Weitsman to Open Basketball Academy

[OttoMets]

I think you can rest assured that they will err on the side of extreme caution on compliance issues. Adam won;t post on social media without checking with our compliance director and we proactively clear anything the least bit out of the ordinary with the NCAA whenever we are involved. In fact violations are the last thing I think we need to be concerned about.

Not sure what the real difference is but this is not a true prep school by definition. The vision is a fully accredited (NYS) private high school with grades 9 - 12. Sounds more like a magnet school but instead of science or performing arts as part of the core curriculum the focus will be on basketball.

Going to be interesting seeing Calipari lug his bag$$$ into the Southern Tier.

Consigliere of mine...

Always love your takes, hope all you say is true and I'm not doubting Weitsman's intentions. But you can see how the casual observer would perceive some red flags here.

So to the layperson,
a) Athletic-centric private school to be founded by
b) New-money booster with an immodest social media habit and a criminal background
is a bad look.

And while again I don't mean to disparage these guys, pointing out that the operation carries Boeheim's and Devendorf's imprimatur doesn't exactly help. Right or wrong, perception means a lot, and to a broader audience those guys aren't known, respectively, for compliance or good judgment. (Yes, I know, Boeheim means well and Devendorf is obviously not a wild 20-year-old anymore, but again: perception.)

I don't have an opinion on the actual topic, but it's very easy for me to understand why some will raise concerns about the above.

 

[ar inj]

Ehh I wouldn’t get too worked up the guys who are skeptical don’t live here.

Not true of all of us. I live here and that is exactly why, without knowing more, I see it all as a big red flag. After all, I do not need to pay people appearance fees to sit with me.

 

[JRHEETER]

I think you can rest assured that they will err on the side of extreme caution on compliance issues. Adam won;t post on social media without checking with our compliance director and we proactively clear anything the least bit out of the ordinary with the NCAA whenever we are involved. In fact violations are the last thing I think we need to be concerned about.

Not sure what the real difference is but this is not a true prep school by definition. The vision is a fully accredited (NYS) private high school with grades 9 - 12. Sounds more like a magnet school but instead of science or performing arts as part of the core curriculum the focus will be on basketball.

Going to be interesting seeing Calipari lug his bag$$$ into the Southern Tier.

I’m excited for it honestly, I think it’s a real opportunity for the southern tier

 

[JoeyZ]

I've never met Adam Weitsman, but I've honestly seen nothing that indicates anything other than a true spirit of philanthropy. I think he wants to make a true mark on lives and sees this as a way to blend a passion with leaving that mark. I wouldn't be surprised if he saw some of the inspiring stories coming out of the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy, and said he wanted to do something similar in his local community. Nothing more to read into this than that. I'll be fascinated to see how this logistically comes together over the years, as it's an extremely complicated set of tasks.

 

[kcsu]

Consigliere of mine...

Always love your takes, hope all you say is true and I'm not doubting Weitsman's intentions. But you can see how the casual observer would perceive some red flags here.

So to the layperson,
a) Athletic-centric private school to be founded by
b) New-money booster with an immodest social media habit and a criminal background
is a bad look.

And while again I don't mean to disparage these guys, pointing out that the operation carries Boeheim's and Devendorf's imprimatur doesn't exactly help. Right or wrong, perception means a lot, and to a broader audience those guys aren't known, respectively, for compliance or good judgment. (Yes, I know, Boeheim means well and Devendorf is obviously not a wild 20-year-old anymore, but again: perception.)

I don't have an opinion on the actual topic, but it's very easy for me to understand why some will raise concerns about the above.

If Trump can be President i think Adams ok starting the Academy.

 

[Cheriehoop]

Isn’t this on a former defunct college campus in the southern tier near Binghamton and the Pennsylvania border? It’s not like it’s even in Syracuse , Onondaga County or even a surrounding county. Near routes 81, 17 and the Pa turnpike - nice location to serve NY and Pa. Close enough and far enough away too.

