Fun Conspiracy Theory

Submitted by DrMantisToboggan on

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.

 

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Basketball

BiSB

May 11th, 2015 at 4:46 PM ^

On a related note, Nike just released their new line of tinfoil hats. The Air Chemtrails retail for $79.99 apiece. 

Joined: 08/15/2009

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schreibee

May 11th, 2015 at 4:53 PM ^

1) WD definitely does NOT think you spent too long on this post - he'd say it was rushed and incomplete, you took no trips to the Bentley in gathering data.

2) He also just ordered a pair of the Chemtrails in every color available, 2 in Highlighter Yello (they call it Maize)

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LBSS

May 11th, 2015 at 5:05 PM ^

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.

Joined: 11/21/2009

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Sopwith

May 11th, 2015 at 5:12 PM ^

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.

Joined: 06/29/2010

MGoPoints: 60903

ken725

May 11th, 2015 at 5:16 PM ^

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.

 

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Chick Evans

May 11th, 2015 at 7:35 PM ^

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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KRK

May 11th, 2015 at 11:14 PM ^

Happens all the time. You should read Played Their Hearts Out. Goes in depth into AAU and talks about how Sonny Viccaro started this all. The coaches get paid by the companies and then they pay the players or their families and push them to schools sponsored by their company.



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