Harbaugh Speak Millennial

On Wednesday, Coach Jim Harbaugh of University of Michigan Wolverines football team scored perhaps his biggest off-the-field victory of his brief tenure. From the man who held off-season sports camps in coveted SEC (Southeastern Conference) territory, employed sleepovers as a new recruiting tool and plans to hold spring practice at the IMG Sport Academy in Florida, Harbaugh has Michigan on the radar of every top-notch underclassmen in high school football. Before you dismiss this article as a biased one coming from an "Arrogant A-- from Ann Arbor". let's do a reality check. Teenagers have always been starstruck. Now that technology has made fame and celebrity status more central than ever, how can one blame Harbaugh for using social media to his advantage? Millennials (as well as many non-millennials) are glued to their screens through a variety of media. Look no further than the popularity of Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram and Snapchat, etc. Interestingly, mainstream media, such as ESPN, does not focus on the impact of social media and how it has changed our views of self-absorption and how this is exemplified by sports. If you cannot be a star, why not mingle with the stars? Cam Newton's commercial success is proof that being self absorbed, albeit in a team sport, retains little or no stigma with the younger generation. Could you picture Terry Bradshaw, Walter Payton or Jerry Rice behaving how he does? Harbaugh is shrewdly capitalizing on teenagers' overwhelming obsession with recognition and fame. For those who want to criticize the overexposure of non-proven athletes, just ask an any educator how to deal with this not-so-new phenomena. Simply stated, it is their world, get used to it. Harbaugh's star studded gala, that included the likes of Tom Brady, Derek Jeter, rap stars Migos and Lil Wayne, multiple actors and actresses, comedians, popular TV personalities and even a Poker champ (Phil Hellmuth), covered the entire spectrum of sports and entertainment. What a thrill for these young recruits to rub shoulders with their idols! Whereas the fame of their high school stardom does exceed that of the typical teen's Instagram selfie, most of those youngsters will not go on to play in the NFL, or even see significant playing time at Michigan. In a world in which recognition is usually evanescent, why not applaud them for their accomplishments, and provide them with a moment they will cherish for a lifetime? Now that the pros and cons of the event have been discussed, what does it mean going forward? First of all, Nick Saban and Urban Meyer are kicking themselves for not coming up with the idea first, and plans are likely in the works for similar events to be taking place at their respective schools at the conclusion of next recruiting season. More importantly, a handful of young students are being rewarded for hard work and will be afforded the opportunity for an education at one of world's finest academic and athletic institutions. Harbaugh's results on the field and on the impact of the lives of these young athletes will be determined in the not so distant future. .