Miss St Recruit Decommits b/c of Facebook Stalking

[Ironman8]

Was only a matter of time before this happened. Hope ND fans have the sense not to ever put us in a situation like this in the future:

Johnson commits to Ole Miss, Facebook a factor? - CBSSports.com

Philadelphia (MS) linebacker C.J. Johnson has committed to Ole Miss in an up and down news day for the Rebels, according to The Clarion-Ledger.

MaxPreps’ fourth-ranked inside linebacker, Johnson previously committed to Mississippi State last October but reneged on his pledge following the departure of Bulldogs’ defensive coordinator Manny Diaz to the same position at Texas.

"I wanted to stay in state, first of all," Johnson told The Clarion-Ledger. “I felt comfortable at State because of Diaz. The difference at Ole Miss was that everybody was recruiting me. It was just more of a comfort thing for me. That was the main thing.”

February 2nd is the first day recruits can sign a letter of intent from the class of 2011.

One factor working against Mississippi State might have been the social networking site Facebook. According to a post by Johnson on his profile wall, he stated that the recruiting experience turned into "a living nightmare" thanks to a Mississippi State fan constantly sending messages and posting on his wall.

 

[Cali_domer]

This is why you stay away from recruits on facebook.

 

[Fan of the Irish]

Thats why fans should never post on a recruits or current players page unless you know them personally. You shouldn't even be sending these guys friends request, you don't know them!

 

[CanadianIrish]

Please let this be a lesson to some of our more excitable members on this site who have added the recruits to their facebook. Leave them alone, and leave their recruitment to the professionals.

 

[IrishandColts]

How about ND?

 

[mgriff]

There is a rock hard example for all of the facebook stalkers in our own ranks

 

[BGIF]

How about ND?

How about ND what?

 

[Rhode Irish]

I totally agree with the point of this thread and I have never friended a recruit or player, and I don't think anyone else should, either. Now that that is out of the way....

Did anyone else laugh a little reading that? I understand where the kid is coming from and can only imagine how annoying it is, but I thought that the stream of consciousness post was pretty funny in the sense that it doesn't appear to be all that coherent (hence the decision between Ole Miss and Miss. St.).

I particularly like how the post was directed at "facebook," which is just a little anthropomorphic. Also, I like the idea of sending someone "crazy inboxes" - that is definitely going to be the new way that I describe what was formerly known as "blowing up" my phone. I love adding new phrases to my lexicon.

 

[BGIF]

There is a rock hard example for all of the facebook stalkers in our own ranks

It's not just facebook users. Remember the original Lynch Profile Thread?

 

[IrishandColts]

How about ND what?

nvm, thought he was still uncommitted

 

[Ironman8]

An interesting point a poster on TOS pointed out is the recruiting tactics other schools can (and probably will / are) use is having people friend and harass these recruits away from a school of choice to give their school a better chance. Terrible thing to do, but recruiting is an ugly business, and that would be a very tough tactic to trace or uncover.

 

[mgriff]

It's not just facebook users. Remember the original Lynch Profile Thread?

I was there, man!

Slightly different though, as a mom actually came and voluntarily entered into relations with us, which brought out the inner stalker in so many who normally shy away from the Facebook stuff.

 

[IrishMoore1]

This is a very good post. All u Irish fans out there leave the recruits alone! Don't facebook someone unless u know them personally. Otherwise that's just totally creepy. You certainly shouldn't be sending them messages either.

At the same time though, a crazy fan should not be enough to sway a recruit's decision. It's his decision and his future. Outside influences such as crazy fans should have not have any affect on the recruit's decision.

 

[Ben E.]

Blaming FB is the excuse this kid made because he wanted to leave.. . I bet the kid loved FB when everyone was blowin smoke up his *** telling him how great he is. Preach on brothers!!!

 

[InKellyITrust]

Can someone send him a message to gauge his interest in ND? Sounds like a good prospect.

 

[PADOMERNUT]

Blaming FB is the excuse this kid made because he wanted to leave.. . I bet the kid loved FB when everyone was blowin smoke up his *** telling him how great he is. Preach on brothers!!!

