Sports Scrapbook

Much has been written about security at 2012 games.  In fact, I have even written a few pieces.  In the wake of the many high profile terrorist attacks, both domestic and international, I remembered a security event that I personally was a part of.

In October 1978,I found myself in Strasbourg France. My friend and associate Frank Baer had invited me there.  If you don't know who Frank Baer was, let me tell you.

Frank, a former Gymnast was the Executive Director of the USGF (The United States Gymnastic Federation) and its founder. He started it all in his garage in Tucson. Arizona.  It was there, along with my FOX Sports Associate, Marty Groothuis, That I signed to represent the Gymnastic Organization in all areas of its growth. This included getting commercial endorsements, bringing about TV exposure, creating new uniforms and also establishing new competitions.

It worked out tremendously well.  However, the 2012 Olympics brought to mind an incident that involved me personally. It took place in 1978 at the Gymnastics World Championships in Strasbourg, France.

I had gone there as the guest of Frank Baer.  I had conceived this wild idea of bringing over the Romanian team to compete against the United States. To achieve this  would be quite a coup.  Of course, the crown jewel of the Rumanian team was little Nadia Comenici.

If you know your Olympic history, you will remember that Nadia at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal became the first Gymnast in history to score a perfect 10.00.  As a matter of fact, she wasn't done.  By the time that Olympiad ended she scored 6 more.  Her record of 7 still stands to this day.

So, there I was in Strasbourg, a sleepy little French Hamlet located in the Alsace... close to where my sister-in-law Rose grew up. But that is another story for another time.

My goal was to present my grandiose scheme and sign up the Romanians to make their first appearance in the United States. Strasbourg was a pastoral scene with blemishes. The blemishes to this ancient village were the police armed to the hilt with riot gear and armored half-tracks with mounted machine guns that patrolled every street of this ancient and delightful European Vista.

This was the first World Championship that the Israeli team had attended since the 1972 Munich Massacre.  Everything was tense and on edge. In fact, the Israeli team members were spread for safety reasons throughout 7 different hotels.

You need to understand this was taking place amidst the Cold War that existed.  There were two distinctive Political Blocs... Eastern and Western.  They trained separately and armed guards stood vigil at the entrances. Now, I had a problem! Traveling with me was my friend the late great columnist Jim Murray who later wrote about this escapade in my life. I was there as Frank Baer's guest.  I had no official standing, but I had to get behind the Iron Curtain, (The Eastern Bloc).  I needed an official badge.

I noticed that the most prominent badge was a Photo ID in a plastic 2 x 3 case pinned to one's lapel. What was I to do?  I hadn't come this far to be stymied.  Too many people were counting on me.  I suddenly hit on an idea. Upon reflection years later, I realized I could have been thrown in jail, or worse yet, killed.

I went to a local 5 & 10, where I bought an identical plastic badge holder into which I slid my California Driver's License (it had my photo), walked up to the eastern Bloc Sentry, who was armed with an UZI and controlled the meanest looking German Sheppard I think I had ever seen. I smiled at the guard, patted the dog on the head and won my victory.

However, that's not the end.  Sid Silver helped me arrange for a U.S v. Romania tour across the United States.  We sold out in no time.  Everything was going smoothly, or so we thought.

They were to start in NYC where Mayor Lindsey, The Firemen's band and a Red Carpet would great them.  Everything was set. Competitions involved cumulative scoring going from one city to the next. They would be in 5 Arenas in five different cities from NYC to Los Angeles in 10 days.

The night before their arrival I received a call at my home.  "Nadia had broken her pinkie finger and could not compete". I was devastated.  Every Arena had been completely sold out.  We refunded all the money and Lloyds of London reimbursed us.

You might think that was the end.  Hardly! While attending an Oak Park High School graduation party for my grand daughter Sarah and her friends, I learned the true reason.  As I related the story, one of the graduate's fathers, a Romanian gentleman, told me the real reason they cancelled was because the head of the Secret Police who was to accompany the Romanian Team had defected ...He was that man!

