LJ22 — Of course, I’m assuming what has been widely reported: the scholarship offer was rescinded at the insistence of another recruit’s family and/or Chicago AAU interests. It’s a power game, a game played by those who have only their own selfish and not the University’s best interests at heart. (“Don’t we lose out on a recruit we wanted ?”) And if the facts aren’t as I assume, I’ll pull an Emily Litella (“Never mind.”) and go softly into the night.
And in my view, it didn’t place the staff in a “bad place”, not ethically. You simply say, “We’ve recruited and offered a scholarship to this young man and he’s ready to accept in good faith and that’s that — the University and the Athletic Department won’t be held prisoner to or subservient to the dictates of another recruit’s family or Chicago AAU interests. If you have a problem with that, you’re free to go elsewhere with our best wishes.” Had the staff taken that position, I’d be 100% behind them, whoever they lost as a result and whatever the outcome. That, in my view, would be taking a principled stand. What kind of principled stand was taken ? It happens all the time ? What, exactly, doesn’t that rationalize ?
