I know the stories of money changing hands is just to enticing to turn down for rival fans, but it really just doesn't make sense. I talked to a guy recently - UofL fan, but a pretty good guy, not into all the red vs blue nonsense - and he told me with 100% absolute certainty the Harrison twins had a known price of $80,000. Everyone knew that was the asking price. Which is why Rick never got involved, he "doesn't do those things."
So, to believe that, I have to accept these 2 things (off the top of my head):
1. In the hypercompetitive, multi-billion dollar business, where getting recruits means the difference between being successful and being unemployed, a coach who "knew" that the Harrisons got 80k from UK would not, even anonymously, say anything to the NCAA. Cal is so popular, and has no enemies - maybe that makes it a little more believable, but still.
2. If a coach routinely pays for players, eventually you're going to have a kid that doesn't work out. Just doesn't develop like anticipated, so he's not as good as we thought, and doesn't get the playing time, doesn't get drafted. When that happens, about 2% of those players and their parents are accepting of the obvious - the rest want to blame someone. Usually, the coach. Now you've got angry kids and parents with an axe to grind. And yet, no one ever says "Cal gave me money." Makes total sense that no one ever squealed.....
These kids come to UK not because Cal will give the dad $80,000, or whatever, but because they think - they know - that about 9.5 months after getting to UK they are going to be drafted and make millions. 80k is chicken feed.
