No. 1. For The Love Of The Game!

I remember sharpening my basketball skills, as a kid, on the West-Side of Chicago, with my Uncle and little brother! It was not a place for softies! We played with real thugs and real killers! And if you or your game was not real, then you couldn't come around, because those wolves would eat you alive! Straight up! One day my Uncle, Rob, my little brother Russ, and me, were out on the court, playing a physical game against a team of Vice-Lords, with some of there gang members sitting on the sidelines, watching! Something had happen and the next thing I know, my Uncle and brother were pushing and shoving with these cats! Suddenly, we were surrounded by these dudes, and they were ready to jump on us, over a basketball game, that none of us were getting paid to play! The way my uncle and brother was shouting at these cats, you would have thought we had a gang behind us! They were acting like the three of us made up a gang, but fighting against 10 other cats, I thought we certainly needed more people to join up with us! God must have been watching us that day, because cooler heads prevailed! We even keep playing the game, and eventually won! It was the first time my love for the game was truly tested, because I was a nervous cat, back in the day, but I wasn't going to let some gang bangers scare me away from doing my thing on the basketball court! We was back out there the next week, getting it in, Live!

I also remember playing ball, on those hot summer afternoons, at 10Th Park, in Maywood! That was real competition, Son! By the time I got to high school, my game was for real! That said, I still had to get to park by like 4:00 P.M., to make sure I had a spot on the court! It was still hot as hell outside, at that time of day, but that was right around the time they started picking teams for full-court play! The real ballers played on the center court, and all the area high school super-stars would start showing up as soon as the sun would start going down! Showing up to the park early always gave me a good chance to be on the court by the time the real ballers got there! I could usually get in about 4 or 5 good games, before finally loosing a game! Once you lost, you basically were done for the day, because it would be about 4 or 5 games before you had another chance to get back on the court, to play again! But when you were young, you could play 3 or 4 times at 3 or 4 different courts, like everyday! You could go to 9Th Park at the Recreation Center! Or Winfield Park off of 17th Ave. You could also get good runs in over in Bellwood at Memorial Park! Where ever the ballers were at, that's were I was at! Back then, life was all about basketball! Those were the days, straight up and down! In the Summers, we would play basketball all day and never get tired! Must have been for the love of the game!

I remember when I moved from high school basketball to college basketball! It was different! In high school, you could use pure skill and talent to beat cats on the basketball court! Most of the time, my high school team was just completely head and shoulders better than almost anybody we faced! In college, everybody just about had the same talents and skills. So you couldn't just use that to beat the competition, because everybody was just as strong and fast as you were! In college, you had to out think cats, to win on the basketball court! My college team was not that good at out thinking teams! But college basketball was crazy! Your skill level would make leaps and bounds in just one season! It was so much more than just basketball, when you play in college! You have to eat right, sleep right, hit the weight room, watch video tape, study notes, and even take tests! You first step on the basketball court, in college, and you think it's still just about basketball, and for the first time in your basketball career, you are lost! But I loved the challenge of learning more about the game! Making my body stronger and developing my skills! By the end of the season, you could hold your own and see the dramatic changes in your game! It was a lot of hard work! But it all paid off! It must have been the love for the game!

When it comes to basketball, I've done a lot! I plan to do a lot more! In the near future, I'll be looking to open my first basketball complex! With Premiere Hoops, my goal is to make all ball players, hoop dreams come true! Players will be able to come to a place, that will focus on basketball services, that will make everyone feel like a professional ball player! Once we open our doors, it should be a major love fest! Till then, players can start showing their love for the game, right now, with the Premiere Hoops Invitation! A basketball tournament that will take you back to your college days! It's going to be crazy! We'll follow that up with our NBA-style Summer and Fall leagues! When all that is said and done, the final touches should be in place, for us to break ground on the basketball complex! This has been a journey that has started over 15 years ago, back in college, when God gave me a vision to do something real big with basketball! I'm headed towards the end of my competitive basketball playing days, but I still plan to put in major work, for sometime to come! I love the game of basketball, and I plan to play this game for as long as I can! You should too!

No. 2. Championship Rings Are A Man's Best Friend!

Let's see! Bill Russell has 11 NBA Championship Rings! Micheal Jordan has 6. Magic Johnson 5. Larry Bird 3. That's a lot of hardware! How many championship rings do you got! Is it better to have played in several championships and never won, or to never make it to the championship at all. I guess in the end, you still got the same result.....no championship ring! You call yourself a ball player? Then what do you have to show for it! The greatest stats in the world won't mean jack, without that bling bling to back it all up! See, when you see someone rocking a shinny championship ring on their hand, people don't ask questions! The ring is proof, that you were part of the best! Period! A championship ring represents something special! Something more! It says you did it a little bit better, than everybody else! That team might be good, but without that ring, then that team is not real! You can fake it all you want, but in this world of show in prove, a championship ring speaks volumes, without even saying a word! Game will always recognize Game! And with a championship ring on your hand, you can make the other crews bow down! They say diamonds are a girls best friend. Well, for a man, or any ball player, for that matter, a championship ring will stick with you till the end!



Now, you just read the following paragraph, and you are digging and confirming everything that was written, but you don't have your own championship ring, to certify your game! Well! You're in luck! You can finally earn that championship ring, that will let you roam the blocks of your hood, proper like, with the help of Premiere Hoops! Jump in our Invitation. It will remind you of your glory days back in college! By pass the regular season, and go straight to the Tournament! You and about 60 other teams will do major battle, for a chance to get that championship ring! You would expect the first round or two to be easy, except, you don't know any of the other teams, from a whole in the wall! So hopefully for your sake, your team respects every team in the field! Don't get caught slipping though, because if you take a game off, you could be watching the rest of the tournament from the sidelines!

