ESPN's Bruce Feldman takes a look at covering the recruiting process.
Nick Saban is unhappy with the media. This past weekend, The Birmingham News reported the Alabama head football coach said that some reporters working for recruiting Web sites have told recruits incorrect and damaging information about the impact of NCAA sanctions on the Crimson Tide program.
"That should be addressed by somebody and should be brought to bear," Saban said. "If people are just covering recruiting with honesty and integrity, [there's no problem]. But all those guys that work out there for [recruiting sites] are for the school. Everybody roots for a team. And they get information for a team."
This is a subject about which many coaches have groused quite a bit throughout the years in one fashion or another. Back when former Florida State defensive back Myron Rolle was a high school junior, we did a big feature at ESPN The Magazine about some of the issues that blue-chip prospects face as college football settles into the Internet age. Many college coaches were pretty vocal about the problems they have been dealing with when the media speaks to recruits. Rolle also wasn't shy in the story:
"Tom Lemming is a huge Notre Dame guy," Myron says. "He kept saying to me, 'You know they have a great coaching staff. You know Charlie Weis is Mr. NFL. You're an academic guy. That place is for you.' Then he killed Florida State. He said, You're stupid if you go there.' Um, OK. Thanks."
Other comments also were brought up. Some I'd categorize as more clumsy than malicious, but there is a slippery slope regardless.
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