Because the term is student-athlete and to not be held accountable for both is hypocritical.

Because some guys don’t fully rebound from injury.

Because some guys don’t work for it.

Because some guys put other priorities ahead of working in the classroom and on the field.

Because coaches are projecting how a 16-year old will play when he's 21 or 22-years old.

Because some guys don't have the mental or physical toughness or ability to play a very demanding sport.

Because sometimes you sign a future all-conference player the next class.

Because some guys put everything they have and do all that the coaches ask of them and it's the coaches’ responsibility to be honest and tell the player they’ll have a better chance of playing a game that they love elsewhere.

Because some guys are not okay being role players.

Because you take the best players available.

Because some recruits don't make the grades. Some do.

Because some recruits don't make up their minds or jump ship at the last minute and some media outlets openly encourage and profit from these actions yet vilify coaches that did not want to be left not meeting a position need.

Because when the perfect storm happens and you’ve been burned the year before and surprisingly more than the allowed recruits get eligible, you ask in-state recruits (because of TOPS and hopefully love for the program) or recruits from well-to-do families (to afford a semester of classes) or legacy recruits (because of loyalty) or some combination of the above to gray-shirt to help make the numbers work.

Because ESPfrickingN doesn't know how to properly research a story and because they are in the gossip business instead of real-life-actual sports reporting.

This post was edited on 1/17/11 at 10:24 pm