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Hillsborough High Baseball Under Investigation

D Daddio10+ posts
Hillsborough High Baseball Under Investigation

By ADAM ADKINS The Tampa Tribune

Published: Aug 30, 2006

TAMPA - The Hillsborough County Athletics Department is investigating possible recruiting violations in Hillsborough High's baseball program.

Hillsborough County director of athletics Vernon Korhn confirmed Tuesday his office was looking into possible violations. Korhn said he'd notified Hillsborough principal William Orr of the investigation, but declined to discuss specifics.

"There's some issues [we're looking into], but right now nothing has been determined and at this point I don't have any further comment," Korhn said.

Korhn notified the Florida High School Athletic Association about possible violations. However, Sonny Hester, FHSAA associate commissioner for compliance and eligibility, said Tuesday the investigation was turned back over to Korhn's office because a member school did not prompt it.

"The ball is in his [Vernon's] court. I haven't been asked to act on anything from a member school. If a member school wants us to look into it, we would have followed through with it, but it was something that was forwarded to us by Vernon's office," Hester said. "Right now, this is an internal matter between Hillsborough County's athletic department and the school. It's up to them to clean their own house."

Korhn declined to comment on whom or what prompted the investigation. Korhn also added there is no timetable for the investigation to be completed.

Hillsborough baseball coach Pat Russo, who said he had not been informed of any ongoing investigation into his program, was adamant about doing nothing wrong when reached Tuesday night.

"Anybody in this town, from [Hillsborough football coach] Earl Garcia, or [Armwood football coach] Sean Callahan, to [Brandon wrestling coach] Russ Cozart, to [Gaither baseball coach] Frank Permuy, the guys who are the best at what they do, they don't have to recruit. Good coaches don't have to recruit. If you have a good program, people will come to you," Russo said. "I don't have time to do things people allege that I do. I don't have time to sit down and recruit a kid to come play for me. I haven't done it at Plant from Year One to Hillsborough in Year 12. I'm tired of people trying to bring me down."

Russo, who started his Hillsborough County coaching career at Plant in 1995 before going to Hillsborough six years later, last season guided the Terriers to a 30-5 record, a Saladino Tournament championship and the program's first trip to the state tournament in 26 years. Hillsborough eventually fell to Pace in the Class 5A state title game.

Russo said he doesn't know why an investigation would be launched, though he said "it's possible" it's the result of a pair of senior transfers who entered his program this season. However, Russo said both players currently live in Hillsborough's school district and he in no way recruited them to play for the Terriers.

"All these guys need to worry about making their programs a success and stop worrying about mine. I think it's funny that some people will go behind your back and send letters to Mr. Korhn and [assistant director of athletics Jennifer] Burchill and make allegations, and then talk to you to your face the next day," Russo said. "If these guys want to throw stones, Pat Russo ain't the guy to throw stones at. I will call out everybody who calls me out. If they want Hillsborough County baseball to have some turmoil, Pat Russo will be the guy to do it."

Reporter Anwar S. Richardson contributed to this report. Reporter Adam Adkins can be reached at (813) 657-4533 or aadkins@tampatrib.com.
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Q Quincy1,000+ posts
I agree with Russo.

The people who foster such aberations as the Mr. Stewart's new tranfer rule are the same bunch who start rumors and shrink to the shadows.

Apparently no allegation of anything has been made against Hillsborough that the FHSAA has to investigate. Rumors are not allegations.

Is Pat Russo the only coach or is Hillsborough the only school that is being "looked at"? Of course not.

Every program and every sport that has ever had success and played a transfer student is now suspect.

Why isn't the same scrutiny being given to programs who play tranfer students who do not have success?
D Daddio10+ posts
I beg to differ. You're "apparently" is garbage. These are real allegations not rumors. There are indeed actually 8 athletes being investigated that have transferred to Hillsborough in recent years. The interesting part of the Hillsborough situation is that most of the transfers HAVE been associated with either the head coach or someone on his staff playing at other times than during the HS season. I also heard boys tell me directly that played over this past summer for the head coach and his staff that they received a major sales pitch to come to Hillsborough. I've even overheard kids talking that know of the steroid abuse there first hand. The kids doing it have told them they do it and where they got it. All you have to do is listen to the kids and their friends. It doesn't take long to hear what is true and what isn't. In both cases here unfortunately both are true.