 

[Consigliere]

Isn’t this on a former defunct college campus in the southern tier near Binghamton and the Pennsylvania border? It’s not like it’s even in Syracuse , Onondaga County or even a surrounding county. Near routes 81, 17 and the Pa turnpike - nice location to serve NY and Pa. Close enough and far enough away too.

It is. Originally named Practical Bible College it was rechristened Davis College in 2004. Davis College announced last year that they would be ceasing operations in Binghamton and combining with another institution in upstate NY (can't remember exactly where.) Weitsman bought the property with several initiatives in mind and settled on the Basketball Academy.

I think his biggest hurdle will be to get full NYS accreditation in less that 3 years but everything appears to be moving forward rapidly.

 

[kcsu]

It is. Originally named Practical Bible College it was rechristened Davis College in 2004. Davis College announced last year that they would be ceasing operations in Binghamton and combining with another institution in upstate NY (can't remember exactly where.) Weitsman bought the property with several initiatives in mind and settled on the Basketball Academy.

I think his biggest hurdle will be to get full NYS accreditation in less that 3 years but everything appears to be moving forward rapidly.

I think its great. This will only help SU

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

I'm not saying they're all closed, but how many are run by a schools booster?

Probably all of them

 

[two3zone]

Probably all of them

What college booster started IMG?

 

[Consigliere]

What college booster started IMG?

Mark McCormack, alum, varsity athlete, and contributor to the football, basketball and baseball programs at William and Mary. Also a major donor to UMass Athletics.

 

[orange79]

Mark McCormack, alum, varsity athlete, and contributor to the football, basketball and baseball programs at William and Mary. Also a major donor to UMass Athletics.

So, he's the guy that's going to get them into the B1G?

 

[two3zone]

Mark McCormack, alum, varsity athlete, and contributor to the football, basketball and baseball programs at William and Mary. Also a major donor to UMass Athletics.

So he used it as a platform to load up UMass? Come on.

 

[moqui]

So he used it as a platform to load up UMass? Come on.

don't forget w&m

 

[Consigliere]

So he used it as a platform to load up UMass? Come on.

Didn't say that at all. You simply asked:
What college booster started IMG?

And I answered. What is your point?

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

It is. Originally named Practical Bible College it was rechristened Davis College in 2004. Davis College announced last year that they would be ceasing operations in Binghamton and combining with another institution in upstate NY (can't remember exactly where.) Weitsman bought the property with several initiatives in mind and settled on the Basketball Academy.

I think his biggest hurdle will be to get full NYS accreditation in less that 3 years but everything appears to be moving forward rapidly.

I'd have to know more about where the "student" pool would be coming from, but this will have to be private. It will not pass muster as any sort of public, which would include charters and magnets. Really, going private is better for this type of "school" anyway, since otherwise you'd have to deal with NY Regents curriculum and standards. In NY, the Northwood School might be a model? Or maybe Redemption Christian in Troy is a better comp?

Edit: Something like this could be really good and sustainable. Welcome to Redemption Christian Academy

 

[Consigliere]

I'd have to know more about where the "student" pool would be coming from, but this will have to be private. It will not pass muster as any sort of public, which would include charters and magnets. Really, going private is better for this type of "school" anyway, since otherwise you'd have to deal with NY Regents curriculum and standards. In NY, the Northwood School might be a model? Or maybe Redemption Christian in Troy is a better comp?

Edit: Something like this could be really good and sustainable. Welcome to Redemption Christian Academy

Interesting. I believe the article said it would be a private school. I'm not at all versed as to the different requirements between public, private, magnet or charter schools but assume a private school requires some type of state accreditation, no?

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

Interesting. I believe the article said it would be a private school. I'm not at all versed as to the different requirements between public, private, magnet of=r charter schools but assume a private school requires some type of state accreditation, no?

