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DEL.ICIO.USGeorgia still in Butler hunt; Sylvester down to six
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/20/07 10:07 PM
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Georgia has made the first cut of the nation-wide recruiting battle for Norcross star wide receiver Brice Butler, who narrowed his list of college choices to 10 Thursday.
Butler said he’ll decide between Southern Cal, Florida State, Notre Dame, LSU, Arizona State, Florida, Penn State, Oregon, Oregon State and Georgia.
“I wanted to cut down my list because I’m planning on committing in July,” Butler, who has more than 40 scholarship offers, told the blog. “I want to get it over with so I can focus on the season and winning a state championship.”
He receives approximately 15 letters from colleges and more than 20 text messages each day.
The 6-foot-1, 175-pound son of former Falcons defensive back Bobby Butler has visited each of the schools on his list, except Oregon and Oregon State.
He plans to visit the Ducks and Beavers later this month, before ending his search.
Before this spring, Brice Butler had never traveled further west than Louisiana. Now, he seems to have become quite fond of West Coast’s climate.
“The climate out there is crazy,” said Butler of his visit to USC. “There’s no humidity. When it’s 90 degrees here, it’s kind of sweltering. There, it’s nice.”
USC’s Pete Carroll, Florida’s Urban Meyer and Alabama’s Nick Saban were among the numerous coaches that visited Norcross’ spring practice to check out Butler.
Saban’s Crimson Tide did not make the list.
When asked if USC was the favorite to land Butler, Norcross coach Keith Maloof said, “I try to stay out of it, so I don’t have to lie to anyone.”
Sylvester trims list to six
Union Grove linebacker Steven Sylvester has trimmed his list to Alabama, Georgia, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, N.C. State or South Carolina.
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Sylvester has visited each campus, with the exception of N.C. State and South Carolina. He plans to travel to Raleigh and Columbia later this summer.
He’s also set a self-imposed deadline to commit.
“I plan on getting it out of the way in July so I can focus on football,” Sylvester said.
Sylvester assesses the contenders:
On Alabama: “I really click with their coaching staff,” Sylvester said. “[Coach] Nick Saban deals with the defense and that’s what I’ll be playing.”
On Georgia: “I like Georgia because they’re close to home,” Sylvester said. And coach Mark Richt is a great guy. They have a good tradition there, too.”
On Georgia Tech: “Just like Georgia, I like Georgia Tech because they’re close to home,” Sylvester said. “And with Calvin Johnson going so high in the draft, pro scouts are going to be coming back to Tech for years to come.”
On North Carolina: “I like basically their whole program,” Sylvester said. “I got a chance to go up there and spend time with the linebackers coach. It hasn’t been too good up there, but things are moving up now.”
On N.C. State: “I haven’t been there or met the head coach,” Sylvester said. “But I’ve talked to the recruiting coach and they just seem to be going in the right direction.”
On South Carolina: “I really like coach [Steve] Spurrier,” Sylvester said. “I got a chance to meet him once. He’s seems like a nice guy. He knows his football.”
Buford’s Pridemore leans on dad’s wisdom
Buford linebacker T.J. Pridemore has scholarship offers from Georgia Tech, Duke, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Central Florida, South Carolina, N.C. State, South Florida, West Virginia and Maryland.
The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Pridemore, who has no clear front-runner, is looking to his dad, former Atlanta Falcon Tom Pridemore, for answers during the process of choosing a college.
“Most of the advice he’s given me has been from his experience,” T.J. Pridemore said. “He really just tells me to look at what I want out of each school before I eliminate them.
“And he hasn’t pushed me toward any school. He wants it to be my decision.”
A graduate of West Virginia, Tom Pridemore has been hesitant to steer his son toward the Mountaineers.
“Surprisingly, he hasn’t [pointed me toward West Virginia],” T.J. Pridemore said. “And I think it’s a surprise for everybody that he hasn’t pushed me.
“I do think he’d be pleased if I go there. But he doesn’t want to make the decision for me.”
Taking a cue from his dad’s wisdom, Pridemore said there’s no reason to commit in June.
“I’m not in any big hurry to commit right now,” Pridemore said. “If I’m not 100 percent sure at the start of the season [at Buford], then I’ll just take a few more visits.”
