Thoughts on Scout and Rivals...

This is a common, faulted equivalency argument: There's some good and bad on both sides, so there is no distinction. I worked at a shop that placed a huge priority on recruiting, and even there the vultures took the coverage to task, manipulated it and threw it back at us. Yes, these sites make money. No, that fact is not relevant to my life code.

 

I still contend that one of these sites is going to get a school in big trouble at some point. An increasing number of them are run by professionals, but many are full of fanbois who shatter recruiting rules.

 

Playing devil's advocate...but that's the site's fault and not the loose-lipped college coaches?

 

One of these clowns gets designated an "agent of the school" by the NCAA and all bets are off. I know a couple of rivals guys who toe that line.

 

Did not think of that, really. Just figured they'd be independent folk doing independent things.

But you're right - I could see it happening from that point of view.

 

Already happened... And the train kept right on rolling. Repercussions for the individual, but not the business.

 

The NCAA is not a goverment agency.
They have no power over you except the granting of credentials to their championships.
(Which means, if football is your primary beat they have no power at all).
If you are following their rules on recruiting coverage, you're getting your tail beaten by everbody else who's doing the job.

 

Where'd it happen?

Twoback: Nobody is suggesting that reporters follow NCAA rules. But when schools act in concert with a "reporter" <cough, cough> things can change and the reporter <quote signs with my fingers> would certainly could face no real punishment, the school could ... hypothetically, of course.

 

Certainly not arguing that point. And I know some of the team-specific sites have recruiting reporters who all but pitch the values of their particular school. (Or, in fact, do that very thing).

 

And now it's the Rivals site covering Clemson that's broken the Tommy Bowden news, too.

 

Not according to ESPN.com

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3641028

 

Well, of course not.

http://clemson.rivals.com/default.asp?SR=RivalsFP