Boone Pickens: Any ideas?
I got a note from Boone Pickens on Tuesday, after he read my column calling for Dez Bryant’s eligibility to be restored by the NCAA.
“Thanks for a succinct analysis of the Dez Bryant issue. It’s unfair to hold someone up. A sentence should be given for whatever it’s for. What else do they have to study? If you have any ideas on what else we can do to help, I’m all ears. Boone”
I told Pickens I had no idea how to make the NCAA move. My only idea was to shed some light on the unfairness of the situation. Maybe if enough people say, wait a minute, is this what you really want to do?, then something might move. As Pickens said, “It’s a sad deal for the kids.”
But isn’t it interesting? Pickens, the OSU benefactor who is like a collegiate owner, a man who has funded Cowboy football into a competitive franchise much like Phil Knight has at Oregon, isn’t calling for restoration of Bryant’s eligibility. He’s just asking the NCAA to decide.
Is that such a huge request? Think about it. As Pickens suggested, what else does the NCAA need to know? If the NCAA wants to stay hard-core in its punishment of Bryant for lying to investigators, fine. Say so. Say, hey bud, you’re gone for the rest of the season. If there’s room for leniency and a three-game suspension is sufficient, say so. Don’t make a three-game suspension a six-game suspension just because it’s more convenient for committee members’ schedules.
But isn’t it also interesting that Pickens feels helpless in this situation? This is one of America’s most influential businessmen. He’s a man who is accustomed to getting things done, usually his way. A man who thinks he can take on the task of changing American energy habits.
And yet Pickens’ hands are tied by the NCAA. Not that he could buy off the NCAA or even influence the NCAA committee. But it’s an odd juxtaposition. In Texas wildcatting or water rights, in hedge funds and billion-dollar deals, Pickens is right at home. But when it comes to getting an NCAA committee to decide one way or the other, Pickens is out of ideas and even asking for help.
I’m pretty sure Boone Pickens rarely is out of ideas.
Think about that the next time you hear about someone wanting to take on the NCAA.
-------------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.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
Seriously? Dan you sent Boone a note telling him to give his wind farm buisness to OSU? Boone has given almost half a billion to OSU and you want to tell him how to give more. You know why Boone has that much money to give to OSU…because he knows get “all the profits.”
As a fellow alum, I will just say thank you for the contributions Boone. If Boone chooses to never give another penny, he has still done way more than his fair share.
Couldn’t Boone sue the NCAA? A case could be made for costing the school (which he heavily invested in) millions in revenue, because of lesser bowl position (without Bryant).
Beyond that, I believe the NCAA is the biggest joke of an oorganization in existence. It’s always been so obvious that they have subjective selective judgements. This situation with Bryant (if all the facts are out there) is the worst case of petty BS I’ve ever seen.
I’m a Florida Gator (and Tebow) fan who is a huge fan of Dez Bryant! I think it is as obvious as the fact that wind on the plains can power windmills that the NCAA is being overly harsh in this case! Too bad a timely Bryant reinstatement appears likely to be as elusive and frustrating to T. Boone, as well as to other millions of NCAA football fans (me included), as the slow effectuation of wind-driven generation of electric power in Oklahoma. Millions would enjoy seeing Dez back on the field while it matters. Wouldn’t you just love to see Dez out there competing this week against Texas!? DAMN THOSE NCAA overly-moralistic and overly-punitive CONTROL FREAKS! TRM from Tallahassee
Follow-up to my email of moments ago.
Even if it turns out not to matter in Dez’s case, as an “idea” I’ll volunteer to work with T. Boone and anyone else who wishes to do so, to start what “perhaps could become” a massive protest by email, etc. to tell the NCAA what we think of them (specifically on this issue). Hmmmm. How about folks start emailing me that you will join an “organization” that would work to achieve a successful massive protest! I’m retired, and an ol’ political organizer and lobbyist. I’ve got some time. It could be fun! Maybe “we” could tap into MSNBC’s Keith Oberman and some ESPN folks who likely would be willing to give such an effort some serious national sports news recognition. There are still a few weeks left in the season! Anyone? TRM [trmoore17@yahoo.com]
Berry,
When Boone was touting his ‘wind farm’ idea I sent him an ‘idea’ that could work to give OSU the funds to develop new engineers & put the ‘Wind Farm’ into a trust account that OSU could reap benefits from ALL the ‘Wind Farm’ profits & productions for OSU rather than all the profits go to Boone Pickens!
He didn’t like that ‘idea’ either because his website said he would respond to all comments but I never heard a word from him….:}