Hard to believe, but Will Wade is on a wiretap talking about an "strong-ass offer" made to a recruit

[Debtbubble]

Breaking news. Spoiler alert. Might want to sit down for this one.


Most of these teams are paying kids. You don’t think a handler paid Zion at Duke?

If you don’t, I have some land to sell you.

 

[blockm2]

Breaking news. Spoiler alert. Might want to sit down for this one.


Most of these teams are paying kids. You don’t think a handler paid Zion at Duke?

If you don’t, I have some land to sell you.

I think the fact that the FBI has tape of Zion's "people" telling Kansas how much it was going to cost to get him to commit means that anybody with a brain knows he got paid.

 

[RU-Choppin-Ohio]

Why does this guy keep trying to flex about something someone was already proven right about?

I think you are mixing two separate issues....the Will Wade thing in the OP is about another recruit...Smart. That is a known issue, and it means other top recruits to LSU probably got paid.as well. Everyone knows top players are paid big money.

But, this dude comes in and claims to know all the sordid details about Naz Reid, including the exact amount. A dude not connected to Reid whatsoever.

 

[RUonBrain]

I think you are mixing two separate issues....the Will Wade thing in the OP is about another recruit...Smart. That is a known issue, and it means other top recruits to LSU probably got paid.as well. Everyone knows top players are paid big money.

But, this dude comes in and claims to know all the sordid details about Naz Reid, including the exact amount. A dude not connected to Reid whatsoever.

Why would he make it up?
It’s probably what he heard.

What do you want? A copy of the check?

 

[ScarletDave]

Russ Wood, the genius of college recruiting. His “holier than thou” routine has been getting old around here this season. I get a feeling he is like the other B1G school Walmart fanbases and can’t stand the rising of RU. And Naz being paid or not was probably the most defensive I’ve seen him post on here for one of his “takes” ever. Calling us all out. If he knew already then he was being a total jerk for no reason. And if he didn’t, he shouldn’t have been pretending like he did. Hard for him to have any credibility whatsoever after this, and it’s not gonna take the FBI next time to realize he has no idea what he’s talking about

 

[sport2231]

I guess @Russ Wood notifications stopped working

 

[kcg88]

Reid and Smart both sitting out tonight. I wonder why that could be.

 

[gordel1]

Sean Miller just lost to ASU and had a goodbye speech to fans after the game.

 

[rucoe89]

https://sports.yahoo.com/exclusive-...-offer-hoops-scandal-middleman-175046487.html

You really hate to see this happen to such a straight shooter.

You are being faceitious - correct?

UPDATE: Nevermind - its clear he was :)

 

[RU-Choppin-Ohio]

Why would he make it up?
It’s probably what he heard.

What do you want? A copy of the check?

Some guys just want to be perceived so badly as being "connected". He did not say he heard it thru the grapevine. In his comment he said he "knows for a fact". What does that mean to you? That means Reid, someone close to Reid (family), the Bagman or someone from LSU told him. If you believe that....God bless you and I have some penny stocks I would like to sell you because I can triple your money.

He always has to be the loudest guy in the room, Mr. Connected. There is a reason why he is referred to as The Fabricator.

 

[blockm2]

Some guys just want to be perceived so badly as being "connected". He did not say he heard it thru the grapevine. In his comment he said he "knows for a fact". What does that mean to you? That means Reid, someone close to Reid (family), the Bagman or someone from LSU told him. If you believe that....God bless you and I have some penny stocks I would like to sell you because I can triple your money.

He always has to be the loudest guy in the room, Mr. Connected. There is a reason why he is referred to as The Fabricator.

the entire world knows Naz Reid got paid to go to LSU. Why quibble over the details? I mean we've got a coach that will pay for lesser talent, you think he would just go clean on the big fish?

 

[jonS]

There's a report in today's ESPN that LSU fans booed and pilloried their AD during yesterday's Vanderbilt rout after Wade and Smart were suspended once the FBI investigative tape was released. What a sick group of fans and no doubt alumni . Can they be suspended?

