Commitmas Eve.

Mmmk, so down the stretch we come. Commitmas 2009 is now just hours away, and it's been a particularly violent roller coaster for Michigan fans this year, similar to the actual product on the field. A brief recap of the past year, not necessarily in order:

• Will Campbell is committed.
• Russell Shepard favors Michigan.
• Russell Sheprard commits to LSU.
• Kevin Newsome commits to Michigan.
• Nobody wants anything to do with Tate Forcier.
• Shavodrick Beaver commits to Michigan.
• Bryce McNeal
  
• Nobody wants anything to do with Tate Forcier.
• Rumors of Kevin Newsome wavering persist.
• Kevin Newsome decommits.
• People begin warming up to Tate Forcier.
• DeQuinta Jones commits to Michigan after seeing Ann Arbor on ESPN's "Titletown" segment.
  
• Darius Winston decommits from Arkansas and names Michigan his leader.
• Darius Winston recommits to Arkansas.
• Tate Forcier commits to Michigan. People rejoice.
• William Campbell decommits.
• Bryce McNeal decommits.
  
• Pearlie Graves commits to Michigan.
• Anthony Fera commits to Michigan.
• Anthony Fera decommits from Michigan and goes on a Michigan-bashing fest to other Michigan recruits on social networking sites.
  
• 100,000 rumors about DeQuinta Jones and Pearlie Graves persist and never, ever, ever go away.
• Shavodrick Beaver decommits at the 11th hour, leaving Michigan out in the cold in regards to another guy like Eugene Smith or Tajh Boyd.
  
• William Campbell plunges the Michigan internet into the depths of hell by eliminating Michigan when he arrives in San Antonio for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
• Every Michigan fan spends the week wearing out the F5 key, desperately seeking William Campbell information from Rivals and Scout.
• Late in the week, several insiders, both of the Michigan and national persuasion say William Campbell is leaning toward LSU.
• William Campbell recommits to Michigan. Rejoicing commences.
• Je'ron Stokes connects with Jeremy Gallon at the Army Bowl. A perfect storm of Phil Fulmer being fired, Lane Kiffin turning Tajh Boyd away and Stokes being the perfect replacement for Bryce McNeal forms.
• Marcus Hall drops and adds Michigan like, half a dozen times. He visits, names Michigan his leader, then names Miami his leader, then names Tennessee his co-leader, and surprises nobody by committing to Ohio State.
• On Monday, the Michigan fanbase ticks to about 11:59 on the Doomsday Clock as it seems that Stokes, Denard Robinson, Graves, Jones, Sam Montgomery and Quinton Washington are all leaning elsewhere.
• On Tuesday, Washington shows some major cojones, spurning home team South Carolina to commit to Michigan. An upswing is everywhere, as the news improves on Stokes, Robinson, Graves and Jones.
• Jones says he wants to play in the SEC and is favoring Arkansas.
• Graves seems genuinely torn between Michigan and Texas Tech, with his family and coaches pushing for Michigan.

And nowwww, we breathe.

So, when the dust settles, I (and this is just my opinion based on reading insider stuff, which I will not spill here) believe Michigan ends up with the following:

• Je'ron Stokes
• Denard Robinson
• Adrian Witty
• Pearlie Graves OR DeQuinta Jones

Honestly, and yes, I know these are high school kids who have smoke blown up their butts 24/7 while being pulled in 100 different directions all the time with all sorts of coaches in their ear and family pressure and they have to make the decision best for themselves...but really, I'm so tired of the Jones and Graves sagas. Do I want them both to come to Michigan? Sure. But at this point I sigh everytime one of the recruiting services puts out a new report on either of them, because it's always different. I just want them to sign somewhere so this nonsense can end.

Robinson and Witty, who are teammates at Deerfield Beach, are both announcing at the same time tomorrow. In the past couple days optimism from the Florida camp increased, until today, when it seems the Gators were eliminated completely, leaving Michigan and Central Florida as the last men standing for Robinson. Kansas State also appears to be on the outside looking in. They've expressed interest in playing together in college, and Michigan is the only school that's offered both now, if KSU is indeed out.

Stokes, this is weird. For the past month, momentum has been building toward Stokes being a Wolverine. He absolutely raved about his visit, and although his visit to Illinois on the 23rd went well, the prevailing feeling was that it wasn't enough to overcome Michigan. News broke on Monday that Tennessee had suddenly regained the inside track. That bad news lasted for all of Monday and into Tuesday when suddenly the sun started shining again. Stokes is announcing at 3:30 tomorrow.

Merry Commitmas, Wolverines.