This says it all

[Lionhawk]

Saw this posted on TOS.

One of my favorite statements from Mr. Davis Davis: " I don't recruit kids to play for Tom Davis. I recruit kids to play for Iowa."

The last two coaches have recruited players to play for them, hopefully Fran and his staff will use Mr. Davis's thinking.

Could put an end to all the transferring and LOI releases.

 

[JonDMiller]

Well, Tom was naive if that was the case

Kids choose schools primarily for coaches...and in the past, it would take a lot for the Iowa kids to not pick Iowa.

Nowadays, they do not have a frame of reference that the kids over the course 24 of the last 27 years had when they viewed Iowa.

 

[Billso]

I loved that statement too, but it was just Mr. Davis being classy. Rest assured those players came to play for him, although Jon's right that the Iowa "brand" had more strength then also.

 

[thejumper5]

Something I've been thinking about lately: if a kid agrees to go to a college to study physics or theology or music he is committing to academic program. If the top professor in the program, the one that this particular kid was looking forward to studying and doing research with left the program, we wouldn't blame the kid at all for going to a different school. However, when a kid goes to college to play basketball and the guy that he wanted to play for leaves, it is seen as a low move for the kid to transfer out or ask to be released from his scholarship. I don't think that it is really that big of a deal. The student/player needs to be in the best situation for him or her and we can't blame them for taking care of themselves.

 

[1hawkifan]

Kids choose schools primarily for coaches...

I agree with this! I live in Kansas City and someone brought up the recruitment of Nick Collison to KU. From what I was told, there was an interview done with Nick sometime ago asking him if players choose the school primarily for academics or for the coach and sports program. Nick said something to the point that when KU was recruiting him, Kansas didn't send up the Chancellor to recruit him, they sent Roy Williams.

 

[tweeterhawk]

Something I've been thinking about lately: if a kid agrees to go to a college to study physics or theology or music he is committing to academic program. If the top professor in the program, the one that this particular kid was looking forward to studying and doing research with left the program, we wouldn't blame the kid at all for going to a different school. However, when a kid goes to college to play basketball and the guy that he wanted to play for leaves, it is seen as a low move for the kid to transfer out or ask to be released from his scholarship. I don't think that it is really that big of a deal. The student/player needs to be in the best situation for him or her and we can't blame them for taking care of themselves.

Correct. And with athletic programs, the coach/athlete tie is much more important.