even mean?
Pardon me.
I am not used to the forum tools here yet, and I was in a hurry the other day.
My post was an introduction (Para 1).
A general comment on the overall sleeziness of college recruiting today from the perspective of a ND fan who bumps into recruiting competition with the SEC all the time, (Para 2), and my own opinion on seventeen year olds being ask to make adult decisions (Para 3).
In fact, with most of us the biggest decision we will ever make is the car we purchase or the house we buy. These kids (and I have particularly left the "value of a college education" off the list) are looking at the next four years making the difference between playing in the NFL or not. Read this as millions of dollars. Even more specifically the difference between a kid that develops into a first round choice, and one who makes the third or fourth round is millions of dollars!
So I just took a few seconds to reply to those sentiments. I left the anti-catholic, butt hurt over a seventeen year old's decision, and how inferior every other program is until later. (Yes, from an ND fan's perspective every team has fans that are so stubbornly chauvinistic that they say silly and stupid things about opponents, I think it probably has a psychological basis in any case, namely penis envy.
Notre Dame fans look like inbred WV country bumpkins. Typically they are the flabby kid with Red hair and freckles who's athletic experience was playing on the intra mural team in HS. You see these types all the time... flabby torso under ND tshirt.... short red military style cut under ND hat. You never see these types without the gear on.
total losers btw
I immediately sat down to place Spork's comment on a scale that holds meaning. I need help, all I see in my mind's eye is Roy Roundtree and I seem to hear a mournful announcer saying something like "wait". I'm sure at some level I need to be pissed off, but I suspect it will be some time.
As far as Shaun Crawford and his family, I believe they are all outstanding people. Simply, at Notre Dame there was a significant change on the staff and in recruiting. The old recruiting coordinator, and defensive coordinator, Bob Diaco, left SB for UConn. With that Brian VanGorder stepped in. There have been major changes since Brian was hired, including the speed that offers get extended, and the measurables of each position. Also, some bad news for opponents is the bend but don't break, or as we affectionately call it, defensive assistance for average offenses, is gone. With the new look, comes a new player type, and personality.
It would be different if Shaun were never interested in ND. But he said from early on he loved the Irish. He was also convinced after a meeting in February that he would never be offered. And then the staff, and philosophy changed.
I think it opened his eyes; whether he comitts to ND or takes the time to look at other schools, I believe his eyes are opened, and he is trying to do the best job he can.
That's my best guess.
I don't see how communicating with Hoke indicates something bad. He's already considered "no longer committed" so I assume he's either letting them know he's taking more visits or that he still favors Michigan or something like that. I'd rather have him on the phone with Hoke than not. If he's waivering, I trust that Hoke can push his interests towards Michigan if anything.
"UM Decommits" will probably place in the top-10 for Rivals Class Rankings
Unfortunately at this point it's looking like Team Decommitment would be ranking better than Team Committed. Still a long ways to go though to turn it around, and there's still a shot we get some of those decommitments to re-consider by signing day.
Maybe someone should remind him of what U of M typically does to ND. We have our game changing Defensive back.
I don't know why I think I have any business giving anybody advice, but to me it seems like it might be good if in general we (the board, I mean, not the program) were less excited about/certain of early commits when they commit and less ready to slam the door in their faces if they later decide to look around.
Kate should dance backwards for a decommit. Upside down would work too. That way we get her coming and going.
Shaun Crawford told @JoshHelmholdt he remains a Michigan commitment: http://t.co/GYwM8uxxVo
— Michael Spath (@Spath_Wolverine) May 22, 2014
See? You all got excited over nothing. Put your wangs back in your pants and proceed about your evening.
Well premature for that too. Officially decommitted.
“@TomVH: ESPN 300 DB Shaun Crawford did say last night he is no longer a Michigan commit. Still considering Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Miami”
Suckola. Recruiting is such a painful process and an inexact science to boot. The trend of kids decommitting though is a bad one and we've missed out on some locks(Hand, McDowell) in the lasdt cycle that were even more painful than these decommitts(Harris, Campbell, Crawford).
All 5 of these guys were supposed to be wearing Maize and Blue. McDowell was a lock for over a year, Hand favored us until the last few days before his decision, Campbell no longer seems like a remote possibility, and Crawford and Harris are now long shots probably. What gives? We'll always get our share of talent, but these near misses are killing me.