'13 TX RB Jamel James (Texas State Verbal)

[Old Man Mike]

All this sounds natural to me. Coaching staffs are trying to maximize their control over an inherently uncontrollable situation; athletes are trying to get a handle on their future and have a little fun while doing so; and outsider fans are listening to fragments of reality and innuendo and manifesting their own desires.

I'll bet that the dramatic dance between coaching staff and potential recruits is subtler than what we think we know, at least when you have a chess master like Kelly at the helm. This particular one sounds like "disappointments"are being stated to the recruit rather than forbiddance. The game is to elicit the greater commitment while not turning the young testosterone exploding superman off. The game goes harder or subtler depending upon how much you need the guy [Anzalone] and what your fallback strategies are [Folston].

Meanwhile, IE readers synthesize their fragments of knowledge and un-knowledge into concrete soap operas. Even if both the real [Kelly/James] plot and the IE fiction plot [He's wrong/ the other guy's wrong] seem to come to the same end, we'll hardly ever learn the real subtleties which actually prevailed.

Solution?: dump the extremist commentary; admit that people are usually not either complete fools nor horrible members of the human citizenry; and let Coach try his best to put the best class together that he can, even when, unlike in football games, he can't control the outcomes nearly as well.

 

[Rocky2820]

Has Jamel visited South Bend since committing?

 

[Luckylucci]

Yes

 

[NYMIKE6]

While i understand why he might want to take free trips. There shouldn't be any harsh feelings.

#1 team > #15 Rb

I think we have all the leverage.

 

[jmurphy75]

I'm all for these kids taking their visits, but there is a time and a place. This late in the season after knowing that you've taken a spot others would love to have seems a bit selfish. I understand it's a big decision for him and I'd rather he be sure about where he wants to go but if he expects ND to understand his view then he needs to understand ND's view.

 

[Irish To The Core]

I'm all for these kids taking their visits, but there is a time and a place. This late in the season after knowing that you've taken a spot others would love to have seems a bit selfish. I understand it's a big decision for him and I'd rather he be sure about where he wants to go but if he expects ND to understand his view then he needs to understand ND's view.

That is right. Taking visits = not 100% committed. Not 100% committed = we will drop you if someone as good or better wishes to commit. You take trips you risk losing the offer. Any position softer puts the team at a disadvantage.

 

[woolybug25]

That is right. Taking visits = not 100% committed. Not 100% committed = we will drop you if someone as good or better wishes to commit. You take trips you risk losing the offer. Any position softer puts the team at a disadvantage.

Was this your thought process when Anzalone was taking visits?

 

[Fbolt]

Meanwhile, IE readers synthesize their fragments of knowledge and un-knowledge into concrete soap operas.

Isn't this the truth?

 

[ThePiombino]

Was this your thought process when Anzalone was taking visits?

I think his point is fair. Did someone equal to or better than Anzalone want to commit? Because if so, I would have been OK with the potential upgrade.

 

[woolybug25]

I think his point is fair. Did someone equal to or better than Anzalone want to commit? Because if so, I would have been OK with the potential upgrade.

Anzalone could take a visit tomorrow and no one would call for his scholarship to be pulled. I think saying that we should "kick him to the curb" or to "gtfo" is entirely disrespectful to a kid that is only trying to make the best decision for himself. That is SEC bullcrap and we are better than that. This is a kid that is currently committed to our university and if he sticks, those comments were directed at one of our own.

 

[pkt77242]

Anzalone could take a visit tomorrow and no one would call for his scholarship to be pulled. I think saying that we should "kick him to the curb" or to "gtfo" is entirely disrespectful to a kid that is only trying to make the best decision for himself. That is SEC bullcrap and we are better than that. This is a kid that is currently committed to our university and if he sticks, those comments were directed at one of our own.

Wooly I love you man (that might be all the Irish whisky talking) but no one is saying GTFO (or if they are they are stupid) but most of us are saying if you don't want to be here than that is ok and we can find someone else. Not that we don't want James. He is a very good back but hardly indespensible. Ok it is the the Irish whiskey talking.

 

[stlnd01]

Anzalone could take a visit tomorrow and no one would call for his scholarship to be pulled. I think saying that we should "kick him to the curb" or to "gtfo" is entirely disrespectful to a kid that is only trying to make the best decision for himself. That is SEC bullcrap and we are better than that. This is a kid that is currently committed to our university and if he sticks, those comments were directed at one of our own.

Right.
For better or worse, this one always seemed a little rushed. Maybe he shouldn't have "committed" before he ever even saw the place. But he did. And maybe now he's thinking he should at least look around a little. Kid's a teenager. Seems a bit much for us at our computers to be all "gtfo." It's his life.

