Central Next Season

[Guest DickVitale]

Committed to Texas A&M, then when Kermit Davis was fired, that spring, I de-commited and signed w/ Tech. My point is, if my HIGH SCHOOL coach were to be the assistant at Lamar, I would have more than likely signed with Lamar..Thats just the way it goes...GLAD it wasn't the case, because my brother played at Lamar for Mike Newell, around that time, and he was an awful piece of work, when originally he signed when Tony Branch was the assistant, then named head coach....They REALLY did not give Tony a fair shot, but that is for another thread on another day!

Tony Branch! Dickie V, weren't you in the 2nd or 3rd grade when Branch was coaching here Nah jut joking, but I agree with your Tony Branch statement. Thats a whole new thread to deal with ....

ACTUALLY I attended the 1st Tony Branch basketball camp as an 8th grader! Coach Doug McCarter (former WOS coach, now @ Katy Taylor) was on staff at that time, and busted me, James Brown (former WB and Texas QB), and few other young knuckleheads for sneaking out one night during camp to see the Heavy D concert at the Montagne...I STILL don't know how he caught us, we thought our plan was full proof!

[Guest stevenash]

D.V.   - Prepare for the shock of your life.  I actually AGREE with you that Tony Branch was not given a fair chance at Lamar.  Was your brother on the team when Newell left a player at some restaurant in Lousiana after returning from a game in Florida?

[BLUEDOVE3]

Being as asisstant in D1 is not about coaching.  Its about recruiting.  Boutte has established he can recruit.  lol

Actually, some coaches only handle the paperwork. Don't recruit nor involved in a lot of coaching to the players.

WHAT? No DOVE, that guy would be the Director of Basketball Operations...He cannot travel nor be on the floor in games or practices, but he coordinates travel and handles paperwork...There is not a staff in AMERICA, that will allow a coach not to recruit OR coach...not happening.

Dang I hate to admit this but my coach does recruit. I knew it sounded strange and maybe I misunderstood them. But you were "................" Dickie! I just can't seem to put in that word to complete this sentence ;D

[BLUEDOVE3]

D.V.   - Prepare for the shock of your life.  I actually AGREE with you that Tony Branch was not given a fair chance at Lamar.  Was your brother on the team when Newell left a player at some restaurant in Lousiana after returning from a game in Florida?

Stevie, I know how you feel. His ego is big enough already. I remember the incident you are referring to. Dickie's brother should have been around about that time to be on that bus trip.

[Guest DickVitale]

D.V.   - Prepare for the shock of your life.  I actually AGREE with you that Tony Branch was not given a fair chance at Lamar.  Was your brother on the team when Newell left a player at some restaurant in Lousiana after returning from a game in Florida?

Stevie, I know how you feel. His ego is big enough already. I remember the incident you are referring to. Dickie's brother should have been around about that time to be on that bus trip.

Uhhhhh....guys....My brother WAS one of the guys he left at the restaurant!....Dad wanted to KILL Mike Newell....You should have heard that guy stuttering on the phone with my dad...classic!

[team first]

dickie was it a accident, or was it on purpose.  Not that it would make any difference, just curious

[team first]

and how much trouble did newell get in for that?

[Guest DickVitale]

dickie was it a accident, or was it on purpose.   Not that it would make any difference, just curious

It was DEFINITELY on purpose after a road loss that he was clearly angry about.

and how much trouble did newell get in for that?

After my brother did that television and newspaper interview talking about the incident among OTHER things that he had done, it ultimately cost him his job. That guy was NUTS!

[team first]

i quess i never heard the whole story. how long did your brother have to wait? It is sort of funny now that it has been over with for so long. Do you get on your brother for it?  ;D

[Guest DickVitale]

i quess i never heard the whole story. how long did your brother have to wait? It is sort of funny now that it has been over with for so long. Do you get on your brother for it?  ;D

BOY, DID I?!!! Me and my friends and HS teammates gave him the BLUES for that for MONTHS!! My dad would get angry just talking about it, but we gave him fits about it! ...He was able to catch a ride with some fans coming from the game that happened to eat at that restaurant...He was VERY lucky on that one...When he called the house to tell us what happened I remember being shocked, then bursting out in laughter once I knew he got a ride back...BUT, my parents were FURIOUS!