So, you got a whole career of basketball in, but no championship ring yet, huh! How'd that happen, Gangster? Sooner or later, your number is going to get called! Time even caught up with the great Micheal Jordan, and it was not pretty, when it happened! I bet you that if Mike could come back today, and be the old Micheal Jordan, he'd come back for a another chance to compete and win another ring! They say every time you win a championship ring, it's like the first time....no matter how many times you win it! So what is it going to be? Mike once said that the fear of failure motivated him to be the best he could be! After another tough play-off series lost to the Detroit Pistons, the third in three years, the Bulls got on their bus to head home, and Mike shouted outed that they were letting precious opportunities, to get that championship, get pass them, and he wasn't sure how many more chances they were going to get! Not to worry, Mike! Bring in a coach named Phil Jackson! Make a couple of changes, in the overall game scheme, keep trying, and POW!!! Six championships along with 6 big chunky rings, before it was all said and done! Charles Barkley was at the end of his career! Was going to come out of retirement, to play with Mike, with the Wizards, for one more chance to win a ring! But as the season approached, Charles backed out! Said he couldn't do it! Maybe he was not committed to put in the extra work needed to make things happen! Did Charles chicken out! Maybe! But where do you stand! Are you going to jump in the Premiere Hoops Invitation and give it one more shot, to get a ring! Or are you going to stand on the sidelines, shook to death to fail and making crazy excusses! COWARD!!

No. 3. Real Brackets. Real Teams.

This is the Friday before the NCAA Tournament Basketball Brackets will be announced! 65 teams will a get a shot, at a once in a lifetime opportunity! A chance to win a championship! The regular season is over! Teams are now completing their conference play-offs! About half of the 65 teams are already in the big tournament! As usual, many teams with good records will not get in! And some teams, that should have been left out, will find a way to get in! It's all part of the "Madness", that comes around, this time, every year! Right now, what you don't want to be, is a Bubble Team, or someone who has to sit through the entire Sunday Selection Tournament show! This is the show that officially announces which teams are in or out of the tournament. This show, in the end, will burst the "bubbles" of a lot of teams! If your team gets the nod, the feeling is like winning the lottery! Your team lives to fight one more day! But if you watch that whole show, and your team dosen't get the nod, it's the most dejected feeling you can imagine! I mean the worst kid! And there's nothing you can do about it! And if you are a Senior. Yo! You're ready to go jump off a bridge! It's kind of the gift and the curse, of this March Madness thing! You don't want to be caught up in it's path.....unless you're in!

With the Premiere Hoops Invitation, you'll have a chance to be in, and do it just like the college kids! Imagine, 65 teams in a do-or-die play-off format! Let's see if we can do the math! To begin, you pay your team entry fee, only $300! Next, you win your first game, which advances you to the second round of 32. You win your second game, and now you advance to the Sweet 16. That's pressure! You possibly win your third game, and you've made it to the Elite 8. That's big! Now if you can win your fourth game, you move into the Final 4, with every body watching! Win your Fifth game, and now you're in the Championship Round! And if you can win that 6th game, you get to put your name in the history books, while at the sametime, earn yourself some new hardware! Think about it! To win a championship, your team only has to win a maximum of 6 games....can your team do that!!!

At Premiere Hoops, we are in the business of making your hoop dreams come true! Our programs will be designed to make you feel like the basketball players you see on TV! If you ever wanted to play college basketball. Or if you ever wondered what it would be like, to play in the NCAA Tournament! Or if you just wanted to win a championship ring! Then Premiere Hoops has what you need! Why settle for just watching the NCAA Tournament, this year, when you can play in it! Of course, we all want to win games, when we play! No one wants to loose! But when you become an older player, sometimes, winning isn't everything! The overall experience can have as much value as a win! Our programs will be highly organized and managed in a timely fashion! You'll get a chance to meet new players and make new friends! And what ballplayer doesn't enjoy exchanging basketball war stories! This Invitation can be YOUR March Madness Tournament! So, in conclusion, don't be a Bubble Team, and let our March 29, deadline past you by! Get your team registered today, because when our brackets filled up, you'll be missing out on a once in a lifetime experience, that will be priceless!!!

No. 4. Prepare For Glory!

They say every man is going to get 15 minutes of fame before he dies! Yesterday, after I got off work, I was too tired to do anything else, except jump in the bed and watch TV, for the rest of the day! I had a chance to catch up on some basketball! I Clicked on the TV, and what do you know, my beloved Redbirds, from Illinois State University, was on national TV, taken on Northern Iowa University, for the MVC Conference Championship, and a automatic bid, to the "big dance" or the NCAA Tournament! Now let me back up for a minute, and give you a little story! As some of you may already know, I was a walk-on basketball player at Illinois State, when I was there! Walking on a D-1 college basketball team, is like next to impossible to do! Everything has got to line up for you! Anyway, back to the present! I have a 8 year old son, Cameron, who of course, is crazy about playing sports. He plays baseball, football, and basketball, right now! My beautiful wife, Lisa, and I, are trying to instill in my son, that college for him, is a requirement, not an option! My wife has two college degrees and I have one! So obviously, we both think college is important part for our son's future! And he's in tune with that! "Daddy, I'm going to play at Illinois University!", he tells me! I'm like, "Cool, son!! That's a great school!!" So, as a way to reinforce that thinking process, my wife and I like to, on occasion, take our son to different college campuses, so he can see and feel what college is about! Now, that's all he talks about, is college! So... so far, so good!

