(03-21-2019 10:31 AM)nj alum Wrote:  

(03-21-2019 10:17 AM)TribeInTheBurg Wrote:  

(03-21-2019 09:55 AM)Tribe2011 Wrote:  In fact - has a single reporter writing about this situation actually added any value in terms of offering new information beyond what the school/players have released or tweeted? Would be nice if someone actually reported on what's actually going on below the surface here rather than lazily re-writing press releases.

Nope. An alum friend of mine who has worked in sports journalism pointed out that even the tweet about who's interested in Pierce has no source. It could just be Justin sending a list of programs that liked his transfer tweet. There's no confirmation for anything or analysis of anything, including Shaver's firing. All that we've seen in those articles is the stats that support however that writer is feeling. Rocco's done a deeper dive into whether it's justified than any journalist to this point.

Your alum friend needs to look at tweets from 3/15 and 3/16:

eff Borzello
@jeffborzello
·
Mar 15
William & Mary forward Justin Pierce tells ESPN he will be graduating and transferring for his final season.

Two-time all-CAA performer. Averaged 14.9 points, 8.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists this season.

ff Borzello
@jeffborzello
·
Mar 16
Schools to reach out to William & Mary grad transfer Justin Pierce:

Texas, Florida, Michigan, Zags, Arizona, Ohio St, Wiscy, Notre Dame, USC, Nevada, NC State, VTech, Purdue, KState, TCU, Stanford, Xavier, Ole Miss, Creighton, Butler, Illinois, Utah, GTech, DePaul, N’Western, BC

https://mobile.twitter.com/jeffborzello?....167098%2F

I admit it, I clicked through this time.

He was actually specifically referencing those tweets. The first came from Pierce, the second has no source. We're left to assume that either this reporter confirmed all of these communications with each school or he tweeted something that was sent to him. There's no detail as to what "reach out" means. My friend said he thought it was unlikely that a reporter would call each of those schools to confirm for a player transferring from a small mid-major.

I'm not suggesting that Pierce isn't a hot commodity or that he won't end up at a P5 school. He was rated the top pro prospect in the CAA preseason. But the tweet about who has reached out might not have anything behind it.