I vividly remember his comment during Derrick Hill's Cal announcement during the Army All-star game...
After Hill said he was coming to Cal at the Army game, Lemming stated on the telecast that Hill was an early USC commit who apparently changed his mind so he could get more playing time at Cal (because he obviously would never see the field at 'SC). It was complete BS as Hill was a strong Cal lean the entire time and everybody, even the Trojans knew that.
Lemming is a moron.
P.S.
Here is a followup to an ESPN The Magazine article last year:
This comes from ESPN's Bruce Feldman's blog yesterday.
~Quote~
The seedy side of the recruiting world was spotlighted at Monday's Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, especially after FSU freshman Myron Rolle called out analyst Tom Lemming. In a story published Tuesday by USA Today Rolle claims Lemming told him he would be showcased and would increase his chances of being the most valuable player in the annual U.S. Army All-American Bowl "if I kept a certain school on my [recruiting] list."
Here's part of the report from USA Today:
"Approached afterward by USA Today, Rolle said the school in question was Notre Dame and reiterated his comments about Lemming, a national recruiting expert from Chicago whose information is used extensively by this newspaper.
"'He told me if I kept Notre Dame in mind, the NBC [TV] guy would interview me and they would showcase me during the game,' Rolle told the paper. NBC, which showed the high school game in San Antonio on Jan. 7, also has a contract for Notre Dame home games. Added Rolle: 'He told me I'd have a higher chance of being MVP. I took it as having less of a chance of getting MVP if I didn't keep Notre Dame on my list.'
"Rolle, who did not list Notre Dame among his six finalists, said Lemming told him this last spring. He also said Lemming tried to interest him in schools other than FSU, something Rolle originally told ESPN The Magazine last summer. 'He stepped out of the bounds of what he should be doing,' said Rolle.
"Lemming, contacted by cell phone as he prepares to do football signing-day commentary Wednesday on CSTV, flatly denied ever talking to Rolle about the all-star game or suggesting he could be MVP if he kept Notre Dame on a list.
"'Myron is the biggest media hound that I've ever seen," said Lemming, who is involved with staging the all-star game. "I selected him for this game in September, and he played in the game. [Criticism] is part of the business when you select an All-American team. Myron's taking it to a new level. It hurt his ego when he wasn't first-team All-American.'"
Since this referenced a feature I did for ESPN The Magazine last spring, I'd like to weigh in on a few things.
Myron is one of the sharpest people I've ever covered. He's got the maturity of a 30-year-old. He and his family had weighed in on these things long before some recruiting analysts downgraded him. His stock curiously seemed to dip afterward. (Make your own conclusion on that one.)
As for the media hound part, I think Tom Lemming is off target. If Rolle really was such a media hound, he would've kept the recruiting buzz alive and not committed before his senior season. Rolle knows better than any prospect how that game works, and he didn't want any part of it.
When I called Lemming, a former contributor to ESPN.com, before the ESPN The Magazine story to get his response about supposedly slamming schools to recruits, he didn't seem to be ducking for cover. He said he just tries to be straight with them. I recall him bringing up a fullback-linebacker bound for FSU, and after hearing the kid saying they were bringing him in to play linebacker, Lemming said he asked, "You sure they're going to let you play that when you get there? They say that sometimes, and then when you get there make you play fullback." He added that he has no qualms about asking the tough questions.
It's tricky, though, even if his intentions are indeed on the level. I realized before I went into this story that you have to be so careful because any opinion you give, or even the questions you ask, could be taken as leading. I didn't even feel like I could joke with Myron until he actually enrolled at FSU. Hopefully, his speaking out will help clean up some of this business. Truth be told, as detailed in our story, it's really a mess and only seems to be getting much worse with more and more outside people flocking to it and hounding kids.
Just proves how filthy these "recruiting experts" are - what a worthless profession.
I've heard the Booker/Lemming thing on Warchant, but its been a while. Its happened several times and it has been brought out into the open. Its getting hard for Lemming to argue on his behalf w/ more kids coming out.
Also, there are two twin Lineman that play for #1 ranked Lakeland. Both of the twins grew up FSU fans and said that they want to go to FSU. Lemming and his boys at Scout contacted them and told them that if they commit to soon then they might not get invited to as many All-Star games and wont get the coverage if they dont keep their options open. The two young men said they want to get the most out of their experience and now have said that their recruitment is now open. Fuckin asshole.
Lemming is a douche bag, there is no question about that. The sad part is that these kids don't realize that his oppinion doesn't mean dick, and the quicker college coaches come out and say it, the better it will be for all involved.
As far as the Pouncy twins go, if they have dreamed of going to FSU, have offers to FSU, and decided to reopen their recruitment, then that's very stupid. Stay committed to FSU and take your visits.
"Well, my wife assassinated my sexual identity, and my children are eating my dreams." -Louis CK
Killian wrote:
As far as the Pouncy twins go, if they have dreamed of going to FSU, have offers to FSU, and decided to reopen their recruitment, then that's very stupid. Stay committed to FSU and take your visits.
The reason they opened their recruitment is so they can be selected for the all star games. They have been pressured to do that and now they feel that they will be left out of games like the CaliFlorida game and AA game if they stay committed as Jr's. They have always dreamed of playing at FSU and will, but they want to be recognized nationally as well.
I get that, and putting myself in a 16-17 year old's shoes, I see their point. But I wish these kids would realize they have so much more to lose than they do to gain by doing this. Not only could they jeopardize their offer, they risk injury playing in these games. And stars don't mean shit as long as the coaches like you.
That having been said, I see their point. That's why these rankings are so fucking stupid. Who the hell is Mike Farrell, Tom Lemming, or Jamie Newburg to tell us who a good player is? I would rather trust the coaching staffs that have been doing this for a long time.
"Well, my wife assassinated my sexual identity, and my children are eating my dreams." -Louis CK
Getting injured is a huge gamble in playing these games. Thats why I like Stafford the QB who signed w/ UGA. He was rated #1 or #2 all year but committed real early and basically acted like he could give a fuck over the whole media jerkoff that is recruiting. For that reason, he wasnt picked in the Army AA game and wasnt mentioned on as many lists. He said he didnt see the point in playing in a game that was pointless when he knew where he wanted to go all along.
confronted a friend at work about this today (he's large ND fan, goes to at least two games a year from NE Ohio to South Bend) anyway all I got was a "no comment"............I tend to put Lemmings into the same class as that HO who was passing out oral favors and cash and whatever she had left a couple years ago.................................
He definitely maxes-out the douchebagometer, but at least since we hired his butt-buddy Callahan he is pimping us and rating our classes higher. Now we get to be on the good end of the crap he pulls. He should be trying to make himself the most knowledgeable about what the kids are doing not trying to manipulate it.
You gonna bark all day little doggie or are you gonna bite?