The Summer of OU Internet
It’s becoming clear that we — media, fans, players/coaches – don’t have our arms around this Internet business. This is the summer of Internet scandal for OU football.
Some yahoo in Austin posts a fictitious story about Sam Bradford and Landry Jones. Someone posts Josh Jarboe’s rap video that mocks his gun conviction from a few months earlier. OU’s bobstoops.com accompanies some highlight videos with lyrics touting guns and drugs.
A few things we need to remember and learn about the Internet:
1. What happens on the Internet, stays on the Internet. Everyone is quick to pull stuff off the world wide web, but it stays somewhere in cyberspace. I just pulled up Jarboe’s rap from more than two weeks ago. The web is as permanent as a newspaper.
2. The Internet is the primary information source for young people, which is problematic. The Internet is full of amazing information, but it’s also full of deceit, which explains why some people believe Barack Obama won’t put his hand over his heart for the Pledge of Allegiance. Young people don’t have the filter of traditional news sources, which aren’t always pristine but provide an excellent counter to the wave of stuff on the Internet.
3. Things don’t happen in a vacuum. If Josh Jarboe did not have the gun conviction, his rap video would have been labeled silly but relatively harmless. When it reached the OU fan base and became widely viewed, Jarboe might have run stadium steps until he puked, but that would have been about it. If Josh Jarboe did not have the gun conviction, no one would have dug into bobstoops.com and figured out the lyrics of the highlight videos, and if they had, everyone would have shrugged. That’s just what kids listen to. But Jarboe did have the gun conviction, so his rap video and Stoops’ highlight videos don’t live on an island.
I know less about the Internet than anyone. I just know what I need to know to get around, to post what I’m supposed to post and to find what I need to find. For us old codgers, we need to realize the world has changed. But the web masters must realize that the freedom provided by the Internet comes with responsibility, and if not responsibility, consequences.
This week: Mississippi emails
This week’s emails are heavy on Ole Miss. Seems I bounced the University of Texas a couple of weeks back for not scheduling any powerhouses. I pointed out that in 2012 and 2013, UT’s best non-conference foe is Mississippi, which hasn’t been a power in 40 years and, I pointed out, won’t be in 2012 or 2013. Ole Miss fans started passing around my column and is shocked – shocked! – that someone would question their college football pedigree.
Larry wrote, “I just read your joke of a column about cupcakes. A tornado must have dropped a house on your head and caused you to lose your memory. Let me help you out: the last time Oklahoma played Ole Miss, they got their (butt) whipped. In fact, it was the first college game completed in the year 2000. Maybe you should try doing something else for a living.”
This is going to be fun. Fun and easy. Sometimes, even people who are wrong at least have a point. Mississippi fans have no point. Their program stinks. Ole Miss Fact No. 1: The Rebels’ last SEC title came in 1963. And yes, Ole Miss beat OU in the 1999 Independence Bowl, which ended an hour before Y2K and was not contested even in the early minutes of 2000.Mike wrote, “I nearly choked on my coffee when I read your remarks in regard to Texas’ football schedule over the next few years listing Ole Miss as one of their ‘cupcake’ opponents. Not being a regular reader of your column or listener to your radio show, I don’t know how long you have been in the sports commentary business. Obviously, not long enough, however. We have been national champs more than any team in the Big 12 other than Oklahoma and Texas. We are a respected and charter member of the Southeastern Conference. I might also remind you that Mississippi’s last bowl appearance was five years ago when we whipped your Big 12 member Oklahoma State. Prior to that, we defeated both Oklahoma and Nebraska in the Independence Bowl. Granted, our record in the last 3-4 years would not demand much respect, but most people who follow Division I football don’t just look at the most recent years in considering a program. Anyone looking at Nebraska’s last couple of seasons and not considering anything else would not give them much respect, and we all know that they will be back.”
