Jaylen Brown- Adidas connection

[messageboardsuperhero]

http://www.diehardsport.com/college-basketball/jaylen-brown-top-player-in-2016-class-says-hes-going-to-an-adidas-school/

"Adidas very much looks out. They take care of me and my team and they talk to me about things. They make me feel welcome. I know a lot of the reps and a lot of the head guys. (I'm) definitely going to an Adidas school"- Jaylen Brown, #2 player in the class of 2015

Now we have no shot at this guy and aren't even in it- me bringing this up really has nothing to do with Brown specifically. I just thought this would further illustrate what a role shoe companies can potentially play in college basketball recruiting. We are one of only two Adidas schools in the SEC (Texas A&M obviously the other). Given that and Howland and McCray's ties to Adidas and the Adidas AAU circuit, you have to think that could help us sign some high profile players in the future.

Just thought this was worth mentioning again and put into the perspective of what Jaylen Brown said...

[Johnson85]

Seems crazy that this is not a violation of amateurism rules (which are crazy to begin with). But if players are openly declaring allegiances to sponsors, just seems ridiculous that we keep pretending college basketball is an amateur sport.

[Coach34]

Football really isnt either when it comes down to it- yet baseball averages about 1/3 scholly per player

[nsvltndog]

On a positive note, there are a limited number of Top Tier basketball schools that are Adidas only and very few are in the Southeast. If this Adidas connection is as influential as we have been reading, give Howland some time and you have to like our chances on some of the elite kids coming out of the Southeast that don't want to have to go over 500 miles from home to play hoops.

In region, Louisville, Miami, NC State, and Texas A&M are really the only Adidas schools. If you draw a circle that includes all of their campus's you would likely find Starkville near the middle of that circle as each of those schools is basically on the edge of what we like to call the Southeast while we are right in the heart of it. If you have an elite player from TN, AL, GA, LA, MS, or FLA panhandle that wants to play for a close to home Adidas school with a coach that has a history of placing kids in the NBA, we become a great option.

Top Tier Adidas schools

Indiana
Kansas
Louisville
Michigan
Wisconsin
UCLA

Others

Cincinnati
Miami
NC State
Tennessee (short term, moving away from Adidas)
Texas A&M
Arizona State

The other thing I'm wondering is if Adidas can help with non-conference scheduling. It would be cool to see some home/home series with the other Adidas schools.

[Thick]

Truly crazy!!

[smootness]

Adidas has been good for us and will only get better for us moving forward.

The fans pushing for Nike because they don't like our uniforms are insane. Nike themselves out our garbage uniforms, too.

[Dawg Corps]

The other thing I'm wondering is if Adidas can help with non-conference scheduling. It would be cool to see some home/home series with the other Adidas schools.

This is a very interesting question.

[Johnson85]

Football really isnt either when it comes down to it- yet baseball averages about 1/3 scholly per player

Major NCAA football definitely isn't an amateur sport but they do a much better job of pretending they are. Baseball actually is an amateur sport. It doesn't (or at least traditionally hasn't) rake in money like basketball and football, so there isn't as much pressure to pay the players.

But once a sport makes gobs of money, and the players are one of the most if not the most import input into how much money you make, it's inevitable that they will be paid and be professionals. You can push it underground, but you can't eliminate it.