Russ Smith

Rivals is reporting Gaddy verballed to UA. I told Mao about a week ago lot of rumors he was about to commit to UCLA but I would believe it when I saw it.

The rumor was mom wanted him at UCLA, dad at UA, usually mom wins out so I think that's why UCLA insiders thought he was coming to UCLA.

Congrats talented kid and 2 year player because he's too young to go one and done.

__________________
“Your expectations always exceed outside expectations. I feel like you just can’t stop working, can’t stop getting better, because I’ll be a failure in my eyes before I’m a failure in someone else’s eyes.” -- Arron Afflalo

Russ Smith

May have jumped the gun here apparently the dad was quoted saying he committed but the mom is denying it.

That's always good to have the parents disagreeing on whether you've committed or not.

Stay tuned but I still say he'll be at UA .

__________________
“Your expectations always exceed outside expectations. I feel like you just can’t stop working, can’t stop getting better, because I’ll be a failure in my eyes before I’m a failure in someone else’s eyes.” -- Arron Afflalo

Russ Smith

Another interesting story, Lute is being investigated for an NCAA violation regarding soliciting donations from fans for an AAU tourney.

University of Arizona basketball coach Lute Olson is under investigation for possible NCAA violations, according to UA officials.
Athletic Director Jim Livengood said in a statement Monday that a letter from Olson's office and signed by Olson encouraged supporters of the UA men's basketball program to donate to an amateur basketball exhibition tournament.
NCAA rules prohibit institutional representatives from arranging financial assistance for or paying costs of prospective student athletes.
Olson "adamantly denied" knowledge of the letter being sent and later sent a retraction, according to a letter Livengood sent to an associate commissioner of the Pac-10 Conference.

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/s...tpage/96765.php

Lute is denying it said he never had anything to do with it but allegedly the letter was on his stationery with his signature.

Weird stuff going on.

__________________
“Your expectations always exceed outside expectations. I feel like you just can’t stop working, can’t stop getting better, because I’ll be a failure in my eyes before I’m a failure in someone else’s eyes.” -- Arron Afflalo

MaoTosiFanClub

Lute just saved his job and made the 'Cats competitive throughout the remainder of his contract. Still can't believe how well we are recruiting with all the crap hanging over the program.

Lefty

I saw the news this evening and it looks like it is not going to be a big deal. I think the problem is a certain website. I think the UofA needs to distance themselves from sites like that.

As for Gaddy, that was a big pickup. I was hoping Bradley would follow but it does not look like it.

Russ Smith

Scout is reporting it too with a quote from AAU coach Gary Ward so near as I can tell it's official Gaddy verballed to UA.

Congrats great get seems like a good kid although I'm sure UCLA fans will now talk about how we didn't want him anyways.

Lefty I agree on the story seems trivial just weird since the report is Lute signed it, but he's claiming he wasn't involved.

__________________
“Your expectations always exceed outside expectations. I feel like you just can’t stop working, can’t stop getting better, because I’ll be a failure in my eyes before I’m a failure in someone else’s eyes.” -- Arron Afflalo

Lefty

The Gaddy situation reminds me of Bayless. The good thing is Gaddy is here for at least two years, no one and done.

As for the Lute signature, it is minor but you know there will be some who know nothing will make it sound like a major violation. I do believe schools should stay clear of sites like Scout & Rivals. Nothing good can come from them.

Looks like the UofA reported this last April.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/frontpage/96765.php

Mr. Boldin

Lute's signature was electronic and not in ink, so it is reasonable for him to deny it or approving the donation. Not sure if Lute made a mistake (which is possible), someone screwed up in the office, or someone just plain dislikes Lute.

Either way, great news with Gaddy coming back on board, but we still have a lot of problems to address in the front court and closing on Anthony Stover would be huge.

Russ Smith

Have you guys seen Stover? I ask because UCLA fans are still pining for that kid and I can't for the life of me understand why he's so highly regarded. I think Stover is a perfect project big man that by his junior year will be able to start and contribute. He's long, blocks shots, but he's extremely mechanical offensively and lacks a natural feel for the game.

A few months ago Greg Hicks of Scout was saying kid is really underrated UCLA should offer him would make a nice backup C. Now schools like UCONN are after him and Stanford is really hard after him(good student). He just transferred highschools to get more exposure.

I'd certainly take him at UCLA as a project but talk about a kid blowing up he's gone from afterthought to national recruit in just a few months because there's so few good bigs out there. I suspect the thing people liked was he was unlikely to leave early but now he's talking about wanting immediately PT so he can get to the NBA quicker.

__________________
“Your expectations always exceed outside expectations. I feel like you just can’t stop working, can’t stop getting better, because I’ll be a failure in my eyes before I’m a failure in someone else’s eyes.” -- Arron Afflalo

Russ Smith

http://huskydigest.com/blog/?p=40

This should amuse some people. Background the guy who writes this site is Jim Basnight who used to work for Rivals as a UW reporter guy. He got fired by Rivals for being an idiot and constantly making claims that weren't true, like Jrue Holiday and Drew Gordon were locks for UW. Everytime he'd be wrong he'd make some wild accusation until Rivals canned him.

now he's running his own site. Last week he claimed to have sources that told him UCLA was buying recruits, specifically he was talking about Abdul Gaddy who he insisted was still likely going to UW(he wasn't even considering them).

So Gaddy picks UA and now Basnight alleges UA is buying recruits.

__________________
“Your expectations always exceed outside expectations. I feel like you just can’t stop working, can’t stop getting better, because I’ll be a failure in my eyes before I’m a failure in someone else’s eyes.” -- Arron Afflalo

Renz

Basnight is such a tool. His credibility is absolute zero.

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ozzfloyd

Basnight is a real tool. I'm amazed it took Rivals so long to show him the door. He used to make appearances over at goazcats.com to "defend himself". Comedy gold man.

__________________
"Do you know the Klingon proverb that tells us 'Revenge is a dish that is best served cold'"?

-Khan Noonian Singh

MaoTosiFanClub

Ah yes, the infamous "unconfirmed reports from anonymous sources" passed on by an obscure internet blogger full of bias.

Russ Smith

The funny thing on him is he contends he left Rivals over differences in how he thought they should run their sites. Everyone knows he was fired.

A few weeks ago he wrote a "blog" that implied the guy who owns Findlay Prep in Vegas conspired with UNLV to fake an internet contest so they could give 25K to Chace Stanback's mom so she could pay Chace's way to UNLV this year as a transfer. He again cited anonymous sources.

Then it was UCLA buying players. I emailed the guy suggesting he look up the word libel.

Basically any kid he thinks should go to UW and doesn't was bought and paid for.

__________________
“Your expectations always exceed outside expectations. I feel like you just can’t stop working, can’t stop getting better, because I’ll be a failure in my eyes before I’m a failure in someone else’s eyes.” -- Arron Afflalo

Mr. Boldin

I have seen him play, but not near as much as anyone from scout or rivals. He definitely is offensive challenged, but he is a stud on the opposite side of the court. From what I have seen he plays hard, has at least decent hands, but he excels at defending the post, specifically blocking shots.