Maybe it says something about recruiting and the whole spectacle it creates, but I am already very happy about Terrell Chestnut becoming a Pitt Panther.

Chestnut’s local paper shot some shaky video of his announcement — unfortunately they used a non-embeddable video player so you have to go to the story. The other annoying thing is that they broke it up into two parts, but set both to auto start.

Still, they aren’t particularly long, and worth the annoyance. The first clip is of Chestnut’s high school coach speaking glowingly of his character, intelligence and leadership. He also calls it the biggest signing at the school since he has been the coach.

The second clip is Chestnut making the announcement, or as he puts it “one of the best moments of my life.” Chestnut’s announcement is almost entirely about thanking family, teachers, coaches, teammates, and everyone who has helped him. There is nothing about the process. Nothing about himself and making the choices. Then at the end, simply putting a Pitt hat on his head and saying he is going to the University of Pittsburgh.

No multiple hats. No self-aggrandizement. Just taking the opportunity to acknowledge and thank the people that helped him, before announcing his choice.

I don’t begrudge the kids who make it a spectacle. I don’t particularly like it, but I don’t begrudge it. They are young. For the great majority, they will never again receive that kind of attention and interest. Once they get to college all power shifts away from them.

Yet, watching the video of Terrell Chestnut make his decision, fills me with pride that he chose Pitt.