Note To Recruits: U Snooze, U Lose

There is no need to read between the lines.

There is no hidden meaning or hidden agenda.

There is no mystery, intrigue or puzzle to solve.

There is no top secret information that needs to be shared. 

And, if you are a University of Miami football fan, there is certainly no need to get your knickers all in a wad over the Denver Kirkland situation.

As everyone reading this already knows, Kirkland is the highly sought after, four star offensive lineman from Booker T Washington high school in Miami. UM was one of many schools that were heavily recruiting Kirkland and had even offered him a scholarship to become a Miami Hurricane.

At least until yesterday that is. That was when Kirkland, apparently playing the always popular but not always effective "recruiting game" that usually involves more hats tricks than a full season of hockey games, was informed by Miami that the Hurricane train had left the station. 

Every single one of the Internets that Al Gore created were all abuzz on Thursday night after news of the situation broke in the late afternoon. So, I thought I would weigh in and offer my humble opinion on this issue.

To me it would appear that UM head coach Al Golden sent a clear, concise and long overdue message to all potential high school recruits who might like to spend their college years as a student-athlete at "The U": U snooze, U lose.

And, I for one, totally, completely and fully approve of this message.

So now, the day after the smoke has cleared, it appears that Booker T. Washington high school football Coach Ice "Ice Baby" Harris is back-pedaling a little on the comments he made on Twitter last night to the Miami Herald's Manny Navarro.

It seems coach Harris may have had big dreams of getting some serious media attention for himself and his school by playing match-maker between Kirkland and his many college suitors and instead fumbled the ball at the goal line and was shocked that his little scheme and his client wound up paying a heavy price in what basically amounted to recruiting divorce court.

Personally, I respected, appreciated and valued the move by Golden and the way he handled this situation so much that I have invented a new term to mark the day, and the way, that he single-handedly brought college football recruiting finally crashing back to earth: "Kirklanded".

Definition: (1) The act of waiting too long to make your decision on verbally committing to your school of choice and thereby having the school pull your scholarship offer and leaving you standing all alone out in the cold looking more foolish than you are young; (2) trying to get too cute during the recruiting process by telling the school you really want to attend that they are in your "top three" schools under the delusion of having all of the power in the recruiting process and thereby losing your best option; (3) the act of having your high school coach get in the way, give you bad advice and fumble away the only real chance you ever had to attend your dream school.

Just a word of advice to all high school football recruits out there: hat tricks are for kids, so commit to Miami while you can.

And please, whatever U do, don't get "Kirklanded". 

Related articles

Miami is out for Denver Kirkland, per reports

Miami Hurricanes pull offer from Denver Kirkland

Miami Hurricanes Football: National Signing Day Will Make or Break 2013 Class

Recruiting impact of James Coley leaving Florida State for Miami

Comments

[Ohio_Cane]

Copied from last blog:

In case U didn't believe me about Grace being a Cane:

Miramar requests that ALL LOI's be turned in to the school by today, 5 days before NSD. The only one that arrived for Grace was from Coral Gables.

Posted by: Ohio_Cane | February 01, 2013 at 07:17 PM
-------------------------------------

Not breaking or shocking news, just an FYI

[CaneRock]

"If you don't believe then watch."

FIRST!

[Hassan]

3rd

[Hassan]

http://www.dallascowboys.com/multimedia/videos/Larry-Allen-Bench-Presses-700-lbs/5cdd32a8-0eaf-46f5-a8ff-7fa1806fec4d

Dude is about to go in the HOF, name the school he went to star whores lol

[Ohio_Cane]

Nice article here!

Papa Cane had a great analogy:

@ByPapaCane: Imagine that you have 3 job vacancies. Each jobs pays $250,000 for 4 years. You've received 50 resumes and narrowed it down to 8 folks. Out of the 8 folks, you have offered jobs to 3 and 2 have accepted. The last one won't until his birthday so he can party. What do you do? The other candidates you down selected are very good as well and won't make you wait. You have a business to run. Risk to manage. WHAT DO YOU DO? It's your business. Your vacancies. Your jobs. Your neck on the line. The jobs expire in a week until summer if not filled.

[Terrance Sullivan]

86 U sir nailed this article. Well written sir. I approve this article concerning the situation.

[kenyon19ypr]

Kirby Freeman

[roachcane77]

"Kirklanded," nice...

[360Cane]

As the world turns...

[orange 'n green in the vein]

By far the most head scratching blog ever posted on this site, which considering it's about an always head-scratching recruiting drama seems only fitting.

Like I said on the last blog, no coach owes any recruit anything (and I mean that in the $aban or NCAA sense, pick one or the other or both simultaneously) until they put their name on the letter of intent to play for the program of their choice so whoever those coaches choose to pursue and the means they choose to employ while doing so are one of the most important ways they earn the right to continue to enjoy employment under their contract.

Recruiting decision fall-outs aren't felt until three years later usually anyway so I'm more concerned with how the linemen from '11 are going to payoff for the staff who recruited them more than any freshman in this class at the current point in time.

