Recruits At The Spring Game

Charlie NT 73 · April 8, 2008

I have no idea on how many recruits will be at the Spring Game,

so I will keep a watchful eye any kid who looks like a recruit.

I wanted to know this. If a kid looks like a recruit, and asks

me a question, can I ask the kid if he is a prospect on a visit before

I answer his question? If the kid states he is a prospect on a visit,

how should I answer his question?

Any idea on the estimated number of prospects that may be at the game?

One more question. I remember in the "old days" the spring game

was called the "Green-White Game" So, what is the offical name

of the game on April 12th?

LongJim · April 8, 2008

The NCAA defines a "representative" of a university's athletic interests as...

an individual who is known (or who should have been known) by a member of the university's executive or athletics administration to:

have participated in or to be a member of an agency or organization promoting said university's athletics;
have made financial contributions to the athletic department or to an athletic booster organization of the university;
have assisted or have been requested (by the athletics department staff) to assist in the recruitment of prospects;
have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families; or
have been involved otherwise in promoting the institution’s athletic program.

Once an individual is identified as an "athletic representative," the person retains that identify forever. [NCAA Bylaw 13.02.12.1]

LongJim · April 8, 2008

Below is Stillman University's policy, which helps clarify a bit, I think:

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NCAA RULES REGARDING CONTACTS WITH HIGH SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENT-ATHLETES (PROSPECTS)

DO NOT become directly or indirectly involved in making arrangements for a prospect, or the prospect’s relatives or friends, to receive money or financial aid of any kind.

DO NOT provide ANYTHING to or for a prospect, relatives or friends, without first checking with the Department of Athletics or the Compliance Office.

DO NOT make any contact with a prospect or the prospect’s family on or off campus. If a Tiger Coach has a recruit at an athletic event, you should NOT approach the coach until the prospect and family have gone elsewhere. If a prospect approaches you off campus regarding the Athletics program, explain that NCAA rules DO NOT permit you to discuss the program. Suggest that the prospect contact the head coach of the sport for information.

DO NOT transport, par or arrange for payment of transportation costs for a prospect, relative or friends to visit campus or elsewhere. While it is permissible for a friend or neighbor to transport a high school or community college student who is not an athlete to the campus, NCAA regulations PROHIBIT that activity for a prospective student-athlete.

DO NOT provide room and/or board, transportation of any kind or any other benefit to a recruited student-athlete, even if that athlete has already committed to attend the College, during the summer prior to enrollment for the fall classes at Stillman.

DO NOT entertain high school, prep school or community college coaches at ANY location. Only the Athletics Department can provide complimentary admission to a student-athlete and then only to home athletic events.

DO NOT pay or offer to pay registration fees for summer sports camps for a prospect.

DO NOT contact the prospect’s coach, principal or counselor for the purpose of evaluating the prospect. You are NOT permitted to pick up films or transcripts from the prospect’s educational institution.

DO NOT invite SELECTED junior or senior high or community college prospective student-athletes to alumni events. Since the NCAA prohibits contact between prospects and “athletic representatives”, care must be taken to invite, for example, all high school seniors who have received academic and athletic awards.

HOWEVER…………

DO feel free to attend high school and community college athletics events. You simply CANNOT have any contact with the prospective student-athletes or relatives. Should you find yourself seated next to the parents of a prospect, DO NOT initiate conversation with them. If conversation is initiated with you, respond in a civil manner, but DO NOT discuss Stillman’s Athletic Programs with them. If they raise the questions about the programs, remind them that the NCAA PROHIBITS you from discussing the programs with them. Direct their questions to the Stillman Athletics Department.

DO continue established family relationships with friends and neighbors. Contacts with sons or daughters of these families certainly are permitted as long as they are not made for recruiting purposes and are not prompted by Tiger coaching staff members. You are permitted to play “pick up” basketball or softball game, continue neighborhood picnics or backyard barbecues and engage in your normal activities with prospects and their parents who are family friends. Again, you simply are NOT permitted to attempt to recruit the prospect or discuss the Athletics Program.

DO feel free to attend a public event (e.g., a high school awards banquet or dinner) at which prospects are in attendance. No attempt should be made to contact or recruit the prospects at these events.

DO send the Stillman coaching staff any newspaper clippings or other information about prospects which you think would be of interest. Your assistance in this way is very helpful. The coaching staff will then make contact with the prospect.

DO feel free to offer assistance to members of the Tiger program who are recruiting in your community.

NCAA RULES REGARDING CONTACTS WITH CURRENTLY ENROLLED STUDENT-ATHLETES

DO NOT provide a student-athlete or friend any benefit or special arrangement. The NCAA considers these “extra benefits” and they are specially prohibited.

DO NOT provide room and/or any type of transportation during the summer for a student-athlete who has eligibility remaining.

DO NOT provide room, board, or transportation costs incurred by friends or family of an enrolled student-athlete to visit campus or attend an away athletic contest.

DO NOT expend funds to entertain student-athletes, their friends or relatives. You are NOT even permitted to buy a soda or a cup of coffee for them.

DO NOT use the name or picture of an enrolled student-athlete to directly advertise, recommend or promote sales or use for a commercial product or service of any kind. Even the sale of a picture of an enrolled student would jeopardize eligibility.

DO NOT provide any payment of expense or loan of any automobile for a student-athlete to return home or go to any other location for any reason.

DO NOT provide awards or gifts to a student-athlete for a speaking engagement. Only necessary travel expenses can be given when speaking to educational or charitable groups. All speaking engagements must be approved in advance by the Department of Athletics.

DO NOT allow a student-athlete, his or her friends or relatives to use your telephone to make free long distance calls.

