BC fans were often left out of recruiting news. Our players weren’t featured in Parade. You couldn’t call Tom Lemming’s hotline and hear about anyone going to BC. That all changed with the internet. Suddenly BC fans could follow the comings and goings of our recruits just like the big guys.
After a few seasons of hype (fed by Mike Farrell and former recruiting coordinator Al Golden) BC fans finally felt like they landed two can’t miss guys in Justin Hinds and Anthony Crosson. The two big New Jersey lineman were supposed to change BC football. Instantly dominate. Turn BC into an elite power. No one questioned if these guys were overrated. No one challenged Farrell’s bias or potential conflicts of interest. These guys were the foundation. Two to build around.
What happened? Nothing. The two can’t-miss kids barely hit the field. Injuries, attitudes, effort (or lack their of) all contributed to Hinds and Crosson’s disappointing careers.
BC wasn’t the first group of fans to face a blue chip letdown. This was just our highest profile bust(s) of the internet age.
I learned my lesson. I never pay for recruiting news and don’t count on anyone until they reach campus and actually hit the field. I don’t think much of Mike Farrell’s writing (but I am not alone there) or his rankings.
There are enough highs and lows involved with following BC, that you don’t need to waste your emotions on the comings and goings of high school kids. Recruiting is vital to a program's success. However, you should judge a class after their senior year of college, not their senior year of high school.
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4 comments:
I couldn't agree with you more although the other factor in my walking away from closely following recruiting was Willie Jones...the can't miss prospect who I believe at last report had busted his hip and quit football altogether. While injuries can't be helped...after the Willie Jones decisiong to attend FSU I just felt played by the recruiting "gurus" who had so clearly pumped up his interest in BC to help sell newspapers and subscriptions. So I decided like you to follow recruting with nothing more than a passing interest.
The whole business is all about the hype and so little is about the substance (would love to see analysis of their rankings 4 years later) that it amazes me that so many people can put so much stock in these rankings and write-ups.
The Jones saga really made me sick and made me really hate Farrell. I could have used Jones instead of Hinds and Crosson. I went with those two because they came to BC and despite the Jones nonsense the year before, I was sucked in by Hinds and Crosson too. The Jones things was so over the top given that he clearly wasn't coming to BC. I also think that Farrell (with or without permission) was acting as a recruiter for BC with his tactics. Very shady. But who is laughing now that the guy (Farrell) turned his BS into a full-time gig.
Man I will never forget the Jones saga. It was like One Life to Live on EA.
While injuries can't be helped...after the Willie Jones decisiong nike jersey to attend FSU I just felt played by the recruiting "gurus" who had so clearly pumped up his interest in BC to help sell newspapers and subscriptions. So 2012 nike style jerseys I decided like you to follow recruting with nothing more than a passing interest.
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