Every year high school senior football players look forward to the first Wednesday in February. On this special day, these athletes get to enjoy the fruits of their labor and sign a National Letter of Intent to play for the college of their choice. Over the years this day has become a major celebratory production with ESPN-U carry the signings live and the athletes pulling hats from under the table or switching hats at the last second to show where they have chosen to attend college. One young man even pulled a bulldog puppy from beneath the table before signing with the University of Georgia.
But for some, the excitement of National Signing Day takes on a terrible twist. In Miami, as a young man was about to sign his letter of intent with the University of Arkansas, his mother grabbed the paperwork and took off with it. She wanted him to sign with the University of Miami so that her son would be close to home. A day later his father stepped in and allowed his son to sign the letter of intent to play at Arkansas.
A similar story happened in New Orleans. Again, an athlete was set to sign with Texas Tech University, but his mother wanted him to stay home and sign with Tulane University. This story is still on going. The mother recently stated that the family would have the situation resolved after the New Orleans Mardi Gras break, and that she was leaning towards letting him make the decision.
Signing a National Letter of Intent to play collegiate football should be the happiest day in life of these young men, but because their mothers are not ready to let their babies leave home their memories of National Signing Day will be forever tarnished.
Edward Williams - New Orleans Warren Easton High
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