What was your favorite Andre McDonald moment?

Donate To GopherHole
S

sonnygarcia

Active member
Joined
Nov 21, 2008
Messages
1,715
Reaction score
0
Points
36
Mine was 1 month ago when he said:

"I have had some offers and I have had a lot of schools calling, but I really don't worry about that. I am more excited than ever to play for Minnesota and there is nothing that will change that."

Or, in that same interview, when he was asked if he was 100% committed, even if a school like OH St. offered and he said "Nothing would change that, I'm 100% committed".


I know we all want the Gophers to recruit MN kids, but honestly, why? I say recruit more out of state except for the kids who truely bleed Maroon & Gold. Not sure we should be wasting our time with the others ones?
 

These kids and their perception the world revolves around them cracks me up.Really football should have an early signing date like hoops so at least coaches don't get strung along for quite as many months .He wants to make sure he gets everything he needs.Well OSU should take care of that and if he goes to Iowa at least they will take care of his hospital bill after their workout regime.
 

Pull the offer.
Tough medicine, but local kids like this need a wake up call. The U under Kill cannot be a "safe" offer in hand while looking for greener pastures. Commit and be sure, or don't commit.
Give him one last chance to firm up his commit, if the answer is some BS about looking around:
Pull the offer.
Hard.
 

Ole said:
Pull the offer.
Tough medicine, but local kids like this need a wake up call. The U under Kill cannot be a "safe" offer in hand while looking for greener pastures. Commit and be sure, or don't commit.
Give him one last chance to firm up his commit, if the answer is some BS about looking around:
Pull the offer.
Hard.
Click to expand...

Spot on!
 

I agree-Pull the offer if he passes once and for all.

I don't see any real fall out from doing so from coaches, other players, fans etc.

Sure, it is part of the 'game' but not the part the program has to play. There is no reason why we have to deal with this. I would love to see more programs embrace this tuff love stace. I think IA has an understood agreement with thier recruits not to camp or visit other schools. I have not problem with Kill and company not to follow suit.
 


You guys are really advocating pulling the offer to the top recruit in state, a kid that could still very well end up a Gopher, just because he wants to reaffirm his decision by looking around? I understand bringing in kids that truly want to be a part of the program and that it is a very important part of running a successful program. Who's to say that won't end up being the case with McDonald? It sounds like the kid still favors Minnesota...I think it is crazy to pull his offer considering he will likely be the best player the Gophers land all year.

Don't hold a spot for him, but do not pull the offer. The kid is a very good player, I wish he was considering Wisconsin.
 

The kid can't win

sonnygarcia said:
Mine was 1 month ago when he said:

"I have had some offers and I have had a lot of schools calling, but I really don't worry about that. I am more excited than ever to play for Minnesota and there is nothing that will change that."

Or, in that same interview, when he was asked if he was 100% committed, even if a school like OH St. offered and he said "Nothing would change that, I'm 100% committed".


I know we all want the Gophers to recruit MN kids, but honestly, why? I say recruit more out of state except for the kids who truely bleed Maroon & Gold. Not sure we should be wasting our time with the others ones?
Click to expand...
I've never seen Macdonald play, but have heard from others that the kid has plenty of talent.

I'm only in my mid forties, but I remember up until the late 90's, one of my favorite newspapers that came out was the day the Gophers announced their signees. Unless Sid or Shooter wrote about a potential recruit, most of the kids I had never heard of.

It's changed an awful lot in 15 years, and I'm not sure for the better. I have a passion for Gopher football, just like most on this board. But, I've always thought it was invasive to find out about potential recruits via the internet. I've mentioned before, that if I had a son who was a potential BCS recruit, I'd tell him to shut his yapper, as it may come back to haunt you. I like the idea of being loyal, but kids who are 17 don't have any experience with much. Loyalty is not known by most 17 year olds, but should be known by their parents.

I hated the stuff that went on with Walker Lee Ashley. The Seantrel Henderson saga was a mess. It's hard to blame the kids, but the parents need to provide a lot of guidance. A lesson from Joe Mauer could be learned. He was pretty mum about his recruitment. When he decided to accept the scholarship from FSU, it wasn't a lot of fanfare, and he never put down the Gophers.

