It's time...

[8timechamps]

Once again, it's that time of year to remind everyone of Kevin Hart.

"Who in the hell is Kevin Hart?" you ask? Well, in 2008, Kevin Hart (a very mediocre offensive lineman from Nevada) decided to up his own recruiting stock. Hart not only made up his own scholarship offers, he even attended his own announcement ceremony (held at his small high school) and accepted his made-up offer from Cal.

Read more here: Click Me (http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/feb/07/curious-case-kevin-hart/)

There's ton more stories out there on Kevin Hart's stunt (including a couple here on SF.com). Enjoy, and You're Welcome in Advance.

[SoCal]

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/recruiting/football/story/_/id/7525340/kevin-hart-recruit-lied-california-golden-bears-sign-missouri-western-state

Kevin Hart to sign with D-II school

The same offensive lineman who staged a phony news conference four years ago to announce he was attending California -- even though Cal never recruited him -- will sign a legitimate letter of intent Wednesday with Division II Missouri Western State.

Kevin Hart, whose lie on Feb. 1, 2008, made national news, spent the past four years at Feather River College in Quincy, Calif., where this past season he was named a first-team All-California junior college lineman. He will have two years of eligibility remaining at Missouri Western, which finished 9-3 in 2011.

The Boy Who Cried Cal

As ESPN.com's Tom Friend found out in 2009, Kevin Hart's journey to Division I college football seemed too good to be true. And that's exactly what it was. Story

"I definitely think it's a happy ending," said Tom Simi, who brought Hart to Feather River College in 2008 before leaving the following year to become head coach at Army's West Point Prep. "We knew from the beginning this was a kid who had some problems and had some issues. Not just academically, but let's face it, probably emotionally. But he was still a good person, and that's what we believed in -- his potential.

"He screwed up and kind of paid a public humiliation price for it, and then he went underground and had to get a lot of things figured out. But clearly over time, he has. And here he is, man. It's pretty cool."

Hart, who is 6-foot-4, 315 pounds, played prep football in Nevada, with the dream of becoming a Division I player. After his junior season at Fernley High School, he received recruiting letters from Washington, Oregon and Nevada and even nicknamed himself "D-1." But because he had a 1.8 grade point average -- and thought it was of no use to take the SAT -- those schools stopped recruiting him. Ashamed to let anyone know, he assured his coaches and classmates that he was still a national recruit -- and continued his lie throughout his senior season of high school.

He then announced his college choice -- on national signing day in 2008 -- during a packed high school assembly, choosing Cal over Oregon. Asked afterward why he chose Cal, Hart answered: "Coach [Jeff] Tedford and I talked a lot, and the fact that the head coach did most of the recruiting of me kind of game me a real personal experience with that coach. And we had like a really good relationship."

But hours later, the hoax was uncovered. Fernley officials were told by Cal that Tedford had never met him or recruited him, and Hart, when confronted, told another lie, saying he'd been duped by a recruiting agent. But he later confessed, becoming a national pariah.

He planned to quit football until Feather River's Simi, along with athletic director Merle Trueblood, offered him a second chance at Feather River, a two-year institution in Northern California. Hart played sparingly as a freshman in 2008, then missed the entire 2009 season because of a knee injury. In 2010, he was academically ineligible to play, and served as a volunteer football assistant, helping coach the offensive line.

"Once he coached a little bit and saw what it was like, he learned the meaning of accountability," Trueblood said Tuesday. "Because nobody cut him not any slack on this staff. Not any slack. Make him accountable. He did all the dirty work so to speak, being the lowly volunteer. No slack was cut whatsoever. He did laundry. But that's what he needed. And then he got his grades right. Went to school and class. And then he came back."

This past season of 2011, Trueblood said Hart blossomed into "one of the best linemen we've ever had."

Hart could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Trueblood said several Division I schools would have pursued Hart, but backed off when they heard he had only one year left of Division I eligibility. But he has two years of eligibility at the Division II level, and Missouri Western State and Appalachian State were two of the top programs showing interest.

"He's one of those feisty offensive linemen," Trueblood said. "Big, strong -- just mowing people over. He's really got an attitude. He's going to move whatever he needs to move. I know Appalachian State, a few of the bigger names were looking at him. And he loved Missouri Western right off. Division II that's a perfect spot for him. He can excel and be a standout, all the things he needs in his head."

Missouri Western is expected to announce Hart's signing at a Wednesday news conference -- four years to the day after Hart's faux news conference in Fernley. Hart was unavailable for comment Tuesday, but at Monday night's Feather River College football banquet, Trueblood said Hart was overcome with emotion when addressing his teammates.

"Kevin's persevered," Simi said, "and obviously is achieving a lot of success. I couldn't be happier for him, couldn't be prouder."

[Sooner74]

What an idiot! I can't believe you can even tout him as "a man" or saying that he persevered. No, I will save my congratulations to the thousands of other kids that work hard to earn what they get and don't make up lies like this. Sure he may have learned a lesson, but it certainly isn't praise worthy.

[8timechamps]

What an idiot! I can't believe you can even tout him as "a man" or saying that he persevered. No, I will save my congratulations to the thousands of other kids that work hard to earn what they get and don't make up lies like this. Sure he may have learned a lesson, but it certainly isn't praise worthy.

When the story broke (and for a couple of weeks after) much of the media talked about "How the current recruiting environment put so much pressure on young athletes, that it was the reason why he would make up such a story"...Bull****! He wanted to be the big man. What I still can't understand is how far did he honestly think he could ride this?

[Sooner74]

When the story broke (and for a couple of weeks after) much of the media talked about "How the current recruiting environment put so much pressure on young athletes, that it was the reason why he would make up such a story"...Bull****! He wanted to be the big man. What I still can't understand is how far did he honestly think he could ride this?

I agree. This story just chaps my ***. I'm tired of the same hashed out feel sorry for me because I made a mistake stories. I want real stories about success, such as DGB and his brother. I want to hear stories like Q. Carter making an impact in society and on the field. Unfortunately, that will never happen. Drama drives the $$$ for the media machine.

I just don't get the story. He seriously had to be severely stupid. Any sane person could get a 1.8 and would know an SAT is necessary. Any sane person would know they couldn't get away with this. This kid is insane and they still haven't figured it out.

[yermom]

dude paid a price for being a dumb kid. he probably could have walked on a lot of places with those stats

sounds like he's paid his dues

[StoopTroup]

I agree Yermom. I mean....unless he's still screwing around.

Maybe he'll get his stuff together.