Mississippi fans can’t read. What else can be deduced? I never said Ole Miss was a cupcake, although that’s exactly what Ole Miss has been the last four years. I said it’s not a power, and it’s not; hasn’t been since the SEC integrated. As for Ole Miss national titles, Ole Miss counts three of those fraudulent titles from computer rankings. AP and the coaches? Zero. Ole Miss fact No. 2: Since 1971, Mississippi has been in 11 bowls. Five of those have been the Independence Bowl. Ole Miss fact No. 3: The Rebels are 14-32 the last four years.Kevin wrote, “You might want to check and see what happened to OU the last time they played Ole Miss. I’m an Ole Miss fan, of course, and agree with the premise of your article, but I’ll bet you a steak dinner we win one of those games against Texas. Us being a power is unlikely, but a top 25 program by then is a strong possibility. Watch the Rebs this year and take them and the points early. The secret will be out pretty quick and you’ll see the Rebs giving up points to teams like Bama, Ark and South Carolina. We just might see the Sooners at the end of the year somewhere.”
Of course Ole Miss will see the Sooners at the end of the year. They will see OU in a January bowl game while the Rebels are sitting home. Ole Miss fact No. 4: Last top-10 finish? Eighth in the 1969 AP poll. Ole Miss fact No. 5: The Rebels have won at least 10 games once since 1971. Ole Miss fact No. 6: Rebels never have won more than 10 games in a season.Enough nonsense about a program that was good when Minnesota and Army were good. Pete is one of those OU fans who just likes to talk Sooner football. “I just wanted to get your view on the Sooner defense this year. Will we be more aggressive instead of laying back in the soft zone and let the hurry-up/spread offenses that are starting to proliferate the college football landscape nickel and dime us down the field? Do we have the personnel to play man on the outside? Is the D-line capable of getting pressure without the blitz? How do the safeties look? Do we have a Roy Williams, Brandon Everage, Scott Case with fire and motivation? My view is that we have had enough offense to compete effectively, but all of our loses have been when we have given up too many points or been unable to get a stop at a critical point in the game.”
I think we’re seeing something pretty rare at OU. I think Brent Venables is under more scrutiny than Kevin Wilson, and hardly ever do you see a defensive coordinator more under the microscope than the offensive coordinator. Venables’ defense has been just fine; it completely snookered Missouri in the Big 12 title game. And yes, West Virginia ran wild in the Fiesta Bowl, but it wasn’t because of lack of aggression. The Sooners just couldn’t catch quarterback Pat White. And no, OU doesn’t have another Roy Williams. And neither does anyone else.And it’s not a week unless we’re debating the Oklahoma City NBA team name. Thomas wrote, “The bullfrog is our state amphibian. I wish I’d known of this before now, because I know it’s getting late, but you gotta let Mr. Bennett know. Bullfrogs is so much better than Thunder. I’m just saying. I’m sure it’s too late and we can’t really do anything about it, but it just makes sense.”
Well, I think Bullfrogs is goofy. But remember when Express Sports, which owns the Blazers, was going to bring in an arena2 football team and call it the Bullfrogs? They backed off when the Arena Football League wanted to come in, but they were sold on Bullfrogs.Phil wants to know, “how do you get a suggestion in the mill for consideration of the new name for the Sonics? My suggestion is to consider: the Naturals. This name can be worked to relate the club to Oklahoma and its environment and to a wide array of other applications. I recognize this comes from a movie with Robert Redford as the star. This may have more positive effects than negative.”
I guess it’s better than the Sundance Kids.Keith wrote, “Copperheads. Has real sssssssssssizzle, doesn’t it?”
I’ve heard worse.
Strange August: No OU scrimmage
For the first time since I can’t remember when, I’ll see no Sooner scrimmage before their first football game. Unless you count Chattanooga as a scrimmage, of course.
I understand Bob Stoops’ decision to close the scrimmages. He’s right. People can study up on the Sooners and get a slight jump, although the prime suspects — Big 12 foes, Texas in particular — wouldn’t really gain an advantage from schemes and formations. The Sooners play five games before Dallas; Texas will have a big block of data to study just from games.
