Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Same ol', same ol' for Edison High products

The trend continues at Edison High, where some of the best and brightest college football prospects are aiming for UCLA and USC instead of Fresno State. Obviously a kid should be able to choose whatever school he wants to go to, but one of these days a group of guys at Edison will buck this trend and truly represent their hometown the way Clifton Smith did in his awe-striking Bulldogs career that culminated with a rookie Pro Bowl appearance in the NFL.

Unfortunately for Fresno State, the local high school producing incredible athletes on a regular basis puts more talent at UCLA and USC than its hometown university. The latest in this line, a week after it was announced Tevin McDonald is headed to UCLA, is Wesley Flowers.

You might remember just a couple years ago a talented cornerback by the name of Courtney Viney also chose the Bruins over the Bulldogs. But a funny thing has happened in the past decade or so, just as Ryan Mathews (pictured) leap-frogged Viney, Fresno State has leap-frogged UCLA in program success.


Fresno State has beaten UCLA the past two times the teams played, and before last year's meeting at the Rose Bowl, a newspaper headline screamed a dose of reality: "UCLA seeks upset of 25th ranked Fresno State," it read.

Yes, that's reality now. When UCLA plays Fresno State, UCLA is the underdog. But for some reason, so many of these Edison High kids just aren't feeling the same way.

6 comments:

  1. Great blog!!!

    Agree 100%!

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  2. did fresno state recruit any of these players? if they did, do we know what they offered them?

    shoot, usc and ucla may be offering these guys full rides (or more), promises of immediate play, whatever else while hill and his staff may be offering far less.

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  3. I want the Edison studs to go to Fresno State as much as any Bulldog fan and alumni (class of '82)... But I'm a father to, and if my son had scholarship offers from USC, UCLA and Fresno State... I would recommend he choose those schools in that order... Because the reality is the odds are against him making it in the NFL... but with a degree from USC or UCLA, the opportunities will be better than with a degree from Fresno State. That's the unfortunate reality...and my guess is Tim McDonald knows this as well, and tells his kids to consider their long term futures when making their college selection.

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  4. But depending on what your kid wants to be, FS may not be a bad choice. Chances are, a career in the ag field you'd be better served at FS than at say, UCLA. FS is cheaper than both of those schools, not to say the education is any less, but some parents and kids can't afford to dish out that kind of $$ to attend SC or UCLA unless your a stud athlete or a brainiac.
    Now if you were looking to become an actor, then USC may be the thing for you. If your a 4 star receiver from the Valley, your better off going to FS cause you're gonna be riding pine at SC and UCLA cause big name talent from all over the country wanna play in LA.

    Imagine if David Ausberry played for FS instead of fighting for time as the slot receiver down at USC.

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  5. edluv hit it right on the mark. fresno state doesn't really go after the players from Edison. these guys go elsewhere because other schools really want them there. every year Edison punches out some of the best DBs in the country, but i guess they're not pat hill type of 'ball players. i just don't think that fresno state realizes the talent it has right under their noses.

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  6. fresno state hasn't recruited a Edison DB since clifton Smith..

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