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Not surprised Rothstein is the guy making this argument, but I would expect him to at least address some of the actual reasons players transfer, like playing time issues and coaching changes, instead of just blaming it on social media. Yeesh.
Observations: Cal can be even more complete, dynamic in 2016-17
The transfer epidemic is directly related to the rise of social media
One of the biggest issues in college basketball right now is the amount of kids that are leaving schools on an annual basis and that's directly related to the rise of Twitter over the last 5-7 years.
Like everyone in this world, college athletes have an ego and part of the reason why they're so prone to make a change in where they're playing college basketball is due to the enjoyment they receive when their name is constantly posted across a social media platform.
Fighting through adversity and building calluses through life experience is something that's a thing of the past and that's reiterated by the way players change programs at the grassroots level prior to ever stepping foot on a college campus.
But there's also no doubt that the attention that comes with being a transfer at the Division I level augments the desire of a kid to make a change -- especially if he's going to be immediately eligible for next season.
The rules don't make much sense, but they are what they are.
And the fact that programs can add players without them having to sit out because they're a college graduate makes the players who fit that criteria part of a special fraternity that is starting to feel like a watered down version of NBA free agency.
Assistant coaches from all over the country put lists together all season of guys who can potentially be eligible for the next year without sitting out and those players -- who normally boast marginal statistics -- become a viral name on social media for a month to six weeks before they make a decision.
Part of it is because they can help a team.
Part of it is because they're part of a select circle who can actually play immediately without sitting out.
But most of it is due to the fact that they enjoy the attention that comes with being re-recruited after spending the last few seasons as an ancillary piece to the puzzle at a program that might have been off-the-radar in terms of the national landscape.
Observations: Cal can be even more complete, dynamic in 2016-17
The transfer epidemic is directly related to the rise of social media
One of the biggest issues in college basketball right now is the amount of kids that are leaving schools on an annual basis and that's directly related to the rise of Twitter over the last 5-7 years.
Like everyone in this world, college athletes have an ego and part of the reason why they're so prone to make a change in where they're playing college basketball is due to the enjoyment they receive when their name is constantly posted across a social media platform.
Fighting through adversity and building calluses through life experience is something that's a thing of the past and that's reiterated by the way players change programs at the grassroots level prior to ever stepping foot on a college campus.
But there's also no doubt that the attention that comes with being a transfer at the Division I level augments the desire of a kid to make a change -- especially if he's going to be immediately eligible for next season.
The rules don't make much sense, but they are what they are.
And the fact that programs can add players without them having to sit out because they're a college graduate makes the players who fit that criteria part of a special fraternity that is starting to feel like a watered down version of NBA free agency.
Assistant coaches from all over the country put lists together all season of guys who can potentially be eligible for the next year without sitting out and those players -- who normally boast marginal statistics -- become a viral name on social media for a month to six weeks before they make a decision.
Part of it is because they can help a team.
Part of it is because they're part of a select circle who can actually play immediately without sitting out.
But most of it is due to the fact that they enjoy the attention that comes with being re-recruited after spending the last few seasons as an ancillary piece to the puzzle at a program that might have been off-the-radar in terms of the national landscape.
