2024 Recruiting Thread

[Majors]

NIL should be banned as a recruiting incentive. That wasn't at all how NIL was conceived. NIL as a recruiting incentive is just bribery. No business people should get involved in any NIL deals that involve recruiting or prospects that are not students (student-athletes) at a university.

NIL is no more of a bribery than free education, free housing etc. by the schools. Its all a bribery. NCAA should have got ahead of it in the 90’s when Charles OBannon sued the NCAA, EA Sports and CLC for his face all over games. Schools/conference profit off the kids but nobody is asking for smaller stadiums, lower ticket prices, concession stand prices to be half. Don’t like it, don’t watch and don’t support the business that gives NIL.

 

[chuckiepoo]

Not taking any particular side of any particular discussion here, but my Dad just shared an extremely interesting article with me. It does have a close application to social media commentary and participants. Haven’t gotten through to the end of the article yet, but it seems to have been extremely well sourced.

Brandolini’s Law

 

[stllvf]

Well worth the read and I agree - it will take a lot for someone to effectively prove my acceptance is "wrong"

the only fact I would refute is that most of the discussion on disagreements, is in my opinion more Chicken S rather than Bull

 

[turbovol]

NIL is no more of a bribery than free education, free housing etc. by the schools. Its all a bribery. NCAA should have got ahead of it in the 90’s when Charles OBannon sued the NCAA, EA Sports and CLC for his face all over games. Schools/conference profit off the kids but nobody is asking for smaller stadiums, lower ticket prices, concession stand prices to be half. Don’t like it, don’t watch and don’t support the business that gives NIL.

It's unfortunate that you don't understand the difference between covering a kid's tuition/food when he's a student at your university and offering prospects cash before they've even enrolled. I said that when a student-athlete is at a school and playing and a business wants to use his name/likeness to sell a jersey, mug or anything else, yea, pay him. That's what NIL is supposed to be. Bribing high-schoolers to sign with your school is far different and not what NIL is supposed to be--as I'm sure most if not all coaches and any sensible people would agree. You apparently can't grasp the distinction I've pointed out multiple times.

 

[Majors]

It's unfortunate that you don't understand the difference between covering a kid's tuition/food when he's a student at your university and offering prospects cash before they've even enrolled. I said that when a student-athlete is at a school and playing and a business wants to use his name/likeness to sell a jersey, mug or anything else, yea, pay him. That's what NIL is supposed to be. Bribing high-schoolers to sign with your school is far different and not what NIL is supposed to be--as I'm sure most if not all coaches and any sensible people would agree. You apparently can't grasp the distinction I've pointed out multiple times.

That’s great to probably most here, except for my child playing college D1 softball with a NIL. She made her choice based on scholarship offer (bribe) to attend their school. Freshman year- room, full meal plan, books. Her NIL was established by her and it helps supplement her monthly needs not covered by her money by the school. And that was a great deal, as many on her team were paying to play.

It also helps to not have to dip into her money her mom and I have set aside for her college. But again, like you said in your first line “it’s unfortunate”.

So like I said, NCAA could have got ahead of this back in the 90’s when they were seeing the movement that they were about to be sued. Probably no need to mention high school kids in the state of Tennessee can benefit off NIL.

 

[Kenja]

Nothing wrong with NIL if schools followed the letter and spirit. Unfortunately the schools that were paying players decades before the term was ever coined combined it with the transfer portal (bigger culprit) to make it even more lethal. But the tide is turning a bit. No tax haven says the IRS. Kids beginning to take a look at the fine print on some of these agreements in addition to kids and their parents being educated on the benefits of branding vs someone dangling promises of cash with multi-strings attached. The schools that don't cheat can fight back now. It's impacting a certain SEC football power. NIL has become the new "we can't get 'em into school". Sometimes kids just prefer somewhere else.

Also my apologies for conflating the quarterback from Massachusetts that committed to Clemson with the in-state QB that the Vols are very much in it for during my sermon on Deuce Knights recruitment.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

Your comment is silly. There are no "haters" on the board, and no "negavols." There are two types
of people here--realists, like myself and few others, and a lot of naive optimists--"if we keep digging in this desert for
a few more years, everybody, we're bound to find the gold! I know it's out there!"

