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Coaches rethink early commits

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Some coaches and recruiting analysts would like to do away with early commitments such as Calvin Leslie's, which was made a month after his freshman year ended. The rush to get players to give non-binding, verbal commitments to scholarships at earlier ages became a national issue when eighth-grader Michael Avery of Thousand Oaks, Calif., recently pledged to play at Kentucky. Avery, who is 6-foot-4, reportedly made his college choice before picking a high school. N.C. State athletics director Lee Fowler expects early commitments to be a topic at the June meeting of the Division I men's basketball issues committee he chairs.The committee has no legislative power, but can recommend that the NCAA act to stop the trend.

Charlotte Observer

Billy Gillispie, Jamie Squire/Getty Images Billy Gillispie, Jamie Squire/Getty Images
May 25, 2008  11:36 AM ET

Schools should be allowed to watch, recruit and if they choose.....
give a WRITTEN committment to kids -
HOWEVER. the kid should be allowed to BACK OUT of any committment they sign. Until the second semester of their senior year.
The kid should be allowed to change their mind.
This way the kid can ONLY WIN.

why? think about a 14 year old- who gets one- he is GUARANTEED a college education.....how is that in ANY WAY bad for the kid?
HE knows (assuming he has the grades) that he will be able to go to college

If the college gets their man- fine-
If the kid decises to go elsewhere- the only entity hurt is the COLLEGE
the kid still gets his education somewhere else

May 25, 2008  01:30 PM ET

What kind of parent let's their 14 year old child make such a life changing decision?

New Rule: You can't committ until you can buy cigarettes!

May 25, 2008  02:14 PM ET

In some states you have to be 19 to buy cigarettes, these kids would be in there freshman year of college by that point. Well, hopefully, if they're still in high school they wouldn't have the grades anyhow.

May 25, 2008  02:22 PM ET

Yeah, I know. I didn't use the correct form of "their". Ironic considering I was talking about the educational level of others.

May 25, 2008  04:29 PM ET

http://goallineblitz.com/game/signup.pl?ref=3432979

May 25, 2008  08:02 PM ET

"What kind of parent let's their 14 year old child make such a life changing decision?"

DUH-
the kid doesn't choose- the parents do it FOR the kid,

What parent in their right mind would REFUSE a GUARANTEED college scholarship for their kid ?
How does the kid lose?

May 25, 2008  09:32 PM ET

What if he decides to stop playing basketball? What if he turns to acting?

May 25, 2008  10:39 PM ET

Hey the kid is prob a UK fan and who can blame him for going to a school he has followed his entire 14 year life

May 26, 2008  02:35 AM ET

Billy Gillespie should rethink that tie while he's at it.

May 26, 2008  02:41 AM ET

He's from California, I really doubt he is a UK fan!

May 26, 2008  09:35 AM ET

"What if he decides to stop playing basketball? What if he turns to acting?"

That's EXACTLY my point.
Once the kid has the commitment- for him it is a guarantee-
If he want;s to act, Not play ball, be a teacher.....so be it- the kid wouldn't HAVE to play- all it is would be is a scholarship...a guaranteed EDUCATION- based on POTENTIAL, ability to ball
BUT it would count against the shcools $ of scholarships
Currently- if the kid getsinto trouble, decides NOT to play- they lose their scholarship- I am for that ONCE THEY ENTER COLLEGE.....but before they should/would be able to a) break the commitment & b) can, as I said above, be allowed to USE IT as an education guarantee only.

This way the schools would HAVE TO be extremely careful in doling them out, which may actually deter them from being vultures

May 26, 2008  01:20 PM ET

How does the NCAA plan to legislate Freedom of Speech? 8th and 9th graders shouldn't be making commitments that early but to think you can stop it is arrogant. Its a non binding verbal statement. There is no obligation involved. I guess the best you can do is to prevent the schools from being able to rescind the offers except under extreme circumstances. (Coaching change, player arrested, etc..)

May 26, 2008  07:50 PM ET

Once this kid gets older, he'll realize that he can market himself if he goes to an LA school like USC or UCLA. But, for now, I'm all for the kid going to Kentucky.
Go Wildcats!

May 26, 2008  09:32 PM ET

If he doesn't play he doesn't get the scholarship.

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May 27, 2008  02:29 AM ET

I have to put the blame on the parents. If the kid is this good to get the offer now, then he shouldn't have any problems down the road. The parents should be in control, not the child.

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June 1, 2008  08:23 PM ET

He's from California, I really doubt he is a UK fan!
Hillary Clinton | 05/26/08, 02:41 AM

Maybe he has a crush on a girl that is a UK fan. That's what got me on board.

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