[Jack]

10

[RBLCane]

So frustrated with Manny Navarro... Had he acted even a little bit like a responsible journalist--especially one who claims he's a Canes fan--he would've waited until today to publish on the Kirkland story once he had more information.

It's unbelievable that someone from the most prominent news organization in Miami lent himself to become a mouthpiece for a disgruntled coach and thereby sending everyone (almost everyone) in a panicked frenzy in the process.

I used to be a fan of his blog but as of today, that guy's on my s**t list!

GO CANES!!!

[Old Skool]

RBL competition drive the media. Second doesn't count. ESPN had the Mante Teo story but waited to gather more info and got scooped by TMZ.

In the 24 hour news cycle being right matters more than being complete. Complete can come tomorrow or the day after or next year. Manny had his attribution, he went with it.

Tim may have had an axe to grind, but I presume Manny didn't make up the quotes. And for all I know, the sports editor said "Fetch" and Manny said "Yes, sir".

[Old Skool]

I imagine I'm late to the trough, but has anyone pointed out the inspiration for the new Florida business logo?

[canezilla]

GREAT ARTICLE !!!! IF U WANT TO PLAY FOR A SCHOOL THEN PULL THE TRIGGER AND TELL THEM. NOBODY HAS TIME FOR LITTLE KID GAMES. THIS IS THE TIME TO SHOW THE NATION U ARE SERIOUS AND ARE TRYING TO MAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL. THESE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS HAVE GROWN ASS MEN LIKE UMIKE ON THE EDGE OF THERE SEAT!!!LOL STOP PLAYING GAMES

[86Cane]

86 U sir nailed this article. Well written sir. I approve this article concerning the situation.

Posted by: Terrance Sullivan | February 01, 2013 at 08:05 PM

Thank U sir.

[Old Skool]

Why Fiddle dee dee. Denver should have made his intentions known rather than sitting around batting his eyelashes and writing his little "show me some love" tweets like a Southern Belle who wants to be wooed.

Good article Soup.

[86Cane]

I used to be a fan of his blog but as of today, that guy's on my s**t list!

Posted by: RBLCane | February 01, 2013 at 08:59 PM

I do not know what has happened to Manny recently. He has changed, or the Herald has changed him, not sure which.

Anywho, RBL I do NOT think that anyone has properly welcomed U to the blog so here goes:

Welcome to The Space! Post here, post often.

[86Cane]

Good article Soup.

Posted by: Old Skool | February 01, 2013 at 09:25 PM

Appreciate that. Did U get my 10 emails about fishing?

[86Cane]

THESE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS HAVE GROWN ASS MEN LIKE UMIKE ON THE EDGE OF THERE SEAT! STOP PLAIN GAMES.

Posted by: canezilla | February 01, 2013 at 09:19 PM

Sad isn't it? LOL

[panamacitycane]

Only a rew days left..im done caring about recruits. .ill leace that to the guys who paid to care and thats golden and his staff...for now how bout them canes bball!!!!

[panamacitycane]

And again I hate typing on my phone

[laquinton]

tremaine Mack is my.cousins jv basketball team in seatac,wa wow...

[laquinton]

should be a coach in my last sentence lol

[86Cane]

Mount Rainier High has hired Tremain Mack to be the school’s interim head football coach.

Mack was an assistant coach with the Rams last season. He played the University of Miami and four seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. He made the Pro Bowl in the 1999 season as a kick returner, averaging 27.1 yards per return.

Read more here: http://blog.thenewstribune.com/preps/2012/07/26/football-mount-rainier-hires-tremain-mack-as-interim-head-coach/#storylink=cpy

[laquinton]

old skool.. good one lol love gone with wind reference

[86Cane]

Tremaine Mack blocks punt vs WVU for the win:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BR29VsfkQz4

[orange 'n green in the vein]

If any of you think for a second that I'm not linking news of THIS;

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/nfl-rapidreports/21628436/swats-owner-publicly-apologizes-to-ravens-lb-ray-lewis

here, you're sadly underestimating the level of quality entertainment this entire ordeal is providing for me this winter.

[UMike]

THESE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS HAVE GROWN ASS MEN LIKE UMIKE ON THE EDGE OF THERE SEAT! STOP PLAIN GAMES.

Posted by: canezilla | February 01, 2013 at 09:19 PM

Sad isn't it? LOL

Posted by: 86Cane | February 01, 2013 at 09:30 PM

I am not at all on the edge of my seat lol

[Mcginns ale house]

Well written. long over due thanks 86 i am not scratching my head anymore.

[Mcginns ale house]

I am glad to see the coach Golden support on cane space. I will admit for years i was a Die hard Randy Shannon supporter and fought many blog battles on his behalf.Even though i am not willing to concede he was a bad coach.I am willing to concede he was a terrible head coach.Sometimes the orange interviews with the green in my viens and makes me see everything azz backwards...................

