Fun Conspiracy Theory
In the wake of the wonderful basketball news this afternoon, I wanted to pose a crazy, speculative conspiracy theory to the board.
As most know by now Michigan is on Nike's campus right now, likely hearing a sales pitch to be our next apparel sponsor and possibly doing some negotiating.
As everyone definitely knows Tyus Battle, consensus 5-star wing, committed to play for Michigan Basketball this afternoon.
The other schools that were rumored to lead for Tyus, Duke and Syracuse, were Nike schools. So are UConn and OSU. The only other non-UM suitor that wasn't Nike was Lousiville who, while in the "top group" most people didn't talk about seriously in regards to landing Battle.
Battle's AAU team, Team Takeover, is Nike sponsored. Of the 8 recruits in the 2015 class who committed to a Division 1 program, 7 committed to a Nike school (6 pure Nike, 1 Jordan which is owned by Nike).
Does Tyus believe that we will also be a Nike school by the time he suits up in the Maize and Blue for the first time? Was he potentially given reason to believe this by someone in the program who might have an inclination?
Is there anything to this wild speculation? No.
But in a much larger sense...maybe.
Did I spend way too much effort on this post? Almost certainly.
RE: Player development under John Beilein at #Michigan: Gary Battle tells me "ZERO McDonald's All-Americans, SEVEN pros." Key selling point.
— Kyle Bogie (@KyleBogie) May 11, 2015
On a related note, Nike just released their new line of tinfoil hats. The Air Chemtrails retail for $79.99 apiece.
2) He also just ordered a pair of the Chemtrails in every color available, 2 in Highlighter Yello (they call it Maize)
I think you are looking at last year's model. The '15 Vapor Air Chemtrails are $129.99.
That's nothing compared to the Nike Dulce Reptilians. Those babies go for $199.99 a pop.
drive by upvote
i heard that Tom Brady let the air out of the sales pitches from all the other schools.
What's fun about speculating that an 18-year-old chose the school that he would play basketball at because of the small possibility that, most likely after he has already left for the NBA, they would wear clothes made by the same company that sponsors one of the teams he's played on?
Like, even if that's true, how is it fun? It would seem sad to me.
I thought this was gonna be about the US-Military-wants-to-invade-Texas thingie. But seriously, you know who is gonna invade Texas?
Harbaugh.
Harbaugh ALREADY invaded Texas. They just don't know it yet.
Top 10 according to Rivals/AUU Team Sponsor/Committed School Sponsor
1. Skal Labissiere/?/Nike
2. Ben Simmons/Nike/Nike
3. Jaylen Brown/Adidas/Jordan(Nike)
4. Brandon Ingram/Adidas/Nike
5. Cheick Diallo/Nike/Adidas
6. Diamond Stone/UA/UA
7. Ivan Rabb/Nike/Jordan(Nike)
8. Malik Newman/Nike/Adidas
9. Thon Maker/Adidas/???
10. Isaiah Briscoe/Nike/Nike
So out of the top 10, only 4 committed to a school that has the same AAU sponsor. I can't find Skal Labissiere's team M33M sponsor.
Thon Maker has not committed to a school yet. Interesting to note that ASU is his top 5. ASU recently switched to Adidas.
Do these kids really care that much about the brand they wear that it eliminates schools from consideration?
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I keep hearing this argument, but is there any actual proof of it happening before? Genuinely curious.
It doesn't make sense to me that a brand like Nike or adidas would pull funding for an AAU team, consequently pissing off 10-20 members of their key demographic just because one player went to a school they don't sponsor.
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A "guaranty" implies an enforceable agreement...i.e. a contract. I'm not big on NCAA rules, but this doesn't pass the smell test and would seem an obvious violation of the amateur status requirements. It may be a wink/wink trust us type of thing, but is very sketchy at best.
There's a hole in the top, it won't work.
will soon be it for Michigan. Is it too early to dance in the streets?
also, jet fuel can't melt steel beams.