Patchan picks... the Gators! (update)

In just a few moments -- around 1:30 p.m. -- the son of former Hurricane offensive lineman Matt Patchan will decide where he will attend college during a press conference in Tampa.

I'm not there, but I'll be here providing a live update when the 6-7, 270-pound blue-chip lineman from Seffner Armwood announces his decision. So how am I going to find out? One of our regular bloggers, Brandon Brinkley, a grad student living in Tampa and die-hard Hurricanes fan will be there to provide the news! Cool. Now, you guys are becoming part of the process. Love it.

Stay tuned for the details shortly. Brandon tells me a few TV trucks have pulled up to Tampa Palms Country Club, where Patchan will announce his decision in front of friends and family. He'll let me know if anything else interesting develops.

Brandon Brinkley updates...
12:58 p.m. - "In my opinion I think he's going to be a Cane. There are about 20 people here in the  room, a few TV stations and reporters. His high school coaches are here and some of his family have arrived wearing UM gear. Balloons are setup in neutral orange and white colors."

1:10 p.m. - "I was talking with Anthony Reddick's brother and Eric Smith from Armwood and all the family. Matt is a lot smaller than what I thought he was. He's skinny. His uncle was saying Matt has been staying with him for the week in Key West and he doesn't even know where he's going. There are a lot of people here now, about 30-40. 1:30 is when it's supposed to happen. Matt is there in a white button shirt, jeans. He looks tall and skinny. I don't know if its from the mono he had. But he doesn't look as big as he does in pictures. His uncle just kept saying to cross our fingers. He came in and shook the hands of all Canes fans. So that's a good sign."

1:20 p.m. - "More of his Armwood teammates have arrived. Everyone is being tight-lipped about it. So, nobody knows where he is leaning."

1:26 p.m. - "I just talked to another guy who is a family friend. Matt's mom and dad have walked out. They say they don't even know."

1:28 p.m. - "I've heard from family that Matt is in the back on the phone informing UF and UM coaches where he is going. When he comes out, he'll be wearing a shirt of where he's going."

1:31 p.m. - "He's set to make the announcement in moments. As soon as he does, I'll call with the update."

1:38 p.m. - "He's a Gator. He made a couple jokes and said he was going to flip a coin. Ultimately, he said the best decision for him and his goals was to go to Florida."

1:43 p.m. - "Matt said ultimately what swung his decision was the relationship he built with the Florida staff, the strength coach, the position coaches. He said he wants to be around the best talent and he believes it is at Florida. It's funny, as soon as he announced his decision, all the Canes fans left. Now, I'm leaving too."

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UPDATE... At 2:30 p.m., I caught up with Matt Patchan Sr. to get his thoughts on his son's announcement. Here is what he said...

Q: Was this Matt’s decision on his own or did you help him reach this decision?
A: I was instrumental in helping him gather information and tried to sort through what was best for him. In the end, the decision was entirely his.

Q: Did you know this morning? Did you have an inkling? When did you figure out where Matt was going?
A: When he announced it to everybody else. He actually didn’t know until about 45 minutes before. Then, before he went over and announced it he came over and whispered it in our ears and we hugged him and told him we supported him and that type of thing. We didn’t know. I don’t know how this works for other people. I don’t know the circumstances could ever be duplicated with the decision he had. Trust me, we’re not complaing. We’re thrilled our son is fortunate enough to be in this position. I don’t know if there’s ever been a recruit as torn between the two schools in making this decision. When I tell you this decision was razor-thin, it was razor-thin.

Q: Why do you think he ultimately picked Florida in your opinion?
A: I just think he thinks deep down inside in his heart this is a better choice for his decision at this time and his future.

Q: I know as a former Hurricane you probably had the Hurricanes deep in your heart and this must have been tough for you, but where did you feel Matt was best served going?
A: I think many people looking at what’s going on in college football now would clearly have to admit that Florida is further along in terms of where they are in competing for conference titles or national championships. I know that was a big factor for Matt. Other than that, I thought everything else was a push as far as the coaches and the players Miami is bringing in and the players Florida has currently. Maybe where things with his quality of life would be pretty similar. I think his decision he just processed everything and he’s going where he decided.

