Premiere Hoops in full swing! Season will be competitive till the end!

The second week of action at the Premiere Hoops Fantasy League performed like clockwork compared to the first week! For starters, every team showed up ready to play and on time! That was the biggest improvement and it made a huge difference on the time management of the entire day! After making a few adjustments from the previous week, including dismissing one team from the league for lack of commitment, and adding another team, the league looks to be in pretty good shape! Most of the paperwork also got done! We still have a team or two that still needs to turn in a team roster and maybe one other team that needs to fill out waiver forms! We had one team show with practice uniforms instead of the official fantasy league uniforms, which could lead to fines in the future if done by other teams, but those small bugs, along with a few other hick-ups, are manageable, and easy to clean up! The action was really good and competitive, and I'm afraid there will be no easy games through the rest of the regular season! With that said, let me give a quick recap of the action!

During the 9:40 AM game, we saw the Lakers battle the Mavs! The Lakers looked strong and came in on a mission! They Displayed good team work and looked as though they played together for quite some time! The Mavs played catch up all game! The young guns had a hard time keeping LA from running out on fast breaks! Reminded me a lot of the real Showtime Lakers from back in the day! And the Lakers would eventually run the Mavs off of the court with a 65-58 win! Special shout out to James Forrest for helping out and joining the club! Good squad Hommie, to say the least!

The 10:40 AM game saw the Bulls play the Bobcats! Here's a game where the Bulls should have easily won because the Bobcats should have been tired! But, when you play down to the level of your competition, you usually will run into trouble! The Bobcats just kept hanging around and hanging around! The Bulls never showed any killer instinct in this one, and in the end, the Mavs would kill them with a 67-66 win!

The 11:40 game we saw the Knicks play against the Thunder! The Knicks, I will tell you, looks to be a scary team! Their guard play is going to give teams problems! The Thunder is off to a slow start! I think they will turn things around and be a dangerous team come play-off time! But they are stuck in the mud as of right now! The Knicks push the tempo of the game the entire day! The Thunder couldn't keep up, and the Knicks escape with the tough win, 63-61!

The final game of the day saw the defending champion Celtics do battle with the Heat! And when I say Battle, I mean battle! The Celtics came out hitting hard and jumped out to a 20 point lead by the first quarter! But that was before a few more of the Heat players showed up to join the fight! They walked in like 20 point deficit, no sweat! No complaining and barely no talking! The Heat just methodically chipped away at the lead!  Until the fourth quarter the Heat would take a two point lead, and for the first time, we saw the Celtics under pressure! The Celtics would eventually right the ship, and in the end, would get the 70-64 victory! But not before being humbled! I don't think they will take the rest of the league so lightly!

We're off for the holiday break for the next two weeks, before we return to action on January 7, 2012! I think the play will pick up, and we should see some impressive basketball over the next few weeks! Got lot's of new stuff coming along too for the new year! We'll look to open our online pro shop featuring sweat shirts and T-shirts! We'll introduce a new staff member to help things run even smoother at the games! We'll announce the next dates, times, and pricing for the next Premiere Hoops Fantasy League, coming up for the Spring! And lots more! Hustle Up!

Premiere Hoops puts uniforms on display.

Today was suppose to be the official start of the 2011 Premiere Hoops Fantasy League! But a scheduling conflict at the game site prevented that from happening! Never the less, some basketball business was still conducted! Early this morning, players from the Dallas Mavericks and Charlotte Bobcats meet with the league to receive their uniforms! Made by Adidas, the players were eager to model the new threads for the cameras! The uniforms are fresh. The Mavericks will rock a black uniform with the team name Mavericks and logo painted across the chest area in dark blue and surrounded by a dark blue basketball. The back will rock the classic Adidas strips logo in blue at the top of the uniform, with dark blue numbers in the middle of the back!

The Bobcats will rock the team's light blue uniforms that will display the Bobcat's team name and logo on the front chest area! The back of the uniform will display the players numbers in white! The shirts all came in 2XL but were over sized, so even the big guys had room to spare! Due to a funeral, today's games at the JLM were rescheduled to a later date and not canceled! The games originally scheduled for today will now be played on February 4, 2012. So, moving forward, we'll just proceed down the original schedule to the next date of games, which will take place on December 10, after a bye week, for all teams on December 3! A little longer wait to start our season, but at least we won't have to wait anymore for some NBA basketball, with the lockout basically over! Training camp starts December 9 for the pros and we'll start league play the very next day! Pretty soon we'll be able to talk about basketball actually being played on the courts again! And I can't wait until we can finally jump on the basketball court to start play for our fantasy league! These are exciting times in the basketball world right now! I still love this game....and I bet you still do too!               

