OT: Lane Kiffin really really wanted Silas Redd
August 2nd, 2012 at 10:38 AM ^
August 2nd, 2012 at 10:39 AM ^
August 2nd, 2012 at 10:43 AM ^
August 2nd, 2012 at 10:48 AM ^
I am sure there will be rumors of Ty Isaac opening up his recruiting again
August 2nd, 2012 at 11:26 AM ^
Redd will be graduated by the time Isaac arrives. This will have no impact.
August 2nd, 2012 at 11:53 AM ^
If anything, Redd will go to the NFL Draft before Isaac makes it to campus. Redd is only a Jr.
Yes, but apparently with Angholor playing RB and the commitment of Justin Davis, the USC backfield is not looking as barren as it once did.
August 2nd, 2012 at 10:43 AM ^
It really makes me appreciate the good athletes with a good head on their shoulders like Andrew Luck and others like him.
August 2nd, 2012 at 10:51 AM ^
I've grown quite fond of Stanford, when Harbaugh took the job there, it sparked my interest (before the academic comments he made). Then Toby Gerhart made them a really fun team to watch. Of course the last two years with Andrew Luck were also enjoyable.
They seem to be a school/football team similar to ours, which makes them an interesting team to follow and an easy team to root for when they're playing against USC and Oregon.
I've even decided to play as Stanford in the WolverineNation Online Dynasty (with the famous TomVH) for NCAA 13 this year. Really like Stanford.
August 2nd, 2012 at 10:52 AM ^
Are you saying Silas trasnfering to USC was a stupid decision, and that he doesn't have a good head on his shoulders? I'm honestly not really following... but it sure sounds that way and I don't understand why you'd think that.
August 2nd, 2012 at 11:21 AM ^
(He's talking about DUI's and running from police type stories, and generally feeling like you're invincible because a ton of people pay a lot of attention to you)
August 2nd, 2012 at 11:31 AM ^
Im talking about people like Fitz who decides it would be a good idea to drink and then go any where in public, let alone drive.
August 2nd, 2012 at 11:50 AM ^
Thanks :)
August 2nd, 2012 at 12:07 PM ^
Because only athletes get in trouble? Athletes get in trouble for the same reason mere human beings get in trouble as well. Because they're human beings. I'd bet Fitz didn't think "Fuck the police, I'm a running back!" He probably thought "I've had a couple, but I really need to get home tonight."
If anything, crime rates are LOWER among D-I athletes campared to the age-matched population at large. Take 100 18-22 year olds drawn randomply from the US population and how many do you think have a brush with the law in a year?
Do A LOT of student athletes make stupid decisions? Yes... Is there also alot more that are great students and citizens? Hell yea. But that isn't what i was even talking about in the first place so back to my point.
If anything, crime rates are LOWER among D-I athletes campared to the age-matched population at large.
That may be true if you're talking about all athletes, including walk-ons and people in nonrevenue sports. If you restrict it to football, I'm not so sure.
Now... I understand that everyone makes mistakes, but if you're a student athlete, you have a huge opportunity to make your life amazing in many ways, at the very least a great education for a great job. And that pooprrunity can slip away from you Instantly from just one stupid decision. Thus, you have 2-4 years in your life if you're a student athlete to not make any big, stupid decisions. Such as, dont break into someones dorm and steal their items, don't drink and drive (ever(i don't care what the circumstances are), wait a few years if you absolutely have to do any drugs like marijuana, dont slap your hoe in the face, I mean these arent "bad choices"... They're crimes and shit that you should never do for any reason ever. Fitz, He didn't decide to skip a class because he was tired or something like that, he fu**ing drank and drove in a car.
August 2nd, 2012 at 10:46 AM ^
I'm vacillating between impressed and disturbed by Kiffin's actions. Trying to get a helicopter for the one assistant on a cruise?
August 2nd, 2012 at 10:48 AM ^
Let's hate Kiffin cause it's cool to hate him and how dare he put in the effort! HUMBUUUUGGGGG Damn you and your connections! 2007 Rose Bowl NEVER. FORGET.
August 3rd, 2012 at 12:18 AM ^
August 2nd, 2012 at 10:53 AM ^
Criticize it all you want, but it works
So long as they're not paying players (or other sordid things), Kiffin's recruiting effort is impressive. He's out-working his competition, and there's really nothing wrong with that.
August 2nd, 2012 at 10:54 AM ^
football. It feels slimy, but it is an inevitable outgrowth of the billions that flow into the sport and the pressure those billions put on winning. We may not like it, but can we really be surprised or even offended at this point?
August 2nd, 2012 at 10:55 AM ^
Kiffin is a mercenary and he saw an opportunity to build up his army. He was probably thinking "hell, the kid can go anywhere why not USC?" It suprises me that in only a few years since USC had so much depth at RB they need to get Silas Redd.
August 2nd, 2012 at 10:58 AM ^
Who didn't want Redd?
