CSNbbs

I'm hearing that he didn't make the trip to Mississippi State. I wonder if we will see him in a Buc uniform again.

Can't say I`d be all that surprised

I wouldn't be either, but he was even rawer than I think most people thought he would be. 8 games is hardly enough to develop and see how you fit in over the rest of your career, so maybe there's more to it than that? Or obviously less; it's hard to read anything into it at this point if he in fact did not make the trip.

I don't know what kind of basketball player A.J. is, but on a personal level, I will disappointed if there's something to this story.

I can't remember him ever taking off his warm-ups, so I too will not be surprised.

He is a west coast kid stuck far away from friends and family in the hills of Tennessee and is getting 0 playing time. Leave now and only have sit a 1 semester if he goes somewhere else.

It's tough to hold onto players who are from California. It's give or take a few 2290 miles from home. Homesickness is not unusual for college students. Combine unfulfilled expectations with being all by yourself...it's tough.

Point is...you are going to take your hits recruiting kids from California to ETSU. ETSU is better off sticking to the region. I can't believe that there were not any players in our region...and ETSU had to go scour the Golden State.

I hope this kind of recruiting stops. I don't think it's fair the player.

Curtis is from Mississippi but played JUCO in California. Eryk Thomas was from out there. It has nothing to do with where the kid is from we have lost kids from everywhere instate to Chicago to California to Florida. Wait Florida is a long way off maybe we should stop recruiting down there. Just because we have got a ton of talent out of that state westill have no business recruiting that far away I mean Tampa is all the way down at the end, far far away. Boston? Wow going all the way up north to get players (2). Why there are plenty of kids right here in the Tri-Cities good enough.. geez.. I mean Missouri? Why would we need to cross the Mississippi River for a player.. I mean Memphis is just barely okay. Next thing you know we will be going to Michigan and getting players.

Do you not recall the circumstances? ETSU hadn't signed anyone in the early period. Suddenly ETSU coaches were touring California. It seemed they were in panic mode to find something.

It obvious you do better in your own backyard. That was the point. That was Les Robinson's recruiting strategy. Worked pretty well for him.

After-all, ETSU is in a budget crisis...had to eliminate football. I guess this is the part about moving up athletically...we now have the money to recruit California.

Usually long distance recruits come from relationships the coach has...people he knows or trusts from around the country. That makes sense. Still the best recruiting is owning your backyard. How would Memphis be if they were not getting kids from Memphis?

Huh? The same California High School coach that tipped us to Eryk Thomas suggested that we look at Johnson. We weren't just touring Cali aimlessly.

IF ETSU got kids from it own backyard we would be King. We aren't there yet, give us a few more years.

(12-13-2010 09:20 PM)Mister Jennings Wrote: [ -> ]Do you not recall the circumstances? ETSU hadn't signed anyone in the early period. Suddenly ETSU coaches were touring California. It seemed they were in panic mode to find something.

It obvious you do better in your own backyard. That was the point. That was Les Robinson's recruiting strategy. Worked pretty well for him.

After-all, ETSU is in a budget crisis...had to eliminate football. I guess this is the part about moving up athletically...we now have the money to recruit California.

Usually long distance recruits come from relationships the coach has...people he knows or trusts from around the country. That makes sense. Still the best recruiting is owning your backyard. How would Memphis be if they were not getting kids from Memphis?

HUH? Bartow has had entire recruiting classes without any early signings. Why would he panic and why in the world would he randomly pick California to go look for a player? We seem to have connections in the JUCO's out there.

(12-13-2010 09:36 PM)RodShaw2 Wrote: [ -> ]

(12-13-2010 09:20 PM)Mister Jennings Wrote: [ -> ]Do you not recall the circumstances? ETSU hadn't signed anyone in the early period. Suddenly ETSU coaches were touring California. It seemed they were in panic mode to find something.

It obvious you do better in your own backyard. That was the point. That was Les Robinson's recruiting strategy. Worked pretty well for him.

After-all, ETSU is in a budget crisis...had to eliminate football. I guess this is the part about moving up athletically...we now have the money to recruit California.

Usually long distance recruits come from relationships the coach has...people he knows or trusts from around the country. That makes sense. Still the best recruiting is owning your backyard. How would Memphis be if they were not getting kids from Memphis?

HUH? Bartow has had entire recruiting classes without any early signings. Why would he panic and why in the world would he randomly pick California to go look for a player? We seem to have connections in the JUCO's out there.

...because they looked around the neighborhood and didn't see any players. Now with Johnson in the fold...and his Memphis connections...at least they might stay in state. 500 miles is better than 2000! We know Murry knows Tampa...(at least Wagers), but does anyone know Washington, DC? Richmond, VA? How does ETSU identify players...recruiting services? I don't know...but I know it's better to stay close if possible.

Murry has had success waiting until spring to sign...after the season, certain characteristics may show up that you didn't know about in the fall.

Obviously someone on the coaching staff has connections to the California JUCO scene. Just like they have connections to Memphis, Florida.. Someone must have contacts in the New England area.

Johnson and his Memphis connections? look back over the last few years, seems like we already have a pipeline down there.

(12-13-2010 10:41 PM)RodShaw2 Wrote: [ -> ]Johnson and his Memphis connections? look back over the last few years, seems like we already have a pipeline down there.

Bartow's rational for hiring Johnson was Memphis...it was said.

(12-13-2010 10:45 PM)Mister Jennings Wrote: [ -> ]

(12-13-2010 10:41 PM)RodShaw2 Wrote: [ -> ]Johnson and his Memphis connections? look back over the last few years, seems like we already have a pipeline down there.

Bartow's rational for hiring Johnson was Memphis...it was said.

Cool maybe some day we will get players like Pigram or Strong or Jones or.. oh wait a minute.

That Gene Bartow guy has a few connections to the Memphis area.

It wasn't Robinsons stated strategy to recruit in the North Carolina/Virginia region. It just so happened that Robinson along with Dave Hanners and then Lebo and maybe someone I'm forgetting had ACC connections. North Carolina, specifically, advised us to go after athletes they were looking at but ultimately deemed to small to offer to.


But comparing recruiting then and recruiting now is probably apples and oranges. The political map has changed over the years it stands to reason that the collegiate recruiting map has changed as well. I've never understood the logic that we must recruit local kids. That is a sure recipe for disaster. Having said that I am, however, against anyone recruiting foreign kids. And that includes the communists punks that we bring in for Golf, Tennis, and Soccer as well. They are nothing but trouble. I remember being in a bar a few years ago and watched a foreign ETSU tennis player get kicked out b/c he was overly fresh to a female bartender and almost started a fight among other patrons. It was beautiful watching the much larger American male bartender throw his arrogant ass out the door.

You don't have too...but all things equal...it's better. The kid might have a following bringing his neighborhood, their church, family and friends to the games...at ETSU, that matters. Publicity is better with a local kid. Don't forget, it's hard to have homesickness if you are already at home.

(12-13-2010 09:32 PM)RodShaw2 Wrote: [ -> ]IF ETSU got kids from its own backyard we would be King.

+1