OT - Has recruiting media finally jumped the shark?
An article is making the rounds that Shaq's son Shareef has been receiving threats since he decommitted from Arizona due to the whole ESPN report cluster&uck. I am sure there is nothing serious in there but it is still unnerving that people are taking this too far.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaabk/shareef-o’neal-says-he-has-received-threats-since-decommitting-from-arizona/ar-BBJNLDz?ocid=spartanntp
A lot of fan bases have gone after kids that decommitted or chose a rival over their school, but I think this is the first time I have heard of a kid actually getting threats. Maybe this has happened in the past but nothing that I could remember.
Anybody who is older than 30 can remember a time where 99% of the fan base had no idea who the freshmen were each year until they actually got on the field / court. The only recruitments that I can remember from my HS / college days (1990s) were the Fab 5, Jerrod Ward, Peyton Manning (because of his dad) and Drew Henson.
I like following recruiting for the same reasons as the rest of the MGoBloggers but could these "threats" finally be the tipping point? Probably not, but the idea of people threatening 16-17 year olds over their college choice is true insanity and should make the industry reconsider the direction it is going in.
Loooooong ago
go for Myles.
While we're at it, we could also blame the internet. Without it fans would consume far less recruiting news and it would take more effort to make anonymous death threats.
Pillow mobsters have always been around; they just have a way to voice their crazy to millions without repercussion now.
and his recruitment was a BIG deal back then. As you said, Joubert was a big get as was Glenn Rice and Gary Grant.
Sean Higgins getting released from his ucla LOI and coming to UM was huge back in the day as well.
As a kid, I remember when Michigan got Tim McCormick's commitment. Was a really big deal.
Has gotten a little crazy, but that is partially due to internet and info moving at speed of light.
Strange how everyone seems to suggest how insane everything is these days, compared to the "old days". The differences arent that big - technology has just changed significantly and speeds up and spreads communication and people's opinions a lot faster...
Let's be honest, recruiting's always been pretty weird/creepy to follow. "OMG here's a photo of him with his shirt off! I can't wait to follow him on Twitter!"
until picking up the recruiting magazines over the summer and seeing where Athlon or Lindy's or whoever had them ranked. When I finally splurged for a subscription for The Wolverine (the paper version), it was such a huge deal when the final recruiting issue came out in early summer-- wow! bios of the incoming class! rankings! excitement!
And ALL of them had already signed with Michigan.
'recruiting'.
Call it "Troll Hunter" and have the producers join up with attorneys and victims of threats to obtain court orders directing ISPs/websites to turn over IP addresses so online abusers and harrassers can be exposed.
Most are likely not sophisticated enough to completely cover up their footprints; perhaps exposing a few would prompt some cheddarbrains sitting in their mom's basement contemplating sending death threats to reconsider.
I pretty much stopped following recruiting a couple of years ago and I can't say I miss it at all.
For me recruiting jumped the shark when everyone started giving "crystal balls" for recruits.
Where the only information you received on a recruit was in the newspaper that came out August 1st for the incoming class.
Then the evolution started with the USA Today and Athlon / Lindy mags.
It was a more peaceful frame of mind back then, but you also had no idea who anyone else got. You just assumed that Michigan would get the best recruits based upon the fact that they would consistently clean house in state.....
Its not the fault of the recruiting media. Its just one more example of how social media is tearing apart the fabric of society. It makes us more hateful then ever. People and ideas that should never see the light of day become mainstream. Faux outrage permeates society. The downfall of western civilization will be the socialists and social media.