College Football Recruiting: Death Threats Not Deterring Seals-Jones
The Dallas Morning News reported a rather distrubing revelation regarding four star recruit Ricky Seals-Jones. According to the Sports Day section, the hearalded receiver has well… received death threats for decommiting from Texas. While the story is disgusting, it should not surprise. College football fans are known for taking their beloved teams very seriously. Seals-Jones is learning how serious the love affair really is. The DMN reported that Seals-Jones has been the subject of such threats on his Twitter account. If that isn’t enough the Sealy, Texas resident reported cars driving slowly driving by his residence.
It was only a month ago that Seals-Jones reported he had changed his mind on giving the Longhorns a verbal commitment. Not only is Seals-Jones a blue chip football prospect, but he has been offered scholarships for basketball as well, by big time programs. The 6’5″ 220lb high school phenom wants to play both. With the prospect for playing both sports looking unwelcome in Austin, Seals-Jones decided to decommit and look elsewhere for a suitor. The Horns are still in the running, but being “in” the running isn’t the same as having a solid verbal for the number one rated wideout in the country.
Schools that are hot on Seals-Jones trail are LSU, Texas A & M, Baylor, and Oregon. Why some fans find it necessary to harass a 17-year-old is beyond me. Deciding one’s college fate is difficult for any high school upperclassman. Where to spend the next four years so as to best prepare oneself for the next 50 is not a small matter. Seals-Jones has big time aspirations. While Texas is a first class operation, there are other big fish vying for the services of a pass catcher that could help bring a crystal football to campus. In the DMN article Seals-Jones commented on the unwanted attention,
“I guess for some people, it’s that serious. As the days and weeks went by, it started to die off, but for a few days, it was real hectic.” Seals went on, “The atmosphere is what I look at the most from these schools,” he said. “You’re going to be there three, four, five years of your life. If I’m not able to make the NFL or NBA, I can always go back and connect with someone for a job. They really help your career options. That’s what I like about all those schools.”
Is changing one’s mind so aggregious that it should warrant threatning actions or words? That was a rhetorical question. By all indications, Seals-Jones is doing what every young man or woman should be doing at his age, weighing their options. One young man felt he made an important decision too early, and would like to step back and reevaluate. Besides, what person would want to play for a fan base that threatens their life? Another rhetorical question.
If Longhorn fan ends up with Seals-Jones in burnt orange, he or she can consider themselves lucky. Texas fans would be lucky not for getting a talented receiver that could help win championships, but rather, a young man showing class and forgiveness. What a concept.
