Candid Coaches: Has a shoe company ever cost you a player's commitment?

[bingethinker]

I also think its ludicrous to say they're getting high level guys because they aren't going for low level guys. As though if Bowling Green suddenly stopped targeting any 3star guys, 5star and 4star guys would just start picking them with the thought process I assume being "Well theyre recruiting me, they must think they can legitimately get me... maybe I'll just go there!"

Its a great and valid angle if you're a moron or a child

So because I have an opinion that differs from yours, I'm a child and moron?

 

[HuskyBballFan]

Replace Maryland with UConn and we'd all be defending our team just as emphatically.

I think the bottom line is there have always been rumblings with Under Armor and this article does nothing to quiet them. Neither does what I've heard about Mustapha Heron, who just committed to an Under Armor school for good measure.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

So because I have an opinion that differs from yours, I'm a child and moron?

Your explanation for the uptick in Maryland recruiting is that they're now targeting exclusively 4 and 5 star guys so they're bound to get some of those guys. To use your word, that's "laughable" to anyone with even a tiny bit of common sense. If UMBC starts targeting only 4 and 5 stars how many of them are they going to sign? Guess.

The influence of Under Armour on Maryland athletics is not really subject to any sort of rational dispute.

 

[mets1090]

So wait....Calhoun paid guys?

Well for one thing, UConn's number of top recruits is actually pretty low compared to the success the program has had. I don't think Calhoun really had to cheat to get 4 stars as much as Maryland would have to cheat to get 4/5 stars. But at the same time, a fan would be naive to say that there has never been anything shady in UConn's recruiting.

That's just the nature of big time college athletics, which is why I said I don't really give a crap if Maryland is paying their players and that it's just silly to adamantly say they're getting top talent simply because that's all they recruit now.

 

[OkaForPrez]

I was in the office on the toilet, saw a post on a message board that I frequent fairly often, and replied. I was respectful and said nothing disparaging about Connecticut. What's the problem?

Didn't have a problem with your first post to be honest. I think you're quickly getting into a bad place though.

 

[tykurez]

I was in the office on the toilet, saw a post on a message board that I frequent fairly often, and replied. I was respectful and said nothing disparaging about Connecticut. What's the problem?

Did you wipe front-to-back or back-to-front?

 

[CAHUSKY]

people are surprised shoe companies have enormous sway over college decisions? That's been the case for many years

 

[breezy]

I really really don't want to lose to UMD. In November.

 

[Kembacity]

So because I have an opinion that differs from yours, I'm a child and moron?

Is that what I said? You're making my point more and more valid...

Look at the logic of your claim... higher level kids are coming simply because the coaching staff isn't targeting any lesser guys? Do you have any idea how dumb and illogical that sounds?

 

[mauconnfan]

I was in the office on the toilet, saw a post on a message board that I frequent fairly often, and replied. I was respectful and said nothing disparaging about Connecticut. What's the problem?

No problems and it's part of the game. But please do not think Under Armor had nothing to do with regarding the recruitment of your big guy. It's ignorant, but it also is what it is. Not blaming the Terps, good for them. With Stone you guys are really good this year so have a fun season and we look forward to the matchup in December.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Pretty sure that Ryan and Pitino are both quoted in there.

One coach who failed to land a player said, "I really believe the Under Armour deal sealed our fate." is Ryan on Stone
"I had a kid commit to me and then de-commit because of a shoe company. Five-star player. It happens." is Pitino on Blakeney.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Pretty sure that Ryan and Pitino are both quoted in there.

One coach who failed to land a player said, "I really believe the Under Armour deal sealed our fate." is Ryan on Stone
"I had a kid commit to me and then de-commit because of a shoe company. Five-star player. It happens." is Pitino on Blakeney.

Ryan went on: "Do you mean to tell me that that contraption in your hand is a tape recorder and a telephone?!"

 

[champs99and04]

Why haven't we been recruiting like this for years?

It's laughable to say we're suddenly paying for players!




..

Even if they are paying for players, I don't really give a crap. I think most people would agree that almost all top players are offered some kind of money or gifts to their families during the recruiting process.

To say it's a laughable assumption is simply ludicrous. You haven't been recruiting like this for years because your theory of "Just go after nothing but 4 and 5 stars, we'll land a few per year" does not work in practice if you don't have the staff and history to back it up. It's not a video game where time invested automatically yields higher interest from players.

The logical assumption is that you haven't been recruiting like this for years because you didn't used to pay for players. Whether or not that's true, I suppose we don't really know. But you can't say it's a laughable theory.

This has basically always been my thought process as well. I doubt UConn plays it completely by the book, but if we're being honest with ourselves, all these guys are cheating, and the fact that - as you said - UConn has underwhelmed on the trail relative to what they've been as a program indicates that they're probably not doing anything worse than anybody else.

 

[intlzncster]

Without Under Armour, Diamond Stone doesn't even set foot in the state of Maryland. We were in late, sure, but that was Wisconsin all the way.