Ultimately, it was not where he committed that has people talking. After planning a press conference at his elementary school, Neal failed to show up. Speculation ensued that a power struggle was occurring between Davonte and his father Luke about what school Davonte would sign with.
Hours later, Neal showed up with less fan fare and made his decision know. He would attend the University of Notre Dame in the fall of 2012.
But the damage to Neal's reputation had already been done. Pundits on major outlets, including ESPN, ripped him for his actions. The Neal family cited a family emergency as the reason they were unable to attend the press conference.
Today, an ESPN blog stated that Arkansas should not fret over the loss of Davonte Neal because of the "show" he put on and his "me-first" attitude. The Arizona Wildcat cautioned that the "Davonte Neal fiasco should be a lesson to all." Notre Dame outlets may have been doing the same thing today if Neal had selected Arizona.
But, if the Neal family really had an emergency then they should not be faulted for their actions. However, no one seems to be buying Luke Neal's explanation of events.
Regardless, Notre Dame got one of the best athletes in the country. He will undoubtedly make an impact immediately. In today's world of instant media, this event will be forgotten by everyone outside of the program. This ultimately could be a moot point by the end of Neal's 4-years at Notre Dame.
And Neal definitely has the potential to do so. At an impromptu interview with UND.com, Brian Kelly discussed Neal's ability as a player on the field.
No comments:
Post a Comment