I subsequently verified the facts... after all it was the Cold War!

      In 1972, while enjoying the Summer Olympics from Munich I was introduced to Water Polo.

 The Olympic years have seen much political turmoil. For example, the United States boycotted in 1980. Russia reciprocated in "84.  A prime example was the 1956 Soviet Union/ Hungary Water Polo game.

 In1972, my son Steven had just started Agoura High School. He brought home papers for my late wife and I to sign allowing him to play football. I was all for it, but she said, " I don't want any 300 lb. monster jumping on my beautiful boy".

Without missing a beat, while watching Water Polo from Munich, Steven turned and said, "how about that?"  My wife knew he was a good swimmer and the sport looked clean, so she signed willingly!

When she saw her first game and the roughness of the sport, she doubted the wisdom of her choice.

He turned out to be the captain of Agoura's first team. Today, 40 years later, Agoura is among California's premier programs.

This week, our national team under Coach Terry Schroeder, left Ventura County heading to London with the highest of hopes. Schroeder is an exceptional leader and was a great player.

The Robert Graham Bronze Statue at LA Coliseum's main gate is a tribute to him. In 1984, he captained our Silver Medal team.

In 1956, as the Hungarian Olympic Team prepared to leave for the games, the streets were in open revolt.  Old, young and infirmed fought the Russians as Security Police openly strafed peacefully demonstrating citizens. It was civil war!

The airport was closed.  The Delegation had to board two buses adorned with Olympic Team Banners.  The Banners were for protection.  As they crossed the Czech Border, Russian Troops and tanks advanced on Hungary... signaling the end of the Hungarian Revolution!

To add to their despair for the homeland they had left, it took two weeks to get a plane from France to Prague to transport them to Melbourne.

 According to my friend, team member Gabor Nagy, upon arrival, they raised a Hungarian flag with a black mourning stripe in the Olympic Village... reminder of the National Tragedy unfolding in Hungary.

With the onus of their countrymen on their minds, they easily defeated Italy, Germany and America on a collision course, to meet Russia in the Semi-finals.

The atmosphere was electric!  

In order to prevent serious bleeding, referees checked toenails and fingernails prior to the game. They wanted no sharp weapons! However, from the beginning Elbows, head butts, and gouging were everywhere the pool was bleeding.

With Hungary leading 4-0 and seconds remaining, Russian Prokopov opened a wide gap above Zador's eye... the blood flowed.

The same guy broke my friend Gabor's nose a year earlier in Kiev. The referee called the game immediately to avoid an all out brawl. The next day, Hungary beat Yugoslavia for Gold.

The team defected en masse...  orchestrated by Time Inc. Sports Illustrated, The Hungarian/America Sports Federation, The AAU, Pan American Airlines and the American State Department.  

They played and won a lifetime victory of Freedom.

   You know, as I get older, I look around and more and more of the people I have known, worked with and cared about are no longer here. Many people have told me that when you get old you are in the "Golden Years".

Nothing can be further from the truth.  They are really the "Rusty Years". Sure, they are filled with wonderful memories and if you are lucky to have a great family for support, they are, in their way, the "Golden Years".

Part of the enjoyment of growing older is the experiences you have had...whether good, or bad which you have learned from. There is no joy in experiencing the  loss of friends and loved ones at a rapid rate.

I have told you that I came from an exceptionally large Boston Family.  It is still larger than most. With my cousin Herbie's passing a few weeks ago, I became the patriarch of the family. That fact is mind-boggling.

However, as the expression "life goes on". Unfortunately, the circle of your life becomes increasingly smaller.

Today, we lost Ernie Borgnine. Ernie was a good friend and a confidant. I could turn to him along with his buddies Henry Helfman, (once John Wayne's Stunt Double) and Harvey Smuckler to bounce ideas off. For a while, when we were all involved in bringing the cellular industry to many countries around the globe, we would meet for lunch once month, usually on a Monday, at Monty's restaurant in Woodland Hills CA.