I honestly dont know about the accreditation piece. I assume Weitsman will work with a law firm that specializes in Education Law who can look into it further. I'd probably stay clear of Bond Schoeneck & King though. Although they have a well-established Ed Law practice in addition to the NCAA Compliance Practice that is virtually unmatched, I believe they are both SU and SUAD's outside counsel, and that could lend itself to the appearance of impropriety (even if not a conflict).

 

[JRHEETER]

It is. Originally named Practical Bible College it was rechristened Davis College in 2004. Davis College announced last year that they would be ceasing operations in Binghamton and combining with another institution in upstate NY (can't remember exactly where.) Weitsman bought the property with several initiatives in mind and settled on the Basketball Academy.

I think his biggest hurdle will be to get full NYS accreditation in less that 3 years but everything appears to be moving forward rapidly.

after sitting back and reading arguments and pondering things, I think you’re 100% correct. There’s no way this won’t be a good thing. If people want to suspect it’s recruiting violations so be it. I really hope it brings some big time publicity to the area. Heck maybe even the basketball program will get insanely good there and we will have ESPN coming in to do games. Having coaches and scouts fly into the Binghamton area will be great for the airport and them staying in hotels and eating meals here will all help

 

[44cuse]

JB is one of the greatest basketball minds of all time, but I wouldn’t consider him “strict” in the context of institutional control.

Dead on right. Not even close. “Strict” was not a part of the recruiting message.

44cuse

 

[cuse10]

Between the Prolific Prep's and all of these fake schools popping up to take advantage of kids by not making sure their academics are up to par, SU does not need affiliation with it given their recent history with the NCAA. This can't be a basketball factory.

 

[Consigliere]

Between the Prolific Prep's and all of these fake schools popping up to take advantage of kids by not making sure their academics are up to par, SU does not need affiliation with it given their recent history with the NCAA. This can't be a basketball factory.

So should we dissociate ourselves from all prep schools, private academies, and public schools with questionable academic practices?

Nothing indicates this will be a "fake" school or anything other than a legitimate initiative. Why people immediately jump to that suspicion is baffling to me.

 

[cuse10]

So should we dissociate ourselves from all prep schools, private academies, and public schools with questionable academic practices?

Nothing indicates this will be a "fake" school or anything other than a legitimate initiative. Why people immediately jump to that suspicion is baffling to me.

Word of God where John Wall is "accredited" but it is a school with only one classroom. There are a number of instances where these are nothing more than talent mills. I get you have a tie to him as it's pouring through each of your posts in this thread. Skepticism given his background and Syracuse's history with the NCAA is warranted whether you like it or not.

 

[Consigliere]

Word of God where John Wall is "accredited" but it is a school with only one classroom. There are a number of instances where these are nothing more than talent mills. I get you have a tie to him as it's pouring through each of your posts in this thread. Skepticism given his background and Syracuse's history with the NCAA is warranted whether you like it or not.

What does John Wall or any of the other citations in this thread have to do with this? I have no tie at all other than I live in Broome County and am heartened to see an investment in a community that sorely needs it. Have you seen the Davis College campus? If this were some kind of a scam there would be far less expensive ways to facilitate it - one example right here in Endicott.

AAUConnect basketball academy misled families with false claims: Parent, former coach

A coach and a parent say AAUConnect pulled a bait-and-switch on families and presented misleading claims.

www.pressconnects.com

And if you read through the articles I have posted previously in this thread you might get a better feel for Weitsman's motivation and the heightened diligence to compliance issues borne from his friendship with JB.

Skepticism may be natural, but if I am skeptical of something I tend to do a little research and investigation rather than spewing unsubstantiated invective on a message board.

 

[moqui]

it's too soon to pass judgement one way or the other.

he's got a campus, he's got an unnamed nba player as a public face, he's got devo. he's had discussions with jb.

that's all well and good. but the meat in the sandwich will be his academic hires. unless and until those are as impressive as the basketball contacts, the skeptics will remain justifiably skeptical