So it appears our staff wasn’t just stupid or lazy when they didn’t land Jaylen Johnson, Josh Jackson, or Brian Bowen? Imagine that. You would think people who are really “plugged in” to the Michigan high school hoops scene might have actually known this stuff was going on.
(Not directed toward you, of course, Dylan).
If only Michigan would have shown him some more love, put on the full court press, or went all in…
Giving people the benefit of doubt: I think there is a dangerous grey area category of “sorta-plugged-in but not really”. That is, people who are not direct beneficiaries to the benefits of corruption, but who have direct access to the actual beneficiaries of the corruption (and their larger circle), with all of the negative recruiting, misinformation, innuendo, and rationalizing-smoke-screen-falseties that come out of the mouths of those beneficiaries and the people that are close to them.
On the other hand, it is not too difficult to realize that there is corruption and if someone “sorta plugged-in but not really” were aiming to one day partake in the corruption, it would likely dawn on them that they can make themselves appear useful by repeating the falsities and innuendo in the hopes that someday, it will get noticed by the right people, and it will increase their chances of being invited into the circle of people who enjoy the benefits of corruption.
Wouldn’t mind Underwood getting slammed, right about now…
But, regardless, he’s a good coach and if he can recruit like this, Illinois might be more relevant sooner than expected
That’s the best written de-commit tweet I’ve read yet.
Underwood has had a very tough time recruiting till this kid. He has missed on everyone.
Ya don’t say! Bruce Pearl…Two Top 50 recruits going to AUBURN…yeah, nothing to see here (rolls eyes)
Austin Wiley was top twenty. Ditto Herron.
How fricken good does it feel to have John Beilein leading our program right now?!
Personally, I don’t think anyone should feel comfortable until it all comes out. When you’re talking that many teams some of the names that come out are going to surprise people.
For all of the unease Michigan fans have had to endure during recruits’ commitment announcements, knowing there were certain ‘things’ that are programs could ‘offer,’ we deserve to feel embarrassingly comfortable during this healthy purge.
I think that’s wise. It will only take a player who UM had some interest in at some point for the Detroit Free Press or some other journal, in pursuit of some ludicrous idea of balance, to connect us to the dirty. And that will be enough for some undiscerning or hateful onlookers to conclude–or charge–that Michigan is implicated, too. A lot of people walked away from last Sunday’s Freep editorial having been provided an excuse to assert that all the schools are dirty, not just their own.
I expect Syracuse to be among the 32. The fact that Battle decommitted from UM will only make Beilein look better. What player that slipped away once the dirty teams came calling could possibly make Beilein look bad?
Booker, for sure, too. And probably Brown.