Read how silly recruiting is getting

[DKW 86 7,437]

http://alabama.scout.com/2/490671.html

An Explanation Of Sorts

  By Kirk McNair

Date: Jan 19, 2006

On Wednesday I saw a couple of posts on the board about A.J. Jones, the Tampa linebacker, and his upcoming commitment announcement. And I saw where it had been leaked that he was going to Florida. Big surprise. But I didn’t know the firestorm that was to ensue.

Andrew Bone covers Alabama recruiting for ’BAMA Magazine and BamaMag.com, and does a very good job of it. Among the many differences of those who are reporters and those who post annonymously on a message board is a journalist sometimes has confidences he is required to keep. That was the case for Bone.

No one would claim we are perfect, and Andrew made a mistake in deleting posts about the Jones commitment. And the internet went crazy.

Here is one e-mail we received and our answer. Hopefully it will answer the questions of some others, although to hear Marshall tell it we will have no one reading this board again.

Following Marshall’s letter is my reply to him.

Dear Sir or Madam,

As you may well know there almost every member of Bamamag is also a member of a site called TiderInsider.

Very recently a TI member posted that a previous post on your forum was deleted. The post pertained to AJ Jones committing to Florida with a credible source of a Tampa Bay newspaper. The post was pretty much cut and paste. No words from the article were altered.

Now I know that AJ Jones is announcing his commitment tonight on CDTSD. And I as well as you know that he is committing to UF. Everybody knows! So now you are losing members because TI members are outraged. People are going to cancel their membership. I don't want to hurt Bamamag but Scout on the other hand... well why not. So why delete the post of something that already widely known? Now people are upset. People who already knew exactly what AJ was going to do, but was going to watch CDSTD anyway. Now, you don't have that, and you are losing members.

BUT THERE'S MORE! Lets get down to some earlier today history.

A VERY good source earlier today posted on TI saying that "he had enough of Newburg"... Now I've heard "stories" but mainly set them aside as rumors because of the source. But in this case, the source is an undeniable insider.

So, the story goes that Jamie Newburg decided he was going to purposely set up Brandon Spikes with a UF commit (offensive lineman) as a roommate at the

Army All-American game with the instructions to sway Spikes to UF. This

started to sound extremely familiar (Justin Britt tells the same trap story regarding UF). Now everyone on TI follows recruiting like a religion so we all know Scout pretty much runs the show at the Army All-American game.

Now I trust a coaching staff's instincts. This coaching staff, according to the same source, was EXTREMELY (I can't stress that word enough) confident Spikes was coming to Alabama the day he left for the Army All-American game. Newburg knew this as well.

Now I don't care that Spikes went to UF. He's a big kid but also very susceptible to outside influences.

So during the dead period, Jamie Newburg, basically a UF booster allowed UF to continue to recruit Brandon Spikes. Alabama was not afforded this opportunity. This is an unethical and from reports, extremely repetitive process Mr. Newburg practices.

So to say the least, all the thousands of members of TI were just a little ticked. People are linking Scout, CDTSD, Jamie Newburg, and the Army All-American game together.

Now the day progresses a little and we see JC Sherbert from Rivals write about CDTSD, doesn't name names but points it in a specific direction (toward Newburg) saying that "someone" is grandstanding UF. That CDSTD knows exactly what school they are going to and purposely program kids that are committing to UF. (AJ Jones)

What a day huh? Newburg rooming Spikes to sway him to UF. Rivals Sherbert writing about CDSTD, and now Bamamag deleting legitimate posts regarding a highly recruited player.

No one on TI wants to see Bamamag go down the tube. No one really wants to cancel their memberships (although many are as I am typing this). But Bamamag's affiliation with Scout and Jamie Newburg is sinking it... and sinking it fast. Oh sure, we on TI constantly complain about Scouts rating compared to Rivals... every year. But with a Gator and a Barner (All-barn that is) running the show we really just laugh at it.

I hope this email gets to someone who cares about Bamamag.

BTW, we now are organizing a boycott against all sponsors of Scout and CDSTD.

Best Regards,

Marshall

And my reply:

Dear “Marshall,”

I don’t ordinarily answer unsigned letters, but I will make an exception for you.

There are so many good things about the Internet, but the one thing I can't stand is intelligent people going ballistic over nothing.

First a general explanation:

We have an excellent young writer, Andrew Bone, who works hard at covering recruiting and who has a very good working relationship with the prospects he is covering. The young man told Andrew that he wanted to announce his commitment on the regional television program, "Countdown To Signing Day."

