Shocking...

[AUChizad]

http://blogs.ajc.com/recruiting/2012/01/15/nick-saban-tells-star-atlanta-rb-to-wait-until-next-year-to-sign-with-alabama/

AJC College Sports Recruiting
Nick Saban to Atlanta RB: You can’t sign with Alabama until next year

11:56 pm January 15, 2012, by Michael Carvell

Did Nick Saban handle Justin Taylor's situation properly?

    No (75%, 342 Votes)
    Yes (25%, 115 Votes)

One of Georgia’s top running backs said that was told by Alabama’s Nick Saban this weekend that he will have to wait until next year to sign with the Crimson Tide.

Justin Taylor of North Atlanta High School has been committed to Alabama for nearly a year, last February becoming the No. 7 pledge for this year’s class. The 5-foot-11, 208-pounder missed his senior season with a knee injury.

A couple of weeks ago, Taylor and his high school coach, former NFL RB Stanley Pritchett, both said they were informed by Alabama assistant Chris Rumph that it was likely that Taylor would not be able to sign with the Crimson Tide this February.

Alabama’s 2012 recruiting class is currently ranked as No. 1 in the nation by Rivals.com. Alabama has 27 commitments and is in the running for a few more elite prospects. The Crimson Tide is also accused of being one of the most frequent offenders in the practice of “over-signing” – which is when a college signs more players than they have scholarships available. (Click to go to website)

Back to Taylor: He took his official visit to Alabama this weekend and had the chance to sit down for a face-to-face meeting with Saban:

    How did Nick Saban explain it to you? “Coach Saban said he wished he would’ve been able to tell me this in August instead of now.  He said the only reason he can’t sign me is because he can’t sign 26 people. They can only sign 25 people. He said he was going to sign me with the next class. But he also said he would sign a piece of paper to show that they are keeping their word – they are going to sign it and they want me to sign it to make sure I know I still have my scholarship.”

    When did Alabama first tell you that you couldn’t sign with them this February? “Coach Rumph actually told me about two weeks ago. Well, he called my coach, who told me, and then I called Coach Rumph. This weekend was the first time that they really broke it down like that. This was the first time I heard it from Coach Saban.”

    What do you think happened? “Coach Saban just said I’m the 26th commitment. I would be the 26th signee. I guess he went and picked up somebody else. He said I make 26 and they only get 25. They talked about bringing me in next January.” [Note: Alabama has 27 commitments]

    What was your reaction? “I’m cool with it, as long as I get to Alabama and play. And, as long as I have more time to recover and get solid.”

    What will do you do this fall? “He said I’m going to stay in Georgia. They are going to find me a job. I’m going to work. I’m going to physical therapy at least seven days per week. I guess I will work, go to physical therapy and get strong … I will come in with the class of 2013. I’ll get there with the early group so I can do winter workouts and spring football.”

    What about this piece of paper that you said Saban would sign? “Coach Saban is going to sign his name on a sheet of paper saying that I still have my scholarship. It was just for me. It’s to say they really still want me.”
   
    What is the status of your knee injury from August? “I’m good right now. I’ve already had the surgery and everything. I’m running right now. They want me to be 100-percent healthy. They said it takes at least a year [to recover]. They said yeah, some can bounce back in 5-6 months. But the only people who bounce back in 5-6  months are the ones in college because there are on campus and they have that physician to be there seven days per week. I don’t have that. I only work out two days per week with my physical therapist.”

    Do you think you could play this fall? “I feel like I could play this fall.”

    With Saban saying you cannot sign with Alabama this year, will that make you look at other colleges? “I’m going to go ahead and stick with Alabama. I mean, I’m committed to them. They committed to me. They want me. I know they want me because that’s what they are telling me. If they didn’t want me, they wouldn’t let me keep my scholarship, They could’ve taken it when I first got hurt. If any other college wanted me, they would’ve hit me up. I haven’t really heard from anybody since the injury.”

    What other schools were recruiting you the hardest? “Tennessee came through and I only talked to them one time. They gave me a number and the number didn’t even work. There was South Carolina and Georgia. They both stopped talking to me because I was committed to Alabama.”

Brainwashed. "Our Saban is an omnipotent Saban. Saban works in mysterious ways. It is not our place to question the workings of Saban Almighty."

