PING: Texas, OU and College Football .. Crazy recruiting story

[DeToxRox]

5* DT Jamarkus McFarland committed to OU on Christmas.

New York Times published this story today.

I am sure nothing will come of it, but this is rather absurd if the allegations aren't even looked into.

I'd put it in the recruiting thread but I felt like a lot of people might find interest in this.

Ending a Recruiting Battle, Jamarkus McFarland Picks Oklahoma - NYTimes.com

[DeToxRox]

Dola, I am sure this is standard recruiting fare, but for it to be published in the New York Times with quotes from the Mom and Kid, it's pretty absurd to not at least check it out.

[kcchief19]

Is there anything in there that really surprises anyone? I have a hard time believing that there are many division I football programs who are completely free of improper booster activity. The only question is how extensive the activity is and whether they get caught.

The thing that struck me the most in the article is how much false blog and message board rumors seemed to influence recruiting. The moral of the story may be that if you want to win a recruit, start rumors that make your school look bad so the other school will be blamed.

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by kcchief19

Is there anything in there that really surprises anyone? I have a hard time believing that there are many division I football programs who are completely free of improper booster activity. The only question is how extensive the activity is and whether they get caught.

The thing that struck me the most in the article is how much false blog and message board rumors seemed to influence recruiting. The moral of the story may be that if you want to win a recruit, start rumors that make your school look bad so the other school will be blamed.

I concur with that.

The mom and kid didnt come off as the best in this article either.

[Crapshoot]

Actually, it makes the college football "superfans" look bad - the bullshit of amateurism, the repeating haggling, the abuse at a player for choosing to go somewhere else. He's a 17-18 year old kid.

[JonInMiddleGA]

After the visit, Adams received an e-mail message from Brown. “It is obvious that the recruiting has put a strain on your relationship,” the message said. “JaMac wants Texas, and Mom wants OU. We want you to still come to Texas, but we are going to slow our process down because you two need some time to get on the same page. We do not want players at Texas if everyone isn’t on the same page.”

In the same message, Brown wrote that Texas would not visit again unless requested.

McFarland’s mother and grandmother were offended.

“That’s tacky to me,” Adams said. “You’re basically telling my kid to just go against his parents.”

Huh? They say they're going to back off & she gets offended? Sounds like Mama is about half f'n nuts.

As for most of the rest of it, I thought it sounded rather tame versus most of the recruiting trail stories that make the rounds.

[Noop]

That kid's mom is a headcase.

[MrBug708]

Texas fans are livid about the article because the writer is a diehard Oklahoma fan

[Vegas Vic]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Texas fans are livid about the article because the writer is a diehard Oklahoma fan

The article also cuts into Texas' pompous, self-righteous attitude that Oklahoma is the only school that has ever engaged in improper recruiting activities.

Maybe they're hire a plane and a banner to whine about McFarland signing with OU.

[Senator]

You never seem to hear about Texas/OU coaches battling over a Oklahoma kid. Seems like they are always from Texas.

These coaches also know that it is about the Jimmies and Joes, even more than the X's and O's.

I fully believe I would like Stoops over Brown if they were recruiting me. Stoops offering to set the table, watching a movie he doesn't care about, putting in his time. Brown is a politician who doesn't call his own plays on either side of the ball. His job is to sell the university on players, refs, Big 12 admins, alumni, ect. He is the face. I fully believe Stoops would be much more invested in knowing the kid and their families before Brown would.

[Swaggs]

Not much substance there, in my opinion.

It is pretty much a medium for the recruit's mother with a little bit from the recruit. The author is pretty clear about that fact, so I don't have much of a beef with him, but nothing too shocking there for me. Sounds like a great kid and football player with a mother that sees him as a lottery ticket.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Noop

That kid's mom is a headcase.

Momma needs to realize it's not about her! She's upset when they are writing too often, upset when they back off. She likes the attention.

Originally Posted by Senator

You never seem to hear about Texas/OU coaches battling over a Oklahoma kid. Seems like they are always from Texas.

These coaches also know that it is about the Jimmies and Joes, even more than the X's and O's.

I fully believe I would like Stoops over Brown if they were recruiting me. Stoops offering to set the table, watching a movie he doesn't care about, putting in his time. Brown is a politician who doesn't call his own plays on either side of the ball. His job is to sell the university on players, refs, Big 12 admins, alumni, ect. He is the face. I fully believe Stoops would be much more invested in knowing the kid and their families before Brown would.

How do you know Stoops isn't a huge Queen Latifah fan?

Really, that means something, because he sat there for 90 mins and zoned out while "watching" the movie? Or offered to set the table?

That doesn't make him more invested in the kid, it makes him smart enough to realize he's got to kiss asses to get what he wants (5 star recruits).

[Logan]

I really don't understand how this is a NY Times story. Do they ever cover football recruiting? I don't know...just seems out of place to me.

[st.cronin]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

Not much substance there, in my opinion.

It is pretty much a medium for the recruit's mother with a little bit from the recruit. The author is pretty clear about that fact, so I don't have much of a beef with him, but nothing too shocking there for me. Sounds like a great kid and football player with a mother that sees him as a lottery ticket.

Spot on, imo.

[Logan]

One thing is clear though...the NCAA will DESTROY Middle Tennessee State for this.

[Senator]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

How do you know Stoops isn't a huge Queen Latifah fan?

Really, that means something, because he sat there for 90 mins and zoned out while "watching" the movie? Or offered to set the table?

That doesn't make him more invested in the kid, it makes him smart enough to realize he's got to kiss asses to get what he wants (5 star recruits).

