The meeting was priceless.
Jamal Shuler and Kendric Burney went back and forth. But their debate Saturday at Jacksonville Commons Recreation Center during the East Coast Invitational team basketball camp wasn’t anything in malice.
Instead, each one took turns crediting the other.
Burney, a former Southwest High football star and currently at North Carolina, made the first comment when he mentioned to Shuler, a former Jacksonville High hoops star and current Virginia Commonwealth player, about his 14 points against Duke in the NCAA Tournament.
Shuler laughed and came back with a comment ‘yeah but you’re the one going to the NFL.’
That’s all I heard of their conversation, but it was enough. I was just thrilled to be able to see both fine athletes and have an opportunity to interview them.
In case you didn’t see, I had a story in Tuesday’s paper on Shuler and in Wednesday’s paper I will have a story on Burney.
Speaking of Burney, I have enclosed some quotes of his I was unable to use in the story.
 

Burney:
On coach Butch Davis: “Coach Davis came in and if we (follow) the system, things will go our way.”
On being with his UNC teammates, but not dressing during the College World Series: “I was disappointed, you always want to play or at least dress, but I understood my role.”
On playing football and baseball: “It wasn’t a concern (from Davis). He said he had a lot of guys at Miami do it and he said he loves two-sport athletes. I am looking at playing time on the mound and outfield and hopefully it will work out for the best.”
On UNC’s low football prediction: “We have to do our jobs and prove them wrong.”
 

Now back to the action.