Underwood sells his soul.

[Purple Pile Driver]

Wow, word on the street is the Underwood was given an ultimatum that if he took THT, Mac Irvin Fire would get Ayo to decommit! What a joke. Underwood allegedly pulled the offer. This is the story for the Fighting Lovie fans themselves. Strange thing is these jokers are pissing on MIF for being a scumbag, when BU could have grown a pair and called MIF's threat. Underwood is now in bed with the slime of the CPS AAU circuit. It is clear by who he hired as Assistants that he is more than willing to play in the dirt for a recruit. These guys he hired aren't Assistant Coachs they are recruiters. Plain and simple. Still think BU knew nothing about what his Assistant was doing? He had been at how many schools with him?

From what I knew of these kids, I liked both of them. Unfortunately, Ayo appears to have allowed himself to be used as a pawn in MIF's power play. That doesn't seem to be in character for Ayo, but some of this filth can do some nasty things to kids and their family.

This Fighting Lovie puffy chested posters can show up on these boards all they want, but NU doesn't play in this Chicago AAU dirt pile that your school has now sold out to. I will remind you of that every time a MIF player comes to your fair institution. Your coach has no stones. Thank God we have CCC.

 

[thewildcat2011]

The best part is that this is a HORRIBLE look for everyone...except NU and CCC. Might be the best thing have happened to NU in recruiting this year.

 

[scru]

The best part is that this is a HORRIBLE look for everyone...except NU and CCC. Might be the best thing have happened to NU in recruiting this year.

I think landing four quality kids in this cycle who will contribute to the team and NU community is the best thing.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

The best part is that this is a HORRIBLE look for everyone...except NU and CCC. Might be the best thing have happened to NU in recruiting this year.

That school down South can't get out of their own way. Embarrassing how they let it get this far and got themselves in this situation.

 

[haywood jahblowme]

i believe there has been well known bad blood between the 2 players on the AAU circuit

 

[Sec.112]

Let's face it: This is also the result of a coach poorly-prepared for the Chicago recruiting BS.

BTW, in case my Illini friends missed my reminder the day he was hired, BU has one year of running recruiting for a P5 program. It showed with this incident.

He didn't have the moxie to QUIETLY cut bait when needed in the middle of pretty public feud, and it's going to hurt for a long time.

Excuse me while I chuckle. It couldn't happen to a better fan base.

 

[charcat]

Should have called his bluff. This should make Illinois recruits think twice..maybe three times. Like the Harbaugh of the B.B. world

 

[Fitz51]

I think landing four quality kids in this cycle who will contribute to the team and NU community is the best thing.

Illinois should be ashamed!

 

[FitzFan]

Here are a selection of posts from a prominent Illinois board. As you can see, some of the "fans" aren't ashamed of this. In fact, they seem rather proud of it:

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Here are a selection of posts from a prominent Illinois board. As you can see, some of the "fans" aren't ashamed of this. In fact, they seem rather proud of it:

All those puffy chested Lovie's posters from a few days have vanished. They know they have now made a deal with the devil. This is not how an organization should operate. They think MIF is going to keep delivering 2019-2020 and beyond recruits. MIF are jag bags, no doubt, but you aligned with them, so don't bitch when this blows up. There is a ton of smoke around BU recruiting and they know it.

 

[willycat]

That school down South can't get out of their own way. Embarrassing how they let it get this far and got themselves in this situation.

They knew or should have known what they were getting in Underwood. If they weren't sure his assistant hires speak loudly for him.

 

[Hungry Jack]

FRANK Underwood.