 

[pkt77242]

Right.
For better or worse, this one always seemed a little rushed. Maybe he shouldn't have "committed" before he ever even saw the place. But he did. And maybe now he's thinking he should at least look around a little. Kid's a teenager. Seems a bit much for us at our computers to be all "gtfo." It's his life.

Only LAX used GTFO and he was rather correct. We turned down another great RB because you were commited (Clement) and now you aren't 100% commited to a great team? I get it, might not be my wording but I get it. He can take his visits because he is an teenager but we then won't keep a spot for him. Seems fair. You want to look around welll the we will look around.

 

[greyhammer90]

Right.
For better or worse, this one always seemed a little rushed. Maybe he shouldn't have "committed" before he ever even saw the place. But he did. And maybe now he's thinking he should at least look around a little. Kid's a teenager. Seems a bit much for us at our computers to be all "gtfo." It's his life.

The issue that I have with you and wooly's take is that you are acting like the kid is undoubtedly just a kid who committed to a university he loved and now wants to take visits.... That's possible. Also possible is that the kid committed to ND to save a seat on a train that he wasn't sure he wanted to be on because he knew it was going to be a hot commodity soon. (This is somewhat supported by the evidence that he had never seen campus before his commitment.) Now that his senior season is over he's looking around and wants to visit other schools. This is a two way street though. If he wants to claim a seat on the train, he better be on the damn train. Otherwise, the coaches have every right to pull the offer.

Kid likely made a business decision, he committed to make sure he had a spot on a hot team that he might want to be at in the end. The coaches are also making a business decision, we saved you a spot, now you are going to respect our authoritah. For them to do any less would be ignorance/negligence in my eyes.

All that being said, I sincerely hope he committed for the right reasons and these are just the reasonable imaginings of an admitted outsider. Also, if he did commit just to hold a seat I truly hope he finds a home on our team. He's a great talent and I'd LOVE for him to be on my team. COME ON IN JAMEL THE WATERS FINE!

 

[Domina Nostra]

Agree with Irish. People were hard on Anzalone, but every day closer to signing day thu are going to be harder. Don't take a spot if you don't want it and then wait until mid-November to speak-up.

 

[Rhode Irish]

Right.
For better or worse, this one always seemed a little rushed. Maybe he shouldn't have "committed" before he ever even saw the place. But he did. And maybe now he's thinking he should at least look around a little. Kid's a teenager. Seems a bit much for us at our computers to be all "gtfo." It's his life.

I don't disagree that its his life and he is entitled to make whatever decision he feels is best for him. But that doesn't mean we have to like the way he handled the situation. It also doesn't mean the staff can't take the "if you're looking, we're looking approach," which seems totally fair to me. If we recruited over him I wouldn't be displeased. If he decides he would rather go to school elsewhere, I won't be heartbroken. If he decides to honor his pledge, I'll be excited to root for him.

 

[IrishAlum1997]

Lol, I think everyone needs to chill. Who wouldnt want to take visits? Its comical to see how some people say let him go, we dont need him.....We need Jamel James. He is a kid that could push us over the hump in games. I mean we are wearing teams down with Theo right now...now just imagine a fresh Jamel gettin carries in the 4th. Thats a player that is the diff in BCS and Title games.

Saw Jamel at my kid's youth football title game today. Young man is built like a truck. Looks like a great addition if you ask me.

Stay on board and enjoy the ride, Jamel.

 

[PraetorianND]

Was this your thought process when Anzalone was taking visits?

Was mine. Good thing I'm not in charge of anything.

 

[mgriff]

I don't have a problem with him visiting other schools, but I do like that when they commit to us they stop taking other visits. It's the only real insurance we have since we don't oversign. I think it's the best thing for us. If you're not ready to commit, don't. However, since they are kids and they change their minds we need to have some kind of insurance policy to keep us from getting screwed.

 

[Irish YJ]

I'm trusting in BK. While I'd like him to be Irish, if it doesn't work out, it doesn't. More kids out there that want to be 100% Irish.

 

[DomerInHappyValley]

Is his season over?

 

[IrishLax]

Anzalone could take a visit tomorrow and no one would call for his scholarship to be pulled. I think saying that we should "kick him to the curb" or to "gtfo" is entirely disrespectful to a kid that is only trying to make the best decision for himself. That is SEC bullcrap and we are better than that. This is a kid that is currently committed to our university and if he sticks, those comments were directed at one of our own.

I don't really understand this viewpoint. For starters, if you're actively talking to a bunch of other schools and trying to set up visits and getting pissed that ND doesn't allow you to take visits THEN YOU AREN'T COMMITTED. Second, while we might be being "disrespectful" he is being far worse towards our coaches by calling up and offering a commitment without visiting campus, assuring the coaches this is 100% where he wants to be, and then starting to back out of it late in the cycle. Third, this isn't SEC bullcrap. SEC bullcrap would be taking Clement's commitment and still recruiting Folston and then when NSD comes around not sending James a LOI to sign and/or letting him sign but then gray shirting him.

