What not to say to a recruit

[NU64]

Harbaugh has been going after a number of the Nebraska recruits. One of them was really turned off by a Michigan assistant who used the following tactic.

Wonder if we come off as this arrogant at times. Hope we extoll the advantages of an NU education more positively.

This from OWH:

"Michigan offered Neal, but an assistant coach also told him and the family that Neal couldn't go to Michigan without football because he couldn't afford it financially or academically qualify. That insulted the family. Neal decided ten minutes after the end of that meeting he was going to Nebraska."

 

[Fitz51]

Regardless of the fact that he was most likely correct, a pretty dumb thing to say if he said it exactly that way.

 

[chicagocatfan24]

Originally posted by NU64:
Harbaugh has been going after a number of the Nebraska recruits. One of them was really turned off by a Michigan assistant who used the following tactic.

Wonder if we come off as this arrogant at times. Hope we extoll the advantages of an NU education more positively.

This from OWH:

"Michigan offered Neal, but an assistant coach also told him and the family that Neal couldn't go to Michigan without football because he couldn't afford it financially or academically qualify. That insulted the family. Neal decided ten minutes after the end of that meeting he was going to Nebraska."

The short answer to this question is yes, the vast majority of you do. I have said this a few times after reaching a boiling point when people from other boards and fanbases come and some of you rebut anything they have to say with some sort of argument validating NU's rigorous academics. I did not go to NU, and if I had applied, the admissions office would have laughed their asses off at my application. I'm an NU fan because I love Chicago first and foremost, and love the Big Ten second. Been cheering for the Cats since the Damien Anderson/ Zach Kustok years (I'm 26). It drives me BATSH*T when message board blowhards beat NU's academic requirements into the ground. Yes, it's a great university, and anyone who attends or attended it should be proud of that. With that said, if NU is trying to market this whole "Chicago's Big Ten Team" thing to Chicagoans who didn't attend the university, the academic requirements to attend the university are literally the last thing they will care about. I'm already am sold on being a die-hard Cats fan, but if an outsider who is considering buying into the future success of the basketball and football programs were to stumble upon these message boards, they'd be incredibly turned off.

Chicago is a blue collar city, and they embrace blue collar teams a la the Bears. The vast majority of people want a winner, academics be damned. Of course this is my two cents, but I do represent the NU fan who didn't attend the school at the same time.

 

[Fitz51]

Originally posted by chicagocatfan24:

"The short answer to this question is yes, the vast majority of you do."

The poster we referring to our program being arrogant in trying to recruit players, not the fanbase on the message board showing any arrogance related to education.

"I have said this a few times after reaching a boiling point when people from other boards and fanbases come and some of you rebut anything they have to say with some sort of argument validating NU's rigorous academics."

Why? Who really cares what the rabid internet fans of other teams think of the rabid internet fans of our team? Basing one's opinions of a fanbase on a small number of internet ranters is kinda silly.

"It drives me BATSH*T when message board blowhards beat NU's academic requirements into the ground."

Well, we are historically (and in basketball, pretty much unrivaled) bad, so we'll take our pride where we can get it.

"if an outsider who is considering buying into the future success of the basketball and football programs were to stumble upon these message boards, they'd be incredibly turned off."

Again, if someone is judging a fanbase of anything - sports teams, TV shows, games, etc. - on internet posters, they're making decisions based on a really, really small number of people.

"Chicago is a blue collar city, and they embrace blue collar teams a la the Bears."

I am from the city, and Chicago is no more "blue-collar" than a LOT of other US cities. Also, Chicago embraces the Bears because they are a football team that plays in Chicago. The Bears as an organization are not much different from the other 31 teams. It's this little myth that Bears fans have turned into a badge of faux honor because 50 years ago, the team ran the ball constantly, and it was cold outside!

"Of course this is my two cents, but I do represent the NU fan who didn't attend the school at the same time."

Was that an officially appointed title?

 

[loyolacat]

Interesting post. I too am not an NU grad . I guess one of the reasons I am a big Cat fan is that I believe they do things the right way and graduate their kids and I feel good about rooting for them.. I just wanted to comment on your blue collar statement. I also agree it is part of the culture of Chicago and I embrace that as well but 40 years in education has given me the impression that your student athletes are the blue collar workers. I don't over rate intelligence but hard work and discipline allow these kids to achieve on two fronts. It also does not mean that other athletes at other schools are not also some bright ,disciplined kids or that their schools are not solid educational institutions. However because of the high bar NU has set it would seem that almost all of their kids are blue collar.
I do get tired of these boards putting down these other academic schools as if NU were the only school in which kids know how to read however.No UNC jokes please.

 

[NU64]

I agree that the tone of this board often comes off as arrogant when talking about other schools. I was hoping that our coaches out recruiting sell the advantage of an NU education in a more positive way than the Michigan assistant.

 

[phatcat]

I strongly disagree with academics be damned. We are a university, not a minor league football team

That said I agree with the rest of it. Academic arrogance is self-serving, pointless and, recently, is becoming less and less of an excuse as small private universities all over the place are eating our lunch on the football field.

 

[pawildcat]

Most of these online boards, whatever the school, seem to be arrogant by nature. I never knew I lived in a nation of geniuses until the Interweb came along. Although, since about 300 kids make the local high school honor roll every term, I guess I should realize that all the kids are, as the guy on NPR says, "above average."

 

[Deeringfish]

I could see where it could be difficult to express the fact that as a football player there are opportunities at NU for education that would not be available to the average High School student. There are Thousands of colleges and universities out there but only about 50 that can match the Academic advantages of an NU degree. Being an outstanding football player opens the door to some pretty elite schools.

 

[ricko654321]

I'm with you on this (and I went to NU).

Anytime recruiting or anything else at all is brought up, particularly if someone not from NU is in the conversation, like 4 different posters feel the need to jump in and scream very loudly that "recruiting at XXX school is NOTHING like recruiting from NU." This applies to B1G schools, and the yelling of it is even louder if someone suggests that Vandy or Duke or the like is involved, presumably because they haven't heard us yell it as many times at them before.

We all get the point, and trust me most of the other people do. If we feel the need to remind them, we can do it in a more even-handed / matter-of-fact manner, without the not-at-all-subtle undertones of WE ARE BETTER THAN YOU.

I mostly roll my eyes when I see those posts. It's not worth saying anything cause then the people will just yell back at you even louder that "trust me, it's really true, i promise you, personally guarantee that recruiting at XXX school is NOT AT ALL anything like recruiting at NU."

 

[KramerCat91]

In the short run, I'm not so sure that the strategy is dumb even if it smacks of desperation. If that is the pitch next year, then I would agree. I imagine that Harbaugh and his coaches are being blunt with some prospects who are long shots because of the small class and the little time left before national signing day.