We didn't have message boards like we do today. We had talk radio. I just wonder what each of you would say on his forced resignation? What would you have posted in 1989?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Switzer
I have always been amazed that no one has ever mentioned the possible connection between the disciplinary problems Barry encountered in 1988 and the retirement of Port Robertson in 1986. In addition to coaching the OU wrestling team, Port Robertson became an assistant athletic director and guidance counselor, among other duties. In that capacity he became the enforcer of discipline in the athletic department. When I was at OU during the Bud Wilkinson days, stories abounded about Port Robertson taking some 6'4" 250 lbs lineman into his office and locking the door. When the lineman emerged from Robertson's office no one dared asked him how he happened to get hit by a freight train. I refer to passages in the book "Tales From the Sooner Sidelines," by Jay Upchurch and Mike McKenzie where they describe, as an example, Jerry Pettibone's experience with Robertson. Also, Stephen Harlan Norwood's book "Real Football: Conversations on America's Game," where he interviews Greg Pruitt about his experience with Robertson.
I believe that OU and Barry Switzer came to rely upon Port Robertson for disciplinary problems, and no one replaced him when Port retired. Jerry Parks, Bernard Hall, Zarak Peters, Nigel Clay and Charles Thompson would never have committed the disciplinary infractions if Port Robertson had still been in the athletic department. If they did, they would have gotten as far away as possible from Norman before Port found out about it. As Gregg Pruitt described it, fear alone would have kept them from becoming one of Port's "peaheads."
Tales From the Sooner Sidelines
By Jay Upchurch, Mike McKenzie
2003
Tough Love
No person in the University of Oklahoma athletic department was more respected or feared than Port Robertson. He served as head wrestling coach, conditioning coach and academic advisor during a career that spanned 40 years from 1947-86.
Besides producing consistent winners on the mat, his teams won three national titles during a 14-year period—Robertson ruled with an iron fist when it came to academia.
Miss a class, answer to Port. Skip study hall, answer to Port.
Robertson was responsible for helping more than a few student athletes find their way to graduation during his time at OU. One of the football players who benefited from Robertson’s tough love methods was Jerry Pettibone.
Pettibone was sleep walking through his freshman season at OU buried on the depth chart and uninspired by school. He was teetering on the brink of becoming an academic casualty when Robertson stepped in with a phone call to Pettibone’s father.
By the time their conversation ended, the younger Pettibone was a member of Robertson’s straight and narrow “peahead” club.
“Port calls me into his office one day and just starts reading me the riot act about my school work,” said Pettibone. “He tells me what I’m going to do to improve and flourish at OU and every time he made a point he’d jab his finger into my sternum. That got my attention in a hurry.”
But Pettibone was going to have nothing to do with Robertson’s hard-core rules. He immediately phoned his father and began describing how Robertson yelled at him and threatened him and even got physical with him. Pettibone told his father he was going to find a better school and transfer.
When the younger Pettibone was finished describing his ordeal, father Pettibone told him to get used to Robertson’s ways and forget about transferring.
“Basically, he said it was time to step up and be responsible for my actions,” added Pettibone, who went on to letter in football
And graduate in four years. “After a while, I understood what Port was doing, and I came to appreciate him like a lot of other athletes over the years.”
Pettibone later returned to serve as an assistant football coach at OU. Many days he worked side by side with Robertson
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