After all of this, if Macdonald thinks the U of M is the right fit for him, and Coach Kill thinks that too, welcome aboard.
 

My issue with the McDonald situation is that Kill isn't one of those coaches who pressures kids into deciding too early. We've heard that from all of the other recruits (Johnson, Pirsig, Hayes, etc) that Kill wants them to really make sure they are ready, so I would have a hard time believing McDonald was getting a TON of pressure from Kill or the Gophers when he chose MN.

That said, he is young and he is a talented player. This sort of comes with recruiting, no matter how bad of a taste it leaves in your mouth. I don't think we should pull the offer but I don't think we should hold it either. We have limited scholarships and if the kid from NC (Harbeson or something like that) signs, I wouldn't be shocked if we were done at WR. I know that might seem odd but we already have Fruechte, Gardiner, DCT, M. Jones and presumably 1 more WR. I am not so sure that we'd have more room than 6 ish scholarships for our two youngest classes at 1 position.

I'm not arguing this isn't a big loss because he seems like a really talented kid at a position of need. However, if I were Coach Kill I wouldn't hold this spot for him to make a decision (after he already committed once). I wouldn't pull it either, but I wouldn't play second fiddle.
 

THE Chitown Gopher said:
I agree-Pull the offer if he passes once and for all.

I don't see any real fall out from doing so from coaches, other players, fans etc.

Sure, it is part of the 'game' but not the part the program has to play. There is no reason why we have to deal with this. I would love to see more programs embrace this tuff love stace. I think IA has an understood agreement with thier recruits not to camp or visit other schools. I have not problem with Kill and company not to follow suit.
Click to expand...

The kid is 17-18 years old and wants to step back after making a premature decision likely in the excitement of getting an offer from his home state school. He may still decide to play for the gophers, but I definitely see some negatives to pulling a offer in a situation like this just because the kid wasn't 100% confident in his earlier decision. The kid might still choose to come here, you pull the offer then you remove that possibility and also run the risk of upsetting his coaches and other high school coaches who may perceive that action as pressuring a kid. The high school coaches could then choose to promote other programs going forward versus the gophers. The gophers are not a program that can afford to burn any bridges at this point in time.
 



Either the kid wants to be a Gopher, or he doesn't. If he wants to be a Gopher, he will stay, If not he will go elsewhere. I do not blame him for checking things out, he is a young man who needs to do what is best for him, and the college he ends up committing to. Good luck to him and his choice. No one will know if it is the right or wrong decision until "after the fact", at which point hind-sight is 20-20.
 

Some adult imput needed here.

If I was his mom/pop I would sit him down and say: "Son, you told Coach Kill you were 100 % committed. This is not the way we do things as a family. Get on the phone right now and reafirm with Coach Kill your committment" This would be the conversation had if said family had core values. In this day and age family core values are a dying breed, especially in the United States.
 

ruppertflywheel said:
If I was his mom/pop I would sit him down and say: "Son, you told Coach Kill you were 100 % committed. This is not the way we do things as a family. Get on the phone right now and reafirm with Coach Kill your committment" This would be the conversation had if said family had core values. In this day and age family core values are a dying breed, especially in the United States.
Click to expand...


Ridiculous. So because a kid changes his mind he and his family no longer have "core values" unless he immediately calls up coach Kill and recommits? Just absurd. He's a great prospect and the next 4-5 years of his life WILL determine whether or not he has an NFL career. If he wants to look around, that's his perogative, and it is in no way related to his moral compass or "core values."
 

GopherGod said:
The kid is 17-18 years old and wants to step back after making a premature decision likely in the excitement of getting an offer from his home state school. He may still decide to play for the gophers, but I definitely see some negatives to pulling a offer in a situation like this just because the kid wasn't 100% confident in his earlier decision. The kid might still choose to come here, you pull the offer then you remove that possibility and also run the risk of upsetting his coaches and other high school coaches who may perceive that action as pressuring a kid. The high school coaches could then choose to promote other programs going forward versus the gophers. The gophers are not a program that can afford to burn any bridges at this point in time.
Click to expand...