If you enroll as a freshman and then transfer you should be penalized one year of elegibility, period. If you're not good enough to play there, your probably not good enough to play elsewhere. There are 9 spots on the field for the best 9 to play. If someone is at your position and your that good, then the coach will find a place in the lineup for you elsewhere. If you don't like the coach or are not playing, too bad, improve your game. You didn't research your options before you enrolled.

In Hillsborough County you have choice schools, now with 4 to choose from. You can move within those 4 period. Go outside and you should have to sit a year.
Q Quincy1,000+ posts
The boys seem to be playing with your head.

The By-laws against recruiting already address the issue of summer ball.

As far as the rumors that Hillsborough players use steroids, they are just that until proven otherwise. Name names, make allegations. The AD at Hillsborough would be inclined to investigate steroid use among his students. Unless prescribed by a doctor, the use of a controlled substance is a crime. Making such an alleagation would be implying that the Hillsborough AD is complicit in the crime.

First you state that a transfer student should be penalized for transferring.

Then you clarify that they shouldn't be penalized if they transfer within the local school choice options. Unless the student transfers to a private school, it would take a change of address to transfer to a school outside of the school choice district.

The idea that a player who does not win the starting spot in one school could not better his chances at another is totally without merit. If you are on the same team as a top prospect at your position, it would make sense to move to a school where you have a better chance. Every student athlete chooses to attend the best program in their sport. If the five best players at every position enroll at the same high school, four of the best players at every position would start somewhere else but not where they are. They should seek better opportunity.

You have very strong feelings on the matter, but I cannot understand what your reasoning may be.

Would you tell your child to get better or give up in their sport or field? If you know that the school that graduated 10 senior ballplayers may offer a better opportunity to your child, would you not seek transfer for your child and their self-esteem?

If you enroll your child at a school that has rampant drug use, wouldn't you seek a transfer?

If the coaches mandate that athletes must use steroids, wouldn't you seek to transfer your child somewhere else?

If the desire is to actually level the playing field, tear down the score boards and throw away the score books.
Q Quincy1,000+ posts
As long as there are score boards and the desire to be the best, students will seek out the best places for them to play.

The FHSAA seems to be on a course to have their organization dissolved since they are promoting the stifling of competition.

Next they'll decide that state championships are not fair to the teams that have lost on the journey.

These faceless rumors mean nothing until such time that they can be proven.

They are as destructive as if someone promoted a rumor that you were guilty of some heinous act when in fact you aren't.

Once destructive rumors are spread, they can not be washed away. It would be like emptying a feather pillow into the wind and then having to gather back every feather.
D Daddio10+ posts
Relax Dr. Phil. I do love your show by the way.

Bottom line is the same guy who had problems and was fired from Plant had problems and was fired from Hillsborough. People and their methods don't change....especially when they aren't punished enough or feel they have done anything wrong.

Fact is, given the issues at Plant we shouldn't even be having this conversation. He never should have been hired again in Hillsborough County or farther.

Obviously the punishment wasn't enough in that case and problems occured again. Behind the scenes there was plenty more going on besides recruiting that was being looked at.

If it talks like a duck, walks like a duck, acts like a duck, yeah it's a duck. The Hillsborough principal finally had enough and figured that out. No employer would put up with continued issues arising in the public or newspaper. At some point an employer has to decide whats best for the company and not allow anything to provide poor PR for his company or organization. Sometimes it's just time to say "Look, we just can't have all this going on here drawing attention. It's time to look elsewhere for employment." Right or wrong, it had to be done. Far too much on sports radio and the newspapers about the schools alleged problems to not take notice and put an end to it.

Luckily this wasn't another "I'm resigning to spend more time with my family" deals allowing the person to save face as we've seen in the past and again in the early summer.

To his credit he did seem to help his athletes further their careers after HS and did know his baseball.

At least now maybe we'll see another school's players in the batting stats top 15? Maybe?
08catcher08catcher100+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by Daddio:
I beg to differ. You're "apparently" is garbage. These are real allegations not rumors. There are indeed actually 8 athletes being investigated that have transferred to Hillsborough in recent years. The interesting part of the Hillsborough situation is that most of the transfers HAVE been associated with either the head coach or someone on his staff playing at other times than during the HS season. I also heard boys tell me directly that played over this past summer for the head coach and his staff that they received a major sales pitch to come to Hillsborough. I've even overheard kids talking that know of the steroid abuse there first hand. The kids doing it have told them they do it and where they got it. All you have to do is listen to the kids and their friends. It doesn't take long to hear what is true and what isn't. In both cases here unfortunately both are true.