Good to know "they're going to find him a job" though...

[Townhallsavoy]

This really is a bizarre story. 

I understand that your college choice may be based on more than the football team, but all too often these super star high school football players place football at #1 on their priority list.  They all - even the three stars - think they can contribute immediately, and they all - even the two stars - think they will one day blossom into an NFL prospect. 

So Alabama getting 25 commitments and pushing this kid out of the picture isn't surprising.  The kid deciding to wait a year and "work" is actually shocking.

[AUChizad]

It's ok though, cause Saban wrote him an IOU on a napkin, and he believes it's a binding contract that he will be on scholarship next year.

You think Saban will offer "transportation" to his "job" too?

[Snaggletiger]

So....he was the 7th commitment....but now suddenly, he's the 26th commitment.  You know, I have to help my son with his 5th grade math....but I'm apparently not familiar with this new form of teh arithmatix.

[AUChizad]

So....he was the 7th commitment....but now suddenly, he's the 26th commitment.  You know, I have to help my son with his 5th grade math....but I'm apparently not familiar with this new form of teh arithmatix.

= 14.

[djsimp]

It's ok though, cause Saban wrote him an IOU on a napkin, and he believes it's a binding contract that he will be on scholarship next year.

You think Saban will offer "transportation" to his "job" too?

That's as good as money, sir. Those are I.O.U.'s. Go ahead and add it up, every cent's accounted for. Look, see this? That's a car. 275 thou. Might wanna hang onto that one

[JR4AU]

This really is a bizarre story. 

I understand that your college choice may be based on more than the football team, but all too often these super star high school football players place football at #1 on their priority list.  They all - even the three stars - think they can contribute immediately, and they all - even the two stars - think they will one day blossom into an NFL prospect. 

So Alabama getting 25 commitments and pushing this kid out of the picture isn't surprising.  The kid deciding to wait a year and "work" is actually shocking.

Nothing bizarre about it.  He's no superstar.  He was an early 3* commit that's being culled.  He'll be culled again next year if they have enough superstars next year.  He was the #7 commit in this class that suddenly got relegated to the #26 slot.  And the kid thinks Lord Saybinz signing a piece of paper means he'll keep his word in the future when he's going back on it now is sufficient.  Somebody close to this kid, with this kid's best interests at heart needs to tell him to move on, now.

[JR4AU]

I would like to see the side of Saban that allows such a fucking asshole to be such a great salesman.   Why doesn't some kid's parents that he "processes" tell him to choke on a bag of dicks?  "No, you midget motherfucker, he was the #7 kid in the class, YOU OFFERED him a scholarship and he accepted, almost a year ago, either you honor that offer, or die sucking a fat cock!"

[Snaggletiger]

I would like to see the side of Saban that allows such a fucking asshole to be such a great salesman.   Why doesn't some kid's parents that he "processes" tell him to choke on a bag of dicks?  "No, you midget motherfucker, he was the #7 kid in the class, YOU OFFERED him a scholarship and he accepted, almost a year ago, either you honor that offer, or die sucking a fat cock!"

Most people want to die in their sleep.  This is how dreams of exiting this life.

[AUChizad]

I would like to see the side of Saban that allows such a fucking asshole to be such a great salesman.   Why doesn't some kid's parents that he "processes" tell him to choke on a bag of dicks?  "No, you midget motherfucker, he was the #7 kid in the class, YOU OFFERED him a scholarship and he accepted, almost a year ago, either you honor that offer, or die sucking a fat cock!"

Seriously, it amazes me how he gets them to drink the Kool-Aid.

“I’m going to go ahead and stick with Alabama. I mean, I’m committed to them. They committed to me. They want me. I know they want me because that’s what they are telling me. If they didn’t want me, they wouldn’t let me keep my scholarship

WTF, dipshit, he's not honoring shit. That's the most one-sided "commitment" I've ever heard of.

And really and truly, the more I read this over the more glaring shit that stands out as just blatant multiple rules violations. They seriously do not give a fuck because they know the NCAA will just let them do whatever the fuck they want and no one but Auburn fans, and maybe your Clay Travis and Brooks's will even bring it up.

First of all, the whole IOU "signed paper" "just for him", is a blatant impermissible contract. Violation.

Then this quote:

He said I’m going to stay in Georgia. They are going to find me a job. I’m going to work.