If I was his coach/parent/mentor I'd be on his behind to figure this situation out FAST.
Additionally, I'd probably call coach Kill and apologize for my player/son/pupil 's immature decision.
I'd be embarrassed, and would understand if Coach Kill pulled the offer, grateful if he put up with the whole mess and allowed Mcdonald to look around awhile longer.
If he wasn't interested in the U, stay uncommitted like Pirsig, Hayes, Johnson have been.
He committed 100%, recruited other local prospects, said publicly he was done looking and excited to be a gopher, and now this.
There's no excuse for this but immaturity and childishness.
 



I understand that this decision will affect him for the rest of his life, so he wants to make the best choice in his mind. However, if he wasn't 100% sure from the beginning, he shouldn't have committed. I don't think Kill should pull his offer, but he should extend plenty of offers to other capable WRs (I'm sure he already has). Can't wait around for this kid to make up his mind about whether or not he wants to play in his home state.

That said, I wish him luck no matter where he ends up.
 

Yes...the U of M IS a mighty tough place to win at...

So now, before even coaching one game, we have got "fans" telling the coach to "PULL THE OFFER..." on a recruiting process thing that ought to be taking place in private between the kid, his family and the coach. You people are absolutely incredible!

So, Coach Kill, ole wants you to be a hard a$$ed s.o.b. with a 17 year old kid because this kid has now pi$$ed ole off. Way to go ole. You sure have got a lot of skin in this one don't you? The kid is trying to decide where to go to college to play football. His parents probably want what is best for him. Coach Kill is trying his damndest just to try to build this football program up off rock bottom from where it was taken during the last 4 years of inept coaching and direction.

Well, I'll tell you one thing ole, when we start counting Big Ten wins vs. Big Ten losses, you are going to be one of the frist people to start asking why this coach isn't locking up all the top-notch local talent if there aren't very many Big Ten wins happening.

What is going on in this recruiting process right now does NOT belong on some web site. Hell, we don't even know what IS going on. This is all just internet gossip. Man...you people are really hurting for something to talk about.

Just come and talk to me. I'll give you plenty of things to talk about. You can try to punch my lights out on this message board if you think you can do it...if you are bored. But, leave the 17 and 18 year old potential recruits out of this. You dudes and dudettes are only silly little gossips talking about this specific recruit. You are hurting the recruiting process that always goes on with higher profile recruits...especially LOCAL high profile recruits. You are doing Coach Kill NO favors, I wouldn't think. This does NOT look like very positive stuff you are engaging in here.


So, if you wanna get a good old discussion about something going...let's have at it. You people need to lay off this kid and this recruiting situation NOW! NOTHING good can come of it.

; 0 (
 

Did Wren just ask someone to try to punch him in the face because people are talking about recruiting? Such a strange dude.
 

imthewalrus said:
Blah, blah, blah. Man...you people are really hurting for something to talk about.

Blah, blah, blah.
Click to expand...

I peed my pants a little reading that. We're the people that are hurting for something to talk (write, actually) about?
 

No bob: I want people to get off the case of this 17 y.o. recruit...

to quit their gossip and I invited them to have a little discussion about what ever might make them forget about this recruiting thing between the kid, his parents and Coach Kill and to have a good, spirited debate about anything they want to debate about. These dudes and dudettes are too bored. They need a good debate to forget about this kid stuff and this private recruiting process stuff.

I figuratively challenged any of you tough-talking gossipers to see if you could shut me down on this message board...leave me speachless so to speak...if you think you can do it. I don't think you can... ; 0 )

Coach kill doesn't really need all this stinking gossip stuff. Let him run his own recruiting. He will be held accountable in the end and the number of Big Ten wins vs. Big Ten losses over the next few years will tell us EXACTLY how well...or...how poorly he is doing in the areas of recruiting, coaching, game day preperation, etc. So, go ahead and be a punk bob_loblaw or what erver your moniker is...This recruiting gossip sucks.
 

imthewalrus said:
to quit their gossip and I invited them to have a little discussion about what ever might make them forget about this recruiting thing between the kid, his parents and Coach Kill and to have a good, spirited debate about anything they want to debate about. These dudes and dudettes are too bored. They need a good debate to forget about this kid stuff and this private recruiting process stuff.

