Gonna have to disagree with you on this one, at least in its current incarnation. The REC's have become very active. I see it around Jefferson County all the time. They constantly have fliers up for meetings, speaking engagements and other events they are involved in. I've even seen them handing stuff out at a high school athletic event. Never remember seeing that before. Regarding St. Paul's, my friends son may be a highly touted athlete in a few years. He said some REC members where discreetly handing out fliers about some gump speaking event on the day they were honoring Chevis Jackson. He also told me he has been given some winks and nods from other parents with inferences to bama . I dont think St. Pauls is unique or being singled out. No one group can completely influence a school but the gumps are clearly trying to use their muscle in any way they can. Be it REC, alumni groups or just rabid fans they are in full tilt mode to right the gump ship.
I was at the event for Chevis Jackson...wasnt happening. Im just telling you this is just one huge conspiracy theory. At least in Mobile the REC doesnt hold themselves higher than anyone else. Maybe in other parts of the state there are worthless people and need for it to somehow elevate themselves, but not in Mobile. I promise you 99% of the kids in the city dont even know what the Red Elephant Club is. My family have been members for as long as it has been around and they, nor their friends have ever treated it as anything more than a Bama fan club, sort of like Tiger Forums for LSU fans. I went to the meetings with my grandfather when I was little all the time and all they do is eat food and talk...thats it.
Well, Im not gonna call my friend a liar. :lol: He's a Georgetown grad with no dog in the fight except for his kid's welfare.
:lol: His kid will be fine and there will be no pressure on him, I promise you. And hopefully he becomes a five star recruit for them.
I received an email a week or so ago from Thad which went over some of the changes they have in store for the REC...it's all organizational stuff which was needed. This "myth" that they are having some strong influence in the Mobile area has been worth a lot of chuckles this past season. It's a story that been started and fueled by a group of SECW rivals we both share. In all honesty, I think that story got its legs back in '03 or '04 when the REC in Mobile coughed up 250K to endow a scholarship. (they very well may have endowed their second scholarship by now...they were about half-way there in the end of '05) Then, when you add the Rev. Chette stories you can see how its digressed over a period of time. All that said, the REC groups around the SE to eat, drink, and talk a lot of football. But, they do a lot to support the Ath. Dept. as well. While I don't know a lot about TAF, they sound very similar.
TAF is like Tide Pride and REC mixed together. It has way more power than Bama's because LSU only has one main group, but they still have speakers and fund raisers and all that fun stuff.
Decision making with the school. TAF is a private corporation, I believe, but not really. Im not an expert on either those are just my opinions as an outsider.
The "power brokers" reside in Tide Pride, but some of them also are members of their local REC groups. Be decision making I'm assuming you are referring to decisions on the academic front?
They also help directly fund and are responsible for some of the new athletic additions. Here is a list.
