Comments on: Coaches lacking loyalty

By: blahblahblah

blahblahblah — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 18:16:42 +0000

This was a terribly written, one-sided article that should have never been published. I know it is your job to be controversial and sell papers, but be careful how many times you jump back and forth over a fence. You should have wrapped up that article with a paragraph describing how all coaches who leave programs before the end of the season are dishonorable and how all universities that terminate a contract are dishonorable. Why stop short of the truth, or at least what you are willing to call the truth today (the truth might miraculously change tomorrow), unless it would damage your precious relationship with the government of Soonerville. You want to cause controversy and sell newspapers; then why not call out all the OU and OSU coaches that are so dishonorable. Is that really asking too much? How many OSU players are truly upset with Fedora’s decision to leave? But how convenient for you to stop short and limit your article to this year. Your OU fan base would have loved to hear you call all those out dishonorable Sooners, but rather you take the safe road and back peddle in your blog. OSU is used to getting second rate service in this state (keep throwing those excuses out there to us), but when your sweetheart’ Jenni Carleson’ publishes an article citing Obi Muenelo as coming back from a knee injury when it was actually a broken leg and how OSU basketball needs JamesOn Curry to return to his freshmen form from when he went to the Final Four, too bad OSU went to the Final Four his senior year of high school, it just goes to show that not only do your writers not know a darn thing about OSU sports coverage but that your editors don’t know a darn thing either and that you all could careless. Should I continue with other examples? It is embarrassing, but just like with meteorologists and baseball players, you have to succeed thirty percent of the time to be considered a success in the world of journalism or at least that is what the Oklahoman’s sports department would lead the commoner to believe. So why doesn’t the Oklahoman just come clean and quit covering OSU sports? It would free up a lot more of your precious resources for Sooner athletics. All I ask though is that you also stay out of town when things turn around in Stillwater because you are not welcome. If I preformed at my job the way that a majority of the Oklahoman sports writers perform at theirs, I would go nowhere in my lifetime…oh wow, there was a light bulb going off in my head, this must explain why you and your precious army of writers have gone nowhere in your respective careers. Now, give me your excuse for that one……if there is one thing that you guys do well it is justify ignorance. I just find it embarrassing the quality of the product produced by the Oklahoman. So let you excuse be to tell me to quit reading your paper, but let me tell you that I gave up my subscription long ago and the only reason I see these articles is when a friend or co-worker emails me a link or gives me a copy of a paper and say “read this……you are going to love it ***wink, wink***.”

By: 1981poke

1981poke — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:33:28 +0000

You can attempt to defend your article, but most of us remember that no similar article was written when the Sooner coaches in the past bolted. That’s why some believe that there is a bias towards the OU program.
As for me, I have the same opinion about your article that I do about any other Sooner’s opinion about the Cowboy program–I really don’t care what you think.

By: rigney

rigney — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:02:22 +0000

The same sportswriter who thinks coaches should be more loyal to their existing contracts also wanted Blake and Gibbs relieved of their duties in the middle of their contracts. Seems kind of self serving. Its a free country and all people should be able to change jobs when ever they want without having to tell the press before they decide.

By: Cowboy81

Cowboy81 — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 14:04:03 +0000

Getting a little testy there aren’t we Berry? Why is it that you in the media can sit back and take cheap shots and pass judgement on anybody you want but the minute anybody takes issue with YOUR work or YOUR opinion you attack and degrade them? It’s just like the Mike Gundy/Jenni Carlson thing. It’s fine for the media to criticise, question, and write anything they want about anybody, but the minute the tables are turned, you cry foul. Let’s be honest, you deliberately write columns or articles that you know are going to be controversial so that you can sell a few more lousy papers. If you can’t deal with the consequences of those actions, then go find something else to do.

By: Gerald McNutt

Gerald McNutt — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 18:56:01 +0000

Sports are just another business- even amateur sports. It is just that the last veneer has been stripped from the supposed code of honor. In finding coaches and players at fault, don,t be overlooking the Karl Dorrel situation at UCLA. Good, bad, or indifferent, that should have been His bowl game.

By: JW Carr

JW Carr — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:21:20 +0000

I normally don’t like Barry’s writing, but this one is right on the mark! As leadership, we preach loyalty & dedication to our people, and that needs to be taught more in today’s world. But then, if a “better opportunity” comes along our society’s role models give it the old “it’s been nice, see ya”.
If you’re going to preach it, live it. If you’re not going to live it, put a lid on it. Today’s kids get too much lip service. They need people that will stand by their word and stand by them!