 

[rufeelinit]

There's a report in today's ESPN that LSU fans booed and pilloried their AD during yesterday's Vanderbilt rout after Wade and Smart were suspended once the FBI investigative tape was released. What a sick group of fans and no doubt alumni . Can they be suspended?

What can you do than just SMDH. Reactions like that just make me hope they eventually get their championship voided for cheating. Yes it is still technically cheating to pay kids to come play at your school. Hopefully that will always be the case.

 

[S_Janowski]

@Russ Wood will be back next time he has a chance to take a shot or make fun of Rutgers.

 

[Big East Beast]

Some guys just want to be perceived so badly as being "connected". He did not say he heard it thru the grapevine. In his comment he said he "knows for a fact". What does that mean to you? That means Reid, someone close to Reid (family), the Bagman or someone from LSU told him. If you believe that....God bless you and I have some penny stocks I would like to sell you because I can triple your money.

He always has to be the loudest guy in the room, Mr. Connected. There is a reason why he is referred to as The Fabricator.

It’s an anonymous internet message board. Just because Kyk is openly sharing information doesn’t mean he’s NOT connected. There should be some level of presumption within the community that it’s members aren’t idiots and can make their own determinations without the “truth crusades” of individual members. That never seems to end well.

Further, your premise that there is an open FBI investigation and belief this should weigh heavily in the rational judgment of anyone relies too heavily on logic as the primary (or even important) basis for what drives human behavior. This has been disproven by countless times and is the subject of excellent books in psychology, sociology, sales, marketing, management and economics.

 

[jonS]

What can you do than just SMDH. Reactions like that just make me hope they eventually get their championship voided for cheating. Yes it is still technically cheating to pay kids to come play at your school. Hopefully that will always be the case.

I'm not just shaking my head. As far as I'm concerned, if LSU had any integrity they'd cancel the rest of their basketball season until this mess is straightened out. And if LSU won't act , the SEC should bar them from the SEC tournament. And if the SEC doesn't act , the NCAA should bar them from the tournament . And if the NCAA doesn't act, NO TEAM SCHEDULED TO PLAY LSU SHOULD SHOW UP TO PLAY THEM. At some point individual colleges must put the integrity of the game ahead of a contest with paid professionals at LSU.

 

[Big East Beast]

@Russ Wood will be back next time he has a chance to take a shot or make fun of Rutgers.

This forum is much better with professional journalists than without. If all you want is perspective of RU diehards, that’s what court club meetings are for.

If journalists are occasionally condescending to the internet mob, or make an incorrect call or error, realize they are human too. They are not anonymous and sometimes get pulled into a level of debate or discussion they might be better served avoiding. Rather than trying to punish them or make them feel unwelcome, our community should show a little patience to let the story — and his response— unfold.

 

[RUInsanity]

It’s an anonymous internet message board. Just because Kyk is openly sharing information doesn’t mean he’s NOT connected. There should be some level of presumption within the community that it’s members aren’t idiots and can make their own determinations without the “truth crusades” of individual members. That never seems to end well.

Further, your premise that there is an open FBI investigation and belief this should weigh heavily in the rational judgment of anyone relies too heavily on logic as the primary (or even important) basis for what drives human behavior. This has been disproven by countless times and is the subject of excellent books in psychology, sociology, sales, marketing, management and economics.

So your perspective is that an anonymous high volume poster on a fan board who has a propensity and posting history of coming across as a self important know it all should be taken as a credible source of providing pointed information about a situation with an LSU player and former RU recruit .....without providing any details as to how he knows this information? How much money do you have because I have a bridge to sell you.

 

[RUTravesty]

So your perspective is that an anonymous high volume poster on a fan board who has a propensity and posting history of coming across as a self important know it all should be taken as a credible source of providing pointed information about a situation with an LSU player and former RU recruit .....without providing any details as to how he knows this information? How much money do you have because I have a bridge to sell you.

Kyk is definitely not anonymous

 

[Russ Wood]

I'm not here to defend Russ or anyone but,......


I think what he said about Wade was that there was not any proof. That is true.......without proof, a Reporter really can't say publicly that he is dirty because no one receiving money will ever admit it or speak up. If they do, they are admitting to income tax evasion.


This appears to be a Smoking Gun.

Thank you. I 100 percent knew that you would get it.

