I often wonder if those in the traditional media really put the effort into their stories that they should for being supposed professionals of their trade.
It appears at times that they don't do basic due diligence and it is always perplexing. If they do their due diligence its either on "background" or they don't say where they got their information. So when I read tripe like this fine example its not surprising that the newspaper industry is in such a shambles.
To this day, there are UCLA fans who feel scorned by Marc Tyler.
If ever there was a blue chip recruit the Bruins could've and should've beaten USC for, it was Marc Tyler, whose father Wendell starred for UCLA from 1973-76 and led the Bruins to a Rose Bowl victory in 1975 before moving on to an NFL career with the San Francisco 49 ers.
But in the end, Marc Tyler did what so many five-star recruits were doing at the time and signed with the Trojans.
Was it something the Bruins said?
Hardly.
According to Tyler, after running backs coach Eric Bienemy left the program following the 2005 season, UCLA barely recruited him.
"It was like they just assumed I was going to USC," the former Oaks Christian High of Westlake Village star said. "They just stopped recruiting me. It was kind of like they didn't really want to go after the big guys, they just wanted to fill their class."
So if UCLA would've recruited him harder, would Tyler be in Westwood right now?
"I probably would've still gone to USC. I love it here," he said. "But you know what? If the coach they have there now (Rick Neuheisel) was there when I came out, I would've given them a better look. I haven't met him personally, but just from seeing him, you can tell he's got a lot more energy. Coach (Karl) Dorrell, was more laid back. Like you couldn't even get a read on him or tell if he really wanted you."
It was no sure thing Tyler would have qualified academically for UCLA. But wouldn't have been worth it to find out if the No. 1 high school running back recruit in the country, whose father is an alum, might come to Westwood?
It's easy to blame everything on Karl Dorrell as many want to do, he isn't around to defend himself so he is an easy target.
What stands out on this article is Shelburne's gratuitous shot at Mark Tyler supposedly "almost" not being able to qualify at USC. I'd like to know where she got this info. There was a poster on the WeAreSC boards claiming that said when he contacted Shelburne she said that she got that information directly from Tyler. Well, if that is to believed why not simply say that in the article? The myth that ucla's football program has better academics than USC was dispelled long ago. They take their fair share of special admits so its not like every player on the team is a Mensa member.
The current regime under Slick Rick might do better on the recruiting trail than Dorrell did overall because based on what we saw on the field last season there was only one way to go...
UP!
As I have said a million times ucla will get their fair share of players, Pete Carroll and USC can't get them all and if it is to be believed that Dorrell had the personality of a soggy piece of toast then basically all Slick Rick has to do is ask for the commitment... right? The fact is PC really hasn't had much competition from across town and now that Walker has bailed we will see just how good Skippy is on the recruiting trail. Yes, he got Presley and he will probably get Randall Carroll but SC is stocked at the WR position so it doesn't surprise me if PC doesn't land some of those players because he is still in the hunt for a lot of other four and five star players.
It could also be said that Skippy is actually doing worse without Walker because this years class doesn't look as good as Walkers class last year, those were his players not Slick Rick's. Skippy has to hope and pray that players like Hasiak reconsider their de-committments while SC takes the de-committment of a top player like Presley, Moore, Carroll or even Burfict in stride knowing that he has a shot at other 5-star talent out there.
More important in regards to Tyler it would appear that MArc is actually doing very well when it comes to his studies.
From yesterday's entries of the USCRipsIt Blog...
For the Fall 2008 semester, 309 student-athletes — about half of USC’s student-athlete population — earned a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Among that number of scholar athletes are 11 football players:
- OL Jeff Byers
- WR Sean Calcagnie
- K Jordan Congdon
- LB Nick Garratt
- OL Steve Gatena
- QB Garrett Green
- K Joe Houston
- DB Matt Jordan
- QB John Manoogian
- OL Michael Reardon
- RB Marc Tyler
Well, I guess that debunks Shelburne's theory. Whatever you want to think about RipsIt in regards to its objectivity this is a stat that is easily cross checked so I don't think this is a misprint.
I am usually ambivalent to what I see in the local papers but when something like this stands out I have to call it out. We'll see just how good ucla's class is in 2009. Without Walker I think Skippy is going to have a harder time recruiting because he still doesn't have the network set up like Pete Carroll has and while I get the negative recruiting thing I have never read a negaive story about the way PC recruits. I can find no stories out there accusing PC of some of the crap that we have seen from guys like Meyer, Erickson or Slick Rick. Yes, we some disgruntled former players but form every thing I have read out there their issues with PC/USC was after they were on the team.
Pete Carroll just takes it all in stride and keeps focused on the task at hand.