I was amazed today to hear about yesterday's football NLI day.. ESPN reported that dozens of players across the nation had verbally committed to a program only to sign at the very last minute with another program often without notifying the first school prior to the announcement..
I didn't do alot of research on the subject, I just checked out the BE site as I wanted to see where a local player went that was caught between two schools but I did see that UPitt lost four of the top 5 recruits to other schools yesterday, with four not notifying Pitt at all, they found out because the other schools announced them as NLI signed players. They were completely blindsided. At WVU, they got a player that verballed to LSU weeks ago, his story was that his family wanted him at LSU so they could see the games so he agreed and verballed but after talking to others (his HS Coach, pastor and such) he followed his heart and signed with WVU..
Hey I am glad to see that WVU got the player they really wanted but overall this type of disrespect really bothers me. What is up with these players and their families for not honoring their word. Does it not make the whole NLI program as a whole look bad. How about how this affects others who weren't offered a NLI because they had their recruits lined up. This is such a rare thing with NLI and baseball, that I couldn't believe what I was reading.
Thoughts??
_______________ "Baseball, it is said, is only a game. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole."
"JustMom"
Posts: 1631 | Location: Virginia | Registered: December 26, 2002
I think it happens more than you think in Baseball. I know of 2 seperate instances where it happened. In our society in general a persons word does not mean what it once did.
Posts: 345 | Location: Virginia | Registered: January 05, 2003
I also think as the popularity of college baseball grows (and I think its growing very fast right now), that the recruiting will become more and more like basketball and football and you'll see more of this.
I think this is the kind of thing that happens when the pressure to win and make money for the school is high. Baseball isn't there yet, but it will be much more pressure-packed within 10 years.
Posts: 3640 | Location: California | Registered: June 22, 2003
just for a point of comparison, today's Los Angeles Times devoted about 3 full pages to college football signing news, including two major articles on the local teams (USC and UCLA). I have yet to see them print anything but the most minimal little blurbs of random baseball signings and not one "story".
While basketball doesn't get quite the coverage, it's closer to football than baseball.
Even in Baseball America, their recent "college issue" did have many pages on D-1 and then about 1/2 a column for d-2, d-3 and NAIA.
High School and college baseball just do not get their due "coveragewise" since football and basketball are the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ sports.
But, I think we all know this goes with the territory and what the heck
As far as the NLI aspect I don't think the students or the coaches take "verbals" as seriously (or seriously at all) in football as they do in baseball. Can't explain the difference, but typically, when a young man gives his "verbal" in baseball it is adhered to and respected by other coaches. In football a "verbal" seems to mean nothing but an indication and everything is fair game until that NLI gets signed. Football coaches routinely continue to after kids even after a "verbal" has been given elsewhere. Baseball coaches don't seem to ever do that.
For sooooooooooo many reasons, football just ain't baseball. Guess that's a reason we are all here and not the High school Football web page.
Posts: 1349 | Location: Los Angeles, Ca, USA | Registered: May 29, 2003
Up until yesterday, it was a "verbal" commitment. Why do you think they have a NLI "signing" date? If it ain't on the dotted line, it is just a rumor!!
Posts: 839 | Location: TeXas | Registered: December 26, 2002
My son pointed out to me this evening that on the cover of the sports section in the newspaper today,there were two top football recruits from our county who had both been kicked out of his middle school. It is pretty hard for someone who has so much passion for the game of bb to understand why the football recruits get so much attention.
Posts: 10723 | Location: South Florida | Registered: July 28, 2003
I was lightly recruited to some smaller S***** schools and I felt the pressure. Heck, I felt it between family members who wanted different things, so I can only imagine what these guys are going through.
If my son is ever in that position, I hope we can manage that situation so that his word is solid. However, I do understand these kids are under a lot of pressure to make a decision. Coaches, parents, friends, relatives, and anyone they know on the street are in many cases trying to influence his/her decision. Not to mention all the misinformation they encounter. Also, many times the kids haved grown up in less than ideal situations and may not have been taught or understand the proper values that help them manage things appropriately.
The Atlanta Constitution had a picture of a football player who made his final decision DURING the signing event with his coach and family still trying to convince him to go with one college over another college. The kid finally signed the NLI with Troy State rather than Mississippi State with the camera's rolling. When you have numerous options, as most good football players do, the decision can be tough.
Posts: 1180 | Location: Georgia | Registered: January 06, 2003