Flogging not necessary but if he knows it goes on, he shouldn't comment on it in first place. Now that it is clear something fishy went on, he can ignore it or admit it.

I admit that I had zero knowledge of anything to do with Javonte Smart getting paid or not paid to go to LSU.

Russ or Wade?

I lol'd

Russ Wood, the genius of college recruiting. His “holier than thou” routine has been getting old around here this season. I get a feeling he is like the other B1G school Walmart fanbases and can’t stand the rising of RU. And Naz being paid or not was probably the most defensive I’ve seen him post on here for one of his “takes” ever. Calling us all out. If he knew already then he was being a total jerk for no reason. And if he didn’t, he shouldn’t have been pretending like he did. Hard for him to have any credibility whatsoever after this, and it’s not gonna take the FBI next time to realize he has no idea what he’s talking about

Genius? Thanks, but I never claimed to be one. “Holier than thou”? Please link to an example because that is not my intention. Just a guess but I may have made a joke post that was misinterpreted. “Walmart fan bases”? I am not even sure what that means. I can tell you this though: I have nothing in common with the fans of the Midwest B1G teams (and definitely nothing in common with any fans of, or anything to do with, Ped State) that boo hoo about Rutgers and Maryland not belonging in the B1G. It’s called conference expansion and those whiney fans need to deal with it and shut up. “Can’t stand the rising of RU”? When someone on this board asked me who I thought would be a good replacement for Eddie Jordan I didn’t hesitate. I said “Steve Pikiell,” so why would I be upset with the progress being made by the program? So, if you think I can’t stand the turnaround of RU’s basketball program, you would be incorrect. I’m really happy for Coach Pikiell.

Please link to my defensive post about Naz being paid or not and calling you out because I can’t remember that. Has it been proven that Naz has been paid? (Just to be clear that is a question asking for evidence/facts, not me being defensive or being a jerk or me pretending like I don’t know something that I know. Because, I absolutely do not know if that kid was paid.)

One last thing on Coach Wade, for now, I probably had a blind spot for the guy. I got to know him a little bit while he was at Chattanooga. Eleven months ago someone told me that Wade was dirty. I didn’t know if that person knew what they were talking about or if they had some personal axe to grind with the man. Up until that conversation last April nobody that I considered a reliable source was saying that Will Wade was dirty.

I guess @Russ Wood notifications stopped working

Interesting you posted that because my notifications have stopped working the way they are supposed to. I used to receive an email within five minutes when someone tagged me in a message board post (like you did) or sent me a private message. Then for some strange reason on some boards the emails started coming one or two days after someone tagged me. Then eventually stopped coming all together. While on other boards the email notifications still come in a timely manner. I’ve alerted the Rivals folks in California about this but the situation has not been resolved.

@Russ Wood will be back next time he has a chance to take a shot or make fun of Rutgers.

Surprise.

 

[B0ski]

Thank you. I 100 percent knew that you would get it.

I admit that I had zero knowledge of anything to do with Javonte Smart getting paid or not paid to go to LSU.

I lol'd


Genius? Thanks, but I never claimed to be one. “Holier than thou”? Please link to an example because that is not my intention. Just a guess but I may have made a joke post that was misinterpreted. “Walmart fan bases”? I am not even sure what that means. I can tell you this though: I have nothing in common with the fans of the Midwest B1G teams (and definitely nothing in common with any fans of, or anything to do with, Ped State) that boo hoo about Rutgers and Maryland not belonging in the B1G. It’s called conference expansion and those whiney fans need to deal with it and shut up. “Can’t stand the rising of RU”? When someone on this board asked me who I thought would be a good replacement for Eddie Jordan I didn’t hesitate. I said “Steve Pikiell,” so why would I be upset with the progress being made by the program? So, if you think I can’t stand the turnaround of RU’s basketball program, you would be incorrect. I’m really happy for Coach Pikiell.

Please link to my defensive post about Naz being paid or not and calling you out because I can’t remember that. Has it been proven that Naz has been paid? (Just to be clear that is a question asking for evidence/facts, not me being defensive or being a jerk or me pretending like I don’t know something that I know. Because, I absolutely do not know if that kid was paid.)