Game Time

It's time to Rock! The 2011 Premiere Hoops Fantasy League is set to start league play in about a week! This is a good time to review some important policies and procedures of our league! To begin, league play is expected to start next Saturday, November 26, 2011! First game of the season will be a little hectic! So, please be sure to arrive for your game and dress to play extra early! We'll start off by handing out the uniforms! We just got em in and they look sharp! Next comes the waiver release forms. This year every single player who register's for league play must sign a wavier release form before they step on the court! All we will need is for you to read it, and sign it! Next, every team playing this year needs to submit a player roster sheet. This roster sheet will help us not only keep game stats for players, but also help us keep tabs of player movement! Too many roster changes can lead to team fines and players not being eligible for the play-offs! You have to play in at least two regular season games to play in the play-offs! Once these important pieces of business is taking care of, we'll be ready to get down to the business of basketball!

This year's Fantasy League will host a field of 8 teams! All are decent! We'll play a round-robin seven game regular season. Followed by a post season! The first round will be a single elimination game! The Final Four and Championship rounds will be the best of 3 games! Our league plays four quarters! Each quarter is ten minutes long! Each team is entitled to four full timeouts and two thirty second timeouts! For all of our other rules of the game, please visit our Rules of the Game page by clicking here: http://premierehoops.com/premierehoops_files/RULESOFTHEGAME.html  

Be aware that everything we do will be done through our website at http://premierehoops.com/index.html! Once there you will be able to find everything you will need to stay informed about the league! On our links page you'll find things like the league schedules, players stats, and league news updates! Please keep in mind that our playing site this year is a church! All church activities will take priority over our league! I've been assured that when changes happen at the church that will affect our games, we will be given proper notice in advance! We'll have the option to move our game start times to 1 P.M. But I will probably just cancel the games for that day! It will be too much trouble to re-arrange everything! So, it's probably a good ideal to always check the website for any last minute changes! But hopefully, we will not experience too many disruptions throughout the course of the season, once we get things started!

Finally, I'm really looking forward to the start of the season! We've got a good crop of teams this year! The only thing I'm only expecting from all teams is to be professional! Show up on time for all games! Have your ref fees ready to go! Wear your replica NBA uniforms with pride! Compete hard and have fun! We'll be playing for championship rings! And a team trophy as well I think! All games will be copied and I will always have at least one tape of all previous game with me for sale for just $5. Can't beat that! Hope you guys are ready!      

BULLS SHOWING CHAMPIONSHIP SWAGGER!

Funny what a new season can do for an old team! Bulls held another training camp this past weekend at the McCook Expo! It was the best workout yet! It was our first chance to look at our starting back court of Twain Jackson and Pierre Monagan play together! It was something special! These guys looked like they have played together for years. Teams in the upcoming Premiere Hoops Fantasy League will have fits trying to contain these two play makers! The scrimmages are progressing well as all our players are shaking off rust and recovering from minor injuries! We're slowly approaching mid-season form as a team! The Bulls also announced the return of back up point guard Ant and big man Ken Hoover! The Bulls will look to squeeze in two more workouts before the month is out! Stay tuned for details!

The Premiere Hoops fantasy League is the ultimate men's basketball league! We feature real teams playing real games for real championship rings! We play in NBA Replica Uniforms. We play with shot clocks! This year we'll keep stats for points scored! We video record all our games and make DVD copies for purchase! Each round of our play-offs will be the best of three games. We got it all and then some! This year's competition looks to be the best yet! You don't want to miss this one!

You still have time to get your squad into the upcoming season! You can register either online vie PayPal or Active.com! You can find both links at our website! Your third option is to pay in person at the Bulls next practice! The deadline to register is this Saturday, October 22, 2011. Between now and then you can email us your team roster so we can start to get everybody in the books. At last count we were talking to about 15 teams! We'll look for 6 to 10 teams to actually get in! If your thinking of paying in person at the Bulls next practice, you might as well come ready to work out with us! We'll be at the McCook Expo this Saturday starting at 12 PM! We'll play till we get tired! The season will start sometime in November! Or as soon as we can get the uniforms back, reserve the court over at the JLM Center, and get a schedule together! Looking forward to seeing everybody real soon!  

Chance to play in the ABA with the Chicago Fury

Would you like a shot to play in the ABA? Here's the details on a combine tryout with the Chicago Fury!

Saturday, November 5, 2011 @ the JLM Center located 2622 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL. Time is 12 PM to 5 PM! Sign in starts at noon! Must be 18 or older and the cost is $25. Please contact Head Coach Danny T 773-240-6171 or club owner Kendalle 773-417-1944. Email is chicagofurybasketball@gmail.com or check the ABA website @ www.abalive.com

Bulls Working Out The Wrinkles During Training Camp!

