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Upon Further Review: Was Bubba Joking?
Published: 4/16/2009 7:05 PM
Last Modified: 4/16/2009 7:05 PM

Let’s tie up a loose end.
Was former NFL lineman Bubba Paris -- father of Courtney and Ashley Paris -- just joking when he fired a zinger at Oklahoma women’s basketball coach Sherri Coale last month?
Said Bubba in a TV interview, “This is (OU’s) year. And let me be clear about this again. My daughters have contributed. They’ve helped them recruit great players. They’ve brought in good people. If they don’t win this year, it’s your fault, Sherri Coale. Take those great players and win with them. I said it, yes I did.”
Bubba was smiling during the interview.
Attempts to reach Bubba prior to the Final Four were unsuccessful. He didn’t return a call or text to his cell phone. But his track record suggests he likes playing the role of jester.
Edison High School and OU grad Spencer Tillman use to be training camp suitemates with Bubba when they were with the San Francisco 49ers. (Some cat named Joe Montana shared the suite, too.)
Tillman said Bubba was a fun-loving guy who liked to throw rookies’ bicycles high into trees so they couldn’t reach them. Players rode bikes to the practice field -- located a country mile away -- in order to cut down on walking time. Try being on time for a meeting or practice when time is short and you can't find your ride.
Also, Bubba was among 49er players who took part in a prank to give rookies a certificate to a local store that they could exchange for a free turkey during the holidays. Unfortunately for the rookies, the certificates were fake and they always came home empty-handed.
Post-football, Bubba is available for speaking engagements. His Web site says, “One reason that you may not want to use Bubba Paris is that he’s so funny. He brings his good-natured humor to every event. Imagine trying to play golf or tennis and Bubba is there. He has so much personality that serious people may find themselves laughing too much! For this he apologizes in advance.”
Seriously, it would be hard to fault Coale's handiwork last season. She got the Sooners to a Final Four and that was the best you could hope for last season in women's college basketball, unless the name on your jersey said UConn. Coale also is the person responsible for raising a once-dead program to national prominence.
By the way, UConn coach Geno Auriemma called Bubba a "dope" for what the ex-football player said about Coale. It makes you wonder if Geno has ever seen Bubba. The guy could snap Geno in two -- or at least throw him high into a tree.




Reader Comments 2 Total
mgsooner (4 years ago)
Auriemma is a jerk. His ego has gotten totally out of control.
Dash Riprock (4 years ago)
Remember....'many a truth, said in jest'.
2 comments displayed


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Tulsa World sports writer Jimmie Tramel is a former class president at Locust Grove High School. He graduated magna cum laude from Northeastern State University with a journalism degree and, while attending college, was sports editor of the Pryor Daily Times. He joined the Tulsa World on Oct. 17, 1989, the same day an earthquake struck the World Series. He is the OSU basketball beat writer and a columnist and feature writer during football season. In 2007, he wrote a book about Oklahoma State football with former Cowboy coach Pat Jones.

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