Book: Raw Recruits

[BlueBomb]

Last night, I was cleaning out a box of old Kentucky memorabilia. I came across a book called Raw Recruits that some of you may remember. It was written in 1990 by Alexander Wolff.

I laughed out loud when I read the full title, which was: Raw Recruits: The High Stakes Game Colleges Play to Get Their Basketball Stars -- And What it Costs to Win. I thumbed through it a bit and couldn't help but chuckle about what the "costs" were back then.

The book begins describing the infamous Emery package story. Back then, this was the perfect illustration of that "high stakes game." That $1,000 that found it's way into the hand of Chris Mills made people AGHAST! The book also has an entire chapter titled "Bluegrass Blues."

Looking at it in hindsight, you can't help but shake your head.

 

[ArcadiaFan]

It's been years since I read it, but I really liked Claude Mills after I read it.

 

[BlueBomb]

A bump in case someone missed it.

 

[FurdTerguson]

Well I think the money was sent in increments. No one's going to send a huge amount of cash like that...and what happened to us showed why. They called LSU's big center (John Williams?) the Louisiana Purchase and claimed LSU paid six figures for his services.

 

[catben]

Alexander Wolf was a UK HATER. I couldn't stand him, still can't!!! What was going on at UK was MOST DEFINITELY going on at UNC, Georgetown, UofL, Kansas, UNLV among others, yet Wolf had it in for UK, so he TRASHED the crap out of us in that book.

I have NO DOUBT that a UCLA fan that worked for Emory opened that envelop and the rest is history. It ended up bankrupting Emory. Good enough for them!!!

 

[saxonburgcat]

It's been years since I read it, but I really liked Claude Mills after I read it.

Really?? I am wondering why? As I recall, UNLV was paying for his gambling trips to Vegas at the same time that UK was sending him cash. Those were the accusations anyway.

 

[saxonburgcat]

Last night, I was cleaning out a box of old Kentucky memorabilia. I came across a book called Raw Recruits that some of you may remember. It was written in 1990 by Alexander Wolff.

I laughed out loud when I read the full title, which was: Raw Recruits: The High Stakes Game Colleges Play to Get Their Basketball Stars -- And What it Costs to Win. I thumbed through it a bit and couldn't help but chuckle about what the "costs" were back then.

The book begins describing the infamous Emery package story. Back then, this was the perfect illustration of that "high stakes game." That $1,000 that found it's way into the hand of Chris Mills made people AGHAST! The book also has an entire chapter titled "Bluegrass Blues."

Looking at it in hindsight, you can't help but shake your head.

JP Scott has a review of the book on his web page. It is a good read.

 

[ArcadiaFan]

Really?? I am wondering why? As I recall, UNLV was paying for his gambling trips to Vegas at the same time that UK was sending him cash. Those were the accusations anyway.

If I remember right, and it has been over a decade or so since I read it, the fact he tried to act innocent about everything when he knew he was taking advantage. I'll have to dig that book out sometime and read it again. I do remember highlighting some of his quotes because they made me laugh so hard.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

Maybe they will make a movie about it??😆

 

[TeoJ]

That's what we need national news on Emery package.