I do think there is something to what we’ve–and it is all of us–have made football recruiting into. I can’t imagine having to kiss the a$$es of these snotty HS football players. I coach some high school kids now (in a sport other than football) and I am shocked at the entitlement that these kids–and their parents–have toward playing at the next level. Delusional does not describe it.

I casually follow recruiting and every year I pick out one or two kids and follow their careers. Almost all these kids that I have followed have essentially been highly hyped recruits at the time of their recruitment who never amounted to anything.

When I lived in Charleston in 2000, my local radio program was interrupted so that Summerville QB Bennett Swygert could make a verbal commitment before his senior year to USCe. He had some knee inuries, but I don’t think he played much.

A few years ago, I was living in the upstate of South Carolina when the second coming of Bo Jackson, Roscoe Crosby, committed to Clemson AND signed a contract to play with the KC Royals. Kid believed the hype and everything that people were telling him and essentially crapped away both opportunities. I am sure he is gainfully employed at a used car lot somewhere in Union, SC.

Last year, I read Steven Garcia’s recruiting blog on the Tampa Tribune’s website. Apparently, he was too busy reviewing his offers and forgot he had a football season to play. Robert Marve of Plant High outplayed him, broke some Tebowian records, and led his team to a state championship. Garcia may contribute at Soutn Carolina, but I am not holding my breath. He also believed that he was somebody he isn’t and has run into trouble there at USCe.

Speaking of Marve, he had no trouble falling into trouble at da U. He got caught up in the life at da U, thought he was indestructible and got in a terrible car wreck. I doubt he will make a contribution there.

And the jury is out on Chris Rainey out of Lakeland. Sure is great to be Chris Rainey.

I’d like to see college coaches restore some dignity to their profession and stop the insanity.

It’d have been better if the player wasn’t in on it, but I basically agree.

It was nothing more than a well executed prank.

Unfortunately, at least regarding last night, I attended Clemson.

We seem to have a bit of trouble with you guys, recently, and basically the entire SEC, excluding South Carolina, natch.

Ohiodawg, I guess that they did a poor job teaching us perception at UGA.

Having said that, I think Coop makes some good points (btw, what team do you root for? I thought it was ‘bama), particularly relative to the creepiness of the whole recruiting process that Swindle reguarly points out.

To quote Ronald Reagan, in response to a fellow Georgia boy…

“there you go again.”

We have strayed from the original point/counterpoint, which DC accurately addressed, among others, but…

I think it did have an influence on the kid’s actions, because he wanted to be recruited and have the limelight on him like the kids you read about on Rivals or Scout, the kids you see on Countdown To Signing Day on Fox Sports on Saturdays, the kids who get to play in the All-American games, etc.

He wanted the attention, or at least he wanted the local attention, and he patterned his “recruitment” after what he read about on the Internet, what he saw on TV, hence….

the locally televised press conference.

I am not saying that he was 100% influenced to create this scam by what he read, watched, etc, but no way in the world he would have gone to such extreme extents, how redundant was that?, to continue living this lie.

And, and this is where we obviously disagreed, I think the massive media coverage recruiting played into this delusional fantasy/mindset whatever you want to call it, with the end result being what we have on display, today.

But, no, I am not blaming his actions on the Internet or the media, or any outside cause, or they certainly do not bear the brunt of the blame.

But, I think this desire to be like the people he was reading about, and to be locally celebrated, and the latter CERTAINLY COULD HAVE OCCURRED W OR W/O THE INTERNET COVERAGE, had an effect on him.

But, no, I am not blaming it on the outside influence, I just think it is a hair more complex, and other factors were lighting gas on the fire that was/is his mental imbalance.

As for the young man in question, I have no interest in piling on. There are more important issues of the day, and he’s humiliated himself and others quite enough that nothing further is required.

Hunglikehussain @ 56 The car killed James Dean. – sure, driver error etc.,etc., but the steering column through the chest didn’t help matters much.

Your argument is that because of the unnaturalness of todays recruiting it caused….no…was responsible….no….influenced this kids actions. Therefore blame an outside influence. Correct?

My logical discourse is that the kid is in need of psychiatric help. His neurosis would have erupted regardless.

Basically, the recruiting frenzy didn’t push the kid to do something stupid. It simply allowed him to make an ass out of himself on a much larger stage.

Again, it did not CAUSE this kid to go crazy and lie, which is basically what Albom was hinting at.

However, if you don’t think the massive increase in attention recruiting has received in the last 10 years did not play a role in this kid’s scam…

I question if you actually attended the University of Georgia, or even a community college, for that matter.