Granger: From Bad to Worse
Here’s what you do when you screw up, whether it’s as a 4-year-old or on the job or playing defensive tackle for the Oklahoma Sooners. You mind your manners and go low-key. Pick up your toys, or get extra work completed and don’t complain, or work hard and stay out of trouble and be very humble.
DeMarcus Granger failed to last a week of getting back in the headlines. He failed to appear for an arraignment in a Tempe, Ariz., courtroom on his misdemeanor charge of shoplifting, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Granger, Tempe police said, stole a coat from a store in a mall during the Fiesta Bowl trip. Bob Stoops sent Granger home.
I don’t know what is the fine for shoplifting, but it can’t be much more than a plane ticket back to Arizona. Granger fouled up royally; he embarrassed himself and his team and his school, and if he was interested in taking responsibility, he should have found out how to get this over with immediately. Which obviously is pay the fine.
College athletes sometimes have a problem with responsibility. Most have been pampered since they were young teens and can have difficulty adjusting to real life. Kansas basketball player Brandon Rush failed to appear in traffic court a couple of months back, and KU coach Bill Self talked about how players have to accept responsibility for their actions.
I don’t know Granger’s financial situation. I don’t know if he can’t come up with the money to pay his fine. If not, then he’s in a bind. But it’s a bind he created.
Bob Stoops didn’t kick off Granger from the team. But now that he’s made headlines two weeks running, I wouldn’t blame Stoops if he said, good-bye.
-------------Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel. Visit Berry's website here.
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Comments
It’s always sad when a young person screws up their life at an early stage. I always told my children that they were just one stupid decision from screwing up their life. Choose yoru friends carefully and make wise decisions.
I think Mr. Granger has made hs last screw up as an OU Sooner football player.
Barry,
On this line with Sooner screw ups, could you please tell me what your ongoing investigation regarding Ryan Broyles has found. As it was left, Broyles was stealing gas with a “key” he had to turn on the pump. The obvious question was, where did he get the key. Calls to Rutherford Oil, who owns the pump, were never returned. The story was left at that!! Why?? Is this a potential OU donor??
I guess I’ll keep waiting for that follow up article to come out. Should I hold me breath??
Of course he should say, “goodbye”. People should take responsibility for the wrongs or the trouble they cause. Who suffers, but the parents, grandparents, etc. who have to cover for these people. There is no excuse!!
So if he had paid the fine, would you have said, “all is well, and welcome back”? As I said before, if anyone thinks this is the first time, they are fooling themselves. It is just the first time he got caught!
When you hire criminals to work for you, expect to get robbed.