[team first]

;D ;D ;D ;D thats funny

[BLUEDOVE3]

Yep I remember the incident. Newell was in hot water. See, this is what LU is missing now. It brought character to the school.

[Guest stevenash]

Newell brought character?

[BLUEDOVE3]

Newell brought character?

I mean it was always something going on back in those days.

[Guest DickVitale]

Tony Branch was the ONLY reason that my brother decided on Lamar...Then when he became the HEAD COACH that summer, he was estatic about his decision...Branch was a better coach than Newell, Giovanni, AND Deane...Abetemarco left when the cupboard was young and bare, and Branch was fired because of it, after just 2 seasons on the job.  ...sad.  If he were there when I came out, Lamar would have been a consideration...After Newell left my brother, though, NO LAMAR coaches were allowed at Madison High School...NONE. And to THIS day Lamar got NO MORE Madison kids...Or Houston ISD kids for that matter, because the word DID get around because dad was the "dean" of HISD coaches...Amazing what an idiot can do to a program, huh?

[KFDM COOP]

[omegafour4]

Boutte is a great coach!! no one can dispute that.  He has been truly blessed to accomplish what he has accomplished.  I think some of you on here should take a closer look at what goes on within a program.  What has always been a calling card for Boutte is that he has always had depth.  When you start talking about teams and how well they perform it is not just what is on the floor when the game starts but the support that a team has coming of of the bench.  With the emergence of Ozen as an educational institution, every kid wanted to go to Ozen.  Both schools (central and Brook) suffered from an athletic stan point.  More for Central because of the negative image that was taken on by the community.  People forget that Central use to be a 5A school.  2200 Kids.....it dropped to 1400 after the opening of Ozen.  The talent that use be at Central when it was just 2 high school no longer exist.  Rice is a decent coach.  Anyone who knows talent knows that depth wise.... he has not had the talent that Ozen has since he has been the coach.  The difference in Ozen's teams and Centrals teams all the years he has been there has been size....Who at Central could match up with Mack Randle, Joe Lamb, Keyna Young, I am not even going to mention the member of the NBA world champions.  You all need to think realistically. 

Coach Boutte does a great job getting his players prepared to play but it is easy when you have ten players that can actually play as compared to the 3 or 4 players or even 5 players that Central has each year that can actually make a difference. 

Dickvitale, I know that Boutte is God to you but you are a smart man and you are a knowledgable coach and you know it is more than about XXX's and OOO's when it comes to winning. 

Red Aurebach would not be what was with out Bill Russell....Pat Riley without Magic, Kareem, worthy, Scott, cooper.....Jackson without Jordan, Pippen, Longley, Rodman......Boutte without Stevie, McCoroy, Perkins, Keyna, Joe lamb, etc.....

[Guest DickVitale]

See, to me that is just hating....Seems as if you are jealous of his accomplishments and are making excuses for his success. Thats what it appears to be....SIDE NOTE: I put no person before my GOD...back to topic. Most of what I learned about coaching came from him and dad, had you learned under Boutte, you would understand, but didnt so you don't....People always try to figure out why, and forget to just acknowledge WHAT has been done..Did you know that people were saying that Boutte would fail because "he should have never left Lincoln"...Then we won state in 2001 (four years later)...Then after 2003 it was, "its over now that Perk is gone" then they were right back in the regional quarterfinals (27-7) tournament the NEXT year, Regional finals in 05 (33-1), regional quarterfinals in 06 (29-2) and in the state championship game in 2007..Say what you want, but to win multiple state titles at multiple high schools is a heck of an accomplishment.  Yes, I am smart, and you should be able to recognize that fact as well...Stop crying about what you don't have and get it going with what you DO have...Another SIDE NOTE: Ozen has never put your team out of the playoffs...you will get that one later...Did Vidor EVER have the same talent as Central or Ozen? NO...BUT, he (Brian English) found a way to get it done, and one year (04) even swept Ozen...To this date that has been the only district loss for Ozen since 1999...My point is stop making excuses and just get it done....someway, somehow....stop crying and just GET IT DONE..