Bulls met again this past weekend for practice at the McCook Expo! It was the Breakfast Club Special as the Bulls started practice at 7 AM! Two starters were excused from this practice! DC and Twain Jackson, but Mike Jackson, Reggie Terrell, and Pierre Monagan all showed up! Along with Derrick Terrell's twin boys who participated in our workout! This week our main objective at practice was to test our ability to recovery from two straight weeks of play and to see how well the starters would play together! We accomplished a lot in about two hours! Overall the starters made some progress as they were able to push the tempo of the game more so than in previous years. The second unit is a tab bit ahead of the first unit thanks in part to their long experience of playing together! The second unit showed great poise and patience on offense trying to take advantage of match ups, down in the post! Both squads were able to push each other, and we split wins in four games in inter-squad scrimmages!

Notes from this Bulls practice include Mike Jackson still having a nice touch with his outside shot! Pierre Monagan showed some rust but still had good command of the offense as he moved the ball around to the open man! Reggie Terrell had a nice presence in the post! The second unit was lead by Randy Kimbrough who was the smartest guard on the court and was able to hit the open man and open jump shot! Robin Locke continue's his work on getting his outside jumper back on track. Derrick Terrell was huge down in the post as he's still recovering from sore knees . Bill Leach is making progress and showing flashes of old but still needs more work with conditioning and timing! It was another good workout that only saw Randy suffer a mild ankle sprain, but he vowel to be ready for next week's practice, which could see the entire team together for the first time, and include a scrimmage against the Celtics!  

Bulls Open Training Camp!

With the 2011 season of the Premiere Hoops Fantasy League set to begin in less than a month, the Chicago Bulls began their quest for it’s first championship run by opening training camp at the McCook Expo! The big box sports complex holds several large soccer fields and a total of 6 basketball courts inside! The Bulls looked happy to be on the court, once again, prepping to change the misfortunes of the past several losing seasons! Veterans Randy Kimbrough and Robin Locke, the Blackburn Boys, looked surprisingly good for the first practice! Especially during scrimmage games where they both showed ranged with outside jump shots! Second year starter DC, Darrick Carter, showed up in mid-season form, displaying great conditioning, and a knack for finding the ball on both ends of the court! 

Bulls rookie Antoine Jackson will look to make a major impact on the squad! The young grasshopper was able to attack the rim at will! Looks to be a good fit with the team that should help the Bulls get more wins right away! Derrick Terrell is working his way back from sore knees! And the Commissioner Bill Leach looked winded but held his own! We got additional help from “retired” Bulls player Ken Hoover! Special thanks to the young guns who were already at the Mccook playing ball and decided to scrimmage against us! We all broke a good sweat while working on our old defense and a new offense! 

Lot’s of work ahead, but we’re off to a very positive start! Next weekend we’ll look to add in the mix Mike Jackson, Reggie Terrell, and Pierre Monagan! Word of the Bulls training camp is getting around as other potential Fantasy League teams are calling to inquire about possible scrimmages! Next practice is set for this Saturday, October 8! The early-bird session will run from 7AM to 9 AM. Contact the League Office if your squad would like to be a part!     

Bulls Prep For Battle With Fight Night!

Did you see the Mayweather fight this weekend? Me and some of my teammates, from the Chicago Bulls, of the Premiere Hoops Fantasy League, got together for some fun, laughs, drinks, and of course, the fight, at my place! Boxing is a beautiful sport! It has a lot of similarities to the game of basketball! First, you got your training, to help you get in tip-top shape! Then, you got your practice, where you get in the gym and hone your skills! You got your team, and now you're ready to go to war! On game night, lay it all out on the line! And in the end, a champion is usually crowned! This was all put on display with the HBO series 24/7. This inside look of the training camps of Mayweather and Ortiz, showed how these cats got ready for the big fight! Both men worked hard till exhaustion! They both had remarkable life stories, with hard beginnings! But with the help of their teammates, they made it through and to the top! But I sorta liked the way Mayweather did it a bit more!

In a lot of ways the Mayweather vs. Ortiz fight reminded me a lot of my fantasy league! Mayweather was the old and experienced sly fox! He's seen it all, did it all! He represents my old Bulls squad in a lot of ways, except, he has a lot more wins, and is in much better shape! Ortiz represents our competition. Young, hungry, and full of energy! It was a good night! Lots of drinks, laughs, and good company! In the end, the sly fox caught the young gunner off guard and knocked him out! It was a valuable lesson for my squad that being older than the competition can be an advantage if you can max your opportunities!