[bigdadieeeeeeee]

somona st is where the great larry allen played

[Hassan]

somona st is where the great larry allen played

Posted by: bigdadieeeeeeee | February 01, 2013 at 11:17 PM
----------------------------------------------

Good job, there is talent everywhere.

[orange 'n green in the vein]

Mcginns, you should do the career winning percentages again and get back to us on that line of inquiry, I'm laughing too hard to divide clearly right now after reading that last post by you.

Surprised you didn't come around to recommend your favorite mutant for the answer to a problem the basketball team doesn't have the other night, you feeling OK man?

[Hassan]

#4 won the 200M race in nearly a new PR 21.69

[WWIN]

I am not at all on the edge of my seat lol

Posted by: UMike | February 01, 2013 at 10:05 PM

Yeah cuz you fell off that seat today homie lol

[dg]

Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | February 01, 2013 at 03:30 PM

What would you say if I told you I have unnamed sources who know that the 'wife' Golden keeps saying can't stop raving about loving living in Miami was really just his college roommate with a Skype account sporting a picture from a former PSU cheerleader skimmed off of failbook as the profile icon and that's why he won't let Golden take another job because the worst coordinator in Hurricane history knows he won't be allowed to tag along for the ride to faded SEC powers like Tennessee dg

LOL..Now we have a story..All the recruiting in the world can't fix horrible coaching..maybe D'No should sleep at a Holiday Inn every night. At least he can say he is not a coach :-)

[The Dude]

Good article SOUP. I think that there's more to it than a kid playing games. OGV. You always crack me up man. Panamacitycane, Just give up man. Ha ha ha ha.

[The Dude]

As far as I am concerned Ice Harris is a punk and is what is wrong with SoFl football. He acts like more of a child than the kids he coaches. I honestly good give a crap if we never get another one of his guys. He is focused on Golden failing. I don't always think Golden is golden. He should have fired his buddy. But I think Harris is deliberately taking steps to make things tough on Golden. I doubt this is on Kirkland at all.

[Hassan]

A.C. is a Cane

[Ohio_Cane]

A.C. is a Cane

Posted by: Hassan | February 02, 2013 at 01:01 AM
---------------------------------------

Yep yep! Can't wait for Monday to give us some momentum going into Wednesday!

[dj moonbat]

Isn't the only real story here that Ice Harris is trying to pull rank on Golden?

[CoCane]

I've been telling yall that for the longest...

[CoCane]

I wonder if behind the scenes Harris & Matt Thomas is lobbying for Kirkland. If Harris was advising DK on his decision making, he knows he fukked him(unintentionally). So it's possible he's explained himself & the situation & is hoping to get DK back in play. Jmo

[Old Skool]

86
Got the e-mails. It's been a crazy week. Will get it taken care of today

[TLuv]

Well said

[1Miamifan]

Great article 86, well said.

[UMike]

From Rivals..

Woody Wommack, Southeast: This is always hard to predict; there are more than a few colorful characters in the 2013 class, but I'm not sure who will pull out all the tricks for his announcement. I never put it past the wide receivers to make a splash, so I'll put my money on Stacy Coley.

Kynon Codrington, Southeast: I'm not sure anything is a circus anymore. I'd say the most bizarre thing I've seen so far is the situation with the University of Miami and Denver Kirkland. Kirkland had Miami in his top three, but he wanted to wait until signing day to announce. The 'Canes chose to move on, telling Kirkland they didn't have room in this class for the Rivals250 prospect. What is strange is that the same night Miami dropped Kirkland it was at the home of five-star OLB Matthew Thomas, trying to find out where it stands. I have to believe Miami is on the outside looking in for Thomas and its reputation with one of the top programs in Miami-Dade will be altered going forward. Booker T. Washington has two athletes in the Rivals250 To Watch for 2014. Kirkland's signing day decision will be one to watch Wednesday.

[usagainsttheworld]

Okay Space Cadets,

I have been following this Kirkland story (mostly here) and trying my best to keep up. 86 et.al how are we determining that Ice was trying to get attention for himself and the school--and that asking the kid to hold out like this was the right way to do it? In other words why are we pinning this on tim? Maybe the kid did this and was gonna pull the switcheroo on nsd?

Lastly I thought I read somewhere that a btw coach (harris jr?) all but said that the kid was a silent before the U pulled the scholly? If thats the case why would we not believe that and run with it? Seems to me like there is a trust issue here between the U and Btw. There is more here than meets the eye. Some interesting dynamics (too provocative to mention for this blog).

Seems to me that if Al and the boyz were trying to make a statement (which I agree needed to be made) they should have done it somewhere else and with someone else. Though perhaps it needed to be made in such a visible, high profile way so that the message was clear.

[roachcane77]

I imagine I'm late to the trough, but has anyone pointed out the inspiration for the new Florida business logo?

Posted by: Old Skool | February 01, 2013 at 09:17 PM

Come to Florida and join the TIE! LOL