All three are no longer with us. They were truly the 'three musketeers'. He would always ask to bring the 'young fella' along. That was I! I was th 'young fella' they brought along. And Ernie would have his favorite dish, the onion and tomato salad. He never wavered.

Beyond our cellular business, we would discuss many things. At one such get- together, Ernie talked about the part he had just taken in the movie that was soon to go into production. It was called "The Greatest". It was about Muhammad Ali.  Ernie had taken on the role of Angelo Dundee... Ali, s "Hall of Fame" trainer.

I thought that was a stretch. The only thing he and Angelo had in common, they were both Italian.  There any similarity ended.  Ernie was a big man who never smoked. Angelo was a slight man who wore thick glasses and chain-smoked cigars.

However, when I visited the set with my pal Ferdie Pacheco, Ali's doctor who helped to coach Ernie on the nuances. We often stood next to Angelo as we watched Ernie create the role. I could not believe my eyes. There in front of me was an overweight Angie. The transformation was uncanny.

Ernie was not big into sports, but he and John Madden shared the same fear of flying.  Like John, he owned his own Bus, which he took wherever he went.  He enjoyed America's open roads. It was beautiful!  It literally was a hotel suite on wheels.

So long 'old fella'!  Drive safely

It was in 1960 that my pal Clair Higgins of Westlake California and his partner Jack Meyer first put Video Tape Machines in a second hand School Bus, during John F. Kennedy's Campaign for President.  This old bus followed JFK everywhere and fed, via tape delivery, all the Kennedy News every day, to TV Outlets.  On many occasions, the Bus broke down.

Boy, has Sports Telecasting and Technology come a long way. I was at Clair's house for a party. He showed me his hand-size digital camera. Proudly he took me into his den and pointed to a framed picture of the Bus, (someday, it might be in the Smithsonian). Excited, he then showed  me  a small digital camera which he held in the palm of his hand. It did 100 things more than the Bus did in its day.

From this modest Rube Goldberg -rigged Bus, we come to the Mobile Units of today.  They are multi-million dollar custom built vans. These vans are complete TV Studio Control Rooms on wheels. They deliver a live signal, in real time, to satellites as the action happens.

For technical information, I relied on my old partner Michael McLees. Michael has been technical advisor on countless Olympiads and outstanding world events. Always, factual, Michael delivered.

 Unlike the 1960 Bus, Broadcasts will emanate directly from these Mobile studios stationed at all venues airing minute-by-minute everyday beginning July 27 for nineteen straight days. There will be 55 fixed camera locations.  That's only part of it!

By the way, this Olympiad will use 66 miles of cable.  The Mobile Vans will employ 111 cameras and 86 tape machines. I won't give you the technical names that Michael gave me, but suffice it to say they have everything but the Kitchen sink... and who knows they might even have that to feed the crew. For those cameras and tape machines, the production crew will focus on 500 monitors... Whew!

To understand this vast undertaking, the vans arrive at the major venues 9 days before the games, the balance show 4 days later. All that time is needed for the setup. It will consume all of 23 days to build the venues. After the games are over, the deconstruction will take a minimum of 5 days... and they work around the clock.

 The advance Broadcast crew has already been in the U.K. for  at least two months leading up to the first event. It all costs money... million$ in fact.

NBC paid millions for the rights gambling on advertiser support. The games can be seen on most NBC Networks, (NBC Sports, BRAVO, CNBC, MSNBC AND UNIVERSAL HD).

A little food for thought before I sign off.  My friend Rene Henry points out that Security for London will be over a Billion $. The U.S. is bidding for the 2024 games. With the acknowledged expected rate of inflation, what city wil have this kind of money?

of money?

Even in the Olympics like everywhere else women's events were treated as second class. The farthest they were allowed to race was 1500 meters Supposedly they had inferior physical abilities and could injure their health.  We proved this to be false.

 In 1979, while at FOX Sports, our team created the one and only LA Women's Marathon.

In order to achieve our goal, we invited 30 of the best female marathoners at the time to participate. FOX, spearheaded by Sid Silver and Matt Helrich saw to all the logistics.