This year's Bulls squad will be different than my past teams! We'll feature two new drafts picks! Pierre Monagan and Twain Jackson will hold down our guard positions! They'll be two of the quickest guards in the league, for sure, with outstanding shooting range! Darrick Carter or DC, returns to the team for a second tour of duty! A true vet who'll probably hold down either wing spot, who can still take his man off the dribble and finish strong around the rack! Mike Jackson is our other wing man and best three-point threat! At center we'll throw in Reggie Terrell. An old fashion big who plays his back to the basket! Our bench could open a school for basketball with all the knowledge between us! Featuring the Boys from Blackburn University at the guards! Robin Locke and Randy Kimbrough will patiently run our triangle offense and get cats in the right spots! Derrick Terrell will be an immovable force in the paint! Think Bill Cartwright! And I'll run Scottie Pippen for the squad and do what's needed to get the win! This is the best Bulls squad assembled in a minute! We will compete in the championship series this year! Hands down! Hope y'all are getting ready!!          

Premiere Hoops Updates For Fall 2011

Good morning!

A few announcements for you guys concerning the upcoming season! First, you guys have three options to get your registration payment in! You can go the old fashion route and mail it through the Post Office! Our contact information is on our website! Or you can register through Active.com. There will be a fee added to the registration payment, so this will be your most expensive option! Or you can now use PayPal! If you don't have an account with them, you can use their service as a guest! This is your best option! You can find links to both of these options on our new link page @ http://premierehoops.com/premierehoops_files/PREMIEREHOOPSLINKS.html While you are there, be sure to visit our new league website. Just hit the PHFL tab on the link page! I'm in the process of setting everything up now! Take a look at the Teams link! You'll see the NBA Team names that have already been reserved! I'm giving my returning teams RSVP rights, to NBA team names, before they pay registration fees, so get that to me ASAP, if you haven't already! Also, I need to have your team rosters emailed to me ASAP, so that I can get everything setup before the start of the season! Registration deadline is Labor Day! Remember, we need 6 teams to start! We have 7 in so far! We're making room for 10 teams! Should be a fun one! Finally, you can now follow us on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/#!/PremiereHoops I'll try to use that site for quick updates about the league and will try to leave something there everyday! Be sure to check the new website out soon too! Let's get ready to Ball out!

Have a good one!

Bill Leach-Premiere Hoops

www.PremiereHoops.com

Respecte The Game 

Premiere Hoops Seeks Investors for World-Class Basketball, Volleyball Facility

PLAINFIELD, Ill., July 20, 2011 -- In a region where Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls turned basketball into a quasi-religion, community basketball efforts are surprisingly underserved. Premiere Hoops looks to remedy that by bringing basketball back to the people. Premiere Hoops' proprietor, William Leach, seeks investors to help him launch a world-class athletic facility that can help turn a passion into a profit while providing a much-needed resource in the community.

Leach has a vision for a state-of-the art basketball and volleyball facility designed for recreational athletes. "We have great football, baseball and soccer programs for kids, but not basketball," said Leach. "Premiere Hoops will be a facility where basketball and volleyball programs will be available for all ages and all levels, from elementary school and high school to college and even professional players." Leach chose to focus on those sports because they are underserved in the community, but Premiere Hoops isn't limited to two sports. The facilities could also be used for other sports such as indoor soccer, lacrosse and dodge ball.

Plans for the project are outlined in detail online at http://www.premierehoops.com, where visitors can take a virtual tour of the proposed facility. The sports complex will include basketball and volleyball courts, a fitness center, sports medicine clinic, locker rooms, pro shop, bleacher seating, conference rooms and a juice bar.

"Casual athletes who walk into Premiere Hoops will be treated like professional athletes - minus the seven-figure salaries," joked Leach. But he's strictly business when it comes to his project, and he has the background to back it up. Leach graduated with a degree in recreation from Illinois State University, where he played on the basketball team. For the past 11 years he has been running men's fantasy basketball leagues.

These leagues are not the "virtual" teams made popular online. They are real teams comprised of real players that play with regulation shot clocks and even championship rings.

At the Premiere Hoops facility -- currently a barn awaiting transformation -- those leagues would have a permanent home. Leach also plans to organize veterans and midnight leagues, as well as club play. The facility will generate income from rental fees and from family, team, high school, college and professional memberships. A daily drop-in rate also will be available.

"As an investment," said Leach, "this project is a slam-dunk. The facility is there. The need is there. It's a gold mine. All that's missing is a committed investor to turn hoop dreams into reality. We're looking for a gunslinger to call the shots and make this project work."

For more information, visit http://www.premierehoops.com.

Contact:

William Leach

Premiere Hoops Inc

2314 Route 59, Suite 118

Plainfield, IL 60586

815-260-7106