National Signing Day is at hand and there is a lot of excitement from fans all over the country about the possibilities- not just this class, but for the future of the their respective programs. It's a great day, really. Yes, there are things that happen on this day that might make you want to slam your head against a table full of broken glass, but for the most part, it's a celebration.
Whether you are a seasoned veteran for NSD, or a rookie, there are five things that you need to know that COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE.
1. The early bird gets the worm. 98% of the class sends in their Letter of Intent fairly early in the morning. Why is this important for you to know? Because after months of hype and anticipation, National Signing Day, generally, just confirms what we already knew (and by 10 AM it's basically a done deal). That's not to say that there won't be any drama, but if you take a look at where the class ranks nationally, it will stay in the same ballpark regardless of one or two more additions. As of right now, Notre Dame has the #9 class in the country according to both Rivals and 24/7.
2. Judge your coverage wisely. There are many ways to watch and see what is happening on NSD for Notre Dame and the rest of the country as well. ESPNU will have live coverage for an astonishing 11 for NSD, from 8AM – 7 PM. CBS Sports will do a couple of 2 hour segments, while Fox Sports 1 does 30 minutes in the late afternoon. All three of those are for your TV fix, and will contain a more national coverage style. As for a purely Notre Dame slant, FIDM on UND.com will offer an immense amount of coverage as well as Brian Kelly's press conference. Mike Frank will have a Power Hour(s) during the day and has promised a different style than in past years. In fact, coverage will be hard to avoid from anywhere and that includes message boards, social media, blogs, the barber, at work, at the bar…..
3. Be social, but don't get too social. Without a doubt, the most popular way to celebrate NSD for fans across the country will be via social media, and Twitter most especially. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CONTACT RECRUITS ALSO KNOWN AS KIDS VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. It's weird. It's creepy. It's lame. If you're digging for the latest breaking news of the day, there really is no place better than Twitter, but use your brains and act like adults. Engaging in wars with fans of other schools is also frowned upon, but if you want to look like an ass… that's your business- just don't make it our business.
4. Leave the forecasting to weathermen (who are also wrong quite a bit). I get it. Picking apart the class and plugging in "starters" or "difference makers" or even "filler" is quite easy to do. We all have been doing it for a long time. It really is OK to make your thoughts and feelings known about a prospects future at ND, but immediately placing any of these future freshman in a spot of absolute importance for the upcoming season is not only premature, but it is also like shooting from the hip with no ammo.
5. Numerology is important. The number "85" is far more important tomorrow than the number of stars associated with a prospect. (For tomorrow). Right now, the Irish are sitting with 82 scholarships for the 2014 season. So, if you're not Alabama, the magic number is 3. Notre Dame has 3 scholarships to use up, and I can't stress the importance of actually trying to hit that number. It is quite rare for the Irish to head into a season with a solid 85. Hell, some years they have been 5 short. That is a huge issue when it comes to depth, practice ability, and development. You need bodies. This is why we see late offers and names out of nowhere. They are important. Pay attention.
As far as Subway Domer is concerned, I'll leave the recruiting capsules to those with much more words to burn. I have done it for 7 years, and it's too much writing about the same thing than I am comfortable with anymore. There may be a Google Hangout HOLLA! I'll know more about that later. There will be a 2014 State(s) of Recruiting post that will follow either Thursday or Friday, and if you haven't seen it before, it looks like THIS.
Enjoy the day!
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