The prime consideration was to layout the course exactly as it was in 1932 when Juan Carlos Zabata of Argentina won the marathon in 2hrs, 31 minutes and 36 seconds... an Olympic record.

We had to go further. We needed to prove that running 26miles, 385 yards, the Olympic Marathon distance would have no adverse affects on the physical being of the female marathoners. To prove our point, Dr. Ernie Vandeweghe along with the late Dr. Tony Daly chief medical officer of the U.S. Olympic Team, set up a complete medical facility at trackside.

The testing included, among other things: complete race cardio, checkup, weight check done in a water tank sitting on a scale, various measurements done with assorted instruments, including calipers, checking the orthopedic and respiratory condition of each marathoner and a foot examination. Our team did a completely thorough examination.

But let's go back to the kickoff of the fight to include women in U.S. Marathons and the Olympics.

Before 1972, women had been barred from the most famous Marathon... Boston. In 1966, a lady named Roberta Gibb hid behind a bush at the start. She snuck into the field and finished in an unofficial time of 3:21:25. She was inspired by a quotation in the Boston Papers saying that women were not physically capable.

The most famous advocate of Women's Marathon is Kathrine Switzer. Who as a Syracuse University Student entered Boston in 1967 under the neutral gender name of name of K.V.Spitzer... number 261. Realizing what had happened race officials Jock ran on the course to stop her...to no avail! Switzer's boyfriend running with her, a Syracuse Footballer, sent him flying.  Newspapers around the world caught it on film. She finished.

Afterwards, she was relentless in her quest and convinced Avon Cosmetics to sponsor the 1977 Avon International Women's Marathon in Atlanta. She knocked at the Olympic doors.

In 1979, starting and finishing at the L.A. Coliseum, (The Olympic Stadium in 1932), the first five finishers bettered Zabata's 1932 time.

Using the talents of  Janice Cazzaza , Clair Higgins and Fred Rheinstein, we produced an award winning TV hour.  We then hand carried the reel to Europe and pleaded our case for inclusion in Los Angeles '84.

We were the final straw!  Shortly thereafter, the IOC announced that this would be an event.

Bottom line, women are not only physically capable, but on that day, our tests proved they are superior in many ways.

 Every four years the world is treated to competitions among the brightest and best athletes the world has to offer.  It is called the Olympics. Today, countless dollars are bid for the TV rights. Billions are spent on campaigns to bring the quadrennial event to a community and a country wishing to be the host.

Over the next few weeks leading up to the Olympics, I plan on doing a series of articles which I hope will give an accurate accounting of how the development of the modern day Olympics came about and its meaning as well on impact to participating countries.

My articles will be based on personal experiences as well as a foundation in research.

According to legend, Heracles, a son of Zeus, founded the ancient Olympic games.  However, the first Olympic Games that there is written proof of, took place in 776 B.C. At that time, a naked runner, Coroebus, who was a cook from Elis, won the only event. It was a run of 210 yards...thus he was the first Olympic Champion in history.

But that's a fact that really doesn't impact on today's games.  It is however interesting to realize these Ancient Games took place every four years for nearly 1200 years between Greeks strengthening their sense of national union.

The first Olympiad had one event, which by 408 BC, the 93^rd Olympiad grew to 10 additional events. Among them, 4 foot races of varying distances, (one, a race wearing armor), horse and chariot races, wrestling and boxing. The pentathlon was added. It is when one individual is called upon to challenge in five designated disciplines was also added.

In 648 BC, Pankration was the first Martial Art introduced in the Greek Olympic Games. It was basically a blend of boxing and wrestling but with almost no rules with the exception of disallowing biting and gouging of the eye opponent's eyes out.  Hmm, that sound sounds pretty close to MMA of today.

Pankration is a composite of two Greek words (I'm sorry I can't spell them), which individually meant "all powers" and "strength, power".

During this period it became International in scope when Greeks living in other lands such as Syria, Asia and Egypt, strove to hold on to their culture. They built athletic facilities, organized traditional competitions and sent competitors from their towns. It became in essence, the Panhellenic Games.

