Interview with: Peter Robert Casey

In my effort of getting more and more interviews on the blog, here is one from a man who has seen a lot when it comes to basketball, even though he did miss a bit even this year (read the interview to find out what), Peter Robert Casey. As he says in his twitter page, three first names and one first love: basketball. In this online interview we are definitely going to talk about that love of his. From college to pro to maybe the best basketball of all, one played on the asphalt in the streets of New York. But I have talked way too long, so here is the interview…

A.E.M.: You were at the Final Four this year, (shameless plug – watching my Heels win it all), give us that have never had that possibility what it feels like to be in the mix, in the thick of things.

Peter: I don’t think anyone will believe this, but my friend and I missed our 4:00pm flight out of Newark (NJ) the day before the Semifinals. To make matters worse, our re-booked 5:25pm flight that evening was canceled due to inclement weather. All other remaining flights out of NYC that weekend were booked solid. Suffice it to say, I watched the Final Four on HD – miserably – in the thin confines of my NYC shoebox apartment; far, far from Ford Field. Why did you have to reopen that wound? LOL.

A.E.M.: Having told us about this experience, are there other venues that you have been to you like to share with us?

Peter: I’ll match your shameless plug. I work closely with the founder and CEO of the EBC at Rucker Park (Greg Marius), in New York City and I still struggle to find a better venue and surrounding atmosphere than this patch of asphalt in Harlem. When the pros come out, the energy in the park is without peer. Rucker Park has long been a platform for giving the local neighborhood star a shining chance to duel with the multimillion dollar, celebrated athlete. It’s a must-see, must-visit venue.

A.E.M.: Switching a bit, you follow the game of college basketball, so just like I ask anyone else that does, what do you think of the current “one and done” rule? Would you keep as is, tweak it (and how) or would you get rid of it altogether?

Peter: I think the rule serves the interests of the NBA. Initially, David Stern negotiated for a 2-year minimum and settled on the “one and done” rule. By drafting more developed players – and players who have already been marketed for a year or two at the NCAA’s expense – the NBA saves time and money. The NCAA is at the whim of the NBA, but the rule essentially injects more talent into the college system for at least a year (granted, the player doesn’t circumvent the process by going to Europe a la Brandon Jennings or Jeremy Tyler). The “one and done” culture puts more pressure on college coaches to secure the best recruits year in and year out. Therefore, “most” college coaches, with their jobs perpetually hanging in the balance, would probably resent the rule.

At the end of the day, however, I’m advocating for the young person going through this process. I never had the talent to consider professional basketball as a career path so it’s hard for me to make that call. My family always stressed the importance of getting an education; but If I had an ability that could be destroyed with one tweak of a knee, I’d probably want the option to turn pro immediately after high school. On the other hand, If you want to call an athlete a “student-athlete,” get rid of freshmen eligibility altogether. One and done to me means “stay eligible for one semester and then declare.” Where’s the educational value in that? The system sends a lot of mixed messages to our youth.

A.E.M.: From a rule to the shady (to say the least) world of handlers, what do you think of them, and even more importantly, if you were in charge, how would you handle these people who are becoming more and more part of the college basketball backdrop?

Peter: There needs to be more accountability in the system from the AAU, NFHS, NCAA, and of course, the parents/guardians. As soon as money, particularly sneaker money, entered youth basketball, corruption and abuse ensued. That was inevitable. Now, reform needs to become a high priority. The old model where the high school coach-teacher served as the student-athlete’s college liaison has been relegated by the spring and summer culture surrounding the game. I’m sure there are some very competent AAU/summer coaches with integrity that look out for their players’ best interests; but by referencing “handlers,” I’m assuming you mean the manipulators that “use” players for their own self-interests. Those folks need to somehow get weeded out of the system through a vetting (background checks) and certification process. I’m sure there are many more variables that need to be looked at by the NBA/NCAA’s joint partnership and I hope they do what’s best for the players.

A.E.M.: In a way I am glad the first set of questions didn’t get to you because I can now ask you about a great coach (and better person) that just passed away. Chuck Daly left us a couple of days ago, what were your thoughts about the man and the coach?

Peter: That headline sent chills down my spine. I knew he was battling cancer, but the reality of his passing shook me a bit. I had the fortunate opportunity to watch him lecture at Five-Star Basketball Camp a number of years ago. I’ll never forget how much passion he exuded while teaching us some of the finer points of the game. I didn’t know him personally, but the Five-Star history book emphasized how loyal he was to his friends and former players and coaches. To me, that speaks louder than his two NBA Championships, Dream Team domination, Hall of Fame induction, and Ivy League supremacy. He kicked Columbia’s butt well before I was a grad student there, so I don’t hold any grudges. I wish his loved ones all of my sympathy at this time.

A.E.M.: I know we have talked about your future plans on twitter, but could you tell us all what you are working on for your future?

Peter: In collaboration with a few NYC basketball veterans, I’m in the process of writing a business plan for a comprehensive online youth basketball website. We’re very early in the planning process, but I’ll have much more to share by the end of summer. If all goes according to plan, that will be a big part of my near future.

A.E.M.: And lastly, the question I ask anyone that is on the net, where do you see blogging going? Both as compared to main stream media as well as the single bloggers compared to the blogging communities.

Peter: I think blogs, and other outlets for user-generated content, are here to stay. Single bloggers don’t have a long shelf-life. I read somewhere that the average blogger posts about 7-8 times before giving up. It’s a lot of work. Creating fresh content can be challenging in and of itself; building community and readership around a blog are even more difficult. If blogging teams and communities don’t work, there’s always the micro-blog: Twitter, Plurk, and Jaiku to name a few. Those platforms capture the attention span for today’s average internet user. Mainstream media outlets have begun integrating blogs into their websites and CNN could be considered the Twitter king. The names and URLS may change, but I think blogging and social media will stick around.

In the end all I can say is thank you to Peter Robert Casey for all the great info, and make sure to check out his web page, or follow him on his twitter page, trust me, it’s worth the time to do both. Hopefully I will be able to have Peter back on as the college basketball season comes closer and closer, until then, once again, thank you so much for your time.

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