When I was getting out of high school, I was being recruited on a MUCH lower level than these guys (regional, hockey, D3/ non-powerhouse D1) but still... it's not always a fun process. But you do have to grow up, learn how to turn on your bull**** radar and, finally, learn how to make a choice that you believe in and that will stay with you for the rest of your life. Hockey didn't work out as well for me as I would've liked (freshman year was my best) but even when I was ready to kill the coach...I knew that life was about more than hockey and, even knowing how things (didn't) work out, I would still have made the same decision again and again.
So when I read about these recruits, who have to deal with 1000 times more pressure than I did, I find myself wishing one thing for them and one thing for both them and myself. For them: I hope that they mature and gain confidence from the process. A lot of times, it's the first real life-changing decision these young men have to make, and if they take it seriously they can learn a lot from the process. For both of us: I hope they come to Notre Dame. Especially the hard working ones. I want them at ND because I love me some Fighting Irish Football. But the real reason I respect ND, and think it is a special place, is because it aces the knee test: what happens to you if you blow out your knee and (sport of choice) doesn't work out? A lot of schools offer good academics, but few care so much about the academic performance and growth of their student-athletes as ND. And, by the way, it does happen to have pretty damn good football.
So I have no doubt that nothing that happens this season will change any of that appeal, as long as the team continues to grow and keeps leaving their hearts out on the field. But I can't get the image out of my head of Sneaky Pete (and I know, he's gone) whispering sweet sweet nothings into his cellphone every time we lose.