In 393 CE, the Roman Emperor, then Governor of Greece, abolished them because he considered them Pagan. 1500 years later, a young Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin began their revival. The games were reinstated in 1896.

Next month, the XXX Olympiad takes place in London for two exciting weeks, it has grown and almost every nation in the world will have teams. 196 countries will send at least 1 athlete.

There are now 28 individual sports...all peaceful in nature. In the future, I shall explore the Torch Relay, Corruption, Highlights, TV Costs and City Bids.

The behind the scenes should amaze you.

              To all my readers, this column is not about sports.  It is about life and one particular man whom I am proud to call a friend. Over the years I have worked with, represented or played with Kings, Presidents, Celebrities, Dictators and Prime Ministers. None of who truly impressed me.  However, this story is about a man who does... a story of inspiration.

I am fortunate to live in the Ventura County Community of Thousand Oaks, California. Every morning when I rise, I marvel at how lucky I am to be able to reside here.  

This column about a young man who despite all odds followed his dreams. It is in direct opposition to many of today's kids, who think the right to own a car, get a new IPod and have no ambition, is a way of life.

His story is in direct contrast to many an American Student's attitude, "I'll do it tomorrow." It is a good case study of why India's economy is flourishing and why America's education/economy is slipping.

Many of us can say we came from humble beginnings... and by our definition it is true, but when you realize the road that Dr. Vishva Dev, head of Cardiology at Los Robles Hospital, traveled, you realize that our obstacles were miniscule.

Although I am happy and healthy now, I suffered a set back with my heart. Like the man in the TV Ad who had a heart attack, said, "This couldn't happen to me!".

 I fit that bill.

While exercising on a treadmill one morning, I did not feel good.  I thought it was just indigestion. The fellow on the next apparatus looked at me and saw the discomfort on my face. He asked what was wrong, I told him.

Someone was looking over me that day. The man asking the questions turned out to be Dr. Vishva Dev. Within minutes, I was at Los Robles Hospital where it was determined that I had severe blockage in three arteries. Before I could even ask what had to be done, it was over.  I was the recipient of 4 stents.

Today, I am back in the gym and he's still on the next apparatus. Some of my fellow gym rats... Nino, Stan, Bill, Ed, Matt and Don ...  have all benefitted by his gymnasium diagnoses and swift action.

How about the road he took to get here?

He grew up in a small village in Northern India, part of a large loving family of 11 children ... his parents had no formal education.  The entire family worked on other people's farms and ran a small grocery store. To make extra money to feed his family, his father also labored at many part-time jobs.

One day after coming home from school, he and his brother were thirsty. His mother went to the village to get Well Water. Understand in the caste ridden and backward Indian Society at that time, the Dev family were untouchables and not allowed to use the Village Well.

As a result, the fact that it was a woman doing this rebellious act, the family became social outcasts. Their little store was boycotted.  They no longer had an income. This one act changed everything in little Vishva's life. The family moved to another village to start over. Vishva went to live with his grandparents.

Students talk about Abraham Lincoln and his Log Cabin.  Vishva is the story of a modern day Lincoln

Three days a week he would walk 4 miles each way to see his parents and bring back groceries for his grandparents' store. He had no shoes!  

Everyday after school, he ran his grandparents little store. And rolled cigarettes at night to sell in the village. Amidst all this poverty, a role model emerged.

Once a month, a doctor came to the school. He helped everyone regardless of caste, creed or ability to pay.  Seeing how his Grandmother had benefitted, he determined to become a doctor and help others. Everyone thought him delusional.

His school had limited supplies. Walking for miles in his bare feet, he collected Physics, Biology and Chemistry textbooks from any source. He studied diligently. Before he even entered high school, he had mastered the high school's science curriculum.

The only High School within reach was 4 miles away.  Science was not taught. In order to authorize any subject be taught, the State Board needed a teacher and least 15 students. Vishva persuaded the Agriculture Teacher that she was the finest scientist in the area and should teach such a class. He enlisted 15 of his friends and the Science Class was born.

