Naughty Cocks pulling a Saban.

[BamaGrad03 0]

C'mon. It's like arguing over number of National Championships, discussions of orange jerseys and youtube clips. You can never get enough.

What about orange facemasks and the whole white shoe vs black shoe debate during the summer of 04?

[AUChizad 0]

Scarbinsky chimes in.

Scar

Bumping into recruits can be bad for coaches

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Nick Saban needs to hear this. Every other college football coach should listen up, too.

The profession may think it's no big deal to bump into a prospect and chat for a minute outside of an official contact period.

The fan in the street may believe it's no big deal, either.

There are important people who disagree.

Some of those people are compliance directors and athletics officials at colleges and universities beyond those that compete in the Southeastern Conference and recruit in the South.

Like the rest of us, they heard the stories last month about the new Alabama coach allegedly having improper contacts with three south Florida recruits during the spring evaluation period.

Unlike a lot of us, those suits didn't wonder what all the fuss was about, and they didn't buy the argument that it was a non-story because everybody does it.

The Saban story touched off calls to NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis, and it sparked a debate in compliance circles.

The more radical members of the compliance crowd have discussed the need to put more teeth into the existing rule that prohibits anything more than incidental contact with a recruit during a non-contact period.

One idea making the rounds: Prohibit prospects from attending a school that breaks the no-contact rule.

Harsh, but it's one way to help recruits narrow their lists.

Alabama seems to be taking seriously the allegations about Saban and improper contacts. Athletics department spokesman Doug Walker said Tuesday that the school "is in the process of compiling a report for the SEC office, and we plan to submit that report in the very near future."

If Alabama self-reports any secondary violations, it would make the school no different than, say, South Carolina.

The Gamecocks announced Friday that they've reported eight secondary NCAA violations this calendar year in various sports, two of the violations involving improper contacts with football recruits.

But it's the Saban story that's put the issue on the front burner. Some compliance officials are so fired up, they'd like to see the NCAA make an example of someone who violates the rule.

The most infamous bumper in recent times was Rick Neuheisel, whose creative ways to make contact with recruits during non-contact periods helped put Colorado on probation in 2002.

The most outrageous example of that creativity had Neuheisel talking to a recruit on the phone while standing across the street from the recruit's home.

Improper contacts usually are considered secondary violations when they're isolated and inadvertent and they result in no recruiting advantage. When they're not isolated or not inadvertent or they do result in a recruiting advantage, they can be a major pain.

Read these chilling words from the NCAA Infraction Committee's report in the Colorado case:

"The committee takes this opportunity to send an unequivocal message that the custom of `bumping' prospects during non-contact periods is a violation of NCAA rules no matter how widespread the practice, and coaches who continue to do so will be held accountable for their actions."

The NCAA hasn't exactly cracked down on the practice in the last five years, but that may be about to change.

So look out for things that go bump in the night. Kevin Scarbinsky's column appears Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Write him at kscarbinsky@bhamnews.com.

Yet another huge reason these two situations are different, BG.

Spurrier self-reported the "mistake" when his wife sent congratulation letters to recruits after they signed their letter of intent.

Infallable $aban spoke with recruits directly before they had signed with anyone.

Again, totally different.

[BamaGrad03 0]

Yet another huge reason these two situations are different, BG.

Spurrier self-reported the "mistake" when his wife sent congratulation letters to recruits after they signed their letter of intent.

Infallable $aban spoke with recruits directly before they had signed with anyone.

Again, totally different.

They are the same in that they are both VERY MINOR violations. And again, if you have a rivals premium subscription you can read about 5 or 6 other coaches who did the same thing Saban did. The same week Saban did it.

Where's the "Butch Davis is a cheater" thread?

[saniflush 0]

Yet another huge reason these two situations are different, BG.

Spurrier self-reported the "mistake" when his wife sent congratulation letters to recruits after they signed their letter of intent.

Infallable $aban spoke with recruits directly before they had signed with anyone.

Again, totally different.

They are the same in that they are both VERY MINOR violations. And again, if you have a rivals premium subscription you can read about 5 or 6 other coaches who did the same thing Saban did. The same week Saban did it.

Where's the "Butch Davis is a cheater" thread?

Butch Davis is a cheater and was following suitcase's lead.

Happy now?

[WAR-MATT 2]

Yet another huge reason these two situations are different, BG.

