NCAA Recruiting Indulgence: Why Do College Football Fans Become Junkies?

One man's perception is another man's crapulence (Crap"u*lence, n. The sickness occasioned by intemperance or over-indulgence).

Some people get over-enthralled when others project a certain opinion about someone else, and this is evident in the recruiting season. Look at how the typical college football fan constantly scans message boards and Web sites for the latest recruiting update. And let's not forget the junkies who waste their money for the pleasure of salivating over the hottest new teenage additions (hey, get your mind out of the gutter).

We are talking about the various recruiting sites that charge an average of $100 to provide you, the junkie, with up-to-the-minute information on the prize recruits of choice. Information that will be posted within a matter of minutes by other media anyway. Are you feeling suckered yet?

What used to be a cottage industry has turn into a multi-million-dollar giant, a monster created mainly on the backs of the working-class Joe trying to put food on his table.   

I know the subscription sales are just the tip of the iceberg. With marathon shows on practically every ESPN channel and other networks, this providing of "exclusive" recruiting information doesn't look to be going away anytime soon.

The sad thing is the “information” being spoon-fed to the willing populace is pretty much catered to those willing to spend their hard-earned dollars. Do you really think Alabama suddenly moving from third to take over the first-place position was anything other than catering to the 'Bama Nation? 

During the last 10 years, recruiting is what many fans have to live for, Alabama topping the list. That tradition is not going to fade away, like super wide neckties did. Actually, come to think of it, those kind of ties are back. Guess all things ugly have to come back every decade or so.

Do you really think any team other than Alabama had a chance to be crowned the “Rivals Recruiting National Champion?” All of the drama with LSU being the top dog most of the day was simply to create drama. Highly coveted No. 1 wide receiver Reuben Randle did nothing to bolster LSU’s stake to the top spot. 

The Tide fans were so giddy after the crowning. Had they pulled a royal flush and fished out Mr. Randle from the bayou, it would have been enough for the Bear to ascend from heaven's gates ready to coach ’em up. (No, they still have not let Bear into heaven yet. God doesn't allow houndstooth hats to be worn inside).

I guess for those you who are not 'Bama fans, there are positives. If Alabama placed anywhere other than first, Rivals subscriptions would have dropped 60 percent. Rivals executives would have to lay off all of their 'Bama graduate employees. Ultimately, the corporation would have to stand in line begging for millions from the government. So there you go, a few tax dollars were spared.

As if it was not bad enough for those Tiger fans who watched the slobber bath from Rivals over Alabama, remember what happened to No. 1-rated prep star wide receiver DeAngelo Benton. He shocked the college football recruiting world when he signed with Auburn; he was a five-star recruit on the Rivals Web site up until that moment.

Two minutes after he signed with Auburn, his picture was removed from Rivals' website and he dropped to four stars. How does Rivals expect to maintain any credibility after that? They can't. One more reason why intelligent people put all of their faith in these so-called recruiting experts: they are human and, ergo, motivated by greed. 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm not bashing Alabama, but rather the crazed fans of any team who will cling to any bit of recruiting news, spend money on expensive sites, denigrate players who don't sign with their school, and generally exhibit crapulence during the recruiting year. They're just football players. It's not life or death.