Do Better: Alex Collins' Mother

As big of a sports addict as I am, National Signing Day is one of the few sports-related things I just can't get into; along with hockey, regular season baseball, and pseudo-sports/skilled hobbies like NASCAR (I've had plenty of arguments about that one). However, I do recognize that for a 17-18 year old kid to have a nationally televised press conference revealing where he's decided to play his sport in college could turn out to be the highlight of his life. I was an all-ACC college athlete and I've seen so many athletes let laziness, attitude or drugs still their potential, have devastating injuries, get killed or end up in the legal system, have children and consequently have to kiss their dreams goodbye, or even just not fit into the system they entered. I say all that to say, there are a lot of #1 ranked high school prospects who never made the pros, never won college awards, etc. It's had to keep succeeding as you increase competition level. Combine that with the fact that choosing your college is one of the more important decisions in your life and National Signing Day is huge for a kid at that age. That's why I was so disappointed when I heard that Alex Collins' (#13 RB from Plantation, FL, a Miami suburb) National Letter of Intent never made it the fax machine (this is the only time its likely still used) at the University of Arkansas, because his mother came to his school and took and hid it because she disapproved of his decision. She and the family had been pressuring him for years to attend the University of Miami, less than 30 mins from home. He committed early there at one point, and later de-committed to explore more options. She likely assumed he was still going there, as she drove to his school to sign the letter (he's not yet 18 and needs a parental signature too). When she saw what school was on the letter, she snapped and left with the letter; he had to cancel his press conference and everything. Lady,  this isn't about you. I get that you don't wanna let your son go, it happens to a lot of parents. But it's not your choice to make. I mean damn, he picked as SEC school. He didn't opt to turn down Miami to sell dope, or to try to become a rapper; it was a legitimate alternative. My parents taught me that the difference between being a child and being an adult is the ability to make your own decisions and live with the consequences. For a kid in his shoes, this may be the first meaningful decision that was every truly his to make. He went on visits, he talked to coaches, he made his mind up. And now his mother has not only snatched his nationally televised TV moment, but also his confidence that he could make this decision for himself. How is he going to grow into a man if you won't let him pick the school HE will have to live at, study at, eat at, and play ball at for the next 3-4-5 years? As a man, much of what has given me the confidence to make and stand by my decisions is trial and error; I've made decisions that work, that don't work, and had to deal with the consequences even when they're ugly. It's part of life. My parents, regardless of their personal preferences, have sat me down, made sure that I've thought through my big decisions (which I always do before discussing it with them) and supported my decisions, even when it's something drastic they wouldn't do like going to live in Southeast Asia for 18 months. It's been essential to my liberation as a man. I'm 25 and out on my own, when I'm making a decision , the thought "Are my parents going to LET me do this?" doesn't cross my mind. She's crippling her son to this kind of thought process. Ma'am, let this moment, which was created by your son's talent and hard work, be about your son and not you. He has to start being a man at some point. Do Better baby...