Love focuses on five offers
Mountain Brook (Ala.) offensive lineman Tyler Love took in the sights and sounds at Alabama on Tuesday. He plans to do the same on Saturday when he travels to Tallahassee to visit Florida State.
Though he’s narrowed his choices to five offers, the towering 6-foot-7, 285-pound tackle said he’ll likely wait until the fall to commit.
Love analyzes his five candidates:
On Alabama: “Tuesday [in Tuscaloosa] was good,” Love said. “It was kind of low key. I talked to players and walked through the campus. I got to watch the camp that was taking place. And I love coach Saban. He’s a great coach. He knows how to win, which is very important to me.”
On Florida: “I love the coaches and how they run things down there,” Love said. “I like the environment and the relationship the coaches have with the players. And it’s a great place to get an education.”
On Florida State: “They’ve got one of the greatest coaches ever [in Bobby Bowden],” Love said. “That impresses me a lot. I like their coaching staff overall. And they send great players to the NFL.”
On Georgia: “I love coach Richt,” Love said. “And I like the fact he’s a great Christian man. There’s just a bunch of good guys over there. And I like the campus too. I plan on visiting there in July.”
On Oklahoma: “They’ve won I don’t know how many games and gone to a lot of BCS bowls,” Love said. “And they send a lot of players to the NFL.”
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Comments
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By alabamadawg
June 21, 2007 4:20 AM | Link to this
Please, Tyler Love, make it three OL from Alabama to commit and play for the dawgs !!! Thank-you Ben Jones !!
By Stevie Thwall
June 21, 2007 6:14 AM | Link to this
Steven Sylvester,
Here’s hoping you become a Yellow Jacket. Our student body and alumni will welcome you with open arms and we can promice you Tickle Piles that are out of this world.
By Enuff Already
June 21, 2007 6:42 AM | Link to this
The tickle pile schtick ceased being funny a long time ago………
By Sturge
June 21, 2007 8:27 AM | Link to this
Immediately sever all ties w/any of these recruits if they are a Reggie Ball fan.
By Bartow
June 21, 2007 8:38 AM | Link to this
I agree that the tickle pile comments should stop. They are a part of Tech that should be discussed in private only!!!!
By Jody
June 21, 2007 8:40 AM | Link to this
People actually beg players to come to their school on here?
By Bret (a Longhorn)
June 21, 2007 8:54 AM | Link to this
What “exactly” is a Tickle Pile and why do they happen at Georgia Tech?
By SEC is Football
June 21, 2007 9:05 AM | Link to this
Alabamadawg….Nice pick up for UGA with Jones. The kid blew up at the Nike Camp at Tech. No idea why we didn’t offer him. I think our staff at BAMA had other guys in mind as we have 2 gray shirt OL from this past recruiting class who will enroll in Jan plus a 4 star commitment from Tuscaloosa as well as the hopes of getting Barrett Jones and Tyler Love. Most think Love will come down to BAMA and UF and in the end he will end up at BAMA. His parent are both BAMA grads! I think you will most likely see him in Crimson and White in 08!
By NC grad
June 21, 2007 9:32 AM | Link to this
I think Tickle Piles are normally held at girls schools. Explains a lot that they are popular at Georgia Tech!!!!
By DawgByte
June 21, 2007 9:36 AM | Link to this
Tyler, UGA has sent a ton of players to the NFL during Richt’s tenure. Look around the NFL at all the DL linemen, TE’s, LB’s, DB’s, etc. this staff has helped along their path… it’s remarkable. Richard Seymour was recently voted by Sports Illustrated as the top DL in the NFL. He’s a UGA product.
By Flag Boy
June 21, 2007 9:44 AM | Link to this
Steven Sylvester if you come to Tech I will twirl my flag with more vigor than ever before. If you want we can arrange a personal tour of our lovely campus. I’m sure you will be inspired to play your best with the thoughts of me twirling in your head. Please, please, please come to Tech!
By johnny
June 21, 2007 11:23 AM | Link to this
Look at you trechies begging and pleading for recruits offering personal tours and tickle piles. Truly pathetic.