A few weeks back, my family decided to visit my old college, Illinois State University! Still looks the same, for the most part! We had a great time! While we were heading back to the car, to head back home, I noticed a Illinois State Redbird basketball poster. It had the team's schedule, and a picture of their "star" player! A funny looking kid, who was African-American, with a Mohawk haircut! He was in a game-action pose, and the kid just didn't look right! I took a good look at the picture, and said to myself, he sure doesn't look like a basketball player! And kept walking! Well, you know the old saying, Never judge a book by it's cover! This funny looking kid in the poster, was a perfect example! After watching this kid play on Sunday, I had a different opinion of him, to say the least!

Now, on Sunday, I'm watching this funny looking kid, with the Mohawk, play in a championship game, on national TV, for a shot to get an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament! Come to find out, this kid's name is Osiris Eldridge. And this kid can play! In the second half, he put on a show, that was a lot of fun to watch! Osiris went on a run that saw him shoot 3-pointers, from another area code, falling out of bounds, with defenders in his face, and anywhere else he choose to shoot! It was amazing! It made me flash back to my days back at Illinois State! Yo! That was first class basketball, right there! The first game I traveled on, we jumped on the bus and took off! I pulled out some homework and started studying! A few minutes later, my teammate and good friend, till this day, Scott, looked at me and was like, "What are you doing?" I was like " What does it look like I'm doing? I'm trying to get some of my studying done, while we are on this road trip to the game!" Scott was like, "We're not driving to the game! We're driving to the airport!" I was like, "Oh, Word!" He was like, "Yea Man, we don't drive to games, we fly!" I was like "Yo! That's what I'm talking about!" Playing for a D-1 school was like living like a King on campus! We ate dinner together, called training table! If we were on campus, we ate in a special section of the school cafeteria! If we were off of campus, we ate fine restaurants that served steaks and shrimp! We got "laundry money" that keep our pockets full of cash! The hotels we would stay in, were all 4 and 5 star, Marriott, type joints! We did everything first class! It was like being in the NBA, except you didn't get paid the big millions! It was some of the best basketball I've ever experienced! And I will always be thankful I was of a chosen few, who got to do it!

This kid Osiris, has started the clock ticketing, on his 15 minutes! The Redbirds would go on to loose the game, in overtime, to Northern Iowa, but Osiris has already made a name for himself! The announcers, for the game, were going crazy, every time this kid shot the ball! He was the talk of the game, and on all the post highlight shows! All they talked about was the show Osiris put on! And of course, the pro basketball prospects started chipping in! "He's going to make a great NBA player, Blah, Blah, Blah! But here's the catch! Illinois State was one of the better college teams this year! But they come from the MVC Conference. A place that usually only sends one team to the NCAA Tournament, and that's usually the team that wins the MVC Post-Season Tournament! This year, that was Northern Iowa! But I think Illinois State made a case for itself, to play in the big dance, as well! I think Osiris has peaked the interest, of the national audience, to see if he can do it again, in the big tournament, and maybe pull off a major upset or two, in the process! If nothing else, what will probably happen, is Illinois State will probably get overlooked, by the NCAA, get a bid to the NIT Tournament, and there, maybe Osiris can continue to build on his legend! He's in a great spot, right now, he a Junior who is expected to return for his Senior year, and it would be great to see him keep playing, for a little while longer! We'll find out in less than a week!

So, we are getting ever so close to the deadline registration for the Premiere Hoops Invitation! This NCAA Tournament will give you a chance to put on your best Osiris Eldridge impersonation! Have you gotten your 15 minutes of fame yet! Maybe the Invitation is your last/only chance to get it! You only gota win 5 or 6 games to win the crown! You'll be able to display a championship ring and title that can never be taken from you! Notice, I didn't say can never be stolen from you! But maybe you have an Osiris run in you! Maybe you could have a game that the other players in the Invitation will talk about for some time to come! You'll never know unless you register your team to play, and see what happens!

No. 5. Go For Broke!

I don't watch a lot of TV. Not that I don't enjoy a good program every now and then, but I just don't have the time! But everyday, from 2:30 P.M. to 3:30 P.M., I do try to catch BloomBerg TV. It's a financial channel that gives the Average Joe, or as they like to say, the man on the street, the daily run-down on all things stock markets and money! Running 24/7, these guys talk to very important people, who have astute business savvy and are well connected. Politicians, CEOs, Stock Traders, and Money Managers. The Cats who appear on this particular show, handles billions and billions of dollars! I mean, these are the people who control 2% of all the wealth in the United States! They say you can learn a lot from a dummy! Well, they don't let any dummies on this channel, so imagine how much I'm learning, from watching these Cats, do what they do! I've been watching the BloomBerg Channel now, for about two years! And as many of you would imagine, for the last six months, it's been all gloom and doom! The economy is contracting! People are losing their jobs and homes! You can't get a car loan! And staple companies we thought would last forever, are now closing shop! I must admit, things do seem a little bleak, at this time! Everybody says times is rough and that things will get worst before they get better! Well, all the more reason to go for broke! I'll explain!

Look! With all this bad news going around, it's easy to have a negative outlook on life right now! But the last time I checked, The Sky was not falling! And the Sun did raise this morning! So it can't be all that bad! We've run into some bad luck, lately, but that's no reason to stop living, yet! We all may have to make changes, where we can, but let's not throw the baby out with the bath water! I suggest making your cuts and sacrifices where you can, than live your life! If you sit around constantly worrying about your particular situation, you're probably just gonna make things worst! So, what can you do for cheap thrills, in this messed-up economy! You can play in the Premiere Hoops Invitation, of course! Here's the benefits!

