A “city” is a father, kids that play ball become “Millie’s” aka potential millionaires, and Santa gets shot. A problem that has haunted NYC basketball for years is now ready to go to trial. A man that gave playground players a new opportunity for AAU travel, expanding exposure for more New York City players, is in the news for sexual misconduct. Another is no longer part of the scene, and a high school coach is up for trial in May for rape. I remember hearing about an alliance first hand while growing up, men who decided to sell the city’s soul for money in exchange for pedophile misconduct. Finally, the hope is that the truth, whatever that may be, will come out.
A 1996 article in the Daily News mentioned an allegation against Lou D’Almedia, founder of the Bronx Gauchos, that was subsequently dropped by the Bronx DA’s office. Mr. D’Almedia is no longer affiliated with the program and Billy Singleton, ex-coach of St. John’s university brings a different air to the organization.
Bob Oliva, ex-coach of Christ the King HS, was also accused of raping a 14-year-old boy in 1976 and is awaiting a May 2011 trial. Oliva was a good friend of Mr. Lorch and many of his players came from the Riverside program.
I have many friends and people who I grew up with who will call me and say “why bring this up now and say something when there is no solid evidence?
I do it because I remember the stories circulating through my community when growing up, seeing the money, and watching college coaches run into a project apartment next to mine and hearing from reliable sources that they were having sex with two underage girls. I will get many texts, facebook notes about this, asking me why am I bringing this up? I have to. I have daughters in college and I have to protect them.
After a lot of observation and decline in basketball focus and talent in NYC, the fact is that for years younger players from the area were being taught by their AAU coaches, who ‘hooked up’ NCAA coaches with young girls. The players have become involved also, now going to schools that have bought in to this lifestyle and many of them use date rape drugs on unsuspecting students, getting out the webcam and making money with coaches who have loose associations with pornographers that package up the encounter for sale.
There is a chain of behavior from AAU coach to NCAA that is dangerous in the city and being investigated heavily on very high levels. My hope is that coaches, players and others understand that this is only the beginning, and knowing the organized nature of the set up, my hope is that these men stop and change their lives.
I say these things very carefully because the parties involved understand I see the pattern of their activities, and they work very hard to hurt me, bad mouthing my work at Bounce and try hard to hurt my financial opportunities and family success.
Nevertheless, I will remain at work seeking to expose truth, helping parents and kids to see the value of strong moral codes and remain a friend to any man who might be afraid to buck the system. I am very serious about that last sentence. I mean it to the bottom of my heart.
There is a new movement coming, one that will help all do things in a way that does not damage lives, promoting sportsmanship that improves the level of basketball focus here in NYC and improve the quality of life here.
February 19th, 2011 at 12:17 pm
funkalot says:
Sean,
Who is “legit” or mainatains “integrity’ on the grassroot circuit, in your opinion? Is there anyone above reproach? Basketball has become a biz-ness, does not that mean someone is getting the biz-ness, by default?
Now, I am not implying that we should reconcile ourselves to the “slim shadys or their felonious acts, but recognize that the grassroots scene is murky and will continue to be so. So, I support your contention in raising these sensitive issues, in an attempt to forge brighter and safer paths and passages for ballers.
However, like Wall Street did with receiving bailouts and in the words of the oft stammering Moses Malone, when asked if his wife was going to leave him, “Mmmoney too good, B ain’t going no where”. Such is the seedy processes of grassroots/college recruting.
Good luck on your efforts and beware the “Ginsu”!
February 19th, 2011 at 7:33 pm
sean couch says:
Funk -
I get the ‘ginsu’ and understand the term…I indeed know that hard choices r made but moral character and safety have to triumph over acts that endanger our youth.
February 20th, 2011 at 3:27 pm
sean couch says:
One thing the NCAA has started to do is perform background checks on coaches that have teams in sanctioned events. A coach with a felony would not be allowed to coach in an NCAA-sanctioned event. Also the NCAA is streamlining the viewing period with a vote, up in a few months, that would essentially shorten the AAU showcase period to a week or less in the summer.
Adidas just started an Elite ShowcaseTeam in the NY city area for girls headed by two highly-respected AAU organizations (Long Island Lightning and Silverbullets) for their 4 United State showcase tournaments. Girls now can try-out and play in these national games and remain with their home team. It gives them a chance to see a different mindset.
I’ve written about this in a blog on summer aau ball on Bounce that u should check out, hit my photo on sidebar and scroll back to story on AAU Summer ball.
February 21st, 2011 at 3:52 pm
Reignman40 says:
I’m not sure if you heard Sean, it’s unrelated but it hasn’t been posted here yet, but Troy “Escalade” Jackson passed away
It’d be nice to see a tribute on the site for such a great guy.
r.i.p
February 22nd, 2011 at 3:34 pm
Sean Couch says:
Up on site now.
February 28th, 2011 at 1:27 pm
CCB says:
Be careful Coach, being blackballed is the least of your worries when dealing with the sahdowy side of amatuer athletics. It’s why I stepped away after running into one too many confrontations here in the South. I have been doing an NBA blog for the past year. I feel bad because a lot of the type of kids I sent to school are being left by the wayside, but my safety and peace of mind took precedent. Be careful bro.
February 28th, 2011 at 5:57 pm
Sean Couch says:
CCB -
I already have people trying to hack my personal computer files and my phone. I also know that these forces who want to raise up are under investigation and being watched.
I do not want to see anyone hurt, if they have done things in the past then they need to just stop and pray for God to resolve it, but don’t try to hurt another man’s opportunities and business endeavors by bad mouthing him or go up to his kids school and try to get students gassed on kids from a rappers entourage or money from drug dealer’s runner to date rape a man’s kids. Everyone knows the deal, thats how people think and its become part of the fabric of this city.
It’s amazing who these people are. Men who work with kids everyday, men who have the sneaker companies ears and then point to things that another man may lack and be the behind the scenes cause of the problem. This whole thing is a mess.
Because of the way the world itself is changing everyone who wants to keep a good man or organization down has to pay for it if they don’t change. Now i got things I need to do and work on, but I never, ever would hurt another man’s child, or lie to keep a good man down.