Processing Is Not Rare
If you had Teddy Greenstein in the Brings Up Erik Swenson Next pool, collect your winnings. I get annoyed at Greenstein because he puts up a front of objectivity while putting out article after article designed to put Harbaugh in a bad light. See the recent article on refereeing where he asked the Big Ten's head of officials if he was bad at his job, got a "no," and said "well, I guess that wraps it all up, folks!"
Anyway. This one was somewhat spoiled by Harbaugh explaining the situation from his perspective...
"There's a camp in June, and we really want you to come so we can see you.' It ended up, after a couple of conversations, that he wasn't going to come to camp.
"I said: 'We're going to be in Indianapolis in the beginning of June for a satellite camp. It's closer to your home.' He said no. I said, 'We really need to see you for ourselves.' He said, 'Just evaluate my senior tape.' 'OK, that's what we will do.'"
...but Greenstein does his best to frame it anyway.
What happened to Swenson is exceedingly rare: a high school player in good academic standing, who remains loyal to the school to which he verbally committed, getting dumped within weeks of signing day.
There is a term for a school dispatching a player it no longer wants: "processing."
Connecticut coach Randy Edsall got crushed last week by national media figures Paul Finebaum ("total disgrace"), Mike Greenberg ("How you go to sleep at night, I have no idea") and the Washington Post's Sally Jenkins ("No one is more committed to Randy Edsall than Randy Edsall") after his scurrilous actions regarding a high school linebacker from New Jersey named Ryan Dickens.
Contrary to pearl-clutchers in the media, "processing" kids before they can sign is a common practice getting ever more common. That's why there's a term for it. Most of these situations go uncommented upon because the kid and coaches know the score and are just looking for a landing spot. The rare thing is a kid getting pissed off about it in the media.
I think we can safely assume that someone moving down from a Power 5 program to a lower level has been processed, and there have been a number of these this year: CB Nick Roberts and QB Todd Centeio went from P5 programs to the AAC. S Ahman Ross is trying to find a landing spot at Appalachian State or Colorado State. RB Bentavious Thompson looks likely to end up at UCF. FIU is the crystal ball favorite for WR Kevaughn Dingle.
That's five guys not from all of the Power 5 or one P5 conference but one recruiting class: Miami's. Every collection of team-specific recruitniks in America has a subliminal list of a few guys who are technically committed but won't actually be in the class. For Michigan this year they were Carter Dunaway and Chase Lasater; for Ohio State they were Danny Clark, Bruce Judson, and Todd Sibley.
The 24/7 decommitment tracker is missing a pager so it only goes back three days. In those three days (three days!) there are four recruitments that look like processing of some variety:
- WR Warren Jackson decommitted from Arizona and fielded a couple of quick CSU picks.
- LB DeMarco Artis decommitted from FSU and told 247 that it was "unfortunate."
- LB Jabreel Stephens decommitted from Louisville and looks set to pick USF.
- LB Jaquan Henderson flipped from Tennessee to Georgia Tech.
It is exactly one week from signing day.
Even if not all of these are genuine processings that should be sufficient to demonstrate that the practice is not rare, or anything close to it. If Greenstein had done 15 minutes of research he would have reached the same conclusion. You have to wonder why he would not take such a basic step before making an easily-disproved factual assertion.
January 25th, 2017 at 2:12 PM ^
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January 25th, 2017 at 2:24 PM ^
January 25th, 2017 at 5:01 PM ^
January 25th, 2017 at 7:33 PM ^
The Michigan (Sports Blog) Difference!
January 25th, 2017 at 5:33 PM ^
January 25th, 2017 at 6:44 PM ^
January 25th, 2017 at 8:36 PM ^
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January 25th, 2017 at 2:46 PM ^
Haha this guy is a complete fool. But hey at least we finally got to hear Jim's side of the whole story :)
January 25th, 2017 at 2:13 PM ^
January 25th, 2017 at 2:34 PM ^
what is wrong with alternative facts?
January 25th, 2017 at 2:45 PM ^
Politics. Don't do it.
January 25th, 2017 at 2:53 PM ^
didn't. Your definition of "politics" must be more expansive than mine.
January 25th, 2017 at 3:14 PM ^
This is going to be set down here, so it's not ambiguous any longer:
Alternative Facts is a rip on the Trump administration, if not Trump himself.
If you deploy that phrase on this blog, no matter what you're referencing, or whatever the context, nor how pro-Michigan your point is, those who support the Trump presidency will read it as a not-so-veiled slight of their President.
Now, I'm pretty certain you knew that when you typed it in, and were just being disingenuous that you intended no politics.
I intend to continue to use the phrase when it fits - as it does in this story in actual fact - but I won't pretend it's something other than what it is.
January 25th, 2017 at 3:31 PM ^
But one could argue that he's echoing our President's statement and imitiation is flattery...especially as we don't know ijohnb's political affiliation.
Also note, you said "their President" in reference to Trump supporters, but yet he is all of our President. Trump supporter or not, I would not offend those who do support him by calling Trump "their President."
/s
January 25th, 2017 at 4:53 PM ^
So gald you added the /s
I was definitely referring to those who would be prone to take offense and call "politics" -
but Alternative Facts refers directy to Spicer & Conway, not the President.