Number one! The cost to get in the Invitation is only $300 per team! Peanuts, even in this economy, because if you get a team of only 6 players, that's $50 for each player, to pay your team registration, and you probably blow more than that every week, and I bet you don't know where! With that team fee, you'll get fresh and crispy new uniforms, and a chance to win shinny new custom-made championship rings! That should help boost your self-esteem a bit, if nothing else! Next, you'll be able to release some of that pinned-up stress, you been holding inside, in a positive way! There's nothing like the feeling, of taking your anger and frustration out, on an opponent! Competition is good for the heart and soul! Finally, you'll have a chance to play with and against Cats, who are in the same boat, as you! You'll be able to interact, on and off the court, with guys dealing with the same struggles, sacrifices, and problems, as you! And that can be priceless, as they say! Not to mention, sharing those thoughts and laughs, with other guys, that can only be understood by guys, if you catch my drift! Basketball is an outlet! You can use it for a way to "escape" the rigors of your everyday life!

So! What have we learned here, today! Sometimes, you gota make your own luck! Things might not look great right now, like a lot of people will tell you, on the BloomBerg channel! But look to the Sky, and I'm sure you still see the Sun still there....unless it's snowing again! And I'm certainly not expecting the world to end anytime soon! So, with that said, you should be recruiting a team to play in the Premiere Hoops Invitation! It's the only place I can think of, that makes sense to be broke! Or rather, where you can Go For Broke! Hurry up and register today! Time is running out! Teams are finally jumping in for a chance to earn the Crown! And the registration deadline is March 29! See you out there!

No. 6. No Body Is Ready To Retire Your Jersey Yet!

Let's look at the greats for a minute! The one's who jerseys hang proudly from the rafters! We can start with Julius Irving. They called him Dr. J! He wore number 6! Dude won 3 championships, 4 Most Valuable Player Awards, and three scoring titles....in the American Basketball Association or ABA, and the National Basketball Association or NBA. Crazy right? What about Oscar Robertson who played for the Milwalkee Bucks! Wore number 1, and is the only player ever to play in the NBA, to average a triple-double, for an entire season! They should have called him Mr. Incredible! What about Irving Magic Johnson. When he played with the Los Angeles Lakers, their games were called showtime, because of their fastbreak style of play! He wore number 32, and played in 9 championships, winning 5! His basketball rival Larry Bird, from the Boston Celtics. They called him the Bird Man, after the cartoon, remember!!! He wore number 33, and won 3 championships and 2 MVPs! And everybodys favorite, Micheal Jordan, from the home team, Chicago Bulls! Dude won 6 championships and 6 Finals MVP's! He personally change Chicago from the second city, to a dynasty! He wore number 23....forget that number 45 thing, and don't bring up the washington Wizards! We may not see a dude like that again in our lifetime! He was by far the best player I ever saw play! These guys have put in mad work on the basketball court. And they played until age or injury finally caught up with them! The way you are suppose to do it! And they got the hardware to prove it! Now then! Let's look at you!

First of all! I never heard of you! You claimed to have done this, that, and the third on the basketball court! You played a little high school ball, then somehow, played in college! After that, you had your little tryout in the pros, and maybe made it to the cut before the final cut, teams had to make before the start of the NBA Regular Season! Now, out of no-where, you decide that you have put in enough work, and it's time to hang up your jersey! You went ahead and did it, against your better judgement, and only crickets showed up for your little ceremony! And then you walked away like you just accomplished something big! And then you fall into the rigors of everyday life! Go to work, pay your bills, and try to salvage any spare time you can find to spend with the family! There is no time for yourself! Now! You're starting to reminisce about your glory days! You go back to the time when you was doing it on the basketball court! You and the Rock! Taking on all Competitors! Those were the days! But you know, you don't play basketball anymore! Your too cool for school now! Lost your first love. OK! But let somebody put a basketball in front of you! And it's like putting drugs in front of an addict! You start to wonder why you ever hung up that jersey! Bad move, right! Now let me ask you...How many championships did you win? How many MVP awards have you won! Or scoring titles??? Huh! What to do now?

I'm going to tell you what you should do! First of all, get that little stupid ideal out of your head, that you are done playing ball, because at the end of the day, you ain't even started playing yet! Imagine, if you were in the NBA, and you took care of yourself and your body, you might be able to play till the age of 40, with the right team and right role! But you are how old? Still 30 something?? Man, give me a freaking break! Unless you have had major surgery or something like that, your health should not be an issue yet! You should be able to keep up with your peers to about the age of 50 or so, and mind you, I said peers! If you are pushing 40 something, and you playing against mid 20 somethings, your probably going to run out of gas, sooner or later, against those cats! But please! You have to use it or loose it! Play the game, and the only thing you should loose, over time is speed! So with that being said, I think you still have a lot of basketball left in the tank! You've got an opportunity here, to get back into your element, with the Premiere Hoops Invitation. You still have time to get yourself back in some form of game shape. Get a team, and shoot for that first championship. You don't really want to stop playing basketball, until they tell you that you can't play anymore! I'll go get the ladder to help you bring down your still very useable uniform! Next up, Last Second Shot!