If you enroll as a freshman and then transfer you should be penalized one year of elegibility, period. If you're not good enough to play there, your probably not good enough to play elsewhere. There are 9 spots on the field for the best 9 to play. If someone is at your position and your that good, then the coach will find a place in the lineup for you elsewhere. If you don't like the coach or are not playing, too bad, improve your game. You didn't research your options before you enrolled.

In Hillsborough County you have choice schools, now with 4 to choose from. You can move within those 4 period. Go outside and you should have to sit a year.


Im dont care for the recruiting, but why should a kid who has no chance of playing due to a kid who is better in front of him be punished? If a coach decides to leave a program because his team is no good, why doesnt he have to sit out a year of coaching? Dont say its different because its not.

A parents job is to do whats best for their child and if my son wanted a transfer because his chances were better at another school i would do it.
Q Quincy1,000+ posts
Hillsborough's principal is only there two years. He should be concentrating on his school's third 'D' grade in a row rather than making pronouncements on unproven allegations.

The facts are in Russo's favor. No recruiting has been proven. His claim that a successful program draws players is true.

If the two seniors in question this year were placed as "special assignments" in their other schools, there should be no problem with the same body who approved that "special assignment" re-assigning the students back into Hillsborough. This is a matter beyond the purview of the baseball coach.

If the two students in question applied for transfer at the end of last semester, they would not be considered as transfers for athletic reasons or recruitments. The by-law concerning sumer play would not apply since the students would be playing for the school of which they have transferred.

According to by-law 11.4.10, a student may not transfer after playing summer ball with a coach from another school into that coach's school for a period of 365 days. (Prima Facie Evidence of Recruiting)
D Daddio10+ posts
Well thats too bad really. If there is a better player at that position, then work hard and beat him out. Ask to move positions to prove he can be in the lineup and produce as one of the top 9. If he doesn't produce then he shouldn't be playing anywhere. If he is not one of the top 9 players on THAT team, then he shouldn't be in the top 9 on another. If he is that good and worthy of playing time but doen't get it due to a player ahead of him, then he should be able to play SOMEWHERE in the top 9. There are not 9 top players at any school around here....so there are plenty that can be replaced in the lineup by a good player. That is...if he is truly good.

why should a kid who has no chance of playing due to a kid who is better in front of him be punished?

You're punishing yourself by not working your way in the lineup somewhere. You sound like a dad who HAS to have his kids play a certain position. The sooner you get over that the better off your son will be.

If a coach decides to leave a program because his team is no good, why doesnt he have to sit out a year of coaching?

He SHOULD have to sit out a year or more himself too.

A parents job is to do whats best for their child and if my son wanted a transfer because his chances were better at another school i would do it.

Better lose that wussy approach. It don't fly in college. Stand up, be real parent. Talk to your son, fire him up to get in the lineup somewhere. Talk to the coach, fire him up to give him an opportunity somewhere.

Or you can run .......our family is stronger than that approach.


quote:
Originally posted by 08catcher:
quote:
Originally posted by Daddio:
I beg to differ. You're "apparently" is garbage. These are real allegations not rumors. There are indeed actually 8 athletes being investigated that have transferred to Hillsborough in recent years. The interesting part of the Hillsborough situation is that most of the transfers HAVE been associated with either the head coach or someone on his staff playing at other times than during the HS season. I also heard boys tell me directly that played over this past summer for the head coach and his staff that they received a major sales pitch to come to Hillsborough. I've even overheard kids talking that know of the steroid abuse there first hand. The kids doing it have told them they do it and where they got it. All you have to do is listen to the kids and their friends. It doesn't take long to hear what is true and what isn't. In both cases here unfortunately both are true.

If you enroll as a freshman and then transfer you should be penalized one year of elegibility, period. If you're not good enough to play there, your probably not good enough to play elsewhere. There are 9 spots on the field for the best 9 to play. If someone is at your position and your that good, then the coach will find a place in the lineup for you elsewhere. If you don't like the coach or are not playing, too bad, improve your game. You didn't research your options before you enrolled.

In Hillsborough County you have choice schools, now with 4 to choose from. You can move within those 4 period. Go outside and you should have to sit a year.


Im dont care for the recruiting, but why should a kid who has no chance of playing due to a kid who is better in front of him be punished? If a coach decides to leave a program because his team is no good, why doesnt he have to sit out a year of coaching? Dont say its different because its not.

