Stallion wrote:The NCAA comes down harder on recruiting inducements (promises of cars cash ,merchandise, monthly payroll etc)than they do alumni $20 Dollar handshakes or employment benefits from alumni to current students. The wording they often cite is that if gave a program a competitive advantage because the recruit would not have decided to attend that school without the inducement.
As for UT, its at least interesting to note when Mack Brown "invented" early spring recruiting that UT was getting 15-20 commits 11 months before signing date and in those days that was before the top recruits had been identified publically. They simply were invited to their two Junior Days in about the 2nd and 4th weeks of February, were offered at Junior Days and either committed on the spot or within days. Not much chance for recruiting inducements in that type of situation. I think your more likely to see recruiting inducements in the last months of recruiting and in those situations UT under Mack had one of the worst recruiting records of any powerhouse in the Country. They struck out with all of their top targets in late recruiting and have for years. I think UT is a unique situation but no I don't think their coaching staff have to offer recruiting inducements to recruit-now once they get on campus all bets are off because "Big Wad" alumni are dumbasses. . There simply is no evidence of major illegal recruiting inducements by UT in over about 3 decades and you can't say that the media has any problem publicizing the many felony and misdemeanor arrests of their athletes. If I'm wrong identify one example or hint of an alleged minor or major illegal recruiting inducement by UT that has occurred in the last 3 decades. There aren't any-and you can't say that about most Southern powerhouses. Not one of the arrested athletes or athletes who have been dropped from the program to clear recruiting space has ratted them out either-and there are 5-6 former super studs every year cut from the program
Stallion...I agree...UT largely didn't need to induce recruits...and recruiting inducements were usually hit much harder than paying existing players..but...
- 1985 we lost 45 scholarships largely for paying 1 guy to come (and our previous history).
- 1986 UT admitted to a multi year multi player money machine with coaches and boosters named as payers...but stated most infractions were just money spread around and only 1 inducement for a recruit...result? Nothing.
- 1987 we admitted to a money machine...but no inducements for recruits. Result? DP
I'm tired of being the poster child for cheating. Everything we did back then that was "cheating" was customary and is even standard practice now (except for paying players to come). Meals, spending money, travel, clothes? All standard...even our "payroll" was less than these kids get in Pell Grants now.
So instead of allowing Hayden or UT or anybody else trying to say they were pure and we were bad...I say BS. We cheated...you cheated...no hall passes.