4* OL Riley Norman commits to Michigan State for track, not playing football

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August 15th, 2012 at 8:58 PM
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MichiganMan2424
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4* OL Riley Norman commits to Michigan State for track, not playing football

Riley Norman, a 4 star OL out of Cadillac, MI, just committed to Michigan State, but to do shotput, not play football. He was a consensus 4 star recruit, and part of the Rivals Top 250. It had rumored for a while that he was not planning on playing football in college, but had not been confirmed until now. He was considered to be a heavy MSU lean, so him going to MSU is no suprise.

If he ever decided to play football at MSU, he would not be allowed to walk-on and use the track scholarship. The scholarship would be shifted over to football, and count against MSU's 85 scholarship limit.

Edit: http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Ri...

http://247sports.com/Player/Riley-Norman-13717

http://michiganstate.scout.com/a.z?s=175&p=8&c=1&nid=5680725

It's Norman, not Normal mods. Thanks for incorrectly editting my OP.

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August 15th, 2012 at 9:03 PM | This is exactly what (Score:2)
MichFan1997
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I suspected he would do. Kid is an amazing shot thrower. He threw over 61 feet at the MHSAA finals last spring as a junior.

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August 15th, 2012 at 9:03 PM | This is one of the most (Score:-1 Flamebait)
August 15th, 2012 at 9:06 PM | Consensus four star is still (Score:5 Normal)
WolvinLA2
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Consensus four star is still a long shot to make the NFL. He's still getting college for free, I don't see how this is any different from his standpoint.

August 15th, 2012 at 9:08 PM | Also (Score:5 Normal)
MichFan1997
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he's better at shot put than he is at football. And one more thing maybe the other poster didn't consider. Maybe he just doesn't like football

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August 15th, 2012 at 9:12 PM | I concur (Score:5 Normal)
MgoJohnStamos
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it is very possible for people to get burnt out on a sport that they are extremely good at by the time they graduate high school.

I went to high school with a two great distance runners, were all state cross country runners  for multiple years. Both by the end hated running. One stopped completely, and the other is training to be a body builder. Moral of the story, I guess, is that just because you're really good at something, doesnt mean you want to do it forever. Best of luck to Mr. Normal, I hope to see you in the Olympics one day.

I don't know who's hair is better, John Stamos circa Full House or Denard

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August 15th, 2012 at 9:29 PM | Kim Jong Il was the best (Score:5 Normal)
mgobleu
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Kim Jong Il was the best golfer in the history of the world. He was so good, in fact, that on his first round ever, he finished 38 under with 5 hole-in-ones. Oh, and Pyongyang golf course plays 7,700 yards. Problem is, he always found the game boring. I can see a 4* recruit passing on football.

August 15th, 2012 at 9:39 PM | Hey you're shorting the man (Score:5 Normal)
MgoJohnStamos
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Hey you're shorting the man of 6 hole in ones! #tigerwho?

I don't know who's hair is better, John Stamos circa Full House or Denard

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August 15th, 2012 at 10:05 PM | I haven't laughed this hard (Score:1 Redundant)
BOGEY
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I haven't laughed this hard in a while thanks!

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August 15th, 2012 at 10:15 PM | I have 2 nieces who started swimming at very early ages. (Score:4 Normal)
LB
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Both of them were offered scholarships, one of them was invited to the Olympic trials. Other than embarrassing guys in the pool, neither of them swam competitively beyond high school.

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August 15th, 2012 at 10:55 PM | Indeed.  Andre Agassi has (Score:3 Normal)
Rather be on BA
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Indeed.  Andre Agassi has been quoted as saying he hated tennis.  Being good at something doesn't mean you enjoy it, in fact sometimes it could lead to the opposite effect.

August 16th, 2012 at 1:42 PM | But I hope he likes this.... (Score:1)
thereverend
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August 15th, 2012 at 11:24 PM | Wow, going to MSU for free. (Score:-1 Flamebait)
August 16th, 2012 at 8:48 AM | MSU costs almost as much as U (Score:3 Underrated)
Rather be on BA
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MSU costs almost as much as U of M from what I have been told recently from people who have kids going to both places.  Not saying that that is reasonable, but it is still a ton of money saved.  One can hate on MSU all they want, but the education there is still pretty good.

August 15th, 2012 at 9:09 PM | He was also a State champion (Score:3 Normal)
spartanfan123
Joined: 02/15/2012
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He was also a State champion in shot, so he has some talent there too. Train for the Olympics or train for the NFL? Tough choice to make, but can't go wrong either way. 

August 15th, 2012 at 9:16 PM | To be fair, he's a MUCH (Score:2)
WolvinLA2
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To be fair, he's a MUCH longer shot to be in the Olympics than to be in the NFL, especially since his throws are good, but not crazy good. I think it just comes downto which he likes better, which is totally fine.

