Fair responses. And I understand them.
When a player decides to commit to a college his parents should look him in the eye and stress the fact that he is giving his word and by proxy - the word of his family. So take it seriously.
When a University commits that scholarship to that player they are assuming the risk that they "missed" on that kid and they are obligated to live up to that mistake.
Our approach has always been to be sure to do your due diligence BEFORE making that COMMITMENT. If a player ever backs out (it has happened once with the Cardinals) then that player needs to move on from our program to another program that doesn't value or honor one's word. If a School EVER backs out from their commitment then they never get a player from our organization.
Coaches know that. Players know that. Problem averted.
I will once again try to offer some perspective (which understandably is only my perspective and may not be comfortable for everyone) - People get divorced... business deals get broken... sometimes people flat out lie to your face... such is life.
You can be one of them or you can be exceptional. We are talking about players breaking a commitment to a quality school in one of the best 3 conferences in the country for what?? a program that MIGHT be a dozen spots higher?!?!? - this is equivalent to leaving your beautiful wife and mother of your children for the same woman who is 5 years younger.
Sure, people do it - namely people who learn that breaking their word is defensible at the age of 15. then it is even easier to do it at 30 or 40 or 50.... heck, whenever you can marginally improve your situation in your opinion...
Fact remains that there are people who keep their word and there are people who don't.
luv baseball - you shared your opinion and that led to you being marginalized. You didn't break your word - you made a choice. It only is a "stupid" mistake if you define success purely by the measure of money. It is not. This is the lie we tell ourselves when we allow others to tell us what we are worth and you r former employers had their opinions (right or wrong). Your anecdote is the rallying cry of every person who rationalizes their abandonment of integrity.
Sometimes integrity costs you in ways that are less important than integrity itself. Any dollar made through selling out your integrity is a hollow dollar. That may very well be the 'New American way" - but it isn't worth glorifying.
The "RIGHT" way to handle a situation where you feel as if you may have committed to a school that you don't feel you can fulfill your commitment to would be to open a dialogue with that staff. Talk to them about why you feel you may have made a bad choice - and in the end, if the feeling is mutual then both parties can cshake hands and walk away. - for instance, maybe a player verbals to a high academic school with good baseball but finds that they consistantly struggle with the rigors of a High School academic load... the conversation with that school (a UVA or Stanford type) can be easily navigated. Allow the staff to re-emphisize the support they can offer before jumping ship. Same with the idea regarding any other reason a player may want to re-evaluate their situation. Everyone owes it to eachother to have the conversation. O