Which, gives him a huge edge over Brown. He would never do that.

[Matthean]

Strip everything away and you come away with Oklahoma wanted him more and so he ended up there.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Senator

Which, gives him a huge edge over Brown. He would never do that.

I won't argue it gives him a recruiting edge, but to say he's invested in the kids is ridiculous.

If this kid backs out before signing day, you think he and Stoops will go out for a beer a few years from now to catch up? Does he set the table at a 3-star recruits house...or does he not bother to go to the house of a 3-star kid?

He's doing these things cause it's his job, not because he's a nice guy.

[cartman]

Originally Posted by Vegas Vic

The article also cuts into Texas' pompous, self-righteous attitude that Oklahoma is the only school that has ever engaged in improper recruiting activities.

Maybe they're hire a plane and a banner to whine about McFarland signing with OU.

Wow, what insight. WTF are you going on about with this post? I'm really at a loss. I expect this kind of crap from MBBF, but recently this has become your level of posting as well, and it is a bit disturbing.

[Senator]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

I won't argue it gives him a recruiting edge, but to say he's invested in the kids is ridiculous.

If this kid backs out before signing day, you think he and Stoops will go out for a beer a few years from now to catch up? Does he set the table at a 3-star recruits house...or does he not bother to go to the house of a 3-star kid?

He's doing these things cause it's his job, not because he's a nice guy.

Suburban Rhythm, you and I have never really talked before. So, you would not be aware I am not really as naive as you portray. We are arguing over semantics. By invest, I mean put in the necessary time and effort to get the recruit. I am friends with people who do this for a living. They are good men, but it is a business, and JMac is just another in a long line of beef to sign.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Senator

Suburban Rhythm, you and I have never really talked before. So, you would not be aware I am not really as naive as you portray. We are arguing over semantics. By invest, I mean put in the necessary time and effort to get the recruit. I am friends with people who do this for a living. They are good men, but it is a business, and JMac is just another in a long line of beef to sign.

Understood. I read it as investing in the relationship.

[Logan]

Texas writer's response to the article:

Orangebloods.com - Breakdown: NY Times article full of bull

[Ryan S]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Huh? They say they're going to back off & she gets offended? Sounds like Mama is about half f'n nuts.

That was the paragraph that jumped out at me. She seems to have gotten it the wrong way round. Texas were not interested in the player unless the parents were on board.

It sounds like the mother is crazy.

[lcjjdnh]

Originally Posted by Logan

I really don't understand how this is a NY Times story. Do they ever cover football recruiting? I don't know...just seems out of place to me.

I think the reason they published is exactly because they don't normally cover football recruiting and the typical NY Times reader probably doesn't follow it so closely. It's more of a general interest piece than something geared toward people who actually follow recruiting. I'm sure many of their readers found it interesting and probably didn't know this stuff goes on.

As for the allegation the writer is a huge OU fan, I find that somewhat hard to believe. I highly doubt the editors at NY Times would have assigned him the story if that was the case. Sounds like typical message board banter.

[BYU 14]

This Mother reminds me a lot of Patricia Portis (Josh Portis' Mom and Clinton Portis' aunt) She has pretty much ruined any chance of a decent College career he had. Committed to Urban Meyer at Utah, then followed him to Florida because Mom saw a bigger stage. Saw limited time in one season there and transferred to Maryland, with Momma saying he was lied to. No, he just has Tim Tebow in front of him.....Just a tad better player ya think. Then he gets suspended for cheating for a year at Maryland, again Mom claims it was a big misunderstanding. This year as a Junior he threw 2 passes and was used mostly in running situations and sparingly at that. Three wasted years and her Meal Ticket is just about punched.............for the soupline. I feel bad for the Kids in situations like this. One of the most recruited prospects in the country coming out of High School has had virtually no success at the Collgiate level because of her meddling and not teaching her son to be acocuntable and fight for something worthwhile.

[DanGarion]

His mother is a follower of the Pentecostal faith who does not attend his football games.

Huh? It's written into their religion that they don't attend football games? Honestly what the fuck type of religion would ask for you not to show support for your child by attending their games and stuff like that. This is why religions are fucked up for the most part.

[DanGarion]

What's up with all the typos?

[bhlloy]

I'm no UT fan, but that article was a complete hatchet job and the mother sounds like a raving lunatic.

It will be interesting to see what the NCAA does about the alleged violations in the article. I also wonder if some of the points in the article turn out to be untrue/unverifed, how hard the UT athletics department goes after the NY Times for this. Certainly a very effective negative recruiting tool for every other coach in the south for the next few years and a complete nightmare for Mack Brown.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Logan

I really don't understand how this is a NY Times story. Do they ever cover football recruiting? I don't know...just seems out of place to me.

You know the NYTimes has a sports section, right?

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Logan

Texas writer's response to the article:

Orangebloods.com - Breakdown: NY Times article full of bull

Not very convincing by the Texas writer there.

[Tigercat]

The Texas fan base likes to accuse any school that regularly gets good prospects out of Texas of cheating. I have seen them accuse LSU, Oklahoma, USC, ect.

Nevermind that not only do some recruits just want to get out of state, but Texas puts a lot of pressure on home state kids to commit early. It has done well for them, but you can't expect to bat 1.000 when you take a comparatively aggressive approach.

[lcjjdnh]

NY Times Public Editor addresses story in this week's column:

hxxp://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/18/opinion/18pubed-web.html?pagewanted=2&_r=3&sq=public%20editor&st=cse&scp=2