HOWEVER………….

DO feel free to invite a student-athlete to your home for an occasional home meal. Because the mean function is at your home, you may provide transportation for an enrolled student-athlete to and from your home. This is the ONLY

occasion you may provide transportation for a student-athlete. You may do this a maximum of one time per school term per athlete. This “occasional meal” exception DOES NOT apply to prospective student-athletes.

DO feel free to invite a team for dinner or to meet with a group of alumni in a city where they are competing away from home. The NCAA permits student-athletes AS A TEAM to receive special benefits not permitted as individuals. Arrangements for such events must be made in advance with the head coach or the Department of Athletics.

Edited April 8, 2008 by LongJim

UNTLifer · April 8, 2008

Pretty informative.

meangreendork · April 8, 2008

That's a pretty safe way to handle this touchy subject. It kinda makes it impossible to muss it up and possibly get someone into trouble.

filmerj · April 8, 2008

Don't talk to anyone on campus.. they could be recruits. :ph34r:

shaft · April 9, 2008

What kind of freak are you? Do you normally walk up to strangers and just starting talking to them? I imagine your little chat going something like this;

Charlie: "you look kind of young, you thinking about coming to UNT."

kid: "uh, yeah."

Charlie: "do you play football, you look like you play football."

kid: "uh, yeah."

Charlie: "what school do you go to?"

kid: "uh, I'm just trying to watch the game."

Charlie: "I looked up the rules about what I can say to you, I've been thinking about this all week."

kid: "uh, I think I'm going to leave now."

Edited April 9, 2008 by shaft

good_ken · April 9, 2008

Don't talk to anyone on campus.. they could be recruits.

To be safer, don't talk to anyone; ever...and don't read this in case I'm a recruit.

MeanGreenEagle · April 9, 2008

Slip'em a Franklin.

Charlie NT 73 · April 9, 2008

Thanks to "LongJim" for the advice on how to handle a possible

recruit encounter at the spring game. At last year's spring game

during half time, a man I did not know struck up a converstation

about the game. This guy and I were talking when his son walked up

after buying a hot dog at a concession stand. Turned out his son

was a recruit. I did not talk to the kid, just ended the conversation

and left. This is the whole point of my question about just talking

to anyone. How did I know who the man was or who his son was?

Now, to "Shaft". "What kind of freak am I?" Pal- let me tell you

something. I can walk into a roon full of strangers, like at business

meeting, at a party, or even in a store, and I will say "Hi, how are you?.

Yes I am a very out going person, and as many of my friends say, "I

have never met a stanger!" So according to your criteria, I am a freak.

Are you trying to be some sort of sit com comedy writer regarding your

make believe converstation between me and another person? I sure

hope you had fun writing this. I sure would like to have a converstion

with you, only my conversation sure as hell would not be made up!

Charlie

April 9, 2008

Thanks to "LongJim" for the advice on how to handle a possible
recruit encounter at the spring game. At last year's spring game
during half time, a man I did not know struck up a converstation
about the game. This guy and I were talking when his son walked up
after buying a hot dog at a concession stand. Turned out his son
was a recruit. I did not talk to the kid, just ended the conversation
and left. This is the whole point of my question about just talking
to anyone. How did I know who the man was or who his son was?
Now, to "Shaft". "What kind of freak am I?" Pal- let me tell you
something. I can walk into a roon full of strangers, like at business
meeting, at a party, or even in a store, and I will say "Hi, how are you?.
Yes I am a very out going person, and as many of my friends say, "I
have never met a stanger!" So according to your criteria, I am a freak.
Are you trying to be some sort of sit com comedy writer regarding your
make believe converstation between me and another person? I sure
hope you had fun writing this. I sure would like to have a converstion
with you, only my conversation sure as hell would not be made up!
Charlie

Well unless you work for the university in some capacity, I would imagine you can talk up UNT all you want. I think fans are allowed to be proud of their school even if they are talking to a recruit. Don't hand him money or anything like that. Otherwise, how could there be a problem?

Edited April 9, 2008 by 97and03

LongJim · April 9, 2008

Well unless you work for the university in some capacity, I would imagine you can talk up UNT all you want. I think fans are allowed to be proud of their school even if they are talking to a recruit. Don't hand him money or anything like that. Otherwise, how could there be a problem?

If you've purchased season tickets or donated to the MGC, and you talk to a recruit or his family about the UNT athletic program, you are putting UNT in harm's way with the NCAA.

April 9, 2008

And Shaft, you really should have ended the fake conversation with the "Do you like gladiator movies?" quote from Airplane. It really needed a better punchline.

shaft · April 12, 2008

Charlie's actual story was funny enough.

"I was talking to the guy, and this teenage boy walk up and I got all nervous and left."

MeanGreenZen · April 12, 2008

And Shaft, you really should have ended the fake conversation with the "Do you like gladiator movies?" quote from Airplane. It really needed a better punchline.

How about:

"Mary, I desperately want to make love to a schoolboy!"

Edited April 12, 2008 by MG Insurance Pro

SUMG · April 12, 2008

I think I've found a way around the rules.

I'm going to do a mime routine, based on why a recruit should come to NT.

Or, if I know what other school the recruit is considering, I'll put a t-shirt on for that school, and mime that I'm in a box.

Edited April 12, 2008 by SUMG

greenminer · April 12, 2008

I think I've found a way around the rules.
I'm going to do a mime routine, based on why a recruit should come to NT.
Or, if I know what other school the recruit is considering, I'll put a t-shirt on for that school, and mime that I'm in a box.

I'll wear a t-shirt displaying an array reflecting the history of your avatars.

What man would turn that down?