FC: Ethics no obstacle to Michigan's Jim Harbaugh dumping verbal commits

[Ranger Dan]

Chicago Tribune article about Jim Harbaugh's slimy recruiting tactics: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...-colors-and-they-re-ugly-20160121-column.html

I agree with the article. Harbaugh has set and is raising the bar on slimy recruiting. It's also valid to consider that there are many recruits who don't honor their verbal commitments either.

 

[Nitt1300]

interesting juxtaposition seeing "ethics" and "Harbaugh" in the same subject line

 

[PSUfan98]

True many recruits don't honor their commitments, but Harbaugh represents an institution when he doesn't honor a scholarship offer. In the end, this will bite UM. How do you continue to sell to recruits next year when there are many examples of having scholarships pulled in the previous class? I would think the recruits and their families would immediately dismiss them knowing that their word is not their bond.

 

[Ranger Dan]

How do you continue to sell to recruits next year when there are many examples of having scholarships pulled in the previous class

I hate that this is the way it works, but I'm afraid that so many of these recruits believe that they are the "next coming" of Jim Brown, and only the marginal players have their scholarship offers pulled. Of course, the high school coaches are in a more objective position and should be the ones to squeeze out coaches that practice unethical behavior.

 

[OldTiredLion]

I'm not a fan of Harbaugh, who I think has some serious character flaws. But The Chicago Tribune sports section isn't exactly a bastion of integrity, as we all know from their past articles about Joe and Penn State. I won't open the link and give them the satisfaction of getting any clicks.

 

[bmejnes]

As someone said yesterday, Harbaugh will be gone and removed to the NFL before the effects of his antics take place. He will get his recruits now, win in the near future, then move onto the NFL.

 

[Franklin_Restores_TheTradition]

I hate that this is the way it works, but I'm afraid that so many of these recruits believe that they are the "next coming" of Jim Brown, and only the marginal players have their scholarship offers pulled. Of course, the high school coaches are in a more objective position and should be the ones to squeeze out coaches that practice unethical behavior.

True, true.....that is the way kids think until THEY BECOME the next "marginal player". Look at this Swenson kid, by all accounts he is one of Illinois' top OL prospects, but he just went from highly publicized star to "marginal player" with zero explanation from 'Ole Harbs & Crew. That is the the problem for these kids, 'Ole Harbs & Crew are going to blow smoke up their tailpipe about how great they are while they wish to keep "the fish on the line", but once they want to "cut bait", they will go from "Superstar" to "marginal player" in the blink of an eye!

 

[Franklin_Restores_TheTradition]

As someone said yesterday, Harbaugh will be gone and removed to the NFL before the effects of his antics take place. He will get his recruits now, win in the near future, then move onto the NFL.

If he's looking to up his payday significantly from where it is at, that is the route he will likely take, because there is no way for him to make in the $10 million range all in with incentives at scUM or in the college ranks.....he will need to go to the NFL to score his next big payday in the form of a significant raise. If that is what is motivating him (e.g., make as much $$$ as he possibly can as quickly as he possibly can), than yes, I agree, the NFL is almost certainly his next stop on the gravy-train.