No. 7. Beat The Shot Clock

Yo! Remember back in the day! When Georgetown played Villanova for the NCAA Basketball Championship, back in 1985! That was 29 years ago, and I remember the game like it was yesterday! Georgetown had Patrick Ewing, Mike Jackson, and a whole gang of All-Americans, and were coached by the legendary John Thompson. Remember that white towel he would always bite on in close games! And Villanova, who had Ed Pinckney, and a bunch of nobodies, and were coached by the little stuffed pasta Rollie Massimino. Georgetown was supposed to mop up the floor with Villanova, while steamrolling their way to another championship. But in one of the smartest game plans I ever saw executed, Villanova patiently cut the Georgetown Hoyas down to size, en route to one of the biggest upsets in sports history! What a game!

The way Villanova was able to beat Georgetown was quiet simple! Georgetown flat out had a better team than Villanova, straight up and down! So, in order to counter Georgetown's superiority, Villanova used a delayed offense, primarily to limit Georgetown's offensive touches, but more importantly, to keep the game close! It was brilliant! By using this game plan, Villanova could ensure that the game would be decided by one or two critical possessions, at the end of the game, which basically meant, it could be anybodies ball game, to win or loose! Luckily for Villanova, everything worked out as planned! It was a thrilling game, that kept you on the edge of your seat, till the end! After that championship game, though, at the start of the following season, the NCAA instituted the 45 second shot clock, for all basketball games! Now you couldn't stall the ball during games anymore, like Villanova had did the previous year. It would be the end of an era, and grind it out basketball, along with the North Carolina Tar Heels four-corner offense, and maybe a chance to see another great college basketball championship upset!

After the Villanova Championship, the NCAA switch to a 45 second shot clock. Then to a 35 second shot clock! In the Premiere Hoops Invitation, we'll use a 24 second shot clock! Why 24 seconds, you may ask? Well, for one, we already have a 24 second shot clock, and can't change them to 35 seconds, like the NCAA's. Plus, the 24 second shot clocks we will be using in our Invitation Tournament, will be the same 24 second shot clocks, we will be using for our NBA-style Summer and Fall leagues! The NBA does use 24 second shot clocks, as you may already know! Finally, these basketball events, were designed for big boys, so step your game up! It was magical, back in 85, when Villanova used the delayed offense to win their championship. But if a team tried that today, it would be considered politically incorrect, and any team trying to use it now, would certainly be vilified, if not crucified, by opposing teams and the general public! Premiere Hoops will be using a 24 second shot clock, and although some of the teams jumping in the tournament, may have a few older players, I don't expect to hear too much complaining about it! So with that said, if you are not use to playing basketball, with a 24 second shot clock, you've got about 6 weeks to get yourself and your team ready. So you better get started, right now! Up next, No. 6. Clearence Sale

No. 8. Just The Facts, Please!

Don't you hate it when you are standing around, on the basketball court, and then some kid comes around, talking all loud about how cold his game is! He goes on and on about, he did this in a basketball game, and he did that in a basketball game! Your thinking to yourself, it all sounds suspect, but dude swears he messed around last week, on the basketball court, and scored a triple-double, just like Ice Cube! And since you probably didn't see all this "action" take place, you are sorta forced to take him at his word! But in the back of your mind, you are really thinking, to yourself, that this guy doesn't even look like a ball player! This happens all the time, out on the basketball court! Cat's who really don't know much about the game, acting like the are the next coming of Micheal Jordan! Well, with the upcoming Premiere Hoops Invitation, we'll be able to silence these fake ball players, and see once and for all, who still really has the top game and skills, on the basketball court!

During the Premiere Hoops Invitation, we'll be keeping track of the most basic stats, to help players measure their performance against the field! The stats we will be keeping track of will include points, assists, rebounds, steals, and shooting pct. These stats will then be posted on the Premiere Hoops website, for all players, and fans to see. Strictly show and prove here, folks! When you know the stats are being tracked, you can kinda focus your energies, on certain aspects of the game, to help improve your team's chances of winning, or at least play better! Do you need to score 20 points per game or grab 15 rebounds to help your squad win! We'll also have averages of the categories previously mentioned! If you score 36 points in one game then score 5 points the next game, have you accomplished much over a two game average? No, not in my opinion! Or were you just luck in one game, and garbage in the other! As long as your team is winning, it doesn't really matter, but if your team looses, and you played bad, expect to hear about it, and probably from one of your teammates who did perform well!

In a nutshell, keeping stats from games with real meaning, can actually save the game of basketball, in a lot of different ways! For one, keeping stats can help keep the loud-mouths quiet. Two, keeping stats can also give the real ball players, the evidence they need, to help back up their claims and skills! Third, keeping stats can also help other ball players improve their games, by giving them a target or stat leader to chase, in their never-ending pursuit, to be the best player they can be! Finally, keeping stats is just another one, in many services, Premiere Hoops will be offering, during all of our games, that will separate us from the other basketball leagues and tournaments. Premiere Hoops is all about making your hoop dreams come true! So make sure you get your team registered today, and don't miss the action! The Premiere Hoops Invitation is sure to be the talk of the town, so get ready, and see you other there, on the basketball court!

No. 9. Smile! Your On Candid Camera.

Basketball leagues come a dime a dozen! But whenever I would manage one, I would try to do things a little different! Take for instance Bill's Basketball Club! This was a league I made into my own personal NBA! I had the teams wearing replica NBA Uniforms. I also played in this league, and my team was the Chicago Bulls, of course! We played with shot-clocks, and NBA rules. I had a website for the league, and I posted league schedules, players stats, league standings. I had over and under game predictions, and also posted game highlights! It was pretty fun and the guys really seemed to get a kick out of it! Another service that I offered to the guys, was selling DVD copies of the games. The players really like this service! I mean what guy doesn't want to see himself in hi-def, on the TV screen, doing his thing on the basketball court! The guys would take these DVD copies and share them with their people, I'm sure, but to actually make the DVDs was a huge hassle.