Spurrier self-reported the "mistake" when his wife sent congratulation letters to recruits after they signed their letter of intent.

Infallable $aban spoke with recruits directly before they had signed with anyone.

Again, totally different.

They are the same in that they are both VERY MINOR violations. And again, if you have a rivals premium subscription you can read about 5 or 6 other coaches who did the same thing Saban did. The same week Saban did it.

Where's the "Butch Davis is a cheater" thread?

Butch Davis is a cheater and was following suitcase's lead.

Happy now?

I have a feeling the NCAA will be knocking on his door before he leaves Chapel Hill as well.

[AUChizad 0]

Yet another huge reason these two situations are different, BG.

Spurrier self-reported the "mistake" when his wife sent congratulation letters to recruits after they signed their letter of intent.

Infallable $aban spoke with recruits directly before they had signed with anyone.

Again, totally different.

They are the same in that they are both VERY MINOR violations. And again, if you have a rivals premium subscription you can read about 5 or 6 other coaches who did the same thing Saban did. The same week Saban did it.

Where's the "Butch Davis is a cheater" thread?

The point is, aside from the fact that it's a consistant pattern, is that at least show some respect and remorse by self reporting it rather than get caught with your hand in the cookie jar and then be like "What? What's the big deal? Steve did it too!"

Well at least Steve said "Look, I took a cookie and later realized that my methods of obtaining the cookie do not comply with the rules. I appologize."

$aban just got caught red-handed.

[WAR-MATT 2]

Yet another huge reason these two situations are different, BG.

Spurrier self-reported the "mistake" when his wife sent congratulation letters to recruits after they signed their letter of intent.

Infallable $aban spoke with recruits directly before they had signed with anyone.

Again, totally different.

They are the same in that they are both VERY MINOR violations. And again, if you have a rivals premium subscription you can read about 5 or 6 other coaches who did the same thing Saban did. The same week Saban did it.

Where's the "Butch Davis is a cheater" thread?

The point is, aside from the fact that it's a consistant pattern, is that at least show some respect and remorse by self reporting it rather than get caught with your hand in the cookie jar and then be like "What? What's the big deal? Steve did it too!"

Well at least Steve said "Look, I took a cookie and later realized that my methods of obtaining the cookie do not comply with the rules. I appologize."

$aban just got caught red-handed.

He's only comment to it was; " I think it's funny it came from Miami". What a smug a--.

[BamaGrad03 0]

Since the south Florida papers were so giddy over thinking they could get a shot in at the great Saban, the story was out before we COULD self report. I'm not saying that we would have, or not, because I don't know.

But honestly, Saban ran into these kids on a Wednesday or Thursday, and the story was out in the Miami Herald on Monday.

Spurrier got, what, 5 months to self report this stuff?

And again, both encounters Saban is getting punished for were encounters that lasted a "couple of minutes". The two stories I read on Rivals were about scheduled MEETINGS with kids at high schools.

Honestly, I think you guys are mad because we didn't get the death penalty over this. Even though you ALL know that it's nothing.

[WAR-MATT 2]

The NCAA hasn't exactly cracked down on the practice in the last five years, but that may be about to change.

BG you and the rest of your Bammers are the only ones thinking it's going away. You could easily see another Colorado scenario coming your way.

Read these chilling words from the NCAA Infraction Committee's report in the Colorado case:

"The committee takes this opportunity to send an unequivocal message that the custom of `bumping' prospects during non-contact periods is a violation of NCAA rules no matter how widespread the practice, and coaches who continue to do so will be held accountable for their actions."

[BamaGrad03 0]

I never said it wasn't an infraction. I know it is. But you guys wetting yourselves think we are going to be put on probation or something...are in for a huge letdown.

[ssgaufan 0]

We don't think that bama will go on probation for this, but if you think that this will be the last time that satan steps over the line you are crazy. Give it a couple of years and your "elite" program will be back on probation.

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

He took it out.

It? It.

Out? Out!

[BamaGrad03 0]

We don't think that bama will go on probation for this, but if you think that this will be the last time that satan steps over the line you are crazy. Give it a couple of years and your "elite" program will be back on probation.

As will yours.

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

We don't think that bama will go on probation for this, but if you think that this will be the last time that satan steps over the line you are crazy. Give it a couple of years and your "elite" program will be back on probation.

As will yours.

Keep tilting at windmills.

We're smarter than you are.