Also.............................NOT MY PRESIDENT!
There - no MORE politics!
January 25th, 2017 at 6:03 PM ^
January 25th, 2017 at 3:47 PM ^
somebody says doesn't become "political" because it upsets certain people. In fact, allowing the word "political" to encompass the meaning that you have given it is another example of the same double speak that have rise to "alternative facts." The definition of "political" has not all of the sudden been expanded to include "any phrase that may tend to upset Trump or his supporter." To that I say, toughen up, butter cup.
Saying the phrase "alternative facts" as a joke is not a political statement of any kind.
January 25th, 2017 at 3:51 PM ^
"all of a sudden" should upset everybody, though.
January 25th, 2017 at 4:56 PM ^
Well it is poitical, because only one side of the isle thinks it is a joke.
The other thinks it's totally valid and feels the mainstream press has been offering up alternative facts as news for years,
So it's inflammatory no matter which side you're on - and I'm pretty sure that's why this blog urges the "no politics" policy. I've had comments removed from threads more than once, so you can call me Capt. Kirk!
January 25th, 2017 at 9:15 PM ^
January 25th, 2017 at 11:03 PM ^
Tee hee. You said "isle" instead of "aisle."
January 25th, 2017 at 4:22 PM ^
January 25th, 2017 at 4:48 PM ^
I can't use the word "strategery" anymore? For Christ's sake ... I mean, for Harbaugh's sake.
January 25th, 2017 at 4:54 PM ^
January 25th, 2017 at 7:35 PM ^
(Wojo voice)...."HEYYYY, No religion!"
January 25th, 2017 at 5:01 PM ^
Let's agree on one thing here - and those who count themselves as Trump supporters will have to agree with this if they're honest:
"Strategery" didn't offend anyone back then, it was funny!
We do not have that same ability to laugh at ourselves any longer... well some of us. The SNL version of Bernie made me laugh out loud - YUGELY!
January 25th, 2017 at 5:31 PM ^
January 25th, 2017 at 9:17 PM ^
January 26th, 2017 at 12:01 AM ^
January 26th, 2017 at 6:42 AM ^
January 25th, 2017 at 11:16 PM ^
Apparently saying "alternative facts" is political, but telling everyone who you voted for is not.
Glad we sorted that one out.
January 25th, 2017 at 11:56 PM ^
January 26th, 2017 at 12:12 PM ^
but I just watched The Avengers Civil War and I was on Team Captain America.
January 26th, 2017 at 12:56 PM ^
was out of control. Captain America had a duty to act as he did.
January 25th, 2017 at 7:35 PM ^
January 25th, 2017 at 3:03 PM ^
Since you seem to like policing this issue I'm really just curious as to if your response only has to do with this particular phrase or is it also applicable to "make _____ great again"?
I've yet to have seen you respond to that phrase as well so, like I said, just curious...
January 25th, 2017 at 3:12 PM ^
uhh yeah sure. I haven't seen anyone post that on here?
I guess I'm just confused by your comment because I barely ever do it. I just don't like thinly veiled "oh it's not political" political statements. If someone were to type 'Make Michigan Great Again' then I'm fairly certain it would get called out or negged to Bolivian too, idk.
January 25th, 2017 at 3:16 PM ^
+1 to you, then. I've seen the phrase used but neither bother me, honestly, though I can understand how they could lead down the political path. With that said, if one shouldn't be used then neither should the other, ergo my question.
January 25th, 2017 at 3:34 PM ^
no worries, mate.
I'm sure there were some 'great again' references during the election. The problem for me is that it's pretty obviously a political shot and when I said no politics he tried to play it off as if he wasn't referencing politics yet everyone else that commented or up/down voted knew what he was referencing.
There have been bigger travesties.
January 25th, 2017 at 10:37 PM ^
January 25th, 2017 at 11:51 PM ^
January 26th, 2017 at 12:05 AM ^
January 25th, 2017 at 6:21 PM ^
January 25th, 2017 at 6:45 PM ^
Glad people take a deep breath .... also glad I read all of your post lol.
Like I said, I didn't find it offensive, I found it political. It's going to take a lot more than what john said to offend me. Also said there have been bigger travesties. If you didnt find it political then that's cool with me, I honestly and unsnarkingly do not care.
January 25th, 2017 at 2:14 PM ^
At the end of the day, Harbaugh makes for a great headline. People are going to attach his name to anything and everything that they can. Folks like Greenstein, Finebaum, etc. cannot keep him out of the news because of the attention that he will bring to any situation. The examples above show teams such as Arizona, Miami, Tennessee, and FSU, which rarely make a ripple in the national landscape. Coaches like Saban and Harbaugh make national news for any comment that they make.
January 25th, 2017 at 8:06 PM ^
Sure wish there were more articles about Saint Saban and stuff like this. Have to go back over 6 years to read an article about Alabama processing.
Well, I guess when Harbaugh wins a couple championships maybe these jerks will find another target.
January 25th, 2017 at 2:14 PM ^
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January 25th, 2017 at 2:25 PM ^
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