I figuratively challenged any of you tough-talking gossipers to see if you could shut me down on this message board...leave me speachless so to speak...if you think you can do it. I don't think you can... ; 0 )

Coach kill doesn't really need all this stinking gossip stuff. Let him run his own recruiting. He will be held accountable in the end and the number of Big Ten wins vs. Big Ten losses over the next few years will tell us EXACTLY how well...or...how poorly he is doing in the areas of recruiting, coaching, game day preperation, etc. So, go ahead and be a punk bob_loblaw or what erver your moniker is...This recruiting gossip sucks.
Click to expand...

:clap: Wren complaining about other people's posts! Classic!
 

Really?!?...you think he might still come to the U?

Have you not been watching how this plays out....a downgraded commit to soft commit is the first step out the door. Name ONE player where the soft went back to commited...one?

As far as alienating HS coaches by establishing guidelines with offers is foolish. There are no indications that Kill has pressured any kid into commiting (early or late). It is entirely fair to establish some value in an offer from the Gophers (lord knows this was not the case in the past). When you say you are 'in" you stay "in". Any coach worth a salt will agree with this.

I think what has some (myself included) honked off is this kid was VERY pro-Gopher, publicly stated as much and went out of his way to 'recruit' other in state kids to the program. This is NOT an issue of bored fans looking to pick on a kid. In this age of social media, one has to choose his words carefully (let alone endorsements) and stand by ones word (again, a very fair ask).

Nobody on the board is whishing him ill will/bashing/'hating'. Just sharing thier disappointment(bacause they wanted him to be a Gopher) and providing some free advice on how to correct (or avoid to other recruits) very poor form.
 

A Badger commenting on core values?

Badger2010 said:
Ridiculous. So because a kid changes his mind he and his family no longer have "core values" unless he immediately calls up coach Kill and recommits? Just absurd. He's a great prospect and the next 4-5 years of his life WILL determine whether or not he has an NFL career. If he wants to look around, that's his perogative, and it is in no way related to his moral compass or "core values."
Click to expand...

Did the earth tilt a few more degrees on it axis?
 

I Care. I don't. I Care

You all look like used car salesmen right now, trying to suck the life out of a recruit before he even has a chance to really examine what his life will be about 10 -30 years from now. Show some patience and drink more Koolaid! Don't forget the popcorn!

DS
 

The Paradox of Wren

Kuato Lives! said:
:clap: Wren complaining about other people's posts! Classic!
Click to expand...

I have found that when wren complains about somebody else's behavior, he is often guilty of the same thing. I wonder if he ever realizes how paradoxical this behavior seems to others. It boggles one's mind to think about it.

That, along with his inability or unwillingness to comprehend what you are saying to him makes him a very strange "dude or dudete". I once questioned Mason's public relation skills and I was immediately accused by wren of being a Brewster apologist. Personally, I found that to be quite a leap in logic and/or a lack of comprehension.
 

sonnygarcia said:
Mine was 1 month ago when he said:

"I have had some offers and I have had a lot of schools calling, but I really don't worry about that. I am more excited than ever to play for Minnesota and there is nothing that will change that."

Or, in that same interview, when he was asked if he was 100% committed, even if a school like OH St. offered and he said "Nothing would change that, I'm 100% committed".


I know we all want the Gophers to recruit MN kids, but honestly, why? I say recruit more out of state except for the kids who truely bleed Maroon & Gold. Not sure we should be wasting our time with the others ones?
Click to expand...

Clearly my favorite moment is when losers started ripping a 17 year old on a board. Give the kid a break. He is 17 years old and lots of fancy people are flattering him. Most of the folks on this board are likely to scare him away with a topic like this
 

Looking at Kill's offers and what he has said...

about recruiting, he doesn't put much emphasis on "stars", but rather "potential".

