what things might be like during the 90% of the time they aren't on the practice field.

IMO, overweighting the first offer is dumb. I doubt anyone on this board took their second choice Grad School because they offered first. But, again, my opinion doesn't matter, only the recruits. And if a message board turns them off, we have to live with that just like we have to live with an irrational response to a late offer.