A parents job is to do whats best for their child and if my son wanted a transfer because his chances were better at another school i would do it.
Q Quincy1,000+ posts
It seems you are losing your focus.

There are many high schools in the area and their are even more colleges at varying levels across the country.

Your family may feel as you express but I somehow doubt that you are being honest?

If your child wants to play a sport and enjoys that sport, are you saying that if they don't make the most elite team that they should just give it up?

Even if you enroll your child at a school whose athletic program is within your child's capabilities and they don't make the team, is it your fault, the child's fault or the school's fault? Should you tell your child to give up?

It is one thing to be given short shrift by a coach, but I would expect better treatment from a parent.

I look at the many transfer student athletes who became stars once given a chance to play and I find your view point lacking.

You make use of the term wussy. Would that be your attitude when your child becomes good enough to surpass last years competition only to be benched in favor of an up and coming underclassman?

Kids are in high school for four years. Parents and students have to do what they feel is right for themselves.

If that includes a transfer then so be it. There should be no penalty if done within the current guidelines.
ShepsterShepster1,000+ posts
This is truly sad that every time a program begins to receive recognition, that school becomes a target.

Coach Rasmus and I had a conversation at his son's FL STATE game about this very thing earlier this season.

You don't become a target unless you're doing something right or others get jealous. This is soooo...true in life. The naysayers will always be there to create chaos with a projected winner as in Russell County HS in Alabama this past season.

Peace,
Shep
Hillsborough HS will prevail!!!
Last edited by Shepster
Q Quincy1,000+ posts
Students transfer for many reasons. The bottom line is that they should not be penalized for that transfer.

Russo was not the only coach to have students transfer in, just as he is not the only coach to have students transfer out.

A good discussion on players moving around Tampa before last season was had on the Sunshine State BB web site

http://www.sunshinestatebaseball.com/forum/topic.asp?TO...earchTerms=transfers
08catcher08catcher100+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by Daddio:
Well thats too bad really. If there is a better player at that position, then work hard and beat him out. Ask to move positions to prove he can be in the lineup and produce as one of the top 9. If he doesn't produce then he shouldn't be playing anywhere. If he is not one of the top 9 players on THAT team, then he shouldn't be in the top 9 on another. If he is that good and worthy of playing time but doen't get it due to a player ahead of him, then he should be able to play SOMEWHERE in the top 9. There are not 9 top players at any school around here....so there are plenty that can be replaced in the lineup by a good player. That is...if he is truly good.

why should a kid who has no chance of playing due to a kid who is better in front of him be punished?

You're punishing yourself by not working your way in the lineup somewhere. You sound like a dad who HAS to have his kids play a certain position. The sooner you get over that the better off your son will be.

If a coach decides to leave a program because his team is no good, why doesnt he have to sit out a year of coaching?

He SHOULD have to sit out a year or more himself too.

A parents job is to do whats best for their child and if my son wanted a transfer because his chances were better at another school i would do it.

Better lose that wussy approach. It don't fly in college. Stand up, be real parent. Talk to your son, fire him up to get in the lineup somewhere. Talk to the coach, fire him up to give him an opportunity somewhere.

Or you can run .......our family is stronger than that approach.


quote:
Originally posted by 08catcher:
quote:
Originally posted by Daddio:
I beg to differ. You're "apparently" is garbage. These are real allegations not rumors. There are indeed actually 8 athletes being investigated that have transferred to Hillsborough in recent years. The interesting part of the Hillsborough situation is that most of the transfers HAVE been associated with either the head coach or someone on his staff playing at other times than during the HS season. I also heard boys tell me directly that played over this past summer for the head coach and his staff that they received a major sales pitch to come to Hillsborough. I've even overheard kids talking that know of the steroid abuse there first hand. The kids doing it have told them they do it and where they got it. All you have to do is listen to the kids and their friends. It doesn't take long to hear what is true and what isn't. In both cases here unfortunately both are true.

If you enroll as a freshman and then transfer you should be penalized one year of elegibility, period. If you're not good enough to play there, your probably not good enough to play elsewhere. There are 9 spots on the field for the best 9 to play. If someone is at your position and your that good, then the coach will find a place in the lineup for you elsewhere. If you don't like the coach or are not playing, too bad, improve your game. You didn't research your options before you enrolled.

In Hillsborough County you have choice schools, now with 4 to choose from. You can move within those 4 period. Go outside and you should have to sit a year.


Im dont care for the recruiting, but why should a kid who has no chance of playing due to a kid who is better in front of him be punished? If a coach decides to leave a program because his team is no good, why doesnt he have to sit out a year of coaching? Dont say its different because its not.

