Class of 2018 recruit takes the Miami vs. FSU rivalry too far

Whether you love Miami and hate Florida State, love Florida State and hate Miami, or could care less about either program an opinion is to be had about what Class of 2018 recruit AJ Blades Jr. did on the field at Doak Campbell Stadium over the weekend.

The 5’11”, 161 pound, freshman cornerback from University School in Fort Lauderdale was on an unofficial visit to Florida State when someone snapped a shot of Blades holding up the Canes “U” sign while standing mid-field on the FSU Seminole logo. Blades posted the picture writing, “Fun FSU visit yesterday.”

The back story gives insight with the Miami Hurricane faithful laughing over the gag. Alphonso is the son of Al Blades, former First-Team All-Big East player for the “U”, and nephew to fellow former Miami players Brain and Bennie Blades. Brian was a second round draft pick of the Seattle Seahawks in 1988 playing until 1998. Bennie was a first round pick in 1988 playing for the Detroit Lions (1988-1996) and Seattle Seahawks (1997) but fathered another Cane, H.B. Blades. H.B. was a sixth round pick of the Washington Redskins in 2007 after earning First-Team All-American and Beg East Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2006.

Bloodlines in the Blades family with Miami run deep.

Al Blades Jr. had a standout freshman season coming up with 61 tackles, 6 tackles for a loss, 3 interceptions, and 2 fumble recoveries. Miami head coach Al Golden extended an offer to the Canes legacy with Alphonso committing on Feb. 22, 2015.

Despite the strong family ties and background linked to the Miami program, FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher and recruiting coordinator Tim Brewster extended an invitation to Blades when they did not have to do so. In return Blades returned the favor by being disrespectful to the FSU program.

Even though he is young and just a freshman, what Blades did was wrong. The act is disrespectful to the recruiting process as a whole. Perhaps the coaches at FSU were snarky or unkind to Blades leading the young man to retaliate by flashing the U sign, then perhaps forgivable and more understandable. But if all things were on the up-and-up, was the whole intent on taking the trip to make FSU and their staff look bad for inviting him to their “home?”

Blades may love Miami through and through but he has no idea who the head coach maybe come 2018. Al Golden or not, Blades may not care for the staff on campus at that time and wish to play somewhere else. Starting a track record of making other college coaches look stupid for trusting him is not a great way to begin his recruitment process. In fact it could stop him from going to another top Division-I program.

Texas A&M loving recruits going onto the Texas Longhorns’ campus flashing an upside down “Hook’em Horns” sign maybe a regular occurrence along with Auburn commitments putting down Bama while on the Tuscaloosa campus is sure to take place over and over. But to purposely share the moment on social media for thousands, if not millions, to see is a lack of respect for the game and the process as a whole.

Hopefully other recruits, regardless of the sport, can learn something from Blades’ lack of poor judgment.

Written by Ryan Wright

Photo credit: twitter.com