Going to open myself up to a lot of ridicule here, as I show my age with this post. Right off the bat my memory has failed me when did the recruiting game take on a life of its own? I want to think it had something to do with ESPN, who found a way to take a kids Little League Program and exploit it for money which is in complete contrast to what it was founded for. Then you take the recruiting announcements by the kids,on national TV as they stand behind a few hats and announce "I'm taking my talent(s)too". Now if that's not enough, today they have an announcement via social media or whatever source to announce when they are going to announce. Come on where does it end ? It's become a spectacle on to itself, then if that's not enough you have grown men following these kids via Twitter and Instagram they post their sights they come on to various message boards and bash kids that don't choose their school. They bitch and moan about stars, well let me tell you about stars I have seen four stars that were a bust and zero stars become stars. This recruiting has taken on a life of its own and I'm not sure if its to anyone's good. Sure liked the days when I walked in to each opening game looked at the roster and found a whole new group of kids to root for.
Recruiting a spectacle on to its own
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It's gotten lot more nationwide media attention, but this is hardly new. Go back and read about the recruiting of Tommy Nobis in the 60's. Watch the "30 for 30" episode "The Best That Never Was" about Marcus Dupree. Recruiting has been a spectacle for a long time, just not in the national media.
It's pretty much followed the trajectory of the NFL draft. Mel Kiper was the only one following the draft back in the 80s and it has turned into a 3 day spectacular extravaganza now. Obviously the NFL draft was always what built teams into championship caliber teams, its just that no one paid attention to it.
I'm with the OP 100%. I'll take a look at the signees on letter day, but that's it. And I'm not an old man. I just find the whole recruiting game a waste of time with all of the flip/flops, decommits, and 4-star busts.
I'm gonna be sick.....The Harbaughs are here and Michigan football recruiting officially enters it's "suck" era.
Jay Harbaugh note to the girlfriend of four-star
Jay Harbaugh note to the girlfriend of four-star
I was lucky enough to be invited to the superbowl in 2007 which the colts won. Not only was I able to go to the game, I was invited to attend the NFL alumni events which included golf, skeet shooting, a Dinner and a concert with Kid Rock and Hank Williams Jr. which was fantastic.
When they put together the skeet shooting teams, It was two non-nfl shooters with 2 NFL players. THe first was Adam Bergen, who went to Lehigh, and was playing for the Arizona Cardinals at the time.
THe second gentleman, was a quiet man in his mid to late sixties and stood about 5'11 and maybe 180 pounds. I did not recognize him. I put my hand out to shake his, introduced myself, and he told me he name was Tommy Nobis. Wow. It was just crazy how many hall of famers I met that weekend.
He was a very nice man, although like I said, very quiet. We forget these guys don't maintain their playing weight after retiring, so I am not sure why I was shocked that he wasn't as big as you would think, but he played at 6'2" and 240 lbs.
Just one of the nicest guys I ever met, and we all enjoyed the day. We actually came in 2nd to the team led by Russ Grimm, a member of the "hogs," who shoots skeet all the time and actually brought his own guns. Our biggest achievement that day was making sure Adam didn't shoot himself since this was the first time he had ever shot a gun.
THank you for mentioning Tommy Nobis MDK, it brought back memories of a great day.
Back in the day, middle last century the super star did get attention most BB not so much Football. Except for the coaching staff. Stars were not handed out coaches had to do the ranking themselves. But BB knew one GREAT player can change a team. so yes Pistol Pete, Magic, and Wilt made national news.
But ESPN had a whole lot to do with the new frenzy The star and number system and the regional ranking, it is all done to generate excitement and "my dad is bigger then your dad" philosophy. And it does for neophytes who are sheep following sport casters like they are smart or something. I will use the quarterback Jeff Driskel a 5 star QB and for his entire time at Florida sport caster kept saying after his freshman season of 16 of 34 passes for 148 yards with two ints. he is going to get better. His sophomore year he got stoned by Louisville in the bolw game and looked crapy. Ended up transferring out to Louisiana Tech. Stars and number ranking is a joke because about 50% of the time it right. Anyone can do that it is just a ESPN ploy to get you to watch and root for your team. Now with social media the world is changing even more
But ESPN had a whole lot to do with the new frenzy The star and number system and the regional ranking, it is all done to generate excitement and "my dad is bigger then your dad" philosophy. And it does for neophytes who are sheep following sport casters like they are smart or something. I will use the quarterback Jeff Driskel a 5 star QB and for his entire time at Florida sport caster kept saying after his freshman season of 16 of 34 passes for 148 yards with two ints. he is going to get better. His sophomore year he got stoned by Louisville in the bolw game and looked crapy. Ended up transferring out to Louisiana Tech. Stars and number ranking is a joke because about 50% of the time it right. Anyone can do that it is just a ESPN ploy to get you to watch and root for your team. Now with social media the world is changing even more
It's increasingly become big business over the last 25 years or so. With the rise of tv coverage and now especially with the internet. For me ...the whole coverage / obsession with HS recruiting is borderline insane. We're talking about 16 and 17 year olds who are learning how to play a sport at a fairly high level for the first time..yet it's treated as if we're talking about NFL All Pro players verballing committing to a college...nuts.
Around 1988 SI started devoting a page or 2 on NSD for that feb magazine than Superprep USA Today and Sporting news would have recruiting info but it really blew up in the 2003 time frame with the internet services growing.
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