How to Handle the Recruiting Mayhem
Dec 31, 2013; Memphis, TN, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Dan Mullen before the game against the Rice Owls at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Mississippi State Bulldogs beat Rice Owls 44 – 7. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports
It’s January, and you are completely focused on things other than college football, right?
I didn’t think so.
Most die hard college football fans turn their attention to football recruiting in the month of January. It’s been a little quieter this year because the NCAA instituted a dead period from December 16th until January 15th. Well guess what day it is? Yes, it is hump day, but I’m not talking about that silly camel. It’s January 15th, and the dead period ends after today. In all likelihood, college coaches are checking into hotels of the cities their top recruiting targets live so they can be there as soon as they possibly can. This time of the year can be a little crazy and silly, so here are some guidelines on how to handle it better.
Think Before You Tweet
There are going to be commitment and decommitments. It happens. When it does, try not to send a threat filled tirade tweet to the recruit that spurned Mississippi State. It’s going to be okay. Just tell yourself he wasn’t a good fit, going to be an academic problem, or that the coaching staff has their eyes on someone better. Notice I said tell YOURSELF that. Don’t tweet it at the recruit.
Avoid Freaking Out
Mississippi State fans were on suicide watch last year when they found out Chris Jones took a visit to Ole Miss after telling Brad Locke of the Daily Journal that he wasn’t. Twitter then just got silly. There were all kinds of pictures and stories about everything that went on that weekend. It got to the point that it was absurd. Will it happen again this year? Probably. Just be prepared.
Go Start a New Hobby
Seriously, it may be best to avoid this silliness altogether. I will be following along, only because I write for this site, and I want to keep you guys informed, sifting out what is fact and what is fiction. There are lots of things you can do to occupy yourself. Find something worth your time.
Have a Romantic Weekend or Two
No, I’m not joking. Most of the silliness occurs during the weekend so buy some roses, make a reservation, and get the heck out of dodge for a couple of days. Lots of official visits will take place on the weekend, so there will be rumors galore during that time. Be honest with yourself, you need to spend some more time with your wife or husband, so what better time? You’ll be better off in the long run.
Put on Your Thinking Cap
I don’t know how the recruiting scene is going to shake out, but we often take bad recruiting news personally. And it is one thing to hear bad news directly from the recruit itself, but to freak out over what you read on Twitter or a message board is a little silly. Filter recruiting news through your brain and not your heart. If it doesn’t make sense, it probably isn’t worth responding to.
Feel free to ignore my advice. But if you do, and you find yourself on the edge of a cliff looking for the next tweet from Jamoral Graham, don’t say I didn’t warn you.