But September foes, particularly Cincinnati and Washington, might learn a thing or two. And any trick plays or surprise wrinkles that OU might be working on but saving for just the right time, those would come in handy to amateur scouts from UT, Tech, OSU or A&M.
Still, it’s too bad that the scrimmages are closed. OU fans have made it a tradition to turn out en masse to watch the intrasquad battles on Owen Field. It’s insufferably hot, and you might not learn much, especially if there’s no quarterback derby, but to the seasoned fan, the scrimmages gave glimpses not just into the 2008 season, but the future. Young players will get to shine only on the practice or scrimmage field. And some fans are hard-core enough to take note.
Oh well. Write it off as another victim of the new technology. Internet. Camera phones. Instant information. You can’t blame Stoops for trying to protect his interests.
Watching the PGA
While I finish some work today, I’ll have the television on. I plan to watch the PGA, not the Olympics.
Nothing against the Olympics, but I still am partial to the major championships in golf, even without Tiger Woods. The PGA is gasping without Tiger, but it’s still an interesting leaderboard.
Some of the contenders are seeking their second major, an achievement which elevates any golfer to higher status. Ben Curtis, David Toms, Angel Cabrera. Some of the contenders are the young guns seeking that breakthrough major. Justin Rose. Henrik Stenson. Aaron Baddeley. Sergio Garcia. Anthony Kim.
Looming not too far back are the guys scrambling for the No. 2 slot in golf, behind Tiger. Phil Mickelson. Padraig Harrington.
I wish Tiger was in the PGA. But his void leaves a great opportunity. The 2008 PGA remains a major in every sense of the word. Which means I’ll be watching.
A Cardinal fan for 82 years
I met a most charming man Thursday night, 93-year-old Charles Ingram, a retired Tulsa business executive. We attended a dinner together in T-Town, and the subject eventually found its way to baseball.
Mr. Ingram is a Cardinal fan — lots of Tulsans are Cardinal fans, dating back to not just KMOX broadcasts that turned much of the Central Time Zone into St. Louis die-hards but to the Cardinals’ top farm club residing in Tulsa for many years.
Anyway, Mr. Ingram told me how he became a Cardinal fan. As a kid, he lived in Henryetta, and his father had occasion to go to St. Louis on business, and while there, his father was going to attend the World Series. The year was 1926. St. Louis’ first World Series.
Charles Ingram, then an 11-year-old boy, listened on radio to those games, one of the greatest Serieses ever. The Series where Grover Cleveland Alexander, the aging, hardened pro, came in relief for St. Louis in the seventh inning of Game 7, striking out Tony Lazzeri to preserve the Cardinals’ lead and eventually deliver the Series to St. Louis.
Mr. Ingram has been on the Cardinal bandwagon ever since. Thursday night, he talked a little about 1926, but he also talked about 2008, how if the Cardinals had a closer, they would be even with the Cubs in the NL Central instead of chasing, five or six games behind.
There’s something captivating about hearing a man talk about the 1926 World Series and the 2008 pennant race, not from a history book perspective but from personal experience. No other sport can match it. Here’s to another 82 years of following the Cardinals for Charles Ingram.
Big news day in Oklahoma
Wednesday was one of the bigger news days in the history of Oklahoma sports, considering it was August and not a ballgame one was played, so far as I know, beyond the RedHawks.
But look at what we had: 1. OU Media Day (and Fan Appreciation Day). The first chance to talk to the 2008 Sooners, plus an estimated 10,000 fans who came to get autographs from their heroes; 2. Release of the NBA schedule, which for a new NBA city is a big deal; 3. Bobby Murcer’s memorial service, which drew the most regal of pinstripes — Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Yankee manager Joe Girardi, GM Brian Cashman and Reggie Jackson.
It all made for a crowded sports page and crowded sportscasts. Here’s how big it was. All three events made the front page — the main front page — of The Oklahoman. We ran a big picture of Sam Bradford signing autographs, a story on why the NBA team won’t have Saturday home games this season and a smaller photo of Pettitte and Jeter at Murcer’s service.
