Spurrier and Petrino defend oversigning - WSJ article

Submitted by kenfizzle on

Interesting read from the WSJ:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100014240527487044446045761729541873573…

Notable quote from Spurrier:

He said the Big Ten, which has curbed oversigning for decades, is making a mistake by doing so. "I think that really hurts them a lot," Spurrier said. "They end up giving scholarships to a lot of walk-ons."

Bodogblog

March 1st, 2011 at 3:56 PM ^

Maybe even the vast majority as you're saying.  But this year - really this moment, as it's happening right now - is the first time oversigning will enter the poplular consiousness.  I read about it sometime late last year in Brian's posts - it was the first I've heard of it (I understand Brian was in the vanguard on calling out this practice).  Now I have friends who don't read anything but MSM bringing it up, and it's on ESPN/WSJ/HeyPaaul enough to be generally understood.  SEC types defend it by saying all schollies are year-to-year.  But mom won't like that.  And when Spurriers and Sabans have to explain that in the living room, some of them aren't going to buy it.  When Hoke says your boy gets 4 years from us, that will make a difference.  It also adds to the general oozing sleaze of the SEC. 

Maybe I'm naive, but I think this year we'll hear some stories of this affecting recruiting, with kids (and their moms and dads) wanting to stay away from that nonsense.  Dads aren't dumb, most want the best for their boys, and now that they understand this, they can act.

michgoblue

March 1st, 2011 at 11:40 AM ^

Kaddafi defends slaughter of hundreds (thousands?) of protestors saying "really, it is a good practice, because our roads are just too crowded anyway, so this reduces traffic.  Yes, death of innocents is a ticklish situation, but it gives opportunities to others in society.  I think that the civilized world is really limiting itself by not slaughtering innocent people."

Seth9

March 1st, 2011 at 11:54 AM ^

Also, this doesn't belong on a sports blog. And it has absolutely nothing to do with the topic. And if you are attempting to make any sort of parallel between Spurrier and Gaddafi here, shut the hell up and don't.

michgoblue

March 1st, 2011 at 12:24 PM ^

1.  lighten up - it is over-sensitive people like you who make others feel as if they have to watch everything that they say in public.  I feel bad for you, since you must not be able to get through a day without being offended.  Can't watch late night TV (yes, they actually parody Gadaffi), can't watch SNL, heaven forbid you watch something like Family Guy or South Park - you might faint.

2.  As regards to the comparison between Spurrier / Saban and Gaddafi, you are right, that is an insult to Gadaffi.  Again, in case you don't get it, this is a joke.

david from wyoming

March 1st, 2011 at 1:16 PM ^

Don't compare yourself to SNL. One has a multiple decade track record of high quality social satire and the other is a random poster on the internet that is being mildly offensive and pretty self righteous.

michgoblue

March 1st, 2011 at 2:31 PM ^

I have always been a confident type, but now, having been called "irritating and dumb" by a random dude on the internet names Seth, I don't know what to think. 

The point is that you don't have to like every joke that you hear.  Just because you don't like a joke, that joke is not automatically "offensive." 

Regardless, agree to disagree and move on. 

Bernard Ducamp

March 1st, 2011 at 12:05 PM ^

Yes, those SEC coaches will defend oversigning, because they are protecting "The System" and their meat-market-win-at-all-costs attitude.  Hell, who wants a walk on?  Load up on the prime stuff!  Values?  Who needs values?

However, if there is some concern for the student athlete, as in "we want you to be a scholar-athlete, not just prime beef on the hoof" . . . .. then the Big 10 approach is more civiized, humane, and meaningful.

GunnersApe

March 1st, 2011 at 1:44 PM ^

Looks like shit....check

smells like shit...check

must be the SEC rule book on football.

Teams in there own conference are bitching and they still do it, EPIC.