He, meaning Saban? Like he's Obi Wan fucking Kenobi. Well, Saban said I'm going to stay in Georgia, so that's what I'm going to do. "THEY" are going to find me a job.

How in the bleeding fuck is that not a major violation? Remember Oklahoma and that car dealership? Let alone the fact that since he can't sign his LOI, he's still a recruit. Even more blatant of a violation.

[Snaggletiger]

Listen to me.  You are getting sleepy...veerrrry sleepy.  When you awake from your slumber, you will not remember anything except the words, "Move along now, nothing to see here."  Veerrrry sleepy....Lord Saybinz wills it from afar.....

[Saniflush]

Then this quote:He, meaning Saban? Like he's Obi Wan fucking Kenobi. Well, Saban said I'm going to stay in Georgia, so that's what I'm going to do. "THEY" are going to find me a job.

<waves hand>

This is not the scholarship you've been looking for.

[Token]

Maybe next time he'll learn to take better care of his knees.

[Vandy Vol]

Most people want to die in their sleep.  This is how dreams of exiting this life.

I'd let you kill me any day of the week.

[Townhallsavoy]

Nothing bizarre about it.  He's no superstar.  He was an early 3* commit that's being culled.  He'll be culled again next year if they have enough superstars next year.  He was the #7 commit in this class that suddenly got relegated to the #26 slot.  And the kid thinks Lord Saybinz signing a piece of paper means he'll keep his word in the future when he's going back on it now is sufficient.  Somebody close to this kid, with this kid's best interests at heart needs to tell him to move on, now.

Your comment doesn't make sense in relation to mine.  How do you claim that it's not bizarre yet go on to reiterate exactly what I said? 

Losing a spot on a team's commitment list is not that uncommon.  What's strange is that this kid instead of doing like most other prospects and moving on to other pastures decides to stick around with Alabama.  That is bizarre.

[AUChizad]

Aaand the media is rushing to say this isn't a violation, citing this rule:

13.2.3.2 Prior to Completion of Senior Year—Athletics Award Winners. An institution may employ a prospective student-athlete who is an athletics award winner in any department outside of intercollegiate athletics, provided the employment is arranged through normal institutional employment procedures (e.g., local newspaper, bulletin board listings) and without the intervention of any member of the institution’s coaching staff. Any compensation received by the prospective student-athlete must be for work actually performed and commensurate with the going rate for such services in the locale. For purposes of this bylaw, institutional recreation programs, even if reporting to the athletics director, may be considered outside the intercollegiate athletics department. An institution may hire a prospective student-athlete, who is an athletics award winner, in its recreation programs, only if recreation and facility managers and no intercollegiate coaches are involved with the hiring and supervision of these employees. (Adopted: 4/29/04 effective 8/1/04) 13.2.3.3 After Completion of Senior Year. An institution may arrange for employment or employ any prospective student-athlete (regardless of athletics award winner status), provided the employment does not begin prior to the completion of the prospective student-athlete’s senior year in high school. (See Bylaw 13.12.1.5.1.)

How the fuck is that a rule on the books? Everyone's up in arms to close a "loophole" that says someone at another school can shop you as long as the school you're at currently didn't make such an offer and no money changed hands, but this is explicitly stated in the rulebook? This is at best, extremely exploitable.

Someone explain to me how this is not an extra benefit?

[Buzz Killington]

So, I suppose the kid will be house sitting for someone in Buckhead this season?

[Townhallsavoy]

Talk about a great loophole if someone has a sibling. 

"Yeah, we can only sign one of you, and since you're the five star recruit, we're going to sign you.  You're brother will just have to test videogames for $500/hour until we open up a spot for him over the next few years."

[The Prowler]

....an athletics award winner in any department outside of intercollegiate athletics, provided the employment is arranged through normal institutional employment procedures (e.g., local newspaper, bulletin board listings) and without the intervention of any member of the institution’s coaching staff.

Yeah, I'd say the coaching staff, notably the HC, is intervening in the perspective student-athlete finding a job, when he said that he's going to get one for him.

[RWS]

That's alot of words to simply say the kid is going to greyshirt. Funny how the AJC's article when UGA did the exact same thing with Xzavier Ward (who wasn't even injured) two weeks before signing day was painted in a totally different light.