Elusive, the burbs (11/12/2009 3:08:40 AM)

I agree with Nina "these violations show a wider problem in the state and that the OSSAA can't police every school." High Schools should be enphasizing education more than sports.

FUTURE WORLD, Tulsa (11/12/2009 3:17:29 AM)

They should be doing both. Sports provide money for many other programs that enhance the student experience in school. If school wasn't fun, learning and motivation would not be fun either. Sports build character, and enhance many life skills needed for success. It would be meaningless to have educated people who don't have the skills to deal with life and all the problems these kids will have to deal with. Sports are vital to the developement of the whole student.

gba, (11/12/2009 5:21:57 AM)

why the remark towards Texas schools ?
uncalled for,clean up the mess in Oklahoma schools,don't worry about other states

KJNOKIE, TULSA (11/12/2009 6:39:18 AM)

"The things you learn from high school sports, you take with you into the business world."

That is what we need--more unethical people in business.

BayouGirl, Owasso (11/12/2009 6:50:39 AM)

Coach Ron Smith is a good example of why rules violations occur. I was very glad he quit Owasso to go to Bartlesville.

I agree that sports are an important PART of education. BUT, the emphasis should be on education first for every student. Being good at a sport is not going to last until you die. You have to be able to read and understand contracts, etc. and it never hurts to have something else to fall back on.

There are no guarantees in life and if you get hurt in professional sports you have a lot of time left to live without a means of support.

Winning in high school is not the most important part of life. Being able to support yourself and your family is close to the top of my list.

BayouGirl, Owasso (11/12/2009 6:51:42 AM)

P.S. Kjnokie I like the way you think! Of course, I have Kjn in my blood too!

retired x2, Canadian (11/12/2009 7:52:58 AM)

Just win baby! Too big to fail. Win at all costs, by the way can those kids read?

Carl, Henryetta (11/12/2009 8:01:20 AM)

KJNOKIE - that is perhaps the wittiest (and most insightful) comment I have ever read since I've been posting here. You hit the nail square on the head!

Carl, Henryetta (11/12/2009 8:04:24 AM)

"Milt Bassett, the executive director of the Oklahoma Coaches Association, said rules violations have gone on for years but are getting more attention now."
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Imagine if it was a Chief of Police somewhere saying this - or an elected official. OUTRAGEOUS!! SHouldn't the COACHES be a little more concerned about being an EXAMPLE for the "student athletes" instead of taking the attitude "well, EVERYBODY'S doing it..."

Carl, Henryetta (11/12/2009 8:06:55 AM)

"And if Oklahomans think high school sports gets too much attention in this state, Bassett said, they should look south. "We'd be a distant second to Texas," he said."
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Yet ANOTHER completely outrageous statement. Mr. Bassett should resign his position immediately. Let me translate this statement so that trhe average athlete could understand it: "We are unethical and unscrupulous and would lie, cheat or steal to win - but the Texans are worse."

NE Oklahoma Girl, NE Oklahoma (11/12/2009 8:35:10 AM)

Sadly though, you can't entirely blame the schools and the athletes. The parents are in on this just as much. They push their kids and put more emphasis on their passing or shooting at home than is done on math and English. I know lots of parents around here that will hold their kid back just for sports. That's just telling the kid what's more important to them.

Average Consumer, Jenks (11/12/2009 8:36:09 AM)

Remember P.E. days and dodge ball? That bonding moment between scholar and athlete? We meet again in the Tulsa World electronic gymnasium!

In every human experience ‘the line’ is respected by most and crossed by others. How we respond and move forward is most important. In addition to Justice and Punishment, Second and Third chances are woven into the same fabric. Life, not just sports, IS a competition.

GoFigure, (11/12/2009 8:37:15 AM)

Lets not get our panties in a wad here. Let the kids go where they want and play sports!! They transfer anyway. Ask Bo Marsylns dad!!! Every year for five years now for them. And if you ask them they'll tell you how easy it was. We've forgot, it's a free country and these kids should be able to transfer and go to school where they want with out this OSSAA Gustopo over their heads. Who is this Ed Sheakly to say it's not that important and it's just a game. Like coach Smith said, for some it's a 120,000 scholarship to play in college. This is not the NCAA or the NFL, it's just high school sports.

