As much as I don't like these influences involved with the college game, since it's so apparent that it can't be adequately monitored or controlled, maybe it's time to just throw in the towel and let these college coaches and college athletes make their bed where ever and with whomever they wish.
Think about it this way. Are there rules for students that happen to get hired by some big time company either as a intern or employee of whatever capacity that impact their academic scholarships?
I realize that such thinking would put some programs on a leg up over others, but this way there'd be more of them, than just those who seem to slide under the rules like UK or others who are are blatantly breaking the rules but are simply not caught. Taking this approach would likely divide a lot more programs in the haves and have-nots.
Just take a look at the Olympics. They finally threw up their hands and threw in the towel for many of their sports and allow professionals to compete for what was supposed to be amateur competition. Maybe it's about time that they just kick the bulk of the rules that deal with amateurism to the curb and then focus on those who are defrauding the government by take money under the table. As for the whole APR thing, I don't think anyone can come up with a way to best measure which college athletes are just athletes and which are student athletes.
I do wonder how much these individuals influence who goes where. Probably a lot more than we realize. Though now that Cal and UK have won that NC with a team full of wunderkind, that the Squid might not need these talent brokers to get the top kids to come year-in, year-out. It's hard to blame the best of the best for wanting to play together for a year or two, knowing they can hone their skills, win a load of games, have a great shot at winning the NC and getting drafted high, even though they need to share the spotlight with their fellow elite teammates.
As a fan, I like getting to know our players for at least 2 years, preferably 3 to 4. I wish the NBA would adopt that 2 years out of HS rule for that reason. But I have to admit, that now that Cal has been able to win an NC with a team led by freshmen and sophomores, and with more and more elite recruits holding out till after the tournament waiting to see who leaves and who returns on these elite programs, it's hard not to feel a tad envious. In the past, a team that loses a bunch of underclassmen often are not able to fill all their holes with ready-to-contribute freshman. Cal seems to be the first to do so and looks to be in position to reload in similar fashion for another run at the NC. We'll have to wait and see how things play out with the remaining 2012 class and to some degree what talent UK lands in the 2013 class as well.