Recruit question re: message boards

**CyRide3** · 01-15-2008, 09:57 AM

Taking this from another thread that is now closed. Is it the opinion of most that potential recruits actually read message boards?

Or is it more that someone (friend/family) mentioning to them that they are being talked about on a certain board?

Perhaps it's me, but I would find it hard to believe a recruit would have the time to keep up with message board chatter rather than being in the gym working on their game.

**AirWalke** · 01-15-2008, 10:04 AM

Once in awhile we'll get a relative of some sort checking out the board just at the right time if we're talking about their particular recruit, giving us a little insight on what they're thinking, how soon they'll make a decision, etc. I doubt the actual recruits themselves peruse the message boards, though.

**ISUFan22** · 01-15-2008, 10:13 AM

More people visit this site and others like it that most will believe.

However, I do not believe that thread was closed because of personal opinions of recruits, but instead because it had run it's course and was headed in a southerly direction of member attacks, etc.

**isuno1fan** · 01-15-2008, 10:14 AM

Don't kid yourself...

If recruits have time to update their facebook and MySpace pages, they have time to read message boards.

**CYdTracked** · 01-15-2008, 10:17 AM

I can't imagine that a recruit is going to make a decision based on what some random person said on a message board. Most kids accept offers because of the coaching staff, location, and opportunity. I would think message board chatter is pretty far down on the list of reasons a recruit chose to or not to come to a school. I haven't heard an interview yet where a kid said "I'm going to school X because I really like their school's message board."

**Erik4Cy** · 01-15-2008, 10:19 AM

if message boards had effects on recruits...Iowa State would get nothing but 4 and 5 stars courteousy of CycloneFanatic.

**mt85** · 01-15-2008, 10:35 AM

Todays youth are internet veterans out of the womb. Thus, I would imagine they are on these boards.

**snowcraig2.0** · 01-15-2008, 10:38 AM

Do you know any high school kids? They live their lives on the internet.

**CYdTracked** · 01-15-2008, 10:46 AM

They might view these boards but like I said, I highly doubt something they see on a message board ranks very high on their list of why they pick a school. Every school has boards like these and they all have people that say stupid things just like ours does. Why would I care what some anonymous person said on a message board? Chances are you'd never meet them and they would have zero impact on your experience at the school.

**rworkman83** · 01-15-2008, 11:05 AM

Another way is through google alerts. You can enter in any word you want and you will get an email with the link to the site. I know we have them set up at work and one time I mentioned the school that I work for, and I got a google alert that our name was mentioned on this site.

It wouldn't surprise me if they have google alerts set up with their name.

**Cyfan13** · 01-15-2008, 11:06 AM

I really don't believe the recruits read these message boards, as I don't think most of them even know about them. In my 4 years at ISU I had never even heard of this message board until I joined about a month ago when I just stumbled upon it at work. None of the players, who are on this team and currently go to this school, had ever heard of this site until then either. Now i'm not saying that no recruit has ever seen it, but i'm guessing they haven't just based on all the athletes that I know here at ISU on the basketball and football teams. But if they do, i'm sorry for anything I said that may have come off badly.

**ISUFan22** · 01-15-2008, 11:14 AM

CF is not even 2 years old yet (and took a while to grow), so it would be unlikely for many of the current players to have heard about the site before arriving.

But I feel confident that recruits are well aware of the collegiate message boards.

**Jeremy** · 01-15-2008, 12:02 PM

We have dozens and dozens of past, present and future Cyclones that are either active members of the site or email me regularly. It's nothing special, it's just the new age we live in.

As somebody that has been contacted by countless recruits and players, I can tell you that they do know about CycloneFanatic and the other sites that exist in the college arena. Not all of them are going to admit it because some of them have become sources to those sites and their respective owners and it does them no good to freely state their opinions. I can see why people would think a message board out in the middle of the internet wouldn't be a draw to recruits or players but you have to remember you're talking about kids that are trying to research schools or what people are saying about them and they very much do check the message boards to see what people are or aren't saying about them. I would bet you'd find less than 5% that would admit it but that's for obvious reasons.

Also - I can guarantee you that every message on CF and other sites is watched closely by those with power. They have never had such a free way of judging fan reaction to policies and decisions and I know personally that they do watch and react to some degree from what is posted on numerous sites. Some of those people are registered members, some just view but nonetheless, they are watching and reading.

**Cyclonepride** · 01-15-2008, 12:05 PM

To me, the question of whether a recruit, player or family/friend visit the site is immaterial. The fact is they might, and if they did, it could potentially sway a recruit slightly one way or the other, depending on how people conduct themselves. I believe that just having that slight potential is enough to make this important to every poster on the board.