 

[chicagocatfan24]

a few things to add:

1. I went to the U of I scout boards last night, and there is a good amount of posters who are already turning on BU for this move
2. He just burned a really important bridge with Robert Smith and Simeon.
3. AAU basketball as we know it will be DEAD in a few years. The FBI investigations are going to kill off the Mac Irvin's of the world IMO. BU should have had the foresight to at least consider this and keep a good relationship with Smith and Simeon. Instead he tried to ally with an organization that could and should be defunct in due time. Who's going to feed him recruits when that happens? Not Smith and MIF might not be around to

With the dirt being dug up on his former assistants and my points above, I don't think BU lasts at U of I for more than a few years

 

[FitzFan]

a few things to add:

1. I went to the U of I scout boards last night, and there is a good amount of posters who are already turning on BU for this move
2. He just burned a really important bridge with Robert Smith and Simeon.
3. AAU basketball as we know it will be DEAD in a few years. The FBI investigations are going to kill off the Mac Irvin's of the world IMO. BU should have had the foresight to at least consider this and keep a good relationship with Smith and Simeon. Instead he tried to ally with an organization that could and should be defunct in due time. Who's going to feed him recruits when that happens? Not Smith and MIF might not be around to

With the dirt being dug up on his former assistants and my points above, I don't think BU lasts at U of I for more than a few years

Hell, if he does well at U of I this year I could totally see him jumping ship for a bigger name in the off season. It's what he did at OSU. Then, in a few years, the NCAA will sanction him for lack of institutional control while at OSU. He'll be hired at Louisville, rondezvous with a hooker in a closed restaurant, steal tens of millions of dollars, and end up doing time in a federal prison. All the while, the Illini fans will still be convinced they're a blue blood program despite going 18-12 every year with a bunch of players who don't play well together. Just win, baby! Lol.

 

[VirginiaWildcat]

AAU basketball as we know it will be DEAD in a few years. The FBI investigations are going to kill off the Mac Irvin's of the world IMO.

I will be one of the happiest people around if your prediction comes true!

 

[PURPLECAT88]

2. He just burned a really important bridge with Robert Smith and Simeon.
3. AAU basketball as we know it will be DEAD in a few years.

Underwood is betting heavily against #3, and as long as he has Mack Irvin on his side, he's also betting that he won't need Smith, Simeon or any other public league types. It's a hell of a gamble, but I guess it's one you can make with a guaranteed contract.

 

[hdhntr1]

Wow, word on the street is the Underwood was given an ultimatum that if he took THT, Mac Irvin Fire would get Ayo to decommit! What a joke. Underwood allegedly pulled the offer. This is the story for the Fighting Lovie fans themselves. Strange thing is these jokers are pissing on MIF for being a scumbag, when BU could have grown a pair and called MIF's threat. Underwood is now in bed with the slime of the CPS AAU circuit. It is clear by who he hired as Assistants that he is more than willing to play in the dirt for a recruit. These guys he hired aren't Assistant Coachs they are recruiters. Plain and simple. Still think BU knew nothing about what his Assistant was doing? He had been at how many schools with him?

From what I knew of these kids, I liked both of them. Unfortunately, Ayo appears to have allowed himself to be used as a pawn in MIF's power play. That doesn't seem to be in character for Ayo, but some of this filth can do some nasty things to kids and their family.

This Fighting Lovie puffy chested posters can show up on these boards all they want, but NU doesn't play in this Chicago AAU dirt pile that your school has now sold out to. I will remind you of that every time a MIF player comes to your fair institution. Your coach has no stones. Thank God we have CCC.

Before you get all holier than thou, remember we actively pursued and would have taken either one or both of them. What are you going to say if we go after similar kids in the future?

 

[hdhntr1]

i believe there has been well known bad blood between the 2 players on the AAU circuit

If so, perhaps the offer should have pulled the offer after Ayo committed. Would have been cleaner. There are other issues with Underwood and his assistants. But I don't see this as the issue that some do. Once he had Ayo, if he had taken THT, the bad blood between them might have ripped the team apart. Maybe he originally thought it could be worked out but as he got closer, it became apparent that it could not.

 

[JournCat]

He didn't have the moxie to QUIETLY cut bait when needed in the middle of pretty public feud, and it's going to hurt for a long time.

Excuse me while I chuckle. It couldn't happen to a better fan base.

