[URL=”http://rivals.yahoo.com/highschool/blog/prep_rally/post/Did-Memphis-coach-s-sister-break-recruiting-rule?urn=highschool-wp2337″]Rivals is reporting[/URL] that Memphis Head Coach Josh Pastner’s sister tweeted encouragement to 2012 SG Rodney Purvis after losing an AAU game. Evidently she is considered a representative of the team due to her relation to Coach Pastner, and especially with a Memphis Logo in her tweet this supposedly breaks the NCAA rules regarding school representatives contacting recruits via social media.
First, I’m not sure if she can truly be considered a ‘representative’ – it’s not like she works for the school or anything. Second, if this is a violation, SURELY it is a minor one – it’s not like she said “…oh by the way, please commit to Memphis where my brother is the head coach, and what’s your favorite color of car?”
Playing devil’s advocate though, you have to be very careful anytime you are close to a Division I athletic program. I remember a story came out last year where a recruit was upset that he said “hello” to Coach Calipari at an event and Cal totally ignored him. That’s because Cal knows that if he would have said “hi” back it would have constituted ‘contact’ and would have been an NCAA violation.
This is why universities have [URL=”http://www.ukathletics.com/athletic-dept/compliance-staff.html”]compliance offices[/URL].