From this small rural community, he topped the State boards and was recruited by an important large college to join their pre-med program. When he moved to the city, he almost gave up his dream. The courses were taught in English. He didn't know English. He had lost his confidence and was about to quit until he talked to the Math Professor who had recruited him. ... As they talked, they walked through a hall with walls filled with pictures of past academic scholars.

That night, he imagined himself one day on the wall. He ended up number one in his class and school for every quarter thereafter.  

Today, his picture is on that wall.

At 17, ten years after his childhood dream, he was selected to join the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences. He ranked first among 50,000 competing applicants ...  only 45 were selected.

After graduation he stayed in India even though he was highly recruited from around the world. As his wife Irma tells it, he felt he must pay back for the education he received. For 12 years he labored for little, or no money.  Like the doctor of the school in his childhood, he turned no one away.

His wife Irma tells one story of a man who sat for hours outside the young couple's apartment in India waiting for the Doctor to come home. When Vishva arrived the man gave him a Mango from his farm in gratitude.  It was all he could pay. This was not an uncommon occurrence.

Finally, coming to the United States 20 years ago, an honored doctor and learned academician, he joined the staff of Cedars Sinai Hospital. No longer the rural farm boy who as a youngster, many times wore clothes with patches sewn by his mother.

 Today, he is still plying his trade, only at Los Robles Hospital... turning no one away. A case in point is just the other day; a fellow doctor turned away a pregnant girl with a heart problem because she had no insurance.  Without hesitation, she became Vishva's case.

By the way, there's the doorbell... another daily shoe delivery for Dr Dev from Amazon.

  Over the years, the Olympics have played an important role in my life. I enjoy the excitement it provides every four years. For two weeks in summer I have been thrilled, had my heart broken and taken on an escalator ride from the highest elation to the lowest despair. ABC-TV's Wide World of Sports coined the perfect phrase..."The Thrill of Victory, The Agony of Defeat".

This year, the London Games will showcase the skills of elite athletes in peak condition. However, not everyone can become an elite athlete.  As a member of President Nixon's Council on Physical Fitness alongside my pal, Dr. Ernie Vandeweghe, I learned that the term Olympian means different things to many people.  Yet, the idea of a competition to do one's best always prevailed.

President Eisenhower created the Council in 1956... hoping it would become a catalytic agent to stimulate physical fitness especially in our youth. At the time, we lagged far behind European youngsters.

First Lady Michelle Obama and New York's Mayor Bloomberg are today attempting to legislate proper eating habits among youngsters.  Their hearts are in the right place, but they are going about it the wrong way.

I applaud voluntary organized physical activities.

Ernie V. wrote "Growing with Sports". Out of print now, it should be required reading in elementary/ middle schools. It has an important message for parents and kids alike. A former New York Knick, he became a Pediatrician. The book and its message proved his point.

Using the book as a guide, he and his wife raised four children-- every one an academic over-achiever plus All-Americans/Olympians in five different sports

 Today, there are Olympic sub-areas.  Each, in some way, is an important part of our daily lives... among them: Paralympics, Special Olympics, Senior Olympics and Junior Olympics.

 Grantland Rice once wrote, "When the great scorer comes to mark beside your name, he writes-not that you won, or lost - but how you played the game". These sub-areas epitomize this slogan.

The Paralympics Summer Games is the second largest sporting event in the world next to the Olympic games. It was first held in (Rome) 1960 for only Wheelchair Athletes. Originally called the Wheelchair Games was created in 1948 for disabled World War II veterans. Today, there are six major classifications... the visually impaired, physical disabilities, amputee athletes, cerebral palsy sufferers and spinal cord injured.

The Special Olympics began in 1968. Eunice Shriver, President Kennedy's sister, organized the first games. She proved that people with intellectual disabilities were far more capable in sports and physical activities than experts thought. Today, there are over 2million athletes worldwide run by 500,000 non-profit volunteers.

