WR James Louis (transfer to FIU)

[OhioState001]

Don't see why Florida would take him now, when they wouldn't before. They only have about 3 scholarships left and some pretty big prospects are still out there.

 

[BGriffBuckeye]

Don't see why Florida would take him now, when they wouldn't before. They only have about 3 scholarships left and some pretty big prospects are still out there.

Agree. The thought before was that if they get Dunkley then Louis is definitely ours. They also have received verbals from Solomon Patton and Quinton Dubar.

They apparently still want another WR. I know I have heard that they wanted Ivan McCartney, Kyle Prater, Markeith Ambles, Da'Rick Rogers and, more recently, Dillon Baxter. Baxter was supposed to visit this coming weekend, but it looks like he is now staying with USC and enrolling early soon there. I think they may have invited James, but were STILL slow playing him until they figured out the Baxter deal.

We'll see, but it would bring me much joy to see James just shove it in their face for playing him the whole time and then finally trying to crawl and beg their way in at the last second...

 

[wadc45]

Listen to 22...if UF puts the full court press on they can probably flip him. Seems like having him in for a visit was more about them gauging Louis' interest...

 

[Outstanding]

So, do you question when a recruit point blank says "I wasnt at Florida this weekend" when he was?

That depends on the circumstances surrounding the situation. Am I getting my information first hand, as I saw him on campus with my own eyes, or did I read a report that is more than likely 2nd hand at best or 3rd hand?

 

[JCOSU86]

Listen to 22...if UF puts the full court press on they can probably flip him. Seems like having him in for a visit was more about them gauging Louis' interest...

Bummer

 

[wadc45]

I don't think James was trying to deceive anyone...it sounds like knows he didn't handle the situation properly and it also sounds like he regrets that and is just trying to figure out where is the best place for him to spend the next 3-5 years. I have a hard time getting upset at an 18-year old about that. Should he know better? You'd like to hope so...but that doesn't mean he is a bad guy or anything like that. I think more than anything he was hoping to take the visit quietly so that way he wouldn't upset the OSU staff. Although anyone that follows OSU recruiting knows that JT and the staff would probably have encouraged him to take the visit...because we know JT wants to build his program with 85 kids who desperately want to be a part of the traidtion that is OSU football.

Like one genius elitist (er, BPRT member) said back in December:

I think he sticks with OSU...although I could see JT encouraging him to take visits.

I still see James signing with OSU...but nothing would shock me at this point (and nothing ever does anymore when it comes to recruiting).

 

[Outstanding]

Does your perception of firm commits include taking visits to other schools?

There are many firm commits to OSU in this class that no one is questionng. It is the ones who are still looking around, visting other schools, and labeled by some insiders as 50/50 to enroll at OSU that we are talking about.

I hope these distinctions help you to understand.

Maybe firm commit was not the best wording.

Lets just say I prefer, first hand knowledge and statements to second and third reports and Internet rumors.

He has said repeatedly that he is committed to tOSU. Could he be misleading his readers, absolutely, but I prefer the "innocent until proven guilty" approach with some people.

You are right there are plenty of commits in our current class that aren't looking around.

I appreciate insiders info, again it is usually heard from someone else, who heard from someone else. I prefer hearing directly from the recruit. Not to mention different people subscribe to different "insiders". Think BK vs. Nevada. We all have our opinions, that's what make message boards great, it is a forum for expression and opinions.

 

[buckeyefan_1]

Ok. Thanks Wad and 22. That's the impression I had of the situation too. Hopefully he wants to be a Buckeye and ends up here. If not, I'll wish the best for him(unless he ends up on the other sideline in a game against us).

 

[LordJeffBuck]

Lets just say I prefer, first hand knowledge and statements to second and third reports and Internet rumors.

I appreciate insiders info, again it is usually heard from someone else, who heard from someone else. I prefer hearing directly from the recruit.

If that's the case, then you should have been in Gainesville last weekend. That way, you could have seen James on Florida's campus and asked him directly about the firmness of his commitment to Ohio State.

 

[Outstanding]

Of course....but it is that distinction that you also acknowledge in your last thought that appears to be lost on Outstanding..and has us all talking.

Of course I would prefer he stick with OSU..but to call folks out for discussing a recruit that previously tried to verbal to a different school...then committed to OSU without visiting..and then just a couple of weeks before signing day ends up back at his original favorite, denies the visit..and schedules two others....I don't think that is posters putting an attitude out there that will cause the previously firm Louis to change his mind. He is obviously looking around...so we are talking about him.

And our talk won't be what causes him to change his mind if he does end up elsewhere.

If anything all the talk among OSU fans shows we are concerned as we hope he ends up in Columbus.