Q: I know as a former Hurricane you’re probably going to get some teasing from your teammates since he went to the Gators, you expecting that?
A: Oh yeah. There were some former Canes here and they’re giving it to me. Everybody knows or they should know that your allegiance is to your son’s future first and its your duty as a dad to help him through the process and do what’s best for him. There will never be a time when I will ever divorce myself from the tradition and the memories I have as a Hurricane. I’ll embrace them forever. I got so much out of them. They’re deep in my heart. They’re indelible and they’ll never go away and I love them. I would have loved to see Matthew go there too. But it’s just one of those things at this time, it just wasn’t so at this time.

Comments

[Pacific Cane]

Pick Miami dude!

[unicaragua fan]

cmon patchan, make the most of your choice and join U or get beat by the U

[Pacific Cane]

Miami!!!
Miami!!!
Miami!!!
Miami!!!
Miami!!!Miami!!!
Miami!!!
Miami!!!
Miami!!!
Miami!!!
Miami!!!

[3-0-CINCO]

Its Cane time!

[Unicaragua fan]

is pj makin his choice at the same time..? many...

[3-0-CINCO]

PJ is supposed to announce at halftime at the AA game. Game is on NBC at 2.

[rubcatcane]

I can't stand the waiiiit!!!! I don't have a good feeling about this. But I have been wrong more times than right about these things.

[Jonathan Franklin]

Rub,

I'm with you - not sure this is a good thing. I think he regretfully apologizes to the U and then states he believes he's best off going to fla.

[Russell]

Good Morning Manny from the Pacific NW,
I look at it like this: Patchan picks the Canes great and I hope he pans out and becomes the next Eric Winston and if he chooses to be a Gator then good for him I wish him well and look forward to Forston blowing him up the next 4 years.

[bleedOrangenGreen]

DA U
DA U
DA U
DA U
DA U
DA U
DA U
DA U
DA U
DA U

[Russell]

Strike that, I'll take McKinnie over Winston. Will accept nothing less out of this kid!

[Manny]

Check for updates in the blog by the way guys. I'll be on the phone getting updates throughout this process from Mr. Brinkley.

[Russell]

Too funny, neutral color balloons

[Manny]

Tune into NBC guys! The U.S. Army All-American game is set to get going.

[Cane Since 1982]

For his sake he better pick the U. Army All American Game kicks off

[bleedOrangenGreen]

why is it taking so long for the announcement... can they just go to the point....

[ChrisCane]

Does anyone else think the East is going to dominate this game? Lets go Marcus and Arthur.

[Cane Since 1982]

There are alot of kids from this game going to ND. Does any one think ND can actualy get back to a legit top 10 school?

[STpetecane]

All this fuss over a high scholl player- A senior H.S player having his own press conference? My God!! how we are puting these kids on a pedestal- reminds me of the Williw williams press conference. Let him decide, but gosh it's not the coach of the super bowl teams having a press conference- I jus tdon't see all this in its perspective Just opinion

[Cane Since 1982]

St. Pete you are here reading it. That means you are interested as well.

[Russell]

STpetecane we do give these kids too much attention but for the kids themselves its their 15 minutes of fame and we can't blame them for that. Unfortunately this may be their only 15min of fame and it does indeed come at a very young age when they have hopefully much bigger and better things to accomplish in their lives.

At the same as a society we pay way too much attention because College Football is a huge money making organization from booster and alumns to clothing apparel companies which makes these kids and their decisions a huge deal.

A little winded but my 2 cents anyway.

[Russell]

Of course nothing compares to Jimmy Clausen last year arriving in a stretch limo to announce at the College Football Hall of Fame. How many TDs did he throw this year again?

[bleedOrangenGreen]

patchan mom is crying... is that good or bad...

[REALCANESFAN]

P J will committ to FSU guys!!!

[Russell]

Manny,

What are the stats on guys panning out who are Uber Prospects on the OL? Because the one guy who I always think of is Mike Munoz a few years back at Tennessee and I can't remember him ever able to get on the field.

