"The Cloud"

[corndo]

I know that all of us are very familiar with the topic of the recruiting "cloud" and how it has affected our football team, but one thing I have not heard people address

(especially those who use this as reasoning for keeping HDN as coach) is the fact that if the cloud lifted in 2003 why our conference rank in recruiting according to Rivals

and Scout has not improved - our conference rank last year according to Rivals was 8th and Scout 9th . I know that recruiting is a subjective thing to some degree, but I

keep hearing how recruiting has gotten better over the last two years b/c the cloud has been lifted. Any thoughts?
   

SEC Recruiting ranking according to Rivals the last four years and the current ranking for 2006 (subject to change):

2002                         2003                           2004
1. Tenn                     1.LSU                          1.LSU
2.Auburn                   2.Florida                      2.Georgia
3.Georgia                  3.Georgia                     3.Florida
4. USC                      4.USC                          4.Tenn
5.LSU                        5.MSU                         5.Bama
6.MSU                       6.Auburn                     6.Auburn
7.Florida                    7.Tenn                        7.Ark
8.Ark                        8.Ark                         8.Miss.
9.Bama                      9.Miss.                        9.USC
10.Miss.                    10.Bama                      10.UK
11.UK                       11.UK                           11.MSU
12. Vandy                 12.Vandy                      12.Vandy


2005                        2006
1.Tenn                     1.Georgia
2.Georgia                 2.LSU
3.Auburn                  3.Florida
4.Florida                  4.Auburn
5.Bama                    5.Bama
6.LSU                       6.Miss.
7.USC                       7.Ark
8.Ark                       8.Tenn
9.Miss.                      9.MSU
10.MSU                    10.USC
11.UK                       11.UK
12.Vandy                  12.Vandy

[Buff]

and we lost at home to the team that is at the bottom of every one of those lists

[HogDodging]

The NCAA investigation is the perfect excuse for those who think Nutt is a good coach.  In reality, there is no quantifiable proof the investigation hurt the already poor recruiting by Nutt.
However, just asking, "What about Alabama?" is enough to make most of them quiet.

[ThisTeetsTaken]

I have talked about this with other people before and you are correct.  I'll add one thing that also disproves the "cloud" theory and it is this:  The Nutt apologists will tell you that the negative recruiting was worse when the investigation was ongoing more so than when the decision was actually handed down. Well, if you look at Houston Dale's best class, which has got to be the freshman class of 2001(Jones,Batman,Andrews,etc) it was while the investigation was still going on.  It begs this question: If the investigation was so harmful to Arkansas recruiting, why is it that Houston's best class was right in the middle of it?

[Biggus Piggus]

Why does everybody keep bringing up these stupid recruiting rankings?  THEY ARE BULL darn!  QUIT USING THEM!

[whatsshakinbacon]

Why does everybody keep bringing up these stupid recruiting rankings? THEY ARE BULL Shiite! QUIT USING THEM!

Either we use those or the unofficial "Otis Kirk ranking system" which has us in the top three every year.  What other measure do we have?  Incidentally, I agree with you.  They are usually way off base.  Many of the players who commit to lesser schools suddenly find their stock drop in the national rankings.  They use the flawed logic of if you are good you go to good schools and it creeps into their rankings.

And if Texas picks up on some unknown in Decatur, GA then all the sudden that guy becomes a five star..  Stupid, aint it.

Bacon out...

[3kgthog]

There is definite validity to recruiting rankings.  Our rankings have darn near predicted exactly where we wind up in the SEC every year.....MIDDLE OF THE PACK.  And if anyone brings up Texas and their mythical recruiting championships I'm going to puke.  I think we'd like to win as many games as Texas does every year don't you?   

[ThisTeetsTaken]

I have talked about this with other people before and you are correct.  I'll add one thing that also disproves the "cloud" theory and it is this:  The Nutt apologists will tell you that the negative recruiting was worse when the investigation was ongoing more so than when the decision was actually handed down. Well, if you look at Houston Dale's best class, which has got to be the freshman class of 2001(Jones,Batman,Andrews,etc) it was while the investigation was still going on.  It begs this question: If the investigation was so harmful to Arkansas recruiting, why is it that Houston's best class was right in the middle of it?

answer: because the investigation is not our problem with recruiting.

[corndo]

Why does everybody keep bringing up these stupid recruiting rankings? THEY ARE BULL Shiite! QUIT USING THEM!

Did you not read the part where I said it is subjective?

I agree that they are not the Gospel truth, nor should they be taken as such, but I respectfully disagree that they do not have at least some validity to them.

Just look who is in the top three every year in recruiting and where they rank in the conference every year (or the bottom three for that matter). Also, if they

are complete bull shite I do not want to hear anybody else say how MM is the first/second/ ranked QB in the country or about how he is a 5 star recruit.