The bizarre story of Kevin Hart (official fraud)

[Steve19]

No matter how you slice it, this kid's went from champ to chump at his school in the span of a few hours.

[3074326]

Originally Posted by billmac91

Either way you look at this, SOOOO much stupidity was involved it is comical.

Pretty much sums it up. If the kid was behind the hoax, it's funny. If someone made him think he had an offer.. it's sad. Either way, it's unbelievable that this even happened.

[BuckeyeFlorida]

Just read about this situation... it's a great prank, but clearly you have to feel a little bad for the kid and his family, in spite of their stupidity. Unless he pulled this off himself, someone must really, really, really hate him to go through all of this trouble. It'll be interesting to see who claims responsibility. Will it be this guy?

Either way, I can sympathize with this kid. I felt the same way when I corresponded with a Kenyan Prince who promised me 1/2 of his inheritance if I could help him get his money to the US. I even went out and bought a Ferrari on credit because he promised me my money. No, I never met him or speak to him in person, but we did exchange many e-mails. My family and I feel cheated and lied to.

[billmac91]

The Wizard of Odds: Did Somebody Impersonate Cal's Tedford?

But it appears that Hart, pictured above with Fernley coach Mark Hodges at Friday's ceremony, was the victim of a prank. Somebody, it appears, has been impersonating Tedford. There never was a scholarship offer ? let alone any official contact ? from the Golden Bears.

Hodges, who has been a coach for more than 20 years, now says the matter is a "law enforcement investigation."

Oregon was another so-called finalist for Hart, and somebody appears to have been impersonating an Oregon representative as well. An official from Oregon confirmed Hart was not being recruited. The validity of Hart's other finalists ? Nevada, Illinois and Oklahoma State ? remain in question.

So apparently he didn't have an offer from his other finalist, Oregon either. Someone impersonated Belotti as well.

I just don't understand how this kid thought he had an offer this late in the game without ever taking an official to either school or meeting ANY coaches from either staff.

Story is ridiculous.

[ORD_Buckeye]

I agree that it's inconceivable that the kid would think he had an offer without ever meeting coaches or visiting the school. The level and breadth of stupidity (kid, parents, coaches, teachers) is just mind-numbing. Having grown up in Reno, I can certainly tell you that Fernley is not full of the most sophisticated people on the planet, but it borders on absurd that no one could have caught on.

If the kid pulled it off I'm torn. If he did it just to grab attention or think that somehow Cal would be forced to throw a scholarship his way, screw him.

If he did it as some sort of cultural or political statement/satire about the ridiculous amount of effort that we, as a culture, have put into the whole recruiting business, then he's a brilliant kid and deserves a scholarship...to Stanford.

[osugrad21]

If there is an offer out there, Hart would be the first Fernley athlete to receive a full scholarship to a Division I school directly out of high school.

The HC must be a graduate also if he is that clueless about the recruiting process.

Did Coach register him with the Clearinghouse? Did he send out film? Were there any coaches visiting the school?

Sorry, but this is ridiculous.

[methomps]

The part that I really can't get is the coach. I can get the kid. I got academic scholarships to schools and never spoke/met with anyone. While we know that the athletic recruiting process is more involved then that, it's not a given that everyone would know that.

But (assuming he's not in on it), how did the coach get duped?

Hodges, who began his coaching career on the junior college level and then coached at NAIA Southern Oregon before spending over a dozen years at both South Medford and North Medford high schools alternating the titles of offensive and defensive coordinator, has coached numerous players who went on to Division 1 athletic careers.

At Southern Oregon, he helped develop two college All-Americans, including a quarterback and slot back. His last two quarterbacks at North Medford have gone on to play college football, one at Portland State and the other at Eastern Oregon, while defensive tackle David Faaeteete went on to the University of Oregon.

Hart has performed at the Oakland combine last February and at another combine in Las Vegas. He's earned senior accolades such as all-Northern 3A first team and all Sierra-Nevada. But why is this an out of the ordinary story?