Apparently I have to say this: treat recruits with respect
Brandon posted an article about 2016 recruit Teryn Savage, and this is his takeaway from his experience at MGoBlog:
https://twitter.com/TerynSavage/status/382644691738451968
So congratulations, leftrare, MGoBrewMom, JuggernautRides, and chitownblue2, and the other people in that thread who insulted the kid for no reason. Guess what: people are interested to see what people say about them on the internet, and now a potential recruit doesn't want to talk to Brandon.
If you think that 2016 is a magic land from which news cannot come, don't read it. We're going to report on kids that are being recruited.
Going forward, anything that could be interpreted as an insult to a blameless high school kid will result in a no-warning ban. Even if that interpretation is crazy. Any "pedo" references will also result in a ban.
In conclusion, guh.
September 24th, 2013 at 8:18 PM ^
Happy to hear that you live in such a black and white world.
You don't think there are any potentially negative consequences to having a bunch of schools' versions of MGoBlog, along with national media like ESPN, 247, Scout, and Rivals, along with anyone who wants to make a name for himself by starting a blog and breaking recruiting news, pestering 14/15-year-old kids for (frequent) interviews and then conducting those interviews with kids who most likely have no idea how to handle them?
I'm guilty here, too, because I like reading recruiting news, but there's no way in hell that I'd want my own kids (if I had them) subjected to that.
EDIT: I should add that one of the things I like best about Ace is that he seems a little reluctant, in a totally healthy and grown up way, to dive into these kids' lives like some other recruiting types do. I also like that he seems to give kids the benefit of the doubt with everything he writes. Whenever I see an adult on Twitter pestering 14/15-year-olds for interviews I'm taken aback a bit.
September 24th, 2013 at 8:20 PM ^
Then don't let your kids do it?
I'm sure there could be negative consequences, but I'm sure Brian will hold himself and his staff to high standards in the conduct with and presentation of these kids. In light of that, he's made a rule for himself (that is an important part of the business he runs). I'm surprised that's surprising to you. I mean, there are "potential negative consequences" to driving a car, or drinking beer, but you probably don't have moral qualms about those things. Brian can't control what everyone else does on the subject.
September 24th, 2013 at 8:31 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 8:58 PM ^
I love this comment. I'm not sure whether my favorite part is what you wrote or the link. My comments definitely suggest infertility and/or having fat, unathletic kids, and I'm sure that every parent's dream is to have Roger Goodell invite his kid to the Super Bowl.
September 24th, 2013 at 9:08 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 9:12 PM ^
Fake +1
September 25th, 2013 at 2:38 AM ^
That's an awful big straw man. He's not "pestering" kids if he simply asks if they want to do an interview. And what do you mean they don't know how to handle it? What's there to handle? He just asks a few simple questions.
September 24th, 2013 at 8:19 PM ^
of coure you aren't, this is how you make a living... but I have to ask if the hypocrisy of speaking out about the NCAA's exploitation of college athletes while publishing conversations with 15 year olds ever enters your mind...
love,
jdon
September 24th, 2013 at 8:25 PM ^
+1. I would REALLY like to hear a reply to this.
September 24th, 2013 at 8:34 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 8:32 PM ^
Could you elaborate on why you find this hypocritical?
September 24th, 2013 at 8:44 PM ^
Is it not obvious? ok, I'll play:
Brian has been critical of the NCAA exploitation of student athletes and, at least some small portion, of the money he personally makes comes from the interviewing of high school students who are not compensated for their fodder that makes up a small portion of this blog, THEN there is at least some close minded lack of introspection or a blatant double standard.
I mean, hell this site basically exists to follow michigan athletics right? How much is Brian, or anyone else, chopping off the top to get cash back to the people (the athletes) who's lives are being bought and sold, in the form of blogposts, here each and every day...
I am sure that my argument isn't perfectly sound and you can probably poke logic holes in it but deep down inside doesn't it just seem a little irreverant that HTVV content revolves around a group of people who can't reap financial benefit with Mgoblog and others pay the bills throught the exchange of information covering said athletes.
Am I the only one?
I can't be.
jdon
September 24th, 2013 at 8:51 PM ^
One difference of note: As far as I know, media outlets don't pay players from professionals to middle schoolers to speak. The NCAA refuses to let college students to get paid for exactly what professional athletes get paid for (playing), or for anything outside of playing. In other words, the NCAA assumes that any money given to a player taints his/her (mostly his) amateur status--you cannot be a NCAA player and receive money for your talents with some very minor exceptions.
As an aside, I do not think that paying players during their time in college is either feasible or advisable, but I guess I can see the argument.
September 24th, 2013 at 9:00 PM ^
I thought that's what you meant, but just wanted to clarify. Wasn't trying to argue.
September 24th, 2013 at 9:06 PM ^
Do you think it's standard to be paid for agreeing to be interviewed? It sounds like that's what you're saying. And you also seem to believe that the media should give money to the people who are part of the stories which they cover. Interesting.
September 24th, 2013 at 9:15 PM ^
Athletics are different in that they are entertainers.
I would argue that the interviews are an extension of the entertainment.
jdon
September 24th, 2013 at 9:20 PM ^
Is it standard for professional athletes to get paid for phone/email interviews?
September 24th, 2013 at 9:29 PM ^
I don't know.