I can't speak as to what happened, but it appears A.J. Jones gave an interview to the Tampa Tribune, supposedly (though I don't know this) with the understanding that the story would be held until the television announcement. This tactic -- called an embargo in the journalism trade -- has been going on forever.

When Andrew saw the post, he over-reacted in deleting it (and similar posts) But it was not some devious plot. He was merely trying to protect the player, something he realistically could no longer do.

He made a mistake. In the grand scheme of things it is not terribly significant.

Now to some specifics:

Why are the people on TI so upset over something they already know being deleted on BamaMag.com? Nothing was kept from you. You already knew it.

As to the “very good source” on TI...who is it? I’ve seen more misinformation from the posters at TI than I have even from BOL. In fact, there are no good sources among posters at TI, because there is no one around the things they claim to have inside information about. (I am not talking about Rodney.) Those good sources are right about as often as the weatherman, which is to say about what the law of averages on guesses would be.

Anyone who thinks Jamie Newburg can out-recruit Alabama’s coaching staff has no idea about recruiting. (And if that was the case, we would be in big trouble.) And anyone who thinks coaches “know” what a prospect is going to do is just as naive.

Your “undeniable insider” is absolutely 100 per cent wrong on the rooming situation at the Army All-American game. The players pick their own roommates in most cases, but otherwise it is done by the Army, not Jamie Newburg. How stupid. When Alabama has prospects visiting they also have committed prospects and current players with those prospects. And yet we don’t get every prospect we bring in. Did the TI insider ever notice that?

Remember, the only internet reporters with real access at the Army All-American Game are those of the Scout network, including BamaMag.com. Not Rivals. Not Tider Insider.

I don’t know who J.C. Sherbert is, but at least he has guts enough to sign his name. But that doesn’t mean he has correct information. If Jamie Newburg is recruiting for Florida, do you think FSU and Miami and Alabama, et al might be as aware of it as TI “insiders” and Rivals writers? And if that was the case, do you think the SEC or NCAA might get a call? Give college coaches a little credit for being more knowledgeable about their business that TI insiders and Rivals writers.

As for your boycott, I can’t tell you how little I think of that tactic and the people who use it. It doesn't surprise me that a boycott advocate doesn't sign his name.

Yes, Andrew Bone overreacted. So is he the kettle?

Sincerely,

Kirk McNair

[quietfan 233]

Tider Insider?

'nuff said.

[BamaGrad03 0]

Newberg was deleting them on the Florida site too.

Bottom line, Scout/Newberg/etc are all in with CTSD. And they didnt want the cat to get out of the bag before the show because they were worried that it would hurt their ratings.

Its becoming a circus.

[WarTim 3,456]

"The Barnum and Flipper Dark Pink uat Circus"

The FUNNIEST "SHow" on Earth ! ! !

[auwallace 6]

only bama fans would be so egotistical to think that a tv show is out to get them, like some high school kid is gonna give a crap what jamie newberg thinks, honestly, go ask andre smith if he cares what some idiot on fsn thinks. HEY BAMA-QUIT WHINING!!!!!!!!!!!!

My favorite part of the reply was the part where he basically calls out the posters on thinking they know more than their coaching staff, like they have priveledged information

[LegalEagle 22]

We ought to have a recruiting forum where we can report recruiting info. - especially when the word "recruiting" is in the topic title.

In fact, since it's Bammer crap, we ought to have a forum called "Kool-aid Korner" for Bammer nonsense. :slimer:

[DKW 86 7,437]

LE, I didnt see this so much as recruiting as HUMOR...

[AURULZ1 0]

"DITTO" DKW very funny indeed

[StatTiger 3,188]

[WarTiger 3,914]

"The Barnum and Flipper Dark Pink uat Circus"

The FUNNIEST "SHow" on Earth ! ! !

     

213240[/snapback]

Not to mention the HIGHEST PAYING!!!

[AURULZ1 0]

Don't fear the thumb fear the trigger finger!!!!

[StatTiger 3,188]

Don't fear the thumb fear the trigger finger!!!!

213403[/snapback]

Shhhhhhh....Be bery, bery quiet... I'm hunting Shuwas.

[SouthLink02 8]

Scott Kennedy is on the UGA's board defending Newberg and basically laughing at this theory

I agree with Scott as well

[abrnfanatc 6]

Yes, but everybody...especially the NCAA and Viles are out to get the tahd. Add Mr. Newberg to the list along with Mr. Culpepper and Coach Fulmer now.

They's all out ta git us.

[AWK 0]

Some people just need to take one breathe aat a time, lack of oxygen slows down the critical thinking process significantly