nation's top 25-rated teams, a first for a single city.
Mr. Crable said Thursday: “Yes, (the pamphlet) looks from a outsider trying to interpret the rules — and certainly from a standpoint of where Sycamore and Princeton are coming from” like a recruiting pamphlet.
“Unfortunately, the perception is different from the intention. That's why we stopped it,” he said, referring to the school's decision to halt distribution after an initial complaint was made to the school in November.
According to OHSAA bylaws, schools may use such pamphlets in “mass marketing,” but only if such literature also addresses other aspects of the school — such as academics — along with sports.
There is no mention of academics in the Moeller pamphlet.
“Where we made the mistake was ... was not including other aspects of the school,” Mr. Crable said.
He doesn't dispute GMC officials' contention that he arranged a Sept. 24 meeting for seventh- and eighth-grade boys at Good Shepherd Church to recruit for Moeller football, but denied that was improper. However, OHSAA bylaws prohibit sports recruiting beyond the sixth grade.
Mr. Crable also didn't dispute that he recruited 11-year-old boys at a Pee Wee football practice in Sharonville on Oct. 9. He said he distributed the football pamphlet in question at the practice.
Though Mr. Crable's recruitment at Pee Wee football is described by GMC officials as only a violation of the spirit of the bylaws, it elicited comment from other current and former Catholic coaches.
Terry Malone, head football coach of Badin High School in Hamilton for 44 years, and the ninth-winningest coach in history of American high school football, said any Catholic coach actively recruiting at Pee Wee football is “going over the line” because there may be public school youngsters on the team.
Former Moeller football coach Steve Klonne, replaced in 2000 by Mr. Crable after 23 years at Moeller, agreed, saying: “I did not aggressively go to Pee Wee games to recruit. Basically, I followed the rules.”
Mr. Crable said whether his recruiting methods are in violation “is a decision (the OHSAA) is going to have to make.”
If the OHSAA rules against Moeller, then “we'll have to deal with that as it comes down,” he said. “But we are trying to do things the right way.”
OHSAA officials have said if Moeller is found guilty of violating the sports organization's rules, it could face penalties ranging from fines up to $1,000, public censure, denial of participation in postseason play, suspension from the OHSAA or other penalties deemed appropriate by the OHSAA commissioner. OHSAA Commissioner Clair Muscaro said the investigation is expected to last about two weeks, but declined further comment.
GMC officials and coaches said they would not comment on their accusations during the OHSAA investigation. Dan Andriacco, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, said: “If they (OHSAA) find a violation, they will levy the penalty, which we will enforce. We will cooperate in their investigation, if they need us, but I don't think they will.”
Some things I noticed.
"Questioned wether they would be in nedd of financial assistance". Isn't that an athletic scholarship?
If the pamphlet that Crable was passing out was legal, why would they "stop" passing it out, regardless of what the, "perception" was?
"However, OHSAA bylaws prohibit sports recruiting beyond the sixth grade"????
Crable....recruited 11 year olds? Wow, what a tool.
But my favorite was when Klonne said, "Basically, I followed the rules". BASICALLY?