August 15th, 2012 at 9:49 PM | Probably a good guess. He's (Score:1)
Clarence Beeks
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Probably a good guess. He's still a few feet short of TJ Duckett's MHSAA record for shot put (64-7), though. It does seem like field athletes in track don't cross over to football as much as track athletes, for what ever reason.

August 15th, 2012 at 11:58 PM | Edit - Zach Hill from Zeeland (Score:1)
Clarence Beeks
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Edit - Zach Hill from Zeeland topped Duckett's record in 2009 (67-11.25). Of note, for those making the "2016 Olympic hopeful" comments about Norman, for comparison sake, Hill's personal best at MSU is 60-11.25. That's still almost 9 feet behind Hoffa, who took the bronze in London. Not saying that some day either of them couldn't be in the Olympics; just most likely not in 2016.

August 15th, 2012 at 9:29 PM | Or... (Score:5 Normal)
2014
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...maybe he just thinks Dantonio is a dick. Smart kid.

August 15th, 2012 at 9:13 PM | Sure criticize a kid for making life decisions. (Score:5 Normal)
mbrummer
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Maybe he doesn't like football.  Maybe he doesn't want to spend the 60+ hours a week a Division 1 program requires.

Maybe he doesn't want to wreck his knees or be concussed multiple times.

It's not everyone's dream to play Divsion 1 football and the NFL.  Kudos for the kid who made a tough decision and who is talented enough to get a track schorship.

I hope random people criticizes your life decisions too

Best of luck to him.

I expect nothing and therefore never disappointed.

August 15th, 2012 at 9:16 PM | Or maybe..... (Score:-1 Flamebait)
August 15th, 2012 at 9:21 PM | Scout (Score:5 Normal)
MichFan1997
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lists a strength of his as nasty streak. Also, I'm betting you wouldn't be willing to test that theory to the kids face.

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August 16th, 2012 at 11:04 AM | Soft? (Score:1)
Mr. Yost
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You try throwing shot, hammer and discuss at the D1 level.

That craft and those guys are anything but soft, in fact, I'd like to see you say it in front of them.

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August 15th, 2012 at 9:59 PM | Opinions are like assholes, (Score:-1 Flamebait)
August 15th, 2012 at 11:59 PM | He's a 16/17-year-old kid, (Score:5 Normal)
turd ferguson
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He's a 16/17-year-old kid, and you're posting something for public consumption on the Internet suggesting that he's an idiot who's pissing his life away.  (On top of that, there's a damn good chance that you're wrong.)  How can you not find that wildly inappropriate and dickish?

My recent trips to this site have led me to believe that either I'm crazy or many/most of you are crazy.

August 16th, 2012 at 1:26 AM | Where did I even say anything (Score:1 Normal)
Wolverine Devotee
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Where did I even say anything about pissing his life away? I said he was pissing a football career away.

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August 16th, 2012 at 9:52 AM | Never let the facts get in (Score:2 Normal)
Red is Blue
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Never let the facts get in the way of a good Turd.  You likewise never said the kid was an idiot either, although Turd convienently added that for you as well.

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August 16th, 2012 at 10:50 AM | Okay, he didn't state that (Score:3 Normal)
turd ferguson
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Okay, he didn't state that explicitly, but what exactly should we infer from this? 

"But then again, he is going to state."

Also inferred: the suggestion that by pissing away his football career he's making a career mistake.  Would WD have come on here and said Norman is pissing away his track career if he signed up to play football instead of track?

All of this, by the way, is why I wrote "suggesting" instead of "saying."

August 16th, 2012 at 3:29 PM | Source on the assholes part? (Score:2)
brandanomano
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Source on the assholes part?

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August 16th, 2012 at 5:02 AM | A close friend of mine quit (Score:2 Insightful)
Mr Mxyzptlk
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A close friend of mine quit the football team after his freshman year in college.  We all asked him to reconsider and told him that he was making a mistake, throwing away a huge opportunity, etc....  None of that mattered to him.  He didn't like getting hit constantly.  I think my dissappointment came because I felt like he was blowing an opportunity I never had.

August 16th, 2012 at 7:26 AM | There are many of us that (Score:2)
Baldbill
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There are many of us that have watched football from the sidelines for years. I was never going to be good enough to have a shot at college football, part of me is happy for the kids that do, part of me is jealous. I hope he has a long and successful shot putting career.

 

 

Semper Fidelis

August 16th, 2012 at 5:04 AM | ugh....very sorry for the (Score:1)
Mr Mxyzptlk
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ugh....very sorry for the double

August 15th, 2012 at 9:15 PM |  I’m sure the kid is (Score:4 Normal)
Owl
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I’m sure the kid is crushed, what with not meeting your approval and all. 

