Here's what I wanna know:
how many of you keyboard heroes sitting here getting angry about these kids taking money and leaving would have the strength to not take it?
Imagine coming from a low income family in the areas these kids are from where you are happy if your family is able to pay the bills, eat, and make it to the next day. Then imagine you are lucky enough to have/discover a talent that is recognized by colleges which gives you the slightest chance or hope that you can go to the NFL and make more money than your family has ever dreamed of. You would do anything you could to improve that chance.
AND that's before these bagmen come and offer to move your family somewhere better as soon as you sign, get them jobs, and offer you more money right there than your parents could make in years.
Ya'll are saying that you would look at the cars, clothes, chains, money and say "No thanks, I'd rather play for the college closest to where I live for free. I might have a slightly lower chance of making it to the NFL due to the uncertainty behind that school. But it's cool because I'd rather try to make them better and not be considered a 'traitor' by those guys on the message boards."
No ya'll wouldn't. 99% of you would have jumped out of your chair and had the papers signed before your desk chair stopped spinning.
Dudes like Duke or Chaney (hopefully) that do that are special. The benefits and consequences of their decision to take or not take that money aren't just a recruiting class or win or loss in a college sport for their favorite school, it affects them for the rest of their and their families life.