National signing day.... the day we find out who has ability but often lacks the heart. I'd rather see an entire team of walk-ons with heart and develop the ability than what some of these jokers will bring in the next 4 years. Don't get me wrong, there have been some superstars to come right in and make a difference, but being a Nebraska Cornhusker fan, often these guys don't do much. Thunder Collins anyone? Maybe Harrison Beck? Bubba Starling? The list could go on and on. Needless to say, There have been some good ones like Ndamukong Suh. The guy had both heart and talent. In fact, looking at the 2005 class, he was in was really good class many thought was top 10 in the nation. Our friends over at Husker Corner have a good article on jsut very same topic HERE looking at the 2007 class. They point out you never really know how strong a class is until your 4 or 5 years down the road and list the whole class from that year and how things panned out. Still, it's the walk-on's who come in and have something to prove. They guys who have to really show what they are made of to earn their spots.
I guess in a way, I want things to go back to the way they were in the 80's and 90's. Tom Osborne would go out, find a couple a good players, but the majority of the difference makers were walk-on's. It's the small town in me. Where I grew up, We had quality athletics but most rarely made the radar. My favorite example of a walk on is Scott Shanle. I grew in the same area as Scott. Our high school's were rivals. Scott walked on to the Cornhuskers and red shirted in 1998. After that, he played in every game except the 2002 bowl game because he had the flu. He tied the NU linebacker pass break up record in 2001. Today, he plays in the NFL. He's been there since he graduated.
I have to laugh at the guys pouring over this today. I know one guy who took today off jsut so he can stay up on who's going where. I kinda feel sorry for the some of them. Both the fans and the athletes. Just because a guys will be going on ESPN at noon to declare his school, doesn't make him a god. There's a small town boy or a kid in the city who wants to come in and show what he's got just as bad and chances are... you won't even know he's there until game time.
Just for the fun of it, tonight, I'll edit this post with the signing class and how many stars Rivals.com has ranked them. Not so much as a show case or to be a hypocrite, but more so a few years down the road, I can look back and see if I'm right this fall.
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