This is what happens in a major-league city. Multiple events of major importance collide, and fans and media have to make choices or cram a lot of commitments into a short time frame. That’s what makes it fun. And the games haven’t even started.
Missouri on SI cover
The Missouri Tigers — at least linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, quarterback Chase Daniel and flanker Jeremy Maclin — grace the cover of Sports Illustrated’s college football preview. Two things you should know.
1. It’s a regional cover. Down South, Georgia players are on the cover, except in Florida, where the Gators get the honor. In the upper Midwest, Ohio State. Out West, USC.
I don’t know which cover gets the dominant placement throughout the rest of the country, but I can tell you that on si.com, where it shows the current magazine cover, Florida has the honors.
I guess such marketing is fine, but to me, it takes away from Sports Illustrated’s special status. Making the SI cover packs a wallop unlike anything else in sports media, even in these Internet days. Regionalizing the covers weakens that status.
2. I think it’s great that Missouri is on the cover, even in just a portion of the country. The Tigers are fourth in SI’s preseason rankings, behind Georgia, Ohio State and USC. Florida is fifth, followed by OU, Auburn, Texas Tech, LSU and Wisconsin.
The Big 12′s status will only be enhanced by Missouri getting such props. The Sooners have dominated their conference unlike any other major power, other than USC in the Pac-10. Any appearance that the Big 12 is weak outside the Sooners is bad for the Sooners and the league.
Missouri’s rising stature will help the Sooners, even if it means no more than keeping OU on its toes.
Awaiting the NBA schedule
The NBA schedule comes out just before noon, and good news already abounds. Oklahoma City won’t open with the Hornets or the Lakers.
The best possible opener is against a rumdum. The Grizzlies or the Bobcats or somebody. Opening night will be a magical date and doesn’t need the Spurs or the Celtics or the Lakers or the Hornets to get everyone juiced.
This isn’t a ticket-selling problem. All the tickets will be sold all year, I’m convinced. But the NBA season is long, and it’s hard for everyone to stay jazzed all season. Better to have the marquee teams later — LeBron, Philadelphia, Dallas are some others — than earlier. For instance, we’ve got the Timberwolves coming in on Nov. 2 and Atlanta on Nov. 9.
Perfect.
Another OU football book
Another OU football book is on the market: ”The Die-Hard Fan’s Guide to Sooner Football,” written by Jim Fletcher.
If any subject is well-covered in books, it’s Sooner football, especially general history OU football. If someone wants to do a biography on Bob Stoops or Bennie Owen, or a story of World War II veterans in college football, or a story of integration of Sooner sports, well, those are topics that haven’t been saturated.
I only scanned Fletcher’s book, but I will applaud him for this: I saw an Emory Bellard story I never had come across before. Bellard is credited with inventing the wishbone as Darrell Royal’s offensive coordinator in the 1960s. I won’t spoil the story, but it’s danged interesting.
The book is organized into some interesting elements; it has a variety of questions-and-answer interviews, and an compelling segment on the greatest overlooked Sooners of all time. It’s not the worst OU football book on the market. You might find it of value.
Jarboe emails come pouring in
Another week of emails, and this week, it’s all Josh Jarboe. Most were received after Bob Stoops dismissed Jarboe from the OU squad. Some were sent before that decision was made.
Richard wrote, “Impressive. I didn’t realize Mr. Tramel wielded so much influence with player personnel at OU. Coach Stoops dismissed Jarboe on the heels of Mr. Tramel’s article rather than risk follow-up articles ad nauseam regarding the precarious state of the program. Would some sporting event please happen soon; football season, OKC NBA team name announcement, anything so sportswriters won’t have to surf YouTube for articles. I’m going to closely watch Jarboe’s career to see if Tramel’s, I mean Stoops’, decision was the right one. What DID writers do for inspiration before the internet?”
We spent a lot less time answering goofy emails.
