Deadspin
So, there's an update on the Kevin Hart story, and it turns out that the whole thing was more "con" than "prank."
You gotta feel pretty bad for the kid; it looks like a nasty recruiter was doing the whole thing as a scam.
Hart claims, in a police report, that a Kevin Riley falsely represented himself as a recruiter — a middle man to big-time college football programs — and led the 6-foot-5, 290-pounder and his family to believe there were scholarship offers available when there were none.
Obtaining money with a false pretense is the charge on the report at this time, said Deputy Dan Lynch, who took the report. Finding Riley could be difficult, though.
The cops say they have "no info to identify a suspect." So the guy, really, is gone. This picture, we think, is the saddest part: He actually had a hat for California and a hat for Oregon, and made a big dramatic production of choosing which one he was going to put on. That really breaks our heart a little bit.
Recruiter Allegedly Involved In Hart Case [RGJ.com]
This Recruit Is Unreal [Washington Post]
Comments
Update not as funny as original.
Shoulda been you, stocking hat.
I hope some school does the right thing and offers this kid. Even a heartless bastard like meself thinks this was a bit much. I doubt the charges would stick, but I hope there's a silver lining. I'm looking at you, Glanville and Portland State.
The scammer should be pranked. For hours, in a basement.
Memo to all high-school athletes out there: If you're the one giving the recruiter money, there's something wrong.
At least he will always be able to make a quick buck with his version of the 'three shell game.'
(the pea is under the Oregon hat)
Five seconds after this picture was taken, Kevin Hart received a kick to the stomach, followed by a Stone Cold Stunner.
The more I hear about this event, the more I think of it like a WWE Championship match contract signing. I'm hoping Gillberg (pictured) got put through that table.
Dammit, the Nerf ball was under the Oregon hat. I'm usually pretty good at this.
At 6' 5", 290 lbs you should be able to get a scholarship somewhere, unless you really suck.
If that's the look on his face when he's making his joyous anouncement I'd hate to see the look he gave when he found out it was a scam.
Nobody does ugly quite like Oregon.
I remember being given a sorting hat, putting it on, and having it tell me that I would be going to Gryffindor.
Turns out it was just a novelty witch's hat with a walkie-talkie taped inside. Worst day of high school ever.
Hopefully, this will strike a blow against the completely selfish, egotistical, and idiotic ESPN-driven practice of hat picking.
289 spelled "Fuck" incorrectly in the thought bubble.
Jesus H Tapdancing Christ, what the fuck is wrong with people?
...oh yeah, I forgot. They're all bastards.
/moves to Montana
//builds 'complex', arms self against coming armageddon
///shits pants?
@LesMilesIsAMouthyDouche: He looks like Indiana Jones, replacing the idol with a bag of sand, hoping not to trigger the booby traps.
Kid had enemies; see this fake Myspace about him here [profile.myspace.com] courtesy of [www.thewizardofodds.blogspot.com]
Hart is rumored to be leaning towards working at Taco Bell over Burger King once he leave high school.
"A small dog, not unlike Lassie, was just run over the parking lot."
"Are you ready to LAUGH?"
@Camp Tiger Claw: What a dumb vaq!
Too bad Hart wasn't really recruited. It would have been huge for a school that evidently can't afford a mic stand.
What a maroon.
I think was just a case where that $2 million record deal with the favorable 90-10 split really was too good to be true.
Cheer up, Murray.
Nah, still funny.
Anthony Cooper > Lyle Lanley > Kevin Riley
4:36 PM WED FEB 6 2008
BY LEITCH
Update 2: Hart Flimmed, Not Scammed
...
2:10 AM THURS FEB 7 2008
BY LEITCH
Update 3: Hart Flammed, Not Flimmed
This time, Ashton Kucher has gone too far.
This was an elaborate scheme to sell a couple extra baseball caps.
So where's the photo from earlier today showing him picking up the East Central Nevada Community College hat?
@Dead Wrestlers Society: He actually got an offer from Notre Dame but decided that Taco Bell and Burger King offered him a greater chance for success.
I wonder if he was inspired by watching Kige Ramsey's dramatic Super Bowl prediction. [www.youtube.com]
This has been Kevin Hart for University of California Football. Oh wait. Maybe not...
@David Hume: The Attorney General of the United States believes waterboarding is a prank.
Woof, y'all are harsh. This is a 17-18 year old kid who thinks his dream has come true and some dick comes along and craps on it. I don't find it funny. Imagine if this was the Pryor kid everyone is so jacked up over. I hope a smaller school signs this kid and he has a decent college experience.
@Storming the Floor: Yes it is! What are you talking about?
Finding Riley could be difficult, though.
They should start by calling Derek Driscoll of Bill Taylor Investments.
@David Hume: Wowie zowie!
Isn't Old Dominion starting a football team? Give Kevin Hart their phone number.
@ghostsoftheSCupcountry: I don't wish the kid any misery. If it happens to him anyway I might as well enjoy it.
Why isn't Arlen Specter looking into this? Why?
@ghostsoftheSCupcountry: I'm with you. I've devoted my entire existence to getting a laugh out of the misery of others, but this is a bit much. Poor kid.
/dick joke
Poor kid.
Dear Kevin Riley-
May your next drug dealer tell you he has "offers" of coke or heroin, when all he really has is drain cleaner.
The should prank him to death with a tire iron.
I read he was a 2 star player, so there have to be some teams interested in him for real.
Still, why the fuck would you think that schools use 'middle men' to recruit!?
I've made my decision, I think I'm going to go with "Vag-tastic Voyage."
..dumb lineman
@PeteJayhawk: seriously, if there's any real crime here, it's how ESPN and others have driven college football recruitment into a sick overdrive. who cares??? wow... who's going to be the next superstar at Exploitation University??
@katni: Same here, but I enjoy causing my fair share of misery. Having said that, this kid just got "anally poisoned" in public and deserves some sympathy.
//shits pants
//dick joke
rough school year the rest of the way for this kid...
Still on my list for the Deadspin HOF this year. He still got owned.
@The Gizmo from Pismo: As I said before, the kid probably had no idea what the process is, so a convincing scam artist would be able to convince him that teams use middle men. I still go back to the coach...Hart's coach should have been counseling him through this at least a little and raised some red flags.
@Zach Parise's Shorty: Not really. He has his name on Deadspin, you it is safe to say that more people have their eyes on him.
@The Gizmo from Pismo: And why would you make payments to a middle man (evidently, in cash) to be recruited? Then never take a visit. Or actually meet the coach.
@ghostsoftheSCupcountry: I'd feel sorry for him if he didn't appear to be so fucking stupid. Paying an independent recruiter, not questioning why he isn't listed on any of the sites as being a recruit, let alone not seeing any offers, not making any offical visits - wtf? Yeah - he got scammed/embarassed, but it happened only because he let it. (Oh, and if I was capable of empathy.)