[Libertine]

Before you accuse Meyer of stalking, think about this, guys. Say Meyer takes the Gordon kid's word that he's going to Illinois and leaves him alone, then the kid turns around and signs w/ Purdue (or somebody). Who hasn't done his job? The coach from Illinois and, of course, Meyer. Now, suppose that Meyer follows the kid around everywhere he goes (as the article indicates) and Gordon changes his mind and signs w/ IU. Who has done his job? Meyer. Now, suppose that Meyer follows the kid everywhere and he still signs w/ Illinois. Meyer's still recruited the kid hard, maybe even alienated the family, but it didn't cost IU anything because the kid wasn't going to sign w/ them anyway. The job of the top assistant for a basketball program is also the job of top recruiter for the program. In today's environment, the head coach's job in recruiting is to seal the deal. All the gruntwork in recruiting is done by the assistants. Also, consider that this is Meyer's first "big-time" coaching position. He has to prove himself and outwork the competition and, if that means, "stalking" a kid, then I can't blame him for it. He can't not stalk him.

Incidentally, this is about as unobjective an article as I've ever read. I don't know who this Jeff Goodman guy is but he sounds like he's got a serious axe to grind on Sampson and/or IU.

[Rocketfan]

How does a new staff who is trying to put a winning product on the court this year, have the luxury to send the new assistant out recruiting for next year already? I would think a lot of other things would require there immediate attention.
As for SJ, i am right there with you, if someone is going to call you out on a statement its just kinda funny that they won't at least register if they feel that strongly.

[SuperJon]

Ok, so would the best way to cure this basically be eliminate the verbal commitment? I know that won't ever happen, but would we all agree that Meyer's actions would be ok without the verbal commitment?

[Libertine]

Let me re-iterate. The verbal commitment is quite literally nothing. The NCAA does not recognize the verbal commitment. Verbals are basically a creation of scout.com and the other recruiting news services who are trying to describe where a kid is leaning.

[LUconn]

I think it's more a creation of the fact that the kid is telling everyone where he's decided he wants to go. He hasn't signed anything but he's already made up his mind. So I guess you could call that a verbal. A lot of coaching cry when you try to change his mind.

[Sly Fox]

All the guests give me a headache sometimes. Forgive me getting them all confused. But if everyone would just register life would be phenomenal.

And for the record, Bayless committed to UT as a sophomore before changing his mind to Lute and then changing it back. Frankly, he could change his mind two or three more times before signing day.

Think about this ... how many of you were fully capable of making lef-defining decisions when you were 15-, 16- or 17-years-old? Parents should have some influence even thought he ultimate decision should belong to the athlete.

And LUconn hit the nail on the head about the responsibility of Jeff to work every angle he can within the NCAA guidelines. Its part of the job. If you don't feel comfortable stalking teenage boys that is perfectly understandable. Just don't take a job coaching major college basketball.

[SuperJon]

All the guests give me a headache sometimes. Forgive me getting them all confused. But if everyone would just register life would be phenomenal.

There's a really easy way to fix that...

[Sly Fox]

Trust me, I grow more tempted by the day. But we are still in a growth surge and I don't want to discourage that right now.

[WinthropEagleFan]

How does a new staff who is trying to put a winning product on the court this year, have the luxury to send the new assistant out recruiting for next year already? I would think a lot of other things would require there immediate attention.

This is the critical time for recruiting for the next season. Every school has their top three coaches on the road right now evaluating talent. It's not a luxury, it's a necessity during this time of year.

[Killn'emsoftly]

How do you know a register user is not also a guest. I agree with the guest about not backing off of a kid, especially since Meyer has known the kid since the 6th grade and he is from Indiana and now Meyer coaches at IU. The previous relationship 'cause' is implemented in the this recruiting situation. But also I read on a web site where EJ reconfirmed his commitment to Illinois, so next week when the coaches go out next IU should back off.

Goodman must have an axe to grind, but also what makes this big is that EJ is playing his way to the top of the '07 class, if he was ranked not so high nobody would care!

[Sly Fox]

I've seen Lil Eric ranked as high as 3rd overall in some of the rankings. That's pretty amazing considering some of the talent in that class.

