Brick Oettinger Passes

A wonderfully original American, Oettinger helped define an industry with character and grace.

Very sad news from the recruiting world as Brick Oettinger has died.

He may not have been one of the OG recruiting writers, but if not, he didn’t miss it by much. Oettinger was one of the pre-Internet guys who banged it out on a typewriter and mailed his copy in. And he was very perceptive.

In this obituary (written before Oettinger passed) by David Glenn, we see his comments from 1979 about Michael Jordan, who burst onto the scene very rapidly. We’d say he nailed it: “The best combination of basketball skills, physical abilities and intangibles from a high school wing guard I’ve ever seen.”

We think that would be the year after he was famously cut from his high school team, which is impressive. Oettinger certainly knew what he was doing.

Guys like Oettinger and the late Tom Konchalski were not just scavenging for recruiting tips like a pack of dogs after scraps. They invested time into getting to know players, families and coaches. They did things in the right way and were not just interested in the meat market aspect of it but also in the people.

We’re a lot poorer for his passing. Please read Glenn’s column to get a better idea of what we’ve lost.