THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 3, 1996 TAG: 9607030634
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 46 lines
Jeff Capel on Monday made statements that seemed to indicate his son Jason would be playing basketball for his dad at Old Dominion.
Tuesday, the ODU coach said he didn't mean what he said.
``He has not made a commitment to Old Dominion University,'' Capel said Tuesday. ``He's not made a commitment to anybody. He's a 10th grader going into his junior year of high school. I would like for him to play for me, but he's going to make a decision in two years.''
During the taping of a television show with Tony Mercurio Monday morning, Capel made it sound like that decision had been made.
Mercurio asked Capel why Jason - the Group AAA player of the year at Chesapeake's Indian River High and regarded as one of the nation's top rising juniors - recently decided to transfer to St. John's at Prospect Hall in Frederick, Md. Capel said the decision was based on preparing Jason for college.
``Plus you've gotta remember this: In two years he's not going away to college, so this is his chance to get away from home,'' Capel offered.
Mercurio asked if that meant Jason would be attending ODU. Capel repeated the above sentence, then added ``Now can't you read that?''
Mercurio played the comments, which will air July 13 on WPEN-TV, on his Monday afternoon radio show on WGH. During the interview Capel also said Jason is interested in attending North Carolina, ``but his dad takes care of him.''
Mercurio asked if Jason may go straight to the NBA.
``Out realm of thinking right now is to get him prepared for college, to go play major college basketball at Old Dominion University, Capel said.
Tuesday, Capel attempted to clarify the comments.
``What I meant to say was `like Old Dominion University,' not `at Old Dominion University,' '' Capel said. ``I made a slip-up and said `at' instead of `like.' I should have never done the interview.''
Capel said he meant to say ``maybe'' Jason would not go away to college.
``It would be ludicrous to think somebody would make a decision this early - even if his dad's the coach,'' Capel said. ``When an announcement is made where he's going to school, it will come from his mouth, not mine. He's a very intelligent person and he'll make a decision about what's best for him.''
Capel balked at a request to talk to Jason.
``Not until he makes an announcement (on his college choice) in November 1998,'' Capel said. ``If his high school coach wants to let him do interviews when he's up there, that's up to him. When he's under my jurisdiction, he's not doing any interviews. I'm trying to protect him from all this.'' by CNB