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Are fans involved too much in recruiting?

George Mason Basketball: Are fans involved too much in recruiting?

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Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Are fans involved too much in recruiting?

Great article in the Washington Post today about the NCAA's rules about fans being involved in college recruiting and how the line is being blurred. It has never been easier for the average fan to speak their opinions to the world and even obtaining media credentials isn't that difficult (as I found out last March). The NCAA really comes down on coaches who so much as text a recruit one too many, but now you have to worry about fan sites and message board people directly contacting these guys. Even friending a recruit on Facebook or on another social media venue is against the rules if your a fan/alumni of the university. The article mentions a fansite run by a Georgetown fan (http://cuttingdownnets.wordpress.com/) who actively Facebook stalks potential recruits and "interviews" them, while making it obvious of his hopes they will sign with the Hoyas. I love Mason basketball and I get excited when I hear about potential recruits considering my alma mater but I'm not going to Facebook friend a 16, 17 year-old and try to persuade them to come to Fairfax. Not only is it against NCAA rules but I also don't work for Mason and I don't pretend to be a part of the athletic department or basketball program. These aggressive "superfans" give websites like mine a bad name because they don't follow the rules. Isn't there already enough corruption in college basketball recruiting?

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2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well that and the fact you aren't a spoiled brat from Georgetown living off mommy and daddy.

What you are doing is great. It's awesome to have somewhere to go to read about who coach L has recurited, what former players are up to, etc.

Don't let the hacks feel like what you are doing is tainted.

8:42 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm a little late in replying here, but I can't help but wonder...whats stopping a bunch of Duke fans from posing as North Carolina fans and attempting to "recruit" a bunch of kids to their most hated school? It could turn recruits off from that school and even get NC in trouble.

It's not that hard to create a fake Myspace or Facebook profile and pretend to be someone you're not.

11:30 PM  

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