SEVEN! THAT’S SEVEN POACHED VERBALS…AH AH AH
Florida continues to pour schadenfreude fuel on Notre Dame this morning by poaching New Jersey zillion star recruit Justin Trattou from Weis’ back pocket–a guy that Weis should have had dead to rights, what with Charlie always flaunting his Jersey credentials by driving around the Camaro, eating the canoli, and making the cameo appearances in Kevin Smith movies. (In reality, Charlie only likely does one of these. However, we guess he does it very, very well.)
Trattou had surprisingly lucid reasons for the switch:
“In a 3-4, they’d want me to play rush end or outside linebacker, and while that’s tempting, that’s not really where I see myself,” Trattou said. “I’ve always been a down lineman and that’s what I prefer. At the end of the day, that makes a big difference.”
A 4-3 defense–now that’s something you won’t see in South Bend.
The Trattou-theft brings Don Meyer’s tally of poached verbals to what we believe is a total of seven thus far. If recruits were flowers–and in some grand metaphorical sense, aren’t they, brothers and sisters?–we’d celebrate like this.
SEVEN!!! SEVEN POACHED VERBALS AH AH AH AH!!!!
Filed under: Coaches, the BCS, scandals, arrests, and other eccentri, College football, People we love, Recruiting, Southeastern Conference, Urb, bamf! by Orson Swindle
138 Replies »
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138
Ltrain, You’re Right!
But see the anarchy Meyer has caused?
http://houserockbuilt.blogspot.com/2007/01/round-and-round-goes-wheel-of-pain.html
Stop the pain! Think of the Children!
Comment by Dr KennethNoisewater — January 31, 2007 @ 5:10 am
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Dear Joe,
As a professor at UF, I have to take issue with your comment about “class” and Coach Meyer, and Coach Weiss.
Class isn’t about your language. It’s about your character. And about your actions. Charlie’s langauge is crass. But it is him. His actions- Standing with the midshipmen follwing the ND-Navy game last year. Congratulating the troys last year in their locker room- these are class acts- and speak well for Our Lady.
Coach Meyer’s recruitment of players who have committed elsewhere is only tip of the ice berg. Playing players who are critical despite positive drug tests (oh, yeah- that’s acutally a crime, right?). Rashon Powers-Neal comes to mind?
Keeping starters who have automatice weapons in their appartment that get fired? Players who have 2 separate women deliver babies AT THE SAME TIME.
Yeah, Urban has more class in his little pinky—
You should really look at the actions, and the records. The character and not the language defines class.
I teach at UF. But I am not proud that the new president chose to fire the coach who recruited 22 of the 24 NC starters in order to bring in Urban with him from Utah. Who has sent out emails claiming that we need to push “The Gator Nation” because football should be the financial engine (a little jealousy?).
I suffer when ND is mediocre. But I am not ashamed to say that I would rather ND never win again and have a degree from du lac than have a degree from UF with all her NC’s.
Comment by D'Omer 79 — January 30, 2007 @ 7:35 pm
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Joe,
I can understand that it goes on, and i’m not calling for Meyer’s head. I just don’t think it’s a good idea (see comments above). And while it was because ND got poached i took notice, its not where i really take issue. I would say the amount florida has done it this year (seven times) and the extreme lateness (and unnecessarines) for trattou’s nab were what’s going to get meyer in trouble (not with any authorities, mind you. Just with the coaches and their own brand of backyard vigilante justice). And that if everybody did what Meyer’s doing the recruiting process would be even more time-consuming/money-draining/drama-filled than any University, coach or fan would like.
I’m also not saying Charlie is classy. Who from New Jersey have you ever met is classy? I just meant he seems to not be doing the same thing as Meyer.
And Ltrain,
Where did you hear that? I’ll be sad that i’m wrong but way more happy that we picked up a LB….we need LBs, especially since you guys just snatched up Major Wright
Comment by Dr KennethNoisewater — January 30, 2007 @ 5:13 pm
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DrKen:
Students commit to colleges all the time, and sneaky universities (including Notre Dame) continue to send them recruiting materials up until enrollment ends for the upcoming fall semester. Some of this recruiting involves phone calls, especially if the student has very high credentials. The difference between this and what Urban is doing is?
I suppose I understand frustration, sure, but I just take issue when people act as though Urban Meyer was the first coach to lobby to get his team a favorable poll spot, the first coach to sign someone else’s verbal, etc. I don’t see why UF shouldn’t continue to sell themselves just because a recruit happened to have ND’s official visit before Florida’s, and I wouldn’t mind if ND did the same to us. It’s fair, until that player makes a binding commitment.
