Stoops has things to sweat, but Stills' purple dress isn't one of them
Published: 7/24/2012 9:31 AM
Last Modified: 7/24/2012 9:31 AM
DALLAS -- Kudos to Bob Stoops for not freaking out – publicly at least – over how Kenny Stills looked in that purple dress on Twitter earlier this summer.
"I didn't care. No big deal," Stoops said Monday when asked about the latest so-called controversy surrounding his free-spirited wide receiver. "Just having some fun with some friends. Who cares?"
Some care a little too much. Some overreacted to the picture, scolding Stills for acting a fool and not realizing his place on the Oklahoma football team. Some took it as a sign the Sooners are in trouble as far as the 2012 season is concerned.
Uh, no.
We've been over this before. When you're in college, you tend to express yourself. Twitter provides that platform. So college kids embrace it, as they absolutely should.
As starting wide receiver for the Oklahoma Sooners, Stills is an atypical college kid. Right. That means there are certain things he must be careful about posting for the world to see.
A picture of him playfully posing in a dress isn't one of them.
If he's slamming a beer in that dress, that's a problem.
If he's waving a gun in that dress, that's a problem.
If he's compromising his team, that's a problem. Stoops touched on that Monday.
"Anything whatsoever to do with our program, that's like you just had a press conference," he said he tells his players. "You're not gonna do it. If you want to, whatever, 'I'm going to the grocery store,' have at it. If it's something to do with us, I need to approve that.
"If they can't get that, maybe I will (ban Twitter). Or just certain guys that don't get it, I'll just take theirs. So I don't know, we'll see."
Stoops said Twitter hasn't become such an issue that it directly affects his program, or how he governs it, outside of the occasional reminders to be careful.
The appearance of his top wide receiver in a purple gown isn't enough to change that.
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
