Seal-Jones Death Threats

[HEMOTOXIC]

http://blog.chron.com/prepsports/2012/07/sealy-wr-seals-jones-i-got-death-threats-on-twitter-for-decommitting/

Sealy WR Seals-Jones: “I got death threats on Twitter” for decommitting
The world of college recruiting and just how crazy it can be showed itself this week when Ricky Seals-Jones, considered the top wide receiver in the nation, told ESPN’s Damon Sayles what he went through after opening up his recruitment in June.

Seals-Jones, a football and basketball standout at Sealy, originally committed to Texas in February. The 17-year-old wideout then decommitted from the Longhorns last month.

“When I decommitted, it was crazy,” Seals-Jones told Sayles. “I got death threats on Twitter. A couple cars in my neighborhood we didn’t know would drive by house real slow. I live in the country, so the cars that do drive by, you know who’s in them.”

Seals-Jones (6-5, 230) switched to quarterback last season for the Tigers and combined for nearly 2,200 yards of offense. He’ll line up there again this season as well as his spot in the defensive secondary – Seals-Jones recorded six interceptions last year at free safety.

As a sophomore receiver, Seals-Jones averaged more than 16 yards per reception and caught 11 touchdowns.

Seals-Jones is also a top basketball recruit and has expressed desires to play both sports in college. He averaged more than 30 points per game as a junior.

[ogg]

If he's so concerned, why didn't he call the cops?

[Lion70]

If he's so concerned, why
didn't he call the cops?
and tell them what. I am sure they would get right on that.

[Phil C]

This is serious business and it should have been reported to the police or sheriff's department. The thing is it could be fans pretending to be UT fans and then it could be UT fans. Either way bad business over a sports. This is ridiculous just like a marine from Sinton losing his life over a football game several years ago.

[ogg]

and tell them what. I am sure they would get right on that.

And that's my point, he's not concerned.

Some people like making news.

[pirate4state]

If he's so concerned, why didn't he call the cops?
How do you know he didn't?

[Matthew328]

I was thinking the same thing...its quite possible he did notify authorities

[Manso/V8]

The espn article linked in the chron.com blog goes in to more detail.
He was asked what it was like when he de-committed and he probably just answered honestly. Angry messages, and for sure death threats are a gonna be noticed by a teenager and adults as unusual and unsettling. It would be for me. He lives in a rural part of the county not too far from where I live, and every one notices what cars drive by. I know I do. I even take down a description or license plate number if I see a vehicle that seems to be driving slow or checking things out on our road. The espn article says the he and his family did not notify the authorities. They probably evaluated it for what it was, and decided everything was going to be fine.

I don't think for a minute that he or his family were trying to make news or attract more attention than they are already receiving. The only ones trying to make news or attract attention where espn and chron.com with the attention-grabbing headline. Other than that, it was interesting to read what his father said about the reasons his son de-committed, the advice he has been receiving from Eric Dickerson, and that Texas is still his number one school.

The article is really about the big pressures a major recruit faces at a young age, from the espn article.....

"But Seals-Jones, all of 17 years old, was forced to deal with things most kids don't have to when he decommitted from Texas just over a month ago."

He is a great athlete, a great kid, with a bright future ahead of him, but he is still a 17 year kid.
I think overall he and his family are handling the situation very well.

[ogg]

How do you know he didn't?

Cause I read the article.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/recruiting/football/story/_/id/8147527/ricky-seals-jones-focused-all-right-things