"Stress of off-field misconduct ate at Bob Stoops"......

[theSeanDon]

A midnight curfew for incoming freshmen to start.....let recruits know this up front. It's hard to argue that Mixon would not have benefitted from such a policy.
Talk to family, friends coaches and teachers at the kid's hometown.
Attract players that are selfless, tough, team-oriented and enthusiastic....players that a coach wants to coach with solid practice habits.
If a "bad apple" slips through the cracks, react fairly but decisively.
And don't bring in a player from another school with questionable character, as in the case of Dorial Green-Beckum.

I respect your opinion but that's not a formula for winning championships.

 

[iasooner1]

The DGB thing was unfortunate and an unnecessary waste of resources, given our long history with the ncaa's rulings for the Sooners

 

[WhyNotaSooner]

A midnight curfew for incoming freshmen to start.....let recruits know this up front. It's hard to argue that Mixon would not have benefitted from such a policy.
Talk to family, friends coaches and teachers at the kid's hometown.
Attract players that are selfless, tough, team-oriented and enthusiastic....players that a coach wants to coach with solid practice habits.
If a "bad apple" slips through the cracks, react fairly but decisively.
And don't bring in a player from another school with questionable character, as in the case of Dorial Green-Beckum.

I think we would like for this to happen with every recruit. Not all will be a Shepard or Perrine. But Mixon cleared your requirements. There is no way period in today's world that kids in college will have midnight curfews, especially in the summer or off season. Won't happen. Not on a kid's 18th birthday. If any HC at OU instituted this rule two things would happen... you'd get 2-star recruits and those 2-star recruits would be busted for breaking curfew rules.

 

[iasooner1]

Things were much easier when @ 18 one could legally purchase booze, get drafted, vote

 

[soonerdave]

A midnight curfew for incoming freshmen to start.....let recruits know this up front. It's hard to argue that Mixon would not have benefitted from such a policy.
Talk to family, friends coaches and teachers at the kid's hometown.
Attract players that are selfless, tough, team-oriented and enthusiastic....players that a coach wants to coach with solid practice habits.
If a "bad apple" slips through the cracks, react fairly but decisively.
And don't bring in a player from another school with questionable character, as in the case of Dorial Green-Beckum.

Wouldn't implementation of your second two points preclude the need for your first point? And to your first point, do you really believe outr program has deteriorated to the point that we would need such a curfew, an action that would likely be more the exception in college football than the norm?

 

[CTOkie]

I respect your opinion but that's not a formula for winning championships.

Know that for a fact ?

Wouldn't implementation of your second two points preclude the need for your first point? And to your first point, do you really believe outr program has deteriorated to the point that we would need such a curfew, an action that would likely be more the exception in college football than the norm?

Personally, I don't want the under-21 bunch to vote based on what I have seen and heard, and I sure as hell don't want the drinking age lowered to 18. The military draft should be only when Congress declares war, unlike with every military intervention we've had since WWII.
What I have expressed on this thread as far as dealing with disciplinary actions are utopian ideas, therefore unlikely to ever become reality. But whatever happens with future off field issues, as with the results of games played, is out of my control....therefore, while I'm a bit miffed at at ongoing crap that happens almost annually, there is no "shame" or "embarrassment" on my part. I accept this as I do injuries and defeats. Don't like it, but it is what it is.
Everyone relax...this team will continue its winning ways, recruit talented players and deal with disciplinary issues the same as always. God forbid there will ever be a policy of holding 18-21 year olds responsible for the way they represent themselves, the program or the university. Life goes on.

 

[soonerdave]

Everyone relax...this team will continue its winning ways, recruit talented players and deal with disciplinary issues the same as always. God forbid there will ever be a policy of holding 18-21 year olds responsible for the way they represent themselves, the program or the university. Life goes on.

Who on here and with what post made a comment that leads you to believe there should not be such a policy?

 

[CTOkie]

Who on here and with what post made a comment that leads you to believe there should not be such a policy?

No one here "leads" me to believe there should not be a policy. I have advocated FOR a policy, or policies.
The opinions of others on this topic are irrelevant to me because I'm not going to alter anyone's opinion on this and vise versa....and nothing will change at OU on this matter.

 

[FirecrackerFarts]

Lot of bulljive goin on in this thread, come back.

 

[WhyNotaSooner]

I agree. I'm thinking some are just wanting to rant, find fault, and nag. For every Sunderland, there are 50-75 great young men that represent OU. Some dwell on the negative way too much.

 

[soonerdave]

And in other shocking news, Vince Young whining again.

 

[Soonerborn59]

CT

College athletics and especially football programs are going to have their issues. The problem is that today vs the old days the media jumps on every negative story they can find and at the same time pick and chooses which programs to attack.

At they same time they ignore the stories of all the good many of these "good kid" athletes do. Saben at Alabama recruits shady players all the time and even when they somehow get in the news for something wrong those stories quickly vanish and never talked about again yet the media had been hammering OU and Stoops over the Mixon incident since it happened. Lots of unfair journalism going on if you ask me.

Saben is no damn saint and neither is Meyer but they have not been attacked by the media like they have done OU and Stoops.

It happens everywhere but we live in a pick and choose media world.

 

[CTOkie]

CT

College athletics and especially football programs are going to have their issues. The problem is that today vs the old days the media jumps on every negative story they can find and at the same time pick and chooses which programs to attack.