[givemethemic]

Both of our head coaches (Coach Dunton) and (Coach Green) were out for the first two weeks and were here for 3 days this week and they (Staff included, except Coach Deyo, congrats on having the new baby boy) are on the road for the rest of the month.... Point is, this is a HUGE month so that's why head assistants are not worried as much about there current players

[TIMSCAR20]

Coach Meyer has every right to recruit EJ right up until he is asked not to call anymore by Eric Sr. Sr. won't do that because they have a really solid relationship. Those of you trying to distinguish as to the level of recruiting or how much or how little is necessary have clearly never recruited before. There are 2 things. Being recruited or not being recruited. If someone is high on your list there are no time limits or letter limits outside of the NCAA limits that are set. EJ is fair game and Coach is leveraging a prior relationship. Recruiting in the state of Indiana for local talent is really tough. Remember how everyone hated Sean May for not picking IU? That was national news even though it didn't affect most of the country. And whoever said this is Meyer's first big time job does not have any respect for the Big 12 I guess. Missouri is a big time job! IU is a better job but are you saying Missouri is a mid-major or something? I am in late on this discussion but I have to agree with those in this discussion that have coached or are coaching and you guys know who you are

[LUconn]

Mizzou is a big time school. Quinn Snyder being your boss makes that questionable.

[Purple Haize]

Kudos to Coach Meyer. He is doing nothing wrong at all, if you think this is unsavory behavior then you have never A) Been recruited as an athlete in a high profile sport or B) Never recruited for a high profile sport. The only way this will change is when the NCAA changes recruiting emphasis away from summer and into winter.
As for the AAU tournamnt thing. Those criticizing, I have to ask: Have you ever attended one of these things either as a player or spectator? I have been to more then my share. I was at one last week, in one section you had 4 courts going ALL DAY and on the other section you had 3 courts doing the same thing. It is very easy to be seeing "following" around these players. It is easy to see the same coaches at the same courts with the same players. (Some were very attractive too so I was MORE the happy to see them. Although, remind me never to make Pat Summit mad!!!)
Also, apparently everyone missed a BIG sentence in the article. I will paraphrase to say: THERE IS ANOHTER SON!!! So what if EJ goes to IU or not, guess who has the inside track on THAT KID??? Ummmm Coach Meyer.
July is THE BIGGEST recruiting month of the year. While some of us are basking in the sun, ME, coaches are packed into gyms watching kids play for 14+ hours a day.
As an IU fan I can only say GO JEFF GO!!!

[SuperJon]

As for the AAU tournamnt thing. Those criticizing, I have to ask: Have you ever attended one of these things either as a player or spectator? I have been to more then my share. I was at one last week, in one section you had 4 courts going ALL DAY and on the other section you had 3 courts doing the same thing. It is very easy to be seeing "following" around these players. It is easy to see the same coaches at the same courts with the same players.

They U16 Girls Nationals had a few games played at my high school a couple years back (4 I think). There was only one game going on at a time. That's the mindset I was going into the AAU thing from. If there's 4 courts at a time, I can understand someone being seen at all of the games.

[Killn'emsoftly]

Super(duper)Jon --- The more you talk the dumber you sound... you based this whole thread on U16 GIRLS basketball??? Could they even dribble!!! You moron, don't ever get into a discussion and waste our time again when you have no clue!!!

We are talking about IU and Meyer recruiting a potential NBA player and you are talking tittyboppers playing hoops.

[SuperJon]

Super(duper)Jon --- The more you talk the dumber you sound... you based this whole thread on U16 GIRLS basketball??? Could they even dribble!!! You moron, don't ever get into a discussion and waste our time again when you have no clue!!!

I based how a tournament was run on that. It was nationals. Anything aged 16 and older is going to be ran the way it is supposed to. There were other games going on at other schools. I assumed this is what was going on at these tournaments. Every tournament I've ever participated in (albeit baseball and soccer) have had multiple games going on at multiple locations. Even showcase tournaments there are normally 2, sometimes three locations.

[Sly Fox]

On the heals of his punishment from the ABCA, Sampson is pushing his pursuit of Eric Jr even harder:

IU goes after coach with ties to Gordon
Sampson offers job to Steele, who coached North Central star during summer play

By Jeff Rabjohns
jeff.rabjohns@indystar.com

Indiana University coach Kelvin Sampson is pursuing a summer basketball coach with ties to Eric Gordon to add to the Hoosiers' staff.

Sampson offered a position to Travis Steele, Steele's former boss said Tuesday.

Steele coached the North Central High School senior at this year's Adidas May Classic. Gordon, who has orally committed to Illinois, said he has known Steele since junior high.

