Emails in on OU football, wrestling & private schools
The new emails are in, and they run the spectrum from seat-belt violations to the public school/private school debate to the RedHawks.
Craig wrote about OU wrestling: “I’ve watched the decline in the OU wrestling program ever since Teyon Ware’s departure and can’t take it any more. I would like to see Joe Castiglione pull off something like Penn State hiring (Iowa State’s) Cael Sanderson, although there is, after all, only one Cael Sanderson. And to think we could have hired Dave Schultz back when (and he’d still be alive had we done so). While Jack Spates is a class individual, were he coaching any other sport at OU, he would have been let go long ago. Our proud tradition is kaput.”
You know, I think Craig’s right. I think OU’s proud wrestling tradition is kaput. I’m not sure if a big-name coach can bring it back, but a great what-if on Schultz.
On to OU football. Bruce: “I note that The Oklahoman is fairly quick to bring attention to the various legal missteps for the athletes at both OU and OSU. While I understand you all report the news, why not impose a materiality standard on your ‘legal infraction’ reporting. Reporting on speeding or seat belt related violations is petty and isn’t fair to the students or their parents. I’m sure all of this in the end is sorted out by the family without the help or involvement of the university or The Oklahoman.”
Very good questions, though not great points. 1. We aren’t reporting on speeding or seat-belt violations. We are reporting on failing to pay speeding or seat-belt violations, which particularly in the case of Gresham is a component in his pro potential. NFL teams will put a little mark by his name. 2. I am positive none of this is sorted out by the family without the involvement of the university. Bottom line, if you are a newsmaker – and an OU football player, in particular absolutely qualifies – and there is a warrant for your arrest, that is news.
Tom also wrote about the warrants: “A football player forgetting to pay his speeding ticket is newsworthy? Come on.”
Here’s another reason why it’s an issue. In college football and college basketball, the culture is clear. Everything is done for the players. Enrollment, finding summer jobs, scheduled tutoring. The teaching of personal responsibility takes a hiatus in big-time college sports. Is it fair that Jermaine Gresham gets his name in the paper when he either forgets to pay a ticket or tries to let it slide? No. Is it fair when Jermaine Gresham gets to enroll in classes before a good student who is working two part-time jobs to pay his rent? No. Welcome to life.
Aaron, an OSU fan, referred to my Sam Bradford/autograph column from almost two weeks ago: “My nephew got autographs from both Dez Bryant and Marshal Moses at the OSU spring game. Does that make them heroes?”
Sure. I hope Marshall Moses didn’t miss dinner while trying to satisfy the line of fans trying to get his autograph.
Niles wrote about OU football: “I think Taylor Griffin should go out for the OU football team as a kick blocking specialist. I don’t know what the average trajectory of a kick is, but he can jump about 11 feet high. At the very least, opposing kickers would be thinking about him. He’s probably not gonna go to the NBA and he has a year of eligibility. I think it could revolutionize special teams defense. Do you think it could actually work? Do you know of this being done before? I heard the Packers had a good kick blocker once that had been a basketball player, but I don’t know if he had the height and leaping ability of Taylor. Maybe he did. Of course, he might be a heckuva tight end or d-end, too. Anyway, just a quirky idea I had.”
This is why my readers are America’s best. This is a brilliant idea. I have no idea if it would work, and I have no idea if Taylor Griffin is interested. But this is how change comes to America. This is how we invented the telephone and indoor plumbing and the pick-and-roll. Someone thinking outside the box.
