SZVETITZ COLUMN: Hype all that matters in college recruiting

What does Auburn do to follow up the Big Cat Weekend?

Feline Fiesta?

Or maybe Wild War Eagle?

How about Plainsman Pandemonium?

Whatever it is, it’ll probably be huge and make headlines throughout the college football countryside. Good and bad.

But, hey, like my dad always said, as long as someone’s talking about you, it’s never that bad. Right?

Buzz is always good — even when it’s negative.

In college football recruiting, hype is a program’s best friend. And lately, Auburn’s been generating more than Flavor Flav ever could.

First, Auburn brought you the Tiger Prowl, where seven coaches piled in a stretch Hummer limo and toured the state’s high schools like rock stars. Then, for their encore, they came out with the Big Cat just this past weekend.

What’s next? And where do I buy my tickets?

The new Auburn coaching staff is putting on quite the show, and anyone who’s anyone wants to be there.

They’re like the E Street Band or something.

Take Saturday night, for example. More than 100 fans showed up to roll Toomer’s Corner with the 20 or so recruits Auburn had in for unofficial visits. Watching the video on our own Web site (www.oanow.com), it looked like the place to be.

Even Aubie was there. And you know he’s not going to miss a party. The recruits looked like they had a blast, as did the fans.

And now it’s the media’s turn to take the Big Cat by the tail and run with it, spreading the word to anyone who hasn’t heard about it. If that’s even possible.

Most good. Some bad, including possible NCAA rules violations.

Auburn will examine if it broke any NCAA bylaws over the weekend, including the introduction of players (bylaw 13.10.6), which can be heard being done on the video of Saturday night’s event, and also allowing recruits to participate in “team activities that would make the public or media aware of the prospective student-athlete’s visit to the institution (e.g. running out of the tunnel with the team, celebratory walks to or around the stadium/arena, on-field pregame celebrations).” That’s bylaw 13.10.5.

Did Auburn break any of these rules this past weekend?

Depends on what color glasses you’re wearing. It’s all open for interpretation. Roll the tape. You be the judge.

But to think that any of this is “major” is just laughable. If Auburn is guilty, it would only be secondary violations of the NCAA rules, and that’s just a slap on the wrist — nothing more.

Actually, secondary violations happen all the time, just ask Lane Kiffin.

But just because everyone else is doing it, does that make it right?

If Program X jumped off a bridge, should Program Y?

What if it helped them land the nation’s top quarterback? Well, then ...

And it’s that thought process, coupled with the fact that the barely-felt slap on the wrist isn’t enough of a deterrent to stop a program from blurring the lines is exactly why we’re having this conversation.

Coaches know the rules. It’s their job to pore over the NCAA handbook and stay within its guidelines.

But rules can be stretched. Gray areas can be found. And that’s where most programs seem to tread when it comes to recruiting. And why not, if the worst thing that can happen is a finger-pointing tisk, tisk?

Coaches need to push the envelope to get results. They’ve got to get creative and find ways to make the “same old thing” new and exciting. Especially if you’re trying to build talent and a reputation.

Hard work, it seems, can only take you so far in this game. Gimmicks and ploys are necessities nowadays, replacing traditions and track records. Winning used to be all that mattered. Now, it’s all about hype. Buzz. Word of mouth.

And Auburn’s the talk of every SEC town.

And guess who’s listening? The same kids who showed up this weekend for Big Cat. The same kids Auburn — and every other major BCS school — is targeting. The same kids who make a program go — because recruiting is its lifeblood.

The same kids who will show up for the next shindig, regardless of what it’s called.

MIKE SZVETITZ is sports editor of the Opelika-Auburn News. He may be reached at mszvetitz@oanow.com or 737-2513.