Just lost a battle for a international player, and from the scholarship emails I really wasn't sure if I was ahead or not.  Just thought I would post them to see what other people think...  Here is a series of them:

1. "Coach me love plat at Baylor - when I can sign papers?"
2. "I like much Baylor.  I close make decision but I need time more think about basket in USA."
3. "I much like you school.  I not ready make decision.  I wait talk other school coach then I make decision."
4. "Coach I happy with all you say I still no decide.  Many schools come see Hao Wang but I best like you now."

Obviously I am ahead in the first one (I was the only one he was considering) but then after that I have no idea.  I really thought I was just ahead but I guess not.  Thoughts?

My take:

#1 Winning by a good amount
#2 slightly losing
#3 losing
#4 slightly winning.

what recruiting action did you take for each message (answer may be "none", which I presume is the answer for #2 at least, as you had been sole consideration prior...but what about between #2 and # 3 and between #3 and #4?)

Actually, I saw he was considering someone else prior to #2, so I did take some recruiting action.  Here is the action prior to each email:

prior to #2: 10 letters, 4 home visits
prior to #3: 1 home visit
prior to #4: 2 home visits
after #4: 1 home visit and promise start

Then he signed with the other team...

ok, I am mostly an expert at losing battles, not winning them, so here's my take: Especially with internationals it is hard to tell where you stand. Without FSS you have a hard time determining leader. I would tend to agree with reinsel's take in general, although I've had the last message on an international and lost just like this.  I was told by CS that the messages are supposed to be vague, and that it is likely that the other team put a large amount of effort in before the signing, which could take a kid that was slightly favoring you all the way to signing with the other team in one cycle if they invested enough effort. I'm guessing that was the case. Have you tried to compare notes with the other coach to see what kind of effort he put in?

I haven't, might be worth doing if he's willing