'14 TX DE Grant Blankenship (Oklahoma Transfer)

[Old Man Mike]

Grant Blankenship looks like a great prospect... and the staff apparently believes that too. Our own IE posts should direct themselves to these young athletes' athletic potentials and good family and educational fit with Notre Dame, and drop references to our own personal hang-ups.

Grant Blankenship will be a great college football player somewhere because he is Grant Blankenship, hard-working, intelligent, gifted athlete, nothing else.

 

[yankeeND]

I do apologize as I must not of said that eloquently enough. I was trying to say that, so it would not seem as if that was why I was comparing them to Stanford players. It was more about location of where these kids are coming out of as well. NJ and TX. Stanford has been very successful with areas like that getting really tough kids. Once again I do apologize if that was taken wrong, because I certainly did not mean for it to offend.

 

[yankeeND]

Big and imposing lines that dominate games as Bama showed us. No, not because they are black, but rather The implied meanings embedded in Irish Envy posts are very easy to read.

And for the life of me, thank you for spelling imposing correctly for me.

 

[Rack Em]

Grant Blankenship will be a great college football player somewhere because he is Grant Blankenship, hard-working, intelligent, gifted athlete, nothing else.

How can anyone know this? He's a junior in high school. That's putting high expectations on someone who won't even play a down of college football for 2 more years at the earliest.

 

[Old Man Mike]

Let me say it in simpler terms for you, RackEm, since you're obviously looking for something trivial to gripe about [an IE characteristic which continuously stuns me]:

A). The point of the post was to culture IE posting a bit to take things like unconscious racism out of general commentary about athletes, and get to a better place in the world. I.E. "Why can't we just get along?"

B). In that context, the comment that Grant will, or will not, be a great athlete is dependent upon the young man himself, and not his "social profiling" checklist.

C). What-the-He!l gives you problems about my flattering one of our recruits? I prefer to be a generous person, especially with young people, who often benefit a lot by friendly encouraging comments.

D). The concept that a flattering comment from a poster on IE will cripple a recruit by putting pressures on him to perform for that unknown commentator beggars the imagination.

Usually I don't get involved with "defending" my remarks in public here, and I apologize to the rest of the board. Should RackEm decide to follow this into some quagmire, I'll shut up and deal with it differently.

Again apologies. But All the best to Grant Blankenship, who seems from all I read to be a fine young man and prospect.

 

[yankeeND]

Let me say it in simpler terms for you, RackEm, since you're obviously looking for something trivial to gripe about [an IE characteristic which continuously stuns me]:

A). The point of the post was to culture IE posting a bit to take things like unconscious racism out of general commentary about athletes, and get to a better place in the world. I.E. "Why can't we just get along?"

B). In that context, the comment that Grant will, or will not, be a great athlete is dependent upon the young man himself, and not his "social profiling" checklist.

C). What-the-He!l gives you problems about my flattering one of our recruits? I prefer to be a generous person, especially with young people, who often benefit a lot by friendly encouraging comments.

D). The concept that a flattering comment from a poster on IE will cripple a recruit by putting pressures on him to perform for that unknown commentator beggars the imagination.

Usually I don't get involved with "defending" my remarks in public here, and I apologize to the rest of the board. Should RackEm decide to follow this into some quagmire, I'll shut up and deal with it differently.

Again apologies. But All the best to Grant Blankenship, who seems from all I read to be a fine young man and prospect.

Actually OMM, that was what I was trying to avoid with my initial post. I did compare Trumbetti to the likes of Gardner and Thomas among others from the Stanford front seven and I didn't want it to seem as though I was comparing white guys that are quicker than fast and yada yada yada. I agree with your post and what your premise was. Seriously this is exactly what I didn't want to happen and will refrain from acknowledging that people are different as for some reason some can not deal with it.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Actually OMM, that was what I was trying to avoid with my initial post. I did compare Trumbetti to the likes of Gardner and Thomas among others from the Stanford front seven and I didn't want it to seem as though I was comparing white guys that are quicker than fast and yada yada yada. I agree with your post and what your premise was. Seriously this is exactly what I didn't want to happen and will refrain from acknowledging that people are different as for some reason some can not deal with it.

