[Buckskin86]

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/html/...0B334342.shtml

Abdallah is a quality kid and had some positive things to say about his recruiting visits to tOSU

Bags of cash. Naked women. Alcohol. Marijuana. All-night parties.

Those are some of the shenanigans that allegedly go on during high school football players' recruiting visits to college campuses.

While University of Miami signee Willie Williams wrote of private jets, lobster dinners and hotel room suites with a Jacuzzi in his recruiting diary with the Miami Herald, some of Louisiana's top recruits, some who even visited Colorado, found little of the current recruiting image.

"They make movies on this stuff - He Got Game," said Rummel star defensive linemen Nader Abdallah, who signed with Ohio State last month. "When kids watch that movie they expect those things to happen on recruiting visits.

"But I didn't have those expectations. When I went on visits everybody conducted themselves appropriately. It was a very family atmosphere. A lot of kids brought their parents with them.

"I went there with a business attitude. I was trying to figure out where I belonged for the next four or five years of my life. I was kind of different from a lot of people.'

Abdallah used his visits - the NCAA currently gives recruits five official visits - to find a school and not a good time.

" I know a lot of people that went there just to have fun,' he said. "I don't take my visits just to have fun. If that was the case, I'd be wasting their time and my time. I went there to find where I belonged. That's socially, academically and athletically."

In the wake of an investigation of a list of allegations involving the Colorado football program, including recruiting parties that featured alcohol and sex and the hiring of strippers, athletes' transgressions while on recruiting trips have suddenly been thrust into the spotlight.

The NCAA allows official visits in all sports, and prospects can be on campus for up to 48 hours. The high school athletes who spoke with The Times said much of the time is spent meeting coaches and teammates, touring the athletic facilities, dormitories and other parts of the campus.

But there are also parties.

Still, the recruits said none were as excessive or as wild as the reports out of Colorado.

Aaron Meyer of John Curtis told ESPN that on a recruiting trip to Colorado he attended a party where alcohol was served and current Colorado players offered to send women to his room.

Meyer eventually signed with UCLA.

East St. John wide receiver Reggie Joseph, who signed with Colorado and was on the same recruiting trip, has disputed Meyer's claims with several media outlets.

"To be honest, Colorado was kind of mellow," said West Jefferson All-State defensive tackle and LSU signee Marlon Favorite, who along with Abdallah visited Colorado before making his college choice.

On his recruiting trips, Favorite took a different approach than his friend Abdallah.

"I expect to go out there and just have a good time," Favorite said. "I expect to find out a lot about the school and stuff like that, to see different places. Maybe a few parties or whatever entertainment in the city at the time.

"It's all about what you make it to be. It's like any other situation. It's not like girls are lining up at the door for you."

NCAA official visit rules
No more than five visits may be taken.
Prospects must give college transcript and score from PSAT, SAT, PACT Plus or ACT.
Visit may not exceed 48 hours.
Prospects may receive round-trip transportation between home and campus.
Prospects and parents may receive meals, lodging and complimentary admission to campus athletic events.
Meals may be provided either on or off campus.
Prospects may not be given special seating at athletic events.
Hosts may spend $30 per day on entertaining, but cannot purchase souvenir items.
Schools may provide student handbook.
Source: NCAA