Websites are recruiting against Alabama. It isn’t shocking because websites have served as cheerleaders and surrogate recruiters for some time, but maybe a new round of attention will reform the corrupt way outsiders are interfering in the recruiting process.

“That should be addressed by somebody and should be brought to bear,” Saban told the Birmingham News. “If people are just covering recruiting with honesty and integrity, (there’s no problem). But all those guys that work out there for (recruiting sites) are for the school. Everybody roots for a team. And they get information for a team.”

I pointed out the bias of recruiting sites last year during SEC Media Days when Auburn websites were asking negative questions about the arrests of Alabama football players. (Here.)

Before the national guys and the blogs start attacking Saban for bringing up this issue, he wasn’t the first to allege recruiting sites work for the teams they cover. Steve Spurrier brought this up last year. Spurrier told The State, “Usually when a guy’s arrested for whatever, that always make the headlines. And the guy that runs the Clemson Web site, he likes to send those articles to recruits all over the state,” Spurrier said.

This is a major problem because if ordinary fans were to contact players in this manner, does anyone thing the NCAA would allow it? Of course not. These people are using the cloak of the First Amendment to bypass NCAA recruiting rules and attempting to bring a competitive advantage to their teams.

Auburn sites have functioned as recruiters this year in the promotion of the Big Cat Weekend pep rally. Perhaps the most egregious example of how these websites are fans and not journalists can be seen in how the Rivals’ Auburn website edited out of a video proof of Auburn recruiting violations at the Big Cat Weekend pep rally. The secondary NCAA recruiting violations aren’t the big issue here; what is a big issue is the corrupt influence these sites inject into the recruiting process.

Saban didn’t specify the website. All we know about this is from the Birmingham News story, “It would always come from a reporter who covers a team’s recruiting on a fan site.” It could be an Auburn website. It could be an LSU website or a Tennessee website. It doesn’t matter. The entire process of recruiting coverage must be reformed.

Neither Scout or Rivals responded by press time for the Birmingham News to include their corporate comments in the story. I wouldn’t hold my breath. I sent an email to Rivals over two weeks ago, and still haven’t heard back from the organization. YAHOO/Rivals and Scout hope this issue will die. However, fans who love college football should not let cheerleaders corrupt the very thing we love.

25 thoughts on “Told you so; Recruiting sites have no ethics”

  1. Cappy I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for the NZAA to get involved in an almost impossible to control fiasco like that. If CNS and other reputable coaches believe it’s a problem then he should petition the Bama Nation to use their websites against OUR rivals. After all we have a far more widespread fan base than any other SEC school. What’s more, 3 SEC schools along with Penn St. are the most criminalized in the nation – Georgia, Florida and Tennessee, and Ole Miss gives scholly’s to other schools criminal rejects. This is plenty of ammunition for us. As for the Barn, they’re irrelevant. They have never been competitive with Bama on instate recruiting except when we are on probation or when Pat Dye was in charge; and I think everybody knows how he pulled that off! Hell, if that’s how the websites really are working, then it’s to our advantage because CNS has cleaned up our program while most of our rivals are wallowing in the gutter! RTR!

  2. It doesn’t matter because Aubarn (AL) fans have already declared a recruiting victory against us, despite already falling behind us in the rankings and head-to-head battles.

    They’re about as credible as the boy who cried wolf. For three straight years they’ve been promising domination on the recruiting front, yet it still hasn’t happened. When they start opening up the checkbooks and come close, they’ll finally be able to at least say “told ya so”.

  3. Baahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!! “Websites are recruiting against Alabama” Now thats what I call FUNNY. Only in turdland can they claim a site that gave a 6ft. qb with no speed a 5star ranking. Gave another commit 5stars thats a project. I’ve never heard of a 5star being a project.?.?.? UNREAL. You guys should be sending those checks out to these sites instead of the woe is me motto.

    All I can say is WOW. Just when you think you’ve heard it all from bammerland, they just reassure you there still laughable.

    WDE!!!!!!!!!!

  4. e.g., blah blah blah blah blah blah……………..

