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Nick Stevens

I've got a problem with Facebook recruiting violations

By Nick Stevens
Apr 11, 2009

Word of God vs. Ravenscroft on February 4, 2009

Ravenscroft's Matt Wilson, (42) tries to stop the shot of Word of God's John Wall, (11) on Wednesday night, February 4, 2009 at Ravenscroft High School in Raleigh. Word of God won 82-64. (Photo by C.F.Ward)

And its a big problem.

How in the world can the NCAA hold a school responsible for what an individual student (not a student-athlete) does on a social networking like Facebook? And how in the world does the NCAA see that as a recruiting violation?

In case you missed the story, a freshman at N.C. State University created a Facebook group called "John Wall PLEASE come to NC STATE!!!" The group had more than 700 members, that is, until N.C. State demanded the group be shutdown by its creator, Taylor Moseley.

N.C. State said it was a recruiting violation, and the NCAA agreed.

WHAT? Since when can a fan of a school commit a recruiting violation?

Now, I'm not going to even pretend that I know all the NCAA recruiting rules (I don't think anyone does), but if the NCAA is TRULY going to say fans can commit recruiting violations, boy do they have a mess to clean up!

I logged onto Facebook this morning, searched for groups with the key word "John Wall," and what appears? A lot of groups.

There were over 500 results (granted, not all of them were actually about John Wall), but in the first 10 results pages, I found six Wall to Kentucky groups, three groups to bring Wall to Memphis, and at least one group from Baylor and Duke.

One of the groups from Kentucky fans is entitled, "John Wall is the answer (not taking it down till the ncaa or UK tells me)," referencing the N.C. State group that was removed.

Two other Kentucky groups also reference John Calipari bringing DeMarcus Cousins and Xavier Henry to the school as well.

Facebook isn't the only place "online recruiting violations" are being committed.

What about the fan sites like InsideCarolina.com, PackPride.com, or TheDevilsDen.com? These are fan sites not directly associated with the schools, but they have message boards in which people talk about prospects. Are these people students or alumni of the schools? One could assume that some of them are. Are these sites committing recruiting violations as well?

N.C. State and the NCAA overreacted here. Next thing you know, they're going to have dead periods for when students and alumni of schools can watch recruits play basketball.

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COMMENTS

7 Comments


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I can understand from a bird's eye view that having the facebook site taken down may violate freedom of speech, but what was really on this page? There were over 700 people openly supporting that John Wall comes to NC State, but what were they posting? Were they begging him to come? Asking for his autograph? Were some of them offering gifts? Money? anything that the NCAA deems in violation? Which I could understand why the site was removed if that was the case.

I guess in the end - while the whole situation is intriguing, I think we need someone to do a little research in what was actual violation that was committed. Just using plain speculation makes this article a waste of time to read because it's a vent and not fact finding.
peace048
April 15, 2009 12:52 a.m.
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it was probably Truth Be Known. No it could be because it was a student, not an estupido.
tarheelbasketballfan
April 13, 2009 9:12 p.m.
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Haha... I've joked about that with some people over the last few days, AlleyOops. I'm waiting for my cease and desist letter.

Just an FYI, Amanda Lamb will be doing a story about this on the 5:30 News tonight on WRAL-TV. Take a look at it.
Nick Stevens
April 13, 2009 3:44 p.m.
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i agree with you 100% readyfox. They (NC State and the NCAA) have no right to forcibly take down a fan group. so what this kid made a group about Wall it's his "right" as a Facebook user to make the group, it's not the KID doing the recruiting, its the college coaches, and its ultimately Wall's decision. NCSU and the NCAA need to take a chill pill on being hardball on the rules.
snowbear725
April 13, 2009 2:03 p.m.
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Nick, according to this you violate NCAA rules every time you talk to a player of a high school! By rule, no alumni or current student can do that but coaches. Next time you want to do interviews with players after a game, call a college coach, have him call the player, and he'll write down everything and text you the quotes the next day. Just hope it's not the "dead period."

;)
AlleyOops
April 13, 2009 12:03 p.m.
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There is something in this country called freedom of speech. Maybe the NCAA and North Carolina State should read it. They can find it in the Bill of Rights. Same as their wall where freedom of speech by individuals could write what they want. Freedom of speech in this country is freedom to write and say what you want, if you don't offend anyone. The problem is now no matter what you say, you will offend someone.
tarheelbasketballfan
April 11, 2009 1:08 p.m.
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Better be careful, Nick. You're an N.C. State guy... They may come after you too!!

But seriously, like you said, no one knows the NCAA rules. How can they expect a regular old student to know them? And how can you hold that student accountable? Do they teach students about this kind of stuff at orientation or something?
Football is Awesome
April 11, 2009 12:09 p.m.
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