At they same time they ignore the stories of all the good many of these "good kid" athletes do. Saben at Alabama recruits shady players all the time and even when they somehow get in the news for something wrong those stories quickly vanish and never talked about again yet the media had been hammering OU and Stoops over the Mixon incident since it happened. Lots of unfair journalism going on if you ask me.

Saben is no damn saint and neither is Meyer but they have not been attacked by the media like they have done OU and Stoops.

It happens everywhere but we live in a pick and choose media world.

I know about issues at other programs. Not sure I buy the theory that because a program hasn't had issues that it is getting preferential treatment from the media although I can think of an exception at Texas a few years back.
Saying that most of the players behave well is common knowledge and those players are not a concern of mine. It's the few problem players that are the "turd in the punch bowl" and give a program and school a black eye.
I'm not going to lay the problem of misconduct exclusively on the media who do not create the problem.
I'm 68 years old and I see players today surrounded by many more temptations and entitlements than players thirty-plus years ago and a few.....a few.....are "poisoned" by such things.
Based on what Riley said in his open letter to us, I believe he will minimize the problems involving conduct.

 

[WhyNotaSooner]

CT

College athletics and especially football programs are going to have their issues. The problem is that today vs the old days the media jumps on every negative story they can find and at the same time pick and chooses which programs to attack.

At they same time they ignore the stories of all the good many of these "good kid" athletes do. Saben at Alabama recruits shady players all the time and even when they somehow get in the news for something wrong those stories quickly vanish and never talked about again yet the media had been hammering OU and Stoops over the Mixon incident since it happened. Lots of unfair journalism going on if you ask me.

Saben is no damn saint and neither is Meyer but they have not been attacked by the media like they have done OU and Stoops.

It happens everywhere but we live in a pick and choose media world.

We also live in a 24hr cable news & sports era. Back in the 50's there were troubled sports figures, but for some reason, they were hardly reported. Not so today. Even in the 50's there was no midnight curfew in the off season. If there was, it was sure to be broken.

 

[Soonerborn59]

I know about issues at other programs. Not sure I buy the theory that because a program hasn't had issues that it is getting preferential treatment from the media although I can think of an exception at Texas a few years back.
Saying that most of the players behave well is common knowledge and those players are not a concern of mine. It's the few problem players that are the "turd in the punch bowl" and give a program and school a black eye.
I'm not going to lay the problem of misconduct exclusively on the media who do not create the problem.
I'm 68 years old and I see players today surrounded by many more temptations and entitlements than players thirty-plus years ago and a few.....a few.....are "poisoned" by such things.
Based on what Riley said in his open letter to us, I believe he will minimize the problems involving conduct.

I agree that the players create the issue but still the media picks and chooses which ones they will and wont let rest. You have 10 years on me and certainly have my respect. I respect your opinions as you never shy away from topics.

With that being said the Mixon fiasco was a black eye but do you really think any other big time major school would have dismissed him? I think there are plenty of examples out there that would say otherwise.

it is possible that Mixon really is sorry for his actions ( and he should be ) but now for the rest of his life people will go around hating this young man no matter what good he does in life because they only judge him on the one big wrong he done. Black eyes do eventually heel as all of us OU fans should know that.

 

[CTOkie]

I agree that the players create the issue but still the media picks and chooses which ones they will and wont let rest. You have 10 years on me and certainly have my respect. I respect your opinions as you never shy away from topics.

With that being said the Mixon fiasco was a black eye but do you really think any other big time major school would have dismissed him? I think there are plenty of examples out there that would say otherwise.

it is possible that Mixon really is sorry for his actions ( and he should be ) but now for the rest of his life people will go around hating this young man no matter what good he does in life because they only judge him on the one big wrong he done. Black eyes do eventually heel as all of us OU fans should know that.

Whether or not Mixon would have been dismissed if he has been at another program is hard to say.....outside of one of the military academies.
How many people will view Mixon for the rest of his life makes this terrible event of 3 years ago even more tragic. Then there is what some people will say of Stoops, the program and OU.
59, you're a good poster. Thanks for a good exchange, especially on such a touchy subject.

 

[larwilli]

It wasn't just the Mixon issue. During this same period OU took DGB after he was kicked off Missouri for allegedly choking a female. Shannon was involved in an incident with a female and was kicked out of school for a year and was welcomed back by Stoops the next year. Then we find out a couple years later about domestic assault allegations against Westbrook before he was signed at OU. A reporter was able to find this information but OU couldn't? All of these incidents with women occurred in a 3 year period. It's not only the Mixon issue responsible for the criticism.

 

[CTOkie]

Iarwlli...Good point and I should have mentioned those events all along. This is a trend at OU that needs to stop regardless of what happens at other programs.

 

[soonerdave]

I applaud the second chances Stoops and other coaches provide many athletes, I really do. However, I also believe there is a line that someone shouldn't cross in order to get that second chance before being told to seek their chance elsewhere.

 

[WhyNotaSooner]

I may be wrong on this but w/ Shannon, OU may not have had a legal recourse to remove him permanently. From a legal stand point, Shannon had no charges brought against him due to lack of evidence. The school's Kangaroo court convicted him. After he served the schools punishment there was not any reason to not bring him back.

DGB... what a waste. He was Norvell's pup. Stoops took him in following a desperate WR situation. What really was bad was that Stoops took the PR hit on DGB and he never even played. This was a waste of 2nd chance for OU.

I hv no issue w Mixon's return. He was 18 yrs old for a whopping 1 1/2 hrs before his ordeal happened. He was punished. And served OU well afterwards. This was a quality OU 2nd chance given.