Official signing day thread: Discuss it all in here

[The Great 8]

Wow Jones better rescind his statement he'd be a fool to go now.

[BDYZR]

If he signed with an agent it's to late.

[Mama_Bull]

There was speculation that Davante Gardner was waiting for his teaamate Jay Copeland to return from his official visit to Ball State, so that they could both announce their  school decisions.

As it turns out, Jay Copeland committed to Ball State and we still haven't heard anything about Gardner:

Ball State men's basketball program lands oral commitment from power forward

By THOMAS ST. MYER • tstmyer@muncie.gannett.com • April 21, 2010

A source close to the Ball State men's basketball program confirmed that the Cardinals secured their third commitment for the 2010 class late Tuesday night.

Two days after returning from his official campus visit, 6-foot-6, 235-pound power forward Jay Copeland (King's Fork High School/Suffolk, Va.) informed the Ball State coaching staff of his commitment. Copeland will sign his National Letter of Intent today, the source said

http://www.thestarpress.com/article/20100421/SPORTS2002/4210343/1006/SPORTS

I expect Gardner to do something soon then. I mean I haven't seen anything that suggest he is taking other visits. I also haven't seen anything about USF looking at other Big guys so I feel confident that we get the Ox. We see with Poland decommitting Heath start looking for other options rather quickly even though SG is clearly a higher priority. I have to admit that concern is starting to creep in, at least slightly.

Gardner appears very nonchalant on his face book page. Evidently, more concerned about playing in his all-star game than his recruiting. I figured he already made his decision a couple of days ago.

BTW, Cleveland Melvin scheduled a visit to MARSHALL.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/usf/basketball/recruiting/player-Cleveland-Melvin-105523

[Vega]

There was speculation that Davante Gardner was waiting for his teaamate Jay Copeland to return from his official visit to Ball State, so that they could both announce their  school decisions.

As it turns out, Jay Copeland committed to Ball State and we still haven't heard anything about Gardner:

Ball State men's basketball program lands oral commitment from power forward

By THOMAS ST. MYER • tstmyer@muncie.gannett.com • April 21, 2010

A source close to the Ball State men's basketball program confirmed that the Cardinals secured their third commitment for the 2010 class late Tuesday night.

Two days after returning from his official campus visit, 6-foot-6, 235-pound power forward Jay Copeland (King's Fork High School/Suffolk, Va.) informed the Ball State coaching staff of his commitment. Copeland will sign his National Letter of Intent today, the source said

http://www.thestarpress.com/article/20100421/SPORTS2002/4210343/1006/SPORTS

I expect Gardner to do something soon then. I mean I haven't seen anything that suggest he is taking other visits. I also haven't seen anything about USF looking at other Big guys so I feel confident that we get the Ox. We see with Poland decommitting Heath start looking for other options rather quickly even though SG is clearly a higher priority. I have to admit that concern is starting to creep in, at least slightly.

Gardner appears very nonchalant on his face book page. Evidently, more concerned about playing in his all-star game than his recruiting. I figured he already made his decision a couple of days ago.

BTW, Cleveland Melvin scheduled a visit to MARSHALL.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/usf/basketball/recruiting/player-Cleveland-Melvin-105523

This is true and that's why I believe he has made up his mind and as a hunch I believe it is USF, just a hunch though.

I think we are still going to make a hard push for either Melvin or Michael Haynes if they are still available after this Poland situation clears up. I just have my doubts that Heath is real confident in Burwell or Noriega. Just for sake of saying we do get Poland and he and Robertson are the starters at the wing spots. Does anybody really feel satisfied with both Buwell and Noriega backing then up? I don't and I think one will go if Heath can get Poland and can bring in either Haynes or Melvin. Right now Jawanza is looking like the key to what our team can possibly be next season unless there is someone else of equal or better talent Heath can sign to start at the 2.

[Vega]

Michael Haynes commits to UTEP. That's 1 option eliminated for USF.

Poor guy had dreams of going to DUKE and ignored us. Duke simply used him to get Felix committed. Haynes failed for it just like PJ Lockridge who actually believed Louisville wanted him. Pitino just used him to pressure Coleman in committing. Both Haynes and Lockridge thought USF was beneath them and avoided coming here despite their teammate and USF signee Waverly Austin's best effort to get them here. Austin was really working on Haynes but he didn't listen and now he's buried in Texas El Paso.

We see coaches shoot to high sometime but here is a case where players were thinking to big. It can be a cruel world. I wonder where Lockridge will end up now.

[DELdaBull]

Lockridge is a SF correct?  Come on down.

[Triple B]

Michael Haynes commits to UTEP. That's 1 option eliminated for USF.

Poor guy had dreams of going to DUKE and ignored us. Duke simply used him to get Felix committed. Haynes failed for it just like PJ Lockridge who actually believed Louisville wanted him. Pitino just used him to pressure Coleman in committing. Both Haynes and Lockridge thought USF was beneath them and avoided coming here despite their teammate and USF signee Waverly Austin's best effort to get them here. Austin was really working on Haynes but he didn't listen and now he's buried in Texas El Paso.

We see coaches shoot to high sometime but here is a case where players were thinking to big. It can be a cruel world. I wonder where Lockridge will end up now.

Not sure what you mean by "now he's buried in Texas El Paso"? The way that's worded it sounded like UTEP was his last option .... maybe I read it wrong.

[SattyBull]

Not sure what you mean by "now he's buried in Texas El Paso"? The way that's worded it sounded like UTEP was his last option .... maybe I read it wrong.

Agreed.

UTEP recently:

NCAA- 2004,2005, 2010

NIT-2006

CBI- 2008,2009 (finalist)

Pretty solid program in my opinion, plus they have great fan support and a solid history in basketball.

[Vega]

Not sure what you mean by "now he's buried in Texas El Paso"? The way that's worded it sounded like UTEP was his last option .... maybe I read it wrong.

Agreed.

UTEP recently:

NCAA- 2004,2005, 2010

NIT-2006

CBI- 2008,2009 (finalist)

Pretty solid program in my opinion, plus they have great fan support and a solid history in basketball.

Well I respect the UTEP program for what it is, but they are not part of the Big 6 conference and other then checking the newspapers or the bottomline on ESPN no one outside of that area even knows UTEP played a game. Fair or not that just the way it is. They are a small time program in that sense and a 30 win UTEP team will NEVER get the respect nationally as a 20-25 win team out of the Big Conferences. Haynes settled for UTEP because he couldn't get into DUKE and other options dried up.

My gosh I can't see how you two guys even wanted to debate that.

[Triple B]

Not sure what you mean by "now he's buried in Texas El Paso"? The way that's worded it sounded like UTEP was his last option .... maybe I read it wrong.

Agreed.

UTEP recently:

NCAA- 2004,2005, 2010

NIT-2006

CBI- 2008,2009 (finalist)

Pretty solid program in my opinion, plus they have great fan support and a solid history in basketball.

Well I respect the UTEP program for what it is, but they are not part of the Big 6 conference and other then checking the newspapers or the bottomline on ESPN no one outside of that area even knows UTEP played a game. Fair or not that just the way it is. They are a small time program in that sense and a 30 win UTEP team will NEVER get the respect nationally as a 20-25 win team out of the Big Conferences. Haynes settled for UTEP because he couldn't get into DUKE and other options dried up.

My gosh I can't see how you two guys even wanted to debate that.

My bad I wasn't clearer .... To me, the way it was worded sounded like HE had to settle for UTEP because all his other options were gone but I thought WE were still an option.