To copy a game to a DVD, with old equipment, was a long process! First, you have to record the game with a camcorder. Not a huge problem, unless your cam copies footage to tapes. Now, since we are in 2009, most people have gotten rid of their VCRs. So, I had to take the tapes from the Cam, and use special software to capture the footage from the tapes, to convert that to a computer file. That took over an hour to do. Okay, now you have captured the tape footage, and turned it to a computer file! Now, you gota get the computer file ready to burn to a DVD. The file is huge, so, you kill another hour doing that! Just go get a Snicker candy bar, right, cause you've got mad time to kill! Once that is done, now you are ready to burn your first DVD copy, but the actual burn takes almost half an hour. Now, once you burn your first copy, the other DVD copies only took about 5 minutes! But, with three games to do at any given time, you can see how easy it is to burn a whole day while you burn DVDs for the players. Now, let me tell you how this process will change, in 2009, for the Premiere Hoops Invitation.

Every time I run a basketball program, I try to do the next one a little smarter! For the Premiere Hoops Invitation, I will be using a Camcorder that will record games straight to computer files. This recording process will save me about two hours per game, which will save me time to do some other fun stuff with the game footage! You'll have to stay tune to find out exactly what we'll do, but just think Sports Center from ESPN. Players from the Premiere Hoops Invitation will be able to purchase DVD copies of the games in a number of ways. First, you will be able to prepay a $7 fee, and receive the DVD when I bring the copy back with me, to the game site, for the next round of play, in the PHI. Or, players can pay a $10 fee, and I will mail the DVD copy to you ASAP!

A lot of cats didn't get a fair shot to play college or pro basketball. But why should that stop you from getting a taste of what those experiences are like! You can do that now, with Premiere Hoops, where we make your Hoop Dreams come true! We'll do a lot of the same stuff in the Premiere Hoops Invitation, that we did in Bills Basketball Club, but better! Just get a solid team together and register today for the Premiere Hoops Invitation, which starts play in April. Better be ready to go in though, when you come to play in this one, because just like the NCAA's, if you loose, your toast! We even give you a chance to win championship rings, all for the low cost of only $300! For the Summer and Fall, we got NBA-Style leagues coming! If you are a real baller reading this blog, you don't want to miss these events. Hustle up and get your teams in before the March 29 deadline gets past you! Next up, No. 8. Just The Facts, Please!

No. 10. We Make Your Hoop Dreams Come True!

I remember growing up as a kid, playing basketball in the little town of Maywood, back in the early 80's. It was a magical time period. I remember going to my first basketball try-out session at Irving Elementary, off of 17Th Street, I think it was. Those were the days! You walk into the gym, and there would be like 25 to 30 other little misfits in the gym! The coach would run you through the drills, to see your skill level! Then you would run through scrimmages! Everybody on the floor would always try to shoot and score their way unto the basketball team! That was so funny, now that I look back on it! Some kids were cut off the team, before they even walked through the door! Others just didn't have what it would take to fill a role, on a real team. Then you had the cream of the crop! The real Hoopers, we use to call em! You would go through a full day of try-outs, then you would have to wait until the next day, for the list to be posted! The list was composed of the names of the select few kids, who had made the team! It made for a sleepless night! Back then, I knew I was good, but I lacked self-confidence, like most everybody else, at the time! You would run to school the next day, to check the list, to see if your name was on it! You would get there, and there was always a big crowd standing around the list, which was usually hanging outside the gym door! There would always be a lot of gloom and doom faces, from the players who didn't make the list! Once I shoved my way into the crowd, close enough to see the list....and what do you know? My name was on it! I had made the team! I thought I was on my way to a long and stellar career in the NBA! Funny how things never really work out!

Fast forward to the present! Like many of you, playing college basketball was a childhood hoop dream of mine! I was one of the special few who actually got a chance to experience what college basketball was all about! To those who didn't get that chance, for whatever reason, let me be the first one to say, I'm sorry! You missed a true, once in a lifetime experience! But never fear! I'm here to save the day, and give you a second chance for basketball glory! Introducing the Premiere Hoops Invitation! This basketball tournament will have everything you missed from the NCAA's! First of all, after you put your squad together, you will be able to name your team after the college club you always wished you were able to play for! When I was a kid, I always wanted to play for North Carolina University! Now though, I always stick with the home team, so I would pick either Illinois, my beloved Illinois State, or even DePaul....from their hey day, of course! Next after you register your team, It's the Premiere Hoops Selection Sunday Show. A YouTube video displaying all 64 teams that registered for the tournament, complete with brackets, match-ups, some commentary, and the whole 9! Just like the NCAA's! Feel those butterflies in your stomach! Now comes the hard part, which of course, is playing in the tournament!

Next up, it's game time! 64 teams all competing for the same goal, which is to be just a tad-bit better than the other 63 teams who jumped in the tournament, to win the crown! It's Do Or Die Season! If you think you can just walk into this type of environment, without your A-game every night, you got another thing coming! Four weekends of play, just like the NCAA's, starting April 10! The first weekend is mad crazy, right! So many teams, that we have to play on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday! Ballers everywhere! You have to stay focused! Take it one step at a time! Just make it through the first weekend! By the time the first weekend is over, half of the competition is already out of there! Now, you've got a week to put your next game plan together! First, you study the Premiere Hoops Game DVD, you purchased, to study and correct your team mistakes! Next, go to the Premiere Hoops website, and check the stats, and while you are there, get the stats of your next opponent! Put your game plan together, then it's weekend number two! Win this one and your going to the sweet 16! Just like the NCAA's. Another week of prep like week one, and win again, to move past the Elite 8, and now you move on to the Final Four! Real Talk!

