ForumsThis edition of the VN Interview goes a little off the beaten path. Microblogger Peter Robert Casey made news recently when St. John’s made the decision to credential him as a media member. Mr. Casey’s site, www.peterrobertcasey.com, is one of the most viewed basketball related microblogs on the Net. Hope you enjoy.
1.VN- At this point, how would you handicap the recruitment of Tobias Harris?
CASEY- I think we’re going to see Tobias form a triumvirate with Fab Melo and C.J. Fair up at the Carrier Dome next year, but that’s pure speculation based on what I have read in the news.
2. VN- Who do you see as the favorites to land JayVaughn Pinkston?
CASEY- It’ll be a tossup between Villanova and Tennessee, but I see JayVaughn leaning more toward the Wildcats. Jay Wright’s courtship will not be denied.
3. VN- Do you think the NCAA’s investigation into the recruitments of Nate Miles and Ater Majok, coupled with Jim Calhoun’s health problems, is hampering UCONN’S recruiting efforts?
CASEY- UCONN will fare just fine, particularly if Brandon Knight inks an LOI. You can’t underestimate Calhoun and company’s ability to secure top talent, allegations and health concerns notwithstanding.
4. VN- What do you think is the biggest obstacle facing the Tennessee coaching staff as they attempt to create a New York to Knoxville recruting pipeline?
CASEY- The hardest part is navigating the existing pipleines in the ground. Arizona, Villanova, Louisville, Pitt, Marquette, and West Virginia have all dug a conduit to New York City. At the same time, who wouldn’t want to play for Bruce Pearl? His passion is palpable, he’s charismatic, and he’s a winner.
5. VN- Which coaches, both head men and assistants, do you feel do the best job of recruiting the Metro area?
CASEY- The schools I listed above seem to be doing quite well enlisting Metro area stars for their respective programs. I’m not very wired into these conversations, but the hometown column on these schools’ rosters bears some very familiar localities from the Tri-state region.
6. VN- How much progress do you think Bobby Gonzalez and Norm Roberts have made in their attempts to keep some of the elite New York area talent close to home?
CASEY- Adam Zagoria of SNY and Zagsblog recently wrote about the mass exodus of New York City talent to out-of-borough and out-of-state prep schools. The likelihood of student-athletes returning to the Metro New York area after spending some of their high school years out of state is slim to none.
There’s also cautionary stigma attached to staying local, and top players from the area are advised to leave NYC to avoid becoming the next “fill in the blank.”
Coupled together, this reality makes the recruiting situation much harder for both coaches. To answer your question more directly, their progress is probably not on par with faithful fan expectations. I’m sure it’s not as easy as it looks.
7. VN- Which schools do you believe are leading the Josh Selby sweepstakes?
CASEY- After watching Selby at the Elite 24, any team that inherits the combo guard’s wingspan and explosiveness can consider themselves lucky. I wouldn’t be surprised if Calipari wins the sweepstakes after Selby watches John Wall ascend into the NBA Draft lottery.
8. VN-How do you see the Big East race playing out this season?
CASEY- When the dust settles, I Villanova taking home the Big East crown and making a reappearance at the Final Four this year. Their frontcourt will be young, but around the perimeter, there are not many deeper teams in the country. Keep your eyes on Huggins’ bunch, too, for a close race.
9. VN- Are you surprised the documentary on Bob Hurley’s program at St. Anthony’s hasn’t been picked up by a major distributor?
CASEY- If the full length feature is anything like the trailer that I saw, this movie will reach a critical mass through word of mouth marketing. The story line is too powerful not to be witnessed by the great majority of basketball fans.
10. VN- How excited are you to be the first micro-blogger to be credentialed by St. John’s?
CASEY- I’m very excited that St. John’s tapped me for the opportunity. I blog and micro-blog about the intersection of basketball and new media as a marketing and communications tool, and this recognition validates the time and energy I spend fusing my two passions together.
That’s all for now. Another VN Interview will be coming soon.
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Good interview hat. Interesting that St. John’s credentialed him as a ‘micro-blogger’. Regardless, he appears to have a very large following.