[BLUEDOVE3]

See, to me that is just hating....Seems as if you are jealous of his accomplishments and are making excuses for his success. Thats what it appears to be....SIDE NOTE: I put no person before my GOD...back to topic. Most of what I learned about coaching came from him and dad, had you learned under Boutte, you would understand, but didnt so you don't....People always try to figure out why, and forget to just acknowledge WHAT has been done..Did you know that people were saying that Boutte would fail because "he should have never left Lincoln"...Then we won state in 2001 (four years later)...Then after 2003 it was, "its over now that Perk is gone" then they were right back in the regional quarterfinals (27-7) tournament the NEXT year, Regional finals in 05 (33-1), regional quarterfinals in 06 (29-2) and in the state championship game in 2007..Say what you want, but to win multiple state titles at multiple high schools is a heck of an accomplishment.  Yes, I am smart, and you should be able to recognize that fact as well...Stop crying about what you don't have and get it going with what you DO have...Another SIDE NOTE: Ozen has never put your team out of the playoffs...you will get that one later...Did Vidor EVER have the same talent as Central or Ozen? NO...BUT, he (Brian English) found a way to get it done, and one year (04) even swept Ozen...To this date that has been the only district loss for Ozen since 1999...My point is stop making excuses and just get it done....someway, somehow....stop crying and just GET IT DONE..

I love ol'school flava! No excuses; just get it done!

[BMTSoulja1]

Boutte is a great coach!! no one can dispute that.  He has been truly blessed to accomplish what he has accomplished.  I think some of you on here should take a closer look at what goes on within a program.  What has always been a calling card for Boutte is that he has always had depth.  When you start talking about teams and how well they perform it is not just what is on the floor when the game starts but the support that a team has coming of of the bench.  With the emergence of Ozen as an educational institution, every kid wanted to go to Ozen.  Both schools (central and Brook) suffered from an athletic stan point.  More for Central because of the negative image that was taken on by the community.  People forget that Central use to be a 5A school.  2200 Kids.....it dropped to 1400 after the opening of Ozen.  The talent that use be at Central when it was just 2 high school no longer exist.  Rice is a decent coach.  Anyone who knows talent knows that depth wise.... he has not had the talent that Ozen has since he has been the coach.  The difference in Ozen's teams and Centrals teams all the years he has been there has been size....Who at Central could match up with Mack Randle, Joe Lamb, Keyna Young, I am not even going to mention the member of the NBA world champions.  You all need to think realistically. 

Coach Boutte does a great job getting his players prepared to play but it is easy when you have ten players that can actually play as compared to the 3 or 4 players or even 5 players that Central has each year that can actually make a difference. 

Dickvitale, I know that Boutte is God to you but you are a smart man and you are a knowledgable coach and you know it is more than about XXX's and OOO's when it comes to winning. 

Red Aurebach would not be what was with out Bill Russell....Pat Riley without Magic, Kareem, worthy, Scott, cooper.....Jackson without Jordan, Pippen, Longley, Rodman......Boutte without Stevie, McCoroy, Perkins, Keyna, Joe lamb, etc.....

No excuses.  You are hearing this from a Jag fan.  We had just as many big men come through as Ozen.  The Ozen team staring Chris Richards was one of the weakest Panther team that I have seen in some time.  They were not that big and were very young.  They started off with some key losses.  When district started, just like a typical Ozen team, they picked up a head of steam.  They started peaking at the end of district and when the playoffs started, well, you know the rest...  All boils down to coaching as I have seen Boutte do it time and time again.  It's actually like a broken record.  I have learn expect that every year .

[shorttexas1]

preach dickie preach....  just like english made an immediate nederland, coaching can ingluence a program.  Central did not have the best talent n beaumont but they went to state in 99... and stayed in regionals during the Green era.  westbrook had way more talent and could not get into the late rounds.. if Boutte was there Brook would have been a perrinial power.  Boutte had help early because of the allure of the new school. but their enrollment is less than Centrals now... Central can win with what they have now...  can they be coached out of the first round?