Last year, Steele was an assistant at Wabash Valley, a junior college in Mount Carmel, Ill. Coach Toby Madison is leaving Wabash Valley and had expected Steele to take over. "Last I heard, he was going to take the Indiana job," Madison said.

The message on Steele's cell phone said voice mail was full. Sampson could not be reached for comment. Pete Rhoda, IU athletic media relations director, said the school had no announcement regarding an addition to the basketball staff.
Steele was at the center of a controversy last summer that led to the NCAA prohibiting people with "basketball duties" at a college program from coaching "nonscholastic-based" teams, such as summer travel teams.
Steele was the equivalent of a graduate assistant at Ohio State from 2004-05 -- going to graduate school and serving as "team manager" -- while coaching summer basketball.

In April 2005, the NCAA banned such dual roles, citing possible recruiting advantages.
NCAA rules prohibit college coaches from being at certain summer events. Before the rule change, graduate students in roles like Steele's could be in contact with prospects at times official members of a college's coaching staff could not.
Sampson already has hired two coaches with ties to the Gordons. Jeff Meyer coached Gordon's father at Liberty University, and Ray McCallum and the elder Gordon played against each other in high school.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a ... -1/ZONES01

[Purple Haize]

Shoot with this and the KS being "banned" from NABCA duites we may see a new headline : JEFF MEYER named interim coach at IU>

[Sly Fox]

It looks like Meyer's "stalking" is paying some dividends:

UPDATE: Two top basketball recruits visit town
Sampson, staff dine with standout guards at Yogi's

By IDS reports | From IDS reports | Friday, September 01, 2006

Two top high school basketball recruits were in Bloomington Friday night.

Eric Gordon Jr. and Derrick Rose, seen at Yogi's Grill and Bar, dined with IU juniors D.J. White, A.J. Ratliff, IU basketball coach Kelvin Sampson and other Hoosier basketball personnel.

The visit could mark a sea change in Sampson's pursuit of Rose and Gordon -- especially in Gordon's case, as the Indianapolis North Central High School senior verbally committed to the University of Illinois during his junior season.

According to Rivals.com, Gordon is the No. 2-rated player in the country for the class of 2007. Rose is rated No. 3 in the nation. Gordon is the top-rated shooting guard in the class, and Rose is the top-rated point guard.

The two played together this summer on a traveling team. Gordon cited the turmoil around former coach Mike Davis as his initial reason for turning down IU, but Sampson's hiring of assistant coach Jeff Meyer -- who coached Gordon's father at Liberty University -- dumped new fuel on rumors that Gordon is reconsidering his verbal commitment to Illinois.

Rose recently announced his recruiting finalists and included IU in his top five.

http://www.idsnews.com/news/story.php?i ... &adid=news

[Sly Fox]

IU hosts potential basketball recruits
Two highly ranked prep players scrimmaged with the team Saturday.

By Pete DiPrimio
pdiprimio@news-sentinel.com

BLOOMINGTON — The calendar might suggest it’s football season, but is that ever relevant when it comes to Indiana basketball?

Even on a day when the football team posted a 39-20 victory over mistake-prone Western Michigan, basketball stole some limelight.

Super recruits Eric Gordon and Derrick Rose made unofficial visits to IU and participated in a Saturday Assembly Hall scrimmage with current Hoosiers. That scrimmage was originally set to be public, but school officials closed it over NCAA violation concerns. Still, fans were in Assembly Hall hallways to cheer players as they walked by.

That leaves Sampson with two scholarships remaining and brings us back to Gordon and Rose, teammates on the summer AAU circuit.

Gordon, from Indianapolis North Central, has orally committed to Illinois. While he insists that commitment is solid, he continues to torment Illini faithful and entice IU fans with his contacts with Hoosier coaches. Figure Illinois coach Bruce Weber will not be having dinner with Sampson anytime soon.

Gordon is considered the top shooting guard in the country. He committed to Illinois in December when Mike Davis was IU’s coach, but his Hoosier interest was re-newed when Sampson took over in March. And in another interesting twist, Gordon’s father played for Indiana assistant coach Jeff Meyer at Liberty University.

Rose, meanwhile, is regarded as the nation’s No. 2 point guard. IU is one of his finalists, along with DePaul, Kansas, Memphis and UCLA. He is from Chicago.

Gordon and Rose could be the Hoosiers’ backcourt of the future. They could provide the kind of high-powered foundation national title hopes are built on. Or, of course, they could not. Remember similar accolades for Marshall Strickland and Bracey Wright? That’s why they call it intrigue.

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/15437369.htm