Quote:The Bag Man excuses himself to make a call outside, on his "other phone," to arrange delivery of $500 in cash to a visiting recruit. The player is rated No. 1 at his position nationally and on his way into town. We're sitting in a popular restaurant near campus almost a week before National Signing Day, talking about how to arrange cash payments for amateur athletes.

And it goes on from there. Most of it isn't very surprising or new, but it's remarkable to hear how candid the first person account is.

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football...-interview

Of course, this never occurred to me before:

Quote:College majors like Exercise Science and General Education have long been assailed by critics as crip-course degrees, but shadow boosters see them as a vital way to perpetuate the cycle. If a player finishes out his eligibility and has no feasible future in the pros, he might return home and become a nearby high school coach. It doesn't matter if it's junior high or seven-on-seven camps; each means a new brand ambassador for the program.

I read this article a couple of hours ago. Fantastic.

It also never occurred to me that watching a major sporting event in a public place, rather than in the privacy of one's room, is considered a badge of poverty. But apparently it is at one school:

Quote:"Last week I got a call. We've got this JUCO transfer that had just got here. And he's country poor. The [graduate assistant] calls me and tells me he's watching the AFC Championship Game alone in the lobby of the Union because he doesn't have a TV."

On the other hand, I like the use of the expression "country poor" -- I haven't heard that one in quite a while.

Depressing. In a big way. It just puts the details to a story we all have imagined for decades.

The SMU football debacle didn't deter these guys. It just provided a better play book.

So, if we have any hope or dream of playing football at the next level... With the Big 5 Conferences... We've got to develop our bag men. At least that's what the story tells me.

But, wait a minute... Maybe we do have bag men already! If we do, perhaps they need to do a better job!

It's really depressing to me. We all know it goes on. This type of story just proves it.

Just finished the article. Pure gold. It's a shame that people with this type of disposable cash don't put it to better use through charitable giving, etc. I get the passion, but this is truly depressing.