Corey, I think you are correct, this is actually happening, but my question is if the recruit doesn't report it (until after he's spent the money), and doesn't name names then how do we stop it? A guy walks up to these athletes, shakes his hand, leaves him $500 and walks away. If there are no witnesses and the recruit does not alert authorities until much later then this is going to be very difficult to stop. I am sure it has been going on in college sports for as long as there have been college sports. :?:
kp, it's hard to prevent for sure, but I believe there are things that can be done, whether it's a booster and a $500 handshake, a car dealer giving special deals, or (sigh) a tattoo parlor. The first thing is...you make the decision that these type folks are NOT necessary to the promotion and recruiting of the kind of program you want to run, and you do everything in your power to keep them away from your kids rather than shrug your shoulders and look the other way. You become proactive. I realize that I am an old fogey living in the past, but I see no reason why when a high school student athlete comes on campus for a recruiting trip it can't be more closely supervised. As a parent I would want that. Ha!...how naive am I, huh? :?
These are 17-18 year old kids. Some slick talking dudes start flashing cash and girls at them what would you expect them to do. Let's direct our attention where it belongs.... on the unscrupulous adults.
George, Stu, I am in agreement, but I, and I suspect you, know of "boosters" who are overzealous and are university alumni who have access to these recruits. I believe that a significant number of the offenders in this situation think they are doing the university a favor by ensuring they get the recruits the coach wants. How do we identify the good boosters, who don't participate in this, from the $500 handshake guys? Again you are correct, they are the guilty ones but we to somehow catch them in the act.
All I am saying is that maybe there is too much shrugging and winking when stuff gets found out or rumored...and maybe my schools are just as involved in it as anyone. George, you are right. Kids will be kids. However you don't have to escort recruits around with officially sanctioned "hostesses" who are little more than...well, you get my drift. I've heard that happens. I hope it doesn't happen much.
I agree with everyone all the way around here. I still think George is most correct. It's got to start somewhere, why not with the adults? They are suppose to be in charge. They are suppose to be more mature and they are in those positions because they are suppose to be accountable. Yet no one is accountable anymore. Sweet Jesus.. the Heisman trophy winner this year is a kid whose father was shopping him to schools. That's not rumor, that's fact! He didn't miss a snap. There's been an ongoing trickle down lack of accountability that is reaching a boiling point (and it touches on the other subject of paying players in the other topic)... The adults have turned the other cheek or flat out cheated for so long that the whole system is just morally bankrupt. Either the Athletic Dept is a separate business affixed to the academic institution or it is part of the whole...