Honestly, I don't think what Brian does is necessarily exploitation and I'm sure many high school athletes benefit from the exposure. I am not even defined on how I feel about the blog's 'exploitation' of the student athletes, but I do know that NCAA football is little more than indentured servitude. I do believe that Brian and mgoblog are not money grubbing whores by any means but I do think the fact that they make money from content they sell (when the content concerns high school players who don't even have the facade of training table and scholarships) exposes a juxtaposition that is worth exploring.
jdon
September 24th, 2013 at 10:03 PM ^
My unsolicited advice is for you to take a minute and do some research (how interviews work whether entertainment or not) and then take another minute and flesh out what discussion you are actually trying to have. If you want to have a real discussion you might also want to leave out statements such as "...I do know that NCAA football is little more than indentured servitude." Those comments lead down different paths than what you appear to want to discuss. Also, I am not trying to be a jerk.
September 24th, 2013 at 10:03 PM ^
" I do know that NCAA football is little more than indentured servitude."
Dear Flying Spagetti Monster, are we reduced to this? That people get to make up what they "know" out of whole cloth?
Any NCAA football player can declare himself a pro and play for money with any team that will take him. This will generally be semi-pro ball, because the NFL Players' Association won't take them as members, but the option is there. No indentured servants had such an option.
Get.Your.Head.Outta.Your.Ass
Or go straight to the Hitler comparisons. At least they are funny.
September 24th, 2013 at 9:36 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 9:58 PM ^
For the most part, professional athletes/entertainers are paid to do interviews but not are paid directly by the interviewer. They are paid either through salary to meet obligations (professional athletes) or they are fined by the league or organization if they do not meet it. Actors and Musicians are often on talk shows or doing interviews to promote their new release. They are marketing their product.
It goes both ways for the interviewer and interviewee. The interviewer gets what they want and ultimately get paid through page clicks, tv/radio advertising...etc. The interviewee is able to market.
I suggest looking up the Matt Harvey interview with Dan Patrick to hear DP's rant.
September 25th, 2013 at 9:24 AM ^
I think one big difference is that Brian hasn't gotten together with all the other blog owners and created a regulatory organization that prohibits the kids from earning a living, selling their likeness, etc.
September 24th, 2013 at 8:35 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 8:41 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 8:44 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 11:32 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 11:37 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 11:51 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 9:24 PM ^
The whole 'exposure' thing is a narrative a lot of recruiting sites want to pass along to improve their public image; when the truth is that a player's tape will do a lot more than a blog interview to get the player noticed..I mean, people do realize that scouting and recruiting existed before the internet, right? Even in such a dreaded time, the better players generally went to the better schools.
Even if you wanted to extend the argument and mention how some coaches openly discuss star ratings, well...those are from recruiting sites. I think you'll be hard-pressed to find a coach who reads MGoBlog for future prospects.
This isn't meant to take a side on this debate, let's just have the argument without this benevolent facade of exposure.
September 24th, 2013 at 9:45 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 8:41 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 11:35 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 9:59 PM ^
You aren't bothered by a grown man tweeting at kids begging for a follow? I know that all of the school corporations I've worked with while becoming a teacher have strict policies forbidding interaction between teachers and students on social media. If schools don't think their own employees should be involved with kids on twitter or facebook, then don't you think you guys should reconsider your own policy on how to at least initiate contact with recruits? I know as a coach I would have a huge problem with a reporter contacting one of my athletes without first talking to their parents, me, or the school.
September 24th, 2013 at 11:37 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 11:46 PM ^
They have. The reporter asks me, and I point them on to the parent if they are there. If the parent isn't there, I'll make the judgement call based on previous decisions by the parent. There is one reporter in the area that one parent really doesn't like, and her daughter is my best player. That reporter doesn't talk to that player. I don't know why those two don't get along, but I'm going to follow the rules the parent has put in place.
September 24th, 2013 at 11:58 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 8:03 PM ^
How is it different than any other kid being interviewed on tv? It happens every night on the news with kids much younger than 15.
September 24th, 2013 at 9:07 PM ^
You have to give them fifty bucks, though.
September 24th, 2013 at 7:53 PM ^
Of general note to the blog - to aid enforcement, please feel free to tweet or DM myself or any other mods with links to questionable replies in future threads regarding recruits. I think that I speak for all the mods when I say that we'll do our best to fish these out ASAP upon reporting.
September 24th, 2013 at 8:12 PM ^
Is there a list of mods somewhere?
Also is BiSB back to being a mod?
September 24th, 2013 at 8:16 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 11:39 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 8:16 PM ^
There isn't a formal list of mods and contact information, although if we're having to make showing basic respect for people a formal policy, that might be a good idea. JustinGoBlue is also on Twitter (@JustinSieges - hopefully he doesn't mind if I post that in light of this development). Not sure about Zone Left or others with mod powers.
September 24th, 2013 at 8:36 PM ^
Myself and LSAClassOf2000 are the guys tasked with handling the day to day of the board and comments on the front page. BryanMac and profitgoblue are both former moderators who retain their status despite moving on from the day to day, and ZoneLeft is a busy guy who helps out when he can lend a hand. All of the staff (Brian, Seth, Ace, Heiko, Brandon Brown and the aforementioned BryanMac) obviously have mod powers, and it's Brian and Seth that supervise the mods work.
As for Twitter, I'm not up in arms about you posting my handle or anything but my account is protected and aside from our DM chats and a lot of following (including a lot of the verboten subject here) I really don't use it much. For those following me/I follow now or anyone with my personal email I'm fine with you using that, if not the best way to get in touch with me is my username here at gmail.com.
September 24th, 2013 at 8:54 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 9:06 PM ^
If Brian returned the 'neg' then this sort of crap would get self policed; so a measure of responsibility is on Brian paying some coders or developers and operationalizing that.
End of the day, Brian needs to enable the community to police itself or you get anarchy at an MLive level.
September 24th, 2013 at 9:25 PM ^
September 24th, 2013 at 10:58 PM ^