Is there a Nike conspiracy?
The wacky dudes on one of the morning sports talk shows suggested this morning that recruits like Terrelle Pryor, Bryce Brown, Marcus Lattimore are being asked by Nike to simply state that they are interested in Oregon when in fact they never have any interest in attending at all. He suggested that Nike is promising them favors when they make it to the NFL in exchange for listing Oregon as a potential school.
What? I don't know but it's got me thinking...
over 2 years ago
echris
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“wacky…dudes…morning…sports…talk”
That’s really all I need to know. Until a legit journalist can report a legit source stating the same, it’s all just unsubstantiated rumor.
Phil Knight is obviously a whale of a booster for the university, and his money is Nike money. Nike as a corporation, however, has business relationships with countless athletic programs, coaches and players. Yes, Jake Locker, that is a Nike Swoosh on your jersey. I’m not buying it.
I'm really tired of it not being football season.
I think its more likely recruits think, hey if I go to Oregon and go pro I’ll have a shoe deal mailed with my diploma. So they look into oregon and decided to go somewhere else.
Agree with Arby too. I dont think any of us can truly understand how shady the recruiting world is. Who knows what goes down.
Sleeping under an avalanche with Cartman, wake me Sept 3.
Thanks for not putting me on blast there—I don’t mean it as a flame. I just think that it could definitely be the case.
Look at it as cutting edge advertising/PR. Isn’t that the dual purpose recruiting sites anyway? To promote certain programs? Recruits gain notoriety and respect based on the schools offering/interested in them the same way programs can gain respect by reaching the “top four” or “favorite list” or “final two” of a blue chipper like Brown or Pryor… just sayin’… I love the game but it’s a dirty one.
SIGN BRANDON ROY TO A 5 YEAR DEAL NOW!
never though of recruiting as a big advertisement for the schools but it really is. You know it kills me to agree with a beaver, but i guess its a neutral topic.
Sleeping under an avalanche with Cartman, wake me Sept 3.
I think you are right Kyle.
I think it’s less about what the wacky dudes think it is, and more the other way around. Recruit goes “Hmmm… I am from Philly, and my interests are PSU, Florida, tOSU, and Texas… but, I could dip my toe in a little of that Oregon lovin’, and who knows what I could get from it.”
I don’t mean to insinuate Oregon is being used, but it is possibly an attractive name to include in your blue chipper’s top 5. Man that feels kinda nice to say.
Addicted To Quack [dot] com; Six-hundred and ninety-four yards of total offense.
It would make a lot more sense than for Nike to let the Oregon coaches go on thinking they have a chance and miss out on a backup player
It goes both ways though, remember.
Even if we miss out on the Pryors and Browns and probably the Lattimores, it’s the name Oregon that gets lifted up just with top recruit-eyes batting towards. If suddenly the top players from the next 3 years start listing Youngstown State in their top 4s or whatever, you bet there will be attention drawn to the school – whether it be recruiting violation attention, or curiosity about what the hell is attractive about them. It’s no mystery what our attractions lie in, but we are getting in on the big recruit sweepstakes.
Addicted To Quack [dot] com; Six-hundred and ninety-four yards of total offense.
I agree, just being mentioned by these recruits is great. I guess my point is that I don’t buy the rumor of Oregon promising these kids something if they just mention us. I’m sure that Nike and Phil Knight are smarter than that, and even if they weren’t that they wouldn’t have let the coaches recruit Bryce Brown so hard without a back-up plan.
A back-up plan as in a less heralded RB?
Because, honestly, we didn’t really need to reel in a RB this offseason. Lattimore would be awesome to have this year because he’d step in and be another bruiser to complement LMJ’s speed. I see this year possibly having a backup plan for a miss on Lattimore, as we will need a powerful and durable back (I’m looking at you, Remene) who can be our Blount, or Mo Morris.
My point being, losing out on Brown was only losing out on him. We didn’t need a RB this year, much like (we thought) we didn’t need a QB but we pulled in Hawkins anyway.
Man, I’d love to have another Mo Morris.
Addicted To Quack [dot] com; Six-hundred and ninety-four yards of total offense.
we always need a rb
with our offense I think RB should be our highest priority every offseason. In fact I’ll make a list
RB, OL, QB, DB, Front 7, WR/TE, K/P
Sleeping under an avalanche with Cartman, wake me Sept 3.
Why should it be our highest priority every offseason?
Addicted To Quack [dot] com; Six-hundred and ninety-four yards of total offense.
it is the position that has the greatest influence on our team
on a year in and year out basis. A great RB can really take offense into the stratosphere.
