The same way I did, Bruce. We were looking the other way. Way back, some of us missed Joe Montana and Michael Jordan.
The media has a way of swaying us when it comes to the some 360+ Division 1 schools, as we have to do our thing and rely on THEM to give us the "facts" that may or may not make a great player in the pros. Even back before Hammerin' Hank was a Brave, the press gave him no service.
Scouts are told where to go to look for prospects. It is truly glorious that they have all of these schools and talents to choose from. Still, they can never be in 4 places at one time, and must rely on other input and associates. Stats only tell part of the story, based on position, conference and SOS, among other criteria. Let's face it, the leading scorer in the SEC will probably get the nod over the leader in the Horizon. And, as a scout, who would you see first? How does one find a diamond in the rough from a Harvard or Creighton when The Big Ten and other majors take the spotlight? Then, you look at the talent in general. Poise, integrity, positioning, physique, stats, leadership- all the qualities you want in a professional, regardless of sport.
So, to answer a bit more briefly, it is the choice of the front office of the pros to tell the scouts where to go, and it is their job to find the perfect fit for their program.
Good GMs work with coaches for a winning program, and that fit in any sport is hard to find. The scout is the grunt in the trenches, and has to look far and wide to get the match that the GM and coach desire. The cracks between talent and missed opportunity are wider than the Grand Canyon for any young athlete. As I watch the games on the college level, I am convinced that there are many deserving, but few are chosen. I must think that this is why every ring is so precious, regardless of who is on your team.
There's probably 1000 guys out there flippin burgers that could have been in MSG or Staples....we'll never know.
What I do know, is someone DID find Jeremy and his star gets it's rightful brilliance, as brief as it may be.