Gary wrote, “I understand that OU football players are in a public arena which holds them to a higher standard. I have worked in mentoring programs for teens since I was 18. I have always been involved in youth ministry. My concern is with how the media seems to be taking a ‘righteous’ approach and condescending tone to this situation. I never write and correspond about situations like this, but this particular situation has my heart deeply troubled. I am by no means saying that he should not have been dismissed from the team. Allow me to outline a few points while everyone at The Oklahoman applauds the loss of an educational opportunity and dream for a young man. 1. It is a most distressing double standard when there was a young man, Ben Habern, also in the video. I suppose the world would just rather justify him by saying he wasn’t rapping, but he was part of the celebration or he wouldn’t have been recording the rap. What happens to him now. Absolutely nothing! 2. It is amazing that everyone is lauding that the lyrics are horrible and profane but this is the same lyrics that your children parade and listen to on radio stations and the same lyrics that we allow our children to listen to on MTV. But where is the outcry from the parents about the source of profane laced lyrics and moral deprivation gone? I’ll tell you where it’s gone. Absolutely nowhere, because Oklahomans and Americans really don’t care until it makes them feel superior to someone else and allows them to point a finger toward another person. 3. How indifferent we are to remember our own pasts. The peace and love movement was strong and getting high was the thing to do, so we now relay these stories in classrooms with jokes and a sense of cultural growth. But we are less tolerate of those that are different than us culturally and quick to blame society’s problems on a symptom and not the root. Reminds me of why America was so slow to condemn slavery and Jim Crow. Because the poor who had no reason to want to keep Jim Crow and segregation were made to feel that they were better than somebody and they should want to keep it that way.”
Pretty interesting essay on 21st century American society. Just one problem. It didn’t include the word “gun.” Jarboe was dismissed not because of the video, but because of the gun conviction. He took a gun to school, and Bob Stoops took a huge gamble by giving him a second chance. The video was a very small infraction, but it toppled Jarboe over the edge, because he already was on the edge. The knucklehead who filmed the video and put it on YouTube did not have a gun charge. So he’s probably running 500 stadium steps a day for two months. The thing to remember is that this is a business decision as much as anything else. Bob Stoops is not Jesus Christ. The Lord can leave the 99 and go search for the one, but a football coach can’t do that. He’s got to watch out for the 99, and HIS boss, the president of a university, has to watch out for a whole lot more than that. I applaud work in youth ministry. But if a kid brings a gun to a youth service, a youth minister and a church has very little choice. It must lay down the law. No more guns, and no more indiscretions. Otherwise, there would be no more youth ministry. Of course, if your ministry is in the heart of the culture that created such brazen disregard for responsibility, maybe it’s different. But Bob Stoops works in an environment that can’t tolerate that culture. A college campus is set up to be a great melting pot of ideas; it is not set up to be a great melting pot of behaviors.
Kerry wrote, “I for one hope that Jarboe wasn’t sent home packin’. I hope they frisked him first and disarmed him. OK, that wasn’t as funny in print as it was in my head. Huh, I wonder if Jarboe had the same thought. Anywayyyy, I still can’t believe that some OU fans think he shouldn’t have been dismissed from the team. That it was no big deal. I keep wondering how the VT fans feel about it? Would they have a problem with a gun toting recruit rapping about killing people? Something tells they would and that EVERYONE else should!”
Kerry, I guarantee you Gary didn’t think it was funny.
Larry wrote, “You’re 100 percent right about Stoops’ decision on Josh Jarboe. Couple of quick points. 1. If Jarboe had simply been punished by running stadium steps, it would have sent the message not only to the team but to the rest of the country that gang culture was acceptable at the University of Oklahoma. I’m sure other players would have put out their own rap videos, and it wouldn’t have been too long before we had gang signs being waved on the sidelines. 2. Bonner defended Jarboe by saying he’s a good kid and that rapping like Jarboe did was common on his team. Yes, gang culture is present in schools in lower socio-economic communities these days, and Jarboe may very well be a good kid. But the line has to be drawn that gang culture is not acceptable at OU, and that’s what Coach Stoops did. A really important decision.”