    Again another useless post by e.g. Bring something to the table besides your post leading up to another shot at Auburn.
    You started off promising but then it went downhill in a hurry. Try coming up with some new material instead of the fake political crap you try to write.

    Just a thought????

    WDE you bammer. You alone define that word.

  5. 5-19, can’t argue with you there. I was one of those fans that was thinking AU could turn it around but I’d look on the internet and Saban would land a 5star.
    I think with the asst. coaches there we may have a chance but if the asst. coaches start to leave we could be in trouble.
    Whats the head coach got to do anyway? Timeouts, punts, fakes, and ???. As long as we can recruit we will be ok.
    Now I’m not saying were going to have the talent bama has but if we continue to recruit aggressive we could make a run.Going to take time.
    Bama is way ahead with 2 number1 classes in a row but we can get there with these assts.
    WDE!!!!

  6. The editing thing was brought to my attention by several people who claimed to see both versions of the video.

    I can say the video did appear to be changed from the first version posted and what was later viewable on the website.

    The video was edited only after Alabama fans started complaining about the possible recruiting violations contained on the video.

  7. Yeah 14 if you can’t bring a legitimate rebuttal to the table because the truths been told, then just cuss out the poster – that always works real well and shows everybody what a tard you are! Glad I can fu-k with your day so easily. When I’m on here my secondary goal after correcting all the BS posted about Bama is to fu-kup a Barner or one of your inbred bretherin from UcheaT or LSWho?. LOL! RTR!

  8. e.g, yeah you really back me into a corner with all that knowledge.

    Since you want to bring my ONE post that has cuss words in it then lets go back and take a look of some of your garbage, shall we? Didn’t think so.
    Come back with a legitimate rebuttal??? Huh? Like the one you just posted. Yeah, real legitimate buddy.So you just stae your opinion like everybody else but since it’s the lord e.g. then its legit?? Do explain??

    Let me just inform you on something. There’s no way anything you say can get me upset unless you get personal with my family. Myself, rip me apart if you want to. That sure doesn’t bother me.
    I know your the “alex” guy cause what I said to him really got under your skin.
    If you were any type of moral human being you would have agreed with me 100%.

    So correctaway my snaggle mouth brother. I’m waiting.

    Oh, have you seen the pic of DRE’S new charger thats everywhere online. You should check that out.It’s even got his name on the hood and future bama number, 21.
    WDE E.G.

  9. Yes, I have seen the pic.
    And evidently the NCAA has seen the reciept for the bank withdrawal to pay for the car.
    Facts are an aubbo’s crypotonite arent they? Well Superman… never fear there will always be some well-meianing (albeit anonymous) citizen out there who will have the next big breaking rumor.
    Dont you just hate it when your shooter in the grassy knoll theories get shot in the foot by reality?

    This is too easy…. Next please…….

  10. tmc…….Do you think he paid for it with his savings ? Come on …..get realistic. J.Harris’ mother is a good hard workink lady , and could afford a car like thaT. Not so sure about Dre. Rumor is all thats out there, but you turds didnt believe the rumor about the car, and guess whar ? He has the car. I noticed a little change in Caps behavior , maybe because he now realises there is more to this than everyone had thought. From what the rumor, I said RUMOR is thats floating around, the title changed hands about 5 times before Dre got the car. But AGAIN, thats a RUMOR. The pic however is not a rumor.

  11. Again, Its rumor. I know that word alone drives cap up the wall. Will anything come of it ? I dont know ….If someone besides family bought him the car, it will come out. If not , it wont. Time will tell. But I can understand why it bothers yall so much. But you know, if it was a graduation present, was it really wise to give it to the kid a day or two after he signs ? All that did was fuel the fire.

  12. ballplay, really?
    There saying that Auburn fans photo shopped the pic. LOL!!! That’s the real deal.
    I agree with you about Dre’s finances. I’ve heard from bama fans that the kids family is on section8. So if they did buy the car then somebody owes me some money.

    I have a really hard time believing that J. Harris could afford that car as well.

    Ok, there hard working. That’s not the point. The point is can they afford a 500 a month payment. If so then why would they wait til he graduates. What? They didn’t know he was a top linebacker in the country. They knew he was getting a scholly in the 10th grade. His grades were never in question. So why wait???

