Gainer commits to MSU

[grunkiejr]

Sh-t! I really wanted to add a 4 star LB to this class.

[bigtenchamps1899]

ok i've checked all the normal sites and i haven't seen this info--where did you hear?

[runningopher]

Darn it. First Lewan and now Gainer. Hopefully we can tie up Carter and McNeal at the Army game and Allen tonight.

Go Gophers!!

[runningopher]

ok i've checked all the normal sites and i haven't seen this info--where did you hear?

Rivals.

[MRJ]

This news makes me think "well, what can you do??":confused:

Nothing more, nothing less.

[bigtenchamps1899]

Rivals.

is this some kind of subscriber only news, because i don't see it?

[runningopher]

is this some kind of subscriber only news, because i don't see it?

Go to Rivals.com, scroll down, plug his name in the 'recruit search' boxes, it'll then show the schools he's interested in, next to MSU it says 'solid verbal'.

[grunkiejr]

This news makes me think "well, what can you do??":confused:

Nothing more, nothing less.

It's tough. We were right there. If MSU didn't step in at the last minute he was our recruit. He was wavering and said it was 50/50 and he had to go with his heart within the last week. Home town team/convenient for parents or play with your cousin. Both are up and coming programs with dynamic head coaches (with some of the stunts Dantonio has pulled the last 2 years he has become my favorite coach amongst opponent coaches in the Big Ten). He couldnt' really go wrong either way. Because Gainer was so torn in his decision it will be interesting to see if this is truly the end or whether we have another Keanon Cooper situation where Brew convinced him to change his commitment on the eve of signing day.


Off-Topic but...
For those that don't know, Dantonio has brought the rivalry with Michigan to a new level with such great lines as, "pride comes before the fall" last season and he irked PSU fans by calling a timeout with 7 seconds remaining to make them delay their Rose Bowl Celebration. His reason, "his players needed a breather." :D The guy cracks me up and I love that he embraces rivalries and tries to take them to a new level.

My personal favorite too was not Dantonio, but still someone associated with MSU put up billboards near Ann Arbor that said things such as, "Holy Toledo, bye bye bowl streak."

[MGGopher]

My personal favorite too was not Dantonio, but still someone associated with MSU put up billboards near Ann Arbor that said things such as, "Holy Toledo, bye bye bowl streak."

OMG...that's hilarious! I hadn't heard that, but it's classic...

[MRJ]

Grunkie,

Yeah. Sometimes it's hard to come up with the words. Not that losing Gainer has ruined my day, but this is one of those cases where the coaches and players did their best and it came up short. Nothing else really needs to be said one way or the other.

It just happens sometimes, which is where I say "well, what can you do?" and then just shrug my shoulders and move on towards hopefully, the next verbal. :o

[Monty519]

This one sucked. First Lewan, now Gainer. Don't let me down McNeal and Carter lol, though I don't have the greatest vibe there either......

[JohnnyGopher]

Not that big of a loss, certainly not on the level of Lewan, Carter, or McNeal. He had the fourth star on Rivals so that immediately made him special to some who care so much about the stars. Check out ESPN, the best talent evaluators out there, Watkins, who some called a throw-in to get Gainer, is rated higher and is actually MN's 6th highest rated recruit ahead of Lipscomb. Watkins is a 77, Gainer a 75
http://insider.espn.go.com/ncf/recruiting/tracker/school?schoolId=135&season=2009&action=upsell&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fncf %2frecruiting%2ftracker%2fschool%3fschoolId%3d135% 26season%3d2009

[grunkiejr]

OMG...that's hilarious! I hadn't heard that, but it's classic...

I think it was actually a digital billboard that rotated between the Bye Bye Bowl Streak, the score of the MSU/Michigan Game, and some reference to The Little Brother comment from The Michigan RB made last season (totally blanking on his name but he was a 4 year starter).

Dantonio also had a comment in which he said, who is who's little brother and pointed out that he only came up to his chest in an interview. I don't even care about their rivalry but I respect when a coach tries to make a rivalry more intense.

I feel like Brewster is doing that to a smaller extent here with Wisconsin. We're 0-2 against them under Brewster but the team has played with more fire in that game than any of their other games each of the last two seasons. I loved his comments in the locker room before the 07 game that said something to the effect of, if we have to we'll get carried back here but there will be an axe upon our back.

[Boondoggle]

grunkiejr are you thinking of Mike Hart?

[FiveStarFan]

this is a bad blow to take. Getting his cuz without him right away should have been a clear sign that msu was the leading candidate. We will move on tho and bring in big beast Maresh and Leon and lets roll!!!! As said I hope that Lewan and now Gainer is not a trebd with all of these on the fringe higher recruits....cross the fingers for Allen in the nezt hour!

[Gopho Sapiens]

Not that big of a loss, certainly not on the level of Lewan, Carter, or McNeal. He had the fourth star on Rivals so that immediately made him special to some who care so much about the stars. Check out ESPN, the best talent evaluators out there, Watkins, who some called a throw-in to get Gainer, is rated higher and is actually MN's 6th highest rated recruit ahead of Lipscomb. Watkins is a 77, Gainer a 75
http://insider.espn.go.com/ncf/recruiting/tracker/school?schoolId=135&season=2009&action=upsell&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fncf %2frecruiting%2ftracker%2fschool%3fschoolId%3d135% 26season%3d2009

Surprisingly, ESPN also rates him higher (87/85) at PG than Cobbs!

[grunkiejr]

Not that big of a loss, certainly not on the level of Lewan, Carter, or McNeal. He had the fourth star on Rivals so that immediately made him special to some who care so much about the stars. Check out ESPN, the best talent evaluators out there, Watkins, who some called a throw-in to get Gainer, is rated higher and is actually MN's 6th highest rated recruit ahead of Lipscomb. Watkins is a 77, Gainer a 75
http://insider.espn.go.com/ncf/recruiting/tracker/school?schoolId=135&season=2009&action=upsell&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fncf %2frecruiting%2ftracker%2fschool%3fschoolId%3d135% 26season%3d2009

I'm not sure what your supporting evidence is of ESPN being the best evaluator but they scouted him as a safety. Rivals & Scout rated him as a WLB which is the same position Minnesota was recruiting him to play. The thing that always bothers me about ESPN is the lack of scouting JC players and they consistently rank them at a different position than they are being recruited for. I'll look at all 3 but the college offers tells me a little bit more about players than anything and from what I can tell Rivals seems to match up the most closely with # of offers and prestige of programs offering. I'd love to hear why you think ESPN is the best.

By no means do I consider Watkins a throw in. I really like the kid and I wanted him badly.

[grunkiejr]

grunkiejr are you thinking of Mike Hart?

Yes, thanks.