All-Star Games Lack Communication
As most of you know, there are two local football All-star games taking place next week. The first is the 29th Annual Hall of Fame Game, Friday the 27th at Bassett High School at 7 p.m.
Locally, we have 10 players committed. On the West side, we have seven players including Cantwell-Sacred Heart's Deonta Woodward, El Rancho's Travis Shafer, La Serna's Rudy Jordan, Montebello's Vicente Torres, Schurr's Alex Valdez and Raul Pintado and St. Paul's D.J. Krattenmaker.
On the East side are the other three locals, California's Chris Burns and Jose Castellon and Pioneer's Andre Ortega.
The other all-star game taking place is the Second Annual L.A. Fiesta Bowl Game happening Saturday the 28th at L.A. Wilson High School at 4 p.m.
We have 15 locals tabbed to play in that game. To see their names, check out three posts below at "Fiesta Bowl Rosters".
Now, there has been a lot of criticism because both bowls are scheduled only a day apart.
This has led several athletes, who were selected to compete in both games, left to chose one or the other.
Hall of Fame West coach Erick Escamilla spoke about the matter after Thursday's practice.
Here's the interview -
Escamilla_Interview.wav
Now, what I'll say about the matter is this has more to do with a lack of communication than it has to do about a rivalry between bowls.
I spoke with Fiesta Bowl Chairman Mike Aldapa a few weeks ago about this issue and he said it was an honest mistake.
The Fiesta Bowl organizers moved their game up a week from last year's date specifically not to compete with the Hall of Fame Game. Aldapa is not a coach and perhaps that's what hurt him.
He was not in contact with the Hall of Fame Game organizers when this decision was made. Much to the surprise of those associated with the Fiesta Bowl, they were shocked that the HOF game moved up a week as well.
Now, I have great respect for my esteemed colleague Fred Robledo of the San Gabriel Valley Tribune but I have to disagree with his column "Where's the Loyalty?" on his blog (www.insidesocal.com/tribpreps). He questioned "Why did the Fiesta, knowing th (sic) date of the Hall of Fame, schedule their game a day later?"
Had Mr. Robledo spoken to Aldapa or anyone else associated with the Fiesta Bowl, he would have known that there was no malice with the scheduling of the game.
I spoke to one Fiesta Bowl coach who said the allegations made on Robledo's blog were a "slap in the face to all the coaches involved" and that there was "absolutely no way the Fiesta Bowl was trying to defame the Hall of Fame Game."
It seems like there was miscommunication not only between both bowl game organizers but between the SGV media (which has yet to actually attend a practice) and the Fiesta Bowl coaches (who have problems answering their phones).
Locally, we have 10 players committed. On the West side, we have seven players including Cantwell-Sacred Heart's Deonta Woodward, El Rancho's Travis Shafer, La Serna's Rudy Jordan, Montebello's Vicente Torres, Schurr's Alex Valdez and Raul Pintado and St. Paul's D.J. Krattenmaker.
On the East side are the other three locals, California's Chris Burns and Jose Castellon and Pioneer's Andre Ortega.
The other all-star game taking place is the Second Annual L.A. Fiesta Bowl Game happening Saturday the 28th at L.A. Wilson High School at 4 p.m.
We have 15 locals tabbed to play in that game. To see their names, check out three posts below at "Fiesta Bowl Rosters".
Now, there has been a lot of criticism because both bowls are scheduled only a day apart.
This has led several athletes, who were selected to compete in both games, left to chose one or the other.
Hall of Fame West coach Erick Escamilla spoke about the matter after Thursday's practice.
Here's the interview -
Escamilla_Interview.wav
Now, what I'll say about the matter is this has more to do with a lack of communication than it has to do about a rivalry between bowls.
I spoke with Fiesta Bowl Chairman Mike Aldapa a few weeks ago about this issue and he said it was an honest mistake.
The Fiesta Bowl organizers moved their game up a week from last year's date specifically not to compete with the Hall of Fame Game. Aldapa is not a coach and perhaps that's what hurt him.
He was not in contact with the Hall of Fame Game organizers when this decision was made. Much to the surprise of those associated with the Fiesta Bowl, they were shocked that the HOF game moved up a week as well.
Now, I have great respect for my esteemed colleague Fred Robledo of the San Gabriel Valley Tribune but I have to disagree with his column "Where's the Loyalty?" on his blog (www.insidesocal.com/tribpreps). He questioned "Why did the Fiesta, knowing th (sic) date of the Hall of Fame, schedule their game a day later?"
Had Mr. Robledo spoken to Aldapa or anyone else associated with the Fiesta Bowl, he would have known that there was no malice with the scheduling of the game.
I spoke to one Fiesta Bowl coach who said the allegations made on Robledo's blog were a "slap in the face to all the coaches involved" and that there was "absolutely no way the Fiesta Bowl was trying to defame the Hall of Fame Game."
It seems like there was miscommunication not only between both bowl game organizers but between the SGV media (which has yet to actually attend a practice) and the Fiesta Bowl coaches (who have problems answering their phones).
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