    Bammers know what’s coming. THE HAMMER!!

    WDE!!!!!!!

  13. It’s beyond belief the ignorance and hopeless hope of you tards. The falsified Gadsden BS has already been documented and now the shoes on the other foot. Yet you pathetic bastards still insist on beating a dead horse. It has already been shown that Dre’s mother used the money that she had saved for his college to buy him the car. Once he recieved his scholly the money was no longer needed. What’s more, CNS doesn’t need to pay anybody and wouldn’t allow anyone to fu-kup his process with that kind of shit! You tards are so damn desperate you’d believe Osama Bin Ladin is Jesus Christ if he promised you’d win the MNC! I’m tired of dealing with the unbelievable depths of your ignorance. It makes me tired. A newborn infant has more apptitude than you retards. Enjoy yourselves! You deserve each other! RTR!

  14. tmc. by you saying “evidently” means you don’t have facts either.

    Means your assuming the ncaa looked at the reciepts.

    You try to disbarge rumors by stating more rumors.

    TOO EASY!!!! NEXT PLEASE!!! TRY AGAIN, TMC!!

    WDE!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Don’t you hate it when the grassy knoll theory is RIGHT?????????

  15. Stupid bastards. Ever heard of permament injury, ever heard of failing to qualify academically, which Dre’ almost did. That’s why nobody in their right mind would use their college fund on a car before they have the scholarship in hand. Oh, that’s right we are talking to BARNERS. You don’t have the capacity to understand. What a bunch of turdflys. Continue on in your fantasy world, stupid retards, it’ll just make it hurt all the worse every time a reality hits you. Talk to the 10 fingers! LMFAO! RTR!

  16. The problem with 14 is that if he keeps repeating the lie over and over – it will become the Truth with the moronic Aubbie Base. The Aubbies have gone from being spoon fed baby food to baby shit – and they love the new taste.
    Sorry 14 – time to take your hillbilly act back to Sumiton or wherever the hell you came from.
    Hope you have a nice day 14 at the Father’s Day festivities at the Walker County Public Lake.

  17. OK Cap I respect your trying to answer my question but you used the words CLAIMS and APPEARS if you yourself cannot tell me you seen it then I have to fall back on that a MAGICIAN uses those word in his act!

    No Disrespect But I want to know if YOU know without a shadow of doubt?

  18. I know it without a doubt; I wouldn’t have written it if I didn’t believe it to be TRUE. The original video was over four minutes long and then within a few hours, once the allegations of recruiting violations surfaced, the video was reduced to just over two minutes.

    I do not have a copy of the original video, but if anyone out there still has a copy, I’d be happy to post it to further illustrate the point.

    The items edited out were the formal introduction of players names at the event. This was the most damaging element of the pep rally as recruits aren’t supposed to get that type of attention.

    Why did Rivals edit the video? Was it at the request of Auburn coaches? Or was it their own homerism? Maybe it was something else? The motives must be ascertained by our analysis of the event; however, the fact remains the video was edited and the run time reduced from over four minutes to about two.

  19. Egg……….You are full of it . You are the Emporer of inuendo and B.S. Look at the hypocritical crap you post.

  20. 14 trooper Says:
    June 21st, 2009 at 9:39 am
    tmc. by you saying “evidently” means you don’t have facts either.
    __________________________

    “Evidently” means that there is actual “evidence” and not bullshit rumors made up by some desparate anonymous moron.
    “Apparently” is the word you are thinking about. Is English your second language or did you take an assisted reading comprehension course?

  21. almightytmc1…………2
    14trooper………….still grasping for hope like a punch-drunk paltroon hoping to land a toothless hag for a one night stand at the local drunken barndance.
    Didnt your Mom ever teach you not to tangle with your social and intellectual superiors?
    E.G is right, you are one obtuse little half-wit arent you?
    Back of the line LOSER.

  22. Ok CAp I beleive you Thanks for Answering my question. I aint blowing smoke up noones rear end but I do think you would tell the truth at least 🙂

  23. Oh and there should be some bammer who has it if you do please let cap post THE ORiginal I have seen the 2 minute one 🙂

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