Don't use the word "white" or "black" then. You know the users can fill in their own details. You are all good guys. There is nowhere to go with this.

And in fairness to Mike, the recruiting portion of this site has gotten a little peevish, especially lately. Somehow, there has been a model that impolite harsh criticism, if it stings enough like a slap in the face won't be answered. Now I am sure that is not what Rack 'Em meant, but after the way things been goin' around here, I can see the conclusions of everybody just having a little higher vertical.

 

[yankeeND]

Don't use the word "white" or "black" then. You know the users can fill in their own details. You are all good guys. There is nowhere to go with this.

And in fairness to Mike, the recruiting portion of this site has gotten a little peevish, especially lately. Somehow, there has been a model that impolite harsh criticism, if it stings enough like a slap in the face won't be answered. Now I am sure that is not what Rack 'Em meant, but after the way things been goin' around here, I can see the conclusions of everybody just having a little higher vertical.

Truth

 

[BGIF]

I do apologize as I must not of said that eloquently enough. I was trying to say that, so it would not seem as if that was why I was comparing them to Stanford players. It was more about location of where these kids are coming out of as well. NJ and TX. Stanford has been very successful with areas like that getting really tough kids. Once again I do apologize if that was taken wrong, because I certainly did not mean for it to offend.

No apology necessary. Your point was clear. There was no implication but there was definitely inference formed by those with their own hang ups.

 

[Old Man Mike]

You are a good man, Yankee. Proud to be a fellow IE board member with you. I read your post as merely "awkward", but the following post as "getting into something" [which I then tried to stop]. RackEm then refused to let the stress evaporate.

I come to IE in hopes of reading about young men like Blankenship, whose potentials make me feel a little better in my [currently] very high stress world. I enjoy putting out flattering comments to our recruits, when there is any legitimate chance to do so --- old teacher's "carrot" philosophy.

I've never found kindness to be overdone in anything like normal situations. As I began, you are a good man, and good for IE.

 

[yankeeND]

You are a good man, Yankee. Proud to be a fellow IE board member with you. I read your post as merely "awkward", but the following post as "getting into something" [which I then tried to stop]. RackEm then refused to let the stress evaporate.

I come to IE in hopes of reading about young men like Blankenship, whose potentials make me feel a little better in my [currently] very high stress world. I enjoy putting out flattering comments to our recruits, when there is any legitimate chance to do so --- old teacher's "carrot" philosophy.

I've never found kindness to be overdone in anything like normal situations. As I began, you are a good man, and good for IE.

Thanks OMM, BGIF, and Bogs! I see what was happening now. I never want to come across in a manner that makes me seem like I am shallow or hateful. I really enjoy reading and posting here but sometimes it can get a little silly or there can be misunderstandings that at times get out of hand. Anyways how bout that Blankenship kid? Does he have potential?

 

[ginman]

He does for a white guy

- yeah i know

 

[Luckylucci]

I did some digging since it came up in who's next thread. Rutgers and Texas are the only schools recruiting him as TE and neither have offered. He told the OU 247 that he prefers DE (ND really likes his upside at DE). Wants to major in business and that will be a major factor in his recruitment.

 

[yankeeND]

I did some digging since it came up in who's next thread. Rutgers and Texas are the only schools recruiting him as TE and neither have offered. He told the OU 247 that he prefers DE (ND really likes his upside at DE). Wants to major in business and that will be a major factor in his recruitment.

That's great for us. I love the presence we are starting to have back in TX. There are three or four more guys I would like to pull from there in this cycle alone and we actually have a shot with all of them.

 

[Rack Em]

That's great for us. I love the presence we are starting to have back in TX. There are three or four more guys I would like to pull from there in this cycle alone and we actually have a shot with all of them.

Yes and no. With UT struggling and the Big12 being weaker, this is a PRIME time to make inroads in Texas. However, aTm is the new, 'hot' school in Texas and Sumlin is picking the state apart. I like recruiting the state hard, but aTm is making it tricky. If recruits are looking for that offer and get it late in the cycle, we could get left out in the cold (see, Bennett Okotcha from '11).

