I don’t really understand why some people are terribly polarizing. I watch it in real time every day as I tune in to the Coach Prime media circus. I’m watching it unfold as people put their opinion on Cormani McClain, the former High School 5-Star who walked away from the program. He didn’t go quietly. His recent comments about wanting to play for a “real and great program” and “don’t want to play for clicks” show that. The latter comment is a reference to what the Oregon coach said about Prime and his program, which does offer at least a little bit of a window into the mind of a player being pursued by Oregon at his next stop.
Here’s the thing: He’s a kid. He’s an immature kid who has always been treated like the best in the world–to the point where he’s posting videos of his workouts (what’s that about not playing for clicks?). Of course, the real about McClain’s maturity comes not from Sanders but from former coaches at every level that warn about his low work effort and desire to do the things needed at the next level and to reach the next level.
Again, Prime is not for everyone. He’s teaching kids how to get where he got the way that he got there. He’s looking for the next Prime every season to come in and show that kid the path. Cormani wanted to go his own way, and I hope he is successful. That last bit IS the controversy. People are treating the CB’s future success as Prime’s failure and vice versa. It isn’t about that at all. This is all about love. Some people are in different places and at different levels, but everyone is on the same journey. Every one wants to get to the top. What I never got is the hate that some people give to those trying to do it in the best way they know how. Prime is doing that. He’s already had success doing that. Sure, they weren’t the best team, but nobody expected that. What they were, is 300% better than they were a year before. If he can keep adding wins and adding talent, there is no way he does anything but succeed.