Gasp, tulsa (11/12/2009 8:53:57 AM)

Mike Bassett said their was more attention now not that the violations had gone unpunished. Can the TW provide some data on violations punished by the OSSAA and an opinion about trends. Has the TW dropped the ball here. After all, they cover sports like crazy. I cannot image your sports folks not having smelled a little stink through the years. If they did did they turn there eyes away because they did not want to turn in a pillar of salt i.e. hated by local sports fans and coaches.

As usual a fair amount of the blame lies with the media's over emphasis on sports. Local TV coverage of high school football is out of control. Of course this is done because the fat bottomed men of Oklahoma do not have lives of their own but want to relive their glory days through kids. It really is kinda sick but a part of our youth obsessed culture.

HVJ, (11/12/2009 8:56:11 AM)

As John Heisman [Heisman Trophy] so eloquently put it: "Gentlemen, it is better to die a small boy than to fumble this football."

LocalBoy, B.A. (11/12/2009 9:39:33 AM)

I can't wait for the local news to be touting their "Friday Night Academic Highlights."

Carl, Henryetta (11/12/2009 10:27:01 AM)

Can anyone tell me where, in the newspaper, I can find regular reports of the academic team competitions? The Math Team, Chess Club, Debate Teams, etc?
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Oh wait, those are only for nerds and geeks, nobody cares about SCHOLARSHIP enough to make those newsworthy, right?

Arbythree, Tulsa (11/12/2009 10:44:40 AM)

LOL LocalBoy!

Few Clothes, America (11/12/2009 11:24:55 AM)

I hate to see activities such as band, drama, and other art dying out to football in most schools. I also agree with Average Consumer that football isn't life. Academics make life easier.

dblev, (11/12/2009 11:24:55 AM)

Union does it also and i dont know why the havnt gotten caught yet.. they do it all the time and i know because ive seen it happen When i was in school they moved a player from my school to theres. they help the kids family get an apartment so that he could play for them. but like people said, education should be put first then comes sports.

OKRedMan, (11/12/2009 11:58:36 AM)

Let's not lose sight of the fact that the majority of violations reported recently in the news has to do with the lack of grade reporting, which implies to me that education is important and does come first, at least as far as the OSSAA is concerned.

Gasp, tulsa (11/12/2009 12:33:18 PM)

If Union is doing it someone needs to give specifics to the OSSAA so they can investigate. How far does the open records act permit the media to go in these kinds of investigations probably not far. But reporters could call parents and ask for information about schools attended. Are reporters allowed to ask students at a game about what they know about a player's history? I guess I was wrong about the media finding out about a student's history. You would need to employ a private investigator to look at old year books and employ questionable techniques to get the truth after receiving here-say or rumors. I expect the newspapers to do too much I suppose. Yep, this is a hard nut to crack.

A whistle blower statute might work by rewarding those with direct knowledge whose report leads to an action by the OSSAA with 50% of the gate from those games that end up forfeited. I like using money to motivate. It is the American way.

Carl, Henryetta (11/12/2009 1:02:01 PM)

OKRedman - maybe, but certainly not as far as the COACHES, PLAYERS and PRINCIPALS are concerned.

Carl, Henryetta (11/12/2009 1:04:16 PM)

In the words of Bartlesville head footbal coach: ""There's no way we're going to apologize for trying to further these kids..."
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I take that to mean the ends (nice free ride to college to play ball to get a one-in-a-thousand shot at a PRO contract), justifies the means (lying or cheating).

50,000 ft, (11/12/2009 2:13:57 PM)

Yes, Texas takes it's football seriously. However, the UIL is quite aggressive in enforcing transfer rules. Just last week, two San Antonio schools were nailed and had to forfeit games because of illegal transfers. Like OSSAA, UIL also regulates Band and Academic contests. So, it would appear, that both Oklahoma and Texas approach athletic, music and academic sanctioning with nearly identical processes.