Also, I bristle when ND fans try and play a class card with Weis. Did you see the 60 Minutes piece? Urban has more class in his pinky than Chuck does in his whole body, and that Patriots Super Bowl bling he admits he flashes in recruits faces constantly.
PS: I’m not saying Chuck can’t do it, or that he even shouldn’t, just that it’s not a _classy_ thing to do.
Comment by Joe — January 30, 2007 @ 12:39 am
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FU Two Times!
Comment by adam — January 29, 2007 @ 5:51 pm
133
Thanks for showing up, Domers.
“St. Thomas Aquinas four-star linebacker Brian Smith already had the next 12 months of his life mapped out. He was ready to graduate, head to Iowa City and join his future teammates as a Hawkeye. But those plans hit a bump in the road last week. That’s when Notre Dame recruiting coordinator Rob Ianello called Smith and offered him a scholarship.”
Adam: FU One Time!
Comment by Ltrain — January 29, 2007 @ 5:44 pm
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doesn’t it seem silly, though, all the whining going on? two UF commits changed their minds during the last week last year. one went to Arkansas, the other USCw. you didn’t hear UF people calling for nutt’s or carroll’s heads. it was just part of the game. until they sign the LOI, they are fair game. it’ll happen to florida again, and i’m sure we’ll snag more recruits that way too. if weis has half a brain, he’ll do the same, especially considering the state of his defense. one my friends used to be the leprechaun at ND, and while he wasn’t happy that trattou switched, you didn’t hear him calling meyer an unscrupulous pirate of recruiting. he is just playing the game effectively.
Comment by adam — January 29, 2007 @ 5:06 pm
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Adam,
You are right in a sense with Gary Gray being once a gamecock commit. I guess the big differences i would point out is that Gray didn’t switch commits, he decommitted to the other USC and after two or three months committed to Notre Dame (after the Michigan game in fact, how does that happen?). I don’t know what happened in the his house, but he didn’t make any official visits to and didn’t recieve any official visits from notre dame while he was still committed to spurrier. Once he was up for grabs we pounced again.
Another big difference is that all this was done in aug/sept and gave spurrier about 6 months to find a new DB. Meyer is giving us about 15 days.
Im not saying kids can’t change their minds, i’m just saying they shouldn’t be poached. From what i see (through biased eyes of course) is that Charlie wasn’t trying to steal Gray from the Gamecocks
Comment by Dr KennethNoisewater — January 29, 2007 @ 12:39 pm
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just as long as you stay away from the Furman University Purple Paladins. we’ll go crusades on your ass, with all of the righteous indignation of the southern baptist council.
Comment by adam — January 29, 2007 @ 11:24 am
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Adam - who do you think owns Mr. Beam and Mr. Daniels? That’s right, we do. The “golden endowment” doesn’t get as large as it is without having controlling interests in just about every American business and several foreign governments. The “N” in Nikkei stands for Notre Dame. Go ahead, Google it, you won’t find that info anywhere - that kind of secrecy only comes with absolute power.
There’s a reason ND has it’s own power generation plant, nuclear research facility, and houses ROTC for every branch of service. It’s because we are our own nation-state. We are ND.
Comment by Atlantadomer — January 29, 2007 @ 11:08 am
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well, gary gray committed to south carolina before he switched to notre dame, right?
Comment by adam — January 29, 2007 @ 8:35 am
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I don’t know what goes on behind closed recruiting doors for certain, but evidence i’ve seen bears contrary that Fatty McWeispant’s recruits verbals. Like i said, he revoked the offer to Mustain and pretty much pitched a fit about Cumbie, where he said that he wasn’t interested in the kid anymore because he didn’t want anybody who didnt want to be irish. Maybe he’s lieing, maybe not.
One good thing about us pretensious domers, we figure if a kid doesn’t want to come here he doesn’t “get it” and we don’t want him here. So i doubt we’ll be snatchin any commits anytime soon.
My question is: Was there evidence of Meyer doin this his first year as coach of Florida? Did he poach when he was with the Utes? Maybe he’s just used to being in the mid-major conferences where ya gotta do anything to get a player. And what’s with all the DEs? He’s got like 5 now?
P.S. James Westfall AND the Octogon are very displeased.
Comment by Dr KennethNoisewater — January 29, 2007 @ 3:30 am
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Urban Meyer didn’t open this can of worms, and he’s not the only coach to get players who have decommitted from another school. Most coaches continue recruiting up until signing day, and guys switch their commitments routinely. I like how the Domers think this is something new. Guess what, Fatty McWeispants would do the same, and probably already has.
Comment by Joe — January 29, 2007 @ 12:06 am