Smoke = Fire

The Sun Times broke a story, then got scared by legal bluster and pulled it.  Today, however, they re-ran it with even more sources of damning information, and reiterated the veracity of the original.

The stock characters are all there for a Chicago basketball drama:  college mega-program, slimy coach, greedy dad, NCAA officials and AAU street-agents buzzing aroung the poor, talented kid in the middle.

The tale of 17-year-old Anthony Davis and the University of Kentucky was told on the paper's prep-centric web section.  The kid's dad was allegedly shopping him to colleges after a late growth spurt and switch to a higher-profile club team had fast-tracked him up the recruiting charts.  Someone claiming to represent UK was reported to have offered Anthony Davis Sr. $200,000 for a commitment to the school.

UK lawyers publicly demanded a retraction, issued denials, and threatened action.  The story was edited, and finally taken down.

But today it is back up in force -- legal saber-rattling notwithstanding, with reports of Davis Sr. trying to conduct an auction of sorts for his son's services among the big schools on his list, with sources from three different universities detailing requests of amounts ranging from $125,000 to $150,ooo.

Even the competing Tribune acknowledged the story, and it rings true when you zoom out:  first, John Calipari is a cheat everywhere he goes -- a charming cheat, sure, but he left both UMass and Memphis penalized.  And Kentucky is currently under investigation for the recruitment of now-pro Eric Bledsoe.  Second, Chicago prep basketball itself is still a cesspool.

Third, the numbers work.  We have all heard rumors of $250,000 being the market rate for a Chicago prep star's commitment in the recent past, so these figures seem about right for a late-bloomer, depending on timing.

Seems like the dad was feeling himself a bit too much, being sloppy and running his mouth.  Too bad his kid may end up suffering for it.

End the farce.  Stop forcing kids to go to college.

* * *

We're at Real Time Sports in St. Charles today, on the Bud Light "Who Needs Two?" Tavern Tour.  Steve Stone joins us at 2:00 to talk Sox and Cubs.

He'll answer questions:  Carlos Delgado now a possibility as full-time DH, despite being out of the game for a year?  What's the right thing to do with Bobby Jenks?  Will anyone trade for Carlos Zambrano if he pitches well as a starter?

Zach Zaidman should be checking in with the latest from Bourbonnais, and we'll do the Second Half at 3:30.