It's one thing if he called us up and wanted to commit and we said he could still take visits and blah blah blah. That's definitely not the case. This isn't some #1 recruit at a position of need where we need to play this game. This is a guy who went around making phone calls to see who would let him "commit"... aka make a reservation... and now wants to go through the process in earnest. At best, his approach to committing was ill-conceived and premature... at worst, it was completely disingenuous and cost us a better prospect.

 

[Fbolt]

...and he's an 18 year old kid making the most important decision of his life. That realization, the most important decision one, is probably starting to sink in about now.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Wonder if Corey Clement would still be interested. Really liked him.

^This.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

I'm with Lax on this.

 

[Emcee77]

Toward James I feel exactly as I do toward Mattingly. The strategy should be to stick to the gameplan and don't get worked up over him.

I really like James as a prospect and I think he could be an outstanding back for us. But he is hardly essential to the class. This is the hardest decision he has ever had to make and I completely understand if he is unsure where and with whom he'd be most comfortable for the next 4 (40) years. But we are the NUMBER ONE team in the country and we have a lot of people who want to board this train. If James take visits, his spot becomes available to someone we like more.

That probably means we drop him if Folston or Treadwell wants to commit to ND. I'm sure he knows that and that's why he's agonizing over the decision. Mattingly can visit Oregon and won't necessarily lose his spot; we have to find a big skill we like more before he will, and I'm not sure we have any realistic possible replacements on the horizon. Right now we have two highly interested and supremely talented offensive playmakers who could conceivably take James's spot.

**I don't need to support my claim that we'd drop James for Treadwell or Folston, do I? We don't need an RB in this class unless he's a really great fit. Folston is a better fit than James, especially when we already have Will Mahone, who can play the big back role, in the 2012 class. And Treadwell is so talented that you def take him over an RB that you don't really need.

 

[dublinirish]

Mahone is still listed at 210 lbs i think hes a year or two away from being a power back. Jonas Gray was 230 beginning his senior year. Not sure if Mahone can put on that kind of weight..

 

[woolybug25]

I don't really understand this viewpoint. For starters, if you're actively talking to a bunch of other schools and trying to set up visits and getting pissed that ND doesn't allow you to take visits THEN YOU AREN'T COMMITTED. Second, while we might be being "disrespectful" he is being far worse towards our coaches by calling up and offering a commitment without visiting campus, assuring the coaches this is 100% where he wants to be, and then starting to back out of it late in the cycle. Third, this isn't SEC bullcrap. SEC bullcrap would be taking Clement's commitment and still recruiting Folston and then when NSD comes around not sending James a LOI to sign and/or letting him sign but then gray shirting him.

It's one thing if he called us up and wanted to commit and we said he could still take visits and blah blah blah. That's definitely not the case. This isn't some #1 recruit at a position of need where we need to play this game. This is a guy who went around making phone calls to see who would let him "commit"... aka make a reservation... and now wants to go through the process in earnest. At best, his approach to committing was ill-conceived and premature... at worst, it was completely disingenuous and cost us a better prospect.

I'm not saying that it isn't ok to not want a kid to take visits. But the "GTFO" and "kicking him to the curb" simply because he is trying to make the best decision for himself is entirely disrespectful. I am fine with the "if you're looking, we're looking" philosophy, but that hasn't been Kelly's MO since he's been here. He has always allowed kids to take all their visits, including kids in this years class. So how can you blame a kid for being upset that he isn't allowed to do what other recruits in his class are allowed to do?

So I think its funny that a bunch of grown men want to act like this kid is stupid and say comments like "GTFO" just because you want some other prospect. That is the part that I am referring to when I say "acting like SEC". Last time I checked, Notre Dame fans have always taken pride in treating our commits like human beings, not numbers. Seems like many of you have forgotten about that.

 

[Emcee77]

Mahone is still listed at 210 lbs i think hes a year or two away from being a power back. Jonas Gray was 230 beginning his senior year. Not sure if Mahone can put on that kind of weight..

Actually, that's a good point. I've always been a little skeptical that he is big enough to play the power back role. But it gets repeated often enough that people seem to believe it. I won't claim to be sure one way or the other.

And you never know. Armando Allen was one tough runner and he was Mahone's size. Eric Crouch was one of the toughest runners I've ever seen and he played below 200.

 

[Fbolt]

So I think its funny that a bunch of grown men want to act like this kid is stupid and say comments like "GTFO" just because you want some other prospect. That is the part that I am referring to when I say "acting like SEC". Last time I checked, Notre Dame fans have always taken pride in treating our commits like human beings, not numbers. Seems like many of you have forgotten about that.

reps