[teejers1]

For instance, if one of our beloved Stanford players started shopping around for another school, I would want Tara to have to hold open that scholarship for the player just in case.  I'd think Stanford should say "Ok, we'll use your scholarship for someone else.  If you want to play next year here, you'll have to do it without a scholarship.  Good luck & close the door on your way out."

I'm having a senior moment but IIRC that happened with one of our key posts on the Men's team some time ago, who took his time deciding if he was coming back, and I remember there was some discussion that it may have hurt our recruiting that year.

Jason Collins (pretty sure; may have been Jarron) hemmed and hawed on his return and Monty kept scholie for him.
As a result, UConn nabbed Emeka Okafor, who Stanford wanted but couldn't offer scholie until Collins decided.

As a result, UConn won an NCAA title and Stanford was deprived of (at least one) NCAA title.

Nah . . . that one doesn't bother me at all after all these years . . .

And....AND (!!!), Okafor had been accepted - IIRC - the incoming frosh class would've been Hernandez, Children, Little & Okafor - not that it bothers me after all these years, either - nope, not me. But I digress - it's a tough world out there....

Yep.  And I should have added in my original post - for those young 'uns around here who did not live the saga real-time - that Jason Collins eventually bailed on Stanford and didn't use the scholie.  So Monty's nice, respectful gesture was for naught.  [Don't recall if that scholie went to a different late recruit, or gave a walk-on a one-year scholie, or whatever.  Only remember being so bummed that Okafor didn't stick it out and call the bluff of UConn's coach, Jim Calhoun - who pressured Okafor by saying "you better take it by __, or it we're giving it to somebody else."  Okafor was so SUPREMELY TALENTED that I guarantee you Calhoun would have kept it open for Okafor for as long as he needed.  And lastly, Okafor was a Stanford kid through and through, or at least that was my impression at the time.  Yep.  Still stings a bit after all these years.

 Emeka Okafor:  the ultimate "one that got away."

[teejers1]

For instance, if one of our beloved Stanford players started shopping around for another school, I would want Tara to have to hold open that scholarship for the player just in case.  I'd think Stanford should say "Ok, we'll use your scholarship for someone else.  If you want to play next year here, you'll have to do it without a scholarship.  Good luck & close the door on your way out."

I'm having a senior moment but IIRC that happened with one of our key posts on the Men's team some time ago, who took his time deciding if he was coming back, and I remember there was some discussion that it may have hurt our recruiting that year.

Jason Collins (pretty sure; may have been Jarron) hemmed and hawed on his return and Monty kept scholie for him.
As a result, UConn nabbed Emeka Okafor, who Stanford wanted but couldn't offer scholie until Collins decided.

As a result, UConn won an NCAA title and Stanford was deprived of (at least one) NCAA title.

Nah . . . that one doesn't bother me at all after all these years . . .

And....AND (!!!), Okafor had been accepted - IIRC - the incoming frosh class would've been Hernandez, Children, Little & Okafor - not that it bothers me after all these years, either - nope, not me. But I digress - it's a tough world out there....

Yep.  And I should have added in my original post - for those young 'uns around here who did not live the saga real-time - that Jason Collins eventually bailed on Stanford and didn't use the scholie.  So Monty's nice, respectful gesture was for naught.  [Don't recall if that scholie went to a different late recruit, or gave a walk-on a one-year scholie, or whatever.  Only remember being so bummed that Okafor didn't stick it out and call the bluff of UConn's coach, Jim Calhoun - who pressured Okafor by saying "you better take it by __, or it we're giving it to somebody else."  Okafor was so SUPREMELY TALENTED that I guarantee you Calhoun would have kept it open for Okafor for as long as he needed.  And lastly, Okafor was a Stanford kid through and through, or at least that was my impression at the time.  Yep.  Still stings a bit after all these years.

 Emeka Okafor:  the ultimate "one that got away."