If you want to define my assessment of the situation as "lost" that's fine, I see it as a difference of opinion, but since you have singled me out like many others I will explain myself.

First, who did I call out? I believe I said will never understand why people question.....

If you consider that "calling folks out", that's your opinion, and a very sensitive one in my opinion, but that's ok, you're entitled to it.

There is no doubt Louis's recruitment has ben unique and there are many questions out there, I just prefer he answer rather than what some Internet avatar thinks, again a difference of opinion.

You then make this statement......
"Of course I would prefer he stick with OSU..but to call folks out for discussing a recruit that previously tried to verbal to a different school...then committed to OSU without visiting..and then just a couple of weeks before signing day ends up back at his original favorite, denies the visit..and schedules two others....I don't think that is posters putting an attitude out there that will cause the previously firm Louis to change his mind"

Last I checked these rumors started immediately after Loius's recruitment, actually at the moment of his committment which further supports my theory. Notice I don't state my opinion or view as fact.

"If anything all the talk among OSU fans shows we are concerned as we hope he ends up in Columbus."

In the above statement I see concern, but not support. Support imho doesn't come from questioning a persons honesty which I feel is being done by some, on dozens of Louis threads started on numerous sites when not taking him for his word. It has a snowball effect(Floyd and Urban come to mind). Before you know it, one person's post/opinion can turn into dozens, then hundreds, etc. BN did a great story on the effect of the message board in a recruits decision. Recruits have come and said they have decommitted from a school because of what fans were saying on these boards. I believe it was a Wisky recruit last year.

If you don't think recruits read these threads, I'm sorry but most do.

In closing I never said people couldn't talk about the Internet drama that is being created, I just don't understand why people prefer rumors to first hand knowledge.

It has been my experience that first hand knowledge is correct far more than second and third hand. Is my opinion sometimes incorrect, absolutely, but it is my opinion that it is the better way to come to conclusions in matters off 17 and 18 year olds (kids).

Who knows how this will end, but I do know I will wait until NLOI day before I judge the kids honesty. He could prove my opinion wrong, but it won't sway my view.

 

[MaxBuck]

Good grief, what's the point of this debate? We'll know when Coach T receives James's NLI over the fax - or when he doesn't.

 

[Outstanding]

I don't think James was trying to deceive anyone...it sounds like knows he didn't handle the situation properly and it also sounds like he regrets that and is just trying to figure out where is the best place for him to spend the next 3-5 years. I have a hard time getting upset at an 18-year old about that. Should he know better? You'd like to hope so...but that doesn't mean he is a bad guy or anything like that. I think more than anything he was hoping to take the visit quietly so that way he wouldn't upset the OSU staff. Although anyone that follows OSU recruiting knows that JT and the staff would probably have encouraged him to take the visit...because we know JT wants to build his program with 85 kids who desperately want to be a part of the traidtion that is OSU football.

Like one genius elitist (er, BPRT member) said back in December:



I still see James signing with OSU...but nothing would shock me at this point (and nothing ever does anymore when it comes to recruiting).

Thanks for the update.

 

[y0yoyoin]

If James is wavering on his commitment then i think its good he is taking these visits to other schools. I would rather have someone with less talent then James who is 100% committed to playing at Ohio State.

 

[Outstanding]

If that's the case, then you should have been in Gainesville last weekend. That way, you could have seen James on Florida's campus and asked him directly about the firmness of his commitment to Ohio State.

Trust me, If I had been on campus with Louis, he would have been asked.

I would then post to this forum, and you and everyone would receive 2nd hand info, LOL.

 

[jwinslow]

In the above statement I see concern, but not support. Support imho doesn't come from questioning a persons honesty which I feel is being done by some, on dozens of Louis threads started on numerous sites when not taking him for his word.

So it's our fault when he claims to not have visited Gainesville when many saw him there?

It has a snowball effect(Floyd and Urban come to mind).

Not really, that didn't affect his decision whatsoever.

In closing I never said people couldn't talk about the Internet drama that is being created, I just don't understand why people prefer rumors to first hand knowledge.

No one prefers innuendo over first hand accounts, but likewise no one is going to be naive enough to believe that quotes are accurate just because they are from the recruit.

Kids say things. Sometimes they build suspense, sometimes they just tell these reporters anything to get them to stop calling, sometimes they lie, sometimes they tell the truth.

In the south, a commitment is often just a progress report. So many kids from the SEC region (and more recently expanding across the nation) are "firmly committed" but taking visits.

Firmly committed kids don't keep talking to Florida and take visits there.



His first love has always been Florida. Nothing wrong with that, or visiting Gainesville. It just makes it hard to buy that he's firmly committed even if the quote is first-hand (in this case it's second hand info unless James wrote the piece).