August 15th, 2012 at 9:55 PM | I'm sure he indeed is. (Score:-1 Normal)
August 15th, 2012 at 9:43 PM | Pissing a way a football (Score:5 Normal)
Run 2 Daylight
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Pissing away a football career: What Tyrann Mathieu did. 

Going to college to throw shot put: What this kid is doing.

Go Blue!

August 15th, 2012 at 9:19 PM | who knows, he has enough (Score:3 Informative)
OverDey
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who knows, he has enough potential to be in discussion for us olympic team in 2016 if things go well. best shot competitors develop  with age. (like wine, speaking of which…)

August 15th, 2012 at 9:24 PM | Anybody (Score:3 Normal)
MichFan1997
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know what Olympic shot putters can throw in HS? There was an American medalist this year. I wonder what he threw in school. Kid is already at 61-2.25 (though they use a bigger shot in international competition i believe)

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August 15th, 2012 at 9:28 PM | For reference, Mike Martin, (Score:2)
WolvinLA2
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For reference, Mike Martin, Anthony Zettel and both Sarantoses threw farther in HS than Normal has. Norman still has his senior year, but it's not like he's breaking records just yet.

August 15th, 2012 at 9:34 PM | To be fair (Score:3 Normal)
MichFan1997
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about Mike Martin though, he was good at everything he did. He was also a 2x-champ wrestler and didn't begin competing until his junior year. I watched him nearly tech-fall a kid who had been wrestling for 12 years in the state semi-final at the Palace.

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August 15th, 2012 at 11:08 PM | did he roll with them earlier? (Score:1 Normal)
tricks574
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I thought dcc lineman generally wrestled in the room, even if they didn't compete.

Also, Coon would destroy Martin ;)

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August 16th, 2012 at 12:11 AM | Are you sure about both (Score:1)
Clarence Beeks
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Are you sure about both Sarantos brothers (of the two that went to Michigan, anyway)? I know Joey threw 63 something, but I'm not so sure about Paul being up that high.

August 15th, 2012 at 9:43 PM | he's competitive. think his (Score:2)
y2mh
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he's competitive. think his best is mid 60's, there was a new record set last year by a senior in the 70something as i remember. must like something as they gave him a scholarship.

August 15th, 2012 at 11:41 PM | Correct. Olympic shot is (Score:1)
Clarence Beeks
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Correct. Olympic shot is about 4 pounds heavier.

August 15th, 2012 at 9:50 PM | What are you basing this (Score:1)
Clarence Beeks
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What are you basing this Olympic potential on?

August 15th, 2012 at 11:37 PM | It's hard to tell who you're (Score:2)
WolvinLA2
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It's hard to tell who you're replying to, but if you're replying to me, I'm basing his Olympic potential on his college distances and the number of Americans who make the Olympic team in shot put.  There are NCAA champions who don't make the Olympic team, and I don't think Norman is anywhere near that level. 

He certainly deserves a college scholarship.  He was the top thrower in the state as a junior, and will probably be one of the better shot putters in the Big Ten as an upperclassman. 

But to put it into perspective - in 2012, Riley threw 61-2.5 to win state.  In 2011, a kid from Oregon threw 77-2.75, also as a high schooler.  Those are the types of kids who go to the Olympics. 

August 16th, 2012 at 12:03 AM | I agree with you (see a few (Score:1)
Clarence Beeks
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I agree with you (see a few of my other posts in this thread). I was responding to those who were speculating that he could be an Olympic caliber thrower (someone even said in 2016). I was directing my question to them. Sorry, this format sucks on the app and it gets to be near impossible to determine who is responding to who...

August 15th, 2012 at 9:59 PM | It could be he's thought (Score:3 Normal)
SysMark
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It could be he's thought about concussion risk and decided to pursue another sport he is equally good at, and may like more.

August 15th, 2012 at 10:40 PM | Perhaps playing college (Score:3 Normal)
Magnus
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Perhaps playing college football would be a creative way to piss away a track and field career.

YOU think football should be his top priority...which has nothing to do with HIM.

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August 15th, 2012 at 9:05 PM | Is it possible that he will (Score:1 Overrated)
unWavering
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Is it possible that he will play football anyway?  I'm not sure how 2 sport athletes work.  If he's using a scholarship for shotput, would he be able to play on their football team as a walk on?

August 15th, 2012 at 9:07 PM | No, scholarship has to count (Score:3 Normal)
WolvinLA2
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No, scholarship has to count for football if he always football.

August 15th, 2012 at 9:07 PM | well (Score:5 Normal)
MichFan1997
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I did some digging for you and got this from the original post:

If he ever decided to play football at MSU, he would not be allowed to walk-on and use the track scholarship. The scholarship would be shifted over to football, and count against MSU's 85 scholarship limit. 

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