Jalen Rose tells all - recruiting

Submitted by DennisFithian on
http://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverine…
"I want to paint a picture," Rose said. "What you see at a bachelor or bachelorette party is what happens on a recruiting visit."


And if you're not familiar with such parties? "Yes, there is drinking," Rose said. "Yes, there is members of the opposite sex that are present. Remember, they're trying to woo me to the campus.


"And as a 17-year-old kid, first off, if I'm not getting laid, I'm not coming. I'm not signing. I'm not coming."

CorkyCole

October 22nd, 2015 at 11:01 AM ^

I agree with you there. The biggest problem I have is when those in authority (those responsible for the kids including coaches, administrators and advisors) turn their shoulders to certain activities from both a recruiting aspect and also a team aspect in order to preserve their "winning nature." No win is greater than the well-being of a student athlete. How they handle these kids has a direct impact on the life that they will lead both while attending the university and afterwards. Taking the selfish perspective of "win at all costs" is what needs to get destroyed in this collegiate sports culture that we are surrounded in. And the NCAA needs to start figuring out how to do that because they are most definitely screwing the pooch on that one.

707oxford

October 22nd, 2015 at 8:54 AM ^

So maybe we lighten up on the whole Louisville's win over us was BS thing. Sounds like M never would have been able to assemble our historic Fab Five team without using similar recruiting tactics.

Z_Wolverista

October 22nd, 2015 at 11:34 AM ^

And even if the conditions of the former -- the environment, alcohol, music etc. -- are hosted or "facilitated" by the school / coaches, directly or indirectly -- that's a completely different story from paying escorts or sex workers to sleep with your recruits.

One is called "throwing a party". On most college campuses these days (and for the last 50+ years), that leads to some sexual activity somewhere. So be it.

The other is not only illegal (in most states) but more importantly, immoral, sleazy, gross -- as well as unfair.

reshp1

October 22nd, 2015 at 8:56 AM ^

As sleezy as hooking up recruits with program groupies and "welcome comittees" is, there is a miles of difference between that and paying for hookers on their behalf. Unless Jalen has specific dirt that that happened, he needs to STFU and stop conflating the fun he had on his trip and what's coming out of Lousiville right now.

M-Dog

October 22nd, 2015 at 9:00 AM ^

He did make it clear that there were no prostitutes or anything like that.

But to be clear, he wasn't saying that there were any escorts involved, as is alleged in the Louisville case. Not with his charm.
 
"You just take me to the well. I can drink."
 

74polSKA

October 22nd, 2015 at 9:11 AM ^

I agree completely. There is a world of difference between a recruiting party arranged by current players (18 to 22 year old "kids") to impress a prospective player and the same party arranged by 25 - 60 year old men who are employed by the university. One seems pretty normal. The other just seems gross.

Z_Wolverista

October 24th, 2015 at 12:10 AM ^

fine for Jalen to break down stark differences, to knock our collective high horse down a bit with a realistic picture. It shows graciousness towards a scapegoat and reminds everyone we, too, live in glass houses, & so may to want to consider putting down that stone in our hands.

At the same time he coulda been clearer about being able to "drink from the well" on his own earlier in this conversation.

Stay.Classy.An…

October 22nd, 2015 at 9:00 AM ^

are people negging the OP? For sharing a story about a former UM player who wanted to be honest about how the recruiting process was back in the early 90s? I just don't understand the blog sometimes. Not everything about what Michigan did or continues to do will make 100% of us happy. We can't just pretend like these sort of things didn't or don't happen because they make Michigan look "different" than whatever you think Michigan should look like. I'm not incredibly happy about they way Jalen chose to describe his experience, and it is what it is. Just like I wasn't happy when I watched the "Fab 5" documentary and learned that those guys got racist and threatening letters sent to the school from MICHIGAN alums!!!! There is a big difference between being taken to house parties and being introduced to girls and hooking up with said girls, than paying for sex from strippers.

When I was in undergrad at UM, I had the same two goals pretty much every weekend, to party with my boys and find a cute girl to hook up with. I would imagine that those two goals are pretty much universal for  a lot of students (men and women) at college campuses across the world. Why would it be different for a high school senior visiting a college campus? Relax guys, we have nothing to worry about, neither Coach B or Coach Harbaugh are Rick Pitino or Urban Meyer.  

