OT - Appalachian State won't let kid out of NLI

[Goose85]

I know this was previously reported by Zagsblog, but now ESPN is running with the story.

Capel, the coach at Appalachian State won't let this kid out of the letter of intent, so he can't play elsewhere and will have to sit out and miss a year of elligibility if he doesn't play at Ap State.

I get it, the kid signed on, but if Capel has a good season and gets offers to coach elsewhere, will Ap State make him serve out his entire contract?
Do you really want a kid on your team / at your school that doesn't want to be there?

Would this hurt recruiting, or lead to other kids agreeing to go to Ap State but not signing an NLI?

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/9732835/appalachian-state-coach-jason-capel-release-devonte-graham-letter-intent

[TheSultan]

Then Appy State released a really, really dumb statement. I mean, why do you say stuff like this? Just shut up and let the weekend get here.

http://www.appstatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=21500&ATCLID=209269294

And they should let him out. Not on matter of principle, but because you don't want an unhappy person on your team. I mean, Tyshawn Taylor was a good player, but forcing him to play at MU for a year wouldn't have been good for Marquette.

[Markedman]

Totally different situaltion with Taylor.....The coach who signed him left.

If kids can get out of an LOI anytime they want then why have them?

I don't disagree that this is a no win situation for Appy State but where do you draw the line?

Seems to be both sides should abide by the contract for a year as they agreed unless the coach leaves or gets fired.

[MUMac]

Totally different situaltion with Taylor.....The coach who signed him left.

If kids can get out of an LOI anytime they want then why have them?

I don't disagree that this is a no win situation for Appy State but where do you draw the line?

Seems to be both sides should abide by the contract for a year as they agreed unless the coach leaves or gets fired.

I agree Markedman. Furthermore, allowing kids out of their NLI without reason or recourse could lead to continued recruiting once a kid signs. Some may think that is ok, I do not. Could be dirty recruiting.

The kid can transfer. He just needs to sit out a year in residency as the case always used to be - pre hardship.

When my kids signed, I always made sure they understood what that meant. I was up to speed on the NCAA rules, regs ... Perhaps the individuals advising need to be more knowledgeable with the rules. If a kid can opt out for any reason, why have them sign a NLI in the first place?

Goose mentions Capel could sign somewhere else after the season. Not sure I see what that means in this situation. No matter where anyone goes, that is the possibility. Plus, it hasn't happened yet, nor is it a certainty to occur.

[IWB]

This is a tough one. Normally I would always side with kid, but it sounds as if these guys are more pissed that the recruit was tampered with, and it sounds like they know who/what/where/why/when. Once a kid signs, he is off limits to everyone. But it sounds like he blew up on the circuit and his handlers were shopping him to bigger schools.

Stopped recruiting because he signed - yes, that sucks and I understand you being pissed, but that is why you never ever stop recruiting, but App State may not have the budget to do that.


I know one local kid that was committed to a High-Mid-Major a few years back. A now former BIG coach who I won't name watched him at an AAU tourney in Vegas and loved him. So, he had dinner with a couple of people close to him and before you know it, the two guys were in his hotel room working to convince him to back out of the High-Mid-Major and open it back up. Reluctantly, he did. Story comes out, BIG school gets involved, he gets home from Vegas and his mom rips him a new one for backing out of a commitment. In that case, mom won out and he stayed High-Mid-Major and had a solid career.