Sleeping under an avalanche with Cartman, wake me Sept 3.
he was good
there is also a picture of him dribbling a soccer ball posted inside “Portland Indoor Soccer”, which always struck me funny.
by Bill Musgrave on Aug 4, 2009 5:31 PM PDT up reply actions
Barry Sanders ate trumpetduck's baby.
It's spelled "T-A-K-I-M-O-T-S-C-H-M-O-E."
I support inroywetrust in his support of The VD Special in his support of me supporting Roger Kieschnick in his quest to becoming the best Kieschnick ever to play professional baseball.
Barry Sanders juked Kyle's baby into submission.
Addicted To Quack [dot] com; Six-hundred and ninety-four yards of total offense.
I would NEVER go to a party with Barry Sanders
I loath him with all my being
Sleeping under an avalanche with Cartman, wake me Sept 3.
What do your two favorite colors happen to be?
Addicted To Quack [dot] com; Six-hundred and ninety-four yards of total offense.
green and yellow
and black and white and silverchrome and in the sun the yellow part of grellow
Sleeping under an avalanche with Cartman, wake me Sept 3.
by trumpetduck on Aug 6, 2009 10:38 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Barry Sanders had Joe Giasante's baby
AND was a disconnected, emotionless parent
by Bill Musgrave on Aug 6, 2009 5:59 AM PDT up reply actions
That’s one of the dumbest conspiracies.
Tennessee is an Adidas school, and I don’t even think it’s feasible to imagine Bryce Brown ignoring both a “Nike Deal” and the “place where he sees himself play in his dreams”
"It’s spelled S-H-U-F-E-L-T-M-E-U-P"
I don't think there is anything to the wacky dude's theory
I mean…the whole point of their show is entertainment. To try to get people all pissed off so that they will call in and then get humiliated and dismissed as a “honk” on the air.
But I did find it interesting that he pointed it out. I mean…didn’t anyone else raise an eyebrow when Pryor had Oregon on his short list? Same with Brown. I remember thinking “us…really?”
Yes we will
Yes and no. It was a pleasant surprise that blue chip skill players like Pryor and Brown mentioned Oregon, but when you think about it it’s a perfectly natural expectation that UO would be getting interest like that. Sure, there’s the Nike connection, and things like the uniforms and facilities, but you can’t discount the progress the program has made and the individual successes of Dixon and JStew.
echris, you’re right on target regarding the intent of these radio hacks.
I don’t think we should be surprised to see any recruit have Oregon on their short list, at least if you’re an offensive skill player. If you’re a QB or RB or even a good offensive lineman, Oregon is stat heaven. Lots of Ducks are getting drafted. Any you’re not likely to ride the pine behind four other 5-star guys like at USC. If you are a stud, you will be on the field. Unbelievable facilities, including injury re-hab facilities that are second to none, just in case the unexpected happens. Great place to play in terms of fan support and atmosphere. Great opportunity to face top-notch competition. Fair number of nationally televised games. A top-level marketing program with a history of putting star players on larger-than-life posters in Times Square. Many of the posters here claim the goofy unis are great because recruits love them. They seemed to help us get LGB out of the South, right? Did you see all the pairs of shoes Jeremiah Masoli had in his locker in this video? Athletes love shoes!
Oregon has a lot to sell.
I'm really tired of it not being football season.
You’re absolutely right.
Someone looking for talking points saw an increase in the number of top recruits expressing interest in Oregon in addition to the “more traditional/closer to home” schools, and choosing to gloss over other reasons – recent Pac-10 competitiveness; effective execution of the spread-option (see Jon Gruden’s comments from February); more Ducks on NFL Rosters; media love; etc – and instead focus on the biggest outsider knock against the program, Nike’s wallet.
Moreover, what does Nike stand to gain from Pryor expressing interest in the Ducks? Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State (all Nike Schools I believe) likely all have a larger national (and international) following than Oregon. Him attending one of those schools is going to sell more merchandise. Phil see’s a benefit if Pryor actually comes to Oregon and the program succeeds, but having one of these recruits simply say their interested in the school doesn’t move Nike’s share price.
As shady as recruiting can be (If you haven’t read Bruce Feldman’s “Meat Market,” consider doing so), this doesn’t sound like anything more than morning show fodder to me.
"It amazes me that you understand (...) the number one play of what their offense is and what they do best, AND you still can't stop it!" - Craig James
by AcadianTraverse on Aug 5, 2009 12:01 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
Thanks
Though, I should clearly do a better job proof-reading next time. Those homonyms always get me.
"It amazes me that you understand (...) the number one play of what their offense is and what they do best, AND you still can't stop it!" - Craig James
by AcadianTraverse on Aug 5, 2009 6:28 PM PDT up reply actions
If this is true
who cares, as far as I know it is not against NCAA regulations and it helps Oregon so who cares.
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