Agree with you on every aspect swingbuilder.
The reality is that advisors talk to scouts about players whether directly or in a round about way. They rely on these relationships to garner information that can then be passed on to the athlete. Is it against the rules? A lot of gray areas and symantics. Information is the key to making any decsision. The lines have been blurred for years and will continue to be. TPM, yourself, PG and others have great points and just emphasize the importance of these decisions and the effects that your associations have on your image and future.
We used one. If I am blessed enough to go through that process again, I could not tell you at this moment if I would use an advisor or not. No right or wrong answer.