DT Matt Elam Signs With Kentucky

[alabama mike1]

Re: DT Matt Elam Commits to Kentucky

Cant say I am suprised the youngster decided to stay near home and try to help build the UK team. Its difficult to hold a grudge against an 18 year old when he wasnt officially ours. I wish him well.

 

[bamafaninOhiO]

Re: DT Matt Elam Commits to Kentucky

Any chance he flips to us before signing day?

I think this this one's done, and over. He seems to have waited until his mide was made up before commiting.

 

[Matt0424]

Re: DT Matt Elam Commits to Kentucky

Great talent, seemingly great kid, wish him nothing but luck (against everyone but us of course) in his future.

We have/had been fighting an uphill battle here since the beginning. As was said by BET, him saying yes to us was never a problem...but getting him to say no to them was. So in the end he went with what he thought was "best" and stayed home to help his home team try and build something.

 

[russtang]

Re: DT Matt Elam Commits to Kentucky

He isn't that good anyway. We didn't really want him.

It seems like he wanted to go Bama, but just couldn't do it. I just hope that his desire to please other people doesn't cause him bad regrets later.

Seems like a good kid. I wish him well.

 

[bamafaninOhiO]

Re: DT Matt Elam Commits to Kentucky

Cant say I am suprised the youngster decided to stay near home and try to help build the UK team. Its difficult to hold a grudge against an 18 year old when he wasnt officially ours. I wish him well.

Its hard to hold a grudge against an 18 year old kid in any circumstance. We continue recruiting kids who are commited, and we've flipped quite a few towards us, so how can anyone hold a grude towards a kid who changes his mind.

Picking the right school is a tough decision, with lots of people trying to influence them.

 

[BamaHoosier]

Re: DT Matt Elam Commits to Kentucky

I hate to lose him, but he has to do what he feels is right for him and his family. He may never play for a winning team, but at least he will be representing his home state and he will be close to his family. I wish him well, and I hope he's able to develop to his full potential.

 

[bama579]

Re: DT Matt Elam Commits to Kentucky

Our staff wanted him, then so did I.

With Reed, Frazier, and Dwight . . maybe Smith, we are better than OK at d-line interior with this group.

Add Hand and Pettway . . . An amazing group this time.

Rooooooll Tide.

 

[im4uainva]

Re: DT Matt Elam Commits to Kentucky

Well, I'm not going back through 26 pages, so I'll just say this: Good luck to the young man. I'm sure he will be sucessful and have a great career ahead of him. I think it's great that he wants to stay at home and help his in-State University. I also think that he is passing up a fantastic opportunity to excel with an established Championship team and then continue on to a probable NFL team having been coached and trained by one of the best organizations in CFB. I hate that Bama could not convince him to come to Tuscaloosa. In that regard, I believe both Matt and Bama are losers. Best wishes to him anyway. Roll Tide!

 

[rickvox79]

Re: DT Matt Elam Commits to Kentucky

And thus the reason you should have committed to Alabama Matt!

 

[CrimsonEyeshade]

Re: DT Matt Elam Commits to Kentucky

And thanks to Kentucky Tider, whose information appears to have been spot on, even if it pointed toward an outcome many of us didn't want to accept.

 

[alwayshavebeen]

Re: DT Matt Elam Commits to Kentucky

And thanks to Kentucky Tider, whose information appears to have been spot on, even if it pointed toward an outcome many of us didn't want to accept.

I agree. He knew what he was talking about and caught a little grief for it.

 

[jps1983]

Re: DT Matt Elam Commits to Kentucky

And thus the reason you should have committed to Alabama Matt!

lol!! I really do hope that was a joke by the UK guy. I think Elam made the right decision for himself. He has been on the fence and he can always change his mind, but the home state thing and being close to home were VERY important to him all along. Heart wins out in the end over head. Best of luck to him.

 

[CajunCrimson]

Re: DT Matt Elam Commits to Kentucky

Big Fish - Little Pond = Kentucky

Just Another Fish - Big Pond = Alabama

 

[BigEasyTider]

Re: DT Matt Elam Commits to Kentucky

One final note on Elam:

No Alabama fan in particular ought to disparage his decision to stay at home. Did he spurn a much better program where he would win far more? Of course, but in fairness we signed a lot of kids over the years in the exact same manner.

 

[bamafaninOhiO]

Re: DT Matt Elam Commits to Kentucky

Big Fish - Little Pond = Kentucky

Just Another Fish - Big Pond = Alabama

I think it was more a home state pull for him than him worrying about becoming just another fish in a big pond...and I can respect that.

 

[rickvox79]

Re: DT Matt Elam Commits to Kentucky

One final note on Elam:

No Alabama fan in particular ought to disparage his decision to stay at home. Did he spurn a much better program where he would win far more? Of course, but in fairness we signed a lot of kids over the years in the exact same manner.

Agreed. I can totally understand the pull from your home state especially when they sell you on being one of the guys to turn the program around. I don't blame him for making that decision as much as I would have liked for him to come to Alabama. You could tell by his reaction that it wasn't easy and it sounds like he went back and forth for awhile. Best of luck to him at UK.

 

[IMALOYAL1]

Re: DT Matt Elam Commits to Kentucky

And thanks to Kentucky Tider, whose information appears to have been spot on, even if it pointed toward an outcome many of us didn't want to accept.

He seemed spot on from the very beginning. It's obvious he had good info and never really tried to act like some inside guru, just close to the action on this one kid.

If he caught greef for it shame on those who like to hear from people close enough to give more than ( I've got a feeling....type of update.)


Good luck to the kid and best wishes to his family. Alabama will get our share of top talent.

I hope the next great BB player from this state can do the same to coach Cal.

 

[capnfrog]

Re: DT Matt Elam Commits to Kentucky

Good luck to Matt and his family. We can't get them all but he is not going to turn that football team around, Kentucky is a basketball state. Like a story I heard about Coach Bryant when he coached at Kentucky, the basketball team won a div championship and the basketball coach got a new car, Coach Bryant won the football div championship and they gave Coach Bryant a cigarette lighter. Coach Bryant knew it was time to move on. Kentucky will always be a basketball school first, football school last.Oh well. good luck Matt the Championship rings sure are beautiful keepsakes.

 

[AlexanderFan]

Re: DT Matt Elam Commits to Kentucky

I admire his loyalty, but he's making a mistake. I can't fault him for representing the home state school. Best of luck Elam.

 

[JDCrimson]

Re: DT Matt Elam Commits to Kentucky

Well there is something to be said for loyalty to home; however, I think it is a pretty big gamble on his part especially if he is banking on playing in the NFL. He has the opportunity to play for the most dominant defensive program in the last decade in the style that suits him best. On the other hand, he can play for UK but if they dont find a couple of quality DTackles to put on either side of him his effectiveness will be neutralized tremendously which may ultimately impact his draft status. Big big risk imo.