Wendyk5

January 27th, 2015 at 12:13 PM ^

Or, most kids have a realistic sense of where they're at academically, which is what Mattison is used to, and this kid - or his father - doesn't. Remember, he's already committed somewhere. So he has absolutely nothing to lose. He's now playing his options. If he isn't ecstatic with Michigan, he loses nothing by staying at Nebraska. He loses nothing by saying "They suck, I didn't want to go there anyway," because he has his seat.  

Joined: 11/20/2008

MGoPoints: 67511

Dubs

January 27th, 2015 at 12:30 PM ^

I'm not clearing Mattison of anything.  But just because he knows parents are going to be sensitive about their kids shouldn't mean he doesn't give them honest feedback, even if it is on the negative side.  I know recruiting is a lot of telling kids what they want to hear, but at some point you have to be honest too.

What was said and how it can be interpreted is largely a matter of perspective.  Neal thought it was an insult.  If that's me, I'm thinking "the hell I can't qualify.  I'm going to be an academic All American and prove I belong there."  

If a coach yells at me and gives me feedback during practice, I'm going to make damn sure that I prove to him that I belong next time out.

Joined: 05/30/2011

MGoPoints: 8356

Zarniwoop

January 27th, 2015 at 10:49 AM ^

I can see this easily.

Mattison tells them the truth (and not in a negative way I'm quite sure) and a bunch of chests got puffed out.

I won't say I'm glad he isn't coming because that isn't true. But, you can bet your ass that his complete misrepresentations about what was actually said ("he basically called me stupid") will be used by every coach in the country going forward.

Think all our other recruits don't already know what this kid is (incorrectly) saying?

Joined: 09/10/2013

MGoPoints: 10498

Logan

January 27th, 2015 at 10:47 AM ^

I was at first taken aback by this and my first thought was that the kid was flat-out lying for the nebraska coaches to negatively recruit against michigan, who are obviously coming for their recruits. But the more I settled down and thought about it, im guessing mattison did say something that was taken out of context and it actually is a solid recruiting approach for coaches to remind recruits how great an educational opportunity michigan is as compared to, say, nebraska, which is much less hard to get into for the non-athlete. A simple fact that may have not been taken the right way. In any case, for those saying harbaugh needs to publicly get out in front of this, i disagree. It is going to blow over as people realize that this was just an overreaction by the neal family to a fact, and if anything it will spur the conversation of the michigan advantage over schools like nebraska, msu, osu, etc. Also, the coaches will address the issue with other players they are recruiting (such as snyder) and hopefully a few of them will come to mattison's defense. Not that its necessary.

Joined: 09/20/2009

MGoPoints: 2175

Proclus

January 27th, 2015 at 11:10 AM ^

Another way the subject may have come up is that one of the coaches, in an effort to show how interested they were, mentioned how hard they worked convincing the admissions office to sign off on offering Neal, without realizing how self-deluded he and his father are about his academic credentials. It wouldn't surprise me if he were pretty borderline to meet Michigan's admissions requirements for scholarship athletes; the fact that he apparently couldn't make a three-word announcement of his Michigan offer without a subliterate verb conjugation may be telling.

Joined: 10/22/2008

MGoPoints: 289

The Baughz

January 27th, 2015 at 10:56 AM ^

Greg Mattison has been recruiting longer than this kid has been alive and has zero instances of disrepecting recruits. I wasnt there obviously, but Im goin to go ahead and go out on a limb and say that Gmat did not intentionally insult this kid. 

Joined: 10/08/2010

MGoPoints: 31913

massblue

January 27th, 2015 at 11:10 AM ^

They may think UM + Harbaugh + Assistants with NFL background means recruits should be lining up to sign in.  I would have been worried if one of the NFL assistants had said this, but GM has a lot of experience and it is hard to believe that he would change his recruiting approach under the new regime.

Joined: 08/15/2009

MGoPoints: 10359

Jimmyisgod

January 27th, 2015 at 11:15 AM ^

Not going to attack this kid, perhaps there was a misunderstanding, perhaps Mattison chose his words poorly, either way this is a non story except that it's being picked up by national outlets now.

Joined: 01/24/2012

MGoPoints: 10342

Don

January 27th, 2015 at 12:27 PM ^

That's the nature of today's social media-saturated environment. When it involves a nationally-famous institution like U-M, a renowned football program like Michigan football, and a Super Bowl coach in Jim Harbaugh (or his staff), there's no such thing as a "non-story."

