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BD80
11-05-2008, 09:09 AM
I never did have a great deal of respect for Billy the Kid. This is just another example:

http://www.sportsline.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6271764/11492261

He didn't just recruit over other kids, he has recruited using their scholarships!

Florida is currently committed to extend 15 scholarships for next year.

MulletMan
11-05-2008, 11:07 AM
I never did have a great deal of respect for Billy the Kid. This is just another example:

http://www.sportsline.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6271764/11492261

He didn't just recruit over other kids, he has recruited using their scholarships!

Florida is currently committed to extend 15 scholarships for next year.

I truly enjoyed this quote:

Let's assume that's one, in which case Donovan would have to clear just one scholarship, and there's about a million ways that could happen. Somebody else could turn pro. Or somebody could flunk out. Or somebody could get dismissed for a variety reasons. Or somebody could choose to transfer. Or somebody could be encouraged to transfer. Or ... you get the point.

Good times. Of course, I me be calling the kettle black here... its possible that TK was encouraged to transfer. I have no idea.

Oh Canada
11-05-2008, 11:11 AM
This article makes it seem as if this is something very common in the recruiting world. Now I have no frame of reference on this but would assume that this is only common among coaches who don't consider how psychologically damaging this could be to the mind of an athlete (living miles away from home).
I mean, picture yourself as the scholarship on the end of the bench, picking up scrap minutes at best, and knowing that you could be "nudged" into transferring. How could you keep your mind on the other part of student life.....academics?
I would like to think that the coaches we hold in highest regard (Coach K specifically) understand that some of these players aren't mature enough to see into the future and understand that things will just work it's way out. Seems like Florida is playing a game that many programs shouldn't.

sagegrouse
11-05-2008, 11:58 AM
This article makes it seem as if this is something very common in the recruiting world. Now I have no frame of reference on this but would assume that this is only common among coaches who don't consider how psychologically damaging this could be to the mind of an athlete (living miles away from home).


You know there is a real difference between "recruiting over somone" and "recruiting someone with your schollie while yo're still there."

This is playing with poison. Every future prospective recruit and parents will hear about it from the competition.

sagegrouse

DevilCastDownfromDurham
11-05-2008, 12:31 PM
As long as good kids keep (http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=8&c=1&nid=2714846) coming (http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=8&c=1&nid=2056726) to Florida (http://florida.scout.com/a.z?s=168&p=8&c=1&nid=3143784) over schools that don't do this, why should he change? To me this seems really shady, and I hope it comes back to bite him. But until then, we can have the moral high ground (maybe, cf Sweet, Thompson, Boykin, Boateng, King) and he can have his pick of the litter.:(

SupaDave
11-05-2008, 03:18 PM
As long as good kids keep (http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=8&c=1&nid=2714846) coming (http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=8&c=1&nid=2056726) to Florida (http://florida.scout.com/a.z?s=168&p=8&c=1&nid=3143784) over schools that don't do this, why should he change? To me this seems really shady, and I hope it comes back to bite him. But until then, we can have the moral high ground (maybe, cf Sweet, Thompson, Boykin, Boateng, King) and he can have his pick of the litter.:(

B/c kids are NOT stupid...

Florida sophomore Jai Lucas is transferring out of the program, a source has told CBSSports.com.

According to the source, Lucas and his mother met Wednesday with Billy Donovan and decided to part ways. Lucas averaged 8.5 points for the Gators last season while starting 35 games.

BlueintheFace
11-05-2008, 03:20 PM
Hello Kenny Boynton... GOODBYE JAI LUCAS!!!

http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/11085408

They just lost their best returning backcourt player.

DevilCastDownfromDurham
11-05-2008, 03:34 PM
So basically they rented Lucas as a placeholder and now shed him to open up a scholly for Boynton. I hope Lucas leaving is the beginning of a trend, but so far I'm still not seeing a major downside for Florida. I think we've still had more transfers over the last few years than they have, and it hasn't hurt their recruiting.

BlueintheFace
11-05-2008, 03:53 PM
there have been rumors on the florida boards that Calathes has his foot halfway out the door...

gw67
11-05-2008, 03:55 PM
I saw Florida play a couple of times last year and Lucas is a nice player. He is short and a bit of a gunner. Their best returning backcourt player, based on my observations, is Nick Calathes, and it is not close. He is superior to Lucas in every phase of the game.

gw67

BD80
11-05-2008, 03:56 PM
... GOODBYE JAI LUCAS!!! ...

I wonder if Florida will grant his request to transfer? :rolleyes:

Diddy
11-05-2008, 04:04 PM
Hello Kenny Boynton... GOODBYE JAI LUCAS!!!

http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/11085408

They just lost their best returning backcourt player.

This year's best returning Backcourt player at Florida is Nick Calathes. By a very wide margin. He was one of the few bright spots for FL last year, and arguably the only returing bright spot. He supposedly has one foot out the door and will not be back next year.

Now, Lucas might have been the best returning bc player NEXT year, when KB arrived. Might. But they play similiar positions, and Billy would almost certainly have preferred to play a bigger SG next to Boynton for Defensive purposes.

Also, the Lucas thing calls into question Billy's sleeziness. It seems all but certain that Calathes will leave this year, and Billy knows it. That means he was really only 1 scholly over the limit. Billy was also likely to know that next year's Fl team (with KB) would feature two other pure PGs, both of whom are under 6 ft tall. If and when KB committed, one of them was BOUND to leave. Billy didn't know who, but one of the returnees was certain to realize that the odd man out was likely, or even possibly, himself. Thus, transfer happens.

Look at King. Once Duke had both Plums in the fold, the minutes at SF got thin on the ground, and he knew his chances of playing were slim. No one told him to transfer because he wouldn't earn quality PT. No one had to tell him. These players aren't stupid.

KB meant drastically different things to Duke and Florida. Duke has at least three other McD's AAs on the perimeter. All of next year's guards are good to great players. Boynton was not a guaranteed step up from any of our current guards. Not so at FL. Outside Calathes (who wouldn't have been there), Boynton is a huge step up from any current player. There is not a returnee that KB would not have started over. Not one. And Fl's players had to know it. So Billy was definitely recruiting a player better than the ones currently on the roster. Duke was recruiting a player on par with current players. From the two perspectives, it is a huge difference.

Also, was Billy supposed to ignore a potential franchise player in his own backyard?

DangerDevil
11-05-2008, 07:59 PM
http://gatorzone.com/basketball/men/bios.php?year=2008&order_by=lname

How quickly they disappear

Lucas is no longer listed on the roster but his name still shows up (at least for a little while) under the pronunciation section at the bottom of the roster page

BD80
11-05-2008, 08:50 PM
... Also, was Billy supposed to ignore a potential franchise player in his own backyard?

Rather than give away another player's scholarship? YES!!!!!

This was no accident. He knows he has 13 schollies, and he knew KB was interested in coming. To not save a scholarship is foolish, unless you are unscrupulous enough to figure you can just take back a scholarship already promised. Billy does not have scruples.