8th grader commits to Kentucky...

[rockyroad]

Wow.

That is wrong in so many different ways.

What have we created in this country???

[Dan_ref]

Rules prohibit college coaches from initiating contact with prospects and their families at events like the King James tournament, but word was later filtered through the Indiana Elite staff that Gillispie was very impressed with Avery.

"So what I proceeded to do was make contact with coach Gillispie," Avery said. "I got a contact number for him and left him a message, but didn't hear back from him. I started wondering, does he really like my son? When I got in Los Angeles Monday morning, I decided to try again, and he answered the call. He told me he remembered my son, and that he was really glad that I called. He explained that he wasn't allowed to call me back, so it had to be me that initiated the call.

Right. This kid from SoCal ends up playing for some AAU coach in Indiana at a tourney where a D1 coach happens to be looking at other players. And the D1 coach is so impressed he offers him a scholarship.

Typical AAU/NCAA BS. The only question is how will the AAU coaches involved hide their payoff so it doesn't appear too obvious what actually went on.

And yes, it's pathetic this crap is reaching down to the 8th grade.

[Mark Padgett]

Anybody else think it's going to be hard for this kid to concentrate on his studies in HS?

"Gee, Mom, I can't do my homework, I have to practice my jump shot or else Kentucky might change their minds."

Or worse yet - "Michael, forget the homework, go practice your jump shot. Do you want to blow your scholarship? What's wrong with you?"

This is wrong on so many levels.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

Anybody else think it's going to be hard for this kid to concentrate on his studies in HS?

Why dies he have to study if he's going to Kentucky?

[Coltdoggs]

Hey..it's the times we live in. If the kid can get his education paid for, I'm all for it. You use the game, not the other way around. Sure, a lot can happen in 4 years but if they put the offer on the table and he can sign it...DO IT!

And if he turns out to be a marginal player, well....he still has that education!

Edited for: I do think it's crazy but it is what it is...take the money and run!

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by Coltdoggs

Hey..it's the times we live in.

That is garbage. It's not the "times we live in" - it's the climate we have allowed to develop where little Johnny is a superstar because he's taller than all the other kids and can shoot/throw/pass/kick a stupid ball better than others. It's crap...

[Coltdoggs]

Rocky....it's the same thing with drafting kids out of HS to the NBA...it's all based on POTENTIAL and really has nothing to do with actual ability anymore.

Sadly it's all become a business...right down to the 8th grade AAU level. I will never fault a kid for taking the opportunity to secure something for himself, be it a full ride scholarship or the multi-million dollar payday of professional sports. Look at Greg Oden...Do you think he didn't know about his knee problem when at OSU...if that were to come out before last year's draft, do you think he would have been picked where he was....Maybe with him, but a lot of other guys who had knee issues never made the guaranteed money of the first round.

Again...sign the LOI and scholly offer as fast as you can kid!

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Coltdoggs

Look at Greg Oden...Do you think he didn't know about his knee problem when at OSU...if that were to come out before last year's draft, do you think he would have been picked where he was....Maybe with him, but a lot of other guys who had knee issues never made the guaranteed money of the first round.

Yes. The NBA (and its teams) do an enormous amount of testing before the draft. If there was something there that could have shown up on a physical exam or an MRI, they whould have found it. You think they'll make multi-million dollar investments without spending a few hundred for an MRI?

Originally Posted by Coltdoggs

Again...sign the LOI and scholly offer as fast as you can kid!

He can't....they're not recognized until sometime around the Junior year. All he can do at this point is verbal...and that is not binding in either direction.

[TheOracle]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

That is garbage. It's not the "times we live in" - it's the climate we have allowed to develop where little Johnny is a superstar because he's taller than all the other kids and can shoot/throw/pass/kick a stupid ball better than others. It's crap...

I agree with you 100%. 8th graders committing is pretty foolish. But do you thikn it was the same 30 years ago? Kids didn't sign that early, but athletes have always gotten away with things to stay eligible and in school...With the internet, it is just harder to hide the blatancy now.

Bad as it sounds, as long as an 8th grader stays eligible in HS and then at college, he's following the rules and meeting expectations. I think the high schools and colleges should be raising their standards and not allowing athletes to skirt requirements. But that'll never happen.

[JRutledge]

I do not like the fact that kids would subject themselves to that kind of decision this early. But who is going to stop him or his family making that decision? The coaches still cannot talk to the players at this stage. I know if I was that young and was a really good player, I probably would make a similar decision as to what school I was going to. Now it is up to the parents that help guide those decisions and show there kids the correct way. Now not all parents are capable to do that and most are completely uneducated about the process anyway and unless their parents are former players or current coaches, they might not really know what to do or what not to do in this situation. Bottom line is most parents would want their kid to get an education or an opportunity for an education.

Peace

[rockyroad]

In that entire article, the word "education" was used once. It's not about an education and we all know that...

[Coltdoggs]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

In that entire article, the word "education" was used once. It's not about an education and we all know that...

I agree and you are missing my point....Let's say they were looking at him and 3 years from now the kid rips up his ACL/MCL/PCL, needs microfracture surgury or something.......do you think Gillespie is gonna say "Well kid, I've been watching you since 8th grade and you are a great kid and I know it's gonna take you 2 years to rehab, but I'm gonna give you a full ride anyway!"

HELL NO he's not.....

So IF the kid pans out and becomes a stud Gillespie looks like a helluva coach for "spotting" talent and maybe he goes on to BIG$ of pro ball..... If the kid shreds his knee....HE looks like a smart kid that took advantage of the system which is EXACTLY what he should do because the % chances of him getting a college education paid for and making it to guaranteed money to set him and his family up for life in 7 years don't come around often enough!

[Dan_ref]

Originally Posted by Coltdoggs

I agree and you are missing my point....Let's say they were looking at him and 3 years from now the kid rips up his ACL/MCL/PCL, needs microfracture surgury or something.......do you think Gillespie is gonna say "Well kid, I've been watching you since 8th grade and you are a great kid and I know it's gonna take you 2 years to rehab, but I'm gonna give you a full ride anyway!"

HELL NO he's not.....

So IF the kid pans out and becomes a stud Gillespie looks like a helluva coach for "spotting" talent and maybe he goes on to BIG$ of pro ball..... If the kid shreds his knee....HE looks like a smart kid that took advantage of the system which is EXACTLY what he should do because the % chances of him getting a college education paid for and making it to guaranteed money to set him and his family up for life in 7 years don't come around often enough!

Man I would love to have you on the *other* side of the table in any business negotiations.

[Mark Padgett]

What's next? College coaches visiting maternity wards to see which babies can dunk their pacifiers?

Let's be serious. None of this would be happening if college sports didn't bring in huge amounts of revenue and the coaches weren't paid more than the teachers. If we want all this to go away, as a nation we should stop watching "amateur" sports on television. We created this "monster". It's just going to get more pervasive, not less.

[Coltdoggs]

Originally Posted by Dan_ref

Man I would love to have you on the *other* side of the table in any business negotiations.

Dan...Please expand...you obviously have an opinion about my stance on this...bring it forth...