This confuses me as well. Anyone who reads even some of the recruiting gossip would know of the rumors that the two didn't get along. Why allow the situation to get this far? Even if you get both camps to patch it up in time for them to sign letters of intent, surely one or both would think about transferring a year or two down the line.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Before you get all holier than thou, remember we actively pursued and would have taken either one or both of them. What are you going to say if we go after similar kids in the future?

What are you talking about? The fact that we recruited them has zero to do with what has happened with Underwood. This is NOT on either of these two kids. This is on the AAU power broker and a spineless coach who succumbed to that power brokers demands.

Let me recap for you. THT leaves MIF over the summer to join AAU team run by Reggie Rose. MIF gets pissed. Ayo verbals a couple of weeks ago. BU continues to recruit THT despite rumblings of a rift with Ayo’s team. BU secures an official visit last weekend from THT. Visit goes well and numerous insiders claim THT gave a verbal to the staff on Sunday. THT indicates immediately after said visit that he will be verbally committing Thursday evening. During week Ayo says he can play with anyone including THT. MIF gets wind of pending THT commitment and threatens BU that the Illini will be shut out Of future MIF prospects if they accept THT. Some even said it was Ayo or THT. Suddenly, on the DAY that THT is to announce, offer gets pulled. THT wanted to commit and was told he no longer had an offer. THT verbals to ISU.

So basically, BU caved in to the AAU power broker at the expense of a 16 year old kid that was blatently mislead on the offer and corresponding actions of the staff recruiting.

BU made a conscious choice to pick MIF and his future influence on top prospects for 2019 and later over THT.

How this has anything to do with NU or CCC escapes me. If you believe CCC would have made the decision that BU did and fold to MIF threats then you should say so. I think CCC would have handled this much differently.

 

[NUCat320]

Thanks for the summary, @Purple Pile Driver. Fascinating.

It seems that the only two kids in the room were trying to be mature - and that the adults couldn't bear to let them. Pretty pathetic.

We know who the real winner in this is, though: Nike.

 

[Medill90]

There's bad blood between the two high schools. There's a rivalry in football and basketball, there have been brawls and coaches from both schools have been suspended. Some ugliness on the part of parents as well. That's not an indictment of either family, just the backdrop or foundation on which a relationship has to be built.

Both families seem pretty nice so this is all unfortunate. When you read what THT's mom said you get the sense that the families had no part in this. Which leaves the AAU programs and the U of I coach.

What's interesting is that U of I seems to have sided with Morgan Park. I'm from a Morgan Park family, three siblings went there and Levi Cobb was my hero. If I had to choose a program based on who would produce the most D1 players it would not be Morgan Park. Sure, there have been a handful, but nothing like Simeon in terms of overall numbers or quality.

From what was reported in the Sun Times, U of I doesn't get another Simeon kid for decades.

 

[Walker Fan]

The benefits to NU are that word spreads in CPS and now all coaches now what happened to THT and if a player is

 

[Walker Fan]

If a player is interested, talented enough and qualifies for NU and we are competing with UofI, that player is more likely to come to NU. But the CPS battles of which high school coach is the king has been going on for years (King v. Simeon) battles. There were many stories that in order to meet with certain team’s players, college coaches had to pay these coaches just to get in their school’s doors.

 

[Walker Fan]

Google Landon Cox and Raw Recruits for some more background to that story and good and Simeon and Chevy Blazers and Deon Thomas.

For more recent controversies google Derrick Rose Simeon and SAT fraud and John Calipari.

Also, google Anthony Davis’s dad quote about his son’s recruitment and Sun Times article.

Let’s just say there has been a long history of shady recruiting and other practices.

 

[DaCat]

And let's be honest, Chris Collins and the Duke coaching staff probably forgot more about what goes on in the shady Underwood, oops, underworld of college recruiting than the average fan will ever know. I have to believe CC has the integrity and discipline to not succumb to the temptation of dealing in shady recruiting practices.