Everyone seems to agree that this local kid has a lot of potential. If Kill now has serious doubts about the character aspect of that potential (he is huge on personal maturity, loyalty and commitment), he just might consider pulling the offer.

But if and until one of his other WR offers with equal potential hits, why pull the offer? The kid's very happy and comfortable because he's got a B1G offer in his back pocket, his family and coach are happy, Kill gets lots of high school coaching love by sticking with the offer and Sid etc can crow about what a great guy coach is for having lots of patience with a local star and how he's locking down the borders etc.

In the meantime, the kid knows that the clock is ticking on the offer because Kill & Staff are out beating the bushes for a WR with equal talent and potential who really knows that he likes the program/facilities, U/Twin Cities and wants to be a GG for four years.
 

My favorite moment was when he signed is LOI in early spring 2012 and this thread gets bumped

:this is sarcastic or not sarcastic depending on where he ends up signing:




I think the biggest problem with recruiting today is that fans follow it so closely. Everyone is ripping him apart for committing and then changing his mind to look elsewhere. If you don't want him to change his mind, don't ask him to commit before signing day. He is going to answer the question if he thinks he is ready, but he has every right to, and in my opinion SHOULD, look at all his options.

I would not go to Minnesota automatically if I had gotten a football scholarship from them. Back when I was being recruited (to play non-D1 football) there was more than just going where people think you are supposed to end up. You have to look at where you fit culturally, academically, schematically, how you get along with the coaching staff, whether or not you want to live close to home, ect....there are countless things to take into consideration.

Would you get mad at a regular college junior for changing his mind about his top school choice 12 months before he graduates high school? No? Then leave this guy alone. He is going to look around, good for him.
 

exiledinduluth said:
Clearly my favorite moment is when losers started ripping a 17 year old on a board. Give the kid a break. He is 17 years old and lots of fancy people are flattering him. Most of the folks on this board are likely to scare him away with a topic like this
Click to expand...

Please provide me one instance where I ripped the kid. Just bringing up ACTUAL comments out of his mouth and compared them to his actions. Didn't say one thing about the kid. But hey, you live in the run-down sh!t hole some refer to as Duluth, I'll cut you a break on this one.....
 

Interesting. Patherhawk decided to post this thread on McDonald's FB site, which I am guessing Andre and his family/friends are having more than enough chance to review the type of "passionate" Minnesota fans that like to rip on recruits. If Andre does commit elsewhere, I will be sure to follow up with the request on the impact of this thread.
 

imthewalrus said:
to quit their gossip and I invited them to have a little discussion about what ever might make them forget about this recruiting thing between the kid, his parents and Coach Kill and to have a good, spirited debate about anything they want to debate about. These dudes and dudettes are too bored. They need a good debate to forget about this kid stuff and this private recruiting process stuff.

I figuratively challenged any of you tough-talking gossipers to see if you could shut me down on this message board...leave me speachless so to speak...if you think you can do it. I don't think you can... ; 0 )

Coach kill doesn't really need all this stinking gossip stuff. Let him run his own recruiting. He will be held accountable in the end and the number of Big Ten wins vs. Big Ten losses over the next few years will tell us EXACTLY how well...or...how poorly he is doing in the areas of recruiting, coaching, game day preperation, etc. So, go ahead and be a punk bob_loblaw or what erver your moniker is...This recruiting gossip sucks.
Click to expand...


How funny is it that you are calling out other posters for being "tough talking" when you are the one challenging posters to a fight...haha. I hope you are a schtick because if you are, you are comic gold!

I also wasn't tough talking about the kid at all, I didn't say that we should pull his scholarship offer. So, I wasn't laughing at your absurdity out of disagreement with you. I don't think we should pull his scholarship and you are still completely out of your mind. So you can call me a punk or say i'm some tough talking internet poster but it shows just how out of touch with reality he is.

There is no gossip. People are talking about things that have actually been confirmed. If this entire thread was about a rumor or something you'd have a point, but until then, you are again just puking out the crazy.
 


You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom