[NU Sports] signing day

[Eric West]

Dennis W. Brandt wrote:
> [Jeff Beamsley wrote]
> <Losers are those kids who squander their education in hopes of an NFL 
> career.
> < Losers are the coaches who sacrifice kids futures in the vain 
> pursuit of football glory.
> < Losers are the administrations and fans who support and encourage 
> this attitude.
> <Don't know if you saw fitz's goals for the team this year. They 
> showed the list during the alamo bowl.
> < In addition to winning the BT and a bowl game, it said that every 
> player earn their degree.
> <That's the sort of winner I want representing our school.
>
>
> The two are NOT mutually exclusive.  You missed the part where I said, 
> "There are very
> good students who happen to be also very good football players."  Penn 
> State just signed
> a great player who has a 4.0 average.

Recruiting players who aren't so-called "five stars" and having a 
successful football program aren't mutually exclusive either. I don't 
see the point in implying that our football players are losers just 
because a severely (and inherently) flawed teenager-evaluation system 
didn't give them enough stars. (And yes, that's exactly what bringing 
the word "loser" into this discussion did.)

If our recruits don't perform on the field, criticize away. I'll never 
see the value in premature doom-and-gloom, though, especially based on 
something as silly as recruiting rankings. Is all that pessimism just a 
race to be the first who might be able to say "I told you so" later?

P.S. It's beside the point, but with inflated HS grades 4.0 averages are 
practically a dime a dozen. NU shouldn't be expected to get them all, 
even if one sets aside the issues of football style and/or program fit. 
Good for Penn State, I guess, but in general vague anecdotes don't prove 
a lot.


Eric West
e-west at northwestern.edu