If the national media makes a big deal about the whole khakis thing, you can bet they'll try to make a big deal about "Jim Harbaugh's coaching staff is telling recruits they're too stupid to get into UM otherwise." That's catnip to radio talk show hosts and ESPN bloggers and idiots on Twitter and FB.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 148237

WMUKirk

January 27th, 2015 at 11:16 AM ^

The way you guys blame every single kid who doesn't attend michigan or doesn't say something highly of michigan is almost akin to the Salem witch hunt trials. These are KIDS you guys are continuing to bring down and talk about. Would you be okay with this, if you logged onto a forum to see your kid called a liar, an idiot, uneducated, and unworthy?



Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad

Joined: 09/25/2014

MGoPoints: 1105

dbrhee

January 27th, 2015 at 12:33 PM ^

Your whole argument is based on the kid's perspective and that is most likely whatl we are going to get from this whole situation...  So we are to just accept what kids say at face value for everything? Do you know that is what the court system has done and gotten many people in jail because the kid wasn't telling the whole truth.

First off, if you were offended... I ask one simple question.. Did they confront to Mattison first before kicking him out of the house? You ever wonder that? If I had a problem with someone, I would not go on a radio show to blast someone.. Wouldn't you think that addressing in person would be the first thing? What I am doing here? Just showing that there is no context to validate your argument nor GM on the matter...

You seem to think that every kid who cry foul is right? I don't...  I have seen so many things in recruiting where kids literally lie (just look at I am so solid in my commitment and then takes an OV after stating it very clearly)... 

But let's consider some things

1) If Michigan wanted to insult him, then why would they go out of their way to offer and make in-home visits.. So again, if GM was all wanting to insult him and his family, at best it is unintentional. But instead of stating that, the family and Neal is implying it was intentional (if not, I wouldn't bring it up to the whole public)

2) GM has no known issues like this in recruiting. Could he have messed up? Maybe but I would think his track record would otherwise state so.. Again, not a new recruiter.. He has been doing this for a long time... 

 

At the end, this is not a witchhunt by the forum.. In reality, it is more about fact finding..  In all, I think they took something GM stated the wrong way and took it as an insult though it was not... The amazing thing is the father... I would think he would be the calm and one who would not be rash to make judgment call.. That surprises me..  Instead, he kicked him out... Then let his son talk like that on the radio show like that... 

As I sense some twisting of information and I believe they are hiding something.. Just all the things do not add up... 

Joined: 08/25/2014

MGoPoints: 1640

Rawls NTR

January 27th, 2015 at 11:25 AM ^

If you listen to the interview it does sound like the Neals are overstating what was actually said and what really happened. Towards the end, he said he was still trying to make up his mind for 10 minutes after Mattison left his house, at which point he said to his dad that he had made up his mind and he's going to Nebraska. His dad then asked him "Are you sure?" and he said yes I want to go to Nebraska. If it was as insulting as they make it out to be and if they truly threw Mattison out of the house, there wouldn't have been anything left to think about. Also, the kid comes off pretty poorly informed (which could be Michigan's fault) and mentions one of the things he liked about Nebraska is that during the summers they go help out disabled kids and that he really liked that about the school. He also likes a really big campus and a really big stadium. All of these things are well known and well publicized about the Michigan football program.

Joined: 05/09/2012

MGoPoints: 216

Blau

January 27th, 2015 at 11:31 AM ^

I have to believe GMatt said something to the effect like "Michigan only accepts the best and brightest and football is your son's chance to join that group." Which is 100% true. Maybe the Neal family is too proud to admit this so they made it into a insult?

Joined: 01/23/2014

MGoPoints: 35213

mGrowOld

January 27th, 2015 at 11:36 AM ^

Based on Mattison's prior impectable reputation in this area and the fact that dad was one initially offended I"m guessing the father heard something he didnt like (even though it's undoubtably 100% true) and tossed GMat out of the house.  The son, because he loves his father is NOT going to say "my dad massively over-reacted here" gives pops cover by saying Mattison called him stupid.

As others have said in the thread.  Many parents have an extremely difficult time hearing that their child is not God's gift to the universe and may not, shockingly,  be gifted in all areas of life.  And they attack anybody viciously anyone who implies otherwise.

I know this because my wife is definitely one of the people.  My 10 year old could come home covered in blood holding a severed head in one hand and knife in the other and if he said he didnt do anything she'd believe it.  And she'd go after anybody who said otherwise.

Joined: 10/04/2010

MGoPoints: 212539

The Victors

January 27th, 2015 at 11:38 AM ^

Wasn't he already committed to Nebraska?  He had to go on a pre-planned segment on a radio show to announce that he is firm in his commitment?