Championship Weekend! Now it's really on! You beat two teams, and you get to join that elusive club, of teams who have won championships! The best among your peers! You'll be in the history books, as one of the best to ever do it! And to top it all off, you and your teammates will get brand new, shinny, custom-made, championship rings! There's nothing like it! I won plenty of championships in my day, but I never got one ring! Once you win a championship ring, now you got options! You can rock that joint, on your hand, and bring it out at a party or function, and straight shock the crowd, like Blawww! Or, you can put it on display, on a book shelf or cabinet. Fix it up with a little spotlight. And be like BLING! The one thing we all know, for sure, is that whenever we see someone with a championship ring, you are almost certain that the ring was not given away! You had to earn it! So, in conclusion, you may have missed your chance to play ball in college! You may have never got a chance to play in March Madness! But with the Premiere Hoops Invitation, you can get a second chance to experience all those thrills while also making all of your hoop dreams come true. And with our attention to focused on the smallest of details and management experience, when you play with us, you'll be asking yourself, Is it live or Is it Premiere Hoops. Hurry up and register, the deadline is March 29, 2009. Coming next, Just The Facts, Please!

TOP TEN REASONS TO PLAY IN PREMIERE HOOPS INVITATION

So! Have you ever wanted to play in the NCAA Basketball Tournament! Ever wanted to be a part of March-Madness. Some of you may actually have! You may have done it either in high school or in college! Single elimination play-off basketball. Man, there's nothing like it! The regular season means nothing with this play-off format! During the regular season, you can go undefeated or 0 for..., because when the play-offs roll around, everybody is 0-0! Every night you have to bring your A game, because if you take one night off....Woo! Your season could be over! I remember my senior year of high school, at Proviso East! We had a sub par and disappointing regular season, but had made it back to the Sectionals, which naturally setup a rematch, against the team who beat us, in the same spot, the year before, St. Joe! We had always beaten St. Joe over the Summers! And the games were always super-competitive! As a matter of fact, I only recall ever losing to em once, over the span of my high school career! We get to the game, we did not start our best starting 5, and we ended up getting our butts kick, in front of a sellout crowd! I'll never forget the way I felt, right after the end of the game! It was the worst feeling I had ever had, concerning basketball! My high school career was over!! And it was the only game I ever played, that I felt like crying! Basketball was my everything, and with the lost, to St. Joe, I had just lost a part of my life, I could never get back! Till this day, I wish I could get that moment back, and do it again! With a second shot, I would be certain that I left everything on the court!

And what about from a college player's perspective! Yo! I remember when I was a kid and use to watch DePaul Blue Demon games, back in the day! Remember when they were good, with Coach Ray Meyer, Mark Aguirre, Tyrone Corbin, Bernard Randolph, and Kenny Patterson! Remember those cats!!! Man, what happen to that once proud and storied University? Anyway, I remember the year DePaul made it to the final four! I forget who they played, but they lost a close game! I remember "Big Mark", was in tears, towards the end of the game! Holding on to the ball for dear life, and would not give the ball back to the refs! They're run through the NCAA Tournament was over! They had made it to the final four! The big dance! Came up just a tab bit short, and would never make it back! Some opportunities in life only allow you one shot, and not taking full advantage of those, once in a lifetime opportunities, can really come back to haunt you! Which brings us back to the current topic of discussion. The Premiere Hoops Invitation!

Many of you guys reading this blog, right now, is just like me! You've played organized ball all of your life! Started off in grammar school! You worked your way through the ranks of high school. Did your thing there, then went off to college! Some of us were the Big Men On Campus, and some of us were bench-warmers! Some of us didn't even make the team, but still had mad game! Now, basketball is behind us! Some of us have put on a few pounds and probably don't play nearly as much as you would like! You now have a family, a career, a mortgage, and no time for yourself! And every now and again, you let yourself wonder back to the glory days! You go back to a time, when the only important thing to worry about, was the location and time of the next game! And you might even think about the perfect scenario, that would allow you to hang-out with the fellas for a couple of hours, play some real basketball, maybe have a drink, then get back to your regular way of life! Man, we all need a break sometime! We all need something to look forward to. Over the next two weeks, I'm going to give you a Dave Letterman's style, Top Ten Reasons Why You Should Play In The Premiere Hoops Invitation! In these economically tough times, The PHI is exactly what you need right now, on a lot of fronts! It's a great way to release some stress, and will allow you a means to rekindle that first love of your life, with the game of basketball! It will also give you a rare second chance to win! So to get things started, be on the look out for the no. 10 Reason Why You Should Play In The Premiere Hoops Invitation: We Make Your Hoop Dreams Come True!

JOLIET CITY COUNCIL Basketball facility gets OK, advice

JOLIET CITY COUNCIL Basketball facility gets OK, advice
Publication: Herald News, The (Joliet, IL) Section: MAIN Page: A1 By: By Tony Graf

JOLIET - Plans for an indoor basketball complex received the city council's approval Tuesday, but the owner of Premiere Hoops also got an admonition to be a good neighbor to Channahon residents who live nearby. Many of those residents have opposed the plan. They say Premiere Hoops' basketball complex, with its nighttime activity and its potential for heavy traffic, would be a disruptive presence in their neighborhood. Bill Leach, a Plainfield resident and owner of Premiere Hoops, says he wants a chance to prove he can be a good neighbor. The council voted 6-2 to grant him a special-use permit to build a 23,300-square-foot facility west of U.S. 6 and McClintock Road, in the City's Edge Commercial Park near Joliet's border with Channahon.
"We've tried to meet every request that has been given to us ." Leach told the council.
"You know, I don't like the word 'try,'" Mayor Art Schultz replied. "We will," Leach said.
"OK," Schultz said. Councilman Tom Giarrante added: "We will stay on top of this, and we're taking you at your word."