By chuck
June 21, 2007 12:58 PM | Link to this
I love people like Johnny who just don’t get it.
By chuck
June 21, 2007 1:00 PM | Link to this
I love people like Johnny who just dont get the joke.
By Sturge
June 21, 2007 2:01 PM | Link to this
Unfortunately a few misguided Tech students got the idea of a tickle pile from those blog pictures of Matt Stafford spooning the backup QB.
http://www.secfanatics.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=27358
By Glen Fords Jeweler
June 21, 2007 2:12 PM | Link to this
Spooning is a well known public drunk tradition w/UGA athletes. If a straight arrow like Coach Richt can’t get it under control, you gotta know that it must be deeply ingrained.
By Sturge
June 21, 2007 3:21 PM | Link to this
Thanks for the clarification Jeweler. No wonder the UGA fans attempt to cover up their homoerotic inclination by conjuring up the ‘tickle pile’ Urban Legend. Despite the poor M/F ratio at GT, I just never had the urge to spoon w/another guy. I’d rather spoon w/the hottie in the other blog photos. Guess drunkenness brings out the true tendencies at UGA.
By Steven
June 21, 2007 4:13 PM | Link to this
Sturge, just ask your father!
By Steven
June 21, 2007 4:16 PM | Link to this
Sturge, just ask your father!
By BDBILL
June 21, 2007 7:09 PM | Link to this
JUST TAKE A LOOD AT THE TECH CO-EDS AND YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHY SO MANY OF THE MALE NERDS ARE HOMOS.
By Fergie
June 21, 2007 7:09 PM | Link to this
Poor M/F ratio? What about the G/S ratio?
By Woody Bass
June 21, 2007 7:58 PM | Link to this
Go Gators!!
By Ron Mexico
June 21, 2007 9:27 PM | Link to this
I am not a UGA fan, but I will admit that the tickle pile comments are still pretty funny. Tech, you really don’t have a good retort until you beat them.
By Ron Mexico
June 21, 2007 9:27 PM | Link to this
I am not a UGA fan, but I will admit that the tickle pile comments are still pretty funny. Tech, you really don’t have a good retort until you beat them.
By GOD
June 21, 2007 9:27 PM | Link to this
NOTRE DAME IS RAIDING THE SOUTH LOOK FOR THEM TO WIN THE THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2008, CAUSE GOD SAYS SO.
By a tech guy
June 21, 2007 11:13 PM | Link to this
What did you offer howard thompkins, butt-loving from uga 12? What i can say is ugay basketball is joke, and always will be.
By Tech Man
June 22, 2007 2:39 AM | Link to this
The tickle piles at UGAY don’t get as much “play” because they always evolve into bed room activities.
Ron Mexico (WTF kind of Name is that???): Tech doesn’t care as much about UGAY because we realize that they aren’t in our conference. UGAY should care about UFL, but for some reason, their idiot fans focus more on us. Go figure!
By tech man
June 22, 2007 4:29 AM | Link to this
I am sorry I made such idiotic comments about UGA I need to stick my foot in my mouth and shut the hell up. I am actually transfering up to athens as i realize tech is horrible and full of nerdy guys and ugly women.
By Sturge
June 22, 2007 9:10 AM | Link to this
Wow Steven, great comeback. You dawg fans are geniuses. Seriously, I have to retort to your great wit. Do they teach that at the Lamda Alliance? Your domestic partner, tech man (emphasis on lowercase) is also quite the intellectual. I was completely fooled by his post.
By DAWGMA
June 22, 2007 10:24 AM | Link to this
Ron Mexico was the name used by our beloved Mick Vick when he went to get treatment for his herpes.
By That's just the way it is
June 22, 2007 11:59 AM | Link to this
Tyler Love isn’t going to Georgia.
By johnny
June 22, 2007 4:17 PM | Link to this
hey chuck, i sure don’t get it. And i hope to god i never do get involved in your tickle pile. ya bunch of hopeless dorks
By semperfi
June 22, 2007 8:58 PM | Link to this
Techs WRECKED Ramblin Wreck!!!!
http://www.13wmaz.com/news/local_story.aspx?storyid=40217