People are pretty ignorant of Stoops' past in 'giving 2nd chances'.
Remember when Dusty Dvoracek beat his friend's face in and put him in the ICU? I think my memory is right: He got suspended for a year, did some rehabilitation and penance, came back for a senior year and was drafted without any issues.
Now the dude is on ESPN like some sparkly golden boy.
The big difference seems to be no video exists of Dusty's incident, but because Mixon's is on TV and in thousands of tweets, Stoops is somehow being inconsistent or wrong.
Inaccurate summary. Dusty didn't get a year. Dusty was gone. He spent some time rehabilitating in several areas of his life, and asked to come back and was allowed to. He did some alcoholism education and got his life fixed.
The circumstance were different. Dusty was drunk, and beat up a friend of his. They liked each other. But Dusty off the field was a bully, and got that fixed.
Mixon's event was provoked. It can be argued, properly, that he way way overreacted. The girl's responsiblity has been brushed aside by those who see the 215 pound athlete cold cocking the 120 pound coed. But she started it. Mixon threw one punch and was trying to walk away, when she wouldn't let it go. That he continues to pay for this 30 months later is ironic, but the way it is.
Joe was right to make his statement, taking full responsibility, because in counseling, you learn quickly that you can only change you. He owned up to more than his responsibility. As was mentioned, the presence of video to be rewatched is a big factor in this. He did break her face. I'm guessing that she'll be a lot wiser in the future in similar events. But she'll get off scot free in future rekindling of the event. Unfairly, in my view. She may even make a bunch of money on the deal, which shows the injustice of our justice system.
I think the one thing that Dusty and Joe have in common is that they took advantage of their second chance to get to play again at OU. But the dynamics were different. It remains to be seen how much Joe's overall career can be rejuvenated. There will be those who will try to keep him from ever playing in the NFL.