Tracing the Root of All Recruiting Evil

Recruiting is about selling hope, and there are countless websites that track the moves of prospects being courted by college coaches. The biggest sites are Rivals and Scout, and they somehow differentiate the No. 6 tight end from the No. 11. Often there is not a "whisker's difference" between players, and just because one can bench five more pounds than the other doesn't mean he will become a superior player. But like the coaches, the sites are selling hope to fans, who cling to every word. So where did this madness start? In 1970, Joe Terranova wrote an article for the Patriot-News of Harrisburg, Pa., and offered readers a more in-depth report for $2. Within a week, he had 400 requests for that report. Terranova's reports eventually blossomed into a business, and others were quick to join in.