He is the kind of product western Pennsylvania can be proud of.

He attended Penn Hills High School, where he didn't put up the biggest numbers, but showed the potential to succeed at the next level. With some hard work, he would be an asset to any program. He knew very early in his college selection process he would choose the University of Pittsburgh and committed to that program.

He later wavered on his choice. He visited Penn State. He decided Happy Valley -- not The 'Burgh -- was the best place for his college experience.

For fans of college football recruiting, this is a familiar story.

But this time, the "he" I am referring to is not 6-foot-4 208-pound Penn Hills quarterback Anthony Morelli, who will commit either to Penn State or Pittsburgh at 9 a.m. today after reneging on his previous commitment to Pittsburgh. No, the "he" I am talking about is a 5-foot-7, 150-pound senior chemical engineering major -- my roommate, Eduardo Sande.

Just like my roommate, Morelli is from the Pittsburgh area, went to Penn Hills and knew he was going to Pitt, until he visited Penn State and realized it was where he belonged.

Much like Morelli, who was statistically a good -- but not great -- high school quarterback, my roommate, grades-wise, was a good high school student who became a great one in college through hard work. College coaches that offered a scholarship to Morelli are hoping he will do the same thing: use his potential, work hard and take his abilities to a higher level on a bigger stage. Except, of course, Morelli would be perfecting the five-step drop, rather than the chemical balancing formulas my roommate has mastered.

Who would have thought my non-athlete, compulsive and inappropriate-joke-making roommate would take the same path to Penn State as one of the top-five high school quarterbacks in the nation?

However, their paths are the same only in a superficial way. Morelli's path is one that could only be taken in the goofy, ultra-reactionary underworld that is college football recruiting.

When a prospect as touted as this five-star quarterback mulls over his college choice, the online land of recruiting Web sites, message boards and chat rooms builds a story like Morelli's into a saga with all the drama and innuendo of a tabloid scandal. The most isolated details about this 18-year-old -- and others -- can cause waves of speculation by recruiting fans in chat rooms and message boards.

Here is an inexact, yet quintessential, example of the kind of fodder that can cause endless debate for "recruitnicks" as they call themselves: I saw Morelli yesterday. He was wearing a blue shirt. I think it might have been a Penn State shirt. He must be PSU bound!

Whether correctly or incorrectly, every occurrence of this young man's life has been chronicled in the last month. What college coaches he's had meetings with, what campuses he's visiting, what he said to a friend's friend's cousin -- and everyone on the Internet claims to have a source that knows where Morelli will land.

Now, imagine if my average-guy, future-chemical-engineer roommate was held under such scrutiny: I saw Sande today. He was using a blue and white Bunsen burner. He must be headed to Penn State! He's going to be a great engineer.

I'm not saying people shouldn't get excited about the future prospects of their college football teams. Knowing about the players and getting excited about the team are good things.

But the problem arises when people take the most important decision of a 17- or 18-year-old's life personally. When it came to light that Wilson quarterback Chad Henne apparently reneged on his verbal to Penn State, many Blue and White fans cursed his name. Now, it might be Pittsburgh's turn to chastise one of the country's top quarterbacks just for being as fickle as they were when they were young.

Unfortunately, rationality is not the norm in the recruiting world, and the rumors will swirl this time next year as they are right now.

On Monday, according to different media outlets, it was widely reported Morelli would make his choice over dinner with his family. He will announce his decision today.

I heard the Morelli's had chicken cordon bleu for dinner Monday. Wait. Chicken cordon ... Bleu, a French dish with chicken in a White crème sauce.

Oh, yeah, Morelli is definitely coming to Penn State.