Josh Ouellette
By Josh Ouellette
I hate leading off with news about the Association, but when a story has been dragged out this long its necessary.
The Melodrama behind the Carmelo Anthony trade is finally over; and where the pieces lie everybody got what they wanted from the deal. Well, maybe not the New Jersey Nets. But I think the Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov’s team is going in the right direction.
I am slowly starting to hate the NBA All-Star weekend. Justin Bieber being the MVP in the Celebrity Game was a joke, his presence was ridiculous in itself. That’s where it started to go down hill. The actual game was more than a joke, but when it ended with Blake Griffin being the winner of the Slam Dunk Contest I was done.
Don’t get me wrong I love Blake Griffin, he has given a resurgence to my life as a Clippers fan. I firmly believe the team should call it now and change the team name to the Los Angeles “Blakers” with everyone wearing number 32. Well everyone but Eric Gordon.
I am done with the ball and hoop sport now.
The Dodgers and all of the other MLB clubs are back in camp. Thank God, baseball season starts soon. Joe Torosian may think it’s a yawn, but the sport is still America’s pastime.
High School football is never over. Aaron Cantu of Schurr High School is reportedly going to ELAC. So Cantu decided to go the J.C. route. I really hope it pans out for him, but it hacks me that he didn’t receive any bigger offers. Dude can play.
Haven’t heard of anything for Garrett Pendleton. Hope someone comes in and swoops him up. He’s a steal for any team. Hey Bonita Alum, start recruiting for him while you’re on the east coast.
On current players, we have soon to be senior, Temple City right tackle Michael Bassette’s film posted on the site.
Finally, some lineman film to talk about.
Asked Bassette a few questions, here they are.
JJ: Coming off of a season where Temple City needed a coin flip to get into the playoffs, what are your expectations for the team next season?
MB: Well for one, next year I expect that our playoff hopes won’t be a wish, but that we can earn it fair and square. Our head coach believes that with the work we are putting into the off season, we will be a very strong competitor for the league title, that is his goal, so it will be ours as a team.
JJ: There are no speculations that you have the size to get to the next level, but there are some critics out there about you having a lack of “Killer Instinct” that is needed to be a great lineman. How would you answer those critics?
MB: I would agree with them. In fact, I am one of those critics myself. My first varsity year taught me a lot, and long story short, I learned that if I want to excel in high school and at the next level, I must become more physical. The desire to hit somebody will help everything else I need to work on as a lineman, like being more explosive, then everything will sort of fall into place.
JJ: What are some things that you are working on in the off-season to become a better football player?
MB: Well coach has us running and lifting every day of the week except Sunday. Now that our team actually has a full off season to work with, the whole football program is working on getting faster, stronger, bigger, tougher, smarter, pretty much all of the above. Individually, I’m working on balance and plyometrics for quicker and better movement. I’m focusing less on building strength, although it is still important to me, and more on agility or speed, basically working my weaknesses.
JJ: What are some of your personal goals that you have for the upcoming football season?
MB: My goals for this season are the team’s goals in terms of how we will do, aside from a few individual goals including; beating the guy in front of me consistently, improving my overall health, and after all that, getting a scholarship to a D-1 school, preferably USC. It may seem like a stretch considering how questionably I performed last year, but I know I can do it.
JJ: Who is an opponent you are looking forward to facing next season?
MB: Definitely Ellis McCarthy, he is big, in the RHL, the DL prospect to look at, and is ultimately on top. I look forward the most to facing him because beating him would say more than beating anybody else on the line that I will ever face in high school. I’m pretty sure the date is November 4th, 2011 7:00 P.M. Home.
JJ: Thanks for your time Michael.
MB: You are very welcome. I am glad I could answer your questions.
Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
Contact Josh at josh@midvalleysports.com
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