Stay.Classy.An…

October 22nd, 2015 at 9:09 AM ^

I just think it's stupid for any of us to pretend that by auto-negging the freep on the blog, that it's going to change anything or somehow invalidates what is being reported. They are not my cup of tea either, but, a good story is a good story. So I up-vote you and agree to disagree with your auto-neg.

pescadero

October 22nd, 2015 at 10:52 AM ^

For sharing a story about a former UM player who wanted to be honest about how the recruiting process was back in the early 90s?

 

Jalen doesn't want "to be honest about how the recruiting process was back in the early 90s" - Jalen wants to get attention for Jalen.

I don't care about him bringing it up, and I'm sure it's true - but he's doing it purely because he's an attention whore.

Stay.Classy.An…

October 22nd, 2015 at 11:27 AM ^

if you don't care about him bringing it up, then why do you care about his reasoning for bringing it up? It's not like Jalen came out of left field with this, there is a current recruiting story making National headlines. Which prompted Jalen to talk about his own personal experience ala "recruiting visits aren't just about academics and this stuff was happening when I was recruited, it just wasn't being paid for, but drinking and hanging with girls shouldn't come as a surprise".  No Louisville headline, no Jalen commentary, IMO. I mean sure he wanted to wax poetic about how "awesome" he was, I'm not giving him a pass for his Uncle Rico moment, "if he wasn't getting laid, he wasn't going to school there" and "if you take me to the well, I'm going to drink", clearly this is podcast hyperbole. I completely disagree that this was said by Jalen for pure attention.

pescadero

October 22nd, 2015 at 12:06 PM ^

I don't care about his reasoning. He's welcome to bring up anything he'd like to keep getting attention.

 

I'm just disagreeing with the idea that he had some motivation other than self promiotion. He's welcome to self promote, but lets not pretend like this is anything but self promotion.

 

 No Louisville headline, no Jalen commentary

 

You do realize this isn't the first time he's mentioned this, nor is it the only subject on which he has repeatedly attention whored.

sdogg1m

October 22nd, 2015 at 9:02 AM ^

Guess we should be happy and proud that Jalen has been forthright on what actually happens on the recruiting trail?

As for me, I just see this as a poor testimony to Jalen's character. He was the type of person that Michigan recruited and it brought a whirlwind of scrutiny and headaches. I am not sure if Beilein or the AD reads this blog or comment but if it takes sex to get a certain type of player to your program then let that player go elsewhere.

jblaze

October 22nd, 2015 at 9:09 AM ^

Many 17 year old HS kids (non athletes) choose to attend party schools, hence the Princeton Review's list.

Also, why your reaction to an expert telling the truth, in his opinion? Should he keep his mouth shut or lie?

sdogg1m

October 22nd, 2015 at 9:33 AM ^

My expert opinion is you learn to not boast about embarrassing decisions you made in the past. You could also use it for teaching; pointing that you clearly made a "mistake."

I do this consistently and no I don't take the short-sighted viewpoint that I hear from many that "kids will be kids." No, at age 17 its time to start growing up and every human being has horomones; learn to control yourself. I have scores of people in my life that were adults (full-time jobs and married) by the age of 17, so this idea that this age excuses you in making poor choices is foreign to me.

Jalen is straight up boasting that he was not coming to a school unless sexual favors were provided. Does this imply that the University was willing to whore out girls to make guys like Jalen happy? 

I know the world we live in but eventually there comes a point where you can no longer excuse bad behavior because "everyone is doing it." Good for those who chose Michigan for the academic institution that it is and not because of the sexual favors they could get.

sdogg1m

October 22nd, 2015 at 11:06 AM ^

Depends on the person... Society has changed making it harder to secure a modest income without certain qualifications. All those people I know married at a young age stay married. I understand this is not universal but it demonstrated to me that individuals can display a high level of responsibility at a young age and that it was possible to sustain it.

If you want to Keep up with the Kardashians or even Jalen Rose then I personally would advise you not to marry young (or maybe even ever). Probably not wise to ever have children too.

