National Signing Day: College Football at It's Worst

In today's society, growing up has to occur at an earlier age. I'm sure many of you adults reading this would agree. In the world of sports, the same is also true. How else to explain all of these college scouts coming to high schools, over-reactive parents at Little League games, and kids in the 5th grade bigger than I am? (Granted, 155 pounds isn't much to top).

A recent event happened to amplify this sentiment: National Signing Day. A day of high school seniors choosing their college career paths. Of ESPN beginning at 12 PM with a show that attempts to market kids younger than me and maybe gain a few enough exposure so in a few years, they can feature them on College GameDay and give another storyline to talk about. It's a time of high-pressure for recruits, coaches, moronic fans, and news analysts to sweat through the 3 layers of deodorant, cologne, shirt and jacket/tie while waiting for the latest news/the chance to view the latest signed paper.

Besides the ridiculous overhype, I don't necessarily have a problem with all the hoopla. It IS a big deal, after all. But it's not life or death.

And certainly not a time when juniors should be committing to college.

Two years ago, my beloved Tennessee Volunteers were looking at a huge advantage in their conference for the 2008 recruiting class: They already had 3 verbals, compared to 1 each for three other schools in the SEC. Now, putting their 2008 results aside (consensus top-50...woohoo!), there's a more relevant issue at hand. Allow me to yap on another minute, though:

I remember my junior year. It sucked. 4 AP classes, and 2 joint enrollment courses were setting me up for success in the application process. But I hadn't even thought about college- I was too busy having fun, swimming through the homework, and acting the fool to care. I was beginning to play USTA tennis tournaments, and enjoying the intense competition (even if I was getting my butt handed to me).

But you're telling me, if I was an all-state football player, that I would've had to be choosing where I wanted to play in 2 years? Or at least considering? Something ain't right. Look, given the instability of coaching tenures save Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden, nothing can be taken for granted. Aside from the changing nature of each football program, especially in multiple years, you never know whether you might change a decision. After all, that's the fun part of verbal commitments, right? Just ask Eric Gordon of Indiana's basketball team.

The fact is, all of those prospective players have too much else to be thinking about. What about their first (for some) prom? Their studies? That 2.3 won't fly at some colleges. That lingering twinge in the knee? Everything feels better with the media in your face. And that's the problem. Too many compulsive decisions are made by juniors facing the mounting pressure of the recruiting process. It's a sick game that is forcing these high school teenagers to grow up and be mature about their future too early.

All for the name of a game.

Oh, and that Tennessee class? Not so hot now. But given their top-5 status and outlook for 2007, I bet they looked hot back then. With 4 assistant coaches and their NFL-caliber quarterback leaving, the landscape isn't so pretty anymore.

Let that be a lesson.