This question for all the self righteous and sanctimonious people who are so quick to condemn Joe Mixon and criticize Bob Stoops for keeping him in the program. When you were a teenager did your Mom or Dad ever ask you what the hell you were thinking or what in the hell did you think you were doing? The point is 18 year old Joe Mixon wasn't thinking.
It is not uncommon at all for teens, because of their immature brains, to act irrationally and impulsively in emotional situations. They don't process and evaluate a situation in terms of what consequences might I incur if I take this action. Research by neuroscientist has shown that teens rely on a part of the brain called amygdala which leads to impulsivity and risk taking behavior. The frontal cortex, the region which controls rational thinking and planning does not take over until early adulthood. I think in some people it never takes over, but that is another discussion.
Mixon was pushed, slapped, and allegedly called the "N" word. And his reaction to an emotionally charged situation was that of an impulsive, irrational teenager. What he did was WRONG. However, considering his age and the circumstances involved, it was certainly understandable. Had he been kicked out of the program, he could have transferred to another school and red shirted. He would have been able to practice but not play in games. I don't think some people realize that suspending Mixon at OU meant he could not participate in any football activities, including attending games at the stadium. To discard Mixon would have been the easy thing for Stoops to do. It was a tough decision to keep him but it was in my opinion the right decision. And I guarantee you that I would feel the same way if he were player at another school.
So all you saintly people who can say with absolute certainty that at 18 years of age that you, under identical circumstances, would not have reacted as Joe Mixon did, Go ahead and judge away.
It is not uncommon at all for teens, because of their immature brains, to act irrationally and impulsively in emotional situations. They don't process and evaluate a situation in terms of what consequences might I incur if I take this action. Research by neuroscientist has shown that teens rely on a part of the brain called amygdala which leads to impulsivity and risk taking behavior. The frontal cortex, the region which controls rational thinking and planning does not take over until early adulthood. I think in some people it never takes over, but that is another discussion.
Mixon was pushed, slapped, and allegedly called the "N" word. And his reaction to an emotionally charged situation was that of an impulsive, irrational teenager. What he did was WRONG. However, considering his age and the circumstances involved, it was certainly understandable. Had he been kicked out of the program, he could have transferred to another school and red shirted. He would have been able to practice but not play in games. I don't think some people realize that suspending Mixon at OU meant he could not participate in any football activities, including attending games at the stadium. To discard Mixon would have been the easy thing for Stoops to do. It was a tough decision to keep him but it was in my opinion the right decision. And I guarantee you that I would feel the same way if he were player at another school.
So all you saintly people who can say with absolute certainty that at 18 years of age that you, under identical circumstances, would not have reacted as Joe Mixon did, Go ahead and judge away.