Valid point. If you dont like it, get ride of facebook, dont decommit from a school because of it. He left because he wanted to leave.

 

[Mr. McGibblets]

Can someone send him a message to gauge his interest in ND? Sounds like a good prospect.

Facebook requested Bob Diaco as a friend.

 

[Ironman8]

Nice article on the Facebook problem in recruiting, including Johnson.

C.J. Johnson latest elite recruit to meet trouble on Facebook - Andy Staples - SI.com

 

[irishandy]

These kids go through enough with the recruiting process, look at Lynch and Tuitt. If you don't know them why be their friend and post on their facebook. Leave these kids alone...they deserve to be respected while making an important decision in their life.

 

[Ben E.]

the kid decommitted because the D-CORDINATOR LEFT!!!! the fb stuff is just an excuse!!!

 

[IrishJayhawk]

the kid decommitted because the D-CORDINATOR LEFT!!!! the fb stuff is just an excuse!!!

That doesn't mean he wasn't harassed, and it doesn't mean he shouldn't have been left alone by the fan base.

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

How many committs does Ole Miss have now? They probably have enough to field two teams at this point. Geebus.

 

[irishandy]

Regardless of the reason why the kid decommited, leave these recruits alone on facebook!!

 

[Ben E.]

That doesn't mean he wasn't harassed, and it doesn't mean he shouldn't have been left alone by the fan base.

And it doesnt mean that there was a gun to his head to accept every Tom richard and harry as friends. thats the thing it seems you guys cant figure out is that at some point this kid made a decision on his own to allow that person access to his personal page. also, he could have just as easily blocked that individual once he or she became offensive to him. but if he actually cared about who he was approving then he wouldnt have everyone telling him how great he is. as stupid as it is for grown men to b!tch at a kid about his college choice it is equally stupid to throw out personal accountability. from time to time i disagree with someone on fb and i block them so they can never contact me again...its pretty simple.

 

[Ben E.]

YouTube - Melvin Udall's greatest hits from As Good as it Gets

 

[Irish Insanity]

I love how this kids decommitment due to HARASSMENT automatically leads to a comment about users of this site friending recruits. If I read it right he didn't have an issue with anyone friending him, but rather with a person(s) leaving harassing comments on his wall and thru PMs. As stated above blocking is simple along with the fact that you can post on someones wall and PM them w/o being their friend. We've already had the facebook argument and there are plenty lined up on both sides to argue their case. If anyone would like I can provide the link for them. And again I see absolutely no issue with friending a recruit or player and assume they don't either due to the thousands of friends they have on their FB. But in no way is it ok to contact by posting on their wall, status, or PMs. (or phone calls or texts or emails)

 

[IrishJayhawk]

And it doesnt mean that there was a gun to his head to accept every Tom richard and harry as friends. thats the thing it seems you guys cant figure out is that at some point this kid made a decision on his own to allow that person access to his personal page. also, he could have just as easily blocked that individual once he or she became offensive to him. but if he actually cared about who he was approving then he wouldnt have everyone telling him how great he is. as stupid as it is for grown men to b!tch at a kid about his college choice it is equally stupid to throw out personal accountability. from time to time i disagree with someone on fb and i block them so they can never contact me again...its pretty simple.

Fair. I think both sides probably made poor choices. I still think friending a recruit on facebook is a poor choice.

 

[Ben E.]

Fair. I think both sides probably made poor choices. I still think friending a recruit on facebook is a poor choice.

i agreee with you, it is potentialy a poor choice! it is also a poor choice to just give random people you dont know access to a portion of your every day life as well as a direct line for potentialy unwanted communications! like anything if you are intelligent and know your boundries i dont think it has to be a negative thing...but that(intelligence) seems to be a problem for some.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Facebook is a social networking site. Personal relationships aren't needed to become friends. That's a lot of the reason they are so succesful

 

[IrishinSyria]

Like Ben said, he did not de-commit because of Facebook. That's not the reason why you don't facebook the athletes and you definitely DON'T SEND THEM MESSAGES. The reason you don't do is because it's creepy, wrong, and if you've ever contributed money in any way whatsover to ND, may just be against NCAA regulations.