National letters of intent have been signed, cookies and punch have been consumed and tables with brightly colored balloons on top have been folded up and put away.
Still, a few thoughts linger in my head from that wonderful celebration known as national signing day.
WAITING HIS TURN
The past, present and future were all represented during a signing ceremony at Springdale Har-Ber. While five Springdale Har-Ber athletes signed their papers, Josh Frazier stood against a wall and watched the proceedings.
Frazier is a defensive lineman who recently received a scholarship offer from Southern California to go along with offers from Arkansas, Alabama and Auburn. He’ll be the focus of attention on national signing day next year.
Ben Cleveland also stood nearby soaking in the atmosphere. Cleveland was one of four Springdale High players to sign with the Razorbacks after helping the Bulldogs to an undefeated season in 2005. Cleveland hopes to get into coaching full time after recently earning his degree from Arkansas.
FORGET YOU, USC
The Mama Drama involving Arkansas signee Alex Collins drew a lot of attention, but a recruiting blunder by Southern California was more significant in regard to recruiting.
Kylie Fitts was committed to Southern California for about 10 months and was within 36 hours of enrolling at the school in January when he received a surprise phone call. USC wanted Fitts to delay his enrollment until the fall because the Trojans were left with one less scholarship than expected.
Fitts refused and signed with UCLA, the Trojans’ rivals.
Even if Fitts wasn’t rated as highly as some of the other recruits, USC coach Lane Kiffin committed a major public relations mistake by pulling a scholarship from a local prospect. That should never happen.
WITHHOLD JUDGMENT, PLEASE
I would caution Arkansas fans who say Alex Collins is a better running back than North Little Rock’s Altee Tenpenny (Alabama) from rushing to judgment.
I remember a recruiting writer who insisted Arkansas got the best when De’Arrius Howard of West Memphis, DeAngelo Williams of Wynne and Cedric Houston of Clarendon graduated within a year of each other.
Williams just finished his seventh year in the NFL after a stellar career at Memphis and Houston played two years in the NFL after he signed with Tennessee, where he was a three-year starter. Howard signed with Arkansas and was barely playing by his senior year.
It’s probably best we withhold judgment about people who’ve yet to step foot inside a college classroom, don’t you think?
JUST STAY AWAY
It is good college coaches and their assistants are prohibited by the NCAA from having face-to-face contact with recruits on national signing day.
That wasn’t always the case because I can remember covering a signing session in the 1980s when coaches were still tugging at a recruit minutes before signing. It made for an awkward situation and reminded me of someone trying to steal your prom date when your head was turned.
Now, if we could only keep ESPN from disrupting signing events by talking live to a recruit on a cell phone, that would be delightful.
•••
RICK FIRES IS A SPORTS WRITER FOR NWA MEDIA.