A parents job is to do whats best for their child and if my son wanted a transfer because his chances were better at another school i would do it.


You dont know me or my kid so dont tell me what kind of parent i am. My son won his job as a freshman, and has won it for two years now, but if he had a stud in front of him and could not beat him out doesnt mean he couldnt go elsewhere and start for a team that was lacking in that position.

I know in high school sports you are there to win but some are also there to get a little help for college. Not everyone is a stud top prospect and some have to work their tails off for a JC look. If a coach wont give you a chance(and dont tell me it doesnt happen)
regardless of your skill you should be able to move on with no penalty.
D Daddio10+ posts
Unfortunately, there is alot going on at HHS you don't know about. It all hasn't even come out yet. They won't prevail. The party is finally over.

This coach has been in problems and created problems starting at Plant High School.
quote:
Originally posted by Shepster:
This is truly sad that every time a program begins to receive recognition, that school becomes a target.

Coach Rasmus and I had a conversation at his son's FL STATE game about this very thing earlier this season.

You don't become a target unless you're doing something right or others get jealous. This is soooo...true in life. The naysayers will always be there to create chaos with a projected winner as in Russell County HS in Alabama this past season.

Peace,
Shep
Hillsborough HS will prevail!!!
Q Quincy1,000+ posts
TAMPA - Four months after leading his team to the Class 5A final and two days after it was announced his team was under investigation for possible recruiting violations, Hillsborough High baseball coach Pat Russo was fired.

The decision came Thursday morning in a meeting with Russo, Hillsborough principal William Orr and athletic director Bertha Baker. The status of Russo's assistants is unknown.

"Dr. Orr asked me if I wanted to resign," said Russo, who is not a full-time teacher at Hillsborough but had coached the baseball team five seasons. "I said, 'No,' and Dr. Orr said if that was the case then he would have to fire me. ... Dr. Orr did what he thought he had to do with the pieces of paper that someone had turned in on me. Now it's my job to prove those pieces of paper wrong. I haven't had my due process, and I'm going to investigate with my attorney and get my due process. I'm not done with this."

Orr and Baker could not be reached for comment Thursday, but Baker said Wednesday that the allegations against Russo were "just brought to our attention" by an outside source.

Hillsborough pitching coach Marcus Garcia said he heard the dismissal might have had something to do with Russo coaching a summer-league team that included players from all over the county. Eyebrows might have been raised, Garcia said, when a couple of those players from other schools enrolled at Hillsborough this fall.

"But it absolutely is not what people think," Garcia said. "I've been with Pat for four years and I've heard it over and over again about how we're (recruiting) players, and it simply is not true. The truth is everybody wants to come and play at Hillsborough. Shoot, I get calls myself from kids asking to come play at Hillsborough. I tell them, well, if you want to do that then you need to go through the proper channels. And that's it. That's the extent of it."

Hillsborough rising senior Matt Schurig, who went 16-0 and won the state semifinal over then-No. 1 Naples Barron Collier, said he was "shocked, disappointed and angry" when he heard the news.

"I don't want to play for anybody but Coach Russo," Schurig said. "He brings so much energy to the team and he knew how to handle our players. I don't know if a new coach can come in here and have the chemistry we had with Coach Russo. We had really high hopes for this upcoming season and this could just kill it."

Along with Schurig, the Terriers return outfielder Michael Burgess, who won the AFLAC national high school player of the year award in August after hitting more than .400 through the season and smacking a 460-foot home run in the state final.

"We wanted to go back there and win the whole thing," Schurig said. "We really believed we could do it. Now? I don't know. I don't know what I'm going to do."

Hillsborough, which won the prestigious Saladino baseball tournament in the spring, finished the 2006 season 30-5 before losing to Pace in the final.

For the moment, Russo said he was going to enjoy the Labor Day weekend with his family. On Tuesday he said he would return and begin his quest for "due process."

[Last modified September 1, 2006, 06:16:12]
D Daddio10+ posts
Starting on July 9, 2006 in Marietta, Georgia, a notebook of information on each of Russo's summer team players was given to each scout that attended their game at the tournament they were playing in for the week. At that time it listed both seniors that transfered from Chamberlain and Jefferson as playing for Hillsborough High School. So long before they both enrolled at HHS, it was being published that they played for HHS. If that isn't a piece of evidence already, I know it will be this coming week.
Last edited by Daddio

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