Must-read on college bb recruiting

[NoVaJack]

Washington Post is in the midst of a series on the world of AAU and summer boys basketball teams, and the shady, if not downright illegal, role that a few of these AAU-type coaches or team owners play in college recruiting. Maryland coach Gary Williams refuses to deal with them, which has hurt his recruiting, but reading this I gained a whole new respect for him.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...021202299.html

[JackJD]

Re: Must-read on college bb recruiting

Thanks for posting that article.

Bad facts make (cause) laws (and, regulations like NCAA regulations) and the laws (and regulations) adopted in the aftermath of something extreme, often have unintended consequences when applied to more normal fact situations. No doubt there are some great AAU coaches who, from an objective standard, are beyond reproach. No doubt there are some guys who would go to jail if all the facts came out. No doubt there are many who have no ethical standards but skirt criminal behavior.

Cheers for Maryland's Coach Williams. Unfortunately for Williams, by refusing to deal with some of the power brokers, his program suffers.

I'm not in favor of more regulations and laws...you'd think people (parents) could address the "problems" alluded to in the article but it appears that is not the case (and many would not see the current situation as a "problem"). So, maybe there should be a law....

[Cowbell]

Re: Must-read on college bb recruiting

JackJD, I'm with you on being reluctant to impose new rules and regulatons. That said, I would love it if people upheld high standards and acted in good character. It doesn't happen. People move in their own self interest and so often, too often, selfishness sets in. Rather than doing the right thing, people are forced to play by a new set of rules in order to be successful. When the whole thing goes to hell, people ask, "Why isn't somebody in authority doing something about this?"

Sound familiar?

[MontanaRabbit]

Re: Must-read on college bb recruiting

Bottom line it's all about money. Most of the AAU coaches aren't doing what they are doing just to help the kids out.

A local radio show here was talking about HS coaches and they were saying they think High Schools should ask if they would coach even if they didn't get paid. If they answer that with a yes it would mean they are in it for right reasons, not just to make a few bucks.

[NoVaJack]

Re: Must-read on college bb recruiting

Make a law or not, there's something wrong when the most dominant college basketball player to come along in a long time goes to a school simply because that school paid $400,000 to hire an assistant coach that the school pretty much knew came with the player in to. Everyone knew that Kevin Durant was a rent-a-player for a year. Call it what it is, NBA minors. And, actually, the NCAA did make a law, banning schools that paid AAU teams consisting of players they were recruiting to come and scrimmage. Agreed that that is good?

Just cause that's the way the game is played does not make it right. I have more respect for Gary Williams after reading this article. This poster would rather associate with an institution that plays by both the letter and spirit of the law, and one that still appears to be interested in the student athlete. Go Jacks.