I'm sure the staff has a good pulse on what offers recruits are looking for, but it's something I've thought about.

 

[Luckylucci]

A&M is becoming more attractive for recruits but I dont really get that vibe with the guys we are looking at. Watkins and Thomas already have that offer and Blankenship doesn't seem to concerned about it.

 

[Rack Em]

A&M is becoming more attractive for recruits but I dont really get that vibe with the guys we are looking at. Watkins and Thomas already have that offer and Blankenship doesn't seem to concerned about it.

Braden Smith.

If ND and aTm continue on an upward trajectory, this could happen more often.

 

[yankeeND]

Braden Smith.

If ND and aTm continue on an upward trajectory, this could happen more often.

Really good point. aTm is doing very well for themselves on the trail and if they continue to beat teams like Bama they will continue that. I still like where we stand with guys like Watkins and Thomas and think we got steals in Hunter and especially Robinson last cycle.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Some good points Rack 'Em!

 

[Irishnuke]

A&M is becoming more attractive for recruits but I dont really get that vibe with the guys we are looking at. Watkins and Thomas already have that offer and Blankenship doesn't seem to concerned about it.

Kyle Allen.

 

[Luckylucci]

In Rack em's post he said guys that would get offers late in the cycle could leave us out in the cold. All the guys that have been named already have A&M offers or are committed so how are we getting left in the cold late in the cycle. So I was trying to name guys that have offers from both schools or guys that it could potentially happen to and I just don't see it. We are going to lose recruiting battles to every top team in the country at some point. I do think it's something to look out for but I haven't seen any inclination that it's some drastic change occurring that's impacting our recuruiting.

 

[Rack Em]

In Rack em's post he said guys that would get offers late in the cycle could leave us out in the cold. All the guys that have been named already have A&M offers or are committed so how are we getting left in the cold late in the cycle. So I was trying to name guys that have offers from both schools or guys that it could potentially happen to and I just don't see it. We are going to lose recruiting battles to every top team in the country at some point. I do think it's something to look out for but I haven't seen any inclination that it's some drastic change occurring that's impacting our recuruiting.

I was speaking more prospectively about recruiting battles.

Anyway, moral of the story is that it sucks that aTm is trending upwards at the same time UT and the Big 12 are trending downwards.

 

[greyhammer90]

I was speaking more prospectively about recruiting battles.

Anyway, moral of the story is that it sucks that aTm is trending upwards at the same time UT and the Big 12 are trending downwards.

I think that's just inevitable. There will always be kids that want to stay home and in a talent rich area that means that some school will become more competitive because those kids want to stick around. Like what we've seen with USC and UCLA over the last year or so. USC sucks, suddenly UCLA has a decent program with a lot of recruiting momentum.

Unfortunately there will likely never be a time where TX, Cal, and Florida all have the big programs suck at the same time. Too much talent will always go to the best program in the state. I am interested if A&M will stick around as a big boy for more than 3 years or if UT will come back to be the premier TX program.

 

[Luckylucci]

I was speaking more prospectively about recruiting battles.

Anyway, moral of the story is that it sucks that aTm is trending upwards at the same time UT and the Big 12 are trending downwards.

And I agree that we're gonna have to get used to having battles with A&M instead of UT. On a positive note we benefited last year from this scenario with Durham Smythe.

 

[fightingirish26]

Also to be fair, neither Kyle Allen nor Braden Smith are from Texas

 

[Bogtrotter07]

I was speaking more prospectively about recruiting battles.

Anyway, moral of the story is that it sucks that aTm is trending upwards at the same time UT and the Big 12 are trending downwards.

What the heck is going on?

 

[LoveThee]

Can someone PM me why Rack Em was banned?

 

[koonja]

What? He got banned? Why?

 

[pkt77242]

I don't think he got banned Their is a line through the username when someone gets banned. Someone just changed his title to banned.

 

[LoveThee]

If you click on his profile there is a line through it that says banned