Earlier, Councilman Tim Brophy had mentioned a resolution passed by the Channahon Village Board requesting certain conditions to the special-use permit. Among those conditions are: that no liquor license be granted; that the hours of operation are not to begin before 7 a.m. or continue beyond 10 p.m.; that on-street parking be prohibited on City's Edge Drive, McClintock Road and Channahon village streets; that a security management plan be provided; and that on-site security and appropriate staff be present at all times. Leach said he will comply with these conditions. Joliet City Councilman Joseph Shetina told neighbors, "If the property becomes a nuisance, I'm in the book ... I'm available if you have a complaint. Call me."
Outside council chambers after the vote, Channahon resident Jean Hansen responded to the councilman's remarks. "Joe Shetina said to call him, but we're calling (Joliet Police Chief) Fred Hayes. Hayes' number is going up on our bulletin board," she said. "The first time we get referred to the Channahon police, we'll be back here at the city council."

Voting yes were Schultz; Councilwoman Susie Barber, and Councilmen Giarrante, Brophy, Shetina and Michael Turk. Voting no were Councilman Tony Uremovic and Councilwoman Jan Quillman. Earlier in the discussion, Quillman had wanted to postpone a vote on the issue so a meeting could be held involving neighbors of the proposed complex. However, the council defeated that motion. The Premiere Hoops complex will host league play, instructional camps and pickup games. It will include two National Basketball Association-sized courts, stadium-style seating for 144 spectators and parking for 137 vehicles.

Group looking to build Joliet hoops complex PLAINFIELD COMPANY

Group looking to build Joliet hoops complex PLAINFIELD COMPANY
Publication: Herald News, The (Joliet, IL) Section: MAIN Page: A1 By: By Bob Okon

JOLIET - A local group wants to build an indoor basketball complex for a mix of pick-up games, league play and instructional camps. The facility would combine open play for walk-ins with memberships for players who want to develop their skills in leagues or through special training.
The project is unique in its devotion primarily to basketball, said Bill Leach with Premiere Hoops out of Plainfield. Premiere Hoops would own and operate the facility.
"We'll have pick-up basketball, referees, shot clocks - the whole gamut," Leach told the Joliet City Council on Monday. Premiere Hoops is seeking city council approval for a 23,300-square-foot facility to be built at U.S. 6 and McClintock Road in a development known as City's Edge Commercial Park.

The council could vote on the plan at its regular meeting today.
Leach said the facility, including parking for 137 vehicles, would cost about $2.6 million to build and could be completed in 2008 if construction starts this fall. Proposed features include two NBA regulation-sized basketball courts and stadium-style seating for 144 spectators.
The courts could be divided into four smaller courts, and the complex also would have a fitness center, conference room, and juice bar with sandwich shop. Leach said the only similar facility in the region is the training academy in Lisle associated with the Chicago Bulls.
Council members asked questions about admission fees and parking without suggesting whether they were likely to vote for the project. City staff recommended approval of the plan, and City Manager John Mezera described the proposed complex as "a real nice facility."
Premiere Hoops would acquire nearly 3 acres of land for the project.

HOW MUCH WOULD YOU PAY TO PLAY FOR YOUR FAVORITE COLLEGE BASKETBALL TEAM?

Here's an interesting thought, I had, the other day, that I thought would make for great conversion! Who's your favorite college basketball team, and how much would you pay, to have a chance to play for that team? Better yet, what if you could play for your favorite college team, by-pass the regular season, and go straight to the NCAA Tournament! How much would that be worth to you! A chance to play against the best basketball competition out there, with a chance to maybe take the game winning shot!! Could you handle that type of pressure? It's like being a Senior again, and you have no chance of going Pro! You have to win every game, or your career is toast! But, what if you could find a way, to keep winning, and then help lead your team to the final four! That would be nice, huh? Are you checking your savings account yet? Now imagine, you lead your favorite college team to the championship game, and you actually have a chance now, to help your team, win custom-made championship rings! This is crazy right? How much would you pay to have that chance, right now? How much would that experience be worth to you? Would you put down two weeks salary for that chance? Maybe a month's mortgage payment? Would you go out and rob your local bank! Or maybe even kidnap the President and hold em for some enormous ransom! Being a walk-on player at Illinois State University, back in 1990, I would do almost anything, to have just one more chance, to play in the "Big Dance"! It's a once in a lifetime experience, that's priceless!!!! Or is it!? What if you could get your own team, of Average Joe's, together! Then, maybe name your team after your favorite college team, I would name my team after Illinois State University, of course, with the awesome year they are having, right now, or maybe Illinois, and compete in a basketball tournament, just like the real NCAA Tournament! Against say 63 other "Average Joe" teams, doing the same thing, for a chance to win custom-made championship rings! Oh yea, AND THE COST TO ENTER THIS "POOR MAN'S" NCAA TOURNAMENT, WOULD COST YOU, SAY..... ONLY $300!!!!! Would you do that??? I mean, for an experience of a life time, you can't get a few buddies together, and scrape up a measly 300 bucks, for a chance to capture glory! How many real second chances do you ever get in life? Not many! If you are a true basketball player, you might want to jump on this opportunity, like your life dependent on it! To find out how you can get your last shot to dance, tournament style, Google Premiere Hoops!