with the whiffs on Butch Lewis & McCoy, it looks like Jason Kates is next on our list to stop the bleeding at DT. Opinions on this kid?
Tony Spilotro | Email | Homepage | 01.11.06 - 11:30 am | #

He seems to have good size, but he's not on the level of Lewis or McCoy in technique or speed off the line. It will be interesting to see how much improvement the coaching staff can get out of him during fall camp (if he signs).
JohnWA | Email | Homepage | 01.11.06 - 12:21 pm | #

I loved when the 2 kids said they were going to the "University of Penn State." Between receiving undeserved "Coach of the Year" awards, JoePa must be so proud.
Gipper | Email | Homepage | 01.11.06 - 12:49 pm | #

When Butch Lewis picked the SC hat, he did it with another kid, and the announcer said something to the effect of "You guys will be spending your college careers together. Where will it be?"

I don't know if anyone else noticed this, but SC was the only school with two hats on that table, and I don't think there even was an ND hat.

Talk about removing the suspense.
Dante | Email | Homepage | 01.11.06 - 12:58 pm | #

Great piece, Pat! I'm going to apply the hat trick with my girlfriend later this year. On a table I'll have one hat with, "Engaged" and a ring taped to the top and another with, "Hit the Road" and her house key on it.

Should make for an interesting conversation!
Irish Rat | Email | Homepage | 01.11.06 - 1:17 pm | #

Dante - You sure about SC having the only school with two hats? I thought there were two UCLA hats on there as well.
JohnWA | Email | Homepage | 01.11.06 - 5:09 pm | #

JohnWA, I think you're right about both recruits having a UCLA hat. But Dante is correct in stating that the announcers referred to the two recruits as a package deal and Lewis was the only one with an ND hat. So as an ND fan it completely ruined the moment. Though having an extra ND hat on the table only to see both pick USC would hardly have made me feel better.
Gizmo | Email | Homepage | 01.11.06 - 6:16 pm | #

Wake me when these 17 year-olds have decided. This recruiting stuff has gotten almost prurient. I mean, I love the Irish, and those guys who end up on the team I want to know something about. But this feels like tracking who these kids are going to take to the prom.

Out of hand. I might go so far as to say those who are following it closely are contributing to the ills afflicting college ball.
hal | Email | Homepage | 01.11.06 - 6:55 pm | #

Prurient. Good word.

I also like the fact that MAtt put his hat on and frankly stated his choice to the camera. None of the silly, this hat, that hat crap. And no flashing signs back home and mugging for the camera like a "Girls Gone Wild" video. Not that I've seen any of those.

Of course a guy from Minneapolis is going to flash what to whom?
Yago | Email | Homepage | 01.11.06 - 7:01 pm | #

Maybe a 1 0 0 0 sign for all his boys up in the Lakes region.
hal | Email | Homepage | 01.11.06 - 10:59 pm | #

JohnWA,

I'm sure that I missed the 2 UCLA hats (and possibly the ND hat). I got confused when the announcer started talking this package deal stuff as I was pretty sure we weren't in the running for the other kid.
Dante | Email | Homepage | 01.12.06 - 8:33 am | #

"It's also one of the reasons I didn't mind East Coach Ted Ginn, Sr. playing favorites and putting Chris Wells in for repeated carries at the expense of James Aldridge and the other running backs during the game."

First, Wells is by far the best back in the country, so of course he's going to be used a lot, but in comparison to other years, he was used less than Adrian Peterson and Jonathon Stewart.

Second, Aldridge asked to have his carries limited because he wasn't at 100%.

Finally, after last years loss and the 2+ touchdown predictions of a West win, Ginn Sr wanted to win the game and Chris Wells gave him the best chances of that.
Mike | Email | Homepage | 01.12.06 - 9:32 am | #

Mike, your comment about Aldridge not being 100% is false.
Jay | Email | Homepage | 01.12.06 - 10:59 am | #

hey Gipper

I almost think there's now an inside joke circulating at "The University of Penn State" within football and/or recruiting circles. Last year when highly-regarded local prospect Derrick Williams announced his intentions, he also made the inadvertent (?) juxtaposition (twice):

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp...- 2004Dec22.html
c-stone | Email | Homepage | 01.16.06 - 11:27 am | #

is chris wells going to the university of ohio state?
Anonymous | Email | Homepage | 01.24.06 - 2:41 pm | #

i heard from brent musberger that the university of ohio state was a wonderful academic institution just like notre dame. he obviously can't read or interpret reports like graduation rates, quality of students, etc.
Anonymous | Email | Homepage | 01.24.06 - 2:45 pm | #