A day after his mother confiscated his National Letter of Intent and ran off with it, Fort Lauderdale running back Alex Collins has finally signed with the Arkansas Razorbacks. What should be the conclusion of a bizarre signing day story may just be beginning though.
On Wednesday, National Signing Day for college football around the country, Collins was prepared to submit his formal letter to the Razorbacks with the typical school press conference we see al over the country. It is supposed to be an event full of fanfare and it is supposed to be a moment the player and his family can be proud of. But Collins's mother clearly did not like the idea of her son going away to play at Arkansas and is thought to prefer her son stay closer to home at Miami. Running off mysteriously with the letter of intent meant Collins had to delay his big moment. From the reports available it appears the relationship between Collins and his mother is not exactly on the best of terms, which would be supported by this strange story's developments.
Today Arkansas confirmed Collins had submitted his letter of intent, with his father providing the required signature to complete the paper work. But there is more to this story. Collins's mother, Andrea McDonald, has hired a legal team to battle her son's college choice.
From CBSSports.com;
“Alex's family has been overwhelmed with media inquiries regarding their impending decision,” [attorney Jack] Paris said. “They want to make a clean choice that is free of any outside influences. This is a very tough decision and they are weighing their options very carefully. In the meantime, they have requested The Cochran Firm's assistance in clearing up any false or inaccurate statements in the press.”
Is this a case of "Mother Knows Best," or is this a case of a mom not willing to see her son move farther away from what appears to be a broken family atmosphere? For his part, Collins was very respectful of the situation and does not show much bitterness for what his mother attempted to do, although news of the legal pursuit was news to him at his press conference.
Parents just want what is best for their children. It is a natural instinct. Perhaps McDonald should realize that getting a full ride at a big time school and football program should be seen as a terrific opportunity.
But then again, mother knows best, right?
Kevin McGuire is the national college football writer for Examiner.com and host of the No 2-Minute Warning podcast.
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