Ah Jim, we’re heading into my favorite time of the hot and heavy recruiting season. Not who commits or not, but the excuses from some of our esteemed posters.
Half the kids we won’t sign were obviously bought off, by the unscrupulous, nefarious means of other teams. However when visiting other sites, when they lose a kid to us it’s apparent that all the slimy bag men and golden unending NIL money all reside in SC.
The other half we lose are solely because we weren’t really interested in them. Despite the fact that for years in many cases we’ve been calling or texting him three or four times a week. Also mailing him hundreds of pieces of printed literature, almost on a daily basis. Plus encouraging him to visit the campus as often as possible, even footing the total bill at least once. Often right up to his actual commitment announcement coaches are making last minute death house pleas to sway him. (Many times continuing past his commitment). But I guess we really didn’t want him.
And then there’s my all time favorite “I committed to “insert team” because it felt like family and the coaches all really care about me”. Just f’ing once I’d love to hear a kid say
“I committed because they left me stranded at the airport and I had to hitchhike to campus. Unfortunately none of the coaches were able to speak with me, and I slept on a couch in a dorm hallway. The leftover Big Macs they gave me were cold and the fries soggy. I loved the place”.