In honor of Signing Day, a proposed new NCAA rule:

A-fucking-men. I used to have people get so pissed at me when I wouldn't refer to a kid as committed to Podunk State before he signed an NLI. Or when I wouldn't preface the player's every mention with "No. 536 on the Rivals.com list of junior punters living west of the Mississippi (California excluded)" or whatever.

Hell, the definition of a "recruit" is so broad, plus I never take the word of a kid or parent that they meet that definition, so I hate to use that term.

 

Not to bash sports writers as a whole, because I've certainly been duped into believing something that didn't pan out, but how many writers found out today that some kid receiving "interest" from a big school ended up to be complete garbage.
Can't tell you how many times I was told a BCS team was "looking" at a kid only to find out later that meant the kid went to some summer camp where the coaches were or whatever.

 

I understand all this, but I think people need to remember it depends on your audience and your medium.

That's all fine and good for newspapers to not cover verbal commitments or label kids as "Connecticut-bound" until they sign a NLOI, but for some of those folks who work with other media -- or who have a beat/topic where once the kid signs, it's old news -- it's the way of life. It's the job.

In some circles, once Sammy Smith decides he's going to LSU, no one cares when he signs the NLOI unless he doesn't for some reason. And, in that case, it likely warrants a story in recruiting-focused media and in MSM.

 

Cadet...

The thing about these damn commitment references is that our freakin' readers go bonkers if we don't keep tabs or run these lists constantly as National Signing Day approaches. I tell them, "commitments right now don't mean much. they can change at the drop of an official's flag." we ran a list of commitments for the D-I school we cover, oh, two weeks ago. the word was that save for one or two, the entire list was strong and that all would sign with said school. nope, didn't happen. maybe half. as you noted, until they sign on the dotted line, the commitment hype is so many times worthless.
but as we also all know, the recruiting "gurus" and wannabe coaches/sportswriters drool over this stuff getting out there.

 

We had a guy call us infrequently over the past two months asking if anyone had committed to Big State U. that day. Same guy, every time.

 

I was reading about the kid that turned on LSU for Auburn at the last second.

Does he not realize he will have to play LSU multiple times?

If I was the LSU coach, I would gameplan creative plays to take his ass out.

If he wound up being a DB, I would power sweep his side nonstop. If he was a linebacker, I would crackback him 25 times. If he was a WR, I would lay the safeties deep the entire game and have them tee off every time he caught the ball across the middle.

 

Went to cover Jesse Armstead's signing many moons ago. Rumor was he might change from Miami to another school and someone had to be there just in case. Before the big show, I found my best note of the event. Armstead's mail man was there. He said he was glad this thing was finally over because of all the extra mail he'd been lugging to Armstead's house each day.

 

Agreed.

I've said it many times before ... at some point, a newspaper is going to be involved in an NCAA investigation due to the actions of recruiting writers. There are some honorable ones out there. But many are de facto recruiters for whatever school is in their area.

 

Frankly, I wish some fans would just get a life. You don't see people frothing at the mouth over the drummer deciding which college band he's going to join. Yet, you have grown adults tracking where 9th graders are looking to play basketball in college.

 

When the parents stop grooming their elementary-aged brood to be the next big star, that'll be a fair request.