August 2nd, 2012 at 11:24 AM ^
Michigan
August 2nd, 2012 at 10:59 AM ^
Sure, that sounds awesome from a logistics standpoint, but man is that depressing from the perspective of, I don't know, humanity. Kiffin basically takes a crap on the rest of his RBs by calling an all-hands-on-deck poaching of high-profile player from the charred remains of PSU AND sounds like a douche doing it. And by the way, USC is supposedly on probation for recruiting violations.
But no, too much stretching was a major competitive advantage.
August 2nd, 2012 at 11:03 AM ^
What a waste of money.
He got him, didn't he?
I'm really torn here . . . on the one hand it is indeed somewhat slimey and way out of any reasonable perspective of "student athlete". On the other hand, what's the point of all this B1G money sloshing around if we don't use some of it to actually make us more competitive?
(We/Addidas did spend money on different home and away reciever's gloves, so there is that.)
August 2nd, 2012 at 11:18 AM ^
Can the coaches use jets from boosters for recruiting purposes? Especially for one specific player? I honestly don't know and was wondering if my fellow MGoFollowers would know.
Thanks
August 2nd, 2012 at 11:30 AM ^
anything they want from boosters. I haven't seen "Step Into My Office" with Hoke, but with RR and the other Big Ten coaches, their offices are stocked with valuable memorabilia gifts from boosters, the car loaner programs dealerships have in place are all run by program boosters (I'm guessing, since I'm not sure what other incentive there is to give coaches free cars) and Hoke gets two of those for the duration of his contract.
August 2nd, 2012 at 11:55 AM ^
I believe there are some limitations on the use of private planes for transporting recruits.
August 2nd, 2012 at 11:58 AM ^
I wasn't meaning to say Kiffin can take Redd on a trip in a G5, only that Kiffin can accept a ride in a G5 (or just accept a G5 someone wants to gift to him) like any other random famous person.
August 2nd, 2012 at 11:56 AM ^
What happens when they extend Hoke's contract for 30 years?! More cars? because I wouldn't want to use only 2 cars for 30 years! #Optimism
/s
It is my understanding that the NCAA does not get too involved with the relationships between schools and boosters except to the extent that direct recruitment/player interactions take place. So a coach can take advantage of all the perks provided by a booster provided he/she does not pass along those benefits to a player in a direct manner (e.g. flying them on a booster's jet, having the booster pay for a meal, etc.). But even then, there are exception and loopholes.
But at Michigan those car programs are through the department. It's advertising for the dealer ("We're the official car of the Michigan Football Program", etc), and the program gets the transportation perks. But it has to be reported through the department. That's what got Jamie Morris fired; he loaned out the car to someone not on the list without reporting it, and when it was found out, lied about it. So they do keep track of these things. Here, at least.
And yes, obviously none of that can be going to the players.
If that's all they get out of it, I just can't see it making sense financially (as opposed to seeing it as a donation of sorts and just mentally writing off the cost). Then again, Kate Upton gets paid ungodly sums of money to do product placement campagins on Twitter, so maybe I'm clueless.
You probably get invited to hang with the bigs at events, and easier access to the suites and all. People do it for less. How many "official X product of Michigan Athletics" are there out there anyway?
salaries are bolstered by boosters. Such Nick Saban. A very large part of his salary comes from boosters.
SMU established a "Circle of Champions" of 20 donors to each give 100k a year for the next few years to hire Jones from Hawaii.
August 2nd, 2012 at 11:19 AM ^
I would expect no less from Lane Kiffin.
August 2nd, 2012 at 11:21 AM ^
Kiffin actually comes off kind of likable here. I about fell out of my chair.
August 2nd, 2012 at 11:22 AM ^
and wonder what's so wrong about all this. Kiffin wanted a player who was receptive to his pitch, so he went and got him. Personally, I wouldn't think it's necessary to use two private jets and a helicopter to get your entire staff across the country to be there with you, but what do I know about recruiting high profile players?
I don't see any rule breaking or spirit of rule breaking here (other than it's messed up if USC gets a scholarship number waiver after having their numbers restricted for rule breaking, but that's not what anyone is arguing here).
August 2nd, 2012 at 11:23 AM ^
USC runs on Dunkin.
I approve.
August 2nd, 2012 at 11:36 AM ^
It's ironic that USC poached a player from PSU, since USC is another program like Penn State's was where football is #1 and everything else is not even close. Spending this much money and going to this much trouble to recruit one player is absurd when you look at it from the 30,000 foot level.
August 2nd, 2012 at 11:37 AM ^
If Michigan was a RB away from being a national title contender and Redd was available, I would expect Hoke to pursue him.
August 2nd, 2012 at 11:45 AM ^
Maybe if Redd had nearly committed to UM or had a good friend/relative on the team. But I take Hoke on his word about the importance of team chemistry.
I don't disagree in theory, but it just feels unseemly for a team on probation to poach kids from another school on probation. Like robbing a dru dealer.
August 2nd, 2012 at 11:44 AM ^
Lane Kiffin really wanted the U. T. job......