February Madness

A different brand of collegiate madness (unlike the NCAA basketball tournament dubbed March Madness) comes to an end tomorrow as the period begins for players to sign letters of intent to play college football. Sure all Razorback fans have followed the Mustain saga and may be ready to celebrate tomorrow - especially after the late push that brought Mustain target - and one of the state's other top HS players, Damian Williams - on board.

The Sporting News has a nice piece on the recruiting madness, Mustain Style. Not very often that a smaller state like Arkansas - unlike the football factories of Texas, Florida and California - produce the nation's top QB, so this year was, as Houston Nutt might say, "special." I guess we'll see on the field in the next few years.

Anyway, the article quotes Mustain mom Beck Campbell saying it's a "crock of crap" that Notre Dame didn't have a scholarship for him if he wanted it. The story going around was the Coach Charlie Weis said thanks but no thanks because of two other QB commitments.

Also the South Bend Tribune (hometown paper for Notre Dame) talks to Bartley Webb, a Springdale OL who is going to the Irish, about the pressures to "stay home."

You know, you tell yourself that it's silly to get so wrapped up in recruiting news and the talents and potential of 18-year-olds. ESPN writes about how the unheralded recruits end up being the best. Then the media hype gets you and you're visiting Scout.com daily to chart where Arkansas' recruiting class will be ranked. Oh well. At least it lets me momentarily forget the basketball Hogs.

Arkansas Waits to Exhale With Mustains Intent Letter [The Sporting News]
Williams to Join Mustain, Malzahn at Arkansas [ESPN]
25 to Sign for Hogs' Best Recruiting Class Ever [KTHV-TV]
Much Ado About Leaving [South Bend Tribune]
Bruschi, Flutie Among Late Signees Whoe Thrived [ESPN]