x_rugger wrote:

i also think there is a "sea change" going on right now at the bigger programs, regarding players leaving for missions. over the past two years, there has been a noticeable increase in top end lds talent. if a program hopes to land one of those recruits going forward, they are going to have to make allowances for those players (who want to) to leave for a mission. i think manti te'o has had a lot to do with that phenomenon.
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I wonder what ol' Pete does the first time a player transfers after his mission like Sorenson, Bradley, Riley, etc. I'll bet his policy would change real fast. This is assuming, of course, that he actually has a player leave on a mission which I think he'll do everything in his power to avoid.

I don't want to be a naysayer, but it just seem fishy to me that he hasn't committed yet. That is why I don't think we get him. To me, if he was going to come to BYU, he would have committed by now. The longer it takes for him to verbal the less chance I think we have with him. I still think he was just making sure he didn't want to come to BYU and that is why he went to the camps. Yeah, he sounds like a great young man and has a lot of talent, but I just think he would have committed by now if he really wanted to come. Every month that goes by he moves closer to USC and further from BYU. But as my wife would attest, most of the time I am wrong...

x_rugger wrote:

for years there has been a running joke that usc players have to take a cut in pay when they go to the nfl. still, i don't believe sweet pete "gets" extra perks for the players, he has to stay clear of that because he needs "plausible deniability". perks have to come in the back door.

That's called the "Hundred Dollar Handshake" from the rich alums. No one know's what's in the hand when they shake but the Alum and the athelete. Been going on for years at every major BCS school.

Go Cougs!
L Hatton
Louisville KY

j2b03 wrote:

I don't want to be a naysayer, but it just seem fishy to me that he hasn't committed yet. That is why I don't think we get him. To me, if he was going to come to BYU, he would have committed by now. The longer it takes for him to verbal the less chance I think we have with him. I still think he was just making sure he didn't want to come to BYU and that is why he went to the camps. Yeah, he sounds like a great young man and has a lot of talent, but I just think he would have committed by now if he really wanted to come. Every month that goes by he moves closer to USC and further from BYU. But as my wife would attest, most of the time I am wrong...:unsure:

I see it just the opposite. If he verbaled to the Y that would not mean USC would stop recruting him but they would work even harder at it. USC would put on the full court press. Maybe he dosen't want to bring that kind of attention from USC. The longer he doesn't committ to anyone the longer he is left alone, well somewhat anyway.

Just a thought

x_rugger wrote:

i see this as both a positive and a negative. positive: because it is good pr for the missionary program, and good for the kids as well. negative: because byu will have more competition for recruits that were locks before. i guess if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best....on the field, and now for recruits.

I'm with you rugger... Manti is a man-child, and would be incredible to be at BYU, but his desire to go on a mission is really cool to me. And would be great as an example of a good 'ol Polynesian Mormon-Boy. Man... I wish he'd come to us.

The scary part is, I think the secrets out on the LDS athletes and Polynesians. The attendance from Big time coaches at the All-Poly camp in Utah, and the Nike Camp happening in Utah just opened up a whole new world of talent, that has been relatively hidden for a while. I think recruiting will ever be without a fight from here on out. The more scouts that come to watch one 4 star player, they'll see more than what they bargained for... my little brother received an offer from North Carolina after a game he played... and the scouts weren't there for him.

Personally I think we're neck and neck with USC for Manti. He knows what it means to play linebacker there, but this is also a kid with a big heart and lot's of family supporting a decision to go to the Y.

In the end, I think that our fabulous season this year combined with a face to face with Bronco (and hopefully a prayer or two) will sell this kid o how special this place is.

USC is hardly a safe haven for LDS athletes... one of the best female LDS hoops players in a long time, Brynn Cameron got pregnant by Matt Leinart there.

There isn't a night that goes by that there aren't drugs sold and people shot, less than a miles radius of the campus.

Outside of the likelihood of Kaveinga going on a mission (I can't imagine that USC isn't coddling this kid to ensure that Manti knows that the mission thing is ok - - i.e. USC needs Kaveinga to go on a mission to convince the Teo family)


BYU happens to have 2 Teos targeted for scholarships and another potential schollie out to Levi Teo of Timpview.
Alema Teo (the ceo of the all poly camp) is a pro BYU guy at a pro BYU high school (Bountiful) and certainly will be a spiritual mentor to Manti. Last time I checkd Alema or Mantis family do not live in Southern California.

I say, let's beat Washington and UCLA and then see where we stand with Manti.

We're getting spoiled, it wasn't but 3-4 years ago that 90% of our recruiting classes commited in the last few weeks on the recruiting calender. Now we're getting 4-5 star athletes committing 2 years in advance.

Timo, Bills, Galeai all committed extremely early
then
Kaufusi, Badger, and Heaps have followed suit for the next class (I expect Badger and Heaps to commit before November of their junior years)

We're in great shape with or without Manti; it's not like we struggle to find guys qualified to play linebacker in our system. That being said, I expect to see him in blue in the future.