National Signing Day and the stories that come with it

COMMENTARY

Once again, National Signed Day came and went as high school football players around the United States declared where they would attend college at least for 2013.
There were a lot of surprises and a lot who were locks and then a large number who enrolled for the semester in January.
There were a lot of stories connected with the day that were sad, some were funny and the one that has to be outright ridiculous.
That is the one that made shake my head or in the social media vernacular smh.
I offer the story of Alex Collins of South Plantation High School in Florida who ESPN has rated 57th among their top 150 prospects.
Collins rushed for 1,276 yards and 14 touchdowns last season and for a long time was headed to the U better known as the University of Miami.
In November he reopened his recruiting (I know that sounds like one of those terms that make you go hmm but hang with me) and a number of schools jumped back into the derby for his services like Arkansas, Florida, Wisconsin and Florida State.
After the usual courtship, Collins appeared on a recruiting program on FOX Sports South and decided to sign with the Arkansas Razorbacks.
"I like the fact that they run the ball," Collins according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel. "I personally know the coaches, I have been recruited by them for two years now. ... I trust them."
Wednesday morning came when it was time to sign the letter of intent and fax it to Fayetteville, but there was a slight problem with seems to be a very simple plan.
The letter was missing and this was not a case of the family dog having it for a snack but mama ran off with the letter.
Collins’ mother Andrea McDonald showed up at the school for the obligatory photo shoot smiling at her child proudly except that didn’t happen as she grabbed the letter and took off like a bank robber.
According to whoever is to be considered reliable (most journalists go with a three-person confirmation) his mother wanted him to stay close to home and not attend Arkansas.
Comments galore have hit the blogosphere and online sites of traditional media on this story alone including a quote from South Plantation Mike Collins (no relation) who said that the family was not on the same page and wanted to think about it some more.
Really?
Looks like mama has made her decision, but there is one detail she didn’t think about and that is his age.
Collins is already 18 and doesn’t need a parent or guardian to co-sign on the letter of intent as per NCAA rules.
Also, it would occur to me that the university can fax over another form unless it is against the rules and I don’t believe that is the case.
Stay tuned for more of this farce as Fort Lauderdale’s finest try to find Andrea McDonald who should be considered something as she tries to hide somewhere in Broward County.
Do not try to apprehend as she could take any form you may have in your possession as well.
Oh well, I guess it is welcome to the world of football recruiting.
Remember this is the same class that will see a young man go to Alabama with an Auburn tattoo on his body and the story of Grayson High School’s Robert Nkamdeche who was going to Clemson and taking teammates with him only to hear from his mother who is a diplomat in Nigeria.
At that time I think Clemson head coach Dabo Sweeney didn’t realize the length of a order from a mama bear.
Nkamdeche elected to go to Ole Miss to play with his brother and make his mother happy and she didn’t run off with any paperwork as it headed to Oxford.
That is part of the beast that is National Signing Day in college football but what is sad about this day is several other sports signed players and there might be a mention in a corner of Thursday’s paper.
I doubt parents did not run off with letters of intent during those signings.