 The first Senior Olympic Games were in St. Louis, (1987).  Today, blessed by the USOC, the Senior Summer Games is one of the world's largest multi-sports events. It is dedicated to motivating active adults to lead a healthy life style.

The Olympic motto says: In Latin, " Citius, Atius, Fortius" - In English, "Swifter, Higher, Stronger."

Thank you Grantland Rice !

Last week I attended the California Southern Section State Boys Volleyball Championships. In over 60 years being a professional in the sports field, I have never been privy to watching a more exciting Championship final, then the match I witnessed between little Oak Park and perennial champion Mira Costa. Mira Costa is located in Manhattan Beach, California home of the Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame.

 As I sat in the stands rooting for the giant killers (Oak Park), I thought to myself why did this team with its small student body have the right to challenge the perennial powerhouse Mira Costa? Thus I drew a parallel and called Oak Park, the "Hoosiers" of 2012.

In 1986, Gene Hackman and Dennis Hopper starred in a movie entitled "The Hoosiers". It was based on the true story of  little Milan High School, who in 1954, against all odds, met and defeated South Bend High School for the Indiana State Basketball Championship. South Bend like Mira Costa, had a student population far greater than that of little Milan.

 Milan upset South Bend in the finals. 

Alas, Oak Park, Ventura County's most underrated team, was to lose in the 5^th game of the most exciting match I had ever seen. It ended in overtime of the 5^th game. It took three hours with a minimum of mistakes on each side. Oak Park had four championship points, which they could not convert, only to finally lose by two points in the 5^th game.

It was touch-and-go all the way. The lead changed hands too many times to count. As for the officiating, there were a great many low points.

I was sitting with my son-in-law Danny Medford, himself a CIF Basketball official, who very seldom comments on the officiating, but the last two points which were obvious miscalls, ( a throw overlooked and a net that didn't happen), went against Oak Park. Other CIF Volleyball Officials in attendance also pointed this out.

Please understand, I write this not to take anything away from Mira Costa.  They deserved to win, but so did Oak Park. In my eyes, they are co-champions.

At one point in my career, I was President of the IVA following the great Wilt Chamberlain in this capacity. My friend, Mike O'Hara, a Volleyball Hall of Famer and founder of the league, tutored me in the nuances of the game.

In fact, the State Playoffs proved that Oak Park who beat 3 Nationally -ranked teams in the Playoffs , proved they could play with anyone in the nation.

However, all of this being said, its ironic that locally all the press is on other teams who have lost to Oak Park. Neither Westlake, nor Oaks Christian has ever beaten them.  Yet, they remain under the radar. It's time for their light to be brought out from under the bushel.

I have often written articles, which talk about the need for student-athletes to be just that... students. To that end, Coach Pat Quinn points with

pride  to the fact that of his ten players, 8 carry 4.0 averages, or better. This is a tribute to a man and a school that places academic achievement, before sports accomplishment.

 It also means that the parents supporting these young athletes understand the inherent value therein. Seniors Jake Rice, Justin Parks, Matt Woo, Sam Saltman and Josh Swedelson are among this group.

Pat has been with the Oak Park Volleyball team since its inception becoming Head Coach in 2007. The current team has never been defeated in the Tri- Valley League and has a string of over 60 straight wins.

The existence of a Boys Volleyball Team at Oak Park actually came about due to parents Dennis Fliegelman and Robert Cochran who started working on this endeavor back in 2001 meeting with success in 2005.  They were met with constant opposition. So, in essence the program is under 10 years old.

The team has many outstanding players in all the different categories.  Justin Parks delivered the most kills.  In the area of Kill and Hitting percentage, Nick Fahn led this category. Mike Campbell made the most Blocks. Bradley Sakada had the most Aces.  P The least talked about statistics, but perhaps the most important... Digs and Assists were consistently delivered by Brendon Parks (Digs) and Sam Saltman (Assists).

The fact that a different team member led in each category is truly a tribute to Quinn's Coaching and his emphasis on teamwork.

Next week when the various All-Star teams are  announced, I am betting that the names listed above will be evident at all levels.