Everyone Murders

October 22nd, 2015 at 9:12 AM ^

Having lived in A2 before and during the Fab 4 years, I'm pretty confident that this did not need to be booster-funded activity.  Anyone could score booze and weed that wanted it, and there were constantly parties with underage drinking going on.

During those recruiting visits the recruits were hosted by another player.  Getting girls "willing to go the extra mile" (very) and attend a party was about as difficult as (A) the host (who already was a BSD on campus) saying to some hot women "we're having a party and star hoops recruity Jalen Rose will be there - wanna come?" and (B) waiting one second for a "yes".  Easy peezy.

I did not click the Freep link because fuck those guys, but these allegations are about as shocking as learning that there was gambling on the premises at Rick's American Cafe in Casablanca.  There's no story here.

nickoko

October 22nd, 2015 at 9:11 AM ^

Really, if you read the whole article, he isn't saying much more than, "my host took me to a fraternity party."

Would you expect alcohol to be present at a typical fraternity party? Yes

Would you expect women to be present at a typical fraternity party? Yes

He definitely wasn't saying that there were escorts involved, as the end of the article says, "But to be clear, he wasn't saying that there were any escorts involved, as is alleged in the Louisville case. Not with his charm. 'You just take me to the well. I can drink.'"

BornInAA

October 22nd, 2015 at 9:12 AM ^

Hey Rose go away

There was nothing "fab" about you - just shameless self promotion by greedy selfish players. You and your teammates never won anything:

they never won a single championship, be it the Big Ten Regular Season Championship, Big Ten Conference Tournament, or NCAA Championship.

Michigan had actually had teams win the Big Ten since and go to the final four and they don't call themselves "fab" anything. 

Everyone Murders

October 22nd, 2015 at 9:27 AM ^

First off, the Fab 5 did not hang that name on themselves.  Second, they played wonderful team basketball.  Third, they won a shit ton of games as freshman and sophomores, and several had successful pro careers.  Fourth, their transgressions happened when they were still in their teens.  Fifth, Michigan basketball was ... not very good before they came to campus.  Sixth, they changed many aspects of the game of college basketball for good.

So I'm not getting the hate here.  I mean, CWebb comes off as a douche at times, and Ed Martin ... .  I could see hatin' on them for that.  But because they use a moniker tagged to them by the press? 

Hate as you like ('Murica!), but I'm not seeing it here.

93Grad

October 22nd, 2015 at 9:39 AM ^

The 90 and 91 seasons were pretty crappy but yes they it all in 89. In any event Jalen has become my favorite Fab Five member because he tells it like it is. He is also in the media so why are you surprised he is talking about this?

Webber on the other hand...



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Everyone Murders

October 22nd, 2015 at 9:48 AM ^

I'm not seeing this point (and am embittered because I bought season tickets for the 90-91 season in hopes of locking down good seats for 91-92 - the Athletic Department changed their priority policy in 90-91, so I watched a lot of subpar basketball the year before the Fab 5 came to campus).  The 1988-89 team is the one that had the terrific NCAA run after Frieder was replaced by a /clears throat/ Michigan man.

The team "right before" the Fab 5 came to campus (90-91) was not good:

  • They were 0-7 against ranked teams, they went unranked for most (all?) of the season;
  • Their MVP was the good (but not what you think of as MVP) Demetrius Calip; and 
  • While a good 3 point shooting team, they got eliminated in the opening round of the NIT.

So "right before" the Fab 5 came to campus, the men's basketball team was decidedly ... ungood.

 

BornInAA

October 22nd, 2015 at 9:54 AM ^

Burke, Hardaway, Morgan, Robinson and the rest of the 2011-2013 teams are actually "fab". They won two Big Ten Championship and made it to the Championship game.

So are Rice, Mills, Robinson, Vaught and the others from 85-89. Actually won a NC and 2 Big Ten Championships.

The "fab five" never won a thing and put 15 years of hurt on the program. Jalen only gets interviews because he promotes himself as a fab five member. 

Why aren't Rice and MIlls and Burke giving interviews? Because they are not self-promoters.