[omegafour4]

First of all, English did not make an immediate impact at nederland.  They still finished in 5th place out of 8 teams.  That is the same place that Williams finished the year before.....Secondly, the post was not about excuses it was just stating a fact... that yes a coach has to be a great coach in order to win but at the same time you still have to have the personnel in order to carry out a philosphy or a game plan.  Furthermore, the year the Jaguars went to Austin in 99 they were really talented.  They had a six nine post (Ronnie Davis) that could block shots....another 6'8 (Big Riley) coming off the bench.... the best shooter in the city (Dubie) and a point guard (Skip Jackson) who was a floor general.  That is probably the best talent to come through since the 88 team with Ron Jackson, Damon Sweet, Marshall Scott and others.  To add to the fact.....Green was not in the regionals any other time during his tenure.  The school has only been to the regionals twice in twenty years.   Once with Coach White and One with Green.  As a matter of fact, the years following his appearance in Austin he went to the second round once and then every year until his departure he was one and done.   "Can the Jaguars be coached passed the second round with Mr. Rice"... Maybe they can maybe they can't...I don't know if you know the year before they went to the second round after defeating Smiley.. If they can't maybe one of you basketball scholars who have the answers to everything should apply for the job.  If not then all you can do is offer your opinions like you always do and hope for a coaching reassignment or a resignation.

P.S.  I am wondering, what sports did soulja and short participate in at anytime.  (Playstation and XBox not included)

Mr. Vitale, I really wish you well in your new endeavor. 

[BMTSoulja1]

First of all, English did not make an immediate impact at nederland.  They still finished in 5th place out of 8 teams.  That is the same place that Williams finished the year before.....Secondly, the post was not about excuses it was just stating a fact... that yes a coach has to be a great coach in order to win but at the same time you still have to have the personnel in order to carry out a philosphy or a game plan.  Furthermore, the year the Jaguars went to Austin in 99 they were really talented.  They had a six nine post (Ronnie Davis) that could block shots....another 6'8 (Big Riley) coming off the bench.... the best shooter in the city (Dubie) and a point guard (Skip Jackson) who was a floor general.  That is probably the best talent to come through since the 88 team with Ron Jackson, Damon Sweet, Marshall Scott and others.  To add to the fact.....Green was not in the regionals any other time during his tenure.  The school has only been to the regionals twice in twenty years.   Once with Coach White and One with Green.  As a matter of fact, the years following his appearance in Austin he went to the second round once and then every year until his departure he was one and done.   "Can the Jaguars be coached passed the second round with Mr. Rice"... Maybe they can maybe they can't...I don't know if you know the year before they went to the second round after defeating Smiley.. If they can't maybe one of you basketball scholars who have the answers to everything should apply for the job.  If not then all you can do is offer your opinions like you always do and hope for a coaching reassignment or a resignation.

P.S.  I am wondering, what sports did soulja and short participate in at anytime.  (Playstation and XBox not included)

Mr. Vitale, I really wish you well in your new endeavor.  I hope that all goes well and you are not haunted by your past.  "Just Do It!"

You have made it obvious who you are by you getting all sensitive and whiny over the subject.  : :  :'( :'( I will not entertain the foolish comment.  I WILL, however,  tell you to read my signature.  ;)

Have a nice day, Sunshine...

[omegafour4]

It does not matter if you know who I am or not. 

[shorttexas1]

It does not matter if you know who I am or not. 

Dude... This is a sports blog for people to chat and state their opinion... KEYWORD... OPINION... this is not in anyway a direct indictment of you or Central's Coach...  Think about the Brook team in '99...  They arguably had more talent than the Central Team especially at the guards...... And check on those playoff rounds during Greens tenure...  His first team at Central he did not start one senior and they lost in the first round... regional semi the next year when Kensley Barret hit threes at the end of two games in a row to clinch and missed that same shot in the last game, the second round and lost in double overtime to Eisenhower, and his final year they lost in the second round with Third and Andrews... However that was 5A... They had three team in there district in the top 15 two of those years...  4A was not tougher than 5A in the late 90s early 2000s and stil is not.  No I don't expect Central at State.. I just like competitive basketball.The immediate impact I am referring to in English is that NED became a challenge and more competitive. Are you really sayin that NED or Vidor has had as much talent as Central?  And as a fan I can be critical or positive of Central Jaguars, UT Longhorhs, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Rockets, and the Astros...  I reserve that right...  Freedom of speech... Ever heard of it...  My paycheck justifies my sports affiliation...  Vertically challenged little ol' me decided to make six figures using my mind...  The same intellegent mind that solve a complex engineering calculation on the amount of trays a distillation column needs can also deduce basketball, football, and baseball.An I say Central has enough talent to win now... Meaning this year...  I think Rice has grown enough to make a push... and I pray it happens...