![\"\"](\"http:\/\/images.blippitt.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/Landon-Collins-Mom.gif\" "\\"Landon")
If you are a recruitingnik, \u00a0by now you have dug deep into the Landon Collins drama. \u00a0Collins announced his college intentions at the Under Armour All-American game earlier this month. \u00a0What is typically a joyous event for player and family alike, \u00a0punctuated with hugs and tears was anything but.<\/p>\n
Collins’ choice of the Crimson Tide hat was greeted with a sigh, head drop and hand over face by Landon’s mother April Justin. \u00a0Justin is stern in her belief that Collins’ best choice would be the hometown LSU Tigers as opposed to their bitter SEC rival Alabama. \u00a0Justin’s motives may never be truly known but she has offered up her opinion publicly.<\/p>\n
In an interview with Momsteam.com, \u00a0Justin indicated that the family routinely sets short term and long term goals. \u00a0Several of the long term goals were circumvented when Collins chose Alabama. \u00a0One of those goals was for Collins to play at LSU with his younger brother who is also being courted by the Tigers. \u00a0She also stated that winning the Heisman Trophy was another “goal” that has been set. \u00a0That remark will be sure to draw the ire of football purist who will see Justin as a person who has taught her son to put himself and his goals before the teams.<\/p>\n
While I could pile on Justin as so many others have, \u00a0my experience as a youth football coach gives me reason to pause. \u00a0Seven years of coaching youth football allowed me the opportunity to have a finger or two wagged in my face by a protective mother who felt like my goals did not matchup with what she had in mind for her son. \u00a0My travel through the World of youth sports educated me on the fact that when it comes to their children, \u00a0women have their goals for them and then bleep all the rest. \u00a0You can take your X’s and O’s, \u00a0your strategy, your team building, etc. and toss it in the bonfire. \u00a0 Before you go and criticize this quality in a woman, \u00a0understand that it is that very quality that makes them the primary care taker inherently. \u00a0 Mothers have one objective and that is the well-fare of their offspring. \u00a0It’s what makes female birds attack people walking close to their nest, \u00a0a bear want to destroy a hiker and what made my mother throw the neighborhood bully into the bushes when she saw him in my face.<\/p>\n
Another thing moms have is intuition. \u00a0Mom’s can read people and they make it a point to do so when someone enters into the lives of their children. \u00a0Justin has had the privilege of entertaining both Nick Saban and Les Miles in her home. \u00a0Perhaps, \u00a0she got a read on one or both that suggests to her that Landon would be best suited in Baton Rouge than in Tuscaloosa.<\/p>\n
With all this said, \u00a0I have made the following observations. \u00a0Landon Collins is a pretty damned good football player. I don’t think he can go wrong at either Alabama or LSU. \u00a0Ole Landon is going to be the one going to class, meeting people and suiting up in the pads. \u00a0He’s going to have to feel comfortable in his environment. \u00a0 If mom has done everything right, then at age 18, \u00a0Landon should be able to make quality decisions for himself. \u00a0Alabama’s success would certainly be tied up in the fortunes of a 5 star recruit like Landon Collins. \u00a0They can ill afford to have him fall by the wayside so I am sure the plan they have for him is a solid one.<\/p>\n
I would not be surprised if there is a hold up in Collins’ signing on Wednesday but I am not expecting that. \u00a0These things usually have a way of working themselves out. \u00a0Sometimes, \u00a0the player ends up being not as advertised and it’s much ado about nothing or the player ends up proving to be a lights out player that would have hit the NFL whether he was playing for the BCS national champs or Austin Peay.<\/p>\n