McGair: Thoughts on Ricky Ledo canceling press conference

August 30, 2011

Everyone should breath a major sigh of relief that basketball wunderkind Ricky Ledo will not verbalize his choice of college at a Providence bar, which appeared to be the plan as recently as this past weekend.
Thankfully those plans were scraped. At a time in point when the NCAA is cracking down on offenders and passing out disciplinary rulings like Halloween candy, it seems Ledo was walking straight into a trap. The folks at NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis would have probably felt a need to step in, which as the personnel at Ohio State and Miami will attest, that’s as uncomfortable as it gets.
When you think of a star recruit making a major announcement, you think of such a pomp-and-circumstance event transpiring inside a high school gym. There you find the person-of-the-hour sitting at the head table, a cap just waiting to have the brim creased resting there with the proud parents and high school coach standing off to the side.
That’s exactly what happened when Pawtucket’s Rakim Sanders announced he had selected Boston College in April 2007, the setting the gym on St. Andrew’s campus in Barrington. When Corrine Coia told the world she was taking her talents to URI, the North Smithfield native did so in the Lincoln School gym where she showcased her talents.
It just makes sense that Ledo, if and when he makes a decision, to do so at Notre Dame Prep, located in Fitchburg, Mass.
When we touched base with Notre Dame head coach Ryan Hurd earlier in the week, we asked him about Ledo unveiling his choice at Ladder 133 Bar & Grill.
“I trust that Ricky’s not the person who set this up,” was how Hurd responded. “When you see things like that, that’s when you have to step back and say ‘Is the right thing happening here?’ As long as the end is the right choice, then the rest of it I can get.”
Hurd also mentioned that he had communicated with a member of Ledo’s immediate family on Monday. Without reading too much into what the conversation entailed, it’s probably safe to assume that Hurd advised Ledo’s family to pull the plug on making the announcement at a watering hole.