Again, the rap was silly. The gun conviction was scary.
Ron wrote, “Great job on this Jarboe article. Once again you hit the nail on the head. I agree that most everyone deserves a second chance, but it was obvious after this guy turning right around after his firearms conviction was reduced, he shows what he is about with this violence toned video. I see Stoops is not bringing this turd here after all. I about fell out of my chair when I read that Stoops had said “Kick a guy off the team for what he says?” If he had overlooked what he had done as clearly stated in this rap video, it would have been a slap in the face to every OU student and student athletes past and present (including my own daughter) who attended that university to get an education. Once again I commend you for telling it like it is.”
I wish I knew what made Stoops change his mind. I really don’t know.
David wrote, “Stoops has done the right thing in dismissing Jarboe. Jarboe now has a choice in life. An important one. Do you clean up your act … or do you become the thug everyone now expects of you? Good luck Josh. I hope you make the right decision and take the right route. Coach’s first comment on Jarboe MUST have been before he listened to the video.”
Nope. Stoops saw the video first.
Tim wrote, “Was it not around this time last year when an OU football recruit was shot down and murdered outside his apartment in Houston? I would think this would still be fresh on Stoops’ mind.”
Truth is, there are some days when college football coaches earn their ample paycheck.
Scott wrote, “Saw some ridiculous posts on OUinsider.com blaming you and the rest of the Oklahoma media for getting Josh Jarboe kicked off the team. I responded that we might as well throw President Bush in as well, since some blamed him for Hurricane Katrina and also asked if after blaming you and others, if there was any room to place at least some of the blame on Jarboe himself. I think these are the OU fans that were crying ‘bring back the thugs so we can win again’ during the John Blake years.”
Scott, we’ve got our share of ridiculous posts on newsok.com. I put no stock in the lonely-hearts crowd.
Robert wrote, “This is a shame because my mother’s maiden name is Jarboe and it would have been nice hearing that name for 4 years or until he was in prison … He should have never come to OU after the gun issue. The charges being lowered to a misdemeanor was strictly a (give you a break athlete ) political decision in my opinion. Anyone else would have been severely punished for such an action.”
Two things. 1. I know how you feel. My mother’s maiden name is Womack, and anytime I hear someone named Womack – Lee Ann; the old Yankee pitcher Dooley – I get a charge. And Jarboe got no special break on the gun charge. He was completely eligible under Georgia’s First Offender’s Act.
Marilyn wrote, “I have to agree with your assessment. I know OSU fans are frantically hurrying to get that first email out crucifying Stoops. I wonder how many of them will remember Prentice Elliot?”
I don’t know, but everyone would be better off if they would quit worrying about the other school.
Ben wrote, before Jarboe was dismissed, “Good article. I hope OU pays attention to it. Does OU really believe that this guy has enough IQ to attend college classes??? This is the kind of BS that has given our state a black eye for decades. Recruit players based on ability only. Forget about the character issue, the end justifies the means.”
Actually, Jarboe might be plenty intelligent. He was just ignorant about the video. I really don’t think he realized he was doing anything wrong. Such lyrics are part of the youth culture in which he lives. The gun is a different matter. He was not ignorant about the gun. He knew better.
Jason wrote, “I can’t see how keeping this Jarboe kid is a good idea. It sound like he wants to be a part of a culture that is not conducive to living on a college campus. The question is: Is this kid a gangster or a wannabe? With the recent campus massacres across the country, the OU campus is not the place to find out.”
As I blogged about a few days ago, college football and college basketball is one of the great culture clashes in our society.
Clint wrote, “I think that this has been tremendously blown out of all proportion by the media. I believe Stoops is right. The media has to fill up air-time and column space with something, and the media knows it’s always better to be negative and nit-pick. I wish you (and your radio brethren) wouldn’t make these huge issues out of things that are not illegal. Judge not lest ye be judged.”
You’re right about one thing. We do have to fill up column space. But you’re wrong on the rest; it’s always better to be positive. Except readers respond a lot more to the negative. Negative public!
