PRINCE FOR A GAME TV EVENT LIFTS TAFT COACH FROM SCANDAL.Byline: GITTELSON BITS It's a fickle world we live in, one that applauds you one minute, then turns its back on you the next. You don't need to convince Derrick Taylor, the 43-year-old basketball coach from Taft High in Woodland Hills who has flip-flopped between pariah and prince so many times this season even he can't keep it straight. Just as high-powered Taft was readying for a run at the City Section championship, Taylor was caught in the middle of messy scandal in February involving ineligible players, and the coach was as much to blame as anyone when the Toreadors were forced to forfeit many of their victories, and were bounced from the playoffs and placed on probation by the section. But a few days before news of this all happened, Taylor was selected to coach tonight's McDonald's All-American Game in Louisville, a nationally televised event that is considered high school sports' biggest stage. He's the only coach from the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. ever to participate in the McDonald's game, and what a thrill it is. But on the eve On the Eve (Накануне in Russian) is the third novel by famous Russian writer Ivan Turgenev, best known for his short stories and the novel Fathers and Sons. of the nationally televised event, Taylor readily admitted he's still irked by the messy goings-on that ruined Taft's season. "It's been really difficult," Taylor said. "I went from such a high to such a low. It's such an honor to coach in a game like this (because) it's for charity and it raises money to help sick children and their families -- but I would have given it up in a heartbeat immediately. See also: heartbeat to be back in the playoffs. I'd trade anything for an opportunity to win a City title." Taft figured to earn a top-three seed in the City tournament before guardianship and residency issues involving two players surfaced, gift-wrapping the West Valley League title to Chatsworth, and, worst of all, resulting in Taft being bounced from the playoffs. Taft's season ended in tears instead of cheers. Taylor admits he didn't examine all of the paperwork and information that should have been fixed - "didn't have access," was the way he put it -- but as the program's chief, it was his fault. Maybe not Taylor's alone, but enough so that the stink was on him. Which brings us back to tonight in Louisville, where Taylor will coach the West in the 30th anniversary of prep basketball's Super Bowl, a spectacle that's provided past platforms for some of the basketball's biggest stars such as Magic Johnson “Earvin Johnson” redirects here. For the Milwaukee Bucks center, see Ervin Johnson. Earvin Effay Johnson, Jr. (born August 14, 1959 in Lansing, Michigan), nicknamed Magic , Michael Jordan This article is about the former basketball player. For other uses, see Michael Jordan (disambiguation). Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17 1963) is a retired American professional basketball player. , Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal (pronounced "shak-KEEL") (born March 6, 1972 in Newark, New Jersey), frequently referred to simply as Shaq, is an American professional basketball player, generally regarded as one of the most dominant in the National Basketball Association (NBA). , LeBron James LeBron James (born December 30 1984) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). and Kobe Bryant Kobe Bean Bryant (born July 23 1978) is an American All-Star shooting guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA) who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. . This McDonald's event is about as good a pick-me-up as you're going to find, a three-day fest in which Taylor, his assistants and his family have been shuttled to VIP events, and have been treated like royalty Adv. 1. like royalty - in a royal manner; "they were royally treated" like kings, royally . Taylor is a Taft graduate who has dedicated his life to the school, returning 19 years ago, first as an assistant before taking the head job in 2000-2001. The last thing Taylor would want is to besmirch be·smirch tr.v. be·smirched, be·smirch·ing, be·smirch·es 1. To stain; sully: a reputation that was besmirched by slander. 2. To make dirty; soil. the program. The good news is, Taft's probation won't keep the Toreadors out of the playoffs next season. There are some restrictions on the number of tournaments in which the team can participate next season, but otherwise the repercussions repercussions npl → répercussions fpl repercussions npl → Auswirkungen pl are over. And Taylor is still aces in the eyes of principal Sharon Thomas, who has been at Taft for 10 years and backs him 100 percent. "I absolutely agree it wasn't a perfect season, and I was extremely frustrated by the whole situation," Thomas said. "But this is a wonderful honor for Derrick Taylor, and he will be back next season. I think he does an excellent job." So tonight Taylor will do more than survive, more than just cope. Hopefully, he'll flourish. The past still pains, and Taylor is no more bulletproof Refers to extremely stable hardware and/or software that cannot be brought down no matter what unusual conditions arise. See industrial strength. bulletproof - Used of an algorithm or implementation considered extremely robust; lossage-resistant; capable of correctly than the rest of us. But last we checked, the past was still the past, so tonight it's official: Derrick Taylor is in move-on mode, and he's blessed with a great push start to greet whatever occurrences await him. gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com (661) 257-5218 CAPTION(S): 2 photos, box Photo: (1) Taft High of Woodland Hills basketball coach Derrick Taylor will coach tonight's McDonald's All-American Game in Louisville, Ky., a nationally televised event that is considered high school sports' biggest stage. Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer (2) Taft coach Derrick Taylor, middle, had to deal with his team being barred from the City Section playoffs because of eligibility issues. Daily News file photo Box: LOCAL HEROES |
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