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IllustrateD volume 24, issue 4
f
coaches understand that.
Maybe not so much for fans, those often stricken
with selective outrage. Sports make people crazy; re-
cruiting makes them not see straight.
Recruiting is a very silly, juvenile, petty and dys-
functional business, where everything matters, even
the stupid stuff. Wait, no, especially the stupid stuff.
It is what it is and for your sanity's sake you should
want to know how college football is made the way you
should want to know how sausage is made.
Don't ask; just enjoy.
It's a lawless, chaotic business, the commitment/
decommitment game, one that can't be done away
with and a lot of people wouldn't want done away with
anyway.
There will never be an early signing period, if you
ask me.
Why? Because who'd benefit? More specifi-
cally, who wouldn't it benefit?
It wouldn't benefit the money-makers, the
powerhouse programs who loom over everyone
else's commitments like the Death Star. You
think Texas wants to lose the luxury to raid
TCU's commitments whenever it wants?
There are practical considerations, though.
The time and money spent by schools baby-sit-
ting their commitments is an utter waste, but a
necessary evil.
Here's my modest proposal: Do away with
signing periods and allow prospects at any
time during their senior year to apply for a let-
ter-of-intent once they've taken their official
visit to the school they want to sign with.
The application process serves solely as busywork,
like children coloring at summer camp, for the pur-
pose of a cooling-off period.
Running out of space here, so I can't elaborate on
the nuance of a system that would allow kids to end
the process if they want and would give coaches a fool-
proof way of knowing exactly where they stand with
the players who say they're coming, but haven't yet
been in position to put their ink where their mouth is.
Recruiting is crazy.
But it truly is what it is and must simply be accepted
for the debacle that it is.
j
Neubert can be contacted
at BNeubert@GoldandBlack.com
1241 Cumberland Ave, Suite B
West Lafayette, IN 47906
Phone: 765-497-0197
www.bankerinvestmentgroup.com
Bill Banker, President
Purdue University Alumni 85'
Purdue Baseball Alumni 81'-85'
A Fee-Based Investment Advisor
located in the Purdue Research Park
25+ Years of Investment Management Experience