[Russell]

REALCANESFAN,

And he'll be the next in a long line of guys to get Free Shoes at Foot Locker, clothes at Burdines and answers on online tests while Bobby snores away in his office!

[Hurricane Moe]

1:32 Florida

[poop on a stick]

he picked UF according to tbo.com

[bleedOrangenGreen]

manny say something from ur souces..... jesus got me with alot of. tension

[Chevyboy79]

its UF...Rivals.com on UF's site has that he picked da Gators

[Cane Since 1982]

well that sucks.

[DocCane]

This sucks. This class is falling apart. No OL recruits worth a squirt of piss. Damn.

[rc]

Enjoy the run and poop offense that doesn't prepare you a lick for the show

[Hurricane Moe]

He realized he wouldn't cut it as a CANE so he went to uf

[rubcatcane]

oh well. See you later at the game. Mom crying and dad who played at the U convinces son to play at the gators.

He thinks NC is closer that way. Can't say good luck to you kid -- maybe just not when we play you.

[green]

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/umiami/2007/12/courtside-blo-2.html#comment-94401030
Patchan will be at the U, Ya heard it here First...

Posted by: RealcanesFan | December 20, 2007 at 10:14 PM
MIS(TER ; )INFORMATION

[UM FANS ARE RETARDS]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
MIAMI AGAIN TAKES ANOTHER LOST

[TX Canes]

And he grew up a U fan?? I can't believe a U fan would go to the Gators!

[Manny so much better than Shandal]

Where was shandals live coverage? Oh Shandal is probably taking a nap

[ChrisCane]

Everyone needs to relax. The class is not falling apart, PJ was expected and as much as this sucks you don't get everyone. Remember Ben Jones is still out there...

Now to the other part of this. While I was one of the ones who backed this kid up when he made tho comments he made (because I felt the same way), you can't say those things about a school, program and players and then not come be here to be part of the solution. He better hope he gets red-shirted next year because if he sees the field against the Canes they'd be gunning for him.

[Russell]

DocCane that was quite a knee jerk reaction.

[bleedOrangenGreen]

f@ck it , he made his choice let's just move on from this @sshole. his freakin dad is a whole@ss too, how in the hell you play in the U and then end up convincing your kid to be a gayturd. does not make any freaking sense..... patchan will regret his years as a gator even though i beleive he will go to nfl one day, but he will regre for the reason that hurricanes will run the table in two years and his gayturds will falter.

[Manny so much better than Shandal]

I saw MP in person and Patchan is a toothpick. He will not be productive at the college level for a while. I am not too upset

[PhillyCaneNotCosta]

What a jerk off! I hate these high school kids.

[REALCANESFAN]

#48 jonathen jackson ate his lunch when they played booker t. washington!!!!
REAL MEN BLEED ORANGE AND GREEN...
HE'S A SOFTY!!!

HE HAS AN ALIGATOR MOUTH AND A HONEY BIRD @$$!!!!

[green]

No OL recruits worth a squirt of piss. Damn.

Posted by: DocCane | January 05, 2008 at 01:41 PM
patchan redshirts ... RIDE THE PINE

[UM FANS ARE RETARDS]

He realized he wouldn't cut it as a CANE so he went to uf

Posted by: Hurricane Moe | January 05, 2008 at 01:44 PM

MAYBE HE REALISED THAT MIAMI IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE SOON
AND FLORIDA WILL BE NC CONTENDER FOR YRS TO COME
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
TYPICAL UM FANS MAKING SUM STUPID EXCUSE

[green]

REALCANESFAN: spare us your BS

[DocCane]

It won't matter if we actually bring a gun with us to UF, this team won't come close to winning at BenDover Field. Matt saw the train wreck UM has become and knows winning ain't happening here to a bottom rung ACC team.

I don't think I could encourage my kid into doing that as well.

[green]

MAYBE HE REALISED THAT MIAMI IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE SOON

Posted by: UM FANS ARE RETARDS | January 05, 2008 at 01:55 PM
SOOTHSAYER