H.L. "Peanut Cummins Resigns

[splainshornets]

... he was a great guy for AAU.

 

 

wow /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

[Hopi]

I have worked with HL ???Peanut??? Cummins several years and I want to address his resignation from Tennessee Girls basketball. I will not go into what AAU originally started out to be, who started it and what their original goals were, you already know that. But I do want to address what AAU has become in my opinion. When I first started coaching girls I went to a YBOA National tournament in one of the Carolina??™s and when I arrived I purchased a local paper to see if anything about the tournament had been place in it. To my surprise I saw an article advertising the tournament; it stated if you wanted to participate in the event contact so and so and you would be drawn into the National tournament two days before the event was to start. I see AAU is just about there. Allowing teams to pass on the local qualifiers (i.e. substate and state tournaments) to go participate in a shoe tournament and still be allowed to go to the DI National tournament. All they had to do was contact someone like the National Chairman or AAU president and cry, plead and you got it. This just tells me that any team can call and get in an event just like YBOA.

 

I looked up the National rule that was voted on at the national convention and passed, it states: Qualifiers must also participate in their District Qualifier, if offered. The National Chair may allow a team who has qualified for Nationals through a SRT, NOT to have to participate in their DQT. There is no reason for a team not to participate. SHOWCASE Tournament is no reason. After a team qualifies, whether in a SRT or DQT, and then finishes high enough to qualify in a subsequent Tournament, the next highest team in that subsequent Tournament will also qualify for the Division I National Championship.

 

From an email I saw this week a team is being allowed to do just that, that was Peanut??™s final straw and reason for leaving AAU and this is a tragedy and a blow to AAU girls basketball period. Peanut stands for the kids and did things the right way and the fair way. He spent countless hours going above and beyond his duties as chairman of Tennessee Girls basketball and Governor of SEAAU to see that things were right and fair for ALL. I can??™t believe the National chairs and others in AAU are not trying to get him to reconsider. (Oh wait he stands for fair) I guess they don??™t want to support their own, they would rather lose someone that stands for the right things, than lose one basketball team.

 

I don??™t know when the 1st national convention was convened but committee??™s and representatives from the associations got together to set the by law??™s and rule??™s everyone was to abide by. Each year rules are voted on and passed for EVERYONE to follow until the time that rule is amended and changed. You have to ask the questions why do National level people have different rules than everyone else. Why even have the conventions if the things that are voted on and passed are not followed by all.

 

It appears AAU is lowering its standards just to get their numbers up and to make more money. They are losing numbers because of the shoe and exposure events none of which are AAU.

 

I am adding some email addresses if anyone is interested in contacting the powers to be letting them know your thoughts and your support for Peanut

 

 

 

bobby@aausports.org

 

eddie@aausports.org

 

jan@aausports.org

 

james@aausports.org

 

Cgaau@cableone.net

 

aaujan@aol.com

 

Kathyaau@comcast.net

[robpride]

wow /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

 

 

 

Care to elaborate? The laughing smileys do not seem appropriate.

[jimbo44]

$$$$$$$$..........AAU keps them a job working and paying the bills. Shoe Companies pad their pockets. As long as they can promote AAU just enough to keep them eating, that's all they care about. AAU doesnt mean what it used too. Not room for both, either one or the other.

 

I seen this comming a few years ago, when the SportShop organization sold out to the shoe (made in china) companies, after the little general went to MTSU. /motorbike.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":motorbike:" border="0" alt="motorbike.gif" />

I salute Peanut for standing up against the flush. /ph34r.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":ph34r:" border="0" alt="ph34r.gif" />

[givbakr2]

I have been involved in AAU for 14yrs. now. H.L. Cummins has always been there for our club going above and beyond his duties as girls chair to help us and anyone he could.Five years ago the national chair made a similar decision to let a team bypass the rules then that team didn't even attend the nationals due to the shoe sponsored tournaments deciding to go head to head with AAU and schedule their tourney the same weekend as the AAU.The age group was sixteen which most of us know is the age college recruiters are most concerned with.It baffles me why anyone in authority with AAU wouldn't see this as a major threat to the future of AAU unless somehow they gain a monetary consideration from it.In our third year of AAU involvement back when we had no online registration I was helping a friend who couldn't get AAU cards due to the person responsible for issuing them quitting in midstream and leaving many people with their cards in limbo.I 3-way called the national office and got a high level official who accused Peanut of cheating because he had helped me to get my cards the week before without delay.The remark this official made was aimed at Peanut and east Tn.At that point I had never met or spoken with Peanut before requesting his help,the accusation made was uncalled for and made me leary of that official and I don't think he will want Mr. Cummins back because he is fair and helps anyone without exception.

It is a sad day when good folk are forced to stop doing what they are good at and passionate about.Peanut has obviously been dealing with these issues for sometime now and is fed up with all the infighting.

Mr and Mrs Cummins we will miss you both.

As for our 10 teams of boys and girls we will take a wait and see approach and weigh our options.

[werballers]

I have been involved in AAU girls basketball just 5 years and I first met Peanut at a National Tourney in Orlando, FL during my first year and the man made a memorable impression that I would never forget. He didn't know me at all, but I found him to be very passionate, caring, and understanding toward the little people like myself. He was just sitting in the stands with his jeans and tennis shoes watching the games like an average old dad. Ever since then, he has been even more helpful and when ever I have a question or issue, he would be the one that I would feel comfortable in calling. It is a truly sad day for AAU Girls Basketball and it really makes me want to explore other avenues now. I feel like AAU was already on the decline and this really steepens that downward spiral. What a pity!!!

[commander]

It looks like Peanut has decided to withdraw his resignation. That's very good news for Girls Basketball in Tennessee. I'm glad he decided to stay.

[jimbo44]

It looks like Peanut has decided to withdraw his resignation. That's very good news for Girls Basketball in Tennessee. I'm glad he decided to stay.

 

I am glad he has decided to stay. He needs our continued support. GO Peanut!!!!

[leorambo]

I learned late last night that effective May 1, 2009, Mr. Peanut Cummins, will resign his post as State Chair of TN AAU Girls Basketball. For those of you who know Peanut he's given his life to AAU. It's a tradgedy to see his time end like this. Ultimately, based on his statement, this was his decision. His main explanation was AAU, nationally, has become a dictatorship and the vision of this dictator is unlike the principles and rules established by AAU. We wish Mary Ann and Peanut all the best.

 

 

 

ITS ABOUT TIME, BUT I BET HE WONT,,,TIME FOR NEW BLOOD

[commander]

ITS ABOUT TIME, BUT I BET HE WONT,,,TIME FOR NEW BLOOD

 

 

NO, it's not about time. I'm glad he stayed. Maybe some of this "new blood" should show up at some of the meetings, there are only 2 a year. Don't criticize on a publice message board behind a screen name. If you think you can make it better, then come to the meetings and make it better!

 

Commander -AKA Larry Vaughan

[TwinCityT]

Last year I had an eligibility question that I e-mailed to Peanut. (I had already tried AAU headquarters and had little luck in finding an answer). Peanut didn't e-mail an answer, instead he called me and gave a detailed explaination ! He even called me later to follow up to see if everything worked out. IMO no one could replace him. TN Girls BB is one of the best in the country lets keep it that way!