Now, for the private school debate. Jim, a Bishop McGuinness fan: “There is no problem with the one private school that I am familiar with. The only way that there could be a problem is if private schools give scholarships. Bishop McGuinness seems to have the biggest bulls eye since they have won so many titles. I am not aware of any scholarships to athletes at McGuinness, and it wouldn’t be tolerated by the parents of the kids who grew up in the Catholic system, because the favored athlete with financial aid would take away a place on the team of a kid whose parents pay $7,000 dollars in tuition. I sit at the games with parents who don’t like it when a kid transfers legally from another school and unseats a Catholic system kid in any sport, much less letting him come for free. Everyone assumes that McGuinness recruits. I follow them as close as anyone. I know of no basketball player ever recruited by the Irish. I only know of two players that even contributed in basketball that did not come from the Catholic school system – Jonathon Bluitt and the Johnson kid who also was Blake Griffin’s point guard at OCS. Bluitt came as a freshman with Terrance Crawford because they were best friends, and Johnson came because the McGuinness team was his AAU team. And believe me, there were a lot of loyals at McGuinness who were not happy about Johnson’s transfer. McGuinness was good the past 12-15 years in basketball for two reasons: the Merritt family and the Crawford-Orton family. They all went to Catholic schools from first grade through high school. It was a fluke that one school could have that luck. The same luck a school could have getting a one in a million kid like Wes Welker.”
Excellent points, and the whole private school flap is completely misplaced. Do private schools recruit? Of course they do. They recruit just like the public schools. Kids move around – as the two mentioned in this dispatch. Putnam City basketball, Tulsa Union football, heck, there are a bunch of move-ins in swimming. It’s not necessarily the schools or coaches who recruit; it’s more on a personal level with families. The real issue in the public/private debate is enrollment. Private schools – and magnet schools – can control their enrollment. Which means they can decide who gets in and how big their school will be. If they want to be a Class 3A school, they are a 3A school. If they don’t want to take some knucklehead who causes trouble, he’s out. U.S. Grant doesn’t have that luxury. Grant and Moore and Piedmont have to take all students, and they also have to supply special education, which also is counted in their enrollment tallies. The solution is easy. If you control your enrollment, you automatically go up a class. It’s fair and it’s simple. So a McGuinness would be 5A instead of 4A. Oklahoma Christian School and Heritage Hall would be 3A instead of 2A, etc.
Bill wrote about the relatively-poor attendance for the RedHawks’ opener. The Brick was about half full: “Thanks for the article on the opening night of the RedHawks. Was too bad to lose 6-1, but what I find worse is the lack of people; 6,820. Granted that is almost 7,000, but in a stadium that seats almost 14,000 and more with standing room tickets, it is shocking to me to see that low a number. I have been going to baseball games here in OKC for a long time and I cannot remember even back at the old All Sports Stadium a less then full house on opening night, and to add to that there was the retiring of Bobby Murcer’s number, the giveaway of the t-shirts and the huge fireworks after the game. Maybe it is the economy, I hope that is all that it is. Maybe it is something else. I know the RedHawks keep trying and changing things, some good, some bad in my opinion. The good is the food ideas they are trying and making the park like some of the major league stadiums. The bad I found last year and hope it has changed was no scorecards and no programs.”
Here’s what I think the problem was. We were told all day Thursday that there was a 100 percent chance of rain for Friday. I know I made other plans for Friday night, anticipating a rainout, so I’m sure all kinds of other people did, too. The weathermongers are the RedHawks’ worst enemies. I don’t think it’s the economy. I think the economy will help OKC baseball. A night at the ballpark is relatively cheap entertainment.
George wrote about the Thunder: “There is an old saying in sports business: sometimes the best trade a team makes is the trade they don’t make. I think the trade for Chandler of the Hornets that Presti rescinded would be the perfect example. Unfortunately, Chandler seems like will be having ankle problems for the rest of his career. I nominate Presti for executive of the year for any sport.”
I agree that the rescinded trade turned out well for the Thunder, and I’ll sign the petition to honor Presti, but it was the doctors, not Sam Presti, who halted the trade.
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.
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OU wrestling the last 3 years has had a similar performance to the football team under John Blake. Terry Brands, twin brother of Tom Brands the Iowa head coach would like the job (I’ve confirmed this with some Iowa friends who know him quite well). I’d like to see Terry Brands come in, I think he could revitalize the program, just like Bob Stoops did the football program