Signing Day
David Paulsen
630 AM- Wakeup. Get my Oklahoma State gear on for the big day.
Because Georgia is one hour ahead of Oklahoma, I wanted to be the very first
recruit to get my NLI signed and faxed to the OSU football offices so it would
be waiting for the coaches when they arrived in that morning.
644 AM- Receive a call from an Athens, GA area code and
figured it was most likely one of the UGA coaches calling to make one last
attempt at convincing me to commit to their team as a Grey shirt. I decided not
to answer and let them leave a message on my cell and I would call them back
after I signed at 7. I saw that I had a voicemail and listened to it. Come to
find out, it was Head Coach Mark Richt himself calling to inform me that he was
offering me a full-scholarship to play and I would be able to report in the
summer. I was stunned, but I still decided to wait and call him back after my
signing so there would be no chance of me wavering.
655 AM- I prepared the official papers for signing and had the
fax machine ready to send as soon as the clock struck 7 AM.
700 AM- National Signing Day officially begins on the east
coast. I sat down at the kitchen table with my parents watching and signed the
dotted line. My dad then signed the papers in the appropriate spot and my mom
was in the background taking pictures. Both of them were wearing all their Black
and Orange.
701 AM- Fax was sent from our home to the OSU football
offices and I called Coach Gundy to confirm he had received it but he was not in
yet so I waited.
705 AM- We all left for a before-school breakfast at my
favorite breakfast spot, Waffle House. On the way, I returned Coach Richt’s
phone call while my parents listened in from the front seat. He was a very
classy man and even though he offered me extremely late, he was extremely
courteous and classy during our talk. He realized my opportunity at Oklahoma
State and wished me luck, even though he knew he would be facing my team on
September 5th for the opening game of the college football season.
720 AM- EAT! I had a very hearty breakfast. A Waffle, eggs,
bacon, hash browns, and grits. Sweet tea in the glass.
733 AM- My recruiting area coach, Coach Glenn Spencer
called to let me know he had just arrived in the office and my NLI was the first
to be received, but by a small margin. Another Georgia boy, Ryan Robinson of
Mill Creek, had sent his fax merely 30 seconds after me. He was just as excited
as I was to finally be a Cowboy.
740 AM-While the parents were taking care of the check, I
went outside and called Coach Gundy again. He was very happy to hear I was the
first to have my fax in. I knew he had a very big day ahead of him as well.
805 AM- I felt like sending texts out to some of the guys
over in Oklahoma and Texas to see if they had signed yet. I sent a message to
Clint Chelf, Jeremy Smith, and Andrew Hudson asking, “You a Cowboy yet?”
820 AM-School. Boooo.
1130 AM- Left School. (Early Release Day)
1205 PM- I had a radio interview with Robert Allen on his
Oklahoma radio station. It was the first chance any of the fans in Oklahoma had
a chance to hear me speak about football and my commitment to OSU. I was on my
cell in my room while my parents listened in on the computer downstairs.
1245 PM- Eat again, a bit more fancy this time. We went to
Stoney River, a very nice steakhouse. My grandfather, who had just flown in from
Seattle, WA joined us. I had a big juicy filet with mashed potatoes and a big ol’
Caesar salad. HUGE chocolate cake for dessert.
200 PM- Stopped at Fedex to ship the actual signing papers
to OSU.
330 PM- Got dressed for a picture in the newspaper for
signing day and the official signing day ceremonies that were taking place at my
school that night. I got a brand new suit for signing day. Very dapper.
415 PM- Arrived at the newspaper office to take the picture
with all the other D-1 signees in the county. It took FOREVER. I first did an
interview for the article that would be posted and then we took the picture as a
group. We then had individual video interviews with the sports editor of the
paper that were going to be put online.
645 PM- Arrive at Walton for signing ceremony.
700 PM- Ceremony begins with lots of friends and family in
attendance.
845 PM- Headed over to the local sports bar to celebrate
one more time with family and close friends. It was packed that night and when I
sat down they announced my signing and congratulated me in front of everyone
there, which was a big surprise.
1030 PM- Home…shower…bed…pass out. Day over.