One last thing on Coach Wade, for now, I probably had a blind spot for the guy. I got to know him a little bit while he was at Chattanooga. Eleven months ago someone told me that Wade was dirty. I didn’t know if that person knew what they were talking about or if they had some personal axe to grind with the man. Up until that conversation last April nobody that I considered a reliable source was saying that Will Wade was dirty.



Interesting you posted that because my notifications have stopped working the way they are supposed to. I used to receive an email within five minutes when someone tagged me in a message board post (like you did) or sent me a private message. Then for some strange reason on some boards the emails started coming one or two days after someone tagged me. Then eventually stopped coming all together. While on other boards the email notifications still come in a timely manner. I’ve alerted the Rivals folks in California about this but the situation has not been resolved.

Surprise.

Keep doing what you do Russ. I, for one, enjoy your contributions.

 

[RUonBrain]

Keep doing what you do Russ. I, for one, enjoy your contributions.

I also enjoy your posts.

Some of us were bitter when you threw shade on our suspicions LSU recruiting was crooked. A couple of those players seemed like they could choose RU, but we had no chance when those (or their camps) were willing to play that game.
If Wade was playing that game with 1 player, it is no stretch to place all of his recruits under the same suspicion.

But I am glad you are back and posting here again.
Would be interested on your insights into or take on the dirty world of basketball recruiting.

Do you have any “strong ass” opinions you’d care to share?

 

[bac2therac]

Russ..i enjoy your posts here and not sure why a few bad apples here are giving you so much grief

 

[Russ Wood]

Would be interested on your insights into or take on the dirty world of basketball recruiting. Do you have any “strong ass” opinions you’d care to share?

Basketball recruiting is a dirty business. So is football recruiting, but basketball is 20x worse because of shoe company influence. I would be nice if recruiting was an even playing field. I talk with parents, "mentors," trainers," "uncles," "cousins," "travel team coaches," etc. all the time and some of them make me wanna take a shower after our conversations. But I have to talk with them in order to get updates on kids' recruitments. Most of them are so nice and enjoyable to speak with that sometimes we don't even talk about basketball. In football you just have coaches and boosters doing the dirt and, this is important, they are good at keeping their mouths shut.

 

[MadRU]

Even Hollywood Elites:

https://www.foxnews.com/us/college-entrance-exam-cheating

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

What is the solution?

I know he can't but I wish a coach (like Pikiell) who lost a recruit would just come out and say....yeah player X or players X and Y (who may be brothers) didn't sign because we didn't have $20,000 to give them.

We need to stop dancing around the issue and bring it out in the open. We need to stop making these athletes go to college too.

 

[DHajekRC84]

Basketball recruiting is a dirty business. So is football recruiting, but basketball is 20x worse because of shoe company influence. I would be nice if recruiting was an even playing field. I talk with parents, "mentors," trainers," "uncles," "cousins," "travel team coaches," etc. all the time and some of them make me wanna take a shower after our conversations. But I have to talk with them in order to get updates on kids' recruitments. Most of them are so nice and enjoyable to speak with that sometimes we don't even talk about basketball. In football you just have coaches and boosters doing the dirt and, this is important, they are good at keeping their mouths shut.

Glad you responded. I figured it was either because you HAD to shut up or were just taking the high road. Whether I always agree with you I figured you weren't going to hide and had the confidence in your view to speak up and be square.

 

[cyrock3]

I respect Russ for coming here to take his lumps. He didn't have to do it, but that marks him as better in my book than most any other insider we've had on these boards.

 

[RUonBrain]

Basketball recruiting is a dirty business. So is football recruiting, but basketball is 20x worse because of shoe company influence. I would be nice if recruiting was an even playing field. I talk with parents, "mentors," trainers," "uncles," "cousins," "travel team coaches," etc. all the time and some of them make me wanna take a shower after our conversations. But I have to talk with them in order to get updates on kids' recruitments. Most of them are so nice and enjoyable to speak with that sometimes we don't even talk about basketball. In football you just have coaches and boosters doing the dirt and, this is important, they are good at keeping their mouths shut.

Thanks for commenting, Russ.