"You lie in recruiting a bunch. That's just kind of part of it." - Holgorsen

Submitted by Cold War on

It's one thing to be candid and honest.

It's another to arm your enemy with candor and honesty.

That's exactly what West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen has done in saying that lying to recruits is business as usual in college coaching. According to the Twitter feed of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's West Virginia beat writer, Stephen J. Nesbitt, Holgorsen said: "You lie in recruiting a bunch. That's just kind of part of it. You become a salesman."

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000376634/article/dana-holgorsen-says-lying-in-recruiting-happens-a-bunch

ChiBlueBoy

August 11th, 2014 at 4:33 PM ^

The point is to make your school look as appealing as possible. That means emphasizing the positive. To some people, that's lying. To others, it's "spin" or caveat emptor. To me, the best salesperson doesn't hide the negatives, but addresses them in a way that is straightforward but optimistic. It's harder when the product you're selling isn't that great. To Holgorsen, saying only things that are factually true, but not saying all that you're thinking, may be "lying." To me, it's skillfully promoting something you believe in.

As an aside, I'm guessing that Hoke is able to "sell" recruits without the need to lie, or even do much "spinning". The negatives are on-field results the last couple years. Those can't be hidden. The positives are, first, the fantastic education and chance for success off the field. Second, the recent recruiting success leading to likely on-field improvement. Third is the culture and environment where recruits feel at home.

saveferris

August 12th, 2014 at 12:27 PM ^

To me, the best salesperson doesn't hide the negatives, but addresses them in a way that is straightforward but optimistic.

True, but in Holgorsen's case, it's probably hard to be straightforward and optimistic because the school is in, you know, West Virginia.

What's the positive spin here? "You like moonshine son? Hell, I can get you a case of the best 'shine you've ever tasted!"

ChiBlueBoy

August 12th, 2014 at 3:23 PM ^

I was driving through WV on a Sunday afternoon, noting just how beautiful it is. Perhaps the most gorgeous State in the Union. I really needed to piss, however, so pulled over at a rest stop. Finding one wasn't a problem, as I could smell the stop before I saw the signs for it, and the "rest stop" was a line of 4 or 5 portapotties. They looked and smelled about like what you would expect for day 3 of an outdoor music festival.

The interesting part was all of the pickup trucks lined up outside of it, with whole families sitting in the back of the trucks, chatting with other families in other pickup trucks, drinking beer and eating snacks. Apparently, Sunday afternoon is spent socializing at rest stops in WV.

I truly wish I were making this up.

Beautiful state. Some nice people. Weird-ass culture.

m1817

August 11th, 2014 at 5:07 PM ^

When you are recruiting for WVU, lying is a necessity.  Otherwise, no one would go there unless they didn't have any other D1 offers.