Some help in explaining what happened here would be appreciated.  I just lost a recruit to Sim AI.  I knew it was a very tight battle but I thought I had won it. 

I am a new D1 coach and recruited a bit foolishly but I think my silly mistakes help in this context.  I spent all my money in the first 24 hours.  My understanding is that all of my recruiting efforts would have fallen within the early-credit window so my efforts should be the same as Sim AI.  That should make things easier to parse in this context.

Here are the scholarship messages I received:

From: Michael Williams
To: Coach beachedwhale
Subject: re: Michael Williams Scholarship
Sent: 06/23/2011 8:01PM
Coach, it's down to a handful of schools - you're on my very short list, but I feel like I still need more information about the program.
Michael Williams



From: Michael Williams
To: Coach beachedwhale
Subject: re: Michael Williams Scholarship
Sent: 06/24/2011 5:00AM
Coach, I really appreciate you having enough faith in me to extend me a scholarship offer. I hope that you have enough faith to wait for me to visit some other schools - they really have made their programs sound great and to be honest, I'm not sure where I'll be next year.
Michael Williams


[I was just about broke at this point, I put what little cash I had remaining in the next cycle and when I didn't get a change in scholarship message, I assume I lost the battle.  Until I got what is below a day after my last recruiting effort.]



From: Michael Williams
To: Coach beachedwhale
Subject: re: Michael Williams Scholarship
Sent: 06/25/2011 5:00AM
Coach, just following up your scholarship offer. I REALLY love your program, I'm looking forward to the signing period!
Michael Williams



I did not get another scholarship email and then two days later get the note letting me know he is signing elsewhere.

I assume the simple answer is that I am reading the 6/25 5:00am note incorrectly.  I read this to mean that he was prepared to sign with me.  Am I correct that my reading was wrong?

You were behind until that last message.  I know sim ais can make a 2nd push before signings.  My guess is that simmy pushed just enough to get you over the edge.  However, I thought you should have gotten another message stating that you were behind.

Its possible you didn't get a scholarship message because you did not contact him for the next two days. 

id send a ticket.  if you have a msg saying youre ahead you shouldn't have to contact him for the next few days unless you get the email stating you are behind...which it seems you should have gotten.  Maybe you were out of cash and it wouldn't have mattered, but you still should have received it, IMO.

Posted by toysboys on 6/27/2011 12:36:00 PM (view original):
You were behind until that last message.  I know sim ais can make a 2nd push before signings.  My guess is that simmy pushed just enough to get you over the edge.  However, I thought you should have gotten another message stating that you were behind.

NOT true. There is no "2nd push" on recruits that had previously been recruited.

Hmm, I filled out a ticket with customer support.  I am surprised that none of you has pointed out something I did wrong.  I just assumed I goofed!

Posted by mullycj on 6/27/2011 5:26:00 PM (view original):

Posted by toysboys on 6/27/2011 12:36:00 PM (view original):
You were behind until that last message.  I know sim ais can make a 2nd push before signings.  My guess is that simmy pushed just enough to get you over the edge.  However, I thought you should have gotten another message stating that you were behind.

NOT true. There is no "2nd push" on recruits that had previously been recruited.

Are you 100% sure that's still true?  

Two seasons ago, someone on my list went from "keeping options open" to "*very tight*" with a sim.

The only thing you did wrong was read the email incorrectly.  Look at it again with a lawyerly eye.

100% sure

I thought sims considering credit has a multiplier as time passes, so in close battles, they can overtake you if you dont know them off. 

Posted by Weena on 6/28/2011 2:19:00 AM (view original):

Posted by toysboys on 6/28/2011 12:46:00 AM (view original):

I have definitely seen recruits considering simmys who changed very "wide open" to "very tight" before signings (or some degree of change).  That's why I think there's a 2nd push.

The sims do not make a 2nd push. What likely happened is that the recruit lowered his standards and the sims effort became more effective.

Also considering credit kicked in

For what it is worth, customer support could not figure out why he did not sign with me.  So I think that means that the scholarship messages were a bit off target.

Posted by beachedwhale on 6/28/2011 2:11:00 PM (view original):
For what it is worth, customer support could not figure out why he did not sign with me.  So I think that means that the scholarship messages were a bit off target.

They just don't know? Shocking.