Either Coach Riley made him do it or this kid really likes the attention.

Joined: 02/01/2010

MGoPoints: 1868

EastCoast Esq.

January 27th, 2015 at 12:29 PM ^

I can't speak for the people who assumed that this kid -- as an individual -- couldn't get into Michigan based on no information.

However, I will say that, as a general statement, revenue-sports recruits have a significantly easier time getting into academically-demanding schools than other candidates. It's just a reality. Sort of like how it is easier to get into a school if you are a legacy (like me - I was a borderline candidate and I may or may not have gotten into my college otherwise).

Schools are generally up front about that kind of stuff. Good colleges are difficult to get into, and a lot of football recruits are given opportunities they would not otherwise have had if they weren't physically gifted.

Joined: 07/16/2012

MGoPoints: 22932

dbrhee

January 27th, 2015 at 12:46 PM ^

I think you are assuming with just good GPA would ensure his enrollment with or without football... Look, I had a friend who had almost a 4.0 GPA and did not get into Michigan? Why His SAT was not great and he didn't have extracurricular activites... So again, admission does not base on just GPA.. I could go a "inferior" school and get a 4.0 and that don't make me better than a student going to just say Andover with a 3.7....  Admissions determines that... 

If he was that good academically, he could have applied to Stanford, Berkeley, etc. but did not.. If you look at the interest, most of the schools are not what I consider top notch academically (or at least not as reputable as Michigan to state the least)... That should be also be telling if anything.. Not saying the kid is not talented but even he knows his limitation.. The talent is there for football but if he believes he is that smart... I would expect Berkeley and Stanford to show interest.. I don't see any Big Ten school except Michigan, Iowa, and Nebraska... Oregon and Oklahoma being the other two I could decent schools... Arkansas, I don't consider the school to be top notch academically...

So you need to honest... do you think he would have made it? In all likelihood.. No... Like others have stated.. It was an opportunity for him to succeed and he took it the wrong way

Joined: 08/25/2014

MGoPoints: 1640

pescadero

January 27th, 2015 at 3:43 PM ^

70% of the people who apply at Michigan don't get in.

 

The average unweighted GPA of someone accepted is 3.75, weighted is 4.09.

 

The lowest weighted GPA that made the acceptance pool in the data I've seen is 3.1.

 

If you look at a graph of the acceptance data:

If your ACT is <29, your GPA better be 3.9 or higher.

If your GPA is below 3.5, your ACT better be 30 or higher.

Even looking at athletes - I see people with 3.5/30ACT who got wait listed or deferred.

 

 

Joined: 03/28/2013

MGoPoints: 11966

akim

January 27th, 2015 at 11:55 AM ^

That may be true, but Mattison would know exactly what his grades were, so I'm sure he would give an honest assessment if pressed.  If he really indicated he couldn't get in without football, I wouldn'tbe surprised.  Mattison would also have his standardized test scores too so I'd expect he would have the full picture.

Joined: 12/30/2010

MGoPoints: 530

blueblueblue

January 27th, 2015 at 11:47 AM ^

Big surprise to come here to see that everyone is blaming the kid and his parents because, well, parents overreact. This may be true, and as many have stated in this thread, many, many parents overreact. Its what parents due. Which leads to the fact that Mattison should know this. The parents may have overreacted, but Mattison also probably fucked up. There should be zero cause for this sort of overreaction. 

Joined: 12/28/2008

MGoPoints: 6630

EastCoast Esq.

January 27th, 2015 at 11:50 AM ^

Not crying over this one.

Just to repeat what's already been said:

-We know that GMatt is a pro-recruiter and wouldn't insult a kid on an in-home visit.

-We know that Michigan is a very good school and is difficult to get into.

-We know that athletes tend to be given more slack in the admissions process.

Q.E.D. Mattison likely did not insult him, but did indicate that he would have a difficult time getting into Michigan, with his grades, if he wasn't a recruit.

Also, the fact that he is now venting about it on Twitter tells you something. Chris Clark recently vented about fans telling him how he would be used, but he showed much more restraint. That shows intelligence in my opinion (and is the reason why he is choosing between two good schools).

Joined: 07/16/2012

MGoPoints: 22932

dbrhee

January 27th, 2015 at 12:55 PM ^

I would think I would deal with the matter in person and privately.. I would not jump and blast to the Internet world... In all reality, that shows immaturity and lack of wisdom (let alone character issue)... Actually, with the way it panned out... I am glad he did not come to Michigan... If he was to represent Michigan with this behavior.. I would have many question on my mind...

Joined: 08/25/2014

MGoPoints: 1640