"Continue to get there"? Continue what? We haven't gotten anywhere. "Nearing success?" I thought we were
Final Four bound LAST YEAR? That was the word among the optimists. Whoops, no---lost to the first decent team we played in the NCAA.
Naive optimists: "Did we say last year? No, we meant this year---and if not this year, then, surely next year we'll be
that elusive 'path to success.'"

The only path we've bee on in 15+ years is a circular one. Since we are so absolutely loaded with talent this year, I hope we can all agree that this
is a monster show-me year for Harper, and that if she can't get it done we'll all acknowledge that and stop
pretending that some day things will miraculously improve. It will be time to get a new coach.

Your last sentence revealed your real agenda - fire the coach. Please save us time and just say that up front rather than take us through all the bafflegab.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

Anybody who thinks bribing kids is the way that college athletics should be conducted is crazy. And anybody who takes part
in this NIL corruption by contributing money is crazy too. It's a freakin' joke.

Sharing the handle with players is bribery? If so, I wish my boss would bribe me some more.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

Silly comment....It's COLLEGE. It's supposed to be school--studying, classes, learning to think, all of which you later use to have what you hope will be a decent or better career. College is not supposed to be about bribing a few kids to come to your college, which is just corruption. But then the "free cash" thing is a big deal to some who've not grown up valuing education.

If it's just "college" and supposed to be studying, etc, then why is it OK for the college to make many millions in revenue using the labor and the names, images, and likenesses of the athletes without sharing any of it? SCOTUS has ruled on this, and they didn't say, "hey, it's college, so the constitution doesn't apply here."

 

[youcancallmeAl]

NIL unless strictly regulated is the death of college athletics...

If money is the death of college athletics, then where is your condemnation of the billions of TV bucks the networks pay the conferences?

 

[youcancallmeAl]

What about athletes who don't perform up to expectations. Can the school sue them? Or companies? Can NIL be taken from an athlete?? Can the athlete then sue the school or the company?? Are the NIL yearly renewed??? To much mess for college athletics..

The school doesn't employ them, the NIL company does. Why would you oppose any college student getting any job and compensation they can get? If an athlete has a part time job delivering pizzas is that cause for your concern?

 

[youcancallmeAl]

IMHO, any kid who comes to the University only because of NIL opportunities is someone I do not want on my team. They are not coming because of dedication to the University, or dedication to their teammates, but dedicated to the almighty dollar. If they achieve NIL opportunities based on their play at the school, great, but relying on the hope of getting them as the sole reason of coming, and not the greatness of the school or coaching staff is troubling to me. I would want players that want to come based on everything besides money, like the good old days. I guess I'm a purist and becoming out of touch, but that's the way I feel.

So, before NIL some basketball players went to a college because it had the reputation of preparing the best players for the pros, like UGA football does now. If a kid picks a school for that reason, isn't that the same thing?

 

[youcancallmeAl]

Exactly. NIL is a corrupt joke. There should be NO NIL deals until a player has been enrolled at a college/university and playing for a year, IMO. This notion that schools should engage in a bidding process for prospects is corrupt nonsense. And any individuals or businesses who put up money for NIL are fools--they're just wasting money.

Schools engage in bidding processes for top academic performers. Some offer a free tuition ride to a brilliant student and some offer tuition plus living expenses to the same star student. If that sutdent takes the latter over the former, is that student then corrupted?

 

[youcancallmeAl]

Your dreaming.... that's ALL it's about...

Money is what it's all about with the Athletic Departments everywhere, too. Where's your condemnation of that?

 

[youcancallmeAl]

Congress is working on the issue--though not sure of the status. The NCAA and various conferences have asked Congress to get involved.

Anybody who thinks schools should get into bribery contests to sign the top players is crazy. And NIL was not conceived at all as a recruiting tool; that's just how it's devolved.

It's called freedom. It's called a free labor market. My labor goes where ever I want it to go for whatever reason I choose, whether that be money or not. The schools operate in the same manner. They choose the revenue deal from radio and television networks that gives them the most return on investment. You can't bemoan the influence of money on college athletes without at the same time bemoaning the influence of big money to the athletics departments. If the schools are gonna sell their souls for more and ever more revenue, why shouldn't the athletes get a piece of the action?

 

[youcancallmeAl]

Not taking any particular side of any particular discussion here, but my Dad just shared an extremely interesting article with me. It does have a close application to social media commentary and participants. Haven’t gotten through to the end of the article yet, but it seems to have been extremely well sourced.

Brandolini’s Law

I'm still laughing, Chuck. This article convinces me to put a lot more people on ignore.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

It's unfortunate that you don't understand the difference between covering a kid's tuition/food when he's a student at your university and offering prospects cash before they've even enrolled. I said that when a student-athlete is at a school and playing and a business wants to use his name/likeness to sell a jersey, mug or anything else, yea, pay him. That's what NIL is supposed to be. Bribing high-schoolers to sign with your school is far different and not what NIL is supposed to be--as I'm sure most if not all coaches and any sensible people would agree. You apparently can't grasp the distinction I've pointed out multiple times.

I fail to grasp your distinction as well. Perhaps you can do a better job of explaining it.

 

[Memvol44]

Money is what it's all about with the Athletic Departments everywhere, too. Where's your condemnation of that?

Wasn't the subject at hand. One is "amateur" and one is a business.

 

[Memvol44]

Who said I opposed anything?

The school doesn't employ them, the NIL company does. Why would you oppose any college student getting any job and compensation they can get? If an athlete has a part time job delivering pizzas is that cause for your concern?

 

[Memvol44]

If money is the death of college athletics, then where is your condemnation of the billions of TV bucks the networks pay the conferences?

Why are you so concerned about my condemnation?? Your starting to sound freaky..

 

[Knoxvol14]

Your last sentence revealed your real agenda - fire the coach. Please save us time and just say that up front rather than take us through all the bafflegab.

There are a handful of fans on here who won't be happy until Kellie is let go. She's brought way more stability to this program than we had with Holly. I commend her for taking this job. We are probably the most critical fan base in womens bball, or at least top 3.

 

[Coach Jumper]

Why are you so concerned about my condemnation?? Your starting to sound freaky..

11 posts back to back...?

 

[Coach Jumper]

There are a handful of fans on here who won't be happy until Kellie is let go. She's brought way more stability to this program that we had with Holly. I commend her for taking this job. We are probably the most critical fan base on womens bball.

The jury is on time...for four years, there is/was a Holly influence...In year 5 this is Coach K's team, staff and results
If I were the TN coach, I would expect just such a pressure and lofty expectation from the pearl of NCAA women's basketball, the University of Tennessee Women's basketball program.

This team, I fully EXPECT to reach minimum Elite 8 and I fully believe it to be a Final Four team or better.
Less than that and I would have to face a reality.
However if Kellie reaches this expectation, she deserves my full support and full credence in her being the coach Tennessee needs and wants...As she has right now! From me!

 

[Majors]

There are a handful of fans on here who won't be happy until Kellie is let go. She's brought way more stability to this program that we had with Holly. I commend her for taking this job. We are probably the most critical fan base on womens bball.

Im sure we have plenty…most just want her to start winning. Stability or not we are past the “we hope everyone had fun phase”. She got a nice pay increase to take the job, she didn’t come here for less more or less expectations.

 

[Knoxvol14]

Im sure we have plenty…most just want her to start winning. Stability or not we are past the “we hope everyone had fun phase”. She got a nice pay increase to take the job, she didn’t come here for less more or less expectations.

She is the second most winning coach in the sec over the last four years. I'd love an elite 8 too or better, but the fact is she is winning, just not to everyone's expectations. Her